Jean Trounstine is an American activist committed to recognizing the rights of women held in prisons around the world. She is the author and co-author of six books translated into various languages. Among these Shakespeare Behind Bars: The Power of Drama In A Women’s Prison, 2001, a world-famous guidebook that has paved the way for teachers, staff and magistrates who work in direct contact with the prison world. Her testimony is fundamental to introduce the use of Theater and Literature into the prison system as an effective tool for the education and social reintegration of prisoners.
Jean Trounstine taught and worked for over a decade at Framingham Women’s Prison where she directed eight theatrical productions. Her work demonstrates that substantial changes in the life of prisoners can occur thanks to Literature and Theater in prison, these offer real hope and represent a moment of change and freedom.
