Readers' views: Prison blogger

Prisoner Tim Selwyn is writing a blog from behind bars, detailing incidents he sees in prison. The Corrections Department says there is nothing wrong with this as he is only repeating what he could say after he leaves jail, and that the letters he writes - which are then posted online - are vetted. The National Party however wants the blog stopped.

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This Readers' Views page is now closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed their thoughts.

Unless the Prison authorities have anything to hide, why shouldn't we hear from a prisoner about life inside - we do not have to believe him if we do not want to.

- Jerry Flay

With my busy lifestyle working hard for a living to help support these lowlifes, I'm lucky if I can get on my home computer once a week to send a letter. So I don't see why he gets that privledge. He can surely keep a diary and compile it into a book when he gets out. It might keep him out of trouble for a while. Meanwhile back to work to fund the coffee and bicuits he most probably orders when writing his e-mails.

- Dianne

Tim Selwyn would hardly be the first (or last) person to keep a tab on prison life and expose it (or at least attempt to) to the public. All the things he writes about have been, in one way or another published and are weel known to those who care to find them. What gives this the publicity it, otherwise probably wouldn't have, is the outcry of National MP Simon Power in the media. Now, of course, the whole topic of crime, prisons and the NZ justice system is as hot as pot of boiling potatoes. And what better to entice the average Jo-blog couch politician and... voter... to passionately take sides and engage in the "Us and Them" debate than this. The question in my mind is really not "whether he should be allowed to continue or not?" but rather "will it actually make a difference either way?" given that many expose's of true prison life have fallen to deaf ears and blind eyes. Without trying to diminish the value of Tim's public record, it seems the effects of this are more like a gladiatorial display for the entertainment of the masses than an attempt to actually and finally try to really examine the core and fundamental issues that trouble our (and other western) societies. It is also interesting to read the comments to Tim's blog written by various people, some of whom have also been in, as they put it, "Her Majesty's Hotel". One soon realises that the simple and media friendly question "Should Selwyn be allowed to continue his blog?" actully opens the proverbial Pandora's box except in this case, the box is full of cans of worms which are opened at the same time. It raises issues like: - what is the pupose of prisons; - how does the justice system really work; - is is possible to 'correct' inmates and lower the reoffending rate; - what is the integrity of the prison staff from the guards all the way up to the top; - are prisoners human beings too; - can ex inmates who actually managed to get on the right path ever redeem themselves in the eye of society; - what is the purpose of education... and so on, this list is by no means exhaustive.

- Robert

It's about time and good on him. Awareness of what life is like on the inside is what's required. With all the debacle over underfloor heating for example, it's easy to draw assumptions that life for inmates is easy. Tim's account provides a much-needed dose of reality. More of it could serve to alter this punitive, 'just desserts' mentality we've embraced. Tim effectively highlights certain issues associated with mass incarceration and draws attention to it's failure to rehabilitate and transform offenders into moral, law-abiding citizens.

- Catherine

Writing is a form of speech and in this country freedom of speech is supposedly a right of all. Writing can also be also therapeutic. People do not have to visit the website if they don't want to.

- Hoop A

Good on Selwyn for writing about his life in Prison. There's a lot of injustice going on within the prison authorities, police, lawyers all work hand in hand, and the public need be aware. Some prison officers are cruel and mean to the inmates. I know because I have heard it while speaking to my husband from Auckland central remand prison. I have put in complaints about the officer I heard threatening the inmates, and I was told by a officer in charge it was a cry wolf so in other words nothing was done about it.

- Caroline

The article raises several questions.

1. Freedom of speech- is National's Mr Power trying to rewrite the law in his attempt to curtail the freedom of speech of prisoners? The implication of the Corrections response to his demands would suggest that he is.

2. Is Mr Power aware that the publicity he is giving the blog may have the opposite effect of what he is trying to achieve?

3. In what way does 'immediacy' affect the potency of the blog?

- Cary Gollop