Research Project Outline

Sample Research Paper Proposal

January 25, 2015

Mr. Hanks,

I have decided to write my research paper on the Ohio State Penitentiary Fire of 1930. This prison was originally known as a “fire-proof” prison, much like the sink-proof Titanic, that eventually went aflame when a candle caught some left over oil rags on fire that were left on wooden scaffolding during the prison renovations. Once it was finally noticed that the prison had caught on fire, the warden absolutely refused to release any prisoner, mind you it was at this point a 1500 inmate facility, out until the National Guard arrived to assist with the situation. Within the 30 minutes it took the national guard to arrive on scene, many of the inmates had to succumb to the toxic gasses emitted from the fire. 320 prisoners died from this event and many more left injured, which resulted in a mass overhaul of the Detention and Correctional Occupancy portion of the NFPA 101 – Life Safety Code.

This topic interested me because I have worked in the corrections field for over 2 years and have seen how hard it would be to evacuate hundreds on inmates in a safely manner, not only for the inmate but also the public. With that being said, it raises an even higher question getting into when it comes to the safety of the inmate and the correctional officer, whose life is worth more? Feel free to ask me any questions about the topic, my contact information is listed above.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lionel Messi

References

State Fire Marshall Division. (2010, November 2). History of Fire and Fire Codes. Retrieved January 25, 2015, from http://www.dps.state.ia.us/fm/inspection/history/History_of_Fire_and_Fire_Codes.pdf

The History Channel. (2014, April 21). Prisoners Left to Burn in Ohio Fire. Retrieved January 25, 2015, from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/prisoners-left-to-burn-in-ohio-fire