A to Z of HMP Larkhall
R
Racism
The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others. Hollamby was a died-in-the-wool racist until she was reported for insulting Darlene and sent on a race relations course by Frances (s6ep5). Hollamby had nothing on Renee ‘the racist razor’ Williams who taunted poor Crystal to distraction (s2ep11). At the other end of the spectrum, Darlene is hyper-aware of any sort of racist behaviour and regularly accuses screws and inmates of discrimination.
Rap
Written by Julie S and performed by all three Julies at the Larkhall Open Day (s4ep16). Staff and visitors looked on in astonishment (and viewers at home cringed behind their cushions) as the Julies did their stuff:
Check it out now!
Imprisonment is punishment, its punishment,
It’s a crime is what it is.
Tell it to ‘em Jue, what you gonna do?
Retribution in an institution is mind pollution,
It’s a crime is what it is.
Tell it to ‘em Jue, what you gonna do?
What we’re in here for is ‘cause of being poor and it’s men who make the law,
It’s a crime is what it is.
Tell it to ‘em Jue, what you gonna do?
Taking kids off their mums like we’re the piece of scum,
Check it out now!
If you want to help a prisoner, listen to her.
Rastafarianism
A religious and political movement originating in Jamaica in the 1930s that bases its doctrine on selections from the Bible, and regards Ethiopia as the Promised Land and Haile Selassie as a Messiah. As well as practising vegetarianism, advocating non-violence, and rejecting materialism, many followers smoke marijuana as part of their rituals. Darlene claimed to be a practising Rastafarian when she arrived at Larkhall, although her mistaken belief that she would be allowed to continue smoking the “wisdom weed” may have had a lot to do with it (s6ep2).
Rat Poison
Left in the kitchen to combat Larkhall’s rodent infestation. Crystal was seen hovering suspiciously near a tray of rat poison shortly before Renee Williams pegged it, although whether or not she actually used it on Renee is unknown (s2ep11). Shaz was initially suspected of spiking Renee’s orange juice with the rat poison, but her post-mortem later revealed that she had in fact died of an allergic reaction to peanuts.
Darlene and Janine talked Tina into giving them a small amount of rat poison so that they could test out one of the plots they were planning to put into their novel. They soaked a thorn they had taken from the garden in the rat poison and then fashioned a blow-pipe from a straw that they then used to fire the thorn at Fenner’s neck (s7ep10).
Razor Blade
Renee Williams smuggled a razor blade on to G-Wing by hiding it in her mouth (s2ep10). Shell also managed to smuggle a razor blade through reception by hiding it underneath the brunette wig she had been wearing since her capture in Amsterdam (s5ep1).
Reception
Where new arrivals at Larkhall are processed before being assigned to a wing. When a prisoner arrives at the prison, she is taken to reception and seen by POs who check that they have the right person and that the information they have received about her is correct. They take any personal possessions the prisoner is not allowed to keep with her, list them on the property record and put them into storage. Prisoners are then strip-searched and photographed.
Reception Dormitory
This is an induction cells where most new prisoners spend their first few days in Larkhall before being assigned to a wing. It’s a filthy, smelly, cockroach-infested dump from hell... although anyone who’s ever been to a British holiday camp would probably feel quite at home.
Red-band
Name given to trusted prisoners who are given the better jobs within the prison such as in the kitchens or cleaning – a privilege often abused!
Reflux Still
Used to produce high quality alcoholic beverages. Phyl and Bev built one in the greenhouse using parts they had pilfered from the prison workshop (s5ep6). The other women stumbled across the still after they had barricaded themselves inside the greenhouse with Christopher Biggins (s5ep7). It was later dismantled by the screws.
Revoir, Rick
Yardie gangster who offered to get Tanya off the hook in exchange for the location of a bag that Darlene had stolen for him (s6ep6). Rick also kidnapped and tortured Darlene’s younger brother, Terence – a big mistake on his behalf because it enabled Tanya to talk Darlene into helping her double-cross him. Enraged when he discovered that Tanya had taken his bag, Rick forced Frances (an old acquaintance) to smuggle him into Larkhall so that he could teach her a lesson. However, Frances had passed his bag to the police. Faced with a long sentence – and an even longer one once the police had started pinning other crimes him – Rick made a deal with Frances by confessing to that he had set Tanya up (s6ep8).
Rhubarb Hooch
Brewed by Phyl and Bev with the assistance of Kris, Tina and the Julies (s6ep5). The hooch was left to ferment in a bottle behind the servery until Natalie snitched to Fenner (s6ep8).
Rhubarb Leaves
Although the stalks of the rhubarb plant are edible, the leaves contain a poisonous substance called oxalic acid. After discovering this fact, Phyl and Bev liquidised a quantity of the leaves and used the extract to spike the screw’s milk. Unfortunately, the milk was sequestered by Julie S to make pancakes that went on to poison the whole wing (s6ep6).
Richards, Meg
A psychologist and a good friend of Karen’s. Karen called on her when she came up with the idea of running group therapy sessions for G-Wing’s inmates. Amongst the attendees were Zandra and Denny, but Shell was Karen’s real target. Unfortunately, the sessions resulted in Shell reliving her childhood demons and going on to cause considerable havoc (s2ep5-ep6).
Ricin
A lethal toxin that is produced from the castor bean. Terrorist organisation Al Qaeda are known to have experimented with ricin and so when Emira was discovered with a quantity of suspicious looking crystals, she was immediately suspected of brewing up a batch. The suspicious substance was actually crystal meth – produced by Emira under Natalie’s orders (s8ep1).
Riot
It started off as a peaceful sit-down protest about the welfare of Nigerian inmate Femi Bada, but thanks to the PBG, it quickly turned into a full-on riot. Over the next couple of days, cells were trashed, knives were stolen from the servery and confidential files were taken from the PO’s office (s3ep11-ep12).
Robbins, Angela
Angela looked like she couldn’t harm a fly when she first arrived on G-Wing. She had been imprisoned for arson and attempted murder and at first, the other inmates couldn’t understand how she could have possibly done it. But then Rowan uncovered a dark secret that explained everything: Angela was suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder, aka split personality. Rather than make this fact known, Rowan decided that Angela – and her violent alter-ego Andy – made the ideal guinea pig for his research and sent her back to G-Wing. After ‘Andy’ physically attacked Pat and Lou, Angela was transferred to a secure psychiatric unit (s8ep3).
Rocks
Street term for crack. See Crack.
Roper, Arthur
Barbara’s first husband, a Catholic who refused to give her a divorce when their marriage broke up. As a result, she was forced to bigamously marry her second husband Peter.
Rose, Lorna
An enthusiastic and ambitious PO who was treated like a protégé by Fenner and Hollamby, and merely tolerated by the inmates, most of whom considered her condescending. She was blackmailed by Zandra and Shell to smuggle drugs on to G-Wing and was later set up and caught in possession by the DST (s1ep9).
Read Lorna’s character profile.
Rose, Gina
The Prison Service’s answer to the Spitfire. Although an excellent PO, Gina’s tempestuous relationship with Mark always got in the way. Gina was heartbroken when she found out that Mark had cheated on her with Di, especially because she had just discovered that she was pregnant (s3ep13). They tried to make a go of things, but a violent altercation with Di resulted in a miscarriage that destroyed the relationship for good (s3ep14). Unable to cope with the loss, left Larkhall and transferred to a male prison.
Read Gina’s character profile.
Rule 45
This provision empowers the Governor of a prison to authorise the indefinite segregation of a prisoner if necessary either for her self-protection or – where the inmate is subversive or violent – for the maintenance of Good Order and Discipline.