Exploring occupational capital within the United Kingdom’s Conservative Government’s Prisons Strategy White Paper: A critical discourse analysis

Introduction: Occupational capital is a nascent construct of occupation proposed by Cameron (2013) in his research on return-to-work support for employees with mental health problems. This research evaluated the contribution of occupational capital to occupational science by exploring the concept in the context of United Kingdom prisons. Method: Drawing on the conceptual and discursive terrain of occupational science perspectives, this study employed critical discourse analysis to explore how occupational capital is constructed within the Government’s Prisons Strategy White Paper and stakeholder responses. Findings: Five key discourses relating to meaningful and exploitative occupation, contradictions in prison policy, and prison rehabilitative activities were identified. Through a process of retroduction, these discourses elucidated occupational deprivation, occupational justice, and occupational capital in prisons. Conclusion: ccupational capital is an asset which can be harnessed to optimise occupational participation within sites of occupational deprivation, such as prisons. Findings indicate the potential contribution of occupational capital to the concept of occupational justice and occupational science more broadly.