Yoga in San Quentin State Prison

Many prison and jail inmates are getting the opportunity to participate in yoga classes while locked up. Some are gaining better control over their anger and stress, as well as becoming more physically fit. Others are getting reduced jail time in addition to the health benefits that yoga offers.

Yoga in San Quentin State Prison

Some of California's most perilous prisoners are sent to San Quentin State Prison. Some of the inmates in San Quentin will die there and others end up there repeatedly. It is a a sad fact that 7 out of every 10 inmates in California finds their way back within 3-years from the time they are let out. For about 10-years, James Fox with the Insight Prison Project has been offering yoga lessons to many of the inmates who are locked up in San Quentin. Since violence is an ongoing problem in this overpopulated jail, yoga gives prisoners the coping skills necessary to deal with anger. In addition, the coping skills learned in prison will help many prisoners once they are released and have to learn to live on the outside once again.

Source: Time