Thanks to a transfer from the Bethlehem Police department, the Lehigh Libraries Special Collections have been able to preserve and make accessible nearly 200 arrest books dating from 1916 to 1952. These books provide a snapshot into what life was like in early twentieth century Bethlehem by documenting the crimes and incidents committed by the city's population. These records have been used extensively in Lehigh classes including history, political science, anthropology, and more. The arrest reports are also being processed as a large dataset with which to do statistical research.
