Scope and Contents The Austin H. MacCormick Papers contains materials documenting the personal life and career of Austin H. MacCormick, one of the nation’s most influential criminologists and prison reformers. This collection contains materials covering his career as Executive Officer of the U.S. Naval Prison, Assistant Director of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Professor and Dean of Criminology at Berkley, and Director of the Osborne Association of New York. Some of the many subjects include: state and federal...

Scope and Contents The Charles Spear Collection (1840-1851, one box) contains the personal correspondence, journal, and passport of Charles Spear. The collection concerns Spear’s work to abolish the death penalty in the United States and his support of prison reform. Along with documents regarding Spear’s travels to England in pursuit of support to eliminate the death penalty in the United States, the collection also includes a subscription book carried by Charles Spear and his brother that contains signatures...

Scope and Contents The materials that make up this collection represent the life and work of James Van Benschoten Bennett. More specifically, the materials portray his role as the second Director of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and as a prolific prison reformer. The most popular theme represented in the collection is prison policy and reform – which is often discussed in articles and speeches composed by Bennett. The collection also contains numerous correspondence and case histories of prison inmates. Pictorial...

Scope and Contents

The items in this collection represent Jane Howe Gregory’s extensive research into the Texas Penitentiary system, primarily focusing on issues surrounding female inmates. Journal articles, class notes, and prison records are the most common types of materials in this collection. Prison statistics and prison reforms pertaining to female prisoners are the most common themes.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains correspondence from a prisoner at Ship Island, Mississippi to Jefferson Davis. It also contains an article by Lee Meriwether regarding his childhood encounter with Davis.