Research

Scope and Content Note

Volumes tracking the progress of paroled inmates contain daily entries summarizing contacts with parolees and their families and employers.

The extent and type of information in the entries varies, but each may provide such information as: name and number of parolee visited; city and/or home address of parolee; who spoke to at home (e.g. parent or other relative); relatives' comments on parolee's progress; name and location of employer; and employer's comments concerning parolee.

Although most entries are brief (two or three sentences), some provide lengthy, detailed descriptions of the misbehavior or crimes committed by parolees. Occasional entries provide information on related activities of parole agents such as: taking inmates to court; helping inmates find employment; returning parole violators to the institution; and receiving visits or telephone calls from parolees or their relatives to discuss their employment, progress, living arrangements, arrests while on parole, etc. Some volumes were kept by only one parole agent; others contain entries made in several hands. Therefore, there is considerable overlapping of dates between volumes.