The UK's Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has awarded a £30,000 contract to the Prison Yoga Project UK (PYP) to deliver trauma-informed yoga classes to prisoners over 21 months. The initiative is intended to help control inmate behavior and reduce tensions and violence within jails. PYP states its program offers a holistic approach to rehabilitation, equipping instructors with an understanding of how trauma affects behavior and how yoga can be adapted to support individuals who have experienced it.
MoJ officials indicated the classes are targeted at prisoners whose crimes are often linked to drug and alcohol abuse, with the goal of decreasing violence and enhancing safety for staff. "It is proven to help control their behaviour to reduce violence and keep staff safe," a Prison Service spokesperson said.
However, the decision has drawn criticism from some quarters. Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith called the initiative "the absolute definition of woke" and argued that taxpayer money should not be spent on yoga classes in prisons, which he described as places for punishment rather than relaxation. "Prisons are not away day holiday camps," Duncan Smith stated.
Former Met detective Peter Bleksley also questioned the allocation of funds, suggesting that the £30,000 could be better used to address issues such as a lack of prison spaces, drug smuggling, and assaults on prison staff. He remarked on the need for more effective uses of funds than teaching inmates yoga poses.
PYP's mission statement emphasizes a shift from punitive judgment to healing-centered approaches, aiming to address the root causes of harm. "By investing in healing over punishment, we strive to change society's perspective on the root causes of harm, addressing issues at their source and breaking the cycles that perpetuate suffering," the organization states on its website.
Prisoners participating in the program have reported positive experiences. One participant described the yoga class as a period of silence and calm amidst internal torment, allowing them to rest. Another noted feeling "brand new" after yoga sessions.
The initiative comes at a time when the UK's prison system faces significant challenges, including overcrowding and concerns about staffing levels. A survey by the Prison Officers' Association indicated that 85% of officers felt there were insufficient staff to supervise prisoners safely. Data from the Prison Reform Trust for 2024-25 showed that 72% of prisons in England and Wales were overcrowded.