ISSUE NO. 23
JUNE 2026

News and Investigations

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.

Latest

Around the Country – May 2026

By About Time

Including funding for more prisons in the NT, families protesting outside Risdon prison in TAS, a man being returned to prison in NSW after being mistakenly released and more.

ISSUE NO. 23
4 MIN READ
Ethan Cassidy

Alternatives to Police as First Responders

By Zoe Edema

In April 2025, The Alternative First Responder campaign officially launched in Australia, calling for alternative first responses to police that centre care and dignity.

ISSUE NO. 23
3 MIN READ
Willy Pleasance

Archive

ISSUE NO. 16
November 2025

Rising Remand Numbers Drive Increase to Victoria’s Prison Population

By Joseph Friedman

The Sentencing Advisory Council report tracks the prison population in Victoria from 2004 to 2024, finding that it grew by 62 per cent in this time, far more than the less than 40 per cent increase in the general population of the state.

1 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 16
November 2025

The Importance of Radio in Prison

By Benjamin Aitken

A certain song at the right moment can anchor someone to memories, to hope or simply to themselves.

3 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 16
November 2025

Around the Country – October 2025

By Rosie Heselev

Including the criminal age of responsibility rising to 12 in VIC, prison whistleblower protections proposed for TAS, the bar being lowered to prove prison misconduct in NSW and more.

8 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 16
November 2025

Letters From Home Lost to the Photocopier

By Denham Sadler

“I went from writing every day to basically not writing at all by the end, because it was so poorly photocopied or it was delayed,” Sarah told About Time.

4 MIN READ
BREAKING
May 1, 2026

When Your Child is Charged

By Elizabeth

When your adult child does something that you don't agree with and you have no say in it – that's hard.

4 MIN READ
BREAKING
May 1, 2026

About Time Launches in Western Australia

By Joseph Friedman

People in prison in Western Australia will soon have access to Australia’s national prison newspaper for the first time, with About Time launching in the state in October.

2 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 15
October 2025

What are Drug Courts?

By Stacey Stokes

Drug Courts are specialist courts that can provide an alternative to imprisonment for those who have offended due to drug dependency.

4 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 15
October 2025

Around the Country – September 2025

By Edith McLellan

Including overcrowding impacting service delivery in youth prisons in the ACT, prison officers going on strike in the NT, a second set of bail reforms passing in VIC and more.

6 MIN READ

Welcome to About Time

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

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