Flat Out

Our fifth and final visit for this semester was to the support and activism organisation, Flat Out. Flat Out work with what they refer to as ‘criminalised’ women; women who have been to prison or have been through the criminal justice system. Flat Out assist these women with reintegration back into the community through accommodation and family reunification. As well as reacting to the effects of prison, the workers at Flat Out also aim to prevent these women from returning to prison.

Flat Out believe that women should not be incarcerated in prisons, and advocate for the complete abolition of the prison system. They believe that prison are redundant institutions, and continue to exist to ‘deal’ with the most vulnerable people in the community, such as the homeless, the drug- and alcohol-effected, and the unemployed. One of the most difficult aspects of their role is trying to convince the wider public that prisons do not work, and how criminals should be dealt with. Out of the approximately 340 women in the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, one to two per cent pose a threat to community safety, and therefore should not be incarcerated in prison. Furthermore, in 2010-2011, 21.6 per cent of the women at the same facility were being held on remand in the maximum security section. These women have not been convicted of any crimes may often be unable to receive bail due to lack of accommodation or a dependence on illegal substances.

I found this visit to be very valuable in gaining a greater understanding of the long-term effects of the criminal justice system and what the future may hold for criminal justice.

They're awesome, check them out: http://www.flatout.org.au/