Clare's Lair

Saturday, March 16, 2002

How is Frank?

Asleep.

Posted by Clare at 9:29 PM [+]
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Secret links:
London Student draft
Campaign for the Abolition of Margaret Hodge

Posted by Clare at 12:02 AM [+]
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How is Frank?

At last the rescuers of Frank have come forward; the reason for the site in the first place. There is a hair-raising moment in their story when they describe a bus coming just as Frank had dragged himself off the road - it would surely have finished him off.

Frank's looking pretty well today. He has received presents through the post and apparently was delighted with the feather and catnip. Whether he liked the book as much is another question, but he surely appreciated the gesture.

Meanwhile, his worldwide fame is spreading, and now many of the messages are in Spanish. Which Frank probably understands, he's a bright kinda cat.


Posted by Clare at 11:42 PM [+]
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Bad Girls – a force for inspiration.

Written for Payback by Clare-Marie White

Few dramas have inspired as much attention towards criminal justice issues as Bad Girls - no, not even The Bill. Series 3 took the highest ratings in prime time drama and the show has sparked over 200 websites. Now airing its fourth series, it has people all over the world debating conditions in jail, relations between inmates and officers and even the death penalty.

For anyone who managed to miss the first three series, Bad Girls is a gritty drama based in Larkhall women’s jail. The inmates are mixed ages, classes and inside for many different reasons. Two actors from previous series have left the show – Simone Lahbib (Helen Stewart) and Debra Stephenson (Shell Dockley). Plenty of new characters replace them and the producers will no doubt be hoping that they will match the explosive cult appeal of Helen and Nikki for the show’s keen fans. The major storyline kicking off the series has gangster-wife Yvonne Atkins (Linda Henry) facing a charge for a murder that, by all accounts, could have been perpetrated by almost anyone in Larkhall. The CJ sector should approve of the fact that prisoners can now go outside in their brand new exterior set, built at a cost of half a million pounds, which boasts a garden for flowers and vegetables.

The third series was criticised by many fans for resorting to sensational storylines, but on the whole it has been praised for highlighting important issues and giving space to progressive ideas of rehabilitation. For example, one episode gave a good, albeit seriously accelerated, view of restorative justice: Shaz, an unrepentant tearaway, was shown meeting the widow of the man she poisoned in a ‘practical joke’. This led Shaz to realise the enormity of what she had done and rethink her carefree attitude. In another storyline, prison officers encouraged Shell Dockley to confront the sexual abuse of her childhood which also helped her to address her anger. Dramas being what they are, these character reforms rarely last long, but they show the potential for helping offenders rather than just locking them up. Instead of glamorizing crime or treating it as something isolated, the series humanizes criminals and finds motives for the way they respond to pressures in their lives.

Overall, the view of prison in the series is negative, and there is little sign of the majority ‘reforming’. The programme portrays problems such as drugs, bullying and self-harm as endemic in G Wing. Many of the particular problems and vulnerabilities of women in jail are also addressed with storylines about separation from children and, more controversially, sexual exploitation by officers. Although there is inevitably artistic license, offenders and CJ workers have said that the storylines in Bad Girls are true to life. However, the series also has very strong critics who dislike the tone of the programme and dispute the accuracy of elements of the storylines or characterisations.

One of Shed’s central aims in the show has been “education through entertainment” and Payback have been involved in providing links to help that happen. Payback and Shed were initially introduced by Rosie Shapiro from Nicro, South Africa’s crime prevention charity after Nicro worked with Shed to co-ordinate a well received South African tour for the cast. Since then, Payback has helped harness the interest in Bad Girls in positive ways to extend its educational reach. This unusual collaboration between penal reformers and a TV production company is resulting in initiatives ranging from information on the official Bad Girls’ website (produced by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies) to providing a feature for Shed’s next media pack. Some of you will also have seen the 2 page article in this week’s Sunday Mirror magazine, featuring an ex-prisoner comparing experiences with Bad Girls’ character Denny Blood, played by Alicia Eyo. The interview revealed the extent to which popular culture can now dominate people's views when the interviewee says: “All my thoughts about what it would be like were based on what I'd seen on Bad Girls.” She also praised the realism of the show, drawing many comparisons with real life and saying "Bad Girls has a very chaotic atmosphere and that's what it's like in jail. There's a lot of anger, a lot of high emotion. Prison is a very claustrophobic place." This is the sort of collaboration that is beneficial to Shed and to the criminal justice sector, which is increasingly keen to get information out to a wider audience.

The programme has been voted the nation’s favourite TV drama two years running, and its popularity has meant that prison has become a topic of conversation in offices and on the internet. The biggest example of enthusiasm has been on the web where hundreds of individuals have set up sites warmly celebrating their favourite show. Discussion boards and chat rooms on these sites provide opportunities for penal reformers with time on their hands to follow, or perhaps generate, discussions about prison and crime. If one observes protocol in the spiky world of discussion boards, then there is clearly an opportunity to capture the ears of very interested people. While surfing around the more amateur sites, those from organizations should be sure to sign the guestbooks where you are usually asked to enter your web address for some speedy self promotion.

A particularly popular discussion board links from www.badgirlsonline.co.uk. It has over 2000 members and has been very active even before the start of a new series. At the time of writing it featured a discussion on whether the death penalty should be brought back, reflecting the fact that Bad Girls is broadcast internationally and the spin-off fan websites attract visitors from around the world. After some heated and ill-thought out exchanges on extreme forms of punishment, the debate settles into an interesting and constructive discussion on the issues, with many people putting forward statistics and facts.

Interestingly, given the tone and aims of the show, some of the fans posting on the discussion refer to prisons as an enticing option for criminals. One said: “They have luxury cells, our prisons are like holiday camps, otherwise people wouldn't keep going back to visit them”. A couple of the posters point out the anomaly of such a hard-line attitude by people watching a programme that attempts to expose the problems in the prison system, with a Canadian asking “if fans of the show … can repeatedly refer to prison as "holiday camp" and a place where people "live better" than they would if given their freedom, then what on earth would a casual viewer have got out of it?”

There is a great deal of excitement and publicity surrounding the new series, heightened by the interest in Shed who also produced the new TV drama series Footballers Wives. This creates strong opportunities for criminal justice organizations to piggy-back on the Bad Girls phenomenon. As readers of Crime Watching will know, TV is awash with crime dramas, but few focus so closely on imprisonment. The new series should be as dramatic and addictive as the former three, and provides an excellent chance for engaging previously unreached audiences in discussion on issues of crime and sentencing. So, on Thursday nights at 9, relax in front of ITV, have a cup of tea and then consider getting on the web to start communicating with even more people...

Resources
www.badgirls.co.uk – official site with in-depth character descriptions and episode synopses. Soon to be enhanced with factual information corresponding to the issues raised in that week’s episode.
www.shedproductions.com – lowdown on the new series and profile of the company that makes Bad Girls.
www.badgirlsonline.co.uk – unofficial fan club site with popular discussion board.
www.geocities.com/shelldockley_larkhall/BadSpeakin.html - a glossary to terms used in the drama.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ccjs/ - Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
www.sundaymirror.co.uk – read the Bad Girls interview until the end of this week
http://www.nicro.org.za/ - NICRO: site contains articles on the Bad Girls tour in South Africa.
http://www.lockup-online.co.uk/larkhall/ - photos from the South African tour

Posted by Clare at 11:36 PM [+]
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I liked this Blog simply because it has a picture of a pheasant in the writer's back garden. Cool.
Posted by Clare at 3:39 PM [+]
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Rule Number 1:
DON'T MEDDLE IN THINGS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
Phew.
Posted by Clare at 1:45 PM [+]
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crime watching
week 38: march 16th – 22nd
Written for Payback by Clare-Marie White.
NB As schedules may be subject to change, it's worth checking a daily paper or www.radiotimes.com for up-to-date listings.
television programmes
classics, "Must See TV"
None this week

programmes worth watching out for, which don't make it to MSTV status
None this week

criminal justice programmes
Sunday March 17th, 03.00, C4 Crime Scene Cleaner

Sunday March 17th, 07.30, BBC2 Lab Detectives

Sunday March 17th, 23.00, and Tuesday 19th, 20.30, C5
Arrest and Trial

Monday March 18th, 22.20, ITV Real Crime: Kenny Noye – a
Face from the Past

Tuesday March 19th, 20.00, C5 Probable Cause

Thursday March 21st, 20.00, BBC1 Lifting the Bonnet
Producer: Tom Anstiss

Thursday March 21st, 20.00, C5 Hidden Identities
Speaks to people immersed in the Witness Protection Scheme about adopting a false identity.
Director: Anita Hodgson

Posted by Clare at 1:32 PM [+]
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social issues documentaries
Saturday March 16th, 20.00, C4 Bunking Off
Focusing on truancy in schools with a look at a school in Bristol.
Director: Catey Sexton

Sunday March 17th, 20.00, C4 Boys and Girls
More troubled teenagers in this documentary about children from a Hackney estate and their schooling.

Sunday March 17th, 23.15, C4 The Wet House
Looking at a hostel in East London and the lives of some of its alcoholic, homeless visitors.
Director/Producer: Penny Woolcock

real life documentaries/'docusoaps'.
None this week

Posted by Clare at 1:32 PM [+]
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crime dramas/serials
Saturday March 16th, 12.30, C4 The Fugitive

Saturday March 16th, 21.00, C5 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
[Repeated Monday 18th, 22.50]
Related website: www.cbs.com/primetime/csi
Saturday March 16th, 21.55, C5 Law and Order
[Repeated Sunday 17th, 23.30]
Related website: www.studiosusa.com/laworder

Sunday March 17th, 04.00, C4 Codename Eternity

Sunday March 17th, 20.30, ITV Heartbeat

Sunday March 17th, 21.30, and Monday 18th, 21.00, ITV
The Jury
The acclaimed series on jury life concludes.
Director: Pete Travis Producer: Francis Hopkinson

Sunday March 17th 19.05, C5 Martial Law

Weekdays, 14.40, BBC1 Diagnosis Murder

Weekdays, 11.00, C5 TJ Hooker
Monday March 18th and Tuesday 19th, 21.00, BBC1
NCS Manhunt
Director: Michael Whyte Producer: Sue Austen

Wednesday March 20th, 00.20, C5 La Femme Nikita

Tuesday March 19th, 21.00, ITV At Home with the Braithwaites
Alison must go to court to defend her lottery winnings.
Director: Matthew Evans

Wednesday March 20th, 21.00, BBC1 Murder in Mind

Thursday March 21st, 14.10, BBC1 Doctors
Depression leads to a shoplifting arrest.

Thursday March 21st, 20.00, ITV The Bill
Related website: www.thebill.com

Thursday March 21st, 21.00, ITV Bad Girls
Denny arrives back in G-wing, while Yvonne is still trying to make Virginia’s real killers confess. Don’t forget to check out the corresponding factsheets written by Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, at the end of each week’s synopsis.

Director: Jo Johnson Producer: Claire Phillips
Related website: www.badgirls.co.uk

Friday March 22nd, 20.30, ITV Inspector Morse
Director: Anthony Simmons Producer: Chris Burt

Other programmes of interest
Nothing this week

clare's personal choice of the week
Sunday March 17th, 20.00, BBC2 The Century of the Self
An intriguing series about the family of Sigmund Feud’s family. This programme looks at Freud’s nephew, Edward Bernays, who apparently invented PR, twisting the theories of his uncle to sell to the masses.
Producer: Adam Curtis

Posted by Clare at 1:32 PM [+]
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criminal justice story lines in the main soaps during march/april
Brookside, as ever, has plenty of policeman on the beat and they are keeping an eye on Jimmy, who has lost the fight against manic depression, and Anthony, who finally snaps back at his bullies. Meanwhile, Ron is released from prison and must cope with the tumultuous events outside.
Eastenders, on the other hand, never have any policeman round when they might need them and the cast continue their wild ways with abandon; especially nasty old Janine whose drugs and prostitute storyline continues. Meanwhile, Phil and Sonia are both seeking legal advice in the hope of getting their respective children back.
In Coronation Street, Curly is arrested by his wife at a crèche sit-in – never a help to dinner table conversation.
Emmerdale continues to cover Marc's spell in a young offenders' jail and the community punishment for the rest of the areas' youth; while Scott gets involved in some illegal business.

Related websites:
www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders
www.corrie.net
www.brookside.com
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archers

Posted by Clare at 1:32 PM [+]
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radio programmes
must hear radio
None this week

criminal justice programmes

social issues documentaries
None this week.

crime dramas/serials
Wednesday March 20th, 14.15, Radio 4 Afternoon Play: Good Thing
A play about two women who shared a prison cell and then embarking on adventures together on the South coast.
Director: Rachel Horan

Friday March 22nd, 21.00, Radio 4 Friday Play: Heart-Attack
Concluding part of the murder drama.
Director: Kate Rowland

other programmes of interest
Sunday March 16th, 20.30, and Friday March 22nd, 16.00, Radio 4 Law in Action
Producer: Simon Coates

Friday March 22nd, 16.30, Radio 4 The Message
Jenni Murray and guests engage in conversation about current media trends.
Related website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/themessage.
Producer: David Harvey

crime writing in the TV guides
Trevor Grove writes about jury rules in The Radio Times.

Posted by Clare at 1:31 PM [+]
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daily listings
NB As schedules may be subject to change, it's worth checking a daily paper or www.radiotimes.com for up-to-date listings.

saturday march 16th
12.30 C4 The Fugitive
20.00 C4 Bunking Off
21.00 C5 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
21.55 C5 Law and Order

sunday march 17th
03.00 C4 Crime Scene Cleaner
04.00 C4 Codename Eternity
07.30 BBC2 Lab Detectives
19.05 C5 Martial Law
20.00 BBC2 The Century of the Self
20.00 C4 Boys and Girls
20.30 ITV Heartbeat
21.30 ITV The Jury
23.00 C5 Arrest and Trial
23.15 C4 The Wet House
23.30 C5 Law and Order


monday march 18th
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
14.40 BBC1 Diagnosis Murder
21.00 BBC1 NCS Manhunt
21.00 ITV The Jury
22.20 ITV Real Crime: Kenny Noye
22.50 C5 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

tuesday march 19th
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
14.40 BBC1 Diagnosis Murder
20.00 C5 Probable Cause
20.30 C5 Arrest and Trial
21.00 BBC1 NCS Manhunt
21.00 ITV At Home with the Braithwaites

wednesday march 20th
00.20 C5 La Femme Nikita
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
14.15 BBCR4 Good Thing
14.40 BBC1 Diagnosis Murder
21.00 BBC1 Murder in Mind

thursday march 21st
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
14.10 BBC1 Doctors
14.40 BBC1 Diagnosis Murder
20.00 BBC2 Lifting the Bonnet
20.00 ITV The Bill
20.00 C5 Hidden Identities
21.00 ITV Bad Girls

friday march 22nd
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
14.40 BBC1 Diagnosis Murder
16.00 BBCR4 Law in Action
16.30 BBCR4 The Message
20.30 ITV Inspector Morse
21.00 BBCR4 Heart Attack

Posted by Clare at 1:31 PM [+]
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Good God. An insidious Conservative has the same template as me. Quick! Change the colours!
Posted by Clare at 7:49 PM [+]
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This is a dead Lair. It may show all signs of being alive, but it is dead. How frustrating.
Posted by Clare at 7:29 PM [+]
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Hello? Lair?
Posted by Clare at 7:21 PM [+]
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It ain't working...
Posted by Clare at 6:55 PM [+]
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Blogger has been down for ages; what's a bored unmotivated dissertation writer supposed to do, huh? Could always look at alternative Blog designs - like this one.
Mmmm, lovely.

Posted by Clare at 6:42 PM [+]
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The article below is posted in the hope of addressing the vast majority of people who might come across this site who are from Overseas. An article in the Observer recently addressed the fact that tourists have a really crap time in London, so hopefully these tips can help your trip be a little better. If you have come across this article and would like to know anything else about London, e-mail me.
Posted by Clare at 5:36 PM [+]
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Tips for tourists in London.

1. STAND ON THE RIGHT. This is The Law. An ancient statue from 1634 states that anyone standing on the Left of the escalator Can be Kicked, Pushed or Decapitated. And don’t think we’re too scared to do it either. We don't need guns here.
2. If you can avoid using the Tube, do. Study a map of London on the plane, they’re really lovely things, and you will see that the Tube map lies. You really don’t need to suffer the disgusting cattle processors that are Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus when you can walk it in a few minutes and take in some nice little Soho streets at the same time.
3. In fact, while it may seem like essential tourist fare to take in all the above places, they’re really not the best parts of London. Why not stroll along the river, explore the area between St Pauls and Kingsway that we like to call The City or go and feel all futuristic in Canary Wharf. And if you are going to Canary Wharf or Greenwich, get a boat – it’s about the only experience where you won’t feel utterly ripped off.
4. The best things in London are free. Thus we have the new entrance to the British Museum with its Reading Room, which is gorgeous and where Marx and Dickens and many others used to read; St James’s Park where the squirrels are friendly and the pelicans utterly crazy; the inside of parliament (takes some cunning to get in without queuing) and again, the Thames, which is utterly spectacular in the summer. If you want to go to St Pauls without paying, go in the evening or on Sunday morning, where you will be able to sneak in and see the spectacular ceilings as the services go on.
5. If you must endure Oxford Street, look up (while still keeping a very vigilant third eye on your possessions). You will see that the buildings are quite nice above all the shop fronts, and you will be able to avoid the eyes of leaflet givers, charity exhorters and mad people. It may take some practice to do this while weaving between all the people; try walking in the road while you start.
6. There are no animals in London. Therefore we cherish our pigeons and squirrels (OK, some of us do, the Mayor wants them all dead). So feed them liberally! Technically it’s now illegal to feed the pigeons; so you’ll feel that frisson of excitement as you flout the law.

Posted by Clare at 5:32 PM [+]
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Check out this picture of Frank.

How did they get him in that position?
Posted by Clare at 4:59 PM [+]
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This is an entertaining blog - Wannabe Weblog.
Posted by Clare at 12:47 PM [+]
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How interesting. Margaret Hodge, the Minister for Enraging Everybody, has written in the Guardian about how people in her Barking constituency are 'alienated, not apathetic' and of the dangers of ignoring people's views still further.
Funny that she doesn't apply those thought to the countless numbers of alienated students...
And is that her personal e-mail address on the page? *rubs hands with glee*
Posted by Clare at 12:40 PM [+]
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If you thought Frank may have peaked with the first wave of sympathy, how wrong you were. Frank's second trip to the vet generated a massive surge of interest (or perhaps it was coincidence) and now up to 1500 people are watching Frank at any one time. Perhaps it's the excitement of him regularly trying to escape the cage, or the frequent visits from hacks trying to share his cage.
Remarkable. And still he sleeps.
Posted by Clare at 12:26 PM [+]
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