Scope and Content Note
These are case files of inmates who received psychiatric examinations at Dannemora State Hospital. After examination the inmates were transferred to a state mental health facility or back to prison. Some of the inmates died at the hospital.
Each case file contains a personal history form giving: name; number; ethnic background; age; birthdate; birthplace; religion; marital status; date of admission; number of previous admissions to Dannemora; place transferred from; term of sentence; crime; diagnosis; previous admission to mental hospitals; results of psychological testing; family, personal, marital, military, and criminal history; and signature of the social worker completing the form.
The files also contain computer printouts giving inmate's name; social security number; date of birth; ethnic group; marital status; education; weekly family net income; household composition; and admission data including date, central office number, referred by, prior psychiatric treatment, last treatment facility, problems, problem duration, severity of illness, and provisional diagnosis. There are also Clinical Summaries giving a more detailed description of personal and family history and of the illness; Social Service Contact reports summarizing meetings between the patient and social worker; psychiatric and intelligence tests; typed note sheets describing inmate's illness, behavior, and attitudes; and typed notes on staff conferences on individual inmates.
The New York State Archives is part of the Office of Cultural Education, an office of the New York State Education Department.
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