ISSUE NO. 22
MAY 2026

Legal Corner

This section provides people in prison with information about their legal rights and how to make best use of them.

If you have any general legal questions that you would like to be answered, please let us know.

Latest

Open Air in Prison: Your Rights Explained

By Human Rights Law Centre and Prisoners’ Legal Service

With people in prisons across the country being subjected to an “epidemic of prison lockdowns”, it is important to note that bare minimum safeguards exist in law, in most jurisdictions, that purport to guarantee at least some time ‘in the open air’ each day for people behind bars.

ISSUE NO. 22
5 MIN READ
ken.jumper via Flickr

Previous Editions

ISSUE NO. 15
October 2025

Legal Q&A

Question from someone imprisoned in VIC

There are lots of reasons why people may get lighter or heavier sentences than someone else who has committed the same crime.

2 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 15
October 2025

What to Do: Mandatory Visa Cancellation Letters

By RACS (Refugee Advice and Casework Service)

You got this letter to say that your visa has been cancelled due to your offending. This means you no longer hold a visa.

4 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 14
September 2025

Legal Q&A

Anonymous

If you are charged with breaking a rule in prison, this can result in disciplinary action, in addition to potential criminal charges.

2 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 14
September 2025

DNA Testing in Queensland Under Review

By Prisoners Legal Service

In Queensland, there have been concerns raised about the way DNA evidence is processed and examined in forensic laboratories.

2 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 14
September 2025

New Virtual Bail Courts in NSW

An explainer from the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited

The way the NSW court system deals with bail hearings on weekdays has changed.

2 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 13
August 2025

Legal Q&A: Debt Relief

By Gazza

I am a first-time inmate in a Victorian prison and I am trying to obtain some accurate information with regards to my debts.

3 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 13
August 2025

Solitary Confinement as a Sentencing Factor

By Prisoners Legal Service

If a prisoner is detained in solitary confinement, the conditions they face in custody are significantly more challenging compared to the general prison population. In some cases, this may be taken into account by a sentencing court and result in a shorter sentence being imposed.

2 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 13
August 2025

Video Court: What to Know

By About Time

This guide doesn’t assume fair treatment, but it hopes to offer some tools to help you navigate online court while in prison.

4 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 12
July 2025

Laws Around Strip Searches in Prisons

By Daniel Vansetten

Strip searching is a security practice purportedly used by prison authorities to prevent drugs and other contraband from entering prisons.

4 MIN READ

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

Email

Instagram

LinkedIn