For the next four years we’ll be advocating for changes that help people caught in the justice system strengthen their connection to their families and communities, get access to the resources they need, and live lives that have purpose and meaning in places they belong.

Our ED of Programs Franceyne was a guest on @3crmelbourne.bsky.social's Brainwaves program yesterday. She explored how Vacro supports mental health as a crucial part of the reintegration journey, given the criminalisation of mental illness and barriers to mental health support in prison:

Listen to this beautiful song written many years ago by a woman who spent time incarcerated and in secure care. An ode to the reintegration journey: one filled with forgiveness, transformation, and renewal.

Check out the new six-part docuseries from @prisoninsider.bsky.social telling the stories of families affected by the incarceration of a loved one in six countries: Connecting Stories Beyond Bars empowers and amplifies the voices of these families as advocates for change.

"Children who are healthy, housed, educated, connected to family and their culture, don't engage in serious reoffending," Dr Zorbas said.

As the Victorian Government vows to put more teens in jail for longer stints, two government agencies warn the system is already struggling to cope with youth offenders, leaving kids cut off from programs proven to help break the cycle of reoffending.

The Victorian Ombudsman’s investigation into an alleged use of force incident at Ravenhall Correctional Centre - a private prison operated by GEO Group - has uncovered significant gaps in processes of self-scrutiny by private prisons.

Vacro Board Member and @humanrightshrlc.bsky.social associate legal director @moniquehurley.bsky.social called on the government to urgently invest in support services over political point-scoring “in an alarming race to the bottom”.

"Those of us closely involved in the criminal justice system...see how the right support can help a troubled young kid get training, get a job, and change the trajectory of their life." Hear, hear 👏

Vacro was a proud contributor to the first Prison Law Handbook, launched by Fitzroy Legal Service today. The Handbook is a comprehensive resource built to give people in prison and their families up to date legal information and a clear picture of their rights.

At Vacro, we strongly oppose the proposed changes to youth justice legislation to try children in the adult system and incarcerate them, in some cases, for life. Vacro will work with our sector colleagues to advocate against this harmful legislation being passed and push instead for what works.

In the three months since the Bail Amendment Act 2025 came into force, @victorialegalaid.bsky.social reports a 144% increase in remand duty lawyer services provided to First Nations children and a 159% increase in services provided to First Nations women.

After 13 incredible years, we bid farewell and extend our deepest gratitude to David Jablonka, our Second Chance Cycles Manager. David’s impact has been nothing short of extraordinary. Thank you, David, for your passion, generosity, and unwavering belief in people.

Coming soon: The Connect will provide people in prison with access to a secure intranet, hosting information about services, resources, and supports. Today we filmed a video for The Connect about our family visits program!

Spending Christmas and New Years in prison can be extremely isolating. If you have a friend, family member or loved one in prison, you can send a message via About Time, and the message will be published in the special December edition of the paper. Submissions close November 10.

This wonderful webinar from our friends at INCCIP and @shineforkids.bsky.social provides internationally relevant education and advice for using human rights tools and institutions to support children with incarcerated parents. It's a perfect lunchtime watch:

Future Dreaming is an annual exhibition presented by The Torch and established in 2020. We visited the exhibition last week, and here’s what we saw!

Over the summer we shared regular coverage of California’s wildfires and the incarcerated firefighters conscripted to fight them. After years of advocacy, a bill has been signed raising their pay to the federal minimum wage (via @calmatters.org )

Val has spent 15 years tinkering with bikes underground at our Second Chance Cycles program in Collingwood. He's been at Cycles since the beginning and is seamlessly woven into the fabric of the cycling community in Melbourne.

Our colleagues at the @innovativejustice.bsky.social and Melbourne City Mission have released an important new report spotlighting the needs and experiences of unaccompanied young people seeking shelter.

Our world-first Reintegration Practice Framework was recently cited by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in its global study on social reintegration: www.ohchr.org/en/documents... The report was presented to the Sixtieth session of the Human Rights Council.

"John’s terminal diagnosis meant he could not serve out his sentence. He was certainly in no state to reoffend...no risk to society. Why could he not have been granted compassionate release...to spend his final days with family?" New Pearls & Irritiations piece asks why we let people die in prison:

We were proud to attend the Inner North Community Foundation Awards at Abbotsford Convent last night and celebrate the ongoing funding awarded to our Second Chance Cycles program.

“The 20-year study also found that the increase in prison population did not correlate with an increase in individuals committing crimes, with the number of offenders per capita reaching its lowest level in 2023-24.”

"Information about what companies use prison labour in Victoria is held notoriously tight...the government has labelled this information commercial in confidence, and has previously argued the release of such details could harm prisoners’ post-release employment prospects."

Romy S. joined Vacro 16 years ago and has been instrumental in shaping the way we deliver Family Therapy since the program’s inception. Thank you Romy, and congratulations on this milestone.

We should be wary of just adopting another country's policies. Early 2000s Glasgow is nothing like Melbourne today. But a public health/social welfare approach to youth crime is undoubtedly the way forward. Governments must explore approaches by working with civil society orgs - we know what works.

"Most of the cost of that phone call is paying a telco to do monitoring and surveillance...we don't think that's a cost that should be passed onto families." Vacro CEO Marius Smith updates ABC Radio National's Life Matters on our phone calls campaign:

At our recent All Staff Meeting we celebrated some big staff milestones. Melanie Field-Pimm first joined us on a placement in the 90s, came back to manage our family services in 2005, and marks her 20th anniversary with us as Executive Director of Development. Join us in congratulating Mel!

After a brief hiatus from social media, Vacro is back online! For the latest news, tools, resources, and expert voices from Victoria's specialist criminal justice reintegration service, follow us here or: 💡: linkedin.com/company/vacr... 📘: www.facebook.com/vacroau

Two ABC articles, one day apart. Two diametrically opposed approaches to crime prevention. One works. The other just got three quarters of a billion dollars in funding. If we want stronger, safer communities that can overcome the drivers of crime, we *must* invest in them instead.

Do you know someone who: 🟣Is a digital comms whizz & can do socials, email, website, & even a bit of video/graphic design?! 🟣Is passionate & knowledgeable about justice system reform?! 🟣Wants flexible p/t hours at an NFP that walks the talk & truly supports wellbeing?! Send them to me please! ⤵️

The VIC Government has announced plans to reverse its 2023 bail reforms. This will hurt children, families, and communities. Harsh bail laws put thousands of people in prison who likely won’t be sentenced to a term of imprisonment and may not even be convicted of a crime. Read our media release:

The @auslawreform.bsky.social found that mandatory minimum sentence rules for sexual offences in place around the country subject victims to exacerbated and often unnecessary trauma.

Seven incarcerated people have died since New York corrections officers began their strike - including one man allegedly beaten to death by guards. The officers are protesting a 2022 law that strictly limited their use of solitary confinement. 9 in 10 officers have participated in the strike.

"Governments spend money on the things that matter to them (building prisons), and drag their feet about the things that seemingly do not (preventing torture in prisons)." Vacro board member @moniquehurley.bsky.social and Andreea Laschz in @overlandjournal.bsky.social:

GEO Group operates two prisons right here in Victoria.

First WA prison podcast, ‘Concrete Mama,’ launches at penitentiary (via The Seattle Times ) www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

And for Australia:

Closures instead of 'reforms'. Releases instead of transfers. Inside the @curbprisons.bsky.social People’s Plan for Prison Closure:

Allowing COs to throw more people into solitary does not leave anyone better off — and it’s beyond shameful that this negotiation was even on the table. buff.ly/uhozq4F

In correctional healthcare systems, care is secondary to controlling costs & avoiding lawsuits — a problem plaguing both private & public healthcare delivery. What'll it take to get people the care they need? Learn more in @prisonpolicy.bsky.social's new report: www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/heal...

“Prison officials said on Saturday that an inmate at Mid-State Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison in Marcy, N.Y., near Utica, was pronounced dead… nine prisoners said the inmate had been brutally beaten by corrections officers.” www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/n...

If you’re interested in #probation you may be interested in this paper: academic.oup.com/bjc/advance-...

"I just hope that people start to understand and realise what the experience of women, of mothers is in prison" Director Anna Herrmann and Assistant Director Neetu Singh talk about the process of creating Scenes from Lost Mothers. www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0oV...

Governments across Australia and around the world are recognising that outsourcing prison operations to private, for-profit operators has been a harmful and expensive mistake. It's time Victoria de-privatises its prison system - and gets private subcontractors out of the system too.

The current persecution of trans people in US prisons is horrific. Osita is right - it's a historic roll back of rights. And we can see politicians in Australia moving the same way. We have to stand against any attempted persecution of our trans community.

The future of the Dhurringile Prison site outside Shepparton is uncertain. Community consultation will likely start soon. The redevelopment of the Pentridge site into a swanky hotel/apartment complex has been criticised by formerly incarcerated people. So what *do* you do with a former prison?

The crisis in the NT corrections system shows how naive and irresponsible it is to think you can solve a state's problems by simply throwing more and more people in prison.

The National Children's Commissioner has revealed to the Senate Inquiry into Australia's youth justice and incarceration system that she was barred from inspecting youth detention facilities in Victoria. Other jurisdictions opened their doors. She was given no reason for the secrecy: