Malcolm is a Probation Officer, and he explains what that means. Do you remember the following questions asked in the video? If you missed out in the video, here are the questions. Read what Malcolm says and find the answers to the questions.

1. What does Malcolm say is the problem with sending people to prison?
1. What are the four principles behind probation work?
1. What are the three major choices the magistrate has when passing sentence on a criminal?

    Text

    My lecture’s going to cover the basic assumptions underlying the job, why we do that job, the values underlying the work, and how we do the job, and I will end with a very brief case study to give you some example.

    So first of all to look at the basis of the job, why we do it. We feel that actually if you send people to prison it makes bad people worse, and the best way to do this is to work with people in the community rather than sending them into custody, which gives you a much greater chance of actually confronting their offending. Erm so that is why we do the job. In order to that we have a number of values that inform our behaviour. First of all we will treat people with respect - you cannot work with people if you do not respect them. Secondly, we will challenge their behaviour, our job is to change people’s behaviour so that if they have offended in the past, they will not offend in the future. Thirdly, we have to take account of the victim’s perspective, that is, we have to get offenders to take account of what they have done to victims. And lastly we have to treat everyone equally and fairly.

    We then move on to how we actually do the job. When someone is arrested in England they go to the Magistrate’s Court and then actually are dealt with by the court in order to decide whether they have pleaded guilty or what sentences they should pass. To help the magistrates and the court to do this we actually write a report for the court so that the magistrates know what to do with the offender. This report is called a pre-sentence report, and we in fact write this with a whole set of details about why the person has committed the offences, and what would be in our view the best sentence for them.

    In courts in Britain they have a range of options to carry out, for example, they could place somebody on probation, that is, an offender gives their word not to commit any further offences. If they do this, they are placed on a probation order, which means that they have to see me once a week, they have to live where I tell them, and they have to be of good behaviour. If they do not do this, then they are taken back to court and the court can sentence them to custody.

    Another form of community sentence is in fact placing them on community service, this is where the offender has to repay the community by way of unpaid work. For example, they will paint houses of old people, help handicapped people, dig gardens of old people, just as a way of paying back the debt they have incurred to society.

    Of course also, if they do not get placed on probation or community service, they can in fact be sent to custody, and in our country if you are sent to custody for longer than twelve months, on release you are placed on something called license, which means that on release you have to report to a probation officer and live where we say, but again if you commit further offences you can go back to prison for the other offence.

    And also in Britain we give a lot of time to young offenders, if you are under 21 in Britain you go to a special Young Offenders Institution, in custody, and we do a lot of work with people in custody in terms of finding them somewhere to live, and jobs, and the like on release.

    Lastly I think it is worth saying that in England there is no life sentence, so if someone - er no execution, so if someone actually commits murder, they are sent to prison for life - that doesn’t mean they will spend the whole of their natural life in prison, it means that at some point they will be released, but they are on license to the probation service for the rest of their life, living where we tell them and seeing us regularly.

    So, I will end this lecturette by just outlining a very brief case study. And this is about a young man, or a middle-aged man called John, who was 32 years of age, he had a long history of stealing motor cars and breaking into homes, burglary. He was placed on community service after something like seven previous offences of burglary and theft of cars, after assessment of his risk and his ability, we placed him in a project where he worked with disabled people who were unable to walk, and actually he was involved with them taking them swimming. Now some disabled people get a lot from swimming, so what John did was actually went into the swimming pool with them, helped them learned to swim and swim with them. He did this very successfully and completed his order, and in fact when he completed the order - and it wasn’t easy for him because on a number of occasions he actually cried seeing the condition of these people, on completing the order he carried on being a volunteer with this project, and to my certain knowledge has not offended for the last two years, so you see that a sentence in the community - this man had been to prison previously for his offences - and at the right time and at the right place a sentence in the community, a community sentence, is a way of stopping crime and protecting the public.

    Words & Expressions

confronting to face up to something, to deal with it - Malcolm later uses the word “challenge” in the same way

custody can mean simply guardianship - children can be put into custody if they are neglected by their parents - but here it means imprisonment

challenge a slightly unusual use of the word, though its meaning is clear: we normally challenge an idea or an argument; here it means to confront or show disapproval for the behaviour

victim a person against whom a crime has been committed; also someone injured in an accident, or sacrificed in a religious rite

perspective point of view or situation of the victim

magistrates’ court All crimes first go to a magistrates’ court - usually three unpaid lay magistrates assisted by a qualified legal clerk; if they consider a crime too serious (eg murder, rape etc) it will go to a Crown Court to be tried by a professional judge and a jury.

pre-sentence report The magistrates pass sentence on a guilty prisoner, and naturally take into account advice from the police and the probation service to do so.

probation The word is connected with “prove” and can be used in other circumstances, for example a beginning teacher may be on probation for the first year.

community service does not have to refer only to a punishment - many retired people like to do some form of unpaid community service, for example, as a way of remaining active and useful

execution Capital punishment (the death penalty by hanging) was abolished in Britain in 1965; it has been similarly abolished by most European countries.

prison for life A life sentence is not for life in practice - on average it is 20 years in prison - but the offender remains on license for the rest of his/her life.

case study a record of a particular case history which can stand as an example of more general principles

1. Sending people to prison just makes bad people worse.
1. First they treat people with respect; secondly they challenge their behaviour - that means they try to change it, explain that it is wrong - thirdly they take the victim’s perspective - that means that they make the criminal think about the person he committed the crime against, the victim, and fourthly, they treat everyone equally and fairly.
1. The first choice is on probation. The second choice is community service. The third choice is custody or prison.

    The following reading materials are provided by the Beijing TV University.

    Skim the following passage and try to find any word or phrase to describe the sources of nutrients such as contain, be rich in etc.

• 　
• What do you eat every day? Try to find what nutrients are contained in them.

    Food Types

    Food keeps you healthy and strong and helps you grow because it contains five important nutrients that are vital for life. You need them all, Plus fibre and water, to stay well.

    The nutrients found in food are divided into five groups – proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. Some foods are rich in one particular nutrient but most contain a mixture of nutrients – for instance, milk is high in protein and also contains fat and vitamins; fruit contains vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates.

    Some foods contain fibre (also known as roughage) and most contain water. Strictly speaking, fibre and water are not nutrients, but they are important parts of a healthy diet.

    Proteins are large complicated molecules made up of smaller units called amino acids. The word protein comes from the Greek word protos, meaning first. Milk, cheese, meat, fish, eggs, nuts and beans are all rich in proteins.

    Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They can be in the form of starches in potatoes, cereals, bread, rice and pasta, or as sugars in foods such as biscuits, cakes, jam, fizzy drinks and sweets. There are many forms of sugar – the one used to sweeten tea is sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beet; honey contains fructose; lactose is found in milk; maltose in malt; and glucose in grapes. Many processed foods contain added sugar – even savoury foods like baked beans and soup.

    Fats consist of a thick fluid called glycerol and fatty acids. Like carbohydrates, they contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Oils are fats, too, but they are liquid at room temperature. Butter, margarine, cheese, oily fish, nuts and meat all contain fats.

    Vitamins are chemical substances that exist naturally in a wide variety of foods including fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and eggs. The word vitamin comes from the Latin word vita (life).

    Minerals, such as zinc, potassium and calcium and calcium, are natural inorganic (non-living ) substances found in many foods. For instance, red meat and green leafy vegetables contain iron, and salt contains sodium. Sea salt (evaporated sea water ) contains sodium and iodine.

    Fibre is found in plant foods like fruit, vegetables, nuts, beans and wholemeal bread and pasta. Most fibre cannot be digested, but it absorbs water as it passes through the gut, making solid waste bulky and soft so it is easier to get rid of .

    Water transports materials around the body and helps remove waste products. Much of the water you need comes from food – many fruits and vegetables are two-thirds water.

    What’s in the food you eat?

    Feast your eyes on this banquet – fruit, vegetables, fish, pasta, milk, eggs, cheese and sweets. A wide variety of foods like this contains all of the five main groups of nutrients, plus fibre and water.

    Fruit and vegetables

    Contain a lot of water, some carbohydrate and protein. They are full of vitamins, fibre and minerals and they have very little fat.

    Dairy products provide a wide range of nutrients. Butter is mostly fat. Eggs, cheese and milk are full of protein and vitamins.

    Pasta and bread are starchy energy-providing carbohydrates with a little protein. Wholemeal bread contains vitamins.

    Sugary foods such as sweets, biscuits and cakes are mostly sugary carbohydrates with some fat, a little protein and a few vitamins.

? Did you know

    Body composition

    The average human body consists of about 60% water, 16.5% protein, 15%fat, 6% minerals, 1.5% carbohydrates, and 1% vitamins.

    The body is two-thirds water. You can survive for weeks without food but only for a few days without water.

    However, no single food has all the nutrients your body needs, so, to stay fit and healthy. You must eat a variety of food types in the right amounts.

    The food you eat every day is called your diet. It’s impossible to say what the ideal diet is exactly, as it depends on your age, the climate you live in and how active you are. However, there are general rules that everyone should stick to. For your body to work efficiently you need to eat from each of the five food groups. You also need fibre and water. This is called following a balanced diet.

    Each food group has an important job to do. Protein is a body builder – it makes up the cell tissue that builds you up. Fats and carbohydrates provide you with energy. Vitamins give you clear skin, strong bones and healthy blood; and small, regular amounts of minerals help to keep your body working efficiently.

    About half the body’s nutrients should come from carbohydrates. Especially starchy foods like cereals. Many manufacturers label food to tell you how much protein, fat and so on it contains. The letters RDA(Recommended Daily Allowance) tell you how much of each of the food’s nutrients you need each day.

    Food for repair and maintenance

    Protein helps replace worn out and damaged parts of your body. Young people, in particular, need plenty of protein to make up body tissue as they grow.

    Your body breaks down the proteins you eat – in foods such as meat and nuts – into amino acids. These are absorbed into your bloodstream and from there they are sent out to repair and build up your body or to make enzymes and hormones. There are about 20 amino acids in all, eight of these are essential amino acids.

    Your body cannot make them itself, so you have to get them from food. You cannot store protein so you need to eat it regularly.

    Food for energy

    You need energy for everything that goes on in your body – from moving your limbs to thinking. Even when you are asleep your body uses energy to keep your heart beating, your lungs breathing and your body warm.

    Carbohydrates in the form of sugar and starch are a major source of energy. Sugars in foods like sweets and cakes give you energy and nothing else. If you eat too many of them, they rot your teeth and make you fat. Starchy foods – such as potatoes and cereals – are a much better and more long lasting source of energy. They also contain protein and vitamins.

    Fat gives you twice as much energy as carbohydrates and contain vitamins A, D and E. Your body also uses fat to cushion delicate internal organs. You need some fat in your diet but it is easy to eat too much. Your body cannot change excess fat into energy – instead it deposits it in layers under your skin. Overweight people can reduce their fat intake by eating low fat foods and drinking skimmed milk.

    There are two sorts of fats – saturated (mainly from animals) and unsaturated (mainly from plants). Most doctors believe that unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and sunflower oil, are healthier than saturates, such as lard and butter, which can increase your cholesterol level

    Vegetarians and vegans

    People who do not eat meat or fish are called vegetarians. Vegans go one step further and eat no animal products at all – including butter, eggs, milk, cheese and cream. Some follow these diets because they feel it is wrong to harm animals, while others have religious reasons. Many people nowadays do not eat meat because they think it is unhealthy.

    Vegetarians and vegans must ensure they get all the nutrients they need. Milk can be replaced with a soya substitute, margarine from plant sources such as sunflowers and olives can replace butter, and there are cheeses made without animal products. Pulses and soya products – especially tofu (soya bean curd) and TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) – are high in protein.

    Dietary problems

    People’s diets vary from country to country and this can affect their health. If a diet is poor and people become under-nourished, they are probably suffering from malnutrition. Many developing countries have this problem because people do not have enough to eat or cannot afford a balanced diet. Food shortages are particularly dangerous for children. Without a well balanced diet they do not grow properly.

    In the Western world, some people eat too much of the wrong sorts of foods (fats and sugars) and become very fat (obese). This is unhealthy because carrying too much bodyweight strains the heart and can eventually cause heart attacks.

    Sometimes diet problems are caused by the lack of certain nutrients or vitamins. Insufficient vitamin D can lead to rickets – children’s bones do not develop properly and become deformed. Lack of vitamin C leads to scurvy – the gums bleed and wounds do not heal properly. Not enough protein in the diet causes kwashiorkor – the abdomen becomes bloated and balloon-shaped.

    Fibre is useful for people who are watching their weight – it is filling and low in calories. It is also said to be helpful in preventing diseases of the intestines and in reducing cholesterol levels. Wholemeal bread and brown rice are excellent sources of fibre.

    Cholesterol is a fat in the tissues of your body. Eating too much saturated fat is believed to increase your cholesterol level. Cholesterol can clog up your arteries, making it more difficult for your heart to push blood through them. High cholesterol levels can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Changing to unsaturated fats and eating plenty of fibre-rich foods can reduce the build-up of cholesterol.

• More practice with speaking

    Cathy: Oh, hey, can you turn that up a little?

    Dick: Sure…Do you like jazz?

    Cathy: Oh, yes, I love it.

    Dick: Really? So do I. What kind of jazz do you like?

    Cathy: Oh, all kinds, but especially fusion.

    Dick: How do you like Dixieland?

    Cathy: It’s all right, but I’m not really crazy about it.

    Dick: No. Neither am I. I like a mellow sound. What’s your favourite band?

    Cathy: Well, I think I like Chuck Mangione bet.

    Dick: Me, too. I think he’s terrific. Do you like going to concerts?

    Cathy: Sure, but I like listening to records better. I can’t stand mobs of pushy people.

    Dick: Yeah, I know what you mean.

    Model Dialogue 2

• Read the following dialogue. Try to find any phrase/sentence that can be used to express the idea of giving/taking advice.
• Make up your own dialogue about giving/taking dietary advice.
• Give ten safety suggestions by using as many different phrases/sentence patterns as possible, such as You’d better…. ; You should… etc.

    Joan: Hello
    Betty: Oh hi, Joan. It’s Betty. How are you doing?

    Joan: Terrible.

    Betty: Oh, what’s the matter?

    Joan: I’ve already tried that. But it didn’t help.

    Betty: Well, maybe you should go to the health centre and see a doctor.

    Joan: Yeah, I guess I should, but you know how I hate doctors.

    Betty: Well, you’d better stay in bed at least. You really sound sick.

Joan: Yeah, that sounds like good advice, I will. I just want to finish reading this article for English class.

Betty: You know, you really shouldn’t try to do any work right now. If I were you, I’d just lie down and take it easy for a while.

    Joan: Yeah, I guess you’re right.

    More practice with writing*

    The following three passages are the writing assignments (Professional Development) provided by the students from BTVU.

• Read the following three passages and feel free to make any corrections about it and give your reasons for the changes.
• These three passages will be put online again on Mar 30 for public discussion. So you may voice your opinions then.

Passage 1