Prison Program
For people in custody
or engaged in community corrections
The program for prisoners is aimed at :-
Supporting transformation and rehabilitation for prisoners through a mindfulness-based and trauma informed approach; i.e. providing a service to a group of people who will ultimately return to the community
Helping develop a prisoner’s skills in relaxation, mindfulness and self-soothing strategies using yoga
Bringing participants awareness to their bodies through mindfulness-based and trauma informed yoga practice
Assisting participants with rebooting their nervous system through body movement and breath and increasing their ability to be aware of and control their emotions
Creating a calmer prison population by providing them with the skills and techniques to assist in meeting the need for stress management, impulse control, anger management, and addiction recovery
Providing an additional method of promoting a rehabilitation model that is PRO-SOCIAL, supports reintegration, facilitation, personal development and a reduction in recidivism rates
Australian Prisons - 2023
Participants in ‘chair pose’ at
Adelaide Women’s Centre (South Australia)
10 week program or Weekly classes
Benefits
Encouragement of self-discipline, compassion, development of empathy for oneself and others, development of self-esteem and overall physical fitness
Reduction to the cost on the system
A decrease in recidivism = less people in incarceration and less financial burden on tax payers and the government
Healthier inmates = a reduction in medical/health costs per individual
Decrease in recidivism / re-offending – in the USA only 8% of individuals who took 4 or more yoga classes returned to prison, compared with a national average of 60% recidivism (as per studies undertaken by Yoga Behind Bars)
Calmer temperament amongst prisoners, resulting in fewer conflicts with staff and other inmates
Resulting in better working conditions for correctional officers
Leading to the reduction of staff turn-over due to long-terms stress
More Benefits
Reduction in human suffering and an opportunity for prisoners to address their own unresolved trauma which in many cases has lead to their criminal behaviour
The possibility for prisons to experience personal transformation and a sense of hope for their future
Community engagement opportunities with yogic values of non-judgement and non-aggression which is promoted through the program
Reduction in psychological distress and overall improved health
Resulting in a reduction in healthcare costs for the government
Enabling better working conditions for correctional officers by allowing Yoga on the Inside to assist in fostering a more peaceful incarceration environment so that they can do their work with greater ease .