TRUE JUSTICE OUT NOW

“Just like everyone else, New Zealanders love True Crime,

We love a mystery; a victim; a villain: 

When the bad guy goes to jail, and the good guys go back to their lives.

But REAL life isn’t that straightforward…” - True Justice

Justice advocacy group JustSpeak have announced the launch of True Justice - a five part narrative podcast series journeying through the justice system, from the moment of arrest to life after prison. Produced by JustSpeak and award winning podcast company Popsock Media (The Lake, The Magpie House), this series hears directly from those who have been through our prisons, threading  together a wealth of experience and expertise with witty anecdotes, laughter, and tears - from the mundanity of needing socks, to having to fight for life-saving medical care. 

True Justice is hosted by Tūhoe / Jewish Actor and musician Ana Chaya Scotney (Cousins, the Breaker-Upperers) and Victoria University Criminology (Hons) student Tommy Doran, who spent time in prison as a young methamphetamine addict. Although the two come to the podcast with vastly different life experiences, they’re both passionate about imagining a way our justice system might be done better. 

True Justice elevates the experiences of people who have found themselves trapped behind bars - exploring their hope and heartbreak, and the challenges they faced navigating the system. The podcast also features perspectives from academics, activists and justice sector leaders, which paint a clear picture of the systemic issues affecting justice in Aotearoa, and how it could be changed for the better. 

True Justice offers listeners an opportunity to see justice from the other side, drawing the connections between poverty, housing insecurity, disability, racism, mental illness, and the people we keep locked inside our prisons. By shedding light on the realities of life inside these cells, True Justice seeks to confront the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ nature of our justice system, where “going to prison [is] like disappearing, it's about becoming nothing”.  

Overarchingly, True Justice offers a clear vision for the future of justice in Aotearoa based on rehabilitation, restoration and decolonisation.

This podcast invites listeners to reflect on what justice means to them, and join the movement for true justice in Aotearoa. Register now to receive notification when True Justice is released, and find also information about services that you can get in contact with to volunteer and/or find support if you have been through the justice system.

JustSpeak is a non-profit organisation that advocates for transformational change in the criminal justice system, and works towards inspiring change towards a society without prisons, police and punishment and rather provides rehabilitation, therapy and education support to establish long lasting and meaningful change for everyone.

LISTEN HERE