LATEST NEWS
World Corrections and Prisons Conference Media Release – 24 May 2023
Report on South Australian Prison System – 22 May 2023
SA Prisoner Communication Ban Media Release – 24 April 2023
SA Prisoner Letter Ban
Michael (Mick) Fyfe
South Australian Ombudsman Supports iExpress
Just Us South Australia Court Challenge
OVERVIEW
For years, Justice Action has examined the South Australian prison system to shine a light on the injustices inmates face. South Australian officials have blocked multiple avenues of communication for Justice Action to inmates including the Just Us publication, inmate letters, and iExpress accounts. However, Justice Action fought and won in May 2022 over the lack of election information given to South Australian prisoners.
South Australian Prison System
This is an examination of the South Australian Prison System in relation to recidivism, rehabilitation and current progress in relevant initiatives like ‘10by20’. It includes evidence of practices and values of the staff of the Department for Correctional Services (DCS) that damages the rehabilitation process. These observations are used to develop inferences regarding the philosophy and attitudes of related management and leadership, something that is driven from the top (the Chief Executive) down, and give recommendations on how to proceed.
Michael Fyfe has spent the last 27 years in solitary confinement, the longest time ever in Australia in solitary confinement, after killing a convicted child sex offender in prison. Recordings between Mick and a journalist created controversy over his sentencing, and cuased the Department of Correctional Services in South Australia to move Mick from solitary at Yatala to Port Augusta Prison to prepare for reintegration. However, it is reported that his sentencing is worse at Port Augusta.
South Australian Ombudsman Supports iExpress
The SA Ombudsman Wayne Lines has made a resounding criticism of the Department of Correctional Services attempts to block SA prisoners’ access to iExpress and its full internet services. For over a year DCSSA has blocked South Australian prisoners from any communication with Justice Action, declaring it to be a “media outlet” and finally just naming Justice Action specifically and banning it entirely.
Just Us South Australia Court Challenge
South Australia undermines the newspaper publication as the only jurisdiction in Australia to block the distribution of the newspaper, violating the constitutional rights of prisoners and preventing them from casting an informed vote in the fast approaching Federal Election. With the support of Allens, Justice Action has filed proceedings against Chief Executive of the Department for Correctional Services, David Brown in an attempt to overturn his decision and uphold the rights of prisoners to receive political information.