ABSTRACT
A discussion of physical activity and fitness in prisons would not be complete without further consideration of the needs and experiences of prison staff – not only those who facilitate, implement and orchestrate sport in prisons but those with responsibilities in other parts of the prison beyond the gym. Residential wing staff will typically spend the most time with prisoners; not only are they responsible for the daily locking and unlocking of cell doors but they also escort prisoners within the prison, manage day-to-day issues and respond to situations when required. One of the direct implications of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) being established in 2004 is that each prison now has an Offender Management Unit which is staffed by Offender Supervisors and Offender Managers, roles which are mainly fulfilled by prison officers (and a smaller number of seconded probation staff). These are responsible for assessing the needs of individual prisoners, developing sentence plans, arranging offending behaviour programmes and maintaining electronic case records, and although they may spend a considerable amount of time engaging with prisoners, their direct involvement will vary according to the identified need or risk of harm and likelihood of reoffending of an individual. As with gym staff, Offender Managers may be allocated to other operational duties when the need arises (Criminal Justice Joint Inspection, 2012). Apart from those who have no direct contact with prisoners and whose role solely involves administrative duties, staff from across the prison obviously need to be physically fit to carry out their duties, especially if these include responding to conflicts and disturbances, restraining prisoners or reacting rapidly to calls for assistance from elsewhere within the establishment.
