Series 80388

DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS. DIVISION OF INSTITUTIONAL OPERATIONS. BUREAU OF SUPPORT SERVICES. [1648]

PRISON COMMITMENT REGISTERS, 1875-[ongoing]

DESCRIPTION: These logs are used to record information when an inmate is first admitted to prison. Personal information includes inmate's name, physical description, religion, education, birthplace, and occupation. Beginning in 1889, a photograph of the inmate accompanied this information. Criminal information includes the crime, sentence, discharge date and prison record. Beginning in 1982, this log was also used as a back-up to the Offender Based Criminal Identification System (OBCIS). As the only facility in the corrections system, the State Prison was the creator from 1875-1982.

A consistent numbering pattern for entries gradually becomes established in book "D," which is the first book containing pictures. The first prison number written in this book is 551 (p. 12) and numbers after that are fairly consistent. On page 106 and 107 earlier numbers are entered 395-689, but on page 108 it picks back up where the numbering on 105 left off. The book covers admissions from 1889 to 1908, and many prisoners who are entered in earlier books are reentered into this one; therefore, there are quite a few duplicate entries and overlapping of admission dates between book A,B,C and book D. These entries often include references to page numbers in an earlier book; the duplicate entries are usually recorded for criminals convicted of serious crimes, who were still serving sentences when the new book was opened. By the end of book "D" entries are being made in order, both chronologically and by prison number, and this pattern continues. In the last book of archival holdings (reel 10) a few odd numbers are scattered throughout i.e., 11845A.

Upper front view pictures of the prisoners appear from 1889 through 1900. Upper front and side view pictures appear from 1900 through 1959. Upper front and side view pictures along with a full front body view appear from 1959 through 1976. Admission records for some prisoners have been expunged. Identifying data such as the name of the prisoner, picture, prison number, residence, relatives, place of birth, and date of birth have been concealed.

Many of the entries include the following data: name and age of prisoner, place and date of birth; physical characteristics; marks and scars; occupation; education; religion; nativity; relatives; marital status; habits of life (temperate/intemperate, peculiarities); aliases; crime resulting in imprisonment; trial and court data; dates of confinement; criminal history; copper allowed; date of discharge and whether paroled or sentence was terminated; and remarks. The item "copper allowed" referred to obtaining credit for good behavior.

ARRANGEMENT: Until 1889, entries are organized chronologically by date of entry into prison. After that time, entries are organized numerically by inmate number, which usually corresponds to the prison entry date.

RELATED RECORDS: Several series contain information about some of these same prisoners. THE PARDON APPLICATION CASE FILES, series 328, has further background data submitted during the pardon and parole process. Series 80460, BOARD OF PARDONS CORRESPONDENCE, has a variety of documents relating to prisoners during these years. MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF PARDONS, series 332, contains summaries for their hearings over much of the same period. WARDEN'S ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, series 3912, include admission data prior to 1875. Extradition records of some of these individuals are in series 348, CRIMINAL EXTRADITION RECORDS. The Prison creates and retains case files or "jackets" for prison inmates as well.

FINDING AIDS: The alphabetical index on reel 1 references books "B," "E," and "C."

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: These records are classified as private for 75 years and are available during this time only by permission of the subject of the record. Records created before that time are public and available for general research.

PROCESSING NOTE: The registers were first microfilmed during 1981; archival processing of the entire series was completed during 1989 by J. Brent Brinkerhoff. Page 188 of Volume A was missed in the original filming and was spliced to the beginning of reel 2 in 1991. Originals are kept by the Inmate Records Office at the Utah State Prison. Current retention is 5 years in the office and in the Record Center for 10 years. At that point the registers are ready to transfer to archives.

CONTAINER LIST

Reel	Description
1	Index, Books B, E, and C
2	June 3, 1875-Aug. 7, 1886, vol. A
2	Aug. 12, 1886-Nov. 30, 1888, vol. B
2	Dec. 1, 1888-May 11, 1889, vol. C
3	May 11, 1889-July 23, 1896, vol. C (cont.)
4	No number-2181, May 6, 1889-July 11, 1908, vol. D
5	2182-2847, July 13, 1908-Dec. 10, 1912, vol. E
6	2848-3500, Dec. 9, 1912-Mar. 11, 1917
6	3501-4100, Mar. 12, 1917-June 20, 1922, vol. F
7	4101-4703, June 21, 1922-Apr. 22, 1926
7	4704-6767, Apr. 24, 1926-Jan. 12, 1938
7	6768-7482, Jan. 13, 1938-Feb. 1, 1943
8	7483-8299, Jan. 9, 1943-Apr. 6, 1948
8	8300-10455, Apr. 13, 1948-May 18, 1959
9	10461-12095, May 19, 1959-May 13, 1966
10	12096-12181, May 18, 1966-Dec. 29, 1966
10	12182-13888, Jan. 3, 1967-Nov. 15, 1976