Mindfulness for Correctional Facilities

We are a Nonprofit Organization dedicated to improving the mental health of the community.

Overview

The experiences of both officers and inmates in correctional facilities such as jails, prisons, juvenile detention centers, and halfway houses are often riddled with trauma. The officers are dealing with a highly volatile population on a daily basis that exposes them to a wide range of incidents. While the inmates often also experience abuse from others and are often dealing with prior mental health issues as well. But, by using a mindfulness-based preventative measure with the YOG Foundation, both officers and inmates in correctional facilities can gain the necessary skills to cope with their experiences in these facilities, assist officers in performing better while on the job, and aid inmates in their transition into a more positive future.

A Vision for a More Mindful Future

In America, there are currently 2.3 million people incarcerated. In correctional facilities, officers are exposed to significantly higher rates of violence than the general population, leading to a constant threat to their safety. Inmates themselves are often subjected to overcrowding, medical problems, substance abuse, suicide, and sexual violence regularly. Additionally, many inmates have underlying mental health issues that contribute to their incarceration in the first place. Given the numerous problems for both inmates and officers, by implementing a mindfulness program with the YOG Foundation, both officers and inmates can gain benefits physically and mentally.

If you are a correctional facility, click here…

Goals

Objectives

Today – Without Mindfulness

4% of inmates experience sexual victimization by inmates or facility staff
26.3% of inmates experience psychological distress
777 out of 100,000 inmates die after release from a correctional facility
An average of 75% of inmates do not receive mental health treatment when it is needed
74% of inmates have substance dependence of some form
20% of inmates are injured in a fight while in a correctional facility
33% of correctional facility officers sustain an injury on the job
Up to one-third of correctional officers report high stress levels

Tomorrow – With Mindfulness

43% decreased risk for depression and suicide
25% increase in life expectancy for long term meditators
21% decrease in anger, potentially reducing violent incidents in facilities
Can increase officer attention, concentration, and focus, thereby improving their job performance
50% decrease in symptoms of PTSD
12% decrease in addiction relapse
23% decrease in domestic violence
79% decrease in insomnia
A 12-week yoga intervention led to a significant boost in immunity, preventing infection from disease

Change the community

The YOG Foundation Implements Mindful Yoga & Mindful Meditation Sessions Across Various Correctional Facilities

Given the issues that both inmates and officers face in correctional facilities, this creates a traumatic environment for all. But by implementing a mindfulness program with the YOG Foundation, it can improve the lives of both officers and inmates while in the correctional facility and once they are released or are back home as well.

The Benefits of Mindfulness for Correctional Facilities

A recent study analyzed the impacts of a mindfulness-based program in correctional facilities.

This program for correctional facilities resulted in significantly improved levels of:

Mindfulness meditation and yoga programs are not only beneficial for inmates but officers as well, both physically and mentally. This suggests that these programs can improve officer job performance, reduce violent incidents in the facilities, and improve the lives of both inmates and officers overall.