research
Topic: Arts and Social Development: Criminal Justice and the Arts
Though a few programs have existed since the 1970s, it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that many communities started to assimilate art programs within at-risk youth rehabilitation programs and correctional facilities. The results have proved promising, and within the past 10 years or so, hundreds of innovative media and arts programs have developed. These programs provide opportunities to learn tangible skills, environments for communication, and therapeutic outlets for at-risk youth and inmates. As the students of such programs begin to express themselves through the arts, communities and institutions gain a deeper understanding of the issues contributing to crime and delinquency.
Most programs focus specifically on juvenile crime; however, some bridge the gap between adult, long-term prisoners, and at-risk youth, providing an opportunity for the adults to educate the youth. There is a growing trend toward using the arts with at-risk youth before they reach prison. Successful art programs tend not to be just therapeutic, but also educational (e.g., teaching students how to write or paint). Other successful programs may be collaborations between multiple organizations within a single community (e.g., between an arts organization, rehabilitation service, correctional facility, and social service agency).
Resource:
Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA)
Founded at the Sing Sing correctional facility in 1996, Rehabilitation Through the Arts now works within five New York state prisons, providing innovative programs in theater, dance, voice, creative writing, and visual art. RTA believes in the profoundly rehabilitative effect that engaging in creative arts has on men and women behind bars. Through creative expression in RTA's programs, prisoners learn social and cognitive skills that act as a springboard to education, family reconciliation, and ultimately, successful re-integration into community life. The arts have a unique and powerful effect on hardened behaviors and attitudes, breaking through the defensive stance typical of prisoners. This process has become the focus for RTA.
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