Purpose: This assessment provides important opportunities for self-reflection in relation to a particular reading, topic or case study, without the formal requirements of an essay.

Instructions: For this final piece of assessment, you will be asked to watch an episode of a fictional TV prison drama. The way prisons, prisoners, and prison staff are portrayed in popular media might differ quite a lot from the reality of imprisonment. Or, conversely, are they more accurate than one may assume? Based on what you have learned throughout this semester, write 500 words reflecting on how accurately the popular depiction of prison life corresponds with reality. What are the main differences? What impact do you think depictions such as this have on public opinion about prisons and punishment? And what can be the consequences of such possibly distorted views on actual practice and policy?