ISSUE NO. 11
June 2025
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Letters

A Letter of Encouragement

By
Stenzy

Stenzy writes from Brisbane Correctional Centre in Queensland.

Caspar Rae via Unsplash

To all my Brothers and Brethren in the pen,

My name is Isaac, but everyone knows me as Stenzy. I have just served the most part of five years for armed robbery and GBH and got nearly one and a half left on parole. I calculated all the time I’ve done the other day and I’ve done about eight years all up from 2012 to 2025 – one year being the longest I’ve been out and three and a half the longest lagging I’ve done. I feel I’ve gone from 26 to 39 overnight and well appreciate how valuable time is now. And, going in and out, I have lost many nice places, relationships and family possessions. It’s not easy, and sometimes I think it would have been easier doing the whole lot inside. In fact, I know it would have been easier inside. I want to say you can turn your experience here into a very beneficial thing.

But, unfortunately, the truth is the more we get locked up the easier it is to come back and the harder it is to stay out. But also when you think about it, this place teaches us so many good things (if we could just implement them outside), especially routine, resilience, patience, self-control, grace and humility. But, most importantly, I think it builds character.

And if you’re like me the suicide squad are some pretty cool ones (LOL). But Brothers, seriously, when you look at how much worse off other people in the world have it and you truly understand there really is no rock bottom, then you start to see there are no limits to how good our life could be (and out of anyone we deserve it!). Life is not so bad at all. I had the privilege in Brisbane Correctional Centre to rap and sing in front of the Elders for NAIDOC Week 2023 and it is something I will never forget. My song that I performed can be found on Soundcloud under Stenzy – Wolves if any Brothers are interested, when they get out. I wrote it for us.

Peace always,

From Stenzy.

To all my Brothers and Brethren in the pen,

My name is Isaac, but everyone knows me as Stenzy. I have just served the most part of five years for armed robbery and GBH and got nearly one and a half left on parole. I calculated all the time I’ve done the other day and I’ve done about eight years all up from 2012 to 2025 – one year being the longest I’ve been out and three and a half the longest lagging I’ve done. I feel I’ve gone from 26 to 39 overnight and well appreciate how valuable time is now. And, going in and out, I have lost many nice places, relationships and family possessions. It’s not easy, and sometimes I think it would have been easier doing the whole lot inside. In fact, I know it would have been easier inside. I want to say you can turn your experience here into a very beneficial thing.

But, unfortunately, the truth is the more we get locked up the easier it is to come back and the harder it is to stay out. But also when you think about it, this place teaches us so many good things (if we could just implement them outside), especially routine, resilience, patience, self-control, grace and humility. But, most importantly, I think it builds character.

And if you’re like me the suicide squad are some pretty cool ones (LOL). But Brothers, seriously, when you look at how much worse off other people in the world have it and you truly understand there really is no rock bottom, then you start to see there are no limits to how good our life could be (and out of anyone we deserve it!). Life is not so bad at all. I had the privilege in Brisbane Correctional Centre to rap and sing in front of the Elders for NAIDOC Week 2023 and it is something I will never forget. My song that I performed can be found on Soundcloud under Stenzy – Wolves if any Brothers are interested, when they get out. I wrote it for us.

Peace always,

From Stenzy.

Lessons from Bees

By Muhamed

Prison teaches people to hold back. To keep to themselves. To give as little as possible. To protect what little energy or hope they have left. When everything feels limited – time, freedom, trust – it makes sense to think that giving more will leave you with less. But the bee lives by a different rule.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 22

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Albany Prisoners on Lockdowns

By Prisoners at Albany Prison, WA

We are not sure who to write to or who we can talk to about theses matters. We are hoping someone reads our letter and can point us in the right direction to have our voices heard.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 22

1 MIN READ

Rights for Foreign Prisoners

By Luiing

If foreign prisoners have been sentenced under same law as Australians, then it’s extremely important that they have right to be treat equally in their imprisonment – on humanitarian grounds.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 22

2 MIN READ

Not Cool: Heat and Overcrowding in TMCC

By Dane

The following is in response to the article by Denham Sadler titled “Sweltering Behind Bars: Stifling Heat in Australian prisons”.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 22

2 MIN READ

Welcome to About Time

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

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