Introduction
In a speech given at Boston University, Professor Andre de Quadros acknowledges that all human beings are genetically hardwired to make art, and that art-making processes are an essential component for the wellbeing of every individual (De Quadros, A., 2012).
Starting from these premises, the following essay will study how music education within’ prison settings can play a key-role in the rehabilitation of prisoners, and how music programs in jails around the world have been showing outstanding results on the reintegration of former offenders into society.
Current issues related to life in Prison
Incarceration is a practice that condemns the malevolent behavior of a criminal, and that supposedly works in three ways: as a deterrent for crime, as a punishment, and as a form of rehabilitation through time spent in confinement. ( Zoukis, JD,2021).
However, modern institutes of corrections have been making the reintegration and reformation of ex detainees a long and often unsuccessful process. In the following paragraphs, I am going to expose some of the shortcomings related to contemporary jail settings.
Developing of low mood and mental health conditions
Studies at the Michigan Universities report that 23% of offenders released every year in the United States (including Federal, State and local prisons) have experienced depression inside prison as well as after their release; hence these ex-offenders do not re-enter society feeling positively about their mental health or general condition (Johnson, 2019).
Although there is statistical evidence that a significant number of individuals enters the correction system with underlying mental health conditions (Doris, Glaze, BJS Statisticians, 2006), the harshness of confinement and the separation from family and social networks can cause permanent mental health damage and trigger further psychological issues, such as lack of confidence, mood disorders, loss of personal autonomy, and more (Quandt, Jones, 2021). Furthermore, additional problems related
to the circumstances of life in jail (such as: the exposure to violence and assault from other inmates, constant prison overcrowding, discrimination among prisoners, etc.) alongside stressful life events outside of it, contribute to damaging the mental health of the prison population and can cause severe anxiety, schizophrenia, and psychotic disorders (Moore, K.E., Siebert, S., Brown, G. 2021). These stressors often translate into acts of self-harm as well as suicidal attempts, as suicide is currently the leading cause of death in prison on a global scale (Moore, K.E., Siebert, S., Brown, G. 2018).
Hence, it is evident that the struggle a convicted individual experiences in prison is part of the punishment for the crimes committed. However, research is unveiling that, as discussed above, not only prisoners are not fully rehabilitated after their release, but also that they are eager to relapse into crime shortly after re-gaining freedom. This phenomenon takes the name of recidivism.
Recidivism
A report conducted in 2005 shows that in some 300+ thousand releasees in the United States that year, 45% of these were re-arrested within’ one year from their release (Clarke, M., 2019), and identical rates were reported in Australia (45.2%) between 2020 and 2021 for prisoners released in 2019 (Australian Government, 2022). Hence, this is an event Western prisons have been dealing with certainly for more than a decade.
Recidivism happens for several reasons: first, the stigma of the sentences remains with the releasee and appears to be a serious disadvantage when looking for housing and employment, and most former prisoners have low levels of education and work experiences in the first place. Secondly, the influence of criminal circles and low-life acquaintances former inmates were used to, often sets these individuals up to get back into their criminal activities; in most cases, crimes revolve
around violence and frequent drug abuse (Visher C., Debus S., Yahner J, 2008).
Hence, recidivism and the difficulty of reintegration into society for former inmates are strongly intertwined, and both derive from one major problem: the inefficiency of the prison system in reforming citizens through consistent rehabilitative programs.
In an interview with journal The Epoch Times, the Australian criminologist Clarke Jones explains how the harshness of the time spent in confinement is ‘boring’ and is not having any positive impact on the detainees. On the other hand, he observes that inmates that keep themselves occupied with jail-organized activities, acquire new skills, learn trades, and get an education while serving time are less eager to reoffend and more likely to re-enter society successfully. (Lilly, 2022)
Clarke’s interview, alongside the data presented so far, clearly states that prison settings need a serious shift in paradigm to solve the long-lasting issues related to high recidivism rates and poor re-entry preparation.
A better rehabilitation process for inmates is only possible through activities that can benefit these individuals through two main components: education, as well as therapy; and the participation of offenders in programs that include arts, crafts and trades reveals to be extremely motivating and constructive for all participants (Lynne, 2012).
Hence, the rest of this study will focus on the successful contribution of music education practices within’ Australian and American correctional settings, and how yearly reports, interviews and questionnaires are showing some important progress in incarcerated people’s conditions, both inside and outside of prison.
Music education as Rehabilitation
First and foremost, music education is defined as any activity that involves teaching music related topics in a one-on-one or group setting; these classes can include singing, instrumental lessons and/or recording sessions.
The role of music education in prison is often intertwined with music therapy practices, as there is clear evidence that learning music has got therapeutic effects on all functions of the brain.
Music education and therapy techniques continue to be blended to find solutions that suit all kinds of students within’ the justice system (Tóth-Bakos, nd).
Music education and therapy programs have been arranged in western correction institutes (in an official, rather than spontaneous form) for the last 70 years (Gardner, 2018) and thus far have shown incredibly positive results on the mental well-being of inmates. Following the previous years’ outstanding outcomes, plenty of programs are now offered inside maximum to low security correction institutes in Europe, Australia, and United States.
Music programs aim to inspire prisoners to become productive members of society by giving them knowledge that can boost their morale and confidence (Kamalathan, nd).
Here are some further examples of how learning music is benefitting the prison population.
Expressivity, mood, and behaviour
Arranged music settings such as choirs, instrumental lessons, composition classes and drumming circles help inmates regaining their emotional intelligence and connection with their feelings. By singing and playing instruments, insiders can express their emotions freely, exorcise their inner demons and reflect on their past actions (Henley, J., Cohen, M. L., & Mota, G., 2013).
Individuals involved in such programs also state that learning music has been lifechanging and has given them purpose in life (Kamalathan, A., nd). Other studies conducted by the Justice Policy Journal on a total on 49 inmates in 2014, prove that over 85% of detainees involved in an arts program (of which 50% in music related courses) have shown important personal and behavioural changes, such as:
boosted confidence and sense of self-worth, newfound happiness, and more. In addition to these, there is also proof of better rapports with inmates and fewer disciplinary records for the participants, as group activities challenge their interpersonal skills and trust for others in the group. (Brewster, 2014). On the topic of improved relationship and improved sense of community, drumming facilitator Simon Faulkner (2021) reports that drumming circle programs significantly reduce the differences between prison gangs and diverse ethnical groups, as music-making activities connect individuals by putting them into an environment that requires collaboration as well as listening skills (Faulkner, 2021).
Studies of the university of Western Australia on a drumming program (Martin K., Wood L., Tasker, J., Coletsis C.,2014) demonstrate the following progress on inmates in the span of three months:
high level of inmates’ participation
Improvements in the prisoners’ mental wellbeing
Decreased level of psychological distress
Increased level of resilience to the environment
Hence, learning music provides detainees with powerful resources enabling them to fight mental health issues and re-acquire an identity outside of the criminal justice setting; thus, only by developing this new social identity, former offenders can desist from crime and rebuild a life upon release (Weaver, McNeill,2010). The reformation of the prisoners’ personas is strictly connected to their chances to reintegrate into society without offending any further.
The participation to art related programs can also motivate inmates to improve
their literacy (Tett,, 2012) and potentially take part to further vocational training. In fact, inmates often take on music and art projects as approachable study subjects, as they require little to no initial investment of time and energy.
However, as reported above by numerous studies worldwide, detainees taking part in music classes show significant changes in their emotional intelligence, behavior, and interpersonal skills.
Sometimes these changes can even prevent these men and women from returning to their criminal lives.
Successful stories of Rehabilitated ex-offenders
Although the data is still undetailed and very disarranged, recent news show that ex-offenders involved in music education programs are 27 times less likely to re-offend than ones that did not take part in such programs (Dominic, A., 2017). Furthermore, successful stories of music education as a rehabilitative and reforming tool for ex-offenders are on the rise daily and constantly exposed by the mainstream Media.
Stories like Richie’s (Townsend, 2019), ex-convict in Wandsworth prison who states his life was saved by participating to the Liberty Choir program, as well the ones of United Kingdom jail talents now released by the independent labels RedTangent and Now Changing Tunes (Deboick, 2022) are showing the general public that prison-based music activities can nurture active members of society.
In conclusion, this study has defined that the rehabilitation of ex-offenders can’t be described as an easy process, as the very personal circumstances and traumas of each individual can only be addressed on a case-to-case basis. However, it is now proven that Music workshops and classes within’ the justice system have a positive impact on the life of incarcerated individuals, and that these initiatives can inspire change that goes far beyond the bars. To solve problems related to short prison re-entries and overcrowding, the justice system should further develop ways
to include arts and music in their programs. In addition to this, a new-found passion
for music for fully rehabilitated inmates could translate into further professional opportunities in the arts and entertainment industry, such as stagehands, technicians, engineers, as well as artists and educators.
Reference List
Henley, J., Cohen, M. L., & Mota, G. (2013). Musical development and positive identity
change within criminal justice settings. In G. Beyens, M. Ramos, E. Zipane, & T. Ophuysen (Eds.), Rethinking education: empowering individuals with the appropriate educational tools, skills and competencies, for their active cultural, political and economic participation in society in Europe and beyond (pp. 120–149). Brussels: ACP.
Faulkner, S. (2021). Drum Circles for Specific Population Groups. Jessica Kingsley
Publishers, pp.181–187.
Bedard, L. (2011). The importance of art and music behind bars. [online] Available at:
Brewster, L. (2014a). California Prison Arts: a quantitative Evaluation.
Brewster, L. (2014b). The Impact of Prison Arts Programs on Inmate Attitudes and Behavior: A Quantitative Evaluation. http://www.cjcj.org/jpj , pp.5–8
Butler, A., Young, J.T., Kinner, S.A. and Borschmann, R. (2018).
Self-harm and suicidal behavior among incarcerated adults in the Australian Capital Territory. Health & Justice,[online] 6(1). doi:10.1186/s40352-018-0071-8.
Clarke, M. (2019). Long-Term Recidivism Studies Show High Arrest Rates
| Prison Legal News. [online] Prisonlegalnews.org. Available at:
https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2019/may/3/long-term-recidivism-studies-show-higharrest-rates/.
Colarossi, J. (2020). How One BU Researcher is Empowering Prisoners with Music. [online]
Boston University. Available at: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/how-one-bu-researcher-isempowering-prisoners-with-music/.
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