Zero intelligence

Muddled thinking over drug use in prisons will help the criminals

UK: Ireland: Is there anyone in either the Dail or the Seannad with the courage and imagination of British Liberal Democrat Chris Davies?

The Welsh MEP raised a row in the UK when he suggested that perhaps it was time to rethink the Western world's policy on drugs. Davies put forward the idea long advocated by libertarians that legalising all narcotics would drastically slash the profits of drug smugglers and dealers while reducing crime rates caused by addicts prepared to pay astronomical prices for their fix.

Davies is, in a sense, stating the blindingly obvious: the West is losing the so-called 'war on drugs'. Demand for drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine and heroin in the EU and North America is, if you'll excuse the pun, at an all-time high. For instance, even in Afghanistan, the presence of thousands of American and Nato troops has not halted the growing of the poppy and the subsequent production of heroin. In fact, it appears that the 'war on drugs' is probably even less winnable than the 'war on terror', both of which are being prosecuted in that same country.

So far, no one within any of the Irish political parties has taken up the Lib Dem's imaginative proposal. Only the Greens favour the legalisation of certain soft drugs such as cannabis, while the others maintain a prohibitionist stance.

The underlying absurdity of Irish prohibition has led the present government down some ludicrous cul de sacs. In the autumn, justice minister Michael McDowell is going to fulfil the promise he made at the annual conference of the Irish Prison Officers Association last year and introduce a 'zero tolerance' policy regarding drugs in the republic's jails.

Last week, a virtually unreported joint statement from the International Red Cross and the Senlis Council, a Paris-based think-tank on drugs policies, denounced this new 'zero tolerance' position. The Red Cross condemned Ireland's plans to eliminate clean-needle distribution in prisons as a serious threat to public health in the republic, arguing that it will only encourage the spread of Aids and hepatitis C. Both the Red Cross and Senlis urged McDowell to reconsider what these 'damaging policies'.

This is what Dr Massimo Barra, vice-president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said about McDowell's plan: 'Zero tolerance has generally never paid off. Public-health promotion is in the interest of us all. Such measures have been proven to be key elements in strategies targeted at the most vulnerable groups, like drug users. Interventions should be cautious and based on evidence rather than ideology.'

Both the Red Cross and the Senlis Council said the new legislation disregards the recommendations of the World Health Organisation about distributing clean syringes and disinfectant to drug users in prisons.

Emmanuel Reinert, executive director of Senlis, pointed out: 'This new law will encourage the spread of disease in the penal system and will have serious consequences not only in prisons but on society in general.

'We cannot ignore the dangers of HIV/Aids and hepatitis C transmission within the prison system, but by introducing a "zero tolerance" approach, that is what is being done. Drug injection will continue, whether inmates are tested or not, and whether they have clean needles or not. It is vital this problem is approached differently if HIV or hepatitis C epidemics are to be avoided.'

In Ireland, 90 per cent of drug-injecting inmates have been shown to be infected with hepatitis C, according to a 1999 survey. The same study revealed that between 40 to 70 per cent of drug-injecting prisoners have shared equipment, including needles, while in Irish jails.

Meanwhile, a World Health Organisation study in May stated that public-health measures such as distributing clean needles does not increase the range of drug use in jails. Instead, the WHO concluded that such policies bring infection rates under control. Yet if the republic pursues its 'zero tolerance' of drugs in jail, it will result in the very opposite: more inmates suffering from HIV/Aids and hepatitis C, many of them eventually released back into wider Irish society.

The muddled thinking highlighted by both the Red Cross and Senlis over the 'zero tolerance' of drugs in jail is but a symptom of the wider confusion and intellectual dishonesty caused by the overall drugs prohibition policy. By contrast, legalisation would almost immediately wipe out the profits of the drug cartels at home and abroad. Thus the Irish criminals running their drug empires by remote control from southern Spain or the narco-terrorists such as Farc would be unable to hike artificially the price of narcotics which would be subject solely to the laws of supply and demand.

In the meantime, as prohibition reigns, more addicts both inside and outside the Republic's prison system are doomed to die because of political opportunism and cowardice.

By Henry McDonald posted 23 August 05

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UN links herb smokers to terrorism?
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Court: Patients May Not Use Pot Legally?
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Grandma's cooking pot
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Cautions on cannabis U-turn
UK: Political leaders will today be warned that reclassifying cannabis could lead to the "shameful" discriminatory treatment of black people in the mental health system.

Four Corners [Walls]: Messing with your intellect
But obviously Danny has a mental problem most likely paranoid schizophrenia a problem that insidiously had been there long before he took up smoking?

People: 'Prisoners' of Drugs'
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CWA wants pot legalised
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Canadian PM pledges to decriminalise marijuana
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POSSESSION? OR INVASION?
UK: This absolutely preposterous idea/theory of allowing a person/s to be possibly charged with 'possession', if found to have a drug substance within their bloodstream, just goes to prove such hypocrisies which certain hierarchies feel justifies passing legislation, is another blow for democracy!

PLANNING TO TRAVEL OVERSEAS? BEFORE YOU GO, READ THIS!
Currently, 214 Australian citizens are languishing in prisons around the world. The majority of these having been convicted of drug-related crimes.

Australia: Cop Watch No. 3

This round-up includes: disgraced officers may get reinstated with back pay - more confidential information gets released into the public domain by police - body searching at the Sydney Opera House - and Irish police pissed off over WA police poaching campaign in Ireland.

Two Victorian coppers, disgraced by their dismissals for sexual harassment and corruption, may be reinstated to the force with back pay, The Australian newspaper reported on August 12.

In an embarrassing blow to Victorian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon, the Victorian Supreme Court ruled that the police stuffed up the prosecution case against the coppers by not giving them full disclosure.

Ex-coppers Paul Dale and Edward Robb were the first to be dismissed under new powers allowing their boss, the Police Commissioner, to dismiss coppers who have been deemed to have acted corruptly or inappropriately.

Dale was dismissed in September 2004 following an (alleged) 'inappropriate relationship' with a criminal turned police informer, Terence Hodson.

Hodson claimed that his former mate, the copper Dale, helped him with a raid on a house which netted $,1,300,000 worth of drugs and cash.

For some reason, Hodson and his wife were murdered at their home in Kew, last year.

Of course, with the main witness out of the way, the criminal charges against ex-copper Dale were dropped.

Being as sharp as a hungry copper to spot a free sausage at a bbq, Commissioner Christine Nixon observed of Dale that 'the nature of your association with known criminals leads me to the preliminary conclusion your integrity is so damaged that I can no longer have confidence in it...'

As far as the other dismissed copper, Mr Robb, is concerned, the Commissioner cited a number of reasons for her loosing confidence in him, including the little matters of his 'propensity for violence' and his 'poor treatment of women.'

Ex-copper Robb was on the receiving end of 25 complaints, covering 60 allegations, of which 19 were proved.

An example of how he upheld the fine traditions of the force occurred when he was stationed at Benalla, in Victoria's northeast, in May 2001.

He attended a distressed woman who thought she had a prowler on her property. On arrival at the property, constable Robb demanded coffee and told the woman she had a 'nice arse.'

To be honest, I dont know what Comissioner Nixon's problem is, he sounds like a regular copper to me. Alas, we await the outcome of Nixon's decision on what she will do next with the alleged disgraced coppers.

Still in Victoria, a recent Cop Watch referred to the Office of Police Integrity releasing hundreds of confidential files to a member of the public. Nevertheless, Victoria's Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon has full confidence.

However, the habit of confidential police documents turning up in strange places seems to be morphing into a permanent personality characterisic.

The August 15 Border Mail reports that the widow of a man violently killed had confidential family information broadcast on breakfast radio after the police seemingly disposed of police documents at a nearby tip.

Jenny Murphy, wife of the deceased, said that 'I was in such a state that I couldn't think...It is just not good enough, it just can't keep going on.'

A reporter from the Border Mail (really, they should have known better) phoned Victoria Police media who would not comment on the incident, merely referring the reporter to...the Office of Police Integrity. No one from the Office of Police Integrity could be contacted, according to the reporter.

In Sydney, coppers are looking forward to bigger erections and greater lubrication the next time they go to the Opera. The August 13 Sydney Morning Herald reports that Sydneysiders face intrusive 'counter-terrorism' measures, including being touched up by the local cops.

From September 1, patrons may face the prospect of removing coats, jackets, gloves, shoes, hats and to be electronicly scanned. Staff will be able to demand names and addresses. Those refusing can be removed using 'reasonable force.'

The boys and girls from the force, obviously reaching a stage of near-climax, are demanding 'more, more!'

A detailed submission from NSW police will be given to the Police Minister next month asking for more powers. The Herald says that it understands that police want the right to randomly search bags and to frisk people at will - anywhere - and not just the Opera House.

'Yes ! Yes ! you can have all the powers you want !' the NSW Premier is expected to ejaculate in response to the request for more powers.

The president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, Cameron Murphy, says that further powers at the Opera House risked privacy violations, abuse of personal information and racial profiling.

'We need to take reasonable steps to secure important public institutions like the Opera House but not by railroading people's basic human rights,' he said.

On the other side of the world, a poaching campaign by Western Australian police has caused unhappines, according to the August 13 Irish Examiner.

'I have never been shy in saying that we have the finest policemen and women in the world in An Garda S’ochana [the Irish Police] and I think this is an indication of that,' said Garda [Police] Representative Association (GRA) president Dermot O'Donnell.

'The point is, we need what we have here. I would be hopeful that the Government would be responsible enough to ensure we wouldn't loose any of them to [the] Western Australia people.'

The Western Australian government wishes to recruit 1,400 police officers over the next four years.

Egg-heads and nerdy types who have read this far may want to read about the cultural changes that affect people trying to be part-time coppers. These part-timers are often made to feel unwelcome, the poor little dears, according to research at RMIT. The reference is ‘Part-time and Part-committed’?: The Cultural Challenges of Part-time Work in Policing.

Finally, Cop Watch sadly reports that it is not just in Australia that the mailed fist of the state is becoming more violent in its job. A recent update to the StateWatch website reports on more oppressive laws across Europe.

StateWatch

Indymedia readers may be especially interested in reports on the seizure of Indymedia servers, which can be found here: Censorship Indymedia

and here

Was the seizure of Indymedia's servers in London unlawful or did the UK government collude?

By Julie Smith 15 August 05

Related:

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Australia: Cop Watch
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OUR STORIES MUST BE TOLD. THEY HAVE TO BE
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SIMPLY NOT THE BEST AND DEFINITELY NOT BETTER THAN ANYONE, ANYONE I'VE MET.

Clive Small, NSW Inspector Gadget
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Partners in crime - history!
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Police Chronology 1994-2001
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Federal Police

AFP: The unlikely CRIMINAL
It was born of a bombing and it made its name after a far more devastating act of terrorism. But for most of the 25 years in between, little was known about the Australian Federal Police force or the work it did.

The Bogota Three and US Terrorists

La Modelo Prison in Bogota

When President Bush attends a fundraisers in Miami he certainly needs to watch out for terrorists. But no worries they're likely to be on the invited guest list. Orlando Bosch and Virgilio Paz are just two prominent Miami Cubans who were members of a US sponsored terrorist gang active when Bush Sr was their boss as head of the CIA.

(1) Like his father and brother Jeb, George W. Bush too is politically associated with these unrepentant terrorists.

(2) Two other members of the gang, Luis Posada Carriles and Guillermo Novo, are currently on trial on terrorist charges in Panama.

(3) Rather than strengthen the rule of law President Bush has systematically trashed the very norms and institutions that uphold it. "Our terrorists" the imperial variety are all right. No need to target them in the "war on terror" which only applies to "foreign terrorists". "Our terrorists" harass the current convenient enemy formerly in Nicaragua or Angola, always Cuba, now Venezuela deal in drugs to pay for the networks, and serve as enforcers when the populations in other imperial "democracies" get out of hand.

The Irish Connection

In the summer of 2001, three Irishmen were arrested in Colombia and accused of terrorism as they left a zone controlled by the FARC armed opposition group during a truce period. A look at the background to their plight exposes the US-UK coalition's hypocrisy on terrorism.

Every sign is that the three men, now in prison in Bogota, are victims of a crude frame-up. They insist they were on a fact-finding visit carrying video equipment so as to record material for use with organizations promoting peace back in Ireland.

The men Niall Connolly, Martin MacAuley and James Monaghan are all republicans who support the Good Friday peace agreement in Ireland. MacAuley and Monaghan are ex-political prisoners. Both have promoted conflict resolution work since their release from prison. Niall Connolly is a carpenter who has worked in community development and solidarity activities in Latin America since the early 1990s.

Before they were arrested, Sinn Fein was making steady electoral progress throughout Ireland, and the Unionist leadership in Belfast was in trouble. At the time, the Ulster Unionists and British government were using the issue of disarmament to stall full implementation of the Good Friday peace agreement. In that context, the men's arrest was timely and convenient.

For death squad and drugs kingpins the velvet touch. Contrast the treatment of these three Irish solidarity tourists with that accorded to Carlos Casta–o, Salvatore Mancuso and Juan Carlos Sierra, leaders of the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), notorious paramilitary allies of the Colombian military. In 1997, the US Attorney General accused them of arranging to ship 17 tons of cocaine to the US and Europe. But no practical steps have been taken to arrest the three.

In November 2002 it was revealed that the Colombian government under President Uribe was in "ceasefire" negotiations with Casta–o and the AUC. Uribe has close links to these narcotics dealing murderers. (4) Opposition Colombian politicians see the talks with the AUC as a preliminary to the formal integration of the death squads into the Colombian military. This move has the blessing of the Bush regime.

War on terrorism bonanza

Uribe is just the latest corrupt and repressive Colombian leader to receive US support since the 1960s. With an uncooperative popular government in oil-rich Venezuela and a voracious need to control oil resources for its profligate world-polluting economy, the US government has destined $98 million to help protect a Colombian oil pipeline. A total of US$1.5 billion in military aid has been scheduled for the period 2002-2004. Colombia is the third-largest recipient of U.S. military aid after Israel and Egypt.

In Colombia, poverty indicators are among the worst in Latin America. One per cent of the elite owns 55% of the land. 15.7 million of Colombia's 44 million inhabitants are children, 39% of them in poverty. The latest figures from UNICEF conclude that 67% of the total population live below the poverty line (80% in rural areas). 11 million people live in extreme poverty, unable even to feed themselves properly.

While the country goes hungry, President Uribe plays the "war on terrorism" card, tricking billions of dollars of aid from United States taxpayers to attack his domestic opponents. Similarly, as part of the equally bogus "war on drugs" the US has waged widespread chemical and biological warfare against hapless rural populations to no avail. Drug production in Colombia has actually increased. (5) Here, as in Iraq, oil industry insiders like Vice-President Dick Cheney, President Bush and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice unscrupulously use US military muscle and aid to promote private business interests. Drugs and terrorism are convenient pretexts.

Leading US politicians are aware of the manipulation. In March 2002, US Representative Ron Paul member of the House International Relations Committee and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere spoke against a bill authorizing expansion of US intervention in Colombia, "I was only made aware of the existence of this legislation this morning, just a couple of hours before I was expected to vote on it.

There was no committee markup of the legislation, nor was there any notice that this legislation would appear on today's suspension calendar. This legislation represents a very serious and significant shift in United States policy toward Colombia. It sets us on a slippery slope toward unwise military intervention in a foreign civil war that has nothing to do with the United States."

The Bogota 3 case the facts and the spin

After September 11th 2001, the case against Connolly, McAuley and Monaghan became a small but significant component of the US-UK spinning of "the war on terrorism". The facts of their case are simple. They are accused of travelling using false identity papers and training anti-government FARC guerrillas. They admit the first accusation but vehemently deny the second. The three insist they used false documents because they feared being harassed had they used their real identities to travel.

The main charge is that of training FARC members in explosives and mortar technology. Soon after their arrest, US embassy personnel tested them and their belongings for explosive traces. The tests used equipment requiring special care with both calibration and with anti-contamination procedures to produce trustworthy results. These procedures were not followed and the tests showed positive. Subsequent tests carried out by the Colombian authorities using correct procedures produced opposite results.

The only other evidence presented against the three is witness testimony from two young men alleged to be former FARC members and who were under Colombian army "protection". Both so-called witnesses testified earlier this year that at different times between 1998 and 2001 they witnessed explosives and mortar training by the three men. But all three defendants have solid, respectable alibi evidence that places them outside Colombia on those dates.

No technical evidence was presented in the case to justify claims of "skills transfer" of arms technology. There is no hard evidence against the three to contradict their explanation of their visit to the FARC zone at a time when the ceasefire with the government was still in place. But they are still in prison in Bogot‡ and face long sentences if convicted. They are victims of "war on terrorism" political theatre orchestrated through a lazy, complacent news media.

Fiction and reality

The "war on terrorism" is the US government's justification for pre-emptive military attacks it deems necessary to promote US business and economic interests. Some governments collaborate out of arrogance as supporting bit-players, like the administrations of Tony Blair in the UK and Jose Maria Aznar in Spain. Others cave in to US pressure, like the Irish government. This deep cynicism and hypocrisy are nothing new.

Grotesque inequality in Colombia has caused forty years of bitter, miserable conflict a catastrophe with lessons for everyone. The three Irishmen under arrest in Bogota took an interest in Colombia before the "war on terrorism" confidence trick really began. Tony Blair's government has used the men's predicament to deceive people about British policy in Ireland just as he, Aznar and George Bush have lied about Iraq. Connolly, MacAuley and Monaghan risk becoming forgotten pawns in this cynical geo-political propaganda war.

Toni Solo is an activist based in Central America and can be reached at: tonisolo52@yahoo.com

By Toni Solo posted 15 September, 2003

Lithgow Prison: This is no Irish joke!

JAIL CELLS IN LITHGOW PRISON

Allow me to introduce myself to you my name is John Smith I am writing to you for your help in regards to Corrective Services Jail at Lithgow, I am a prisoner at this centre and I am serving a long sentence. I originally came from Ireland a number of years ago.

I am married with three children whom live in Europe and Ireland. The jail at Lithgow is in breach of my human rights. Article 7,10.51,53, Article 23, 51, Article 26. The Governor has refused contact between prisoners their family and children by refusing reverse charge calls to them. I have previously been in other jails and had no problems. They even encourage me to have contact with my children and family.

The reason for this is that I do not have any money only the $10.50 the jail gives me and I have no support any more in this country all my family are in Ireland.

My families over seas are not wealthy and when they can save up some money they send it over to me, which is sent through the Irish Embassy, which is not very often so that I can buy cloths, toiletries etc. My mother is on a pension and does not get much money when the phone bill comes in she is allowed to pay it off in instalments. Everybody does this in Ireland. This is how they pay the reveres charge calls and their bills that accumulate.

My wife is also on a pension and raising three children, she too cannot afford to send me any money assuring that my children will not go without food.

I logged a prisoner's Application form, to request to make reverse charge calls to my children and family in Ireland.

The Senior Officer (SO) Mrs Faith Slatcher refused my application for a reverse charge call. I have complained to the Ombudsman.

I asked SO for a copy of my application she said no I would never get it.

On 23 July 2003 the Governor of Lithgow came to see me with the deputy Governor Mr Witherman to explain to me that I will not be getting any reverse charge calls to my children or family from his jail, and that I have not convinced him that my family canÕt send me money from Ireland.

ARUNTA PHONE SYSTEM FOR PRISONERS IN NSW CORRECTIONAL CENTRES. 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.

As this is a clear breach of my human rights that the jail is stopping anybody complaining against them? I then contacted the Inspector General they told me they no longer take complaints from Lithgow Jail.

Today I spoke to the Irish welfare worker Ms Hart she told me that she is having a lot of problems with the jail in regards to phone calls for example she said today the Governor refused access to the Spanish Embassy for a prisoner of this jail.

Ms Harte told me to go and fill in an application form in regards to speaking to the Irish Embassy and Amnesty International and clearly explain what you want and leave the phone numbers as well.

I went to the Pod Office and I asked for an application form. I was told, "what do you want it for?" I told the officer he said, "no you will have to go through the area manager." I went and asked the area manager for an application form he said did the governor say you could have one.

I just want to speak to my children please help.

By Excommunicated Prisoner 1 September 03

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Escape proof but not so the prisoners mind
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Researching post-release options for Indigenous women exiting Australian prisons :HREOC The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission is researching post-release options for Indigenous women exiting Australian prisons. We are particularly interested in examining the accommodation options available to women upon their release from prison.

Parents on the inside leave children on the edge
They have been dubbed the forgotten generation - the innocent casualties of their parents' crimes. New research shows that in 2001 14,500 NSW children had a parent in jail. And 60,000 NSW children under 16 have experienced the incarceration of a parent, more than half enduring the trauma of separation before they turn five.

New video to create empathy in violent criminals?
Violent offenders in New South Wales prisons will be the audience for a new video put together by the victims of crime group, Enough is Enough, but nothing from the ex-prisoners, support groups, like Justice Action, because they don't rate?

Junee Prison, NSW Parliament and Noble Cause Corruption
I have not been charged with any offence. The first thing I knew was when they (the Intel officer) at Junee had me called to reception. I was then told that I was going to segregation for good order and discipline.

Beyond Bars: Sentencing reform
A spokesperson Dr Tim Anderson said, " The law reform commission was too gutless on this a few years back but re-introducing remissions (perhaps under another name) would be a valuable move best wishes".

The Australian Institute of Criminology has released the National Deaths in Custody Program annual report for 2002 Between January and December 2002, there was a total of 69 deaths in custody in Australia. There were 50 deaths in prison custody and 19 deaths in police custody and custody-related police operations.

Yatala Labour Prison Adelaide Going Backwoods
I'm a prisoner in south Australia (Adelaide), Yatala Labour Prison, I'm 39 years old with only two and a half years spent in the community since the age of 13. I came into the adult prison system in 1985; I was released in 1998 only to re-offend. I'm now doing 30 years with a 16-year non-parole period, as it's truth in sentencing in our state and there is no remission. My release date is 2016.

Inspector General of Corrective Services Debate
Below is our response to Justice Minister Hatzistergos' comments in a debate in Parliament on July 2, 2003 regarding the impending decision about the future of the Inspector General of Corrective Services in NSW.

Hatzistergos: The Daily Telegraph's prison mates
Who convinced a prisoner on periodic detention to take a mobile phone into prison to take a photo of Rene Rivkin? The prisoner said no and contacted the Daily Terror to say no.

PRISONERS OFFER OF RECONCILIATION
Premier Bob Carr, Deputy Premier Andrew Refshauge, Senator Aden Ridgeway, and other community representatives have been invited to receive the message from the men of "The Hole.

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.

DCS: Protection gangs? - Ngo exploited in prison
New South Wales prison officials claim to have disbanded a gang in the Lithgow jail set up to protect convicted murderer, Phuong Ngo.

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.

SENTENCING RIVKIN: BRAIN SURGERY OR SUICIDE?
A proper Sentencing Council, such as the one proposed by the Carr Government, would not have sent Rene Rivkin to jail, locked up as a slave in a box.

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.

Rene Rivkin: Beam me down Scottie! - We gotta get out of this space At best a prison is only a Space Station. Nothing more nothing less and it doesn't matter how much money or resources are spent on prisons they're only a candle light for human growth and survival, opposed to the sunshine and the benefit and resources of the whole community.

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.

SIX YEARS IN HELL - The Sorry Saga of Ivan Robert Milat
This month, May 2003, Ivan Milat will have spent six years in segregation/isolation without any charges, enquiry, or breach of prison rules levelled against him.

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.

NSW education professor warns further commitment needed
The author of a report on the New South Wales education system has urged the major political parties to do more for education in the election campaign.

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.

Jail search finds knives, syringes
Mr Brett Collins a spokesperson for Justice Action said, "It shows there is a lot of desperation in the prison system at the moment and has been for some time."

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.

How NSW Dept of Corrective Services spent $800,000 dollars to rehabilitate a Sydney man sentenced to life for second murder! A spokesperson for Justice Action Mr Pro Grams said, "Well it's your money, how would you like it spent? And what do you think about rehabilitation on behalf of the Department of Corruptive Services?

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.

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".

Mr. & Mrs. Mandatory Sentencing
Well congratulations to the bride and groom. Could you please be upstanding and raise your glasses for Mr. And Mrs. Mandatory.

Just wipe your arse on Ivan again Minister?
Mr Amery Minister for Corrective services has a problem with finding a toilet roll to wipe his bottom. Justice Action is appalled at the attacks by Amery and others in parliament on Ivan Milat's right to privacy and their attacks on the Privacy Commissioner and his office.

NSW Parliament Bitter Pills To Swallow?
One delusion pill: So people who investigate their own mistakes make sure there was no mistake or someone else made the mistake. Perhaps you're not biased and you will be honest about it.

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.

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.