Each edition contains news articles and investigative pieces. These are topical stories that are usually about prisons and criminal justice.
We also summarise the latest criminal justice news around the country.

“It is our assessment that Victoria Police did not comply with the Surveillance Devices Act when installing and maintaining integrated listening devices,” the report said.
In early December, the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention visited Australia. Their purpose was to provide guidance on how international human rights standards apply to prisons and places of detention.
Including a Victorian man suing for his right to have Vegemite in prison, a new framework for rehabilitation being launched by NT Corrections, a QLD Watchdog calling separation rooms in youth prisons ‘inhumane’ and more.
The death of a 16-year-old First Nations teenager in a notorious youth unit of an adult prison in Western Australia was preventable and predictable, and the result of “serious longstanding deficiencies in the system, a Coroner has found.
Obtaining information from federal agencies is about to become subject to stricter rules under the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025 (Cth).
End-of-life care, also known as palliative care, is a healthcare process that aims to improve the quality of life and reduce the suffering of those who are terminally ill. Being incarcerated can make this stage of life even more complicated.
A remote WA prison holding mostly First Nations people is “unfit for purpose”, with people sleeping on the floors and cockroach infestations.
A number of Victorian prisons may have to be renovated or rebuilt after the Supreme Court found that no “open air” was being provided to inmates in multiple units.
The Liberal Queensland government has announced plans to significantly minimise the rights to vote for people in prison.
Australian men are bulking up at alarming rates. But there’s a toxic truth beneath it all: steroid use.

When an individual is assigned a risk classification of low, medium, or high risk by corrections, they have been given this classification through a risk assessment.

Including WA Federal Government raising concerns with criminal justice reforms, SA prison placement guidelines reviewed, child incarceration rates increasing in NSW and more.

Heather Calgaret was a proud Yamatji, Noongar, Wongi and Pitjantjatjara woman.

It’s estimated that about a third of all people in prison in Australia have a mental health diagnosis. Despite the huge need for support and care, a lack of staffing across the country has meant that many people in prison have been unable to get help.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to grow old, especially for those behind bars. It’s a reality we often overlook, but the prison population is aging, and with that comes a growing need for something we all deserve: compassionate care at the end of life. This isn’t just about medical treatment; it’s about basic human dignity.

Including Victoria increasing jail time for posting crimes online, ACT raising the age of criminal responsibility, WA calling for internet access for those studying on the inside and more.

In June, people from across the country gathered in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) for the 18th Reintegration Puzzle Conference – an annual event for those working in justice reform, as well as those with lived experience of prison and reintegration.

People who’ve been incarcerated have a unique and valuable perspective. Remember – lived experience can open doors to meaningful employment once you’re released. It could be a fulfilling job filled with community, purpose and support.

Nearly 10,000 people in prison voted in the recent federal election – a massive increase from previous polls.

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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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