Access to English: Social Studies

Darkness in America / Another Day, Another Murder

Blacks are only 12–13% of the population of the USA, but they make up 39% of its prison population. About half of all the prisoners serving life sentences are black. Of prisoners awaiting execution on “death row”, over 40% are black. In general, one in every three black men in America can expect to spend some time in prison, compared to only one in every seventeen white men. Why is this?

Read more in Access to English: Social Studies, pp. 379-384, and listen to the text introduced on p. 387. Then work with the tasks in the textbook and here on the website.

US prison

When a 16-Year-old is locked up in a Supermax Prison

The story of Alonza Thomas — who, at age 16, was sent to adult prison after being charged with armed robbery. (Frontline PBS - 28 min)

Locked up for skipping school: Christel's story

There are 2.3 million people locked up in the United States, around half for non-violent crimes.

Textbook Tasks

Listening

Visual Material

Articles and Resources

Links