Launching Prisoners & Mental
Health Patients Online!
Justice Action is proud to introduce iExpress, the world’s first prisoner webpage and interactive email system aimed to empower people in prisons and forensic hospitals by bringing them into the digital world, reducing the divide and social exclusion that currently exists. They will now have the opportunity to access a new and exciting platform of self-expression and communication, free of charge. Our launch video is here.
- iExpress presents a personal webpage, which allows people in prisons and hospitals to make a personal statement that addresses their current feelings and attitudes. It is also a stable address for contact.
- iExpress provides a platform which facilitates restorative justice and reconciliation within the community. It is a positive community-building project. It provides people in prisons and forensic hospitals the chance to say sorry and present themselves, as well as reply. It is supported by victims' organisations.
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights protects the rights of expression and personal opinion under articles 2, 3,12, 18,19, 22 and 27. The Declaration can be accessed here.
- iExpress complies with Commonwealth and State legislation, also under s 51(v) of the Australian Constitution, which relates to communication powers. Legal analysis is accessed here.
- Victorian challenge to iExpress's existence provides an opportunity to secure it. Their letter is here. Our response is here. See media coverage here. It will remain a responsible refuge for all people in custody nationally and internationally, and it cannot be removed.
International Developments
The UK and the USA are currently working to improve prisoner and mental health patient’s access to information technology. A program was established on the ‘Write a Prisoner’ website in the USA in 2000. On this website, prisoners pay a fee to establish a pen-pal profile that includes personal information which can be viewed by potential pen pals. Pen pals could then correspond with prisoners by email whilst the prisoner could not directly respond. In addition to establishing a personal profile, prisoners can also establish career profiles with information regarding their education and employment history for future employment opportunities. ‘Write a Prisoner’ is also a platform for displaying prisoner artworks and poetry, and allows prisoners to upload blog posts. The success of this website is evidenced by its longevity and its continuing popularity and expansion.
