Incarcerated youth do not always have access to arts programs that aid in basic human

development. Many youth in detention centers struggle with isolation, low communication,
aggression and other cognitive skills (Ross, 1998). Developmental studies of youth in high-risk
environments have shown that the most positive change came from characteristics within
creative arts (Benard, 1991, Sautter, 1994), including “social competence; responsiveness to
others; empathy; caring, communication, problem-solving skills; a sense of identity and self-
worth; and a sense of purpose and future” (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs;
U.S Department of Justice, 1998). We are finding important correlations between arts programs
and positive development that is especially important when thinking about rehabilitation and
recidivism. Building self-esteem through engagement and achievement (Cox & Gelsthorpe,
2009), gaining greater self-control (Wilson, D., Caulfield, L. and Atherton, S., 2009) and
developing key emotional and social skills through music ensemble activities (Anderson &
Overy, 2010). The purpose of this research is to examine how creating and playing instrumental
music affects the experience of incarceration for youth, specifically looking at communication
and social skills, developed musical skills , emotional and behavioral changes as well as
challenges of a music classroom within correctional facilities.
An increase in confidence, social skills, and communication is a common trend among
incarcerated populations participating in music making experiences. Good Vibrations, a week
long music course focusing on gamelan percussion music, stated their participants found
importance in the way their communication and listening skills grew over the course of the
musical sessions.Their abilities “learning to work in a group and being away of others needs as
important” also grew throughout the program (Wilson, Caulfield, and Atherton, 2009).
Collaboration and communication is key when creating music, and because of isolation within
facilities, they are skills that many incarcerated individuals do not get the chance to exercise.
Positive emotional and social behaviors were reported to have increased in many studies
as well. Students participating in a weekly music class within the Cook County Juvenile
Temporary Juvenile Detention Center reported using “fun” and “love” in many of their weekly
class reflections. Staff reported that students were in a better mood right before and after music
class, and expressed their feelings of “fun, love and joy” to others about the program (Hickey,
2018). It is important to state that there were still negative comments, specifically about lack of
time, or lack of interest in the subject. Not all students who participated found a useful outlet out
of music making. Freedom was also a key feeling found in students participating in music
making. “ feeling alive and ‘free’ when making music” was a really big motivation for students
to come back and push through obstacles of creating and learning (Daykin, Moriarty., Viggiani,
& Pilkington, 2011, pg. 36). Even when compared to other art and education programs, musical
experiences have important benefits. In a study by Anderson and Overy, (2010), behavior and
education attendance was examined for individuals participating in a prison music project. This
data was compared to similar data from an art group, and group receiving standard education
courses. The music group was the only one that showed less behavioral issues.
 Because these studies are music experiences being run in non-traditional classrooms,
there are challenges that go along with both the logistical and creative side of the programs. First,
not all residents have access to the programs offered, mostly because of staffing or scheduling.
Music project leaders have less ability to predict how many students will be in class, unlike a
public school classroom, where there is roughly the same amount of students each class.
Fluctuation can lead to not enough instruments, not enough staff/project leaders, or can lead to
teacher planning for students who are not able to be there (Daykin, Moriarty., Viggiani, &
Pilkington, 2011, pg. 38). Classroom space within a prison setting can also be a large obstacle
for running an efficient rehearsal or musical experience. Since there are many groups meeting
within correctional facilitators such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, arts and
music programs do not get first pick of spaces. Running rehearsals or musical experiences within
a prison cell leads to a lack of motivation and willingness to work towards a goal that could be
perceived as pointless within prison (Rowland, 2013, pg 27). Communication was also reported
in many studies to have been a challenge. “Occasionally, communication difficulties between
music teams and institutional staff had a negative impact on the project. It was reported that
planned activities did not take place because of communication difficulties and a lack of
institutional support for the project” (Daykin, Moriarty., Viggiani, & Pilkington, 2011, pg. 38).
Because a prison or juvenile detention center’s main goal is not education, or even rehabilitation
at times, these sorts of programs do not always get support in the form of time or money. There
is also no one making sure that daily changes are communicated well, which can lead to wasted
time or lost instruction.

Body: Looking at...

- Relationships with staff/teachers
- Confidence, communication and social skills developed (or not developed)
 - Skills development, trainings musically
- Emotional, psychological and behavioral change (or no changes)

Wilson, D., Caulfield, L. and Atherton, S. (2009) Good Vibrations: The long term impact of a prison
based music project. Prison Service Journal, 182, 27-32. Retrieved from
https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2086/10092/Good%20vibrations.pdf?sequence=1&is
Allowed=y

Baker, S. and Homan, S. (2007) Rap, recidivism and the creative self: A popular music programme for
young offenders in detention. Journal of Youth Studies, 10, (4), 459-476. Retrieved from
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13676260701262566

“The mission of Genuine Voices was to teach musical composition and computer based music sequencing
to incarcerated youth as a way to assist in the development of their ability to make what the Director
called ‘positive life decisions”
“It aimed to provide male juvenile offenders with the experience of planning and executing a music
project, with the usual end product the creation of a CD of their work. “

Tyson, E.H. (2002) Hip Hop Therapy: An Exploratory Study of a Rap Music Intervention with At-Risk
and Delinquent Youth. Journal of Poetry Therapy, 15, 3, 131-144. Retrieved from http://jjie.org/wp-
content/uploads/2017/12/Tyson-Hip-Hop-Therapy-1.pdf

Types of music? Culturally relevant?

Hickey, M. (2018) “We all Come Together to Learn About Music”: A Qualitative Analysis of a 5-Year
Music Program in a Juvenile Detention Facility. International Journal of Offender Therapy and
Comparative Criminology, 62,13, 4046-4066. Retrieved from
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0306624X18765367

Recidivism and created self expression

Brewster, L. (2014). The impact of prison arts programs on inmate attitudes and behavior: A quantitative
evaluation. Justice Policy Journal, 11(2), 1-28. Retrieved from
http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/brewster_prison_arts_final_formatted.pdf

Long term impacts

Hillman, G. (2004). Arts programs for juvenile offenders in detention and corrections: A guide to
promising practices (Shute, J. , Ed.).Washington, DC: National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved from
https://ia800800.us.archive.org/32/items/artsprogramsforj00hill/artsprogramsforj00hill.pdf
Creative self expression

Benedict, C., Schmidt, P. K., Spruce, G., & Woodford, P. (2018). The Oxford Handbook of Social Justice
in Music Education. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Thompson, J. (2016). The Role of Rap Music Composition in the Experience of Incarceration for African
American Youth. PhD thesis, Northwestern University. Retrieved from https://cpb-us-
e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.northwestern.edu/dist/0/283/files/2017/05/thompson-2016-2fe4595.pdf

Saarikallio, S., Erkkilä, J. (2007). The role of music in adolescents’ mood regulation. Psychology of
Music, 35, 88-109. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229471062_The_role_of_music_in_adolescents%27_mood_reg
ulation

Daykin N., Moriarty Y., Viggiani N., & Pilkington P. (2011). Evidence Review- Music Making with
Young Offenders and Young People at Risk of Offending. University of West England. Retreived from
http://www.ohrn.nhs.uk/policy/AllWorkstreams/MusicMaking.pdf

https://spark.parkland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=music_fac

POSTER:

Introduction: Playing and creating music aids in many aspects of human development, yet some
groups do not have adequate access to music resources, such as band or orchestra class
within a public school system. For both adults and youth who are incarcerated, participating in
music making experiences can not only be help them develop musical skills, but give them an
outlet to explore the emotional and social parts of themselves, as well as collaboration and
communication.

Questions:
1. Are there social, emotional, and behavioral benefits of playing and creating music to
residents of a prison or detention center?
2. Is there a lack arts programs or arts education within the prison system, and if so, why?
3. What challenges make it difficult to facilitate a successful music class within a prison or
detention center setting?