Wednesday, March 24, 2004

NSW Prisoner Hunger Strike: Ivan Milat day 28

Hello, I hope all is fine with you. Thank you for the letter dated 8th March, received today 12th, very inspiring. Forgive me for that incoherent eight pager I wrote out, what had occurred. I was three-four days into this protest, no eating any food.

The messages my body sends to my mind is basically saying there is some serious concern on what I'm doing, one gets a clear impression that death is imminent, particularly being in my sealed up box *my cell* (in ordinary circumstances it's a fine line between normality and abnormality.

NSW Hunger Strike: Ivan Milat

Depriving myself of food greatly aggravates my situation, my mind runs wild with the thought that no one knows what I am trying to say. Later things calm down as my body gets the message.

This is the course I set on and instead of anxiety it is now a big dull ache though my mind ver aware of what will happen, of course I feel terrible all over, its difficult to do ordinary things to focus on it. (I hope this one better)

To date no word from Premier Carr regarding my letter I sent him, in fact no reply from other ministers who have also received a copy of that Carr letter accompanying my reasons for this current protest. Which is against the continual propaganda campaign against me, which has went on basically since my conviction and does not seem to end.

I always had in the past responded with letters to relevant ministers about the lies and false accusations and never received a satisfactory reply.

That latest attack upon me, 8 December 2003 when the media acting after being briefed by the police that I was responsible for the disappearances of those two nurses in June 1980. You are aware of the details so its unnecessary I refer to them.

The police commissioner Moroney refused to address my complaints to him about it, the police Minister Watkins MP, also failed to address my concerns, other Ministers said nothing to do with them.

Another number of letters were sent again with more urgency that I am concerned at this ongoing attacks upon me which impacts heavily on every thing with me, to my state of confinement and an any appeal application in process.

I referred to the attitude of the public service such as the Ombudsman's office, ICAC, HREOC and the Corrective Services.

I expressed I am not letting it continue. I am fed up with it and will do what I feel, if nothing is done.

Nothing was done so on 25 February 2004, I stopped eating and unless I get assurance from the government that no more false accusations, lies about me are put out by government services. I am not against them investigating any crime that they feel I committed, but simply briefing the media to report it then not following it up is not on, and that I'm allowed to still access the High Court.

What I am doing was not a spur of the moment thing, I started this soon after that December police lies. The government could have avoided this (but why should they, they would have realised by my letters I am fairly up-set on this and would act in some way, now they can basically murder me to shut me up, by simply doing nothing.

The prison management here appears to blithely accept what I am doing.

I had a number of things in mind if my pleas went unanswered. I even stopped my buy ups, no biscuits etc (the big thing with me) 3-4 weeks or before 23 February.

I wrote to the commissioner Woodham explaining exactly why and what I want, he so far has not replied.

I cannot do anything else than what I am doing, I've made it plain. I cannot accept their Nazi type acts upon me, that they will have to murder me to stop me protesting about their actions in stopping me exposing how I was framed for Belanglo.

So it is up to them now a letter of assurance is all I require. That the High Court hearing was something that was never in my mind, my reference to access the High Court was to ensure they don't use it as a lever against me over my protest.

I was disappointed over that High Court decision to refuse to allow me to orally argue my points.

McHugh J (High Court judge) said in his ten page decision on why I cannot go. He referred to my written argument and the DPP (the respondent opposing my plea) that I stated I may have missed out due to my inexperience in High Court procedure and I am not qualified in legal matters.

To clearly explain the crucial points so the justice dealing with my matter would see them. McHugh said he read my appeal submissions filed so far and said he is not aware if I had legal assistance and I copied down what was made up and then filed it.

But if it's my work he had no problems in identifying what my complaint is, which he did.

His honour said he did not refer to the merits of my appeal, as it was not the issue.

Further in response to my argument I raised he (McHugh) said he cannot see how I could improve on what I have filed. (I don't agree with that).

In my argument to the hearing I could not refer to legal decisions, I had none as I was not aware of previous cases on this, no time to get them, but it seems the DPP did, McHugh referred to them (civil cases) and said its accepted in cases as this, its fair for unrepresented applicants to have their matters heard on their written submissions. So that was basically that he referred to other things but I knew unless I had sound legal precedents to rely upon nothing else would count.

I can appeal the decision, as only one judge dealt with it, plus his thoughts include a lot of assumptions, but it involves exactly the same process as to the appeal I am on and doubtful if any legal precedents. So I do what McHugh thinks I cannot do, to improve on what I have filed to date. (I hope I can and live to do that).

The oral argument I hoped to put, I turned it into a written one. I hope to post it in a few days, they I hope will make up the necessary copies, 7 for the High Court , 3 for the respondent, the DPP.

I have written out a set of instructions how it is done. I've asked them to send you a copy of the 10 page document for your information and thought McHugh J refer to the DPP submissions that it is the practice of unrepresented prisoner applicants to stand before the justices holding it to a written page re quoting submissions filed already and wasting the courts time.

Well one can only refer to his case to make the court aware of the point. I recall I asked the CCA back in November 97 if they understood the point I was making, the chief justice said they did, then judgement did not reflect that understanding when it came in Feb 98.

A brief summary of my *last shot* I suppose we can call it, a ten page appeal document. I refer to the persuasive powers a trial judge has on a jury as he addresses them on the matter.

I touch again on *possibility two* and the conduct of the trial judge in admitting it (the DPP in that hearing referred to this saying the trial judge made no legal errors in the trial, I can't see what tack the DPP is approaching on the appeal, use their respectability and legal ability to belittle my argument, and rely upon the fact I was convicted on 7 counts of murder. In my arguments to that 24 Feb hearing I did not refer to issues in my appeal, the DPP did though).

On *possibility two* I raised the inadmissibility of it, the important effect it had upon Onions identification evidence of me that *possibility one * made Onions identification evidence much more reliable than it ought to have been, the effect it had on the jury.

The totality of the defect in the conduct of the trial by the trial judge. I raised, particularly I raised the matter of the group theory. The crown stating a group involved. The judge directing the jury that there was, that the crown did not have to prove it.

I refer to the Onions count the conviction was one of the circumstances the crown relied upon to establish what happened in Onions, happened in the murder count, you will see four (4) pages of day 56 Trial Transcripts included as part of ten pages. The trial judge reverse onus of proof on to the defence, to prove, one alone committed eight offences, yet the judge ruled the crown did not have to. You will note I often refer to summing up (judge) as it explains why the judge did this and the actual crowns ease (I'm not sure if you have a copy of the judges summing up, if not please let me know.

Anyway you will see what I am about (remember I did what I did, my appeal, mainly on the books J/A you sent in, any other advice was limited mainly to technical procedure McHugh J was wrong thinking I copied someone else's work, it would have made it easier though).

I noted that decisions CCA on young Sherkh. I see your references to Lee Rhiannon MLC. I had written to her (typed up page and a bit) re: police practice, this in early February 2004. I am glad you are still on the job. I'm doing my best to fight the Belanglo frame-up. They don't like it but they have to murder me to stop me. So thanks again my best regards to you Brett and Co.

Enclosed the (one of them) WATKINS MP letter dated 1 February 2004.

Mr Watkins MP
Minister for Police Services
Parliament House NSW

1st February 2004

Dear Sir,


I write to you about the corrupt actions within the NSW Police Service, which are condoned by the NSW Police Commissioner Mr Ken Moroney.

On the 8th December 2003 the media acting on information given to them by the NSW Police Service reported that I was the person responsible for the disappearance of two nurses on the 12th June 1980, at Rosehill.

The media extensively reported details about the disappearances, those reports were accompanied by photographs and film footage of me and were released to the public. The media further reported that the Police came into Goulburn Prison and questioned me extensively about the disappearances of the two nurses. The Police at no time attempted to see me in Goulburn Prison to speak to me about the disappearances.

My concern is, the Police are deliberately conspiring to discredit me in the eyes of the public by releasing to the media information that I am the person responsible for the unsolved disappearances. The media used all of their resources, including television, radio, and newspapers to implicate me in the disappearances. There can be no doubt that the media were successful in instilling in the minds of the public, that I was the person responsible for the disappearances of those two nurses.

I wrote to the Police Commissioner about the action of the Police abusing their authority and corruptly misleading the public by conspiring to pervert the course of Justice. The police commissioner ignored my letter.

I have written to the Attorney General Mr Bob Debus about the lack of Police integrity in this matter and recently contacted the Minister again about the events on 8th December 2003. The Minister refused to address the issue or to acknowledge the Police fabrication of my involvement in these unsolved crimes. The Government by making exceptions denying me social justice disadvantages me in my attempt to appeal my convictions.

The tactics adopted by the NSW Police Service, vilify me and are similar to the tactics used by Hitler and his Nazi Government in the early 1930's later Hitler also made exceptions against certain groups and individuals to deny them any type of social justice as his government viewed those groups and individuals as not being part of any society.

I seek an enquiry into the integrity of the Police Service, they're conspiring to pervert the course of justice by accusing me of crimes and then take no further action but let the media do their dirty work.

Respectfully
Ivan Milat


Comment: Justice Action

We have contacted the High Court and asked them in general how can a prisoner lodge an appeal with the High Court if they are in custody?

We were told they could get someone to lodge the appeal for them.

We also called Goulburn jail on the 18th March 2004 to find out what access they have in place to lodge appeals with the High Court, they will call us back they said, but they have not contacted Justice Action to date.

We contacted the Prisoners Legal Service to ask them in general, if a prisoner is unrepresented and wants to lodge appeals with the High Court how can they whilst in custody?

We were told it is hard to lodge an appeal to the High Court if they're unrepresented. The advice to us was if they want, they can put their name in the Legal Aid book and get advice.

We then went on and asked, 'what if they're Legal Aid refused?' The advice was it would be hard if they were in custody.


By Justice Action 24 March 04

Justice Action

MILAT WAS FRAMED FOR TOURISM $$$$$

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Goulburn Solitary Confinement: Midnight Special
If you ever go to Goulburn HRMU yeah, you better walk right, you'd better not breathe and sure thing better not fight. The next thing you know the SCU gonna arrest you and Rotten Ron send you down and you can bet your bottom dollar Lord, you'll be chaingang bound.

Carr defends prison handling of political PRISONER
Bob Carr should be ashamed of himself after giving the prisons Commissioner Rotten Ron Woodham another filthy job setting up Phuong Ngo as one of the most dangerous prisoners in the State.

How the QLD Dangerous Prisoners Act failed the first test
What is dangerous? Everyone is dangerous naturally it really depends on how far a person is pushed. Standing on a mountaintop with someone walking you backwoods towards the edge would promote fight or flight and if there is nowhere to fly but over the edge you may choose to respond. When a person breaks the law they lack social skills or are repressed into breaking the law.

Prison rehab programs in 'disarray': Opp
The New South Wales Opposition says rehabilitation in the state's prisons is in disarray. But the states prisons could never rehabilitate in the first place. So how can it be in disarray? The space station as it is known cannot rehabilitate because it's only a dot on the community map, as it were, in relation to how people were raised.

RESPONSE TO REVIEW OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF PRISONS
Justice Action calls for the retention of the office of Inspector General and a restructure of the legislation making it truly independent.

Old bureaucrats to say whether they felt there should be an effective inspector of bureaucrats?
JA is urgently working on a response to the 31 page review of the position of the Inspector General of Corrective Services position released by the Minister on10/6/03.

High Risk Management Unit (HRMU) INSPECTION
This letter is to request permission for an independent inspection team to examine the 75-cell HRMU at Goulburn Jail. The proposed inspection team consists of specialist doctors, jurists, members of the Corrections Health Service Consumer Council and prisoners representatives.

MJA - BBCD Outbreaks in NSW prisons
Seems some of our friends in & around Corrections Health Service (CHS) were able to take advantage of a couple of recognised cases of needle sharing by HIV positive prisoners to gather data for a study.

Intractables
As an ex-Grafton intractable (1971-1975) and the only living ex-prisoner to have served the longest time inside Katingal (1975-1978) I feel qualified to offer the following personal observations:

Intolerable Conditions of Prisoners at Goulburn's HRMU
We wish to with respect, level a serious complaint against the Chief Executive Officer, Corrections Health Services, Dr Richard Matthews.

NSW death in custody, false imprisonment, and assault
Knight's case sparked headlines after it emerged that his suicide in John Moroney Correctional Centre [prison] in Sydney on January 22 occurred 18 days after his official release date.

Victorian (Australia) Juvenile Deaths in Custody & Post-Release has just been published on the British Journal of Medicine Quotes (BJM): "The risk of death was nine times higher in male offenders than in the reference Victorian male population. Although the estimate is unstable because of the small number of deaths, female offenders seemed to be about 40 times more likely to die than the reference Victorian female population."

The Criminal Law (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1986 Qld
The Criminal Law (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1986 (Qld), requires that any person who has committed an offence which is less than 10 years old or which resulted in a prison sentence of more than 30 months, must disclose that offence if requested eg. for employment purposes. If a criminal record is disclosed in a job application, it is unlikely that person will be given the job.

NSW Serious Offenders Review Council
In response to a letter we have received from Mr K C who has said that he is serving 24 years and 10 months commencing on 29/8/1991 with his earliest release date being 28/6/2016 with 4 years parole and full time 28/6/2020. He said that he contacted the Serious Offenders Review Council in writing but received no response.

Justice Action's complaints about ACM to the NSW Ombudsman fell on deaf ears The Federal Government is reviewing allegations that the company it pays to run Australia's detention centres the same company who runs Junee Jail in NSW has fraudulently reduced staffing levels in at least one centre to increase its profits.

Token Parole Board reforms silent on Govt bungle
The Carr governments token reforms of the Parole Board are minimalist and still fail to explain the election cover-up of mismanagement, which contributed to an inmate's [a prisoners] death.

PAROLE BOARD REWARDED? FOR DEADLY MISTAKE
The Justice Minister has released government reforms to the Parole Board following the death of an aboriginal inmate, which was due to a Parole Board error.

Sentencing innovation breaks vicious circle of jail terms
"Three months' jail for one punch in a pub fight is too much," said the victim. The victim's comment counted because he and the offender, Robert Bolt, a Nowra Aborigine, were making history in the first case of circle sentencing, a new way of deciding punishment for indigenous offenders.

Letter from the mother of a prisoner on remand at the High Risk Management Unit Goulburn Correctional Centre I am writing to give you permission to make any inquiries on my behalf as I am invalid pensioner who doesn't drive and been only well enough to travel by train once in 15 months to see my son Scott Simpson. I have enclosed a copy of Scott's letter and also a copy of gaol papers form I have to fill out and wait to see if I'm allowed in to see him. He doesn't get any visits. He is in the Supermax and deprived of any privileges not even legal Aid will fund a solicitor to see him in Goulburn.

WA Jail trade in 'sex for favours'
THE West Australian Government has ordered an inquiry into claims guards at Perth's main women's prison are trading favours for sex, and encouraging inmates to form lesbian relationships.

NSW prisons over-crowded. Gov't orders investigation into death in custody
In January this year, a 23-year-old Aboriginal prisoner was found hanging in his cell in a Sydney jail 18 days after he was due to be released.

Yes Minister: 'Justice Action meets John Hatzistergos Justice Mininster' We have taken a few days to pass this on, as we wanted clarification of the minister's statement about the purposes of imprisonment before publishing it.

Beyond Bars Alliance colleagues
There are certainly problems with the IG's terms of reference and the position is not nearly as strong as it should or could be but it should not be lost it should be strengthened (along the lines of the UK IG of Prisons) to provide an independent voice to the Parliament regarding activities and processes that otherwise happen behind prison walls.

Submissions for Review of Inspector General
There is a very serious attack happening on the office of the NSW Inspector General of Corrective Services. A secret and flawed review is taking place at this moment, and we call upon all individuals and organisations interested in the area to make their views known.

Two thirds of a billion dollars and DCS can't work out what authority they have? "Two thirds of a billion dollars of taxpayers money and the Department of Corrective Services can't work out what authority they have to hold the people who are in jail."

Australia: Private Prisons, Junee NSW
When I got to Junee I was given nothing except bed linen. That's it! No clothing. I had to put my name down for clothing, which they said I could get on Saturday. When I went down to get my clothing on Saturday I was told they had nothing but I was told that I could buy what I wanted on their monthly buy-up. In the mean time I got rashes between my legs from the dirty clothes I had on.

Justice Action meets with new Minister for Justice
John Hatzistergos Minister for Justice is meeting with Brett Collins and Justice Action today at 11:30 a.m.

ARUNTA PHONE SYSTEM: IDC Lithgow Prison
The prisoners of Lithgow Correctional Centre have requested that the Lithgow Inmate Development Committee write to you on their behalf and ask that the phone systems heavy burden upon the prisoners at this institution and their families be reviewed. I will outline the problems.

Health problems denied in prison
Lithgow Correctional Centre (IDC) Inmate Development Committee "Currently there are 72 inmates on the doctors waiting list with only one doctor coming fortnightly and usually on a weekend".

NSW Prisons Inmate Development Committee speaks out
I am writing on behalf of the IDC Inmate Development Committee in area 3, MSPC at Long Bay. Area 3 is where, the Department is congregating minimum-security offenders within maximum-security walls whilst awaiting mandatory programs at Cubit (Sex Offenders Program).

THE GULAG TREATMENT - The Trauma Of Court Appearances When Incarcerated Prisoner transport vehicle 10th January 2003 It's about 4.40am, very darkoutside and although I'm expecting it, it is still intrusive when my dreams are interrupted by the sound of my name, it is the officer checking that I'm awake ready to face the long day ahead.

Sir David Longland Correctional Centre
If it were possible to characterize the term B Block attitude in a modern dictionary, it would read something like "demeanor of inhabitance" or "state of mind or behaviour of occupants".

SIR DAVID LONGLAND CORRECTIONAL CENTRE QLD - CELLS IN B BLOCK The cells in B Block are like no other in any Queensland prison. After Mr. Cooper was severally embarrassed by the Abbott and Co escape on 4th November 1997, he visited B Block and the surrounding grounds. It was that visit, by Cooper, that set in motion a plan (up the ante) to make sure security in B Block would never embarrass him again. It was like closing the gate after the horse has bolted.

Inspector General Ignored On Womens Prison
Four months after a report from the Inspector General on Mulawa Correctional Centre, key recommendations involving safety and welfare of prisoners and staff have been ignored. Kathryn Armstrong (former chair of Inmate Development Committee) and Annabel Walsh, released from Mulawa Womens Prison in February, have produced an independent report confirming the findings of the Inspector General.

Distribution of: 'How to Votes in prisons'?
Justice Action have received information from Andrew Burke of the NSW Greens that they have enquired with the Department of Corrective Services as to the procedure for distributing their How To Votes in prisons in the period before the election.

Getting Justice Wrong DPP make full admissions
Back in May 2001 Nicholas Cowdery QC made an error at law by giving a speech called Getting Justice Wrong at the University of New England, Armidale Thursday, 31 May 2001. Sir Frank Kitto, Lecture now published at the DPP website. At page six, paragraph 3 under the heading:

NSW ELECTION 2003: VOTE 1 GREENS
Inspector-General: The Greens believe that the role of the Inspector-General is crucial to the proper functioning of the prison system. It has never been more important to have a powerful watchdog role than today. Section 3.11 of our Criminal Justice Policy commits the Greens to "strengthening the role of the Inspector-General of Prisons."

Long Bay Prison: The latest inside story
Private food purchases called Buy-Ups that normally take care of the prisoners additional food nutrition in Jail has been changed.

Doing time even harder: 146 prisoners far from home
The United States, however, has detained without trial about 650 men from 43 countries. They include Australians David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib, who are held at the Guantanamo Bay naval base as part of the sweep against global terrorism [scapegoats for the Coalition of the Killing's, pre-emptive strikes, occupation and genocide for resources in the Middle East.]

Human Rights 'Framed'
Here is a quick report on our Human Rights Commission approach on Framed (the quarterly magazine of Justice Action) being banned from all NSW prisons. After 42 issues went in.

Prison Privatisation: Death camps looming in NSW
I asked for the identification of the person I was speaking to and was told that I was not entitled to that information. I needed to verify the call and asked for a name or number to register my call because I was asked to get those details by my coordinator.The person refused to identify themselves either by name or number. I asked to be transferred to a senior person and was refused. The person I spoke to then hung up the phone.

Corrections Victoria and criminal acts: SCS-4\320 UPDATE
You have stated "Section 30 of the Corrections Act 1986 and the Information Privacy Act 2000, restricts the release of confidential information regarding prisoners, I therefore am unable to provide any information regarding this matter."

Death camps looming in Victoria
A letter was received on 15 January 03 from SCS-4\320 a remand prisoner in Victoria's Barwon Prison I later found out that the prisoner was in the Acacia High Security Unit.

Take crime talk beyond the bars:'lobby group'
A coalition of academics, crime experts, welfare and church groups is preparing to launch an intensive pre-election campaign aimed at refocusing the attention of NSW politicians from harsh sentencing reforms to crime prevention strategies.

Six weeks, six months, six years: inmates have little chance of making fresh start More than 15,500 people are released from NSW prisons each year, twice the number of 20 years ago. But new research shows many ex-prisoners find it impossible to reintegrate into society and, months after release, are worse off than before they went to jail.

NSW A-G moves to stop criminals and ex-criminals selling stories
From next month criminals or ex-criminals who try to profit (earn a living for paid work, like writing a book etc..) from their crimes in New South Wales will have the proceeds confiscated.

NSW Govt criticised over criminal justice record
Key criminal justice groups have described the New South Wales Government's record on justice issues as a "disappointing performance".

APPOINTMENT OF KLOK IS: 'DECLARATION OF WAR'
The decision of the Carr government to appoint John Jacob Klok as the new Assistant Commissioner for Corrective Services in charge of security represents a statement of contempt to all those concerned about law and justice in NSW.

Prisoners Representatives Excommunicated
Ron Woodham, Commissioner Corrective Services stated "[this Department] does not recognise Justice Action as an advocate on correctional centre issues." He has ordered a ban on all Justice Action material inside the NSW prison system. This resulted from a request for the approval of the latest edition of Framed (the Magazine of Justice Action) to be distributed throughout NSW prisons as has occurred for the past ten years.

Dept of Corrective Services: Rotten Ron Woodham on the ropes
This is The Freeedom Of Speech and The Press in a goldfish-bowl! Herr Goebells has spoken. Zieg Heil! (Which means, actually: "aim-for health!" incidentally)Apologies for not making meetings ... my first experiences with Woodham (then a -screw-gestapo-minor-with-a-friendly-dog - AND YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS WHEN EVEN HIS DOG DOESN`T LIKE HIM?)

At the Minister's Pleasure The case of Michael Kelly
Michael is caught up in a particularly cruel version of the game of Cat and Mouse. Because he is classified as a forensic patient under the Mental Heath Act of NSW, the Minister for Health is his master, not the Minister for Corrective Services. And the Minister for health will not let him go.

EX-PRISONER UNEMPLOYMENT: SENTENCED FOR LIFE
Name removed by request served time in prison decades ago. Shes still being punished today. According to commonwealth and state legislation, ex-prisoners applying for jobs must declare any conviction that fits into the following categories: less than 10 years old, more than 10 years old but served more than 30 months in prison.

ARE YOU INNOCENT?
The Australian Law Reform Commission had recommended that the Innocence Panel be independent and have the power to investigate alleged miscarriages of justice.

RESTORING TRUE JUSTICE:
Australian prisons are fast becoming the new asylums of the third millennium. The prison industry is booming, while Australia spends far less on mental health services than similar countries.

Medical records Alex Mitchell's lost world
Perhaps we can get your medical report and spew it around publicly so you can see how it feels. But surely we do not have to go that far. And of course we are law-abiding citizens and I should think it would be enough to remind you of your ethics to report at all.

NSW Department of Corrective Services attack right to privacy
Corrective Services Minister Richard Amery has a problem attacking prisoners right to privacy.It seems to us that a civil society is best served when social justice laws are applied to all people regardless of their circumstances. Once government starts making exceptions which disadvantage certain groups and individuals, such laws are meaningless.

Litigants are drowning: in the High Court
There were so many self represented litigants appearing in the High Court that more than half of its registry staff's time was taken up in dealing with them. The "go it alone" litigants have to take on tasks well above their qualified league causing them stress. This growing problem cannot be left unchecked.

Everyone wants to get out of 'jail' but 'Framed' wants life: Rotten Ron on the ropes On 2 May 2002, Justice Action received a faxed letter from Manager of DCS Operations Support Branch saying that, in his view, articles in Framed edition #42 'lack balance and integrity' and he is therefore 'not prepared to recommend this issue of Framed for placement in to correctional centre libraries.' Prisoners and those concerned about prisoner issues have very few sources of information.

Methadone addicts formed within: 'NSW Prisons'
The New South Wales Opposition has accused the State Government of turning jailed heroin users into Methadone addicts.

Murder charge first for DNA data bank link, but not the same as solving the murder Mass DNA testing of prisoners has [allegedly] led to the first NSW case of a person being charged with a previously unsolved murder as a result of a controversial gene-matching data bank.

Prisoners can prove innocence for $20?
Les Kennedy Daily Telegraph reported today that" Prisoners who believe that DNA will prove they were wrongly convicted will have the chance to prove their innocence for a mere $20 administration fee. The move comes 20 months after NSW inmates were asked to provide DNA for comparison with a databank of DNA from unsolved crime scenes for possible convictions.

NSW opposition pledges review of detention laws
A spokesperson for Justice Action Ms Anal Advice said " NSW Prisons are a sex offence if you have been raped, bashed and squatted down to be strip searched. People should be diverted from going there at all material times".

Civil libertarians condemn planned changes to prisoners' privacy rights The New South Wales Government is using a recent case involving [framed] serial killer Ivan Milat to justify its decision to remove the privacy rights of prisoners. But really just another attack on Ivan Milat from Parliament House.

The punishment: Is the 'crime'
The punishment is the crime according to retired chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia Justice Alistair Nicholson. "Smacking a child ought to be seen as assault".

NSW prisons - primary industry bailed up!
In many quiet regional centres around NSW there is a new primary industry shaping up. It has something to do with Bail but not with bales. The minister for Agriculture Richard Amery who also has the prisons portfolio is now committed to farming prisoners.

Black Nexus
The Separation of Powers Doctrine is nowcontaminated witharangeofcolours, now leaving us with a black shirt on a once blue bridge that crossed that thin blue line. The 'Amery and Woodham show'.

Prison Mind Games-Do they exist?
Directives are given inside the prison system that are not consistent with the law in NSW. And not in the good interests of the health and well being of the prisoners.

The Government is likely to abolish the Inspector General of Corrective Services position The Mulawa inspection report recommendations below strictly illustrate how important he is.

Chronology - A History of Australian Prisons
[Allegedly:] The events that have shaped NSW prisons - from convict days through royal commissions, to the Supermax of today. [I say allegedly because no one should trust Four Corners [Walls], why? Because they spill out the propaganda of the day for the Government, whether it be wrong or right. A government that lies and has no remorse about it.]

Justice Action
Justice Action is a community based organisation of criminal justice activists. We are prisoners, academics, victims of crime, ex-prisoners, lawyers and general community members. We believe that meaningful change depends upon free exchange of information and community responsibility.

Beyond Bars Alliance colleagues
I imagine all of you received Justice Action's email yesterday regarding the position of Inspector General of Corrective Services.

Community Restorative Centre
NSW spends more than half a billion tax dollars a year on prisons. It costs $60,000 to keep someone in maximum security for a year: more than double the minimum wage. CRC looks for and implements better solutions to the high social and economic costs of crime.

Sisters Inside Inc
Sisters Inside Inc. is an independent community organisation, which exists to advocate for the human rights of women in the criminal justice system, and to address gaps in the services available to them. We work alongside women in prison in determining the best way to fulfil these roles.

Smart Justice
Smart Justice does not support any party but calls for investment in prevention, alternatives to custody and initiatives that tackle the causes of crime. It is important to dispel the myths about 'law and order' and promote real solutions to crime and violence.

Shine For Kids
What happens for a young person who has a parent in prison?
There are a lot of consequences for children or young people who have a parent in prison. During Groupwork the kids themselves have identified as being:

Children of Prisoners' Support Group
Children of Prisoner's welcomes Ann Symonds as our first Patron at this years AGM and screening of "The Space in Between" video , and will have a visual display to demonstrate the invisible population of children effected by parental incarceration.