Men's Reformatory Study, 1911-1922

The purpose of the study was to investigate the subsequent life adjustments in terms of work and family and the incidence of recidivism among former inmates at the Massachusetts Reformatory after serving their sentences. The sample consisted of 510 juvenile and young adult offenders (all White males) sentenced to the Massachusetts Reformatory in Concord, Massachusetts in 1916-1917, who were followed-up over a 15-year period at five-year intervals starting at the time of expiration of their sentences in 1921-1922. At Time 2 in 1926-1927, 454 participants remained available for follow-up. At Time 3 in 1931-1932, 439 participants were available for follow-up. Throughout all phases of the study, data concerning the offenders were obtained from case records of the Department of Corrections, the Massachusetts Reformatory, school and hospital records, parole and employment records, correspondence, and field investigations. These sources provided information about the history of the youths prior to their sentence to the Reformatory (e.g., family background, and school history); conduct while serving their sentence at the Massachusetts Reformatory; and post-parole history (e.g., industrial activities, economic status, criminal activities, family life, leisure time, and habits). Data from the five year follow-up period were gathered through correspondence and interviews with participants and their families, friends, and employers. Information was also obtained and verified through checking the records of the Massachusetts Probation Commission, the Social Service Exchange, and other public offices. The procedure for obtaining information for the sixth through tenth years after parole, and for eleven through fifteen years after parole was much the same as in Post-Parole Period I. The Murray Research Archive holds on loan from the Harvard Law School Library's Special Collection Department all original record paper data from three time points. Use of data from the study is subject to screening committee approval.