Australia's National Prison Newspaper

Australia's National Prison Newspaper

Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

ISSUE NO. 8
MARCH 2025
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Experiences

This section publishes stories about individuals’ experiences with the criminal justice system. 

There are so many ways that people have interacted with the system, and so many stories to tell.

Experiences aims to tell those stories, presented as beautiful feature articles. 

Latest
On Repeat
In the monotony and desperate repetition of prison life, you become a stranger to yourself
By Storm

The inevitable monotony of another day decays your precious time, alongside your brain cells as you get trapped listening to those who surround you once again.

ISSUE NO. 8
5 MIN READ
Ike Curtis
Reflections From a Prison Teacher
A teacher’s account of working inside prisons and detention centres
By Paul A MacNamara

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.

ISSUE NO. 8
5 MIN READ
'Muster (Long Bay, long day)', by Peter, 2000, acrylic on canvas, 107cm x 108cm, Boom Gate Gallery
No Real Closure
What is closure? And is it really possible?
By James

I needed closure to help me live a normal life, but it was not forthcoming. I was reaching out for closure but it never came.

ISSUE NO. 8
7 MIN READ
'What a Waste of Time' by Brian, 2018, courtesy of Boom Gate Gallery
Previous Editions

ISSUE NO. 7

February 2025

Hanging Out With AC/DC

By Simon

It was the sweltering Sydney summer of '79 and AC/DC was the most potent new rock band on earth.

6 MIN READ

ISSUE NO. 7

February 2025

We Are the Change

By Nina Storey

It was me that created the change, I did it all!! Not prison: prison hurt me, prison did not offer healing or reform my behaviour. Prison deployed its violence onto me that I am still working through today.

5 MIN READ

ISSUE NO. 7

February 2025

‘Parole Pending Housing’: An Impossibility

By Kelly

“Parole approved pending housing.” This is by far the worst sentence I have heard in prison.

6 MIN READ

ISSUE NO. 7

February 2025

A Voice From Beyond the Fence

By Troy

It was just another typical day in jail when word arrived. As soon as my name was called and the paper handed to me at morning muster, mixed feelings of surprise and anticipation began welling up inside.

3 MIN READ

ISSUE NO. 6

December 2024

The Stress of Parole

By Stacey Stokes

If parole was ever about rehabilitation, it’s not really the feeling I get now. It feels more like an exercise in assessing the risk to the community, not about reintegrating people.

6 MIN READ

ISSUE NO. 6

December 2024

A Dutch Prison Diary

Anonymous

Monday: I've spent the last hour at the wing pool table losing badly to some madman from Amsterdam. I didn't imagine there'd be a pool table in maximum security but the prisoners enforce respect for it.

3 MIN READ

ISSUE NO. 6

December 2024

Christmas Day Inside Out

By Sam Harris

Even though it looks like Santa has forgotten us this year, we both have some ill-defined, unspoken hope that it will be a better day.

4 MIN READ

ISSUE NO. 6

December 2024

My Story, Embracing Change

By Joey

Skip forward a month; a year; and an odd decade (or 5), and I realised that without embracing change in our lives (or how we see things) we only risk relegating ourselves to stagnation.

5 MIN READ

ISSUE NO. 5

November 2024

Bodies in Cages: Trans Experiences of Prison

By Sam Elkin, Necho Brocchi and Stacey Stokes

At this year’s EnQueer Sydney Queer Writers Festival, author and community lawyer Sam Elkin joined formerly incarcerated trans woman Stacey Stokes and proud trans woman and manager of Open Doors Youth Service (Qld) Necho Brocchi on stage at Qtopia Sydney for an intimate discussion about trans incarceration.

5 MIN READ

ISSUE NO. 5

November 2024

Kicking the Can Down the Road: Let Us Help Ourselves

By Stacey Stokes

Rehabilitation is pointless without forgiveness and another chance at doing right.

5 MIN READ
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A place for news and education, expression and hope.

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.

It's
About Time.

A place for news and education, expression and hope.

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.

Donate Here

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Welcome to About Time

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

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