ISSUE NO. 9
April 2025
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Letters

Staying Clean

By
Weena

Weena writes from Junee Correctional Centre NSW.

My name is Weena and I’m writing from Junee NSW.  

It’s great to read other people’s stories and articles. Also, I find excellent advice and experiences are much the same as my journey throughout prison, in and out.  

I’ve been in and out of prison since 2009–2025, reoffending, doing stupid shit, thinking I’m invincible, like no other.

Since having my first ever grandson nearly 3 years ago now, it’s made me realise that I not only want to change, but I need to do it not only for myself but for my family.

And I want to change more than I have ever in my entire life. This time round, it’s more clear to me that crime and drugs destroyed me. I hurt the small family that I have left, and I’ve lost a lot of friends, neighbours, also my mother and father, also my big bro. I’ve neglected those that are important. Even my own pet.  

I’ve read The Journey of Staying Clean and am reading the best book ever: Tough Love – Tackling Drug Addiction and Seeing Change by Peter Lyndon-James, highly recommended as an excellent read.  

This book has been an eye-opener for me, and reading it really hit home, and it has given me more incentive than ever. I want to stay clean, and I have been off Oxycontin pills for 45 months, and I was addicted to them for 28 of the 48 years of my life.  

I feel smarter and have more knowledge than I have ever had and the drive to keep clean and stay clean.

Being in prison most of the time has had a lot of impact on my lifestyle and it hasn’t been a horrible transformation even though some people say it doesn’t improve their lifestyle, I find it helped me in ways I didn’t think it would.

My name is Weena and I’m writing from Junee NSW.  

It’s great to read other people’s stories and articles. Also, I find excellent advice and experiences are much the same as my journey throughout prison, in and out.  

I’ve been in and out of prison since 2009–2025, reoffending, doing stupid shit, thinking I’m invincible, like no other.

Since having my first ever grandson nearly 3 years ago now, it’s made me realise that I not only want to change, but I need to do it not only for myself but for my family.

And I want to change more than I have ever in my entire life. This time round, it’s more clear to me that crime and drugs destroyed me. I hurt the small family that I have left, and I’ve lost a lot of friends, neighbours, also my mother and father, also my big bro. I’ve neglected those that are important. Even my own pet.  

I’ve read The Journey of Staying Clean and am reading the best book ever: Tough Love – Tackling Drug Addiction and Seeing Change by Peter Lyndon-James, highly recommended as an excellent read.  

This book has been an eye-opener for me, and reading it really hit home, and it has given me more incentive than ever. I want to stay clean, and I have been off Oxycontin pills for 45 months, and I was addicted to them for 28 of the 48 years of my life.  

I feel smarter and have more knowledge than I have ever had and the drive to keep clean and stay clean.

Being in prison most of the time has had a lot of impact on my lifestyle and it hasn’t been a horrible transformation even though some people say it doesn’t improve their lifestyle, I find it helped me in ways I didn’t think it would.

An Idea to Reduce Drugs and Violence in Prison

By Melissa

I have been in the system a long time. I believe that we as prisoners should be heard a lot more.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 20

1 MIN READ

We Want to Get Healthy in Prison – So Why Can’t We Buy Protein Powder?

By Joeby

Here at MCC we are limited to weight bags and medicine balls. We cannot purchase creatine or protein powders, training gloves or any other essential items that other prisoners at other centres can purchase.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 20

1 MIN READ

First Time In Prison, 3000km From Family

By Deanno

I just want to get back to my home state WA so I can do my time with my family support where I’m happy and have all my supports.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 20

1 MIN READ

Discovering Buddhism in Prison

By Chris

Buddhism teaches that pain is a part of being human, not a failure. Thoughts are not who you are, change is always possible because nothing is permanent. There is beauty in the idea that peace isn’t something you chase, it’s something you uncover when you stop clinging.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 20

2 MIN READ

Welcome to About Time

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

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