Preparing To Go To Prison

Get Your Affairs In Order

Consider the following steps if you are preparing to go to prison:

• Advise your Closest People

  Giving people the chance to process the news that you are about to give them. They may go through stages of grief, so allowing them time to adjust and support you is crucial. Since COVID 19, many visits are facilitated by Zoom or Webex meetings on iPads. Discuss with your family about getting a tablet and installing those programs so that you can have virtual visits as soon as possible.

• A Special Note in Relation to Children

  If you have small children, your incarceration will inevitably have an effect on them: emotionally and practically. We recommend that parents facing incarceration are proactive. Engage a child psychologist to start the process of explaining the situation, and the future, to your children as early as possible. 

There is also an organisation, SHINE for Kids (https://shineforkids.org.au/) which specifically supports children and families when parents go into custody. 

There are also practical measures that you can consider, such as pre-preparing video story time to be played on an iPad whereby you film yourself reading them books.

You can purchase a teddy bear which can house a voice recording from you so that every time your child hugs the bear, it hears your voice. 

It will be difficult to do but so much better than the shock and confusion that they may feel when you are gone. Beyond preparing them emotionally for your incarceration, make sure that you have your family law orders in place if you are the primary or sole parent. If you have the opportunity to prepare for prison then get your child custody matters sorted. This will also benefit you because you can be assured in those orders of ongoing contact with your children. Things can change when a person is incarcerated, and life does go on without you on the outside. However, keeping a close relationship with your children will be essential to both you and them. 

Please do not bring your children to the sentencing hearing. It is not an appropriate environment for a child and will not prevent you from going into custody. 

• Arrange a Power of Attorney

  If you need someone to handle your financial interests whilst you are in custody, a power of attorney is a way of allowing someone you trust to handle the practical aspects of your affairs for you. Many people appoint two powers of attorney, who must both agree on a course of action before they can make a decision on their behalf. This way there is a safeguard in place. 

• Make Arrangements for your Property

  If you own your house and your absence will mean that your family will be unable to cover the costs of living there, or you live alone, make arrangements well in advance of your incarceration for the relocation of your family and the rental or sale of the property. This involves finding a place for your family to live, packing and moving. It is better to do this in advance and settle into a routine than to arrange for it to be done after you are incarcerated. If you own pets, arrange for someone to care for them whilst you are away.

• Update your Prescriptions

  If you are on medication, the Department of Corrections should be informed. Arrange to get new prescriptions and a letter from your doctor explaining what you are taking and why. This means that the nurse in the Correctional Centre can ensure that you receive your medication. If you require glasses, bring them with you.

Prepare for your Prison Induction

If you’re unsure on what to expect in prison, Corrections Victoria has very useful information about Going to Prison and information for your friends and family about how to contact or visit you while you are in prison.

You will receive orientation information to help you to adjust to the prison environment. This will cover topics such as your rights; rules, routines and procedures; expectations of behaviour; disciplinary process; access to visits, letters, telephone calls, money and property; access to health services; voting entitlements; work, vocational training, education and program opportunities, etc. 

In Victoria, the main reception point for male adult prisoners is the Melbourne Assessment Prison. For female adult prisoners, it is the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. You will undergo an initial risk assessment and then be placed in a unit according to your assessment. 

You will be allowed to make one phone call at this time. 

You are allowed to bring money into custody with you in cash. We recommend taking around $500 in cash with you to place on your prison account. If you have spent time on remand, you will know that (as soon as you are taken into custody by the Department of Corrections) you will be assigned a CRN (corrections number in Victoria). If you know what that is, make sure that your family knows your CRN too. They will need to register to make payment into your account and be assigned a visitor’s number. This can take a couple of weeks. Accordingly, having your own money when you go in is essential.

Arrange your Support Network

Building a strong support network is crucial for both emotional and practical reasons. On an emotional level, you want to be able to speak with your loved ones frequently and see them whenever you have visitation. This keeps your connections strong and provides you with the support that you need to complete your prison term. On a practical level, you need at least one person who can deposit funds into your prison account so that you can make phone calls and purchase items from the prison shop.

Having a reliable person who will regularly deposit these funds is essential. A maximum of $150 per month can be deposited into a prison account. The deposits can be made in person at the prison; by cheque; money order; or electronic transfer. We recommend that if you are expecting to serve a relatively short term of imprisonment (i.e. 2 years or less), that you arrange for money orders to be made out and sent to the prison every month. If you run out of money to make phone calls, that will make it harder to contact your support network to ask for further funds.

Prepare a List of Telephone Numbers to Add to your Prison Telephone Account

Many of us rely on our mobile phones to store contact numbers, which we may not know by heart. Before going to prison, it’s important to write down a list of essential phone numbers to add to your prison telephone account so you can contact them.

These numbers should include your loved ones, lawyer and accountant, if you need to contact them. Once these numbers are added to your account, the Prison will usually contact these people to confirm if they are happy for their number to be added to your account. Accordingly, let them know in advance to expect the call.

Keep in mind that phone calls from prison are recorded and monitored, with the exception of calls to lawyers or other exempt individuals and organisations. 

Prepare your Property

You can take the essentials with you into custody. These include underwear, socks, tracksuits (without piping), t-shirts and shoes. Also, photographs of loved ones will get you through the hard times, as will letters that you can take in with you. 

Visit https://www.corrections.vic.gov.au/prisons/going-to-prison for more information.