Speakers
Parallel Workshops
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been an unravelling force in prisons, especially regarding the impact of incarceration on the health and wellbeing of prisoners. For example, HMIP in the UK reported extended periods of complete lockdown in UK prisons, with some as severe as 24-hour lockdowns for several days, and 23-hour lockdowns on other days during the pandemic. There is evidence that this living condition in prisons have had significant impact on the health and wellbeing of prisoners – especially on their mental health. Apart from being stuck in a 12 x 8-Foot cell with a cellmate, being unable to access natural elements like sunlight, fresh air and green spaces, and the subsequent acoustic pollution that emanates from other agitated prisoners, creates an intense and pressured environment that can be described as unbearable for any human being. The purpose of this paper is to make the case for Biophilic Design and Biomimetic Solutions in Prisons.