Not On My Watch: A Beloved Prison Wardens 30 Year Fight For Justice In The Prison System

Bob Hatrak: The "Scared Straight" Warden

In 1973, Bob Hatrak became the youngest warden of a maximum-security prison in America, Rahway State Prison in Trenton, New Jersey. Not on My Watch is an inspirational story of how one man with a visionary plan became one of the most notable and progressive prison reformers in American history.

A pitching phenom in high school, Bob lost his hand in a machine accident and almost lost his spirit-until his tight-knit Trenton community rallied to his side. After college, he thrived as a high school teacher and head basketball coach. He started a career in corrections in 1967, and six years later he assumed the warden's position at the violent, riot-torn Rahway State Prison. Treating prisoners with respect, he built an international reputation as a reformer.

Written by Bob and his wife, Joan, Not on My Watch is a personal, passionate, and eye-opening story, shedding light on one of the great reformation stories of the era. Fans of the documentary and subsequent TV series Scared Straight! will find this memoir equally revealing-and riveting.

Bob's story is personal - a reminder that as a society, we have a long way to travel on the path to justice, equality, and reform.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Villa Magna Publishing
Published: 03/27/2024
ISBN: 9781940178677
Pages: 286
Weight: 1.30lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.81d

Review Citations: PW Booklife Reviews 03/18/2024