ISSUE NO. 8
March 2025
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Letters

Another Day in Paradise

By
Noah

Noah, originally from Germany, writes from Brisbane Correctional Centre in Queensland.

‘Maximum Security (The Zoo)’ by Tony, 2022, acrylic on canvas, Boom Gate Gallery

Hey,

My name is Noah and I have been in BCC for seven months. My life in this place is limited. I have emotional fights with myself. It started with being angry, angry towards everybody, angry towards myself, angry towards the situation. Then follows the shock. For many days, I could not eat or sleep. I was nothing.

After the shock, follows the disappointment. It hurt so much. I was just a few months in Australia, my English wasn’t really good and nobody from my life before speaks to me. All the future plans and dreams are gone. They let me completely fall. I miss my children, everyday I pray for them, I think about our good times. This is something that nobody can take away from me. I miss my home country, Germany. I am so alone. I don’t know what is happening outside, I just have contact with LegalAid lawyers. That’s wild and sad.

Most people here are nice, everybody has his story, and it’s good not to know everything. I don’t judge and really, I don’t understand everything, as most inmates speak with really wild slang. Most of them don’t explain, they say it louder, which makes it difficult. In every place on this planet people can be an asshole, even in prison. This is not something that is new. People come and go. It’s the same every time.

Everybody has the same words, “another day in paradise”. I am not here to make friendships, but I am thankful for every support, every nice word and for everyone who wants to listen when I want to talk. I feel forgotten. Prison reflects you like a mirror, you regret every mistake in your life. Everything. And if you want, it brings you back on the right way.

Noah

P.S. A big shout to all prisoners and the team of “Australia’s National Prison Newspaper”. Thank you for all the support.

Hey,

My name is Noah and I have been in BCC for seven months. My life in this place is limited. I have emotional fights with myself. It started with being angry, angry towards everybody, angry towards myself, angry towards the situation. Then follows the shock. For many days, I could not eat or sleep. I was nothing.

After the shock, follows the disappointment. It hurt so much. I was just a few months in Australia, my English wasn’t really good and nobody from my life before speaks to me. All the future plans and dreams are gone. They let me completely fall. I miss my children, everyday I pray for them, I think about our good times. This is something that nobody can take away from me. I miss my home country, Germany. I am so alone. I don’t know what is happening outside, I just have contact with LegalAid lawyers. That’s wild and sad.

Most people here are nice, everybody has his story, and it’s good not to know everything. I don’t judge and really, I don’t understand everything, as most inmates speak with really wild slang. Most of them don’t explain, they say it louder, which makes it difficult. In every place on this planet people can be an asshole, even in prison. This is not something that is new. People come and go. It’s the same every time.

Everybody has the same words, “another day in paradise”. I am not here to make friendships, but I am thankful for every support, every nice word and for everyone who wants to listen when I want to talk. I feel forgotten. Prison reflects you like a mirror, you regret every mistake in your life. Everything. And if you want, it brings you back on the right way.

Noah

P.S. A big shout to all prisoners and the team of “Australia’s National Prison Newspaper”. Thank you for all the support.

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

2 MIN READ

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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