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As a child, Keri Blakinger competed on the regional and national levels, with the hopes of one day becoming an Olympian. But behind the scenes, the star figure skater was struggling with an eating disorder, suicidality, and, ultimately, a life-threatening heroin addiction. In her last year at Cornell, she was sent to prison for heroin possession. It was at what was perhaps her lowest point that Keri found a new mission in life: Writing and advocating for the human rights of the incarcerated. What began as journal entries to get through her 2-year prison term turned into her book, Corrections in Ink, published in June of 2022. As an author and investigative journalist for the Marshall Project, Keri is focused on her recovery and helping reform the fractured American prison system. On Episode 14 of Beyond the Prescription, Keri and Dr. Lucy McBride have a candid conversation about overcoming addiction, life in prison, and addressing mental illness through rehabilitation over punishment.
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Keri Blakinger on Reclaiming her Humanity after Addiction and Incarceration