Trying to Catch Lightning in a Jar: Letters from Prison

Synopsis

Written in the form of letters, Parole chronicles Patty Prewitt's first eighteen years in Missouri's women's prison system after receiving a life sentence with no possibility of parole for fifty years. Through her correspondence, she records the realities of incarceration with remarkable honesty, documenting not only the hardships of prison life but also the friendships, humour, routines, and acts of resilience that made survival possible.

Clear-eyed, compassionate, and deeply moving, Parole is both a memoir and a powerful reflection on hope, endurance, and the humanity that persists even within systems designed to erase it. Patty Prewitt ultimately served thirty-eight years before her sentence was commuted.

About the Author

Patty Prewitt is a writer and prison reform advocate whose sentence was commuted after thirty-eight years of incarceration in Missouri. Parole is drawn from the letters she wrote while imprisoned, offering a rare firsthand account of long-term incarceration and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Publisher
Some People Press

Publication Date
2025

Format
Paperback

Pages
192

Subjects
Memoir · Prison Writing · Social Justice · Autobiography

ISBN
9798218682736