Australia's National Prison Newspaper

Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

ISSUE NO. 7

February 2025

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Letters

"I'm Innocent! I Didn't Do It!"

David is a writer currently incarcerated in New South Wales.

Jordyn Montague on Unsplash

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Self-honesty – “I’m innocent!”

The truth – “I didn’t do it!”

How many times have you heard these words?

How many times have they been used “to get away with it?” or not wanting to accept the consequences of one’s behaviour?

At 14 years of age my teacher, at Blacktow Patrician Brothers, gave me ‘six’ of the best [the cane] for something I did not honestly do – I was innocent!

I was hurt, angry, furious, resentful and looking for justice – revenge! What I wasn’t going to do to that teacher. At home I complained to my Dad.

He said, “Son, if you come home tomorrow and whinge for getting punished for something you didn’t do, I’ll give too ‘six more!’”

Shocked, I said: “That’s not fair. Why?”

Dad: “The ‘six’ I give you will be for the many times you got away with it?”

This I realise now, is wisdom.

I’m now self-honest. Internally free. I cope with injustice.

David

Self-honesty – “I’m innocent!”

The truth – “I didn’t do it!”

How many times have you heard these words?

How many times have they been used “to get away with it?” or not wanting to accept the consequences of one’s behaviour?

At 14 years of age my teacher, at Blacktow Patrician Brothers, gave me ‘six’ of the best [the cane] for something I did not honestly do – I was innocent!

I was hurt, angry, furious, resentful and looking for justice – revenge! What I wasn’t going to do to that teacher. At home I complained to my Dad.

He said, “Son, if you come home tomorrow and whinge for getting punished for something you didn’t do, I’ll give too ‘six more!’”

Shocked, I said: “That’s not fair. Why?”

Dad: “The ‘six’ I give you will be for the many times you got away with it?”

This I realise now, is wisdom.

I’m now self-honest. Internally free. I cope with injustice.

David

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