Voices From Prison Lockdowns
Australia is in the midst of an epidemic of prison lockdowns.
Lockdowns see incarcerated people confined to their cells or units for long periods of time with little to no access to open air, phone calls or visits, and even healthcare and legal assistance.
The lockdowns are usually due to staffing shortages.
There is often little or no warning that these lockdowns are going to happen, leaving many people in virtual solitary confinement for hours or days.
News about prison lockdowns hit the mainstream last year, driven by whistleblowing from people in prison and formerly incarcerated people.
Many kept detailed calendars and notes of the lockdowns, information on missed legal calls and medical appointments and other consequences of them.
Nearly every week we receive a letter from someone in prison describing the devastating impact these lockdowns are having on people on the inside.
Here are their stories.
Australia is in the midst of an epidemic of prison lockdowns.
Lockdowns see incarcerated people confined to their cells or units for long periods of time with little to no access to open air, phone calls or visits, and even healthcare and legal assistance.
The lockdowns are usually due to staffing shortages.
There is often little or no warning that these lockdowns are going to happen, leaving many people in virtual solitary confinement for hours or days.
News about prison lockdowns hit the mainstream last year, driven by whistleblowing from people in prison and formerly incarcerated people.
Many kept detailed calendars and notes of the lockdowns, information on missed legal calls and medical appointments and other consequences of them.
Nearly every week we receive a letter from someone in prison describing the devastating impact these lockdowns are having on people on the inside.
Here are their stories.
Chris, writing from a prison in NSW
In the past we used to get remissions for the lock-ins. One day would amount to two-to-three days off our sentence. The lock-ins are impacting our mental health.
We didn’t have an hour out of our cell per day. I’ve been told it’s all administrative issues, but why should we be given extra punishment for the officers not coming to work or lack of employees? I think we deserve some time off.
Dolas, writing from a prison in QLD
Since 2020, 20-hour lockdowns have slowly been implemented in nearly every prison across Queensland besides the low-security prisons and privileged accommodation areas like residential.
Twenty-hour lockdowns are when prisoners are locked away in their cells for 20 hours of the day and are out for only four of them. Some days you don’t even get to be out for the entire four hours as prison codes, staff training and buy-up days affect the amount of time we get to spend outside of our cells.
Some days I feel there’s just not enough time to train, cook lunch or dinner and get on the phone in the four hours I have due to waiting in line for the cookers or phones, so sacrificing a task out of the daily routine becomes quite common.
Personally, the biggest thing I have trouble with is sticking to a routine. Having a routine that works well with your cellmate is very important to prolong a good relationship during your sentence. Having a compatible cellmate is absolutely critical.
[About Time contacted the relevant state Corrections departments for their response.
Corrective Services NSW said that “every effort” is made to maximise out-of-cell time for people in prison, and that access to essential services is prioritised during lockdowns, which can be due to critical incidents, mandated staff training, scheduled contraband searches, industrial action or staff shortages.
The Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety said that lockdowns are “sometimes necessary” for the safety of staff and people and prison, and that during these lockdowns people can still access meals, healthcare, rehabilitation programs and legal services. Queensland Corrective Services said that lockdowns are a “temporary tool” to protect the security and safety of a prison.
The Tasmanian Prison Service (TPS) said it works to make sure lockdowns occur as “infrequently as possible”, but they are sometimes needed due to safety concerns. TPS said that essential services and supports continued during lockdowns “where it is safe to do so”. The WA Department of Justice said sometimes prison lockdowns are necessary and that access to essential services such as time out of cell and family contact is a “priority where it is safe to do so”.]
Chris, writing from a prison in NSW
In the past we used to get remissions for the lock-ins. One day would amount to two-to-three days off our sentence. The lock-ins are impacting our mental health.
We didn’t have an hour out of our cell per day. I’ve been told it’s all administrative issues, but why should we be given extra punishment for the officers not coming to work or lack of employees? I think we deserve some time off.
Dolas, writing from a prison in QLD
Since 2020, 20-hour lockdowns have slowly been implemented in nearly every prison across Queensland besides the low-security prisons and privileged accommodation areas like residential.
Twenty-hour lockdowns are when prisoners are locked away in their cells for 20 hours of the day and are out for only four of them. Some days you don’t even get to be out for the entire four hours as prison codes, staff training and buy-up days affect the amount of time we get to spend outside of our cells.
Some days I feel there’s just not enough time to train, cook lunch or dinner and get on the phone in the four hours I have due to waiting in line for the cookers or phones, so sacrificing a task out of the daily routine becomes quite common.
Personally, the biggest thing I have trouble with is sticking to a routine. Having a routine that works well with your cellmate is very important to prolong a good relationship during your sentence. Having a compatible cellmate is absolutely critical.
[About Time contacted the relevant state Corrections departments for their response.
Corrective Services NSW said that “every effort” is made to maximise out-of-cell time for people in prison, and that access to essential services is prioritised during lockdowns, which can be due to critical incidents, mandated staff training, scheduled contraband searches, industrial action or staff shortages.
The Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety said that lockdowns are “sometimes necessary” for the safety of staff and people and prison, and that during these lockdowns people can still access meals, healthcare, rehabilitation programs and legal services. Queensland Corrective Services said that lockdowns are a “temporary tool” to protect the security and safety of a prison.
The Tasmanian Prison Service (TPS) said it works to make sure lockdowns occur as “infrequently as possible”, but they are sometimes needed due to safety concerns. TPS said that essential services and supports continued during lockdowns “where it is safe to do so”. The WA Department of Justice said sometimes prison lockdowns are necessary and that access to essential services such as time out of cell and family contact is a “priority where it is safe to do so”.]
Georgia, writing from a prison in VIC
Locked down for the third time this week, sixth time this past fortnight, with ‘Bird of Prey’ playing on Rage, the shitty fuzzy speakers on the shitty fuzzy TV barely able to conjure up something that resembles bass.
The guy in the video is zooming through the air like I used to - up and down, round and round, while I look up at the sky, my playground, through bars.
Here I am, pondering the sky’s infinity from a 3 x 3.5m cell, where I’ve been locked for over 16 hours at a time with no warning multiple times this week. Through a hole in my heavy metal door, I’m offered cold toast which was cooked in a toaster that a pigeon ate from yesterday. With bread that is almost definitely mouldy.
David, writing from a prison in WA
I am currently in Hakea Prison in WA. We are in 20hr lockdown everyday. Sometimes 22hrs. Three to a cell.
If I couldn’t do my art I would have done something crazy or gone crazy, it’s starting to take its toll on me. Something needs to change.
Georgia, writing from a prison in VIC
Locked down for the third time this week, sixth time this past fortnight, with ‘Bird of Prey’ playing on Rage, the shitty fuzzy speakers on the shitty fuzzy TV barely able to conjure up something that resembles bass.
The guy in the video is zooming through the air like I used to - up and down, round and round, while I look up at the sky, my playground, through bars.
Here I am, pondering the sky’s infinity from a 3 x 3.5m cell, where I’ve been locked for over 16 hours at a time with no warning multiple times this week. Through a hole in my heavy metal door, I’m offered cold toast which was cooked in a toaster that a pigeon ate from yesterday. With bread that is almost definitely mouldy.
David, writing from a prison in WA
I am currently in Hakea Prison in WA. We are in 20hr lockdown everyday. Sometimes 22hrs. Three to a cell.
If I couldn’t do my art I would have done something crazy or gone crazy, it’s starting to take its toll on me. Something needs to change.
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