The Governor
Maximum security prison Barfield has recently nearly been destroyed by a riot. Helen Hewitt, the first woman put in charge of the prison, is determined to clean up the place despite being greeted with open hostility.

Barfield Prison begins to take shape again. Helen introduces the new black officers and they are met with mixed feelings from the staff and inmates. Helen also introduces a psychologist, Maureen Collins, who enlists the help of a prisoner to sort out the library. Alan Fisher is granted his home-leave, but he has some problems when he gets out. Helen discovers that he lied about the reason for his home-leave, which jeopardised his chances to move to an open prison.