Set Work

I. Define the words and word combinations below. Say how they were used in the article.

To dwarf, to be on remand, to be in for sth, acquisitive crimes, reverse, to conform to sth, mental institution, to be suffused with sth, to resuscitate, to forsake children, to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital, volatile, to necessitate, makeshift.

II. Scan the article for the following English equivalents of:

за решеткой, в тюрьме; небывало высокий подъем; кроме; заключать в тюрьму; мелкие правонарушения; жестокие преступления; оплатить штраф/проезд в такси; уголовное преступление; делать к-либо мишенью; стереотипные представления; упасть до отметки…; отвращение к себе; попытки самоубийства (2 вар.); упакованный; психиатрическая лечебница (2 вар.); выносить стресс; кишащий тараканами; меняющийся; камера смертников; грудной ребенок; петля; разместить; отбыть тюремный срок, «отсидеть».

III. Say what you know about:

Cherie lair, Lady Diana Mosley, Essex, Holloway;

National Prison Survey, Home Office research, Newgate.

IV. Explain what is meant by:

primitive prisons, anti-social behaviour, a TV licence, drug-related offences, feminist campaigner, fully 38%, self-harm, mental breakdown, to be taken into care, neurotic disorder, remand prisoners, suffragette, health and washing facilities.

V. Give words for the following definitions:

to make sth seem small or unimportant;

suddenly changing or becoming dangerous;

to make sth effective or successful again;

to make sth necessary;

to leave sb or stop helping or looking after them, when they still need you;

the period of time that an accused person waits for their trial;

made using whatever is available and therefore not very good;

trying to get things, especially because you want them, rather than because you need them;

to be spread over or sth;

to be similar to an idea of what is usual or normal.

VI. State the idea behind the lines below and enlarge on it.

1. Women at the Essex jail are still obliged to “slop out.”

2. Men prisons tend to have an air of brooding violence.

3. …he had to cut down six women after they had tried to hang themselves in their cells.

4. “I thought I had died and gone to hell,” he said.

5. Women are being targeted for failing to conform to stereotypical ideas of how “nice” girls must behave.

6. Such women tend already to be mentally vulnerable.

7. The ending of transportation and the closure of Newgate necessitated more places for female prisoners.

8. Few jails have a grimmer reputation.

9. Women who have done time agree that it’s the worst prison for bullying.

VII. Sum up the key points of the article.

VIII. Points for discussion.

1. Why does Britain today jail a greater proportion of women criminals?

2. Are men and women put behind bars for the same types of offences? How can you account for it?

3. Are women shown mercy in jails?

4. Why are most attempted suicides committed by women prisoners?

5. Are male or female criminals more dangerous, do you think?

6. What do you make of the final sentence? What is the author’s message?