An investigation into the issues regarding feeding prisoners with special dietary requirements, from a staff perspective.

Abstract

Prisons are an established, well known section of the community. The prison catering departments are set a strict budget to feed prisoners. The catering department has the responsibility of compiling menus that adapt to all prisoners dietary requirements including religious diets, medical diets, vegetarianism, infants and expectant mothers. The purpose of the study is to conduct an investigation into the issues regarding feeding prisoners with special dietary requirements from a staff perspective. There were a number of limitations to the research including access to the prisons, the number of participants and being unable to contact prisoners. Five prisons of different categories were contacted to take part in the research, three declined to participate. The staff in the catering department were issued qualitative questionnaires and Catering Managers at the prisons participated in a semi structured interview. The findings from the research were the prisons were organised with regards to special dietary requirements. The catering did not appear to suffer due to having to cater for dietary requirements although providing meals for certain diets was affecting the budget. The recommendations include employing trained kitchen staff, continue to offer the current variety and choice and increase the catering budgets inline with inflation each year.