This episode takes us into a parallel world where prison abolition has been meaningfully achieved through the leadership, resistance, and vision of First Nations survivors and families.

Conversely, here in our world, the reality for Indigenous people in the colony called ‘Australia’, is one of profound and ongoing injustice. First Nations peoples are disproportionately impacted by the colonial criminal justice system and the ongoing crisis of Aboriginal Deaths in Custody — in which preventable deaths persist due to institutional failure – highlights not just the systemic racism and neglect at play, but the deep lack of culturally appropriate approaches.

There is a long and painful history of mistrust between Indigenous communities and law enforcement, and an immense history of emotional, intellectual, and political labour carried by First Nations families who have long fought to expose the structures of state violence, the legal fictions underpinning our colonial system’s understanding of harm, and institutional betrayal.

In this parallel world, things are different. Justice is no longer defined by the colonial frameworks we know today.

Our Many Worlds Traveller is Dr Latoya Aroha Rule whose work responds to issues of state violence, First Nations justice, and family-led legislative reform.

Episode Credits:

Producer/Presenter/Editor: Daz Chandler
Many Worlds Traveller: Dr Latoya Aroha Rule
Original Music/Soundmix: Edwin Montgomery
Graphic Design: Ahmed Salama

The artist, Miream Salameh has created a process based work in response to this parallel world. To engage with this and to watch a documentary about her thinking and creative practice visit:
https://theparalleleffect.substack.com/p/a-world-beyond-prisons