http://elderscrollsonline.com/en/news/post/2013/01/09/developer-question-of-the-week-6

Much better this time!!

The mythic significance of the prisoner is still not completely understood. Perhaps the devs will be using that concept in the game lore?

Does this mean we will indeed start as a prisoner in TESO?

My main character in Skyrim didn't do a damn thing wrong though. He was just crossing the border into Skyrim and got mixed up with a bad crowd.

Conguralitions, You are now a ninja

I shot the sheriff!