Some of the information in this section is taken from the ‘Surviving on the Inside’ document written by Chris Sheppard for CRC.
Some information was provided from Inmate Connect. You can find more about Inmate Connect here.
You can get a copy of this fact sheet
Going in
Once you receive your sentence from the judge you will be taken immediately to the cells below the court, and eventually moved to police cells for processing. The largest processing cells in NSW are in Surry Hills. It is important to know that this is not how prison will be. It is a temporary holding cell while you are waiting to be processed to a remand centre such as the MRRC.
The amount of time you spend in police cells will depend on the availability of beds at the remand and reception centres, and the length of time it takes for you to be processed. Sometimes people can spend days in the police cells. Many people describe this part of their incarceration as very stressful.
In the cells Justice Health staff should conduct a medical check-up, and you should also be allowed to make a phone call. It is important, before you go to court, to remember at least one phone number to call because you won’t be allowed to access your mobile to retrieve contact details for your family.
When you are transferred from police cells to a reception and remand centre such as the MRRC, you will need to go through processing. This process involves you being issued with Prison Greens (clothing), an ID Card with your MIN number, and toiletries. It is important that you disclose any illness, medication requirements, other important information relevant to your health and dietary requirements.
- Inmate id card: With your MIN number (carry with you at all times, to use facilities such as the library and gym)
- Cup plate and bowl: Don’t lose these, as finding a replacement will be difficult, and you will need them to make coffee and toast.
- Phone form : You will be given a form that allows you to fill up to 10 numbers, on your Phone account. (SEE PHONES SECTION)
- Linen bag: Sheets, Blankets, (maybe a pillow),
- Toiletries: Pinky-sized toothbrush, cake of soap, shaver.
Once you have been processed through reception you will be taken to the WING or POD that you have been assigned. The size of the pod or the wing will depend on the Correctional Centre you are at.
You will also be assigned to a cell with a number on the door. Not all cells have TVs, especially if you are new to the POD or WING, however this situation will slowly change after a few days or weeks. (Everything takes time).
Day to day
Once you have entered custody and been through the screening process, welfare staff are able to facilitate one phone call to a family member or friend while waiting for a phone account to be activated. The phone call is generally to let people know where you are and to make arrangements to organise things you haven’t had time to do before you entered custody. The phone call can go for around 5 minutes. If you need longer to talk about things like your rental property, a person you were caring for or any animals that need looking after, the prison staff may give you more time on the phone to talk about these essential matters.
The prison chaplain may also be able to make a call to your family or loved ones to let them know how you are going. If you don’t have a phone number for your family, the prison chaplain may be able to visit them at their home to let them know where you are and how you are going. If prison staff find out you have asked multiple staff and had more than one call, this may make them less likely to help you out in the future. Phone calls are also monitored and may be listened to by prison staff.
Each Wing will usually have two Telephones that people can use to contact their families during the hours that they are not locked in. (Usually 9am-2:30pm). Your phone will not be activated until you have completed a Phone Form, and written down the telephone numbers that you wish to be added to your approved calls list.
If you wish to use the phone you have to ask the other people lining up “who’s last?”, and put a “knock” in to use the phone (securing your place in the queue). Phone calls last up to 6 mins. Calls to a landline will cost 50 cents and to a mobile phone will cost roughly $2.50. The average wait time to line up for the phone is usually 30 – 45mins. The phones are extremely busy first thing in the morning and right before lock in.
Please note that during COVID-19 family contact visits to prisons have been cancelled. Video visits have replaced contact visits. Please check the Corrective Services website for more information about visits.
Prior to COVID-19, depending on the Correctional Centre, families could visit between once and twice a week for a contact visit. Family members need to ring the correctional centre and make a booking depending on which jail you are at.
If you want the location of a person in custody your identity must be confirmed.
The Sentence Administration Branch can be contacted from 8.30am to 4.30pm – Monday to Friday on (02) 8346 1000.
There are three meals in prison each day.
- Breakfast: Cereal, milk and six slices of bread.
- Lunch: Sandwiches and a piece of fruit.
- Dinner: Is served in an aluminium dinner box, similar to frozen dinners that you heat in the microwave.
Aside from the jail issue food, people are able to purchase up to $100 worth of groceries a week. Money can be put into your prison account for this purpose.
You will be given a Buy-up Form once a week, which you can use to order your grocery items, they will be delivered to your cell weekly.
If you don’t know anyone in the prison system, don’t be in a rush to go and make new friends. Take your time to get a feel for the unit and your new neighbours.
You may not know other people’s backgrounds or how they are feeling themselves so being patient to make friends is a safe way to avoid conflict with other people.
Staring is rude no matter where you are, but it won’t usually get you into too much trouble unless you are in a prison. As you walk through the prison, keep your eyes forward and don’t stare or it could be misinterpreted and bring you unwanted attention from other people.
Setting up your cell and familiarising yourself with where things are (toilets, kitchen, phone, laundry) is a good way to fill in your first day.
The first night in prison can be a difficult time for anyone. You may feel alone, scared and find yourself feeling disconnected from the people you know and love. Your first night inside can be used to familiarise yourself with the prisoner handbook so you get an understanding of what your days will look like and how the prison system operates.
It is a good idea to say what you need to say to other people before you are locked down in your cell for the night as yelling out to other people through your door after you are locked down can upset other people who are trying to rest or just don’t need to hear what you have to say.
Nights can be utilised to read a book, write a letter, fill in request forms for jobs or programs or simply watch a bit of TV.
When you leave your cell in the morning at breakfast time it is a good idea to let people wake up properly before you approach them for anything. Not everyone gets a good night’s sleep in prison and other people’s stress levels may be different to your own so letting people wake up without being in their face is a fair start to their day.
Days in prison can be long and slow. Prisons may offer programs such as art/craft, music, gym, sport (touch football), drug and alcohol programs and education as well as employment.
Jobs within the prison or in the community are available depending on where you are allocated and your classification. Job placement is a process and may take time. Reading, writing letters to loved ones or playing cards is a good way to fill in time.
There is usually a library in most prisons that you can access. Sometimes the person who works in the library visits the unit with a cart full of books for you to borrow.
Exercise is also a great way to fill in time, reduce your stress levels and burn off excess energy while you are inside. Push ups and sit ups are a basic exercise that can be done in your cell or within the yard in your unit.
Getting set up
Due to the overcrowding in prisons and the limitations of welfare staff, delays are quite common within the prisons. Be aware any delays are not directed at you personally.
It can take 2 -3 weeks for your phone account to be activated. A letter to your loved ones is often a good way to let them know how you are going as it doesn’t cost much to send a letter and it is an effective way to communicate. All letters you send and receive are read by Corrective Services to scan for any illegal activity.
Request forms are used to request things such as:
- Accommodation change
- Exchange property
- Request employment or change employment
- Check the balance of your private cash account
- Appointments or interviews
- Additional or extended visits
- Request to see prison service staff or the General Manager.
All written requests, enquiries and complaints are entered into a register, which is checked once a week by a senior officer. Keep a record of the date you submitted your form, and to whom you gave it. Where possible, you will be given a photocopy of your form, but it is not always possible for this to happen. Some enquiries, requests and complaints must be referred to a senior officer.
For example: if you wish to change accommodation, request an additional visit or a special phone call, or if you want to speak to the General Manager. The Senior Assistant, Superintendent/ Principal/Authorised Officer is responsible for ensuring Inmate Applications are finalised wherever possible within 14 days of issue.
Be aware it can be a stressful period waiting for a response from a submitted request form. Being mindful and aware that delays are common on the inside and that the delay is not directed at you personally may help you cope with any stress you are feeling while waiting for a response.
Don’t feel you need to deal with any problems you have on your own. Upon arrival at your Correctional Centre you will be allocated a case officer who can support you to address any concerns you have.
You can also put in a request form (or bluey) to see the SAPO (Services and Programs Officer) or welfare worker who can help you address and work through your concerns. A request form can be accessed within the unit and filled in and handed to the guard on duty so it can be processed.
Also, each prison unit has an official Wing Delegate which is another incarcerated person who is familiar with the prison system and can help other people to cope. The wing delegate can also help you fill out forms and understand how things operate within a Correctional Centre.
If you are on medication it is a good idea when possible not to let other people know what medication you are on and how much you are taking as this could lead to other people asking you to share it with them or even standing over you for your medication.
Staying safe
- Read the prisoner handbook or have someone sit down and explain anything you don’t really understand in the booklet to you so you understand how the prison system works. (Good behaviour may lead to privileges, better jobs, easier parole, etc.)
- Be AWARE of your environment at all times.
- Try and avoid giving personal information to other people and don’t leave any letters lying around that may have the sender’s name and address on the back of the letter (you don’t want any unexpected visitors to your loved ones on the outside.)
- Remain visible to staff when possible if you are feeling uneasy about the unit you are in or request to talk to a staff member about any concerns.
- Be aware you may be putting yourself at risk of unwanted attention by gambling, asking favours or borrowing items. It may be easy to borrow items or ask a favour on the inside, however, returning the favour may be more difficult than you imagined.
- Try to avoid letting other people into your cell and try and stay out of other people’s cells.
- Do your own time and don’t make other people’s business your own as this can attract unwanted attention.
- If you are not in a gang, don’t be in a rush to join one. Being in a gang on the inside can lead to unwanted attention from other people.
- Protection – Think very carefully about doing this as once you are in Protection it can be difficult to get out. Being in protection can be a harder way to do your time as other people will assume you are in there due to child abuse/sex charges, etc.
Dealing with verbal threats or acts of physical violence directed at you personally can be difficult to deal with in any prison.
The advice you may receive on how to defend yourself from other incarcerated people or people who have spent time in custody may be to fight back so you gain respect from the person or persons who are threatening or attacking you. Even if you win the fight it does not mean the person attacking you will go away and leave you alone. Be mindful that retaliating or defending yourself with verbal threats or physical violence can attract criminal charges, even adding time to the length of your sentence.
If threatening behaviour or acts of violence are directed at you personally try to stay calm and protect yourself the best you can. If you have been threatened or attacked or feel at risk of an attack and you are having trouble handling the situation on your own you can talk to someone else or the wing delegate and ask for advice. Another option (or last resort) could be to talk to a prison officer or welfare worker about your concerns.
Some strategies for avoiding verbal threats or an attack from other people are to keep at you and don’t retaliate to any threatening behaviour. If you feel threatened, where possible try to stay in the view of prison staff or the CCTV cameras. Not getting involved in other people’s business is a good way to stay safe on the inside. Thinking about what you say and the words you use is also a helpful way to avoid threats or physical violence being directed to yourself.
There are a lot of words we use in general conversation within our community/home every day that are quite common and accepted. However these same words used within a prison can have a totally different meaning for other people.
There are a couple of words people use to address the prison staff; two commonly used words are Chief and Boss. To call any other incarcerated person Chief or Boss would be an act of disrespect by you and on just about every occasion you would have someone very upset on your case! So, do not call anyone apart from the staff a Chief or Boss. Female prison staff are usually called Miss or Ma’am.
What does the word Dog mean on the inside?
A Dog is someone who reports other people to prison staff or to the police, (otherwise known as an informer). This word is not to be taken lightly! If you are heard using the word Dog expect someone to want to know what and why you said it and who you are calling a Dog. You may even be asked from other people to prove what you are saying is true and if you can’t give a good reason why you are using the word Dog you will more than likely find yourself in more trouble than you can handle. It is almost certain that you will be putting yourself at risk of serious harm from other people for calling someone a Dog or for even using the word Dog if you can’t prove what you are saying is true.
| Prison Word: | Meaning/usage: |
|---|---|
| Boss | Used when addressing officers |
| Brasco | Toilet |
| Brew | Cup of coffee; also jail-made alcohol |
| Bridge up | To fight or show off |
| Bupe | Buprenorphine, a prescription medication for people with a dependence on heroin or other opiates |
| Buy-ups | Approved purchases (e.g. toiletries, chocolate) |
| Chat/ chatty | Chat is someone who is dirty; a chatty cell is a dirty or untidy cell |
| Chief | Officers, especially those in charge |
| Cockatoo/ cocky | Someone who is the lookout to alert others that an officer is coming |
| Collar and tie | 5-year sentence |
| Date roll | Toilet paper |
| Dog | Person who reports others to officers |
| Dog and bone | Phone |
| Doing a brick | 10-year sentence |
| Done/ petrol | Methadone |
| Frequent Flyer | Someone who is frequently incarcerated |
| Greens | Prison clothing |
| Gronk | Someone irritating |
| Lockdown | When people are locked in cells |
| Maam | Female officer |
| Peter thief | Someone who steals from another person’s cell, (highly loathed individuals) |
| Rock spider | Paedophile |
| Screw | Correctional Officer |
| Scrim | Someone who thinks they are important because of the particular job they have in prison eg. certain clerical positions |
| Segro | People are segregated |
| Shiv | Improvised knife |
| Spinner | Someone acting strangely and possibly unpredictable due to mental-health issues |
| Two-outs | Cell for two people |
| Wing | Accommodation area |
| Yard | Secure outside area near a wing |
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