To prove that prison can be the breaking of a man- and the making of a criminal- this tells the story of young Johnny Graves, who has served his term in a southern prison well- and deserves the parole blocked by his sergeant Gwin. Assistant Warden Walker knows there is good stuff in the boy, but he too is the prisoner of a system in which politics, a new warden, and an old hangover of ignorant sergeants all play a part. Johnny, resentful and restive, makes one escape attempt, is shot, and left with a lame leg; his troublemaking leads to successive infractions until he finally makes a break, learns that his wife no longer loves him, and is taken- by a pouse- to return to prison and a now hopeless future... A first novel which develops its argument rather than its characters- but actions still speak louder than words... Passable.