To About Time,
My name is Jason, I'm currently in Woodford CC in QLD. It is hard to communicate from here. The phones are 10c per 30 seconds for landlines, 35c per 30 seconds for mobile calls and 40c per call for local numbers. The time limits vary from center to center. For Woodford, it’s 10 minutes for Secure and 12 minutes for Res, for Brisbane CC it’s eight minutes, for Maryborough CC it's six minute calls, for Arthur Gorrie CC it's ten minutes. So the calls are between $5–$10 for mobiles and $1–$2.60 for landlines. Paid unit workers get (a week) between $20.30 and $80, for carers the industry workers get between $30.35 and $60.35 plus $9.85 on top for hygiene amenities for all prisoners.
The real reason that I'm writing is not to whinge about our calls or our pay per week, it is about the lack of pen-pal services to give prisoners like myself connection and community whilst incarcerated to stop or prevent depression and giving them a sense of hope and an outlet to discuss their lives and make friends. I've been in custody for 4 years so far and getting mail call is the highlight of my day and the highlight of so many others inside but there isn't anything available for prisoners other than listening to the prison radio show if you can pick it up on FM or if you have a DAB+ Radio but if you don’t you miss out.
Sincerely,
Jason
Woodford CC
