Notice to new members intending to register - from January 9th 2012

bellie · #1 03-12-2012, 04:31 AM

I am still yet to understand the visit situation. You seem to book a time yet it doesn't seem to get checked. I booked for 12.15 last weekend but it was easily 12.30 before the "push and shove" began.

I really think they need a better system because it becomes slightly feral.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Noeleen · #2 03-14-2012, 01:34 AM

Hi, Bellie
I have been away on holiday and not logged in for a couple of weeks...Dawn de Loas visiting was what I wanted to talk about, and I see your post regarding the visiting there. Two months ago I wrote to the director asking permission for a two day visit to see my son. I have to drive for just over an hour, get a three and a half hour international flight and then a further hour drive to the prison. Flights from here go Tuesday and Saturday..the Saturday flight gets in to Sydney at 5 30pm ...so, obviously I can't visit my son that day. I am able to visit all day Sunday, but [although it has been all that time since I contacted them, and I've had no reply] my son tells me today that they wont allow me to see him on the Monday,as they don't have the staff for that. I know that one day is better than none, but my heart is breaking. I have already paid for my tickets...I can't stay longer as I can't afford the accommodation. I sometimes wonder if the 'decision makers' have a heart..perhaps they are not parents and don't know the heartbreak we go through...sometimes 'life just sucks' !!!
Maybe I'll see you there on my 'allowed' Sunday. I promise I will behave, and not be 'feral'. I'll be the white-haired lady ,probably crying!!!!

bellie · #3 03-14-2012, 03:09 AM

I can help you with mid week visits. Silverwater, like most min jails are supposed to be working jails and therefore don't allow mid week.

Have you been there before? What time is your visit?

Noeleen · #4 03-14-2012, 03:33 AM

Initially, before my son got bail, he was in Silverwater for two months..I visited him there several times. The system allowed me special extended visiting when I went over to see him because I was from 'out of the country'. I found everyone to be most helpful. When he was sentenced once again I was allowed the same ....I had gone over for his trial, and then three weeks later for his sentencing. Since then he has been moved to Dawn de Loas, and this is my first visit since November. There is visiting only at the weekend, but I was hoping [seeing that I asked two months in advance ]that there may have been an exception made...obviously not!!!!..I am visiting on 25 March.Apparently I can visit morning and again in the afternoon.thank you for your reply.

bellie · #5 03-14-2012, 03:49 AM

Nah. They will never make exceptions! My boyfriend was not supposed to be moved. An was and is now stuck in transit. It sucks.

Noeleen · #6 03-14-2012, 09:18 PM

You are right, Bellie! Absolutely no 'bending of the rules'. I have been on the phone several times today...spending most of my conversations in tears. They will not let me visit on Monday...so I fly all that way for a one day visit! I will have to make the day count, but I am so sad. My original letter to them requesting the extra day was written 9 January. I had no reply from them until I spoke to a woman today.I had hoped for more from them...an answer straight away from them would have meant I may have been able to make other arrangements !!
I miss my son.

**number8** · #7 03-15-2012, 02:24 AM

Hi Noeleen, My heart goes out to you. Special visits are hard to get here, and they probably think that since you get 1 days visit, thats enough. Yeah right!!
I asked my mate if there was anything he could suggest (he is in NZ tho) and he said try ringing the Chaplain. Sometimes they can assist with advise, or getting things done. Worth a try??

And Bellie - here visits start at 12:30 - but that the time you can sign in and get in line for the searches... so, yes, we loose a good 15 minutes before we can even start. Just make the most of the time you do have together. maybe think of it as 1 1/2 hour visit with any extra minutes as a bonus. Thats what I do now.

bellie · #8 03-15-2012, 04:21 AM

Good point! I just want the appeal news and him back in cessnock. Fingers crossed!

Noeleen · #9 03-16-2012, 01:59 AM

Thank you for the advice, Number8. Today I have a better perspective on my one day visit. My son phoned last night and he had tried 'from the inside' to see if he was able to get the permission we wanted. They explained to him that because there is such a small number in his section..about 60 I think, they can not have a guard solely to supervise our visit on the Monday. Makes great sense when explained, but why did they not give an answer to my request when I sent it on January 9 !!!!!We will make the most of our 6 hours. Just to see him where he is now will be good..to see him in his 'greens' instead of being 'locked into' a white overall will mean so much to me, too. It is so amazing that small things like that make so much difference in my life, now. Life changes so much when you have a child who has lost his freedom.
Kia Kaha.

*Becky2* · #10 03-16-2012, 03:47 AM

Noeleen, yes you've struck the problem that every person who has someone they love and care for locked away as come up against. The fact that unfortunately we don't particularly count. At Long Bay they had/have? a stupid system whereby every week the day and time of day of visits swaps back and forth depending what section you are in. So one week it will be Saturday's and one week it will be Sundays. For a month you'll get either mornings and the next you'll get afternoons. Now anyone will tell you that this is WAY too complicated a system for corrective services to be trying to manage. I used to fly down every weekend from Brisbane to see my husband and (stupidly) I tried to book ahead so I could take advantage of cheaper deals that were about. Then someone messed up and (my husband said it would have been an inmate working in the office) he typed up the forward visits programme and got two dates transposed and all of a sudden we got two Sunday's in a row. I lost around $400 in fares over that one. do you think I could get it fixed up (and we are talking 3 months ahead here)? No way. It had been typed up. It was set in stone. You just have to roll with the punches.

Becky

bellie · #11 03-16-2012, 03:55 AM

Woo hoo!! My dawn de loas days are over!!!!

Noeleen · #12 03-16-2012, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Becky2

Noeleen, yes you've struck the problem that every person who has someone they love and care for locked away as come up against. The fact that unfortunately we don't particularly count. At Long Bay they had/have? a stupid system whereby every week the day and time of day of visits swaps back and forth depending what section you are in. So one week it will be Saturday's and one week it will be Sundays. For a month you'll get either mornings and the next you'll get afternoons. Now anyone will tell you that this is WAY too complicated a system for corrective services to be trying to manage. I used to fly down every weekend from Brisbane to see my husband and (stupidly) I tried to book ahead so I could take advantage of cheaper deals that were about. Then someone messed up and (my husband said it would have been an inmate working in the office) he typed up the forward visits programme and got two dates transposed and all of a sudden we got two Sunday's in a row. I lost around $400 in fares over that one. do you think I could get it fixed up (and we are talking 3 months ahead here)? No way. It had been typed up. It was set in stone. You just have to roll with the punches.

Becky

Unbelievable...isn't it !!!I tend to think it is just me feeling like this..how selfish of me..there are so many others in the same position..I know what you mean about airfares...I tried to change my flight next Saturday to the Friday and fly firstly to Auckland then on to Sydney, so that I could visit both days...sooo expensive at this late date [if only they had let me know earlier], so decided against the change and put the money towards our fares when [???] his appeal comes up.
Is your man still in Long bay, or is he home with you?
Kia Kaha
Noeleen

Noeleen · #13 03-16-2012, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellie

Woo hoo!! My dawn de loas days are over!!!!

Have you had good news? What has happened? You sound so excited..I'm pleased for you.

bellie · #14 03-16-2012, 04:32 PM

Noeleen the whole system sucks. I don't expect anything but the worst now. Then if it doesn't happen it's ok!

He got moved to cessnock this morning and while it's 2 hours from me it means he is back to work and Tafe. So we are all happy. Now just waiting for the appeal news.

Noeleen · #15 03-16-2012, 05:05 PM

Don't know of Cessnock. At Dawn de Loas my son has work, not exactly mindblowing stuff but he says it helps pass the day. I think that he is hoping for a gardening job. just has to wait for one to come up. Here's hoping. He also wants to do a Small Business course, as he had his own business before going to prison..of course that had to close down..but hopes when all this is over he will be able to start again!!
Good luck for your appeal news..we are still waiting for a date.

bellie · #16 03-16-2012, 05:08 PM

Yeh dawn de loas is good if your not on transit. He went there purely for court and so he didn't have any of his things.

It's good your son is looking towards the future. How long does he have left?

*Becky2* · #17 03-16-2012, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noeleen

Unbelievable...isn't it !!!I tend to think it is just me feeling like this..how selfish of me..there are so many others in the same position..I know what you mean about airfares...I tried to change my flight next Saturday to the Friday and fly firstly to Auckland then on to Sydney, so that I could visit both days...sooo expensive at this late date [if only they had let me know earlier], so decided against the change and put the money towards our fares when [???] his appeal comes up.
Is your man still in Long bay, or is he home with you?
Kia Kaha
Noeleen

My darling has been home now for just over 2 years....so yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel. It must be so hard for you being in another country (even if it is just across the ditch

while he is stuck in gaol over here. I thought it was bad enough with my in Qld and him in NSW but at least we were on the same continent! You hang in there and best of luck with the sentencing (I think you said you were still waiting?)

Becky

Noeleen · #18 03-17-2012, 10:06 PM

My son has done almost 6 months and has 3 1/2years to go. We have an appeal in...[ all paid for!!] but as yet no date. I suppose it doesn't matter if it takes all year..at least we all have some hope. The judge sentenced him to 4 years non-parole, 2 years parole..so six years before he can leave the country..I was at the trial and flew back over for the sentencing. I couldn't believe it. We were thinking two years max. Even the prosecution said it was a harsh sentence...so we live in hope, as everyone else does, I suppose.

Anyway..only 7 more sleeps until I get to see him for a whole day.
Good 'talking' to you both.
Kia Kaha

bellie · #19 03-18-2012, 01:30 AM

Have you had a callover date yet?

Noeleen · #20 03-18-2012, 01:46 AM

Not sure what a 'call over' date is. I had an e-mail from his lawyer when he received the court transcript, and he said he would advise us of any progress/dates. Still waiting. I will contact him next weekend when I am over there.

Noeleen · #21 03-18-2012, 01:50 AM

Not sure what a 'call over' date is. I had an e-mail from his lawyer when he received the court transcript, and he said he would advise us of any progress/dates. Still waiting. I will contact him next weekend when I am over there.

bellie · #22 03-18-2012, 02:58 AM

Have a look on the online court registry. Just google online court list nsw and type in the surname and that should give you dates about a month or so in advance.

Noeleen · #23 03-30-2012, 02:47 AM

I went to Australia last Saturday and had a day visit with my son on Sunday. That was all I was allowed. I flew home on Tuesday.
I took with me some All Black socks that my son wanted, plus a pair of possum/merino black socks. Socks and undies are all you are allowed to give at Dawn de Loas. Well...surprise, surprise...the All Black socks were not socks they were "hose' therefore not allowed. The p/m socks were allowed as a 'oncer' as they were too great a quality !!!!! I had photos to take in..surprise, surprise...they were not allowed. They had to be posted...even though my daughter-in-law had taken photos in on other visits. To cut a long story short, the printed notice on the window was 'supposedly' out of date [the one that said photos were allowed] and so they took down the notice while we were standing there!!! Needless to say that by the time I got in to see my darling boy I was crying and really upset. It was so special to see him after four months. He looked so good, and seemed quite settled. With my daughter-in-law, step-grand-daughter and my son we had a lovely day. Half way through the visit one of the guards came over and told me to get my photos. He looked at them and decided that it was okay to give them to my son.....Do they do this just so that you know that they are 'in charge' ??
Seeing him in his new environment has helped me. When I think of him I can visualise him sitting there in his 'greens', far less upsetting than the white overalls when he was on remand. He looked like my little boy, again...he's 38!! It was hard to leave when the time was up, but I'm so glad that I got the opportunity to see him.
It's now back to work so that we can save the money for both my husband and I to go over in another few months.

bellie · #24 03-30-2012, 01:48 PM

Noeleen, post the socks and undies. It's way easier.

Glad you saw your son!

**number8** · #25 03-30-2012, 04:38 PM

Im so pleased you got to have a good visit in the end.
These rules about the socks and pictures, so silly arent they. But good to hear they relented and alowed the pictures. Here you cant take them in, can only post them, and for any clothing at all they have to have a form, and nothing with logos or pictures on them, so I doubt the all black socks would be allowed either.
It makes a big difference once you can see your son and see for yourself that he is OK. I bet you'll be watching for cheap airfares that come up :-)
Fingers crossed for the appeal, do let us know when its coming up.
Have a good day today :-)
8