‘I Came Out Battered and Worn’: Ex-Officer Turns Prison Life into Memoir
After 20 years working behind bars, Rhonda Hāpi-Smith finally broke free from her past to pursue her dreams.
For most of her life, Rhonda was sure she wouldn’t follow in the footsteps of her father and siblings by becoming a prison officer. But in her thirties, after drifting through unsatisfying jobs, she felt drawn to a life of purpose, structure, and service.
Though she knew the job would change her forever, dedicating two decades to prison work was the right choice. “I came out battered and worn, but I’d do it all again,” the 58-year-old says from her home in Wellington. “There was something about the job that gave me a reason.”
Turning Challenges into Stories
Rhonda transformed the intense and often dangerous experiences of her prison career into her first book, Inside the Wire: True Stories from a New Zealand Prison Officer.
Writing was always an outlet throughout her time behind bars. She made a clear effort to separate her identity inside the prison from who she was outside.
The Reality of Prison Work
- At work, Rhonda wore a tough exterior to protect herself from constant verbal abuse.
- She was prepared to handle physical confrontations if necessary.
- As a woman in men’s prisons, she had to prove herself twice as hard to earn respect.
“I came out battered and worn, but I’d do it all again.”
Her memoir reveals a story of resilience, strength, and transformation through a demanding career in corrections.
Author's summary: Rhonda Hāpi-Smith reflects on two decades of prison work, transforming hardships into an inspiring memoir about resilience and finding purpose.