ISSUE NO. 12
July 2025
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Letters

Lit a Light of Hope

By
Zayne

Zayne writes from Metropolitan Remand Centre in Victoria.

Willy Pleasance

Greetings, prison newspaper.

I am writing to you from the Metropolitan Remand Centre just after lock in at approximately 5pm.

I read your paper the night previous, and a part of me that previously was dead or dying suddenly felt alive and connected to others with similar struggles and trauma.

I am 28 years old and come from a single mother with three other step siblings. My mum had me at 21 and at an early age, I was given a Criminal Reference Number. I have spent two years out of prison since the age of 19, roughly 8 years. I feel like there is no future for me until I read an article in your paper about post release stress disorder that lit a light of hope in myself that previously no one else could. I have been incarcerated for two weeks now, and awaiting sentencing in three months time. The reasons for these offences I put down to mental health issues such as PTSD, PRSD, depression, anxiety and an extremely poor peer support network and so on and so forth, lack of housing, drug substance abuse that all seemed to feed each other and when I live like this, it is impossible to find the one thing that could save me a proper healthy relationship. They say loneliness is like a hunger, and though my life was shit, is shit, I feel like the law of attraction brought the worst of people and situations. So I just want to say thanks for your newsletter/prison paper.

Zayne

Greetings, prison newspaper.

I am writing to you from the Metropolitan Remand Centre just after lock in at approximately 5pm.

I read your paper the night previous, and a part of me that previously was dead or dying suddenly felt alive and connected to others with similar struggles and trauma.

I am 28 years old and come from a single mother with three other step siblings. My mum had me at 21 and at an early age, I was given a Criminal Reference Number. I have spent two years out of prison since the age of 19, roughly 8 years. I feel like there is no future for me until I read an article in your paper about post release stress disorder that lit a light of hope in myself that previously no one else could. I have been incarcerated for two weeks now, and awaiting sentencing in three months time. The reasons for these offences I put down to mental health issues such as PTSD, PRSD, depression, anxiety and an extremely poor peer support network and so on and so forth, lack of housing, drug substance abuse that all seemed to feed each other and when I live like this, it is impossible to find the one thing that could save me a proper healthy relationship. They say loneliness is like a hunger, and though my life was shit, is shit, I feel like the law of attraction brought the worst of people and situations. So I just want to say thanks for your newsletter/prison paper.

Zayne

An Idea to Reduce Drugs and Violence in Prison

By Melissa

I have been in the system a long time. I believe that we as prisoners should be heard a lot more.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 20

1 MIN READ

We Want to Get Healthy in Prison – So Why Can’t We Buy Protein Powder?

By Joeby

Here at MCC we are limited to weight bags and medicine balls. We cannot purchase creatine or protein powders, training gloves or any other essential items that other prisoners at other centres can purchase.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 20

1 MIN READ

First Time In Prison, 3000km From Family

By Deanno

I just want to get back to my home state WA so I can do my time with my family support where I’m happy and have all my supports.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 20

1 MIN READ

Discovering Buddhism in Prison

By Chris

Buddhism teaches that pain is a part of being human, not a failure. Thoughts are not who you are, change is always possible because nothing is permanent. There is beauty in the idea that peace isn’t something you chase, it’s something you uncover when you stop clinging.

Letters

ISSUE NO. 20

2 MIN READ

Welcome to About Time

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

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