1

Worksheet 2: Prisons

Introduction: Prisons

A. Look at the table of statistics below:

August 2007 / Remand / Immediate Custodial Sentence
All prisoners / 13,159 / 65,942
Violence against the person / 3,312 / 8,089
Sexual Offences / 817 / 7,394
Robbery / 1,423 / 8,573
Burglary / 1,440 / 7,871
Theft and Handling / 1,012 / 3,664
Fraud and Forgery / 546 / 1,799
Drug Offences / 1,820 / 10,592
Motoring Offences / 139 / 1,455
Other Offences / 1,856 / 6,162
Offence not recorded / 793 / 343

Notes about the table:

Taken from Ministry of Justice website – statistics for August 2007 and based on prison population in England and Wales.

All prisoners includes men and women and adults (over 21) and young adults (18-20).

On remand means a person is in prison awaiting a second hearing.

Prison population in June 1995 was 51,080 and June 2005 it was 76,90.

Discussion Questions

  1. Are you surprised by the number of people in prison in the UK? Give reasons.
  2. Which crimes are the most common? Comment on this?
  3. Women account for a small proportion of prisoners (4,408 in August 2007). Can you think of reasons why this is the case?
  4. Do you think that the prison population will continue to rise?
  5. Do you think prison is the answer as a punishment?

B. Inside a prison – we have all seen prisons in TV programmes such as Prison Break and Oz or in films such as Dead Man Walking or The Shawshank Redemption. Note down your ideas about prisons:

-description of the cell and facilities

-what the prisoner must feel - emotions

-how they are treated

-activities in prison to keep busy

-what do you think you would miss the most being in prison?

Share your ideas.

COMPARATIVE COMMENTARY: introducing how to write a comparative commentary.

Text 1a: Green Green Grass of Home

The old home town looks the same,
As I step down from the train,
And there to meet me is my mama and my papa.
Down the road I look, and there comes Mary,
Hair of gold and lips like cherries.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.
The old house is still standing,
Though the paint is cracked and dry,
And there's the old oak tree that I used to play on.
Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary,
Hair of gold and lips like cherries.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.
Yes, they'll all come to see me,
Arms reaching, smiling sweetly.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.
Then I awake and look around me,
At the four gray walls that surround me,
And I realize that I was only dreaming.
For there's a guard, and there's a sad old padre,
Arm in arm, we'll walk at daybreak.
Again, I'll touch the green, green grass of home.
Yes, they'll all come to see me
In the shade of the old oak tree,
As they lay me 'neath the green, green grass of home.

Song lyrics – sung by Tom Jones 1966 Written by Claude "Curly" Putman Jr. In 1965

Text 1b: Breslau Prison, December 1917

Here I am lying in a dark cell upon a mattress hard as stone; the building has its usual churchyard quiet, so that one might as well be already entombed; through the window there falls across the bed a glint of light from the lamp which burns all night in front of the prison. At intervals I can hear faintly in the distance the noise of a passing train or close at hand the dry cough of the prison guard as in his heavy boots, he takes a few slow strides to stretch his limbs. The grind of the gravel beneath his feet has so hopeless a sound that all the weariness and futility of existence seems to be radiated thereby into the damp and gloomy night. I lie here alone and in silence, enveloped in the manifold black wrappings of darkness, tedium, unfreedom, and winter - and yet my heart beats with an immeasurable and incomprehensible inner joy, just as if I were moving in the brilliant sunshine across a flowery mead. And in the darkness I smile at life, as if I were the possessor of charm which would enable me to transform all that is evil and tragical into serenity and happiness. But when I search my mind for the cause of this joy, I find there is no cause, and can only laugh at myself." — I believe that the key to the riddle is simply life itself, this deep darkness of night is soft and beautiful as velvet, if only one looks at it in the right way. The grind of the damp gravel beneath the slow and heavy tread of the prison guard is likewise a lovely little song of life - for one who has ears to hear.

Extract from: Rosa Luxemburg Letters to Sophie Liebknecht

A. Introduction -

Fill out the grid below about the two texts. This information can then be used to write an introduction about the two texts.

Text 1a / Text 1b
Text Type/Genre
Author
Date it was written
Purpose
Audience
Structure
Tone
Narrative Voice and Point of View

Can you notice any differences or similarities between the two texts? The above information can then be put together to write the introduction and the first paragraph.

Introduction: Introduce your texts. State the title, author, date written (if known) and genre. Summarize the content of each text in one or two sentences. State the common theme.

Paragraph one: State the purpose, audience and tone of each text. Comment on the structure of the texts and what effect this has. You could also mention the point of view(1st/2nd/3rd person narrator; biased/objective)

Write this up now and be ready to read yours out in class.

B. More detail – Now read through and see if you can pick out any devices used by the writer to achieve his aim. Here are some ideas below to help you but you might find other techniques.

Techniques / Examples / Comments
Text 1a – use of similes / Lips like cherries
Text 1b – use of similes / Mattress hard as stone
Use of tenses – Text 1b / Here I am lying / Use of present continuous places the reader directly in the action as if the scene is unfolding in front of our eyes.
Metaphors
Alliteration
Lexical Field
Use of contractions / This makes it easier for the listener to “hear” the voice of the character – as if he is speaking to us.
Diction – choice of vocabulary
Images which appeal to the sense of sight / hearing

Body of commentary: You now need to compare and contrast the two texts. The number of paragraphs you write will depend on each individual although you should be aiming for 3-4 sides of exam paper. Do not deal with text A and then text B : use the sub-themes to structure your commentary. Make sure you show how the language is used to communicate the themes of the text – do not have a separate section for language and another for themes. Incorporate your examples into the text. Remember: Point – Quotation- Comment (PQC) Remember one paragraph=one idea. You can compare the two texts in the same paragraph, but start a new one when you move onto another idea.

Choose three of the ideas in the table above and make them into paragraphs. Write your three paragraphs now.

Conclusion: When you have mentioned all the key points comparing the two texts you need to end on a short conclusion. Do not be vague and say that ‘the two texts have lots of similarities and differences’ – this is obvious. By all means, make a generalised point about how the two texts deal with the same theme but in a different way but try to add an element of originality. Did you find the texts effective? Is one more effective than the other? Why? What was the message of each text? Wasit effectively conveyed to you, the audience?

Homework: Research

Go to the following website:

On the left-hand side of the screen click on the Death Penalty Fact Sheet pdf – download this and save it to your computer. Use it to answer the following questions.

  1. How many states still have the death penalty?
  2. Four of those states have not executed anyone since 1976 – name them?
  3. How many executions have there been since 1976 in the USA?
  4. Look at the race pie charts on page 1 – what is being suggested here about the death penalty?
  5. Since 1973 how many people have been released from death row?
  6. What is the race of death row inmates – see pie chart on page 2? Comment on this.
  7. Which three states have executed the most number of people? Which region of the USA has executed the most number of people? See page 3.
  8. Draw a graph or bar chart to illustrate DEATH SENTENCING – see page 3.
  9. According to this website what do criminologists feel about the death penalty as a deterrant?
  10. What different methods are used to execute prisoners?
  11. Read Financial Facts about the death penalty – what is implied here?
  12. This is a Fact Leaflet – note down all the techniques used in this leaflet to persuade of their argument.