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Crime and Punishment Session Information

Zoomed in image of a 19th century map showing Durham Jail, made up of newly built structures with large exercise yards between them. Other buildings of the City of Durham can be seen outside the prison walls.

This session can be taught:  

If you would like to come to Palace Green Library for this session instead, please contact us for further details. 

Online Session:   

Before the session: 

You will be sent a letter from our archives from the debtors of Durham. We would ask you to look at this letter with your class and have them consider answers to the accompanying questions in preparation for their session with us. 

During the session: 

You will look at four varied sources from our archive reviewing the prisons from various points during the period of very active prison reform. We will encourage the pupils to consider the sources and their reliability and create a sense of what is changing in the prisons over this period of time. 

After the session: 

You will be sent a map of the new Durham jail with some features to spot and further improvements that were made. 

Need to know:   

  • An online session for KS4 is one hour in length.  
  • Session times are generally fixed to fit in with your timetable as best we can. 
  • You will need to book a short test call with us to check that you can see and hear us on the whiteboard in your classroom. These are available at 3.30pm, 3.45pm and 4pm. 
  • We will ask you to book separate sessions for each of your classes so that we can keep them as interactive as possible.  
  • You will be sent an email with resources to print out for the pre-session work, the class session and then the post-session activity. 
  • These sessions are free for KS4 students. 

Session costs

Activity Cost
On-site session Free
Outreach session (in your school) £20 fuel charge
Assembly (30 minutes) £35
Online one hour session £35 per class
Online two hour session £45 per class
Widening Participation Free
Research and Library Skills Free

Book with us

The Learning and Engagement team offer hybrid, interactive taught programmes and events for schools, community groups, families and lifelong learners through Collections Outreach.

Learn more

Booking form

Fill out our form to book a session with us. If you wish to discuss any details of your session with us, please feel free to get in touch via email or telephone.
School children exploring in a museum and pointing at the exhibitions