Invisible Prisons: Jack Whalen's Tireless Fight for Justice

by Lisa Moore

WINNER OF THE 2024 BMO WINTERSET AWARD FINALIST FOR THE 2024 HILARY WESTON WRITERS' TRUST PRIZE One of The Globe and Mail's Best Books of 2024 One of CBC’s Best Canadian Non-Fiction Books of 2024

Riveting nonfiction from multi-award-winning author Lisa Moore, based on the shocking true story of a teenaged boy who endured abuse and solitary confinement at a reform school in Newfoundland, but survived through grit and redemptive love.

Invisible Prisons is an extraordinary, empathetic collaboration between the magnificent writer Lisa Moore, best-known for her award-winning fiction, and a man named Jack Whalen, who as a child was held for four years at a reform school for boys in St John’s, where he suffered jaw-dropping abuses and deprivations. Despite the odds stacked against him, he found love on the other side, and managed to turn his life around as a husband and father. His daughter, Brittany, vowed at a young age to become a lawyer so that she could seek justice for him. Today, that is exactly what she is doing—and Jack's case is part of a lawsuit currently before the courts.

The story has parallels with Unholy Orders by Michael Harris about the Mount Cashel orphanage, and with the many horrific stories about residential schools—all of which expose a paternalistic state causing harm and a larger society looking away. Yet two powerful qualities set this story apart. As much as it is about an abusive system preying on children, it is also a tender tale of love between Jack and his wife Glennis, who saw the good man inside a damaged person and believed in him. And it is written in a novelistic way by the great Lisa Moore, who makes vividly real every moment and character in these pages.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, History, Audiobook, Canada, Memoir

Audible Audio

First published September 24, 2024

About the author

Lisa Moore has written two collections of stories, Degrees of Nakedness and Open, as well as a novel, Alligator.

Open and Alligator were both nominated for the Giller Prize. Alligator won the Commonwealth Prize for the Canadian Caribbean Region and the ReLit Award, and Open won the Canadian Authors' Association Jubilee Prize for Short Fiction.

Lisa has also written for television, radio, magazines (EnRoute, The Walrus and Chatelaine) and newspapers (The Globe and Mail and The National Post).

Lisa has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. She also studied at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where she became a member of The Burning Rock Collective, a group of St. John's writers.

Reviews

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you follow the news in Newfoundland and Labrador, Jack Whalen's story is on your radar. Before seeing him with his replica of the solitary confinement cell he was kept in at the Whitbourne Boys' Home, I would never have believed such atrocities occurred in this province. Yes there was Mount Cashel, but that was sexual abuse by priests, which by now, we understand to have been happening the world over. And unlike the Mount Cashel victims, or victims of sexual abuse at the Whitbourne Boys' Home, Jack could not have his day in court due to the statute of limitations on childhood abuse that was not sexual. Because of lobbying by Jack and his family, and other people seeking justice, the provincial government passed a bill in May 2024 that removes time limits for victims of childhood abuse, including assault, battery and unlawful confinement. In this book, the magnificent writer Lisa Moore weaves together Jack's story of loneliness and abuse, and also love and healing.

[Paul C. Stalder · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exquisite, and heavy, collaboration. Moore brings a novelist's eye and pen to Whalen's harrowing tale. They make you feel the suffering. And while it is ultimately a story of hope, of strength in the face of suffering, one wishes it was a story that never needed to be told. It is a must read; for the beauty of the storytelling as well as for the actual story being told.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a hard but important read. It is so hard to understand how the system can fail a child. Jack tells his story honestly. It is a rough Newfoundland story of poverty and unequal justice.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is Jack Whalen's story of his childhood trauma caused by being incarcerated and put in solitary confinement for extended periods of time from the ages of 13-17.

While the story is tragic and shows us Whalen's resilience, the writing/structure of this book was terrible. I am a fan of Lisa Moore so not sure what went wrong here.

I read this book to support the changes needed in the Canadian youth justice system.

[Melanie Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a heavy read but a story that needed to be told.

[Bibi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book has a stunning cover and it captures the story line just as exquisitely as the book's title. This is a true story about a young man's harrowing tale of institutional abuse in a supposedly reform school and his subsequent survival of that ordeal.

Jack Whalen was sentenced to prison time at the Whitbourne Boy’s School in St. John’s Newfoundland. The abuse meted out not only to Jack but all the boys is difficult to read.

The biggest victims were the kids with nobody coming to visit them.

They chose victims whose parents couldn't afford the drive to Whitbourne to check on them. They were after the boys who suffered from mental illness or physical disability. Boys were often transferred from Mount Cashel to Whitbourne, and the boys who'd been in Mount Cashel talked among themselves about the abuses in both institutions.

Of course, those boys who proved to be vulnerable, whose families were not held in high esteem by the Church or in the city, those without political clout or even a watchful eye at home, were often the victims of sexual assault.

Jack's father died when he was only three and Alice, his mother, had five kids at the time of her husband's death. She would go on to have a total of eight kids but she was basically a single mom raising these children. Needless to say, her boys were rambunctious and mischievous.

Jack and his brothers engaged in reckless adventures including sending a bakery truck crashing into a tree and a forklift truck careening into the harbour. Jack had a bit of a swagger and an attitude and often shoplift for fun or in an attempt to bring something home as a contribution. Regardless of these skirmishes, there is no decency in subjecting Jack and others to the horrendous fate which they encountered at Whitbourne.

This true account story is co-written and attempts to showcase Jack's horrors at Whitbourne and his struggles to have the statute of limitations removed from sexual, child abuse cases. I was happy to see that Jack was able to see this materialize when everything seems grim with the slow moving court system and procedures and his cancer diagnosis.

The shining star is this story is Glennis, his very supportive and loving wife, who helped Jack to forge away from the invisible prisons which haunt him. It is unfathomable why no one investigated the "why" for the many boys and especially Jack who attempted to run away (24 times out of the over 100 instances of attempted escape by the boys) from the hell into which they were sent. Even more appalling is the greed and cruelty of the guards who were more concerned about their overtime pay while they keep Jack in isolation for months on end.

People came back up from the cells very quiet. They sat at the table and never said nothing. It took them a while to get used to being back up again. They'd come up and their eyes were blank and they were stiff, and they didn't make small talk.

Jack recounted the terrors at Whitbourne and his treacherous attempted escapes trying to ward off dogs, burly cops, helicopters, and frigid temperature. He was often brought back to solitary confinement time and time again. Reform schools/prisons where the life of a child is forever altered should be held accountable. There needs to be justice for all victims of such institutions and not subject to the statute of limitation.

[Kelly Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Invisible Prisons is a story that had to be told. As a fellow Canadian from Nova Scotia this story hit very close to home. Jack Whalen is courageous and Lisa Moore is one heck of a writer.
Whalen and Moore collaborate to tell the horrific abuse Jack Whalen suffered as a young boy in Whitbourne Boy’s School in St. John’s Newfoundland. The more I turned the pages, the more my anger rose. Although this book is non-fiction, it reads much like fiction. The writing is seamless.
Jack was a mischievous boy, with a marvellous Mother Alice. Unfortunately Jack’s luck ran out with the law and at the age of 13, he was sent to reform school. As a Mother of 4, I couldn’t imagine the anguish Alice must of felt when they whisked Jack away, knowing there was nothing she could do.
Jack ran away from Whitbourne many times during his time there, often brought back to solitary confinement. Time and time again in a black hole isolated.
Jack Whalen is fighting to have the statute of limitations removed from sexual, child abuse cases. There needs to be justice for all victims of these institutions. Reform or residential schools that have altered the life of an innocent child need to face the consequences, no matter how much time has passed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the early copy.

[Emily Suchanek · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a book that’s as sharp as it is gut-wrenching, Invisible Prisons by Lisa Moore will hit you like a freight train. This isn’t just the story of Jack Whalen, a man caught in a maze of legal injustice—it’s a full-on exploration of what happens when the system isn't just broken, but rigged. Moore’s storytelling is electric, drawing you into Jack’s relentless pursuit of justice, one that feels both deeply personal and painfully universal.

There’s a rawness to her writing, the way she tackles the uncomfortable truths without flinching, and it’s impossible not to get caught up in Jack’s fight. He’s no superhero—he’s just a man who won’t back down, and Moore doesn’t shy away from showing how this crusade comes with its toll. The beauty of the book lies in how Moore balances the tension: the frustration, the little victories, the harsh setbacks. It’s a slow burn that keeps you on edge, not letting go.

By the end, you’re left with a feeling that stays with you long after you close the cover—a reminder that, sometimes, fighting for justice means walking through your own invisible prisons. Moore captures that weight effortlessly, and honestly, it’s a book you’ll want to talk about long after you’ve read it.

[EmBam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an incredible memoir. Lisa Moore’s collaboration in telling Jack Whalen’s story brings a powerful depth of empathy and highlights the courageous strength that defines Jack’s journey. Through her lens, we see not just the trauma, but the resilience of a boy who refused to be broken.

Jack’s story is, heartbreakingly, all too familiar. A stark portrayal corrupt people in power taking advantage of the vulnerable. But what sets this account apart is Jack’s unwavering spirit, which blazes through the pages. From his MANY escape attempts earning him the admiration of the boys trapped within the walls of the Whitbourne Boys' Home, to his incredible creativity in reconstructing a replica of the solitary confinement cell to show the world the cruelty he endured for months on end. Jack becomes not just a survivor, but a hero.

In Jack's recounting of his story, there is one chapter toward the end that Lisa shapes like a fever dream of chaos and fear. In it, she shares snippets of the worst moments from each of his escape attempts. This raw, emotionally heavy section deeply connects you to the child Jack Whalen was, and leads you to grieve the childhood that was stolen from him.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟

There are some writing choices in this book I am not fond of. The story weaves between past and future, as well as narrative, history and personal accounts from the author; breaking the fourth wall on occasion. Despite my preferences, it does a great job of describing the environment and situations that lead to Jack Whalens fate, however deplorable. It’s humanizes the victims, and shows just how young children are at risk even within our “justice” systems. I’m shocked to learn that we (North Americans) still put children in solitary confinement.

It’s hard for me not to recall accounts of residential schools in Canada and how many Canadians (who were once children) were separated their families only to withstand unthinkable abuses. Canadians who often have or will never see retribution and therefore closure for the hell they endured under government and religious orders that should have protected them.

There needs to be dignity and humanity even in cases of criminal punishment, and there needs to be more oversight with any institutions that manage children for any circumstance.

I think this is a necessary read, but it’s not an easy one.

[Wendell Hennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very powerful story and I always find it difficult to read stories like this about political and bureaucratic abuse and corruption in provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador and PEI that are so populated with wonderful warm people. The writing style was annoying, but the story steadily came through of Jack's four years of incarceration at Whitbourne, now torn down. Months in solitary confinement, transported to visit a judge offering to be his parole officer in exchange for sexual favors. The driving force for Jack and his daughter and Lisa Moore's sister was to remove the statute of limitations for child mistreatment so others could pursue financial settlement. Reality is that there is no possible appropriate financial compensation for such cases, but rather the goal is to ensure that such treatment never ever happens again. Once again the catholic church figures in the story with Mount Cashel where sexual abuse was know right up to the vatican.

[Kyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve loved everything I’ve ever read by Lisa Moore. I found this to be another excellent example of her wonderful writing and deep compassion and observation of human emotion. Her descriptions of Jack’s early life and his relationship with his family, and descriptions of his mother and what she was likely experiencing, are exceptional. As she states in the book, writing about the horror of what Jack experienced was something she struggled with and ultimately does not explore in detail. This allows the reader to remain distanced and protected from Jack’s experience. But, perhaps, that is part of the message. We do not need to feel or have explained some else’s experience in detail to believe and support them. Overall an important book and an intimate portrayal of the burden and responsibility of being involved in its telling.

[Mik Mango · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jack Whalen’s story, and the broader history of torture and abuse in juvenile detention centers in Canada (and globally), is horrifying and absolutely deserving of attention. This is an important topic that demands awareness.

That said, I struggled with the narrative structure which was disjointed and repetitive, and follows the the author’s perspective as she uncovers Jack’s story. The book frequently jumps around timeline, style and focus making it difficult to follow and emotionally distant. I think the impact of Jack’s experience would have been more profound if told from his eyes in chronological order rather than as a recollection of memories from a handful of perspectives.

This is a story that needs to be told. I just wish it had been told in a way that better honored its gravity.

[Pankaj · Rating 3 out of 5]

A difficult book to read. It must also have been a very difficult book to write - collaboratively with a person who would have to reach into dreadful, terror stricken memories from his childhood to recall the horrors and narrate them while retaining perspective.

Jack and his family also exemplify the very best in humans - their love bonds and support for each other. Most of all the narrative demonstrates human hope and courage that can sustain and help a person overcome all odds.

We all know what Governments and uncaring bureaucracy is all about, Jack's fight to change status quo and his success provide a most heartening and welcome outcome. I would still say Shame on the Liberal party representatives then in the House and their despicable behaviour, as evidenced in this book.

[Enid Wray · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an important story - but this book is a hot mess - a hot mess in terms of organisation and voice… and let’s not talk about the lack of editing, as evidenced by the amount of repetition in this title.

I listened to the audiobook. While I realise that it’s kind of late at that point for a major overhaul, I can’t wonder that the narrator didn’t notice that she was saying the same thing over and over and over and over again? I sure as heck realised it as the listener!

There are lots of other comments I could include but I need to keep moving onto the next title on my TBR.

It’s too bad because Jack’s story is an important one. Read it for Jack’s story but not because this is well written.

[Lucas Calestini · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disappointed by how the story was told. For some reason Lisa Moore spent a lot of time focused on meta information (how the book was made, "my impressions of Jack", "our meetings", "my challenges", etc), as well on pieces of the story that don't seem to add much value to the real issue in how Jack Whalen was treated (meetings with family, other people's lives, the legal case). Lastly, the back-and-forth in the timeline was extremely confusing for the audio format. At times it was hard to tell when something was taking place or what it referred to.

It's a very important story and it is worth being aware of, but I really wish this book focused more on Jack Whalen's story

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an insightful book about this man's journey through an abusive corrupt justice and the punitive and abusive parts of the child welfare system. Even though parts were very sad and also awful to imagine, Jack Whalen's fight and journey for change in the justice system in Canada was very inspiring. This leaves hope where there often is none for those who cannot speak for themselves. This hits close to home being Canadian and advocating for my son as he went though the school and justice systems. We have alot of work to do but there is hope.

[Hani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved Invisible Prisons. It wasn’t easy reading about what kids went through in those government run institutions, especially knowing that it didn't happen long ago, as those kids were born approx. in the same years as my parents. But the author wrote it all in such a clear and honest way.
Although I really admire Jack’s courage for sharing his story, I have a soft spot for Glennis and Alice. I think both of them played a big role in helping Jack not pass that trauma on and start a cycle of generational pain. I highly recommend this book.

[Ramona Jennex · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart wrenching story co-written by Lisa Moore and Jack Whalen. I can only imagine how hard it was for both authors to relive such trauma.
I read this as an audio book and the narrator, Mary Lewis, was EXCELLENT. Not often is a Newfoundland accent recreated appropriately.
It is creative non-fiction so it reads like fiction but the facts are true and so disturbing.
I have to admit that this story had me in tears. I have so much admiration that the acclaimed author, Lisa Moore opened her heart and shared her talent of writing WITH Jack to co-write this book.

[Monica Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember seeing on Signal Hill in St. John's the replica solitary confinement cell Jack Whalen built to give people a sense of the horror he inhabited as a child, for sometimes weeks at a time. His was an incredibly difficult, necessary story to tell and Lisa Moore helped him do so with crystal clear ethics: it was Jack's story, and his words, he got to choose them. But by giving his her testimonies, Moore also brings us into what it's like to witness.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book would have been a better regular read and not an audiobook. All that being said jacks story is incredible vulnerable and the fact that he survived so much hardships in his life and finds the space and capacity for advocacy is incredible. I can't imagine what it would be like to recount this story thank you jack for your sharing.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
Jack Whalen was just a teenager when he was incarcerated in a “boy’s home” in Newfoundland. This is the story of his fight for justice against the government of Nfld for the abusive treatment he received. Through his efforts the statute of limitations against child abuse by the government was amended.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a story of a child who would not give in to the corrupt injustice that has always plauged the system. Jack whalen is a young warrior who's picture should be beside the word resilience in the dictionary. This story has everything and it's all writtten in truth. Corruption, sadness, love, and success. An amazing read and I've recommended it to everyone I know.

[Mike Broderick · Rating 4 out of 5]

As we continue to remember that our history is not spotless, we add this to the list. When our youth do things that require incarceration, we don’t send them to adult prisons, for their protection and continued development.
However, here is another scenario of abuse by people who we trusted to do a job.
A very good non fiction read.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am giving this 4 stars because of the importance of the issue it represents. I found it a bit repetitive, but I believe that was the point of the author, to reinforce how much Jack Whalen suffered.

[Kristen Head · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Mr Whalen for not being afraid nor ashamed to tell your story. I commend someone for being so brave to do that.

[H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a hard book to read but it is so important to bear witness. Our children deserve better.

[Colleen Cavanaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow unbelievable how many of our children are being mistreated. It’s time our governments wake up and stop child abuse. A story I will never forget.

[Marion G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harrowing story of child abuse by government

[Kate Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could hardly put this down! Such a powerful story and so well told by both Jack and Lisa. 10/10