37. Sixth supplementary memorandum
submitted by HM Prison Service, Home Office
PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY
DEFINITION
Purposeful Activity consists of 30 activities
broadly comprising education, work, resettlement activity and
a small number of miscellaneous activities not covered under the
above areas. Planning Group originally provided the HAC with a
table of hours for each prison function for a specified list of
activities. These were as follows:
— Classroom education;
— Vocational workshops;
— Production workshops;
— Exercise;
— OBPs.
Additionally Planning Group provided an "other"
column showing the remaining hours of purposeful activity and
a column showing total hours. Jane Gordon subsequently requested
a definition of what "other" hours comprises.
I attach a list of the activities, which contribute
toward the Purposeful Activity measure. As well as covering the
areas listed above there are a number of other categories of activity
that form prison regimes. These include activities such as tackling
substance abuse, including prisoner drug rehabilitation and detoxification
programmes, anti bullying initiatives, pre-release work, family
visits and a range of work opportunities within the prison and
in prison farms and gardens. These activities are aimed at rehabilitating
prisoners, promoting good institutional behaviour and maintaining
family ties in preparation for prisoners' release.
I am happy to provide further information clarifying
the types of activity that are available to prisoners upon release.
8 October 2004
| 
