Should prisoner swaps be allowed?

In August 2024 a prisoner swap between Russia and the West took place. The prisoners who were given back to Russia included assassins, smugglers, hackers and spies. Should countries ever release prisoners who might be a danger to them in the future? Explore four different case studies and debate whether prisoner swaps should be allowed.

Collage of pages from the “Should prisoner swaps be allowed?” teaching resource showing the cover and lesson plan

Published 23 August 2024

About this lesson

Use this one-hour Headline lesson to help your students:

  • Understand what a prisoner swap is and why they happen
  • Explore case studies of prisoner swaps that made the news
  • Form opinions about whether or not prisoner swaps should be allowed

This lesson develops the following skill:

  • Speaking

    Mastery: Speaking influentially

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