Yoga for inmates is a research project in which inmates from various institutions in Sweden participated. The purpose was to investigate what effect yoga could have on the participants.

"The study showed that the inmates received increased ability to take responsibility, increased mental well-being and increased impulse control," says Nóra Kerekes, who is behind the research and is a professor of medical science with a focus on psychiatry.

Study arrangement

The study involved 100 male inmates. They were randomly divided into two groups where one group participated in yoga classes and the other practiced any physical activity, once a week for 10 weeks. Both before and after the weeks, the inmates had to fill in a personality test.

Could it be that those who participated were already prone to change?

- The study was a randomized study (see random breakdown). Everyone who participated wanted to do yoga.

One of the participants is Tony Puustinen. He left the criminal world with the help of yoga and therapy.

The researcher: May be a protective factor against relapse

According to Nóra Kerekes, the most important result was that the inmates had a significantly greater self-control which was evident in their maturity of character.

In the future, she wants to study the extent to which character maturity can be improved through treatment and, if so, it produces long-term positive changes in the person's behavior and mental state.

- With regard to inmates, such changes could possibly reduce the risk of recidivism in crime, while at the same time supporting the re-entry into society after serving the sentence.

New study on young people

Now Nóra Kerekes wants to do a similar study with young people between the ages of 14 and 20 in Västra Götaland, who have problems with abuse and crime.

- Everything that we have learned in these studies we now want to implement in young people. Then the goal is to prevent crime.