ISSUE NO. 5
November 2024
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Letters

A Thank You From the Outside

By
Ruby

Nick Page

Dear Writers,

My name is Ruby. I am a subscriber of About Time on the south coast of NSW. I do not have any lived experience of incarceration, nor do I personally know anyone who has.

I want to thank you for writing to the paper. Your stories are important, and they help people like me understand how fundamentally flawed and archaic the prison system is.

Kelly (Issue 4), your article taught me so much about working full-time in prison, and I felt rage at every word I read. I read your article aloud to my best friend. We spoke about it for a long time. Henry (Issue 3) and Dave (Issue 2), I also read her your articles. She’s an art therapist. ‘This is the power of art and music!’ we cheered. Chris (Issue 4), Happy Birthday brother. You are a beautiful writer, please keep writing. Shea (Issue 4), your strength comes through in your vulnerability, and I hope you write again.

I will not pretend to understand what it is like on the inside, but reading your stories has been profoundly helpful in building empathy and understanding, not only in my life, but in the lives of those around me. I know I am not the only reader who feels this way. Thank you, all of you, for writing. Every issue I am left sitting here thinking, what can I do? How can I help? How can I put pressure in the right places to change things?

Do you have access to many books on the inside? I would love to learn more about prison libraries.

Thank you for your vulnerability, I can’t wait for the next issue.

Ruby

Dear Writers,

My name is Ruby. I am a subscriber of About Time on the south coast of NSW. I do not have any lived experience of incarceration, nor do I personally know anyone who has.

I want to thank you for writing to the paper. Your stories are important, and they help people like me understand how fundamentally flawed and archaic the prison system is.

Kelly (Issue 4), your article taught me so much about working full-time in prison, and I felt rage at every word I read. I read your article aloud to my best friend. We spoke about it for a long time. Henry (Issue 3) and Dave (Issue 2), I also read her your articles. She’s an art therapist. ‘This is the power of art and music!’ we cheered. Chris (Issue 4), Happy Birthday brother. You are a beautiful writer, please keep writing. Shea (Issue 4), your strength comes through in your vulnerability, and I hope you write again.

I will not pretend to understand what it is like on the inside, but reading your stories has been profoundly helpful in building empathy and understanding, not only in my life, but in the lives of those around me. I know I am not the only reader who feels this way. Thank you, all of you, for writing. Every issue I am left sitting here thinking, what can I do? How can I help? How can I put pressure in the right places to change things?

Do you have access to many books on the inside? I would love to learn more about prison libraries.

Thank you for your vulnerability, I can’t wait for the next issue.

Ruby

Sistas, Support Each Other!

By Anonymous

This letter is to remind you all that, as Sistas, we need to be there for one another to raise women up.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 23

2 MIN READ

Strip Searches

By Nikita

It’s daunting enough when you get arrested by police, then placed into custody and thrown into a cell. Then you have to go through a degrading strip search.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 23

1 MIN READ

If It’s Broken, Then Fix It

By Andrew

I’ve spent most of my adult life behind bars, and I’m not proud to say it. It’s been such a bloody waste.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 23

3 MIN READ

Routine is Good, Not Bad

By Dane

Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time in prison can relate to the concept of prison rituals and routines.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 23

3 MIN READ

Welcome to About Time

About Time is the national newspaper for Australian prisons and detention facilities

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Without About Time, I don’t know where I would be – Mark, from a prison in Victoria

We need your help so that we can print and distribute the paper to every person in every prison for at least the next year. We value whatever you can spare, no matter how big or small.

Australia’s prison population is growing, and our many prisons are spread far and wide.

We need your help so that we can print and distribute the paper to every person in every prison for at least the next year. We need your help to cover postage for anyone who sends us a letter from the inside.

We value whatever you can spare, no matter how big or small.