Despite extensive preparation, legal skill and best courtroom efforts,
it’s always possible that some clients will unfortunately end up doing real jail time.
The natural extension of your efforts protecting your client in the courtroom, is to ensure that they, particularly if this is their first incarceration, are equipped with informed preparation for the traumatic experience they now face, while in prison but also in managing their personal affairs.
These issues need attention beforehand, not only for themselves, but also for family dependants and loved ones left on the outside.
White collar Turns green has recognised this gap, too long overlooked in client care, and has established an innovating and informed
incarceration advisory service, based on real life experiences, to prepare, in particular, white collar clients, for the unwritten rules and the pitfalls of prison life.
Prison is unlike any other life experience.
What may seem inconsequential in everyday life can draw devastating results in what is a tense and irrational incarcerated environment.
We may not always be able to keep them out, but we can try to keep them safe.
Richard Hogg, accountant and former principal of a successful Melbourne business, for his sins, understands how it feels to swap the business suit for a green tracksuit.
“In this great country we often take a historical and laconic pride in our attitude to society’s rules like a rite of passage. It came as a great shock to me that pushing boundaries could actually land you on the other side of a set of bars”
“What was even more of a shock was that life behind those bars bears no resemblance to life outside. Pushing boundaries or prison rules while inside can very quickly leave you scarred both mentally and physically”
Nothing makes prison life easy, but an understanding of how survive the system, can make it safer. Fortunately the advice Richard got, although varied and very patchy, proved to be invaluable.
The lived experience of Richard Hogg and his colleagues has been the motivation behind this professionally created incarceration advisory group.
White Collar Turns Green is designed to adequately prepare, in two or three informed and informative sessions, anyone facing even the possibility of incarceration.
This innovative approach will not only help get through time inside, but also make it easier for those left outside.
Teegan Hartwick has had three years of life experience in this area.
The needs, trauma and responsibilities for women facing jail time are often more complex, multi layered and demanding than their male counterparts.
Women are often responsible, not only for themselves, but for the care of their children and/or parents and usually with less resources.
“What I found most distressing, apart from the indignity of facing jail time at all, was hat my 5 month old daughter had to endure that journey inside with me, while my ine year old son had to be cared for outside. This is always going to be complex and stressful for any woman, on multiple levels”.
Teegan has since qualified with Certificate IV in Community Services, Mental Health and AOD and works in a drug and alcohol therapy hospital. She now chooses, through WCTG to use her lived experience to help smooth the path for other women who find themselves in this difficult predicament.
“Women’s experiences in prisons are, in many ways, just as precarious, but very different from men’s.
Behavioural norms accepted in everyday life can be completely different to what is required or accepted inside.
Preparation is the key. The better they are informed beforehand the more they can stay safe and avoid the stress that comes from uncertainty”.
TESTIMONIAL 1
‘For over 30 years I have represented clients, some who faced a jail sentence and I had little advice to prepare them for what they may face once inside.
Prisons have a unique culture, language and follow processes that are foreign to normal life. By the very nature of a prison sentence, a prisoners rights and normality are gone. Tensions abound, particularly between inmates, in an environment that can be daunting and confusing.
The team at WCTG bring life experience and assistance designed for preparation, adaption to the prison culture, for both men and women…knowing when to speak,
what to say and when not to.
Understanding what to expect beforehand can add confidence and coping skills
while in the system, preparation and self management can also deliver better outcomes for early release.
I will be recommending this service to any clients facing a jail sentence.’
– Michael Benjamin, OAM, LL.B
TESTIMONIAL 2
‘People who face the risk of going to jail for the first time have very heightened levels of anxiety, due to the uncertainty of what will happen in prison.
The idea of a pre-incarceration briefing, such as that proposed by WCTG is a concept that is worthwhile.
It is particularly relevant to those who might be about to face the complexities and danger of prison life for the first time.’
– Tony Hargreaves, LL.B
TESTIMONIAL 3
‘White Collar Turns Green, led by Richard Hogg and his dedicated team, stands out as an invaluable resource for individuals facing incarceration. Here’s why their assistance is a beacon of hope:
In-Depth Guidance — They demystify the prison system, providing clarity and understanding about what to expect.
Comprehensive Preparation — The team ensures individuals are well-prepared,
handling legal matters and logistics.
Emotional Support — They offer a compassionate ear, helping individuals
cope with the emotional challenges.
Resource Network — A vast network connects individuals to essential resources
inside and outside prison.
In short, “White Collar Turns Green” offers unwavering support, guidance, and advocacy for those facing incarceration, empowering them to navigate this challenging journey with hope and resilience. Richard Hogg and his team’s dedication to positive change is commendable.’
– Michael Cooper,
Principal Solicitor – Just Law Victoria
