NCJ Number
202384
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 54 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2003 Pages: 108-114
Editor(s)
Carolyn Eggleston
Date Published
September 2003
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article focuses on the evaluation of an innovative arts program that facilitates teaching and interaction between artists and institutionalized juvenile offenders and the impact of art programs on youth behavior.
Abstract
Using the arts to reach at-risk youth is not new. The arts possess a fundamental potential to impact individuals in many ways offering opportunities for personal growth. It teaches youth about themselves, their sensations, and their ideas, and shows them unexpected ways of understanding other people and the world. This article focuses on the evaluation of an innovative arts program, “A Changed World” (ACW) established in 1992. ACW’s goal is to reduce the recidivism of juvenile offenders through their participation in culturally relevant, experiential arts activities. The article highlights the potential of arts programs to impact youth behavior both during incarceration and after release. The study combines three separate annual evaluations and uses the results of the second and third years. The sample consisted of youth who participated in arts workshops while incarcerated in Washington State juvenile correctional facilities. The first year of the program involved 265 participants, the second year consisted of 117 participants, and the third year consisted of 41 participants. A major first year finding was that since workshops were generally fairly short it was unreasonable to expect change in self-esteem. In the second and third years, artists developed multiple goals for each workshop. As a result of 3-years of evaluative research, ACW had a very positive impact on the youth who participated. Participation in the workshops significantly reduced rule breaking and misbehavior. The research produced preliminary evidence to conclude that art education programs can generate positive changes with institutionalized juveniles. References