Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

ISSUE NO. 18
JANUARY 2026

Experiences

This section publishes stories about individuals’ experiences with the criminal justice system. 

There are so many ways that people have interacted with the system, and so many stories to tell.

Experiences aims to tell those stories, presented as beautiful feature articles. 

Latest
‘I’m a Good Person, Surrounded by a Bad Life’: Youth in Prison
By Mark Yin and James*

Victoria has just announced a raft of changes to youth justice. It will uplift a number of children’s offences to face adult prison terms, and will also introduce a new ‘Violence Reduction Unit’ to coordinate crime prevention policies across government.

ISSUE NO. 18
3 MIN READ
Ethan Cassidy
Our Minds Are Far Away
By Sam Harris

The other old men and I never thought our lives would come to this. But here we gather again, like withered autumn leaves, awaiting the 7 am call for muster. Occasionally we stare at the large blank television screen which has been positioned high up in a corner of our small common room. What are we looking for?

ISSUE NO. 18
3 MIN READ
Willy Pleasance
My Perilous Life as a Professional Fire Breather
By Simon

I spat my first fireball on the shore of Warwick's Leslie Dam over half a century ago. That freaky moment was the flashpoint for a short but spectacular career as a professional fire breather. It gave me money and notoriety, but it very nearly killed me.

ISSUE NO. 18
3 MIN READ
Mohamed Nohassi via Unsplash
How Music Saved Me in Prison
By Daz Scott

Even behind bars, there are ways to soften the edges. Ways not just to pass the time, but to leave prison carrying something more than the baggage you came in with.

ISSUE NO. 18
3 MIN READ
Gabriel Gurrola via Unsplash
Previous Editions
ISSUE NO. 12
July 2025

Beyond Stereotypes: Young Men on the Inside

By teachers and students in a juvenile justice centre

Despite all their challenges, they walk into the classroom, shake my hand, and tell me riddles or stories about their mum or their little brother.

3 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 11
June 2025

Rewired by Survival

By Andrew

My brain seems to simply have wiped out part of my memory. I think it’s for the best.

2 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 11
June 2025

What is an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)? Fran Shares Her Advocacy Story

By Fran

ABIs can be caused by many different things. It can be a car accident, a fall, can be from violence – the list goes on and on.

3 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 11
June 2025

Homelessness: Working in a Broken System

By Charlie (not the author’s real name)

I support a number of clients – individuals, couples and families – who are experiencing homelessness. Like so many others in this field, I entered this work because I care deeply about people and community.

3 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 11
June 2025

The Crash That Changed Everything

By Paul Turley

I still remember the haunting words of the old next-door neighbour when he saw it: ‘Young men die in green cars.’ Stupid old bugger, what would he know?

4 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 10
May 2025

Step Inside the Circle: Acknowledging Childhood Trauma

By Felicia Djamirze

In this interview, Fritzi speaks to me about her purpose, the impact of childhood trauma, and how healing is possible, even from the inside.

5 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 10
May 2025

The Pain of Motherhood Behind Bars

By Tabitha Lean

There are little reminders all around me of the time I lost from my children’s lives when I went to prison.

6 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 10
May 2025

A Letter From Your Kin

By Yung Prodigy

To the mothers navigating the justice system, whether behind prison walls or holding it down on the outside while someone you love is locked away, we see you.

4 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 10
May 2025

Trying to Vote in Prison

By Damien Linnane

I know that it can sometimes feel like society has forgotten about people in prison, but there are political parties that are supportive of changing things in prison.

3 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 9
April 2025

The Impact of Not Being Allowed to Vote

By Stacey Stokes

Elections never bring anything good for people engaged in the system.

5 MIN READ
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Welcome to About Time

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

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Welcome to About Time

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

Your browser window currently does not have enough height, or is zoomed in too far to view our website content correctly. Once the window reaches the minimum required height or zoom percentage, the content will display automatically.

Alternatively, you can learn more via the links below.

Donations via GiveNow

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Be the first to learn about our monthly stories, plus new initiatives and live events

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