The UK prison population is at an all-time high. It currently stands at 87,749 and if trends continue looks to rise even higher. That’s a lot of mouths to feed, and the manner in which they’re fed is worthy of consideration.
In 2006 the National Audit Office published a report which examined the diet and exercise of British prisoners. Amongst its conclusions were that the £94m per year that was spent on feeding prisoners could be reduced and that their diets should be healthier. Average salt intake was shown to be a whopping 93% higher than recommended and there was far too much reliance on ready made foods, such as pies and burgers. But, with an average of only £1.87 per head to spend, is it any wonder?
Undoubtedly prison food has improved over the years. Time was when prisoners were fed mostly stodge in order to make them more docile and sluggish and, hence, easier to control.
Recognising the dietary needs of the various cultures which comprise the prison population has resulted in greater choice and halal meat and vegetarian options must now appear on all prison menus. However, a policy is only ever as good as its implementation. In 2008, due to a “regrettable administrative error” 200 Muslim inmates in HMP Leeds were served up ham sandwiches during Ramadan.
Prisoners, by their very nature, have very few choices. One of them - albeit a limited one - is what they eat. Hence, many of them, are acting against expectations and eschewing the more unhealthy menu options, thus giving them a greater personal control over their health and wellbeing.
But is the prisoners’ diet in jeopardy? With great swathes of the British public outraged at the idea that they get fed at all and more and more aspects of the prison service being privatised, change is surely in the air.
Maybe it is only a matter of time before a supermarket giant takes advantage of the captive market a prison offers, the catering facilities disappear (and along with them any opportunities for culinary training) and inmates have to make use of communal microwaves. What chance the healthy option then?
- Walker, D. (2006) ‘The modern prisoners’ diet’, BBC News Website, 4 April [online]. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4832552.stm (Accessed: 28 September 2011)
- Williams, Z. (2011) ‘The great prison sell-off’ The Guardian, 5 November, p. 40-41
- National Audit Office (2006) ‘Serving Time: Prisoner Diet and Exercise’ [online]. Available at: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/0506/prisoner_diet_and_exercise.aspx (Accessed: 8 November 2011)
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