by NADEEM BADSHAH
CALL TO FOLLOW INDIA’S LEAD AND INSTALL OUTDOOR TRACKS IN JAILS
PRISONS across Britain should follow India’s lead and have outdoor running tracks to boost inmates’ physical and mental health, campaigners have urged.
Ray Tindall, one of six British men jailed in Chennai for four years on weapons charges, said that while he was in custody, he ran a total of 7,652 miles around an 800-metre circuit. The former soldier from Chester is set to run 18 marathons in 18 days in September for charity.
Campaign groups say encouraging prisoners to run around a track helps tackle rising rates of obesity and mental health problems, including stress and depression.
Imtiaz Amin is an uncle of Zahid Mubarek, who was murdered by his racist cellmate in 2000 at Feltham Young Offenders Institution in London. It led to a public inquiry over the Prison Service’s failings.
Amin, director of the Zahid Mubarek Trust charity, told Eastern Eye: “Exercise is one of the main ways in which people deal with being incarcerated. It’s a means of channelling a range of emotions, be it anger, loneliness or simply because it’s something to do during long hours in cells.
“It also supports their hopes that they will one day be released and wanting to better themselves in readiness for that often starts with themselves with exercise.
“One of the most positive elements in prisons in UK are the gyms – they are often very well-equipped with loads of advice available regarding technique from staff and prisoners.
“It’s also a place where friends, who are separated by prison wings, can congregate in unity, and a common purpose in a moment where they can forget they are prisoners and be human.”
Amin, who visits prisons across the country, said most have outdoor football pitches, along with netball and basketball courts, but most “are in disrepair with grass growing out from the artificial turf.”
He added: “A small number of prisons have recognised the necessity for football to break up imprisonment, however this practice is very limited despite its resounding success.
“The main reasons given for the neglect of outdoor facilities are a lack of staff to accompany prisoners, as well as health and safety issues.
“Whenever I return to Feltham for our project work, I’m always reminded that Zahid’s cell always looked onto the empty football pitch whilst having to endure 23-hour lockup times.
“A running track in any establishment would be an excellent addition to break up lengthy lock-up, boredom, to promote cohesiveness and health to prisoners during an age where violence and drug-taking amongst prisoners are at an all-time high and where relationships between staff and prisoners are more strained than ever.
“My last point would be – given the discrimination suffered by BME groups in prisons – any sporting initiative would have to be managed fairly to ensure this opportunity is accessed by the many not the few, especially in the case of the young.”
Self-harm among inmates rose by 73 per cent between 2012 and 2016, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report.
In 2016 there were 40,161 incidents of self-harm in prisons, the equivalent of one incident for every two prisoners. While in 2016 there were 120 self-inflicted deaths in prison, almost twice the number in 2012, and the highest year on record.
And the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman found that 70 per cent of prisoners who had committed suicide between 2012 and 2014 had mental health issues.
Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, echoed the view that facilities like running tracks and football pitches should be the norm in prisons.
He told Eastern Eye: “While some prisons do have good exercise facilities, they tend to be indoors and gym-based.
“At the same time, such facilities can only be used if there are enough staff to let people out of their cells and escort them to sessions. In overcrowded and under-resourced jails, it is not uncommon for prisoners to be locked up for 23 hours a day with nothing to do.
“Reducing the number of people behind bars, while continuing to recruit more staff, would help to make prisons healthier… which is key to cutting crime.”
Tindall said the inspiration behind his 18-marathon challenge was his spell in jail in Chennai. He was released from prison in November following an appeal.
The challenge starts on September 20 in Coed Llandegla forest, in north Wales, and ends on October 7 in Chester. Proceeds will go to the Royal British Legion.
He said: “There was no point whingeing, whining and crying about it.”
Tindall said instead he used the time to “train as often as possible”.
There were 84,674 adults in prison in England and Wales in 2016/17.
The NAO estimates that £400 million was spent in 2016-17 on prisoners’ healthcare in England, which included treatment for 7,917 mental health patients.
However, surveys carried out by HM Inspectorate of Prisons found that 37 per cent of the prison population reported mental health or well-being issues.
The Ministry of Justice said it launched a recruitment drive to hire 2,500 more prison officers by the end of the year and reduce the average time to hire.
It added: “All prison staff, including key workers, will receive the mental health awareness training that is being rolled out as part of the revised Suicide and Self- Harm Prevention (SASH) training course.
“Since May 2017, over 11,000 staff have been trained in at least one of the modules of this training.
“The department is currently undertaking a needs analysis on mental health training requirements.”
It will focus on everyday support.
