[2] March 2000

Welcome to the 2nd edition of the 'Women Dying Post Release' Campaign Newsletter.

In addition to providing information regarding the campaign, this edition publishes a list of needs that have been written by women inside. We also take a look at who are the Victorian Deaths in Custody Watch Committee.

Index
Next Meeting > Needs of Women > Info Table > Art Supplies?
Week of Action > Posters > Notices > Newletter Contacts
What is the Victorian Deaths in Custody Watch Committee?

Next meeting:

WHEN: 16th March [Thursday].

WHERE:Darebin Community Legal Centre, 80 High Street, Northcote 3070.

TIME: 6.30pm

Needs of Women in Custody Written by Women Inside

Transport: A bus to transport visitors from the train station to the goal.

Medication: Information is not enough. If a women is on medication whilst in custody a prescription should be issued on release for a week to a fortnight to cover the time it takes to renew the prescription with a doctor on the outside.

*Waiting two weeks to see a doctor is not good enough.

*The new medical provider is still giving out sleeping medication at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. They have been operational for three months and still cannot complete evening medication before the 8pm lockdown.

Housing: Again, information does not necessarily put a roof over a woman's head.

*More funds are needed and arrangements should be put in place before release.

Wages: A one-dollar pay rise in fifteen years is not good enough when slave labour is already a part of prison life.

*We all know the rate of inflation year in, year out. There is only a one-dollar difference between the high, medium and low wage rates. Only a pre-determined number of women are able to be paid at the higher rate, less than those who are eligible for the medium or low wage.

*By the current wage scheme it would not matter how good a worker one is or if they are prepared to work extra days, they would not be eligible for the higher rate of pay if the places were already filled. The number of places has not increased although the population of the goal has.

More phone boxes: There are only three and often only two of those are operational.

*Outside support is important as is maintaining relationships with family and children. It only costs 23cents for a local call. We are paying 40. We get no concessions for STD calls and none of the cheaper rates available to the general public are available to us.

Education: It is difficult enough with a police record to get a job. Education is needed and important for women, not just for the working of the prison.

Overcrowding: We have been temporarily doubled up for two years. A3 - a ten-bed orientation unit has housed up to 26 women at once.

*Two portable units were erected to alleviate overcrowding and we are still doubled up, still overcrowded.

Management inconsistencies: What are the rules and why do they only apply to some? Rules are subject to change depending on the day, the weather and who it is you are speaking to.

Maintenance: Nothing gets fixed and this can be potentially fatal. For example: a range hood that has been broken for 18 months has still not been fixed despite numerous requests. One person who thinks it's safe to turn the fan on to cook could be killed by the range hood falling.

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Women inside need art and craft supplies and books.
Can you donate:

Dallas: Flat Out, 365 Hoddle Street, Collingwood, 3066, ph: 9417-6984

Or Catherine at Darebin Community Legal Centre, 80 High St, Northcote 3070, ph: 9489-6276.

Please ensure that all deliveries are clearly marked for 'Women at MWCC'
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WHEN:	22nd & 23rd March [Weds/Thurs]
WHERE:	YVONNE BOWDEN AUDITORIUM ROYAL WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, 132 GRATTAN STREET, CARLTON.
TIME:	9.30 -5PM

Info about the week of action, campaign demands & petition, as well as info on prison issues & pre and post release services will be available on the stall.

Email: mi@deakin.edu.au

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Posters:

Please contact Singh on: 9470-5058.

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• Campaign Slogan - Bring along any suggestions/ideas to the meeting
  
  
• List of Demands - the list of demands needs to be finalised urgently. If you have any demands to add to the list, feedback, edits or further suggestions, please contact Catherine @ Darebin Legal Centre: 9489-6276 before the next meeting, where the final list of demands will be discussed.
  
  
• If you have any information relating to the campaign, prison issues, women's pre and/or post-release services/programs etc that you would like displayed at the Info Table at the 'Young Women's Health Conference' - please bring along to the meeting, or drop off to Catherine @ Darebin Legal Centre.

The Victorian Deaths in Custody Watch Committee [VDICWC] is a community organisation made up of activists, people in custody or who have experienced custody, friends & family of people who have died, students, lawyers, trade unionists, community groups, organisations and many others. The VDICWC was formed in 1998 and its aims are to:

• Monitor deaths in and after custody
• Campaign for the improvement of conditions in prison and all other custodial environments
• Be a resource for the Indigenous community where there is an Indigenous death in or after custody and in consultation with the Aboriginal community
• Campaign for the implementation of the recommendations of the RCIADC
• Support & assist families and communities affected by deaths in or after custody
• To educate & provide an educational resource to the wider community on issues related to deaths in or after custody
• To take direct action in support of redressing deaths in and after custody
• Oppose the privatisation and corporatisation of prisons and other custodial institutions and services
• Provide support for people in or post custody

The VDICW deliberately applies a broad definition of what constitutes a "death in custody" which is:

"Where a person dies as a result of the State attempting to or having restricted or controlled the movement or activities of that person"

This definition includes deaths in prison, juvenile detention, immigration detention, police cells, police "operations", people under sentence in the community [ie. community based orders, intensive correction orders], parole, people held in psychiatric and forensic psychiatric institutions, people subject to care and protection, guardianship and community treatment orders, and any other form of State institution or activity.

If you would like to become involved and help out, your skills, input and ideas are needed and most welcome. Simply drop us a line, give us a call or drop into the next VDICWC meeting.

Meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month at 7pm at the Darebin Legal Centre, 80 High Street, Northcote or contact: Catherine on: 9489-6276.

CAMPAIGN NEWSLETTER

We need up to date info about the campaign, direct actions, events and the issues.
If YOU have anything you would like to see in the newsletter.

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