Laquisha named the structure plainly
Laquisha lives with her auntie, 16, goes to St Joseph’s
“I don’t like going to Darwin cause I have no family there. Just 12 minute calls.”
Laquisha, 16 · Alice Springs · Oonchiumpa
Laquisha lives with her auntie. She is 16, goes to St Joseph’s. She has been to Darwin youth detention, 1,500km from home. Twelve-minute phone calls. Two-hour waits between calls. No family there. Lockdown at 6:30 every night.
When asked why young people get in trouble, she answered in one word: “Oppression.” She wants her driver’s licence. She wants to travel. Court is scary because you don’t know whether you are getting out or not, and your family is sitting there watching.
What judges should hear. “It would’ve been better hanging around with family instead of sitting in your cell by yourself. Just 12 minute calls.” — Laquisha
Take it back to chambers
- Open the Alice Springs context page to hold story, place, and system reality in the same frame.
Read with Country in mind
This page mirrors the back of postcard 05 from the Judges on Country deck. The full polished story will be published once Kristy Bloomfield and Tanya Turner have reviewed it. In the meantime, the postcard's own words sit here as the canonical source.
Open the Judges on Country field guide · Watch the Oonchiumpa video · Visit the Oonchiumpa basecamp