seriesNo,seriesEntityName,seriesTitle,seriesDateRange,seriesArrangement,seriesDescription,seriesTotRetentDesc,seriesPrimaryClassCode,seriesExtentDesc
328,Board of Pardons,Prisoners' pardon application case files,1892-1949.,"Alphabetical by surname until 1896, thereafter numerical by case number.","Case files consist of letters to the Governor\, a formal application for a pardon\, petitions and letters of support from the public and officials connected to the case and during the first 40 years\, case files often contained court transcripts\, biographical sketches\, prison evaluations and a wide variety of related documentation. Cases illustrate the process of review by the board of cases of prisoners incarcerated in the Utah prison system to determine if they should be released before their regular sentence ended. Documents contain personal data about the prisoner\, criminal activity\, family background and evaluation of the prisoner's adjustment to incarceration. In Utah\, the release of a convicted felon from the prison system began with an application made by the prisoner. During the territorial period applications were made directly to the Governor\, usually in the form of a letter asking for a pardon or release from prison. With the creation of the Board of Pardons by the state,constitution in 1896\, the process of obtaining some form of release from prison became more formalized. The filing of an application with the Board initiated the process of scheduling a hearing\, evaluating the individual prisoner\, and either approving or denying the application for release.",,Public,26.50 cubic feet 53 microfilm reels