April 23, 1999

Author Jean Harris to Speak about “Women

and the Prison System” on April

29 at Middlebury College

Author Jean Harris will speak about “Women and

the Prison System” on Thursday, April 29 at 8 p.m. at the

Middlebury College Kirk Alumni Center on Route 30. The lecture

is free and open to the public.

In her 1986 book “Stranger in Two Worlds,”

Harris earns the attention and concern of the reader by telling

her own story—she was convicted of the murder of diet-book author

Dr. Herman Tarnower. Using the notoriety of the case as a hook

to draw the reader in, she then reveals her true topic-women in

prison. She makes the point that those who could do something

about the plight of women in prison, and their children, have

no idea what it is like to be there. Twelve years later Harris

is still deeply involved in educating people about the realities

of incarceration for women with children, and will speak about

this topic during her lecture.

While imprisoned at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility,

Harris founded the Children of Bedford Fund to help children—whose

mothers are incarcerated at the facility—to get a good education.

As president of the fund, she travels widely educating people

about the tremendous upheaval a jailed mother brings into the

life of her children.

Harris points out, “It is not just coincidence

that most people in jail and prison are poorly educated. Fewer

than half of incarcerated people have a high school diploma, and

many who do have one have been pushed from grade to grade without

any consideration of what they have learned or what they are ready

for. Some so-called high school graduates can barely read. The

cycle of ignorance feeds on itself and goes round and round.”

The Addison County Community Review Board and the

May Belle Chellis Women’s Resource Center at Middlebury College

are sponsoring Harris’ talk. Contact Mary S. Duffy, of the women’s

studies department at Middlebury College, at 802-443-5937 for

more information.