Introduction

What do inmates do with their time while incarcerated? How can this abundance of time contribute to their re-entrance into society? These questions will be answered through this project’s exploration of the many facets of criminal rehabilitation, including the shortcomings of the criminal justice system as a whole as well as how some can be mitigated through the use of art by inmates. The final mixed-media piece will utilize mediums confined to those that incarcerated individuals are able to use in their creation of art, ultimately synthesizing the research conducted to shed light on the difficulties incarcerated individuals face daily and humanizing a population that is prejudiced against.

Literature Review

One of the biggest issues both currently and historically within the criminal justice system as a whole, is the persecution of Black and Brown communities in the United States. From slavery, to the Jim Crow era and the War on Drugs, to mass incarceration, these communities have been unfairly targeted throughout history (“Art and Restorative Justice: Transformative Healing Through Expression - Center for Art Law”). Additionally, (mass) incarcerating those who commit crimes doesn’t necessarily reduce recidivism, the likelihood that they’ll continue to offend (“Rehabilitation Through the Arts: Theater Programs in Prisons”). Focusing on rehabilitation while incarcerated has been shown to positively impact the prison environment (Johnson). 

A number of studies have explored the relationship between art and incarcerated individuals. Due to restrictions on contraband, they are generally limited to dry mediums; things like oil and chalk pastels, colored pencils, and collaging (Thackara). Incarcerated individuals are able to use art as a means of self-expression by working through their own trauma simultaneously (Brown). It serves as a creative outlet that can lend perspective, ultimately allowing them to view the world with a different perspective and approach things with creativity, flexibility, and an increase in self-confidence (Brewster and Gussak). It can also actually restore neuro-structures in incarcerated individuals’ brains that ultimately help them regulate emotion (Thackara). Art-based programs can therefore help mitigate the effects of incarceration, leading to more effective rehabilitation. This project will build upon these ideas by presenting four key pieces in the form of motifs: mass incarceration, racial bias in the death penalty, the “revolving door,” and the crack-cocaine sentencing disparity. 

Methods

In order to develop conceptual ideas into the finished exhibition, secondary research was conducted. Pre-existing interviews, works of art, and academic journal articles were synthesized. The artistic techniques utilized included drawing with colored pencils and oil pastels and collaging. The creation of this project was limited to these mediums to better enforce the message and purpose of the research. A major part of the artistic process was trial and error when exploring the interaction between the mediums used. 

Audience & Impact

The goal of this project is to educate, and therefore, the intended audience is not confined to a certain demographic. It is for anyone and everyone as anyone can be engaged with and learn from this project. Since the research focuses on a population that is often prejudiced against, the goal is to humanize them and hopefully challenge some of the audience’s preconceived notions about incarcerated individuals. The research depicted in this project, as it is controversial in some spaces, is presented neutrally in the form of art in order to reach and impact such a large audience.  

This project allowed the artist to step outside of their comfort zone, like they have been encouraged to previously as an Art Scholar. They hope to be able to build upon this project in the future just as they’ve built upon their previous research and background knowledge.

References

“Art and Restorative Justice: Transformative Healing Through Expression - Center for Art Law.” Center for Art Law, 1 Dec. 2023, itsartlaw.org/2020/01/14/art-and-restorative-justice-transformative-healing-through-expression.

Brewster, Larry. “The Impact of Prison Arts Programs on Inmate Attitudes and Behavior: A Quantitative Evaluation.” Brewster Justice Policy Journal, Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2014, www.cjcj.org/media/import/documents/brewster_prison_arts_final_formatted.pdf.

Brown, Patricia. “No License Plates Here: Using Art to Transcend Prison Walls.” The New York Times, 2 Apr. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/04/02/arts/design/california-prison-arts.html.

Gussak, David. “The Effectiveness of Art Therapy in Reducing Depression in Prison Populations.” International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, vol. 51, no. 4, Aug. 2007, pp. 444–60. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624x06294137.

Johnson, Lee, Jr. “A Place for Art in Prison: Art as a Tool for Rehabilitation and Management.” The Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 5, no. 2, 2008, pp. 100–20. www.swacj.org/_files/ugd/4d13c6_ddf185230f354e119fe1b89a761df0f0.pdf#page=4.

“Rehabilitation Through the Arts: Theater Programs in Prisons.” Rehabilitation Through the Arts, 3 Apr. 2024, www.rta-arts.org/about-us.

Thackara, Tess. “For Rikers’s Most Troubled Inmates, Art Offers Hope.” Artsy, 27 July 2016, www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-for-rikers-s-most-troubled-inmates-art-offers-hope.

Acknowledgements

I want to thank my Art Scholars peers for their continuous support and feedback throughout the semester as well as the faculty advisors. Another thank you to my family and friends for their encouragement throughout the entire process and my audience for being engaged and trying to learn more.