‘So many women, just about all of the population in prison come from a domestic violence relationship immediately prior to, or even during their crime. They are all traumatised. Everything is just gone. These women aren’t going anywhere, they are not a threat to the community. They are just used to making it through every single day. Your loss of freedom is huge, until somebody has that and experienced that, and the removal from their children. For what reason, you cannot comprehend it. So while you are in prison, make the programs holistic. Rebuild the women, rebuild these people, so that when they leave, they are better than when they came in. It’s a win win situation. It’s so simple. The women win, the children win, the families win, and community wins. The system wins. Everything happens if you start rebuilding the people that have been traumatised.’
Kerry Tucker – ex prisoner
Charge – Corporate Fraud
Life Today:
After spending nearly five years in Victoria’s maximum security prison for women, Kerry was released with her Master of Arts (commenced and completed during this period) and was successful in her Candidature for her Doctorate of which she expects to complete in early 2013. Her PhD is an extensive research and multi-publication of the study of women in prison as a community, from the perspective of a ‘participant/observer’ whilst providing an autobiographical narrative. Kerry’s PhD is also a performative memoir, a crafted script for a performance of comedy and narrative over a period of an hour. Her performance ‘Revlon & Razor Wire’ had its premier season in August 2011 at La Mama Courthouse Theatre in Carlton, Melbourne. Her five night season was a sell out each evening.
Kerry has been requested to conduct a series of Law and Media lectures at the Judicial College of Victoria and mid 2017 has been secured to host bus tours for all level court Judges around the Melbourne Prisons, advising them of procedures and how they affect sentences and outcomes.