Researching from Home: How to Contact the Archives About Southport Inmate Records Without Visiting

Reach out to the New York State Archives before planning anything in person. Research room visits are by appointment only - you'll need to request an appointment by email or phone and wait for confirmation before showing up. Even if you're not traveling, this "contact first" approach gives you a clear point of contact for questions about Southport-related inmate files.

Email the Archives reference desk at archref@nysed.gov or call (518) 474-8955. Be specific in your first message: ask about the subseries of general inmate case files (Series 14610) that relates to men incarcerated at Southport Correctional Facility. Include whatever identifying details you have - full name, DIN if you know it, and approximate incarceration dates. Ask staff to provide the exact container, file/item, or microfilm roll number for the material they locate, plus the "contents" description. These are the key details you'll need for spaces 4 and 5 on the Records Request/Reserve form.

What to Ask

• ✓ Ask the archivist to confirm whether a case file exists in the State Archives’ general inmate case files subseries for men incarcerated at Southport Correctional Facility (Series 14610).
• ✓ Request the exact container and file/item details (or the microfilm roll number, if it’s on microfilm) so you can refer to the right unit.
• ✓ Ask the staff member to provide the details that go in the Records Request/Reserve form: the container/file/case/item or microfilm roll number for space 4, and the contents description for space 5.

If your records are on microfilm, the Archives offers free self-service copies from microfilm to paper or PDF. That's a practical way to get what you need without paying reproduction fees. If your records aren't on microfilm or require staff-created reproductions, discuss options with the archivist when you request the container or roll information.

Some information is easier to access than others. Summary information on adult inmates is disclosable under law, but Archives staff still review records containing sensitive categories - probation, parole, medical information, and juvenile criminal history - before releasing anything. This review follows the Freedom of Information Law and Personal Privacy Protection Law. Don't be surprised if the archivist asks clarifying questions or limits what can be released from certain parts of a file.

For a formal Personal Privacy Protection Law request tied to personal information collected through NYSED's website, send your request by mail to: Personal Privacy Protection Law Request, Chief Information Security Officer, NYSED, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234. On timing: NYSED must act within five business days of receiving a proper written request. They'll either provide access, deny access in writing with reasons, or acknowledge receipt and give an approximate decision date. That estimated date can't exceed 30 days - a helpful benchmark if you're waiting on a response.

1. Ask whether your Southport material is on microfilm - if it is, mention that you’re interested in self-service microfilm copies to PDF or paper, since those are available at no charge.
2. Request the exact identifying numbers - ask Archives staff for the container, file/case/item, or microfilm roll number and the contents description, so you’re referencing the precise unit you need.
3. Clarify what happens if it’s not microfilm - if the record isn’t available on microfilm (or you need a specific type of reproduction), ask what reproduction options are available and what information they need from you to proceed.

Here's a simple email you can copy and adjust (send it to archref@nysed.gov): "Hello, I'm trying to locate inmate case file records for [Full Name], who was incarcerated at Southport Correctional Facility. If available, could you check the subseries in the general inmate case files (Series 14610) relating to men incarcerated at Southport? Identifying details: DIN (if known): [DIN]; approximate dates: [date range]. If a file exists, could you provide the container and file/item details (or microfilm roll number) and the contents description so I can reference the correct unit? Also, please let me know what copying options are available (including whether any portion is available on microfilm for self-service copies to PDF/paper) and an estimated timeframe for next steps. Thank you." If you decide to visit in person later, remember that visits are by appointment only - you'll need to wait for confirmation before you go.

• ✓ If you end up planning an in-person visit, request an appointment first and wait for confirmation before you travel.
• ✓ If you submit a formal Personal Privacy Protection Law request, track the five-business-day window for NYSED to provide access, deny access in writing, or acknowledge receipt with an estimated decision date.
• ✓ If you don’t receive an acknowledgment within five business days of a proper written request, follow up with the office handling the request.