This film documentary on the non-fiction book explores the true story
of H Division the punishment division within Pentridge Prison Melbourne
that operated from 1958-1994 and was responsible for cultivating criminals
who committed horrific crimes upon their release.
Established in 1958 to punish prisoners like William O’Meally
the last man legally flogged in Australia, H Division, or Hell Division
as it became known established a culture so ferocious that in 1972
the Victorian Government was forced to hold an inquiry into the brutality,
the author Ray Mooney served four months in H Division in 1973
and prior to his release in 1975 asked numerous H Division inmates
to write their stories for him, they included Chris Flannery, aka Rent-a-Kill,
Stan Taylor, responsible for bombing Russell Street Police Headquarters,
Archie Butterly, infamous for blowing his way out of the Melbourne Remand Centre
and Julian Knight, responsible for the Hoddle Street massacre.
The book includes their autobiographical stories and a detailed analysis
of the inquiry including quotes from original transcripts of evidence
presented to the inquiry, giving insight from both sides
into a punishment prison that was the most brutal in Australia.