In the preface to the fascinating volume Woman in Prison, author Caroline H. Adams explains the chance encounter with a classified advertisement that changed the course of her life. It was a help-wanted ad soliciting applicants for the role of prison matron, a type of female warden who oversees the logistical and housekeeping aspects of running a correctional facility. Seeing the job as a chance to simultaneously earn money and help those in dire straits, Woods jumped at the chance. She recounts her experiences in this book.