UNIT 32

► Ex. I. Scan through the text. Work in pairs to question the text and to give answers.

Some aspects of the prisoner's life. Prisons have been described as institutions, in which every aspect of life is subject to control. In addition to daily routines such as mealtimes, times of rising and retiring, and bathing, many other aspects of the prisoner's life are subject to control. This control is a means of maintaining security, controlling the introduction of weapons or contraband substances, and preventing escapes. Most prisons limit the number of visits that a prisoner may receive from his family or friends. In England the Prison Rules allow a convicted prisoner one visit every four weeks, although the prison governor may increase or limit visits at his discretion. Only relatives and friends of the prisoner may visit him, although adequate facilities must be available for visits by legal advisers if the prisoner is engaged in any litigation (for instance, divorce proceedings). Visits normally take place within the sight of an officer, and in some cases within his hearing. In many prisons, visits are conducted with the prisoner sitting on one side of a table and his visitor on the other, with a wire partition between them; the visitor may be searched for contraband. In other prisons the conditions for visiting may be less restrictive—the visitor and the prisoner may be allowed to meet in a room without any physical barrier but still in the sight of officers. Conjugal visits, in which the prisoner's spouse comes to stay with the prisoner for a period of several days, are not permitted in England, but some U.S. states do permit them. Correspondence of prisoners in England is subject to censorship by the prison authorities, and prisoners may not write more than one letter each week. Control of the prison is maintained by a number of disciplinary sanctions, which may include forfeiture of privileges, confinement within a punishment cell, or the loss of remission or good time. Generally, prisons are governed by rules setting out a code of conduct and listing prohibited behaviour; the code must be given to the prisoner on his arrival in the prison. Typically, the prohibited offenses include mutiny and violence to officers; escaping, or being absent from a place where the prisoner is required to be; and possessing unauthorized articles.