The particular purpose of inquiring into the early and antecedent history of the prisoners committed to this Reformatory during the last fifteen years has been to ascertain the character of the defects of the man himself, with a view to map out and conduct a course of treatment calculated to cure such defects or build up counteracting impulses and habitudes, as well as to determine the cause of the defects observed. It has been abundantly demonstrated by our experience here that the record made on the date of the prisoner’s admission, which is an abstract of the examination held by the General Superintendent, is substantially accurate,--accurate in all the essentials required to determine the real character of the man. I am sure, if it was deemed important to go back one or two generations for hereditary influences, we might ascertain enough from the prisoner on his examination to enable further inquiry outside which, together with the statements of the prisoner, would form very reliable data. I am, dear sir, Very respectfully yours, Z. R. BROCKWAY, _Gen. Supt._ The following table shows something of Mr. Brockway’s method of classification as the result of his investigations:[8] [8] See Annual Report of the Board of Managers of the Elmira Reformatory, 1889. BIOGRAPHICAL STATISTICS OF INMATES. 1. Relating to their Parentage (Hereditary.) Insanity or epilepsy in ancestry 499 or 13.7 per cent. DRUNKENESS (_in Ancestry_). Clearly traced 1,408 or 38.7 per cent. Doubtful 403 or 11.1 Temperate 1,825 or 50.2 EDUCATION (_in Ancestry_). Without any education 495 or 13.6 per cent. Simply read and write 1,885 or 38.1 Ordinary common school or more 1,592 or 43.8 High School or more 164 or 4.5 PECUNIARY CIRCUMSTANCES (_in Ancestry_). Pauperized 173 or 4.8 per cent. No accumulation 2,801 or 77.0 Forehanded 662 or 18.2 OCCUPATION (_in Ancestry_). Servants and clerks 376 or 10.4 per cent. Common laborers 1,197 or 32.6 At mechanical work 1,343 or 36.9 With traffic 633 or 17.7 THE PROFESSIONS (_so-called_). Law 16 Medicine 36 Theology 10 Teaching 25 87 or 2.4 per cent. 2. Relating to Inmates Themselves (Environment). THE HOME LIFE.