Food in correctional facilities: A scoping review

PROTOCOL: The efficacy of nutritional interventions in reducing childhood/youth aggressive and antisocial behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This is a protocol for a Campbell systematic review of intervention effectiveness. The goal of this systematic review is to answer the following questions based on the available empirical evidence: Are there nutritional interventions (dietary manipulation, fortification or supplementation) that can reduce excessive aggression towards others in children/youth? If yes, how strong is their effect and is there a difference among the three intervention types? Are there nutritional interventions that can reduce antisocial behaviors in children/youth? If yes, how strong is their effect and is there a difference among the intervention types? Are there nutritional interventions that can reduce violent offending in children/youth? If yes, how strong is their effect and is there a difference among the intervention types? Are there nutritional interventions that can reduce non-violent offending in children/youth? If yes, how strong is their effect and is there a difference among the intervention types? What implementation barriers and solutions to these exist in relation to the above nutritional interventions in children/youth?

Prison food and the carceral experience: a systematic review

PURPOSE

This study aims to focus on studies that qualitatively explore prison food experience. The goal is to elaborate a framework to better understand how prison food shapes the worldwide carceral experience.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

This systematic literature review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. It consists of four phases: identifying the studies, screening the studies, evaluating the eligibility of screened studies and inclusion of studies. After the four phases, ten studies (nine qualitative studies and one with mixed methods) were included in the review.

FINDINGS

There is a consensus among the researchers in the reviewed literature that prison food shapes the carceral experience. More specifically, four themes that encompass the experience of people with prison food emerged from the reviewed literature: food appreciation (taste of the prison food and perceived nutritional value), food logistics (preparation, distribution and consumption), food variety (institutional menu and commissary store) and food relationships (symbol of caring or power or punishment).

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The literature reviewed demonstrated that when incarcerated individuals have a negative view of prison food, the carceral experience is negatively impacted. This systematic review identified four dimensions that encompass the food experience within the prison environment, providing a framework for navigating this subject.

Bricolage as an expression of self and of cultural and familial foodways among people living in prison-'You make what you can with anything you can get'

In this article, we use Lévi-Strauss's (1962, The savage mind, University of Chicago Press) concept of 'bricolage' to explore informal food preparation among men in Scottish prisons. The art of 'making do with whatever is at hand', in innovative and creative ways, to give new functions to everyday items has recently been reimagined and applied to the field of food. It has been used to explore the practice of informal food networks in resource poor environments; investigate how small food businesses come up with new and innovative recipes ideas; and study the way Michelin-starred chefs responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through philanthropic activities. Our aim is to use bricolage as a lens through which to answer questions about whether more autonomy over food might contribute to overall health and wellbeing in prisons. Drawing on in-depth empirical data from qualitative interviews with 20 men in Scottish prisons, we explore how bricolage is used to escape the monotony of prison-issued meals and the tedium of the prison regime; counter threats to self and identity; create and maintain social relationships through joint enterprise and commensality; and create culinary experiences that afford a sense of control and normality in an environment synonymous with 'spoiled identity' (Goffman, 1961, Asylums: Essays on the social situation of mental patients and other inmates, Penguin.).

A Scoping Review of Nutrition Education Interventions Applied in Prison Settings

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Over 11 million individuals are incarcerated globally, facing health challenges such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, possibly exacerbated by prison diets. The objective of this scoping review is to explore the various available types of nutrition education interventions that currently exist in the literature applied in prison settings.

RECENT FINDINGS

Utilizing the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews, 19 databases were searched for studies on nutrition interventions in prisons from 2000 to May 2023, guided by the "PICO" structure. Inclusion criteria encompassed articles in five languages from peer-reviewed journals focusing solely on nutrition education interventions. Rayyan QCRI software was utilized for screening and data extraction. Fifteen international studies were analyzed, covering various countries and targeting different populations in prisons. Interventions varied from nutrition education to comprehensive health programs. The outcomes were inconsistent, with some showing health improvements and others encountering challenges. Few utilized established theoretical frameworks, indicating a research gap. The range of interventions highlights the potential complexity of nutrition education interventions within prisons. Implementing recognized theoretical frameworks may enhance effectiveness. The diverse outcomes highlight the challenges in creating impactful programs, emphasizing foundational issues. Recommendations focus on rigorous research designs and understanding prison-specific complexities. Nutrition education interventions in incarcerated settings present varied results, emphasizing the need for well-structured, theoretically grounded, and carefully evaluated programs. Future strategies should recognize the multifaceted nature of correctional facilities, aiming for holistic approaches to improve health in prisons.

Calories, commerce, and culture: The multiple valuations of food in prison

In the last two decades, a body of critical scholarship has emerged accentuating the social and cultural importance of food in prison. This article employs a tripartite conceptual framework for contemplating and demarcating food's different valuations in prison. We draw from our interviews with over 500 incarcerated individuals to demonstrate how acquiring, trading, and preparing food is inscribed with use, exchange, and sign values. In doing so, we provide illustrative examples of how food informs processes of stratification, distinction, and violence in prison.

Food and the prison environment: a meta-ethnography of global first-hand experiences of food, meals and eating in custody

BACKGROUND

Prison foodways offer a unique opportunity to improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of an underserved population, yet prison food is often rejected in favour of 'junk' food. Improved understanding of the meanings of food in prison is necessary to inform prison food policy and enhance the prison environment.

RESULTS

A meta-ethnographic synthesis of 27 papers integrated first-hand experiences of food in prison from 10 different countries. The lived experience for most in custody is of poor-quality prison-issued meals, necessarily consumed at a time and place at odds with socio-cultural norms. Beyond nutrition, food carries clear symbolic meanings in prison; through everyday food activities in prison, especially cooking, empowerment, participation, agency and identity are negotiated and performed. Cooking (with others or alone) can reduce anxiety and depression and increase feelings of self-efficacy and resilience in a socially, psychologically, and financially disadvantaged population. Integrating cooking and sharing food into the routine of prison life strengthens the skills and resources available to prisoners, empowering them as they move from the prison environment to the community.

CONCLUSIONS

The potential of food to enhance the prison environment and support improvements in prisoner health and wellbeing is limited when the nutritional content is inadequate and/or where food is served and eaten impacts negatively on human dignity. Prison policy which provides opportunities for cooking and sharing food that better reflects familial and cultural identity has the potential to improve relationships, increase self-esteem, build and maintain life skills needed for reintegration.

Incarcerated People Living with HIV: A Qualitative Exploration of Stigma

Thousands of people living with HIV are incarcerated in the United States. Research about this vulnerable community has focused on access and adherence to medical care, including the impact of stigma on these treatment outcomes. This study presents qualitative data collected from 18 incarcerated and formerly incarcerated men and women living with HIV to expand knowledge about how HIV stigma shapes the lived experience of incarceration. The HIV Stigma Framework, including theory about enacted, anticipated, and internalized stigma, was used to analyze participants' narratives. Findings demonstrate an ongoing struggle with all three of these stigma mechanisms. Most participants deliberately concealed their HIV status and, therefore, experienced little enacted stigma. However, their narratives do describe anticipated stigma and, to a lesser extent, internalized stigma. There were gender differences in HIV disclosure and symbolic stigma and intersectionality are used to understand this variation. These findings illustrate the persistence of HIV stigma in correctional institutions and underscore the importance of fighting HIV stigma and homophobia within social work practice.

Nutrition availability for those incarcerated in jail: Implications for mental health

PURPOSE

Using a seven-day cycle menu and commissary items at a rural county jail, this study aims to describe provisions of micronutrients known to be associated with mental health disorders and if they meet dietary guidelines.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The nutritional content of a seven-day cycle menu and four available commissary food packs were evaluated using NutritionCalc® Plus software (McGraw-Hill Education version 5.0.19) and compared to Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI).

FINDINGS

Menu mean values of Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C and zinc met DRI recommendations. However, Vitamin D (for men and women), magnesium (for men only) and omega-3s (for men only) did not meet the DRI recommendations.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

As deficits of Vitamin D, magnesium and omega-3s are known to exacerbate bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression, small changes to food would increase the offerings and potential intake of nutrients that may improve mental health.

Exploring Carceral Food Systems as Sites of Contestation and Possibility in Canadian Federal Prisons: The Food Services Modernization Initiative

Centering the perspectives and lived experiences of incarcerated persons, this article considers the ways food is used as a tool and site of contestation and possibility within federal prisons in Canada. Focusing specifically on the implementation of and resistance to the Food Services Modernization Initiative, I explore food as "contested terrain" within carceral systems, making visible a range of tactics of resistance employed by incarcerated persons, from testimonials and official complaints to direct collective action. In analyzing these actions and narratives, I reflect on the importance of both food justice and prisoner justice to transforming carceral food systems and call for greater acknowledgment of carceral food systems within food movement discourses and campaigns.

Food practices and nutrition of children and adolescents in residential care: A scoping review

Food practices of children and adolescents have thus far been researched mainly regarding families and schools. However, there are children and adolescents who live outside of their families of origin in various forms of residential accommodation together with other young people and staff. It can be assumed that food practices and eating habits are central and challenging topics in everyday life in these institutions. Therefore, this paper aimed to provide an overview of the empirical research on food practices in residential care for children and adolescents. We identified 11 studies presented in 19 publications. These studies examined data from 479 children and adolescents, as well as 187 staff members, from 48 residential care units in 8 countries. Due to the interdisciplinary research field, the included studies showed great heterogeneity in the examination of food. In summary, the main foci have been the meaning of food practices in residential care, food practices and forced migration, biopolicy, and nutrition and health. A major topic is the social dimension of food, especially the symbolic meaning in terms of providing care and "making a family". Nutritional or health aspects have been mainly analyzed in terms of eating disorders or providing enough food. Future research on food practices in residential care homes should also pay attention to quantitative designs that include a broader understanding of food, including its social and emotional facets.

Leaving no one behind in prison: improving the health of people in prison as a key contributor to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals 2030

Worldwide, approximately 11 million people are currently being held in prison, a number that has steadily grown since the turn of the 21st century. The prison population is more likely to suffer from physical and mental ailments both during and prior to their imprisonment due to poverty, social exclusion and chaotic lifestyles. Recognition of people in prison is noticeably absent from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), despite the goals' ethos of 'leaving no one behind'.We present the first analysis of how improving the health of people in prison can contribute to achieving 15 SDGs. Relevant indicators are proposed to fulfil these goals while meeting the existing international prison health standards. We also assess the political, economic and social challenges, alongside the unparalleled COVID-19 pandemic that can thwart the realisation of the SDGs. To reach the 'furthest behind first', prison health must be at the forefront of the SDGs.

Is food more than a means of survival? An overview of the Balkan prison systems

Food is a versatile national, social, and cultural marker. It represents more than just a means of survival (Stajcic, 2013); it is an expression of identity (Jones, 2017). Food has a symbolic power and carries a sense of community, relays customs, habits, and values. According to Godderis (2006), people "do" food. In institutional settings, such as prisons, often stripped of basic human rights and dignity, food can acquire yet another dimensions. It can become a means to pass time, regain normalcy, and cope with daily hardships. Despite its multifaceted importance, there is a paucity of research on prisoners' diet, with most being done on the US, UK, and Scandinavian prison systems (Smoyer, 2019; Smoyer & Kjaer Minke, 2015). This article drew from academic and non-academic sources (e.g., government reports, newspaper articles, prison blogs) to provide an overview of the Balkan prison systems through the lens of food. It will present weekly menus from three different countries and discuss alternative ways of accessing food in prisons (i.e., through prison commissary, prison farms, and food packages). It will further demonstrate prisoners' use of food to regain autonomy in the context of multiple deprivations. Lastly, this paper will reflect on the role of food, coffee, and cigarettes in prisoners' socialization, as well as in reiteration of prisoner subculture.

Food trust in low trust environments. Negotiating food trust in belgian prisons

This article examines how food trust is negotiated in Belgian penitentiaries. The study of food trust in prison, provides a particular context where the process can be understood in a low trust environment, and framed within a wider debate about food trust that has focused predominantly on how confidence is constructed in the context of outside society. A qualitative study, based on 60 in-depth interviews conducted with prisoners (41) and prison staff (19) and participant observations in prison kitchens, was carried out in five Belgian prisons. The findings show first, that trust in prisoners who work in the kitchen, and trust in external actors such as food control bodies or religious representatives that regularly visit the kitchens, can facilitate a negotiation of trust. Secondly, and contextually related to the above, is the importance of respecting religious and cultural norms in establishing a climate of food trust. Finally, the results additionally indicate that a lack of information, and/or incorrect information about cleanliness, at times led to food distrust.