Not On My Watch

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.