Tahlia Isaac

We have shared experiences.

Where can we find our common ground?

Like where can we find how we can relate to each other rather than like –

sitting on opposite polarizing ends of the spectrum and hating each other and fighting like, where can we find our commonality?

We can find something common and we can grow from there and, and actually find real solutions to things if we can see each other's humanity.

Yeah, I think we need to start by reducing the number of people.

But I only ever talk about women because that's my experience.

I'm a woman.

I've only done time in a women's prison, so I can only speak to that.

So reduce the number of women in prison, for starters.

So empty them.

Divert people from them as much as possible.

Drug courts, drug diversion, Murray Court, Corey Court, those kinds of diversionary programs.

Then the next thing we need to do is they need to be gender responsive.

Strip searches need to go.

We have body scanners and other methods of detecting contraband that are much more effective and much less invasive and traumatizing.

Yeah.

And I was speaking to a prison director over in New Zealand.

Because I just visited there and visited the prison.

And she said, like, yes, we got the body scanner because it's gender responsive and it's part of our strategy to make this prison better responsive to women's needs.