Bureau of Identification

The Bureau of Identification subseries consists of 21 mug books and eight volumes of photographic keys. Most of the mug books include both front and profile identification photographs of criminal suspects, although a few volumes consist entirely of front view photos. Accompanying information varies according to date, jurisdiction, or type of suspect; some mug books include merely a booking number, name and alias; others might additionally include: place where booked, booking date, charge, sentence, nativity, age, occupation, physical description or measurements, arresting officer, and fingerprint ID numbers. One volume of Chinese suspects consists of a combination of mug shots and personal or family photographs, compiled by Inspector Leo R. Callagy of the SFPD and appears to track persons involved with the Tong Wars. The "Prostitution" mug book consists mostly of women. Some mug books for San Francisco suspects are further segregated by ethnicity or by crime: Chinese suspects are recorded in separate books, and there are also books for "Amateur Fighters," "Muzzlers," (sex crimes) and prostitution. Potentially harmful content: All materials and their descriptions in the San Francisco Public Library’s collections have research value and reflect the society in which they were produced. San Francisco Public Library’s archives contain some language and imagery that are offensive and harmful because of content that may reflect racist, sexist, ableist, misogynistic/misogynoir, and xenophobic opinions and attitudes. Materials may also include graphic content of historical events such as violent death, medical procedures, crime, wars/terrorist acts, natural disasters and more. The documents, images, publications and other materials have been preserved in order to present the materials in their original state and context, and do not reflect the values of the San Francisco Public Library.