"There were times where I thought that that was the only place for me was to be stuck in detention and stuff like that, because I'd become so used to it, it was like a normal thing to be staying in detention, or even staying in my room 24/7. It had just became normal."
The past four months are the longest Dylan Voller has been out of jail since he first entered the youth justice system eight years ago - at age 11.
In 2014, he was sentenced to three years and eight months for aggravated robbery.
He says he punched a man and stole his wallet, and is ashamed.
"I'm disgusted at my behaviour and really not proud of the things I did and said when I was younger, but I was a young kid, you know, a fair bit of trauma, and I didn't know how to cope with it, and I acted out and that. All I can do is apologise to everyone that I did offend."
Earlier this year, Mr Voller was released eight months early so he could undergo a 16-week rehabilitation program.
The idea is to help him reintegrate back into society with support before being released from prison entirely.
During his time on the outside, he has been at BushMob, a residential rehabilitation centre for young people in Alice Springs.
"It's completely different. You've got workers there that actually care, that actually come in to make a difference, and supporting you, not just locking you in a cell and expect you to change automatically by yourself."
Dylan Voller's caseworker is a man named Rusty, who says he has seen Mr Voller's progress over the past few months.
He says Mr Voller has, in fact, become a big role model for the younger youths at Bush Mob.
"He's had a hard run right from the get go, and certainly in the last decade. He's been through a lot of trial and tribulation, and I think that's paying dividend now."
He says it is not easy at Bush Mob but Dylan Voller has been a consistent example.
"We haven't had a single major incident since Dylan came, which is testimony to him and the hard work that he's put into it. This place runs 24/7, and young people are here for 16 weeks, so there's always somebody having a bad day. And he's just there sometimes, you know, just to help them calm down a bit, and say, 'Hey, you know, pull your head in, staff are busy.' You know that sort of middle ground between the staff and the younger clients."
But Mr Voller says the media attention surrounding the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre and his time there has caused him unwanted attention on the outside.
"I find it, like, if I put in for a job or go see somewhere, some people don't want anything to do with me because of my history and because of all that media attention and stuff like that. I guess I'm not a bad person. I've made a lot of bad mistakes, and it took me a long time to learn from them, but I have learned from them, and now I'm on the right path."
He says he has also received threats from online trolls, as well as from former Don Dale officers.
"I've had a couple of people threaten me on Facebook, like saying they're going to do stuff, or even just make comments. Even some of the officers from Don Dale commenting on posts about me. I had someone say that they were going to dig me a hole and they had a hole waiting for me when I was to be released from prison."
Mr Voller says he has been left traumatised by his time at Don Dale and it is going to be a long journey to his recovery.
"It's all going to be over, in terms of royal commissions and stuff like that, but, in me, it will never be over. I'll still relive and keep going through all that sort of stuff. It's going to take a long time to get over all that sort of stuff."
Dylan Voller says he hopes the royal commission will bring needed change for other youths, though..m
He says his hopes are that the government makes changes not only to the youth detention system but to help keep youths from entering the system.
Meanwhile, his sister Kirra Voller says she has seen a major improvement in her little brother.
"The amount that he has changed and grown just since he got let out has been amazing. It's a clear example of how much the system was holding him back."
And Rusty, the caseworker, also expresses faith, saying he is finally on the right path.
"And he'd be the first to admit that, you know, he made some dumb decisions in his life, he was a ratbag. He was a kid, you know, and kids do that. That's what being a kid is for."
Dylan Voller, himself, says, now, he wants to prove his doubters wrong.
"All you'll have to do is keep watching and see all the good success that comes out of my life now that I'm on the right path."
