Unit 86 anger mounts over brixton jail deaths
Outraged reform groups were yesterday demanding action to clean up Brixton Prison after it was revealed that 10 men died there in the last 12 months.
Nine of the prisoners were unsentenced or unconvicted men on remand awaiting trial. Seven were found hanging in their cells while the other three either died of natural causes or self- inflicted injuries. Two of the deaths occurred last month.
Tony Ward of Inquest, a group campaigning against deaths in custody, said he was «quite staggered» by the figures.
«It is horrific. It is beyond anything that we have ever encountered before».
Mr. Ward said the most deaths in a prison the group had discovered in one year were four at Canterbury prison in 1982.
Л spokesman for Radical Alternatives to Prison, said the laet that nearly all the prisoners were on remand made the lif'iircs «all the more shocking».
On Wednesday, Southwark Coroners Court heard evidence about one man who hanged himself in his Brixton cell in November.
11 was revealed that prison officers were unable to open cell doors at night by themselves to save inmates who might be dying. Keys were kept in a sealed package opened only by a senior officer.
The RAP spokesman said this was a problem in all prisons ,ind one that cropped up time and time again with many prison hangings.
Itnxton Prison operates special watches for prisoners believed to be suicide risks. Special Watch A involves constant supervision, often in an open ward, and Special Watch В involves observation every 15 minutes in cells in the prison's
edical wing» — which is really indistinguishable from any
oilier wing.
< iareth Peirce, a lawyer who handles custody deaths at Inquests, said earlier this week that prisoners at Brixton have і omplained that the 15 minute watches were not kept and that I и г.oners were often «left banging all night without ever seeing и |u non officer».
By Don Monteith.
Tasks and exercises
I Answer the questions:
I) Why did the reform groups demand action to clean up Hrixton Prison?
) Were all the deceased old timers and recidivists? *) What made the figure «all the more shocking»? I) Why were the prison officers unable to open cell doors? і) What special watches are operated in Brixton Prison? <>) Were 15 minutes watches kept in fact?
Make up a dialogue on the theme using the expressions:
It is horrific!
It is beyond anything that we have ever encountered
before!
All the more shocking!
This problem crops up time and time again.
left banging all night without ever seeing a prison officer!
quite staggered by the figures
Explain the expressions: to be on remand; self-inflicted injuries.
Give the synonyms:
inmates; to crop up; watch; in custody; outraged; to demand; trial; staggered; to reveal.
Insert the prepositions if necessary:
All the prisoners who died were ... remand.
This problem of hanging cropped ... in many prisons.
The reform groups demand action to clean ... the prison.
Sam died when ... custody.
The medical wing is really indistinguishable .... any other wing.
Unit 87 PAROLE
Parole, or release on license is the conditional release of prisoner from prison. Under the Criminal Justice Act 1991, anyone sentenced to imprisonment for between 12 month and 4 years must be released on license after serving one-half of the sentence. Those imprisoned for 4 years or more must be paroled after serving two-thirds of their sentence.
Local review committees in each area consider all cases and advise the Home Secretary, who may either release the prisoner himself or refer his case to the Parole Board. This Board includes a judge, a psychiatrist, a person experienced in caring for discharged prisoners, and a person trained in the treatment of offenders.
The Hoard considers reports and evidence relating to the prisonei and defines the conditions under which he may be released.
The Home Secretary may recall the prisoner on parole to l*i ison at any time, either on the recommendation of the Parole lid.ud (її whenever he thinks it necessary to do so without . (insulting the Board.
Tasks and exercises
lixplain the notion «parole».
Give the corresponding verbs or nouns:
Can you agree with the following statement of Th. Dreiser? 1
Unit 81 KINDS OF TRIAL 1
The court system (Court-room) 2
Unit 82 CAPITAL PUNISHMENT 222
Tasks and exercises 222
Unit 84 226
PROFILE OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS 226
The Development of the Correction System in the US 227
Unit 85 PRISON LIFE 228
Tasks and exercises 228
Unit 86 230
ANGER MOUNTS OVER BRIXTON JAIL DEATHS 230
Unit 87 PAROLE 232
Insert the suitable words from using them in the correct forms:
The prisoners were glad to get their ....
The accused man was found not guilty and ....
The members of the Jury were ....
Sam was ... from prison on license.
The superintendent got an order for Ted's ... from prison.