• Peter Mares
• The National Interest, ABC Radio National

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25 March 2011What should prisoners be allowed to do? After all, under most circumstances they can't pop out for a weekend down the coast and their ability to interact with the community will always be severely curtailed. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. But what about art? Do people detained in our correctional services have the right to paint and have their work exhibited in the wider community? Not in Queensland they don't. Last September, the state's Parliament approved legislation which prevents the artworks of prisoners being either sold or exhibited. In other words, not only are prisoners prevented from profiting from their art, but they can't even have it seen by the wider community without the explicit permission of correctional administrator. It's tough legislation in keeping with tough standards of law and order being imposed by political leaders. But is limiting prisoners' ability to exhibit their work a violation of their basic human rights? And what impact could such a ban have on their rehabilitation? We'll help you paint a picture of the artwork produced by those incarcerated in Queensland.

Guests

Neal Price
Freelance Community Arts worker