To Australia's National Prison Newspaper,
I recently received your newspaper. I noticed something at the bottom of the front page which caught my attention. It said ‘we need your feedback!’. But, before I continue writing any further please allow me to introduce myself and say ‘Hi’. My name is Bradley, an inmate from Tasmania Risdon Prison. I have been coming in and out of jail just about most of my life.
I want to raise awareness of the living expenses in our prison system. Our pay each week has been kept minimum for quite some time (years) despite prisoners raising their voice, there’s nothing being done about it. We barely can afford much on canteen-by up and they also minimise what we can buy and what we can’t buy. We have not got a big variety like other prison's, and for our pays: a standby allowance each week is $25.00. General jobs start from $32.50 weekly, $42.50 a week for yard and $47.50 for full time jobs which are the laundry jobs etc and that is for minimum security prisoners only.
Our biggest concern is that we are no longer able to afford many things from canteen-by ups. The inflation has raised the prices of things, but our payments are kept the same. We can only afford just the basic stuff – toiletries and a few things in the canteen by-up list. We are all fed up with this. On behalf of prisoners, I am hoping to be our voice. We feel powerless.
You would be lucky to have a job here. Not just that to make a single phone call to your loved ones, it’s way too much: $3.60 to mobile just for 10 min. Most of us inmates would be relying on our families for support and those who don't have families and support on the outside struggle more than the rest of us. I understand we are prisoners and we have our rights and we don't expect much help, but that small help could be a big difference. Our hope and our voice lies at the hand of those who can make a difference and this is why I'm writing and trying to make a difference/change.
To Australia's National Prison Newspaper,
I recently received your newspaper. I noticed something at the bottom of the front page which caught my attention. It said ‘we need your feedback!’. But, before I continue writing any further please allow me to introduce myself and say ‘Hi’. My name is Bradley, an inmate from Tasmania Risdon Prison. I have been coming in and out of jail just about most of my life.
I want to raise awareness of the living expenses in our prison system. Our pay each week has been kept minimum for quite some time (years) despite prisoners raising their voice, there’s nothing being done about it. We barely can afford much on canteen-by up and they also minimise what we can buy and what we can’t buy. We have not got a big variety like other prison's, and for our pays: a standby allowance each week is $25.00. General jobs start from $32.50 weekly, $42.50 a week for yard and $47.50 for full time jobs which are the laundry jobs etc and that is for minimum security prisoners only.
Our biggest concern is that we are no longer able to afford many things from canteen-by ups. The inflation has raised the prices of things, but our payments are kept the same. We can only afford just the basic stuff – toiletries and a few things in the canteen by-up list. We are all fed up with this. On behalf of prisoners, I am hoping to be our voice. We feel powerless.
You would be lucky to have a job here. Not just that to make a single phone call to your loved ones, it’s way too much: $3.60 to mobile just for 10 min. Most of us inmates would be relying on our families for support and those who don't have families and support on the outside struggle more than the rest of us. I understand we are prisoners and we have our rights and we don't expect much help, but that small help could be a big difference. Our hope and our voice lies at the hand of those who can make a difference and this is why I'm writing and trying to make a difference/change.
