North Shore Times (New Zealand)
50 years behind bars, looking back
Albany’s Neville Mark has been working for prisons for 50 years.
This milestone makes him the Department of Correction’s longest-standing staff member, but he jokes and says he doesn’t know whether to celebrate or feel sorry for himself.
‘‘Medals and recognition of achievement are registered in multiples of seven years. However, they usually stop at 42 years of service. So, I didn’t think I would have to celebrate after that,’’ Mark said.
On January 23, 1968, Mark joined the department as a 17-year-old school leaver from Te Awamutu. He was attracted to the career when the Justice Department said it wanted to change the direction of prisons towards rehabilitation.
After his two years’ training in Wellington his first post was at Waikeria Prison. The starting salary was $1209 a year.
Reflecting on his half-century of working in a prison, Mark said, ‘‘No, it hasn’t made me cynical.’’ In fact, he is proud to be a part of the system trying to make positive changes.
‘‘I wouldn’t and couldn’t keep working if I didn’t think I was making a difference. Not once has that happened to me in 50 years,’’ Mark said.
‘‘Challenges are addictive,’’ he said. ‘‘Workers are faced with multiple challenges a day, especially talking down violent or suicidal people.’’
Mark remembers being first on the scene to an inmate who had set his cell on fire. ‘‘I performed CPR on him and he made it through that day. Years later, I was in Newmarket getting a new tyre and that same man was working there.’’
In 1997, he came up to do a few weeks relieving in Paremoremo Prison and never left.
Throughout his career, Mark has worked his way up through the ranks, from working directly with prisoners to regional manager roles. He also earned high praise for his handling of the Auckland Prison riot in 1998.
However, in 2010, he had a health scare. Mark said sitting down with his children, saying he might not make it, was a lifechanger for him and ever since then he’s taken a less-stressful option.
‘‘Some of the regional jobs I was doing for 24/7. I don’t do that any more.
‘‘Throughout everything, I’ve had great support from my family. I guess I’ll have to stop sometime,’’ he said.