NYCHS Archives' first researcher, Stacy Horn of EchoNYC, wields her No. 2 pencil making notes while studying NYCHS' 127-year ledger of Potter's Field burials.

NYCHS Archival Services

A veteran keeper supervises inmate search training at Keepers School, forerunner to the Correction Academy, host to NYCHS Archives now open to researchers by appointment.

The New York Correction History Society has initiated archival and research services at the New York City Department of Correction (NYC DOC) Academy in Middle Village, Queens.

Archived Annual Reports, Newsletters The Correction History Society maintains in the archives at the NYC Correction Academy collections of DOC annual reports and newsletters. In past eras, agency heads submitted to the mayors public reports that summarized their respective departments' activities and plans. The separate departmental sections in the annual Mayor's Management Report could be viewed as our current era's approximate equivalent. The annual reports collection spans about a half century -- 1918 through 1969. Visit the listing of the annual reports in the collection. The collection of DOC newsletters -- with various names and a half-dozen formats -- spans more than four decades. It begins in 1957 with Sidelights Vol.1 No.1 published under Commissioner Anna M. Kross. Visit the listing of the DOC newsletters in the archives collection.

Materials being archived and progressively made available for researchers include (but are not limited to) various NYC DOC annual reports, publications, documents and photos. The collection also includes some New York State Department of Correctional Services, New York City Department of Juvenile Justice, the Correction Officers Benevolent Association and the Correction Captains Association newsletters. Books, magazines, newspapers, and clippings related to New York correctional matters also have been gathered.

An Academy conference room is the Research Reading Room for the society's first archives researcher, Stacy Horn, studying the 1872-1875 Potter's Field burials ledger and other Hart Island-related materials (books, clips, photos).

During the next several weeks and months the materials which came together mostly as a random assortment will be organized so that a general guide can be devised and be made available to researchers in printed form as well as posted on the society's web site.

Some material is already sufficiently organized to permit limited research access but only to individuals (no classes or other groups) and only by prior advance appointment (no walk-ins).

Arrangements may be made by phone with the New York Correction History Society's general secretary, Thomas McCarthy, at (212) 266-1016. Written requests may be mailed to him at 60 Hudson St., Room 608, New York, New York, 10013, or e-mailed to webmaster@correctionhistory.org but must include a callback phone number.

Stacy Horn of EchoNYC recently became NYCHS' first researcher when she completed the registration procedure and began making notes in the Research Reading Room as she perused the society's archival treasure, a 1872-1875 ledger book that recorded Hart Island Potter's Field burials, and other Hart Island-related materials.

NYCHS' first archives researcher, Stacy Horn, shows society curator, Deputy Commissioner Deborah Kurtz, interesting photos among the Hart Island (Potters Field) materials made available.

Ms. Horn was welcomed by the society's curator, Deborah Kurtz, who as NYC Correction Deputy Commissioner for Training, Organizational Development and TEAMS has charge of the Correction Academy. Academy Captain Ralph Greenberg also greeted her.

A few days later Robin McDowell of the Associated Press became the NYCHS Archives' second registered researcher and was greeted by Correction Academy Deputy Warden Alonzo Davis.

Academy Capt. Ralph Greenberg welcomes researcher Stacy Horn.

In February, the third and fourth registered researchers, Hart Island historian Melinda Hunt and Columbia Graduate School of Journalism student Will Van Sant, became the Year 2000's first users of the society's archives research services at the Academy.

The Academy leadership and staff have made available space and resources assisting the society to mount and manage an archival program preserving historical materials for study and research.

With the exception of certain items that have come into the society's possession by direct donation to it, all materials being made available to researchers belong to the NYC Department of Correction or to the other correctional agencies that have placed them in the society's custody for preservation and presentation purposes.

Downloadable Research Rules, Form to Register The NYCHS research registration form and rules can be downloaded as an Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) file. If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here for the registration form and rules (a 68K PDF file). If you want Acrobat Reader free, click the icon below for the Adobe web site:

Deputy Warden Alonzo Davis greets researcher Robin McDowell.

All rights to those materials are retained by the agencies to whom they belong. The society's making the materials available for research does not constitute a waiver of those rights by the respective agencies.

The society has devised a set of Research Reading Room Rules and a research registration application procedure using as templates the Rules of the Research Room and the Research Room Registration Form of the Manuscripts and Special Collections section of the New York State Library and State Archives Research Services in the State Cultural Education Center, Albany.

Researchers Melinda Hunt and Will Van Sant copy some notes.

In general, the rules and registration procedures are intended to safeguard the archival materials and establish the identity of each researcher given access to them.

The registration form and reading room rules are available in downloadable printable Adobe Acrobat format (see box above right).

Web page (HTML) versions also are available:

• HTML version of Researcher Registration Form.
• HTML version of Research Reading Room Rules.