Promoting healthier lifestyles for prisoners - National Audit Office

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Promoting healthier lifestyles for prisonersSome ideas to tryYou may liketo considerthe following:l When next revising information for prisoners,decide whether the word “gym” might putoff some people who think it means weighttraining rather than a whole range of activities.l Follow-up promptly any requests forexercise inductions.l Survey prisoners – including those who do notusually take part – to find out what exerciseactivities they would like or which mightencourage them to take part.l Use “quiet sessions” or allocate sessionsspecifically for the older age groups or forthose new to exercise, so that they are not putoff by the super-fit who can do so much morethan them.l Introduce mentors (prisoners who havebecome qualified gym assists) to help andencourage those who are new to exercise.l Be pro-active in identifying prisoners who arenot doing any exercise and discuss optionswith them.l Organise special promotions for particularactivities, e.g. football tournaments, yoga sessions.l Encourage participation through organisingrecreational activities such as carpet bowls.Getting people involved and enjoyingthemselves may lead to them wanting to trydifferent, more exercise-based, pursuits.24
Inspiring exercise – it’s not all about weight training!l Promote “Walking your Way to Health”, possiblythrough letting prisoners borrow pedometersto encourage them to walk more frequently orfor longer distances.l Publish (anonymous) successes on postersaround the prison as well as in the gym.Did you know?> The range of facilities available at the 44 prisonsresponding to the NAO survey 6 include:l 91 per cent have dedicated gymnasium withCV/fitness suite and 98 per cent have dedicatedweight training facilities;l 91 per cent have a sports halll 46 per cent have outside grass pitches but only25 per cent have all-weather pitchesl 29 per cent have bowls facilitiesl 87 per cent have an exercise yard for walking> The cost of providing physical education per prisonervaried from £392 at a male, local prison to £1085 at aYoung Offenders Institution (2004-05).> Although 43 per cent of prisoners undertook someform of organised physical education activities inprison, this ranged from 11 per cent in a largecategory B male prison to 87 per cent injuvenile male institution. The averagewas 2.4 hours per week.25
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Page 3 and 4: You, as prison PE officers, are in
Page 5 and 6: Contents6It’s about diet as well
Page 7 and 8: It’s about diet as well as exerci
Page 15 and 16: How can I persuade them to eat bett
Page 23: Inspiring exercise - it’s not all
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Page 29 and 30: Inspiring exercise - it’s not all
Page 31 and 32: How can I persuade them to prepare
Page 33 and 34: What others do and how they do it..
Page 39: About the National Audit OfficeThe

Promoting healthier lifestyles for prisoners - National Audit Office

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