Foreign Prisoners Receive Therapy Sessions at HMP Maidstone
Source reports published 18 Oct 2026, 10:00 am – 19 Oct 2026, 11:28 pm AEST
HMP Maidstone, housing foreign criminals from nearly 100 countries, offers a range of programs including relaxation sessions and cold-water therapy. The prison service is investing in additional spaces and measures to reduce violence and criminality.
What happened
- HMP Maidstone, located in Kent, England, provides a variety of rehabilitation programs for its approximately 600 foreign prisoners.
- Recent reports highlight the inclusion of group programs such as pre-release support, criminal records workshops, and relaxation sessions incorporating breathwork and cold-water therapy.
- A prison insider noted the activities resemble a ‘yoga retreat’.
- The Independent Monitoring Board reported a significant reduction in violent incidents over the past year.
- The prison service is undertaking significant investment, including building 14,000 additional spaces and spending £75 million to combat violence, criminality, and drug use.
- Cold-water therapy, championed by Wim Hof, is offered, with recommended exposure times for beginners.
- Simultaneously, concerns were raised regarding spending by HMP Manchester on music courses for inmates, costing £15,000, prompting criticism from the Taxpayers' Alliance.
Original reporting
- Guardian: What gets in the way of prisoners’ rehabilitation
2026-10-18T00:00:00+00:00 - GB News: Foreign prisoners treated to therapy sessions similar to 'yoga retreat'
2026-10-19T13:28:49+00:00