Aby & the Axolotls ꒰(˶• ᴗ •˶)꒱May 20, 2024

I got to use my jail bag today!

I live near Bathurst jail. I used to live across the corner from it, but now we've moved about 10 minutes away.

While we lived across the corner I'd often see people released from the jail and start the 50 minute walk down to the station as they were just dumped back into society with less and less assistance or support in place. I'd often pop out the front door and ask of they wanted a lift, a number of times they'd say yes and I'd drive them down to the station (and once to Lithgow because he missed the train). People who do their time at Bathurst have been shipped in from all over the state, and are expected to just be able to get home again.

They also all carry their belongings in a clear plastic baggie the jail has given them, and everyone here knows if someone is carrying that bag they've just been released.. and a lot of people treat them like shit.

I started keeping a reusable shopping bag in my car to give them instead of using the clear baggie. Then I started stocking the bag with some essentials (masks, soap, socks, deodorant, snacks, drink, water, crossword book, pen, etc), so they might have a bit of comfort on their journey home.

Today I drove past the jail after dropping my housemate to work, and there was a guy standing at the bus stop with a clear baggie, so I asked if he wanted a lift to the station and gave him my jail bag.

He's excited to get home and see his dog after 16 months.

#AbolishPolice #Abolition #AbolishPrisons #anarchism #CommunityNotCops #FuckThePolice #Criminology #CriminalJustice

Show threadenmodo ⚛️ 🧬 🇺🇦 🍉May 21, 2024
@aby
Thank you for your humanitarian efforts. I'm remind of Michael Moore's documentary "Where to invade next" where he visits a Norwegian prison. It exposed how miserably the US jail system is failing not only prisoners but also society. Dumping prisoners on the street like that is just another example - as bad as dumping hospital patients without insurance onto skid row. But that's what you get when prisons and hospitals are for profit because more crime and more sickness equals more profit.
Show threadAby & the Axolotls ꒰(˶• ᴗ •˶)꒱May 21, 2024
@enmodo - I live in Australia, and all prisons need to be shut down.
Show threadenmodo ⚛️ 🧬 🇺🇦 🍉May 22, 2024

@aby I'm guessing you are not inherently against the concept of prison, just current prisons and prison systems in most "developed" nations.

Or maybe I'm wrong. I know there are those who believe if we just do society right criminals and presumably the need for prisons will just disappear. I'm personally not convinced, you'll always a percentage of the population who will slice through society like a hot knife through butter.

Show threadAby & the Axolotls ꒰(˶• ᴗ •˶)꒱
@enmodo - have you read much work written about prison abolition?
May 22, 2024 at 8:48amWeb
Show threadenmodo ⚛️ 🧬 🇺🇦 🍉May 22, 2024
@aby no.
Show threadAby & the Axolotls ꒰(˶• ᴗ •˶)꒱May 22, 2024
@enmodo - then what has you convinced?
Show threadenmodo ⚛️ 🧬 🇺🇦 🍉May 22, 2024

@aby well I've only ever heard those arguments anecdotally and they weren't convincing.

What is the solution for the 1% or so of the general population who are clinically psychopathic? Should just be put in a "really secure" hospital?

And I'm not being factitious, it's a serious question. Happy to be directed to your favorite abolitionist writings that cover that.

Show threadAby & the Axolotls ꒰(˶• ᴗ •˶)꒱May 22, 2024

@enmodo - how about you go and google and start reading instead of giving me a homework assignment.

You've decided you're "convinced" without actually having spent any time looking at the issue on your own. I have zero faith you're interested in approaching this honestly and my time is better spent elsewhere.

If you delete some of that audacity you'll find you have much more room for learning.

Show threadenmodo ⚛️ 🧬 🇺🇦 🍉May 23, 2024
@aby no, I actually said I was "personally not convinced". I was just thinking you might have a favorite source that had been convincing to you, or examples of successful large scale trials you'd point me to instead of the undoubtedly biased selection of links I might get if I just Googled prison abolition.
Show threadAby & the Axolotls ꒰(˶• ᴗ •˶)꒱May 23, 2024

@enmodo - personally not convinced means that the opposing idea has convinced you. You don't feel neutral about abolition, you stated it won't work. You can't be neutral on a moving train - and by not agreeing with abolition you're agreeing that locking humans in cages away from people who love and support them is something we should be doing.

If I'm "convinced" of something it's because I've put actual work in to unpick what I believe and see what the truth is. You haven't been "convinced" of anything if you haven't bothered learning more about it. That's just laziness.

The fact that you're putting time into arguing about why you're entitled to my efforts instead of going away on your own to read more tells me all I need to know.