A new national prison newspaper is providing a platform for the incarcerated to share their thoughts and for legal experts and advocates to reach those inside.
The first edition of About Time, published last month, featured workout and yoga tips, a piece from a former police officer on how their values misaligned with the job, and coping strategies for victims of childhood abuse.
Rosie Heselev, one of the managing editors of About Time, hopes the paper will be fully staffed by those with experience in the prison system.Credit: Chris Hopkins
About 8000 copies of the paper were distributed to prisons across NSW, Victoria, the ACT and Tasmania, with hopes to expand it countrywide. It can also be accessed digitally.
Managing editors Rosie Heselev and Joseph Friedman, both legal services lawyers, came up with the idea three years ago, inspired by the UK’s national prison paper, Inside Time.
“There was such a lack of information going in and out of prison [during COVID-19] and I could feel firsthand how desperate the need for something like that was,” Heselev said.
She said getting the paper approved was a long process, as state correctional departments would need to vet its contents for false, risky or inflammatory content a week before distribution. However, no concerns have been raised.
“We didn’t want risk management to stifle anything beneficial, so it was about reaching that middle ground. Our intention is to provide a resource that will bring people together in a positive way,” Heselev said.
Friedman said the response to the first edition has been overwhelming.
“It’s been a real affirmation of the project’s importance,” he added.
About Time is currently volunteer-run and is funded by donations and subscriptions. The managing editors hope to one day fully staff the paper with people who have experience in the prison system and allow advertising from law firms.
Former prisoner Damien Linnane said what he craved most during his two-year sentence was a way to stay motivated.
“Having nothing to do was affecting my mental health,” he said, adding having an outlet to share writing and art, and receive feedback, was incredibly important for prisoners. He was sentenced in NSW in 2015 for “vigilante crimes”.
He’s also the chair of Paper Unchained, an art and literary magazine posted free to incarcerated people, and is completing a PhD in prison magazine and information circulation.
Linnane said prison newspapers, magazines and newsletters had a turbulent history in Australia, with dozens of publications – some produced within prisons – circulating over the past century.
“Some publications were cut because they became too outspoken and critical of prisons,” he said.
A Corrective Services NSW spokesperson said the paper was a “welcome” addition and one of prison four news media outlets available.
“Corrective Services NSW encourages inmates to stay informed about news and issues,” the spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for the Tasmania Prison Service said it supports prisoners having access to information that supports their time in prison and their transition to release.
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