Blocker 1
Christen Blocker
Professor Chad Trulson
CJUS 3400
October 28, 2015
Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing
The book Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing by Ted Conover revolves around prison life and
the work of a correctional officer. Whenever I think of prison and correctional officers, what
often comes to my mind include various movies and series that I have watched such as Prison
Break. In most of the movies and series, the correctional officers have often been depicted as
people that enjoy seeing other people suffer as well as the depleted conditions that the prisoners
live in. The common movies and series depict prison as a place of horror for the inmates
whereby the guards have total authority to do whatsoever they please and engage in illegal
activities which benefit them the most. In my life, my views about prison have been only as I
have watched in the movies but after reading the book, Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing, I realized
that there is a totally different view as depicted and portrayed by the author of the book, Ted.
The book helped shape my view about prisons and the correctional officers as well as helped me
develop some positive attributes as outlined below.
Determination
When reading Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing I realize that there is quite a lot that I can
learn based on what the author has provided in the book. One of the elements and great lesson
that this book has taught me is the issue of determination and never giving up. I noted that the
author of the book is also the same person that acts as the main character that brought out the life
Blocker 2
in the prison. Conover was a journalist and wanted so much to tell the story of prison life but
could not get access to the prison. Therefore, to complete the book, he applied for the job of a
prison guard despite being denied a chance to access the prison by the New York’s department of
corrections. Conover went into a boot camp for training as his only way of gaining access to the
prison. This clearly indicates that in life I have to be determined in whatever I do as long as I
believe that it is the right thing to do.
If Conover had not taken the step to apply for the job and become a guard, I don’t think
the book would have been much of an inspiring story to read. Furthermore, after joining
Newjack, the author provides an incredible account of events and life within the walls of Sing
Sing prison. The experiences, harsh prison culture, and the tough working conditions that the
