Oregon Prison Association Records

Oregon Prison Association Records, circa 1913-1960

Overview of the Collection

Creator

Oregon Prison Association

Title

Oregon Prison Association Records

Dates

circa 1913-1960 (inclusive)
1945-1960 (bulk)

Quantity

11 cubic feet, ((11 records cartons))

Collection Number

Mss 1495 (collection)

Summary

Records of an Oregon organization devoted to prison reform, aid to prisoners, and research on the causes and prevention of crime. Founded in 1903 as Oregon Prisoner's Aid Society, the name was changed to the Oregon Prison Association in 1929. Most of the records date from 1945 to 1960 and include correspondence and subject files. Files on individual Oregon counties include photographs of interiors and exteriors of county jails taken in the 1940s and 1950s.

Repository

Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

The collection is stored off-site. Researchers must contact the repository a minimum of one week in advance of use. Arrangements can be made by calling 503-306-5241 or sending email to libreference@ohs.org.

Languages

English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Originally organized in 1903 as the Oregon Prisoner's Aid Society, the organization's objectives were, first of all, "to awaken and enlist public sympathy in behalf of the worthy ex-prisoner." Also included was the desire to find employment for ex-prisoners, to promote prison improvement, to organize the efforts of local prisoners' aid societies, to influence prisoner-related legislation, and to disseminate information on prison issues. In 1929 the name was changed to the Oregon Prison Association. Among the Association's early accomplishments were the abolition of torture-like punishments, the promotion of a juvenile court system, the creation of the Probation Commission in 1931, and the establishment of the Western Parole and Probation Association. Among those associated with the organization was its long-time superintendent, Rev. W. G. Maclaren, who served from 1911 to 1938.

By the 1940s the Association's focus had shifted to the study of the causes of crime and its prevention through community programs. Its new constitution, adopted in 1945, had as its objectives such things as research, dissemination of information, encouraging the improvement of parole and probation regulations, the provision of guidance to families of prisoners, and serving as a conduit for charitable funds directed to prison-related activities. By the 1950s the organization had instituted a program for visiting jails and correctional institutions throughout Oregon in order to conduct inspections and to make recommendations on improving facilities. Of special concern were issues relating to juveniles. In general, the Association stressed prevention rather than punishment and advocated the abolition of the death penalty. It attracted the attention of many prominent Oregonians who served on its board, including Senators Wayne Morse (in the late 1940s) and Monroe Sweetland (late 1950s). Tom McCall, future governor, was the organization's president from 1951 to 1953.

By the end of the 1950s a number of problems had arisen in the relations between the staff and the board of the organization. Apparently the Association ceased to function after 1960.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Most of the records date from 1945 to 1960, although there are scattered items from earlier years. Aside from organizational records, the collection consists largely of subject and correspondence files on issues relating to prisons, criminal justice, and juvenile delinquency. Of special note is a series titled "Counties: correspondence and dispositions," which contains files, 1944-1959, on jails and penitentiaries throughout Oregon, including photographs of jail interiors and exteriors.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Oregon Prison Association, records, Mss 1495. Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into the following series

Series I: Organizational records, 1913-1960
Series II: Counties, correspondence and dispositions, 1944-1959
Series III: General correspondence and subject files, 1919-1960

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Oregon Prison Association.

Future Additions

The Oregon Historical Society holds one box of additions, including minutes of the organization from 1920 to 1931, which will be processed as part of the collection in the future. Also held are three boxes of partially processed additions listed as Mss 1495-1.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: Organizational records , 1913-1960Return to Top

4 boxes (4 cubic feet).

Included are several constitutions and sets of bylaws, and minutes of general and committee meetings from 1945 to 1960. Minutes of earlier meetings will be processed at a future date.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1-2	Constitution and By-Laws
1/3	Constitution and By-Laws—Correspondence and History
1/4-22	Board Meeting Minutes	1926-1960
2/1-16	Annual Meetings (including minutes and correspondence)	1945-1959
2/17-24	Public Meetings (including minutes and correspondence)	1951-1958
	Committees (including minutes and correspondence)	1946-1958
Box/Folder
2/25	Committee Assignments	1957-1958
2/26	Committee Information	1957-1958
2/27	Report of Special Committee of the Community Chest	1942
2/28	Crime Prevention	1946-1958
2/29	Executive	1951-1959
2/30	Institutional	1946-1958
2/31	Legislative	1946-1958
2/32	Medical Advisory	1956-1958
2/33	Membership	1945-1957
2/34	Nominating	1949-1959
2/35	Public Meetings	1958
2/36	Public Relations	1950-1956
2/37	Review	1946-1951
2/38	Staff Personnel Committee	1946-1955
Box/Folder
2/39-46	Board of Directors (correspondence)	1946-1958
	Membership lists
Box/Folder
3/1	Membership	1946-1951
3/2	Membership	1951-1957
3/3	Membership	1958-1960
Box/Folder
3/4	Membership correspondence	1956-1959
3/5	Personnel correspondence	1942-1956
3/6	Annual reports	1946-1953
3/7	Budget correspondence	1946-1956
3/8	Community Chest and City Council study of the Oregon Prison Association	1941-1945
3/9	Special matters before the board of directors	1956
3/10	Mailings	1957-1958
3/11	President: Paul B. Bender	1958-1959
3/12	Programs	1946-1958
3/13	Publicity	1946
3/14	General file	1945-1958
4/1-29	Financial Reports, Audit Reports, Budgets	1913-1960

Series II: Counties—Correspondence and Dispositions, 1944-1959Return to Top

3 boxes (3 cubic feet)

This series contains files on individual counties throughout Oregon and includes statistics relating to the jail and prison populations and crime. Of special note are photographs of county jails, both interior and exterior, mostly dating from the late 1940s. Some files contain floor plans of jails. The files are arranged alphabetically by county name.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
5/1-35	Baker - Klamath
6/1-18	Klamath - Multnomah
7/1-23	Multnomah - Yamhill
7/24	General Statistics

Series III: General correspondence and subject files, 1919-1960Return to Top

4 boxes (4 cubic feet)

Arranged alphabetically by subject or title, the series contains both correspondence and secondary materials used in research. Most of the files date from 1945 to 1960.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
8/1	American Civil Liberties Union	1956
8/2-4	American Congress of Correction	1954-1957
8/5	American Correctional Association	1945-1953
8/6	American Friends Service Committee	1951-1957
8/7	Blue Gross	1954
8/8	Board of Control, Oregon State	1952-1957
8/9	Canadian Congress of Correction
8/10-11	Capital Punishment	1946-1949, 1957
8/12	Central Volunteer Group	1958
8/13	Child Caring Agency (conference minutes)	1956
8/14	Child Protective Association	1952-1956
8/15	Coordinating Council of Oregon (Social Hygiene)	1953-1958
8/16	Correspondence Course for Jailers	1956-1957
8/17	National Conference of Christians and Jews Inc.	1947-1957
8/18	National Committee on Children and Youth	1947-1948
8/19	Community Council	1959-1960
8/20	Community Group	1949-1959
8/21	Community Resources	1953-1959
8/22	Convicts, Registration of	1948
8/23	Correctional Institutions—External to Oregon; General	1946-1956
8/24-25	Council of Social Agencies	1948-1954
8/26	Council of Social Agencies—Protective Services Committee	1951-1953
8/27	Council of State Governments	1958
8/28	County Jails	1959
8/29	Crime	1944-1956
8/30	Eagles Brood	1947
8/31-32	Employment	1949-1955
8/33	Family Counseling Service	1945-1958
8/34	Family Life, education	1948-1956
8/35	FBI	1946-1959
8/36	Fellowship of Reconciliation	1945-1953
8/37	Fund Raising	1959
8/38	Habitual Criminal Law	1958-1959
8/39	National Health and Welfare Retirement	1959-1960
8/40	Governor's File—Holmes	1957-1958
8/41	Housing	1950
8/42	John Howard Association	1946-1953
8/43	Indeterminate Sentence Law	1945-1953
8/44	Intermediate Institution Commission	1952-1954
8/45	Intermediate Institution Correspondence	1954-1957
8/46-47	Intermediate Institution Literature	1953-1955
8/48	International Film Bureau	1958
8/49	National Jail Association	1957-1959
9/1	Jail Institute	11/1955-3/1956
9/2	Jails, City
9/3	Joint Legislative Council of Oregon	1947-1958
9/4	Joint Meeting with Sheriffs and D.A.S	1959
	Juvenile Delinquency
Box/Folder
9/5	Child labor laws	1954
9/6	Children in Jail	1948-1959
9/7-8	Why Children go to Jail	1949-1958
9/9	City and County Commission	1958
9/10	Counselors, Qualifications of, etc.	1955-1957
9/11	Federal Legislation	1958
9/12	Hillcrest	1945-1959
9/13	Homes and Detention Facilities	1948-1950
9/14	Interstate Compact on	1957
9/15	MacLaren	1957
9/16-17	Oregon Juvenile Council	1946-1959
9/18	Oregon	1953
9/19	General Correspondence	1946-1954
9/20	O.P.A. Correspondence	1946-1959
9/21	Oregon Training Schools	1947-1948
9/22	Remand Cases	1952-1953
9/23	Snell, Gov. Committee on	1946
9/24	Mayor's Council on	1948
9/25	State Training Schools—exterior to Oregon 1946-51
9/26	Statistics	1954-1957
9/27-28	Youth Authority	1945-1951
Box/Folder
10/1	Law Enforcement Agency	1947-1956
10/2	Legal Questions	1954-1956
10/3	Legislative Bills—46th Session	1951
10/4	Legislative Intermediate Committee on Jails	1945-1947
10/5-7	Lemley, talks by	1959-1960
	Mental Health
Box/Folder
10/8	Governor's Institute on	1954
10/9	National Foundation of	1946-1947
10/10	Association	1945-1954
10/11	State Hospital	1951-1956
Box/Folder
10/12	Multnomah County Jail	1952-1959
10/13-14	Oregon Chest—Correspondence	1947-1958
10/15	Oregon Child Welfare Survey	1949
10/16	Oregon Juvenile Judges Association	1958
10/17	Oregon Reclamation Project	1951
10/18	Oregon State Bar	1956
10/19	Oregon State Jail Survey	4-6/1946
10/20	Oregon State Conference on Social Welfare	1946-1959
	Oregon State Correctional Institute
Box/Folder
10/21	Legislation re:	1959
10/22	Correspondence	1952-1959
Box/Folder
10/23	Oregon State Police	1959
	Oregon State Penitentiary
Box/Folder
10/24	Cook, Florence Reed	1954-1956
10/25	Institution Personnel	1953-1955
10/26	O'Malley	1953
10/27	Prison Riot	1953
10/28	Rules and Regulations	1956
10/29	Segregation Unit	L954
10/30	Ward 38	1950-1953
10/31-34	Correspondence	1939-1952
Box/Folder
10/35	Pacific Protective Society	1937-1945
10/36	PAL Inc.	1946-1948
10/37	Parole, Survey of, by H.J. Croes	1944
10/38	Parole and Probation	1939-1954
11/1	Personnel; Recommendations	1951-1958
11/2	Police, general
11/3	Portland City Jail	1944-1952
11/4	Portland City Jail Farm
11/5	Portland Community Chest	1948-1952
11/6	Portland Council of Social Agencies	1945
11/7	Portland Police	1946-1949
11/8	Prison Labor	1947-1957
11/9	Prison Program	1949-1956
11/10	Prison Riots
11/11	Prison "Sit-down" Strike	1953
11/12	Prisoner's Aid Associations	1943-1958
11/13	National Probation and Parole Association	1945-1956
11/14	Project of Outsiders Involved Agency Information	1958-1960
11/15	Public Defenders	1953-1959
11/16	Red Feather Facts	1947-1948
11/17	Senate Intermediate Committee on Correctional Institutions 1949
11/18	Sex Offender Bills	1953
11/19	National Association of Social Workers	1956
11/20	Salvation Army	1949
11/21	Special Committee of Attorneys	1956
11/22-24	State Probation Commission	1931-1938
11/25	State Training Schools—Advisory Committee	1/1952
	States
Box/Folder
11/26	California—San Quentin—Warden Duffy	1950
11/27	California	1945-1956
11/28	Hawaii	1955-1956
11/29	Illinois	1945-1955
11/30	Massachusetts (Dr. VanWaters)	1945-1952
11/31	Mississippi	1945-1948
11/32	Missouri	1945-1950
11/33	Nebraska—Boys Town	1946-1948
11/34	New York	1945
11/35	Pennsylvania	1945
11/36	Washington	1943-1956
Box/Folder
11/37	Statistics	1944-1950
	Student Reports
Box/Folder
11/38	Frazier Home
11/39	Institutions
11/40	Rocky Butte
Box/Folder
11/41	T.V. Project	1959
11/42	Unfair Sentences	1954
	United Fund
Box/Folder
11/43	Correspondence	1950-1959
11/44-45	Documents	1950's
Box/Folder
11/46	Urban League	1945-1950
11/47	Volunteer Services, Lay Participation	1958-1959
11/48	Western Parole Association	1936-1942
11/49	General File	1919-1930

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Charities—Oregon—Hitory
Crime prevention—Oregon—History.
Jails—Oregon—History.
Jails—Oregon—Photographs.
Juvenile corrections—Oregon—History.
Juvenile delinquency—Oregon—History.
Prisons—Law and legislation—Oregon.
Prisons—Missions and charities—Oregon.

Personal Names

McCall, Tom, 1913- .

Corporate Names

Oregon Prison Association (creator)

Geographical Names

Oregon—History—1859-

Form or Genre Terms

Correspondence—Oregon—20th century
Photographs—Oregon—20th century

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