Lesson 1

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The first lesson involves a discussion of the nature of penal institutions themselves. Working in 2’s and 3’s, students will create a web, or concept map, brainstorming answers to these questions:

How should prisons be built and what should they look like?

Who should have to go to prison; what are some crimes worthy of prison?

If prisons should change people (reform them), how should they do this?

If prisons should punish people, how should they do this?

Once every group is working on a set of prison rules, the class should come together as a whole and each group should summarize its response. The teacher should create a general summary of the answers on the board, overhead, or computer projection.

Essay #1

Class should conclude with a writing assignment that challenges students to pick a side of the debate as to the purpose of prisons. In a thoughtfully written paragraph, students should articulate which side of this debate they support are they to punish or rehabilitate?

Punishment: Prisons should punish people who commit evil acts, and should be as harsh and unpleasant as possible.

Rehabilitation: Prisons are places to rehabilitate people, so treating them with respect and dignity will help teach them to not inflict harm on others again.