Boxing preventing extremism in Doncaster prison

Boxing sessions at Doncaster Prison are helping to prevent extremism, it has been claimed.
HMP DoncasterHMP Doncaster
HMP Doncaster

Tory MP Charlotte Leslie insisted the sport is proving successful at helping prevent extremism in prisons including Doncaster and has called for a pilot of non-contact boxing in more prisons.

Prisons Minister Andrew Selous said sport can help prisoners’ rehabilitation and said he would meet the Bristol MP to discuss her suggestion.

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But Home Affairs Select Committee chair Keith Vaz said he was ‘not absolutely convinced’ that boxing ‘or table tennis’ would form a central part of deradicalisation programmes.

During exchanges during justice questions in the Commons, Ms Leslie said: “The often troubled young men and women who fall prey to manipulative and destructive extremist ideology, instead of having their anger and drive directed elsewhere, are to be pitied.

“Are you aware of the success of boxing in rehabilitation in helping prevent extremism, including in prisons like HMP Doncaster?

“And will you look at piloting non-contact boxing schemes in more prisons and for more categories of offender?”

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