The Last Governor - Paperback

by John W. Heffernan (Author)

It's 1975; the New South Wales prison system is in a state of crisis, prisoners are rebelling against what would be later described by a Royal Commission as a regime of savagery and for some inexplicable reason John Heffernan decides to become part of it all by joining the NSW Department of Corrective Services and train as a prison officer. After receiving the most basic training imaginable he is literally thrown a set of keys and set loose to guard some of the worst and most violent criminals in the state. This is a story where prison riots and prison officer strikes became almost an accepted norm, simply an everyday part of going to work. During the author's watch he would witness corrupt police, dishonest officials and even a Minister of the Crown all spend considerable periods as a guest of Her Majesty. "I was literally thrown a set of keys and set loose to guard some of the worst and most violent criminals in the state. More than just a personal memoir, The Last Governor also gives a look at the tragic events that occur all too regularly behind locked doors such as murders, deaths in custody, self harm attempts and serious assaults, detailing the effect that these incidents have on both those that work and those that live within the walls," says John Heffernan.

Author Biography

John Heffernan served for 30 years in the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services attaining the rank of Superintendent. For the last 10 years of his service he was appointed as a Governor and managed a number of regional correctional centres. During his period of service he worked in all areas of the department including Prison Industries and Prison Operations. He has an Associate Diploma in Criminal Justice (Charles Sturt University) and was awarded the National Medal for Service, the 20 Year Service Medal and the 25 Year and 30 Year Service Clasps.