Prison Yoga Project provides over 180 programs globally to people in prisons and jails, at-risk youth, people in recovery, and the post-incarceration community. Our primary population is incarcerated youth and adults. We also provide ongoing training and support to a diverse population of yoga facilitators, as well as training and support for institutional staff.
In 2002, James Fox began offering yoga and mindfulness practices to incarcerated people at San Quentin State Prison through the Insight Prison Project. His experience working alongside the men he practiced with showed him the significant impact yoga programs could have on incarcerated individuals. He recognized the importance of creating accessible programs designed for those who have experienced trauma and can operate in non-traditional yoga settings. James and his weekly classes at San Quentin remained consistent for a decade before becoming an official non-profit.