Are there photographs of the prisoners of the Ohio State Reformatory?
Answer
We have two collections of photographs of the prisoners of the Ohio State Reformatory. There are gaps in each collection and there is not a photograph of every inmate.
Bertillon cards with photographs 1901-1921 [SAS 1416 AV]
Individual cards for each prisoner include front and profile photographs and several Bertillon system measurements. Bertillon Cards from the Ohio State Reformatory can be ordered online through the Ohio Incarceration Records Index Search.
Bertillon photograph books 1913-1982 [SAS 4526 AV]
Multiple photographs are on each page of the books with only one photograph of each inmate. The inmates are identified by their serial number which is attached to their clothing.
Please visit our prison research guide for more information on prison records at the Ohio History Connection.