ART Rehab
The missing ingredient in a transformative recipe for self-restoration
Colby Wilson | April 20 2020
Inmates at Valley State Prison participating in an African Drumming workshop facilitated by ACTA artist Abdullatif Bell Touncara. Photo: Peter Merts for the California Arts Council.
Why do people go to prison?
What is the purpose of the American prison system? To acquire cheap labor? To preserve the ideals of public safety? To rehabilitate? Or to restrain the effortless culture that flows from the souls behind bars?
It is no secret that Blacks and Hispanics make up roughly sixty percent of the United States’ prison population, consequently raising an abundance of questions around the objective and efficiency of the prison system. When exploring the United States Correctional website it reads, “the correctional system is responsible for overseeing a wide array of programs- far more than what it is usually given credit for. If you ask most people about the role of the U.S. Correctional System, most would say that it is responsible for monitoring inmates in prison, but would not recognize that it also handles offenders who are conditionally released, as well as those who are merely issued penalties that do not require imprisonment.”
So what about the individuals who are released? How is one expected to be reintroduced to the general public without proper rehabilitation?
According to Oxford Dictionaries, “art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination… producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power”. Rehabilitation is the action of “restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy after imprisonment, addiction, or illness.” Is the United States prison system really completing its due diligence by taking advantage of various restorative programs, like art rehabilitation?
Art rehab in the prison system may land as a mind-boggling contradiction; seemingly more whimsically idealistic than something that can be practically implemented. Federal and state departments using art as a rehabilitative practice in correctional facilities may give many tax payers pause. Many believe that inmates should receive standard humane treatment while serving their time; rehabilitation is often not seen or implemented as a priority. But just like there are an array of offenses that can lead to sentencing, there should also be differentiated rehab resources and outlets for the imprisoned.
David Gussak wrote, “Art, we hope, seems to evoke humanity in most people. They associate it with expressiveness, sensitivity, creativity—in sum, traits that seem antithetical to those assigned to prisoners.” Even people who do not consider artistry a real career admire artists. Hence, the apparent paradox.”
Rehab Through the Arts
Playing on the paradox is exactly what is happening at Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). Founded by Katherine Vockins, RTA is an artistic community in which members participate for years - even decades. RTA offers a dynamic and richly varied program, a curriculum that reflects the interest of the group.
People are imprisoned for a plethora of offenses that range in consequential impact. Whatever the offense the objective of prison is to correct and change poor decision making; once granted admission back to the general population, formerly incarcerated individuals should have the skills and resources to be productive additions to society.
Interdisciplinary research suggests a strong linkage between the development of the right brain and arts education and practice, which in turn, leads to higher-order thinking skills and greater emotional self-regulation. Further, there is compelling evidence that a well-developed right brain correlates with focused attention, creativity, intellectual flexibility, patience, self-discipline and the ability to work with others. It is imperative that entities like Rehabilitation Through the Arts be supported. The life changing work that is being executed by artistic rehab organizations is saving lives and reintroducing hope and forgiveness.
“Where the prison consensus teaches that hard work is for suckers, the RTA culture teaches that nothing lasting can be achieved without effort.
Where the prison culture preaches every man for himself, RTA stresses that each member is needed for the group to be whole.
Where prison encourages isolation and violent retaliation to offense insures a long life, RTA shows that communication and cooperation are vital to the health of the community.”
References:
Art Therapy in Prison is Social Justice- David Gussak: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/art-trial/201602/art-therapy-in-prison-is-social-justice
Innocence Project: https://www.innocenceproject.org/how-many-innocent-people-are-in-prison/
Rehab for the Arts https://www.rta-arts.org/mission
The Impact of Prison Arts Program- Justice Policy Journal- Larry Brewster:http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/brewster_prison_arts_final_formatted.pdf
The US Correctional System: https://www.correctionalofficer.org/us-correctional-system
Colby Wilson
is a performing artist and creative based in Houston, TX. He owns an event planning company Dynasty Creatives.
Instagram: here.