Exploring the Benefit of Yoga Programs in Carceral Settings

Abstract

This article presents a perspective on the value of yoga and mindfulness programming in carceral settings. The authors explore this topic through interviews with two formerly incarcerated people who participated in yoga programming while incarcerated and who went on to become yoga instructors themselves. Also examined are the potential effects of yoga programming for people who are incarcerated, for those working within carceral settings, and on carceral environments generally. We share recommendations for implementing yoga programming in carceral institutions and discuss policy implications. The stories of both interviewees reflect the value and potential positive effects of yoga programming within criminal justice settings and suggest the need for sustained programming and ongoing empirical evaluation.

Keywords: carceral settings; criminal justice; mindfulness; prison; yoga.