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.
“Keep your shit together, don’t let the bastards grind you down.”
My name is Leslie. I am a 66-year-old New Zealander and I have been incarcerated since August 2023 on a charge of dangerous driving causing GBH.
I was 12 when Mum went to prison. Instead of crying, I threw myself into planning everything we’d do once she came back.
My name is Michael, and I am a person who has an ABI (acquired brain injury) and I have done a lot of time in prison.
Remand. Difficult times. Difficult times!!! Being on remand, in my opinion, is one of the most trying and testing parts of being in jail.
When I was arrested, I had a job, a family, friends. When they sent me to jail, I lost it all. Because that’s the true punishment. You lose your life. You break the law, so you are destroyed.
One of the things I noticed as I entered my grimy first cell in jail was that there were no glass mirrors on the walls. I quickly found out that glass mirrors are banned in jail; no doubt because glass can be easily smashed, shattered and used as a weapon.
Recently, I left my job as a police officer. When people asked why I left the police force, I said it was because my values misaligned with the job. And yet my certificate of service hangs in a frame on my wall. The irony is not lost on me.
As the months went by, I started to think about what could be done in that time. I started to see time in a different light.
Help keep the momentum going. All donations will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.
All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. If you would like to pay directly into our bank account to avoid the processing fee, please contact donate@abouttime.org.au. ABN 67 667 331 106.
Help us get About Time off the ground. All donations are tax deductible and will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.
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For more than 50 years, the world has celebrated International Literacy Day to remind us all of the critical importance of creating a more literate, just, peaceful and sustainable society.
We're asking for your support so that we can continue to provide Australia's incarcerated population with a voice – a platform of expression and hope, of literacy and storytelling.
We're asking for your support so that we can continue to provide Australia's incarcerated population with a voice — a platform of expression and hope, of literacy and storytelling.
All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. If you would like to pay directly into our bank account to avoid the processing fee, please contact donate@abouttime.org.au. ABN 67 667 331 106.
