Your browser window currently does not have enough height, or is zoomed in too far to view our website content correctly. Once the window reaches the minimum required height or zoom percentage, the content will display automatically.
Alternatively, you can learn more via the links below.
Jail is a journey, and it is certainly not over the moment they hand you a release certificate, open that gate and send you on your way.
More often than not, that is where the journey gets even more difficult. The real test comes after that sentence expires. Going to prison is such a hard experience, and it definitely takes a lot of getting used to. I don’t think you ever fully do.
But we, as prisoners, do our best to make the best of a bad situation. For me personally, the real challenge came in the lead-up to release day and once I exited custody.
You see, there is very little post-release support, and you are let out regardless of whether you have supports in place or not.
I can remember so many times being given my release papers and left to organise my own accommodation and support. Often it is only short-lived, as things like temporary accommodation can only be given for a certain period of time.
It eventually becomes exhausting having to stay somewhere for a couple of days, then pack up your stuff, head to the housing office to extend it, and travel elsewhere again, only to have to do the same thing all over again.
As much as I appreciated having a roof over my head for short periods of time, I was still fresh out of jail – homeless and lost – with very little in terms of long-term support.
Looking back, I think that is part of the reason I ended up back inside so often.
I can remember standing in Centrelink offices still in my greens, with very little to help me survive in the outside world, and wondering what would happen if I couldn’t find a place to stay long-term, or a job to help me survive out here.
Dealing with all the judgment – not only from being out in public in prison greens, but in general as an ex-prisoner – it is an awful feeling, I tell you!
Post-release support is something that is vital to prisoners. Without it, life can be very challenging. As much as so many of us want to stay free and continue to have our freedom, I feel so often the system sets us up to fail. I know it did for me.
I can remember clearly attending a parole appointment one December, many years ago. I was still homeless, but doing my all to try and get myself back on my feet, whilst battling addiction and mental health issues. I was told by my parole officer that I had approximately two weeks to find a psychiatrist and proper accommodation, or a rehab bed, or I would be breached (keeping in mind it was only weeks to Christmas!).
The majority of psychs and rehabs close their books or are already at full capacity. So, as you can guess, I couldn’t do it in time. So I was sent back to prison, even though I was not breaking the law or reoffending.
I simply could not find the proper support in time, through no fault of my own.
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it doesn’t work.
Jail is a journey, and it is certainly not over the moment they hand you a release certificate, open that gate and send you on your way.
More often than not, that is where the journey gets even more difficult. The real test comes after that sentence expires. Going to prison is such a hard experience, and it definitely takes a lot of getting used to. I don’t think you ever fully do.
But we, as prisoners, do our best to make the best of a bad situation. For me personally, the real challenge came in the lead-up to release day and once I exited custody.
You see, there is very little post-release support, and you are let out regardless of whether you have supports in place or not.
I can remember so many times being given my release papers and left to organise my own accommodation and support. Often it is only short-lived, as things like temporary accommodation can only be given for a certain period of time.
It eventually becomes exhausting having to stay somewhere for a couple of days, then pack up your stuff, head to the housing office to extend it, and travel elsewhere again, only to have to do the same thing all over again.
As much as I appreciated having a roof over my head for short periods of time, I was still fresh out of jail – homeless and lost – with very little in terms of long-term support.
Looking back, I think that is part of the reason I ended up back inside so often.
I can remember standing in Centrelink offices still in my greens, with very little to help me survive in the outside world, and wondering what would happen if I couldn’t find a place to stay long-term, or a job to help me survive out here.
Dealing with all the judgment – not only from being out in public in prison greens, but in general as an ex-prisoner – it is an awful feeling, I tell you!
Post-release support is something that is vital to prisoners. Without it, life can be very challenging. As much as so many of us want to stay free and continue to have our freedom, I feel so often the system sets us up to fail. I know it did for me.
I can remember clearly attending a parole appointment one December, many years ago. I was still homeless, but doing my all to try and get myself back on my feet, whilst battling addiction and mental health issues. I was told by my parole officer that I had approximately two weeks to find a psychiatrist and proper accommodation, or a rehab bed, or I would be breached (keeping in mind it was only weeks to Christmas!).
The majority of psychs and rehabs close their books or are already at full capacity. So, as you can guess, I couldn’t do it in time. So I was sent back to prison, even though I was not breaking the law or reoffending.
I simply could not find the proper support in time, through no fault of my own.
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it doesn’t work.
We should be doing more when it comes to post-release support and services. Then maybe, just maybe, ex-prisoners may have a better chance of never coming back.
Of course, it’s no guarantee. But more often than not, that is partly why people reoffend and lose hope, because they have no support or options to survive in the outside world. So they resort to ways to survive that often land us back in prison.
The aftermath of prison needn’t be so difficult and exhausting to navigate. But in order for that to happen, we need better post-release services and support.
We need some kind of action plan to better support and encourage those exiting custody.
We need more people willing to give us a go and help those that want the help – and the ones who are lost and broken and unsure where to turn. Because I used to be one of them. And I know I won’t be the last.
The current way is not working. Our recidivism rates are proof of that. And I think a fair bit of it comes down to the lack of post-release support.
Without that support, we end up falling through the cracks.
Every single prisoner who will eventually be released will need that support. And they will be better off if they have the right level of services in place.
The benefits of that can be the difference between staying out or going back inside.
We should be doing more when it comes to post-release support and services. Then maybe, just maybe, ex-prisoners may have a better chance of never coming back.
Of course, it’s no guarantee. But more often than not, that is partly why people reoffend and lose hope, because they have no support or options to survive in the outside world. So they resort to ways to survive that often land us back in prison.
The aftermath of prison needn’t be so difficult and exhausting to navigate. But in order for that to happen, we need better post-release services and support.
We need some kind of action plan to better support and encourage those exiting custody.
We need more people willing to give us a go and help those that want the help – and the ones who are lost and broken and unsure where to turn. Because I used to be one of them. And I know I won’t be the last.
The current way is not working. Our recidivism rates are proof of that. And I think a fair bit of it comes down to the lack of post-release support.
Without that support, we end up falling through the cracks.
Every single prisoner who will eventually be released will need that support. And they will be better off if they have the right level of services in place.
The benefits of that can be the difference between staying out or going back inside.
Elections never bring anything good for people engaged in the system.
The thought of spending any time in close contact with Jonny sets my heart racing – and not in a good way.
Each court attendance made me feel sick to my stomach with nervousness as rich strangers decided my husband’s fate – and our future.
Education is not regarded as the most significant risk factor for reoffending but there is an undeniable link between a lack of education and crime.
Help keep the momentum going. All donations are tax deductible and will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.
Help us get About Time off the ground. All donations are tax deductible and will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.
Leave a Comment
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. uis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.