Physical activity in prisons

There is an inherent paradox in the study of physical activity in prisons, which are institutions built to physically contain certain individuals, yet are also sites for the development and expression of vibrant physical cultures. There are over 10.3 million individuals incarcerated in penal institutions worldwide, a figure that has increased almost 20 per cent since 2000 and that continues to climb as rates of incarceration surpass global population growth (Walmsley, 2016). Prisons are a prime example of what Goffman (1961) labels total institutions – that is, physically and socially isolated places in which groups of people are housed together under the management of a bureaucratic disciplinary regime. This chapter reviews this literature and explores key issues relating to prison physical activity. This chapter reviews this literature and explores key issues relating to prison physical activity. It presents the discussion of the concept of the total institution, and a consideration of the significance of physical activity in such an environment. The chapter discusses policy and practice regarding prison physical activity, including a consideration of international and national correctional policies. It reviews the literature on prison physical activity, with a focus on six major themes: rehabilitation and therapy; masculinity and violence; women's corrections; race and ethnicity; social control; and alternative forms of physical activity. Prisons are a prime example of what sociologist Erving Goffman labels total institutions—that is, physically and socially isolated places in which groups of people are housed together under the management of bureaucratic disciplinary regimes. It is important to distinguish between the different types of physical activity in which prisoners may partake, as these can range from punitive physical labour to pleasurable recreational exercise.