NCJ Number
104692
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 67 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall-Winter 1986) Pages: 11-25
Date Published
1986
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This paper provides a brief history of the arts programs in U.S. correctional facilities and then addresses the contributions theater can make to prison goals.
Abstract
The paper traces changes in penal philosophy from the 18th through the 20th centuries, as well as shifts in the popularity of prison arts programs in the last two decades. It identifies four ways the performing arts contribute to inmates' personal growth: the enhancement of communication skills can bridge the limitations of localized dialect by setting up a dialog with mainstream culture; improved communication skills also give individuals a wider range of interpersonal choices; the act of performance is a self-realized goal that can be reached in the restrictive prison setting; and the performing arts offer more emotive, intuitive, and analytical modes of relating to the world and have a socializing effect. The paper explores how the performing arts can help prison achieve its goals of punishment, containment, and rehabilitation. Examples illustrate the positive impact of theater programs on prisoners' behavior. 15 references.