Observer Reports

The Ad Hoc Committee brought trained, neutral observers into Walpole to record the happenings inside without intervening in any conflicts, a project facilitated by the prisoners’ belief that directly accessing civilians was crucial to publicly demonstrate that guards were ineffective and prisons were unnecessary. Following Superintendent Raymond E. Porelle’s resignation, these citizen observers entered Walpole. This collection contains the observer reports generated by this project, dating from March 8 to May 18, 1973. It contains both handwritten reports by the observers, as well as typed, anonymized reports prepared by the Ad Hoc Committee.