The irate, 275-pound prisoner grabbed an officer’s plexiglass shield and swung it so hard that it knocked Jack Myette’s helmet clean off his head.

Welcome to work as a corrections medical aide in a psychiatric prison, where Myette helps cut down hanging inmates, gets blindsided and slammed to the ground, and has to dodge a swinging pool stick and airborne chair aimed directly at him.

These early days prove excellent training for the rest of Myette’s career — moving on to balance discipline with humanity while managing 180 inmates in a general population prison, and ultimately teaching inmates to read, write, and earn their GEDs.

In Prison: The Inside Story, Myette offers an unflinching look at his twenty-five year career with the Michigan Department of Corrections. At times startling and disturbing, at times darkly humorous, Myette’s narrative ultimately challenges preconceived notions about prisoners as he finds his passion for education and its transformative powers.