United States. Bureau of Prisons

Variant names

Dates:

Active 1906

Active 1962

Establishment 1930-05-14

History notes:

Frank Costello was born Francesco Castiglia in Lauropoli, Italy, on January 26, 1891, the son of Luigi and Maria Castiglia. He and his father moved to New York City around 1895, and the family later owned a grocery store. Francesco Castiglia changed his name to "Frank Costello" and became the leader of an Italian street gang; by the age of 20, he had been arrested twice for assault and battery. After his release from prison on a gun charge around 1913, Costello developed legitimate businesses to cover his illegal activities, which included bootlegging. He and his wife, Loretta Geigerman, were married in 1914. Costello partnered with several other organized crime bosses in the 1920s and 1930s, continuing to profit from his interests in alcohol distribution and hotel ownership. After appearing before the United States Senate Crime Investigating Committee in 1951, Costello was convicted of contempt in 1952 and imprisoned in various federal correctional facilities in 1952 and 1953. He continued to serve occasional prison sentences until his retirement around 1961, and the United States government repeatedly attempted to deport him throughout the remainder of his life. Frank Costello died in New York City on February 18, 1973.

From the guide to the Frank Costello letters, Costello, Frank letters, 1952-1953, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)

The Bureau of Prisons was established in the Department of Justice by an act of May 14, 1930.̲ To it were transferred the personnel, records, and duties of the Superintendent of Prisons, who had been made responsible for Federal prison matters in 1907 by the Attorney General. The Bureau was made responsible for the administration of Federal penal and correctional institutions and for Federal prisoners in non-Federal institutions.

A central Board of Parole, also established in 1930 with authority in parole matters over all Federal prisoners, succeeded separate boards of parole for each institution housing Federal prisoners. An act of September 30, 1950, changed authority for appointment of members of the Board from the Attorney General to the President of the United States. The ?Department of Justice now handles certain administrative functions for the Board that were previously performed by the Bureau of Prisons.

The Federal Prison Industries, Inc., was created by an Executive order of December 11, 1934, to provide employment and to control industrial operations in Federal penal and correctional institutions, functions previously vested in the Industrial Division of the Bureau of Prisons. This corporation was transferred in 1939 to the Department of Justice where it operates under the supervision of the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, with its policies controlled by a board of six directors appointed by the President.

From the description of Agency history record. (National Archives Library). WorldCat record id: 145406843