Nathan Kantrowitz papers

Nathan Kantrowitz research papers on Stateville penitentiary, 1957-1996.

Descriptive Inventory for the Collection at Chicago History Museum, Research Center

By Kathleen Wadell; Benn P. Joseph, 2008; rev. 2013

Please address questions to:

Chicago History Museum, Research Center

1601 North Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60614-6038

Web-site: www.chicagohistory.org/research

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Title: Nathan Kantrowitz research papers on Stateville penitentiary, 1957-1996

Main entry: Kantrowitz, Nathan.

Inclusive Dates: 1957-1996.

Extent:

3.5 linear feet (8 boxes)

Accession number: 2006.0029.1

Restriction: Written permission required from Mr. Kantrowitz's literary executor, Joanne Spencer Kantrowitz, in order to consult boxes 5-8 and vault items until Jan. 1, 2027, and researchers must sign the "Confidentiality Agreement" in order to consult that material. Sound recordings are closed and cannot be served at this time.

This descriptive inventory contains:

Brief biography,

Description of the collection,

Description of some related materials,

Provenance statement,

List of online catalog headings,

Storage designation,

Container list of box and folder numbers and titles.

Brief biography:

Sociologist Nathan Kantrowitz published in 1996 a remarkable study of prison warden Joseph E. Ragen that Kantrowitz began researching many years earlier (1957-1963) when his job as a sociologist-actuary for the Illinois Parole and Pardon Board provided an unusual opportunity to observe the warden at work and to recruit inmate assistants to report on conditions in the prison. The Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet (also called Stateville Correctional Center), administered by Warden Ragen, held five thousand inmates, which was half the state penitentiary population of Illinois. Beginning in 1957, Kantrowitz and a colleague interviewed and wrote a report on every inmate to be considered by the parole board at its monthly meeting at the prison. Kantrowitz or his colleague also interviewed each convict who applied for executive clemency from the governor of Illinois.

The Sociologist-Actuary Office was located inside the maximum-security perimeter of Stateville, and the clerical staff consisted of three or four inmate clerks who typed the reports for the Parole and Pardon Board.

During his six years employment, Kantrowitz's fieldwork helped him document a warden with a national reputation for exercising iron control over both his correctional officers and the convicts. Kantrowitz's study of the warden was undercover and known only to a few inmates at the time. Details finally appeared in Kantrowitz's Close Control: Managing a Maximum Security Prison, The story of Warden Ragen's Stateville Penitentiary (1996).

Kantrowitz left Illinois in 1963 to work with the Mobilization For Youth project (the nation's first poverty program of the 1960's) at Columbia University. After nearly twenty years as an academic in New York and Ohio, he returned to working for government, at the New York City Planning Department. He retired in 1998, and he died in August 2012 at the age of 84.

Summary description of the collection:

Research notes and reports by sociologist Nathan Kantrowitz, some written while an employee at Stateville, and by other persons (primarily 1957-1963); copies of published materials about Stateville penitentiary and Warden Joseph E. Ragen; unpublished drafts of Kantrowitz's writings about Stateville; and other materials collected by Kantrowitz and used in preparation of his book, Close control: Managing a maximum security prison: the story of Warden Ragen's Stateville Penitentiary (1996). Topics include official and informal rewards and penalties, linguistics and prison slang terms, administration of the corrections staff and the prisoners.

The papers are divided into two series:

Series 1. Unrestricted materials (box 1-4),

Series 2. Restricted materials (box 5-8 and vault).

Series 1 is arranged by topic in alphabetical order by folder title and contains primarily printed/published materials about Warden Ragen, Stateville, or other maximum security prisons and unpublished manuscripts, many as drafts by Kantrowitz. Some correspondence, notes, and other papers are included.

The Nathan Leopold field notes (box 2 folder 4) contains redacted (edited) photocopies of originals. Access to the originals requires written permission until Jan. 1, 2027.

A study in manuscript form: The Organization of Control and the Inmate Subculture in an American Prison (1970; box 3, 3 folders) draws on Stateville Names: a Prison Vocabulary (1963; box 4, 1 folder) and describes the social world of the convicts.

Series 2, Restricted materials, is arranged by subject, mainly in alphabetical order.

The David W. Maurer materials (box 5, 2 folders) are related to the "Vocabulary" folders. Maurer, a linguist, produced basic empirical studies of professional crime during the first half of the twentieth century, and was a young colleague of Edwin Sutherland in the 1930s. Maurer helped guide Kantrowitz's language research at the prison.

The "Field notes" folders are labeled for some specific topics, but the contents actually relate to many topics and range over many subjects due to the nature of Kantrowitz's fieldwork, which was composed primarily of his conversations with inmates or staff or his observations of events in the prison. After the event or conversation, he wrote the field notes, usually in two steps. Soon afterwards (usually within hours) he scribbled notes telegraph-style in a stream of consciousness format. Later, usually within a day or two but sometimes as long as a week afterward, he wrote a more readable version. However, the job was sometimes hectic, intense, and emotionally draining, and sometimes there was no opportunity to make notes, or he simply forgot to make notes. Sometimes Kantrowitz carried out only step 1: the brief, stream of consciousness notes. Occasionally with a few inmates he transcribed their comments exactly. This methodology is discussed in Close Control.

The 2 folders for the "Inmate commissary" are central to the inmate economy explained in chapter 11 of Close Control. The commissary functioned as the central bank of that economy.

The 7 folders of "Merit staff" reports contain the key punishment records of the prison. According to inmates, the Merit staff was a shifting, shadowy group that consisted of people that Warden Ragen trusted. It may never have met as a group to make decisions. Over time, it probably included the assistant wardens, captains of the guards, trusted civilian employees, and one trusted chaplain. Decisions of the Merit staff could take away an inmate's discretionary time directly or by means of reductions in status, called losing "good time" or "getting a blue shingle." The time lost in this manner could be considerable; for example, the difference between serving little more than six years versus serving all of a ten year sentence. Close Control explains this in more detail.

The "Narrative summary of some events pertaining to the Illinois Department of Public Safety" is a document Kantrowitz wrote for his files when he was caught in the crossfire between a member of the parole board and Warden Ragen. As noted in Chapter 1 of Close Control, this led to his decision to look for a new job.

The folder on the 1958 escape attempt relates to an almost-successful escape attempt by at least a half-dozen convicts and also shows that Warden Ragen was very successful in controlling the news about Stateville that was purveyed to the public in news broadcasts and newspapers.

The "Sociologist reports of inmates" are two reports and one page of another by sociologist-actuaries.

The 10 folders of the Television College research project (in chronological order, summers of 1960, 1961, and 1962) relate to research Kantrowitz conducted using volunteers from among inmates enrolled in the prison's college program (when they had no classes). The folders contain miscellaneous administrative detail and also the votes that the inmates cast to decide who would be their "gaffer" or leader.

The 11 "Vocabulary" folders related to fieldwork and resulted in the manuscript Stateville names: a prison vocabulary (in series 1, unrestricted access). Vocabulary folders carry topical labels that are only generalizations; any entry may have material on many subjects.

Some folders have a notation on the upper right tab for "Chap xx," which refers to a related chapter in Close Control.

Description of some related material:

Photographs transferred to Prints & Photographs includes an 8 x 10 in. aerial photograph of Stateville ca. 1960 with all the buildings identified Also included is a picture of a cell house that is the only photograph that the Illinois Department of Corrections had in 1996 that could be attributed to the Ragen era. This picture was used on the cover of the paperback edition of Close Control.

Provenance statement:

Gift of Nathan Kantrowitz (2006.0029.1).

Restriction: Written permission required from Mr. Kantrowitz's literary executor, Joanne Spencer Kantrowitz, in order to consult boxes 5-8 and vault items until Jan. 1, 2027, and researchers must sign the "Confidentiality Agreement" in order to consult that material.

List of online catalog entries:

The following headings for this collection were placed in the online catalog:

Main entry: Kantrowitz, Nathan

Subjects:

Kantrowitz, Nathan

Ragen, Joseph Edward, 1896-

Maurer, David W.

Leopold, Nathan Freudenthal, 1904-1971

Illinois State Penitentiary (Joliet, Ill.)--Officials and employees.

Illinois State Penitentiary (Joliet, Ill.)

Stateville Correctional Center

Prison wardens--Illinois--Joliet--20th century.

Prisoners--Illinois--Joliet--20th century

Prisons--Illinois--Joliet--20th century.

Authors, American--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

English language--Slang

Sociologists--Illinois--Joliet--20th century.

Chicago Metropolitan Area (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century.

Joliet (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century.

Maurer, David W.

Reports.

Notes.

United States--Illinois--Will County--Joliet.

Maurer, David W.

Container list of box/folder numbers and titles:

Series 1. Unrestricted materials (box 1-4)

box 1

folders:

1 Auburn Prison, New York: Violence by guards (Close Control, chapter 5)

2 Chicago Tribune series, prison printed July 1955

3 Illinois prisons after Ragen

4 Illinois State Penitentiary, Rules and Regulations

5 'Inmate guidance,' Joliet Stateville 1956 inmate rulebook

6 'Joliet Stateville time,' August 1948

7 Joseph E. Ragen (Close Control, chapter 2)

8 Newspaper clippings, 1971

9 Official booklet, Illinois State Penitentiary--Stateville, ca. 1941

10 Official bulletins from the warden's office

11 The SuperMax prison (Close Control, chapter 8)

12 Close Control material

13 Close Control correspondence, 1977-1995

14 Guards and civilian employees

15 'Illinois prison research project, preliminary report' (pre-Civil War)

16 'Language and social behavior'

box 2

folders:

1 Manuscript discards, 1976 and 1995 revisions

2 'Names as symbols'

3 Nathan Leopold parole hearing, 1958

4 Nathan Leopold field notes, 1958-1962 (photocopies available; originals are restricted)

5 'Notes on a prison grapevine'

6 'Organization of control and the inmate subculture in an American prison' p.1-141 (1970)

7 'Organization of control and the inmate subculture in an American prison' p.141-286 (1970)

8 'Organization of control and the inmate subculture in an American prison' p.287-457 (1970)

9 'Power and authority'

10 Predatory, negative behavior not defined by relationship to custodial authority

box 3

folders:

1 'Prison control,' ca. 1976, xi pp, p. 1-157

2 'Prison control,' ca 1976, p. 158-313

3 Self-presentation research project: 'Self presentation of prospective parolees'

4 Self-presentation research project: 'Self-presentation and parole violation'

5 Self-presentation research project: Blank questionnaires, ca. 1960

6 Self-presentation research project: Non-English questionnaire, 1961

7 Self-presentation research project: Logbooks, 1971-1975

8 Self-presentation research project: Field notes, ca. 1962 (Close Control, ch. 1)

box 4

folders:

1 'Social behavior and vocabulary formation in a prison,' 1967

2 'Stateville names: a prison vocabulary,' 1963

3 'The vocabulary of race relations in a prison,' Part A

4 'The vocabulary of race relations in a prison,' Part B

5 'The world outside the prison'

Series 2. Restricted materials (box 5-8 and vault)

box 5 Restriction: Written permission required from Mr. Kantrowitz's literary executor, Joanne Spencer Kantrowitz, in order to consult boxes 5-8 and vault items until Jan. 1, 2027, and researchers must sign the "Confidentiality Agreement" in order to consult that material.

folders:

1 Correspondence, 1957-1968

2 David W. Maurer: Correspondence 1961-1981

3 David W. Maurer: Biography and bibliography, 1981-1982

4 Field notes: Academic, vocational schools

5 Field notes: Accommodation with staff

6 Field notes: Alcoholics Anonymous

7 Field notes: Assignments

8 Field notes: Beating the system

9 Field notes: Conflicts and fights

10 Field notes: Control of guards, 1958-1963

11 Field notes: Custodial staff

12 Field notes: Doing time

13 Field notes: Getting along

14 Field notes: Health, Sick call

15 Field notes: Industries

16 Field notes: The Inmate barber shop

17 Field notes: Inmate commissary

18 Field notes: Inmate punishment

19 Field notes: Inmate statistics

20 Field notes: Inmate letters To non-custodial staff

box 6 Restriction: Written permission required from Mr. Kantrowitz's literary executor, Joanne Spencer Kantrowitz, in order to consult boxes 5-8 and vault items until Jan. 1, 2027, and researchers must sign the "Confidentiality Agreement" in order to consult that material.

folders:

1 Field notes: Inmates and staff in conflict or violence

2 Field notes: Isolation, segregation, detention hospital

3 Field notes: Nathan Kantrowitz calendar, 1962-1963

4 Field notes: Non-custodial staff

5 Field notes: Official recreation

6 Field notes: Organization and control

7 Field notes: The Outside World

8 Field notes: Parole board

9 Field notes: Race

10 Field notes: Sex

11 Field notes: Sociologist-Actuary Office

12 Field notes: Staff is fired

13 Field notes: Stateville in 1994 (Close Control, ch. 8)

14 Field notes: Time and space (Close Control, ch. 3-4)

15 Inmate commissary: inmates assigned, ca. 1961 (Close Control, ch. 11)

16 Inmate commissary: operation, ca. 1961 (Close Control, ch. 11)

17 Letters from ex-cons, 1958-1969

box 7 Restriction: Written permission required from Mr. Kantrowitz's literary executor, Joanne Spencer Kantrowitz, in order to consult boxes 5-8 and vault items until Jan. 1, 2027, and researchers must sign the "Confidentiality Agreement" in order to consult that material.

folders:

1 Merit staff reports, 1958-1960 (Close Control, ch. 8-10)

2 Merit staff reports, with inmate commentary, 1958 (Close Control, ch. 8-10)

3 Merit staff reports: Sex and gambling, 1959-1960 (Close Control, ch. 10)

4 Merit staff reports: Inmates in conflict w. officials, Oct. 1959-Sept. 1960 (Close Control, ch. 8-9)

5 Merit staff reports: 1958 escape attempt

6 Merit staff reports: Inmates controlling other inmates (Close Control, ch. 8-10)

7 Merit staff restorations

8 Narrative summary of some events pertaining to the Illinois Department of Public Safety

9 Office of the State Criminologist and the Diagnostic Depot

10 Parole board

11 Sociologist reports of inmates

12 TV College research project, 1960

13 TV College research project, 1960: Inmate volunteers

14 TV College research project, 1960: Votes for gaffer

box 8 Restriction: Written permission required from Mr. Kantrowitz's literary executor, Joanne Spencer Kantrowitz, in order to consult boxes 5-8 and vault items until Jan. 1, 2027, and researchers must sign the "Confidentiality Agreement" in order to consult that material.

folders:

1 TV College research project: Analysis of votes for gaffer, 1960

2 TV College research project: 1961

3 TV College research project: 1962

4 TV College research project: Votes for gaffer, 1962

5 TV College research project: Analysis of votes for gaffer, 1962

6 TV College research project: Analysis of votes for gaffer, 1960-1962

7 TV College research project: (untitled) draft of manuscript of Leadership choices

8 Conversation between two inmates, ca. 1960 (transcription)

9 Interview of inmate, 1963 (transcription)

10 Vocabulary: Admiration, disdain

11 Vocabulary: Analysis

12 Vocabulary: Emotional, mental condition

13 Vocabulary: Ethnicity, religion

14 Vocabulary: Gambling, law

15 Vocabulary: Non-inmates

16 Vocabulary: Pre-prison behavior

17 Vocabulary: Race

18 Vocabulary: Relationship to custodial staff

19 Vocabulary: Sex

20 Vocabulary: Time in prison

Vault materials:

Originals of fieldwork notes concerning Nathan Leopold (related to box 2 folder 4) and one letter from David W. Maurer, Nov. 22, 1963. A photocopy is in the David W. Maurer correspondence folder (box 5 folder 2).