ABSTRACT
Taking part in physical education activities may no longer be mandatory, but prisoners are still encouraged to be physically active (National Audit Office, 2006), and a number of parliamentary publications refer explicitly to engagement – or lack of engagement – in sporting activities in the context of promoting purposeful activity in prisons (Conservative Party, 2011; Home Affairs Select Committee, 2004). Operational regulations may specify minimum entitlements for exercise and recreation (whereby, in England and Wales, all prisoners have the opportunity to participate in a minimum of one hour – or two hours on average for those under 21 – of physical education per week) but initial research interviews with prisoners and staff focusing on sport and physical activity highlighted the disparity of provision across the estate. Individuals who had experience of several different prisons (either as prisoner or staff member) were able to reel off names of establishments where sporting facilities or opportunities were especially good or poor, prioritised or neglected. Official inspections also provide a general gauge for how well a particular prison is meeting statutory requirements, but within this there is wide variation even between prisons of the same size and category.
