In Focus 4 - Fine Dining in a Prison: The Clink Restaurants in the UK

Abstract

Within the Western developed world, statistics showing high incarceration, increasing crime rates and high rates of prisoner reoffending are a cause for concern. To tackle these issues, which relate globally to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – most notably Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – a number of initiatives have been pioneered within prisons. Among such initiatives, a trend of responsible, socially conscious hospitality has emerged. While former prisons turned into museums have become popular tourist experiences worldwide (Strange and Kempa, 2003), working prisons are not usually considered places tourists choose to visit. That said, fine dining in working prisons has grown in popularity. Visitors can now receive culinary experiences by dining at restaurants within minimum- or medium-security prisons staffed by inmates who are close to release.