While the National Network applaud the Tasmanian government’s recent decision not to build a new prison in the north of the state, we remain deeply concerned by the expansion of carceral systems into our homes and communities. ‘The shift from traditional prisons to alternatives like home detention is what we call the “carceral creep” It may not look like the bars and cells of a prison, but it extends the same punitive control into the very heart of our families and neighbourhoods,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘What may be framed as “reform” is, in reality, the same system of punishment rebranded. Home detention, with its increased surveillance and electronic monitoring, transforms homes into prisons and loved ones into jailers,’ said Debbie Kilroy. ‘This is what we see when reform creeps in as the compromise to abolition, and make no mistake—this is not the emancipation we seek,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘We must be clear: home detention kills. This week, the National Network was contacted by a family whose loved one died by suicide while on home detention. This death in custody, underscores the violence and harm inherent in these systems,’ said Tabitha Lean. ‘The government (and the organisations that advocate for these so- called softer options) must understand that surveillance and e-incarceration are just as oppressive and violent as prison walls. These are systems that do not heal but instead destroy the lives of those caught within them,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘It is critical to recognize that many of the organizations lobbying for prison reform are not led by people with lived experience of incarceration. Those most impacted by these policies—the ones who have been inside the prison walls—know too well the harm they cause. To fight against new prisons without equally opposing measures such as home detention, is to ignore the profound damage e-incarceration causes to individuals, families, and communities,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘Increasing surveillance and promoting ‘alternatives to prison’ like home detention also demonstrates the limitations of our imaginations,’ said Debbie Kilroy. ‘When we cannot imagine any other possibility to supporting people to live productive and constructive lives other than punitive systems of control that extend the carceral state, we are admitting that we are not committed to real justice or safety for all,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
The National Network urge the Tasmanian government and the broader community, including organisations who concern themselves with justice, to fight against these forms of punishment with the same fervour used to oppose the construction of new prisons. To do otherwise is to perpetuate harm and fail those trapped within the cycle of the carceral state.
True abolition means dismantling all systems of punishment—not just prisons, but the tools of control that extend their reach into our lives.
For further comment, please contact Tabitha Lean on 0499 780 226 or Debbie Kilroy on 0419 762 474
