The Prisoner

From prisoner to PhD student - how one woman turned her jail sentence into an opportunity.

The Prisoner by Kerry Tucker tells the remarkable story of a woman who seemed to be a typical suburban mother of two, harbouring a terrible secret—she had been stealing money from her employers. When her offence was discovered, it was reported to be the biggest white-collar crime committed by a female in Victoria, leading to a seven-year sentence in a maximum-security prison, alongside the state's most notorious criminals. Being incarcerated with drug dealers and murderers, however, was not nearly as daunting as having to tell her two young daughters why she was leaving them. The shame was almost unbearable.

As Kerry adjusted to life behind bars, she began to see her fellow inmates as more than simply 'murderers' and 'drug dealers'—they became real people with names and broken dreams. As they opened up to her, she realised many of these women had violent home lives and were not getting parole simply because they couldn't fill out the paperwork. Horrified by this injustice, Kerry set about using her skills to represent them. She also began to study.

Today, Kerry has a PhD, advocates for women prisoners, and has been reunited with her daughters. In her inspiring memoir, filled with fascinating stories of life behind bars and shot through with wry humour, she reveals how one woman's darkest hour can become a turning point in her life. And how, just perhaps, it can even be the making of her.