Lessons in Flexibility: Introducing a Yoga Program in an Australian Prison

Abstract

International research provides support for yoga as a wellbeing intervention in prison. Until recently, no systematic research had been undertaken in Australia to assess the effectiveness of a yoga program, or consider the challenges of implementation. In 2017, the authors, in partnership with Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Corrective Services and the Yoga Foundation, introduced a pilot yoga program at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the ACT. This paper draws on comments from the prisoners who participated in the program and the yoga teacher, as well as the perspectives of a prison psychologist and the lead author, both of whom also participated in the program. The paper reflects on the lessons learnt from developing and delivering a prison yoga program and advocates for the expansion of such programs in Australian prisons.

“I Would Just Feel Really Relaxed and at Peace”: Findings From a Pilot Prison Yoga Program in Australia

“…We also invited those who had initially expressed interest and completed well-being testing to attend an interview to talk to us about why they did not participate in the program. Only one person attended and we have considered his feedback elsewhere (Hopkins et al, forthcoming).…”

“…This article presents quantitative and qualitative data on the impacts of an 8-week yoga program delivered from January to March 2017 at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC), which houses all adult prisoners in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT; see generally Bartels & Boland, 2016; Young, van Dooren, Borschmann, & Kinner, 2017). This is the first yoga prison program in Australia to be the subject of evaluation (for discussion on the process of introducing the program, see Hopkins, Bartels, & Oxman, forthcoming).…”