Series I. Organizational Files, 1961-1974 (bulk, 1968-1973), inclusive

Series I consists of materials accumulated and produced by Bernard Botein during the course of his service and participation in over forty-two legal, civic, philanthropic and political organizations and on committees and taskforces, significantly in the areas of court reform and reform of criminal justice administration. In addition, the series contains several files covering others topics including racial and religious prejudice. Materials present information on the investigative, commemorative and administrative activities of these groups.

Legal groups represent various bar associations and other organizations of attorneys, judges and legal educators, particularly the Association of the Bar of the City of New York (1969-1973), the Vera Institute for Justice (1964-1972), Legal Aid Society (1969-1972) and the New York City Rand Institute (1969-1973). The collection represents several specific committees and taskforces in which Bernard Botein was active including the City of New York, Office of the Mayor's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (1968-1969), the Appellate Division for Manhattan and the Bronx's Departmental Committee on Court Administration (1969-1971, 1973) and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles' Taskforce on the Administrative Adjudication of Traffic Violations (1969). In politics, materials from Botein's participation in the political campaigns of George McGovern, John V. Lindsay and Manhattan District Attorney Frank Hogan are represented here, as well as civic organizations like the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged (JASA) (1970-1974).

The series contains original, photocopied, and secondary materials and includes correspondence, reports, proposals, preparatory materials for studies and research areas, newspaper clippings, published articles and other printed materials.

Some texts of Judge Botein's orations and writings including academic addresses, public statements, speeches and articles, as well as copies of legal publications and legislative documents are partially represented here, in addition to Series II. Series IV also contains additional groupings of files pertaining to specific areas of research and study.

Materials in Series I were re-filed in alphabetical order by organization, committee or taskforce name, and materials relating to the same organization and year were consolidated into a single folder.