Below, from Page 17 of the 1969 NYC DOC annual report, are
an aerial photo of Clinton State Prison and
accompanying text on Clinton prison housing "city inmates."


Inmate Transfers To State Facility

Following lengthy discussions and contractual agreement and detailed written procedures with the New York State Department of Correction, the State Department [of Correction] agreed to accept a daily census of 1,000 sentence male adult City inmates by way of transfers to a New York State Correctional facility. This agreement was sought through the efforts of Mayor John V. Lindsay in an effort to relieve the severe overcrowded conditions that prevail in the City's penal system. The institutions of the City Department have a total rated capacity of 7,993 male and female inmates and on August 14, 1969 the total inmate population was 13,505. ( It was to rise to 14,408 on Nov. 17. )

Under the terms of the agreement, the inmate transfers were made on a weekly basis commencing on August 19, 1969. Fifty inmates were transferred each of the first two weeks and 100 inmates each week thereafter until the maximum figure was to have been 1,000 was reached. The plan is to maintain this maximum through periodical replacement transfers. so that there will always be approximately 1,000 of such inmates in the State institution at one time. Selected male adult inmates who have a minimum of 90 days left to serve of their sentences were transferred from the New York City Correctional Institution for Men at Rikers Island to the Clinton State Prison, Dannemora, New York.

Under the terms of the contract the City Department of Correction provides the transportation to and from the State facility and, in accordance with the State law which permits the transfers, the City reimburses the State at the rate of $5.00 per day per inmate for providing for their care and custody.

At the further request of Mayor Lindsay and because of continued escalation in the institutions' population, Governor Rockefeller, by letter dated December 24, 1969, agreed to extend the maximum number of inmates the State would accept from 1,000 to 2,500 on a daily census basis. Arrangements are to be worked out and agreed upon by Commissioner Paul McGinnis of the State Department of Correction and Commissioner McGrath.


Webmaster Note: The above text and two zoom-in close-ups from the above photo appear in pop-up windows accessed from a text box on the Part 7 page of an NYCHS presentation Dannemora Yard Dens about Clinton prison's unique inmate "owned" patio/courts in the recreation yard. The contrast between how long-term state prisoners and the short-term city prisoners viewed the patios is discussed on the presentation's Page 7 page.