/ Justice Services

Working with partners to bring new value to Justice Services

Everywhere in the world, governments are seeking solutions to prevent re-offending and encourage inmate rehabilitation. With this goal in mind, Sodexo designs, builds and provides services in prisons, and the community.

Reorganization and construction

In most countries, prison overpopulation has made building and reorganizing prisons indispensable.

 

Designing highly functional sites

Over the years, Sodexo has developed the expertise required to meet all of our clients’ demands while ensuring an essential component: the efficiency and security of teams working in a prison environment.

For example, we have taken up the challenge launched by the Ministry of Justice in the United Kingdom to increase the capacity of its penitentiary facilities in England and Wales. Within a short time frame, we managed the extension of the HMP&YOI Forest Bank prison, focusing our attention on improving living conditions (enlarging the kitchen and gym, building a lobby and an area to receive visitors, ensuring comfort in the cells), while complying with security rules.

Health and fitness

Every individual has a right to receive complete, quality medical treatment. In a prison environment, where inmate movements are restricted and require authorization, health care is governed by special rules.

 

Providing health care

At the facilities where Sodexo manages health care, we have introduced an efficient, effective system in which inmates are treated with respect and dignity.

In Chile, the Alto Hospicio, Serena and Rancaga prisons offer complete medical care in partnership with public health facilities. Each prisoner has an individual health card and customary procedures are used to diagnose and treat all illnesses.

A well-balanced diet

Inmates look forward to mealtime as a special moment in the day. Varied, balanced food helps maintain their physical and psychological well-being.

 

Staying healthy thanks to balanced meals

Our teams are eager to make mealtime a relaxing moment that ensures healthy nutrition suited to life in prison. This attention implies adapting menus to the different customs, religious practices and nationalities of the inmate population.

Meal preparation is supervised by carefully selected professionals. In some facilities, such as those in Chile, interns recruited among the inmates are trained to handle food and observe the rules of hygiene and risk prevention at every stage of meal preparation. Their participation improves the way foodservice is perceived by their fellow prisoners.

Contact with loved ones

Maintaining ties to loved ones is essential during imprisonment. Staying in touch with friends and family helps inmates cope with difficulties and prepare their rehabilitation with greater serenity.

 

Staying in touch

Because we know that maintaining close family ties helps reduce the likelihood of re-offending and prepare prisoners for their release, we have designed specific programs for inmates and their families.

In the United Kingdom, inmates benefitting from our Time for Families program take advantage of their period of detention to learn how to rebuild relationships with family and friends. Based on three pillars – couple relationships, parenting and handling money wisely – the program aims to treat the essential ingredients of everyday life concretely.