Introduction to Rehabilitation and Prison Education

Rehabilitation in prisons can be a controversial topic to many. Some find that incarcerated individuals are monsters devoid of human emotion and should stay in prison for as long as they live, while others argue that prisons should provide a space for rehabilitation where the incarcerated can develop their character and turn their lives around.

If you were to ask me my stance on rehabilitation, I would definitely agree with the latter. I find that a crime should not necessarily punctuate the rest of an individual’s life. Many of these individuals come from disadvantaged backgrounds, whether that be coming from abusive homes, struggling with mental health issues, or not having a strong support system around them. For some, living a life fuelled by criminal activity is all they know. It is unfair to say that incarcerated individuals who have committed a crime are not deserving of empathy or care. They should not be forgotten or disregarded just based on the fact that they committed a crime.

While these individuals may have committed some heinous crimes, prisons bear the responsibility of giving these incarcerated individuals a chance to grow and learn from their deviant behavior. Rehabilitation is meant to lead individuals through a smooth reintegration into society and provide skills and incentives to prevent future recidivism.

However, it seems as though the criminal justice system is failing to properly rehabilitate incarcerated individuals as reoffending rates have been on the rise. According to a Bureau of Justice Statistics study that followed 404,638 incarcerated individuals upon their release from prison, “67.8% of released prisoners were rearrested within 3 years of release and more than 76.6% were rearrested within 5 years.” The data also showed that “56.7% of these rearrests were in the first year after release” (“Benefits of Prison Education). [3]

The alarming recidivism rates suggest that the criminal justice system is failing to properly rehabilitate incarcerated individuals. This lack of rehabilitation essentially does not grant incarcerated individuals the chance to transform their lives. If individuals are not able to benefit from their time incarcerated, it would not be a surprise to see them stuck in a cycle of deviant behavior.

Before taking a look into theatre and drama programs specifically, it is important to look at prison education as a whole and note how it can have a positive impact on the lives of incarcerated individuals. Prison education essentially refers to the educational programs incorporated in prisons, where incarcerated individuals can access higher education that they may otherwise be deprived of. Examples of learning opportunities that incarcerated individuals are presented with include getting their GED, enrolling in a college-level program, literacy classes, and vocational education.

Through prison education, prisons aim to reduce the rates of recidivism and provide incarcerated individuals with employment opportunities upon their reintegration into the community. Individuals who involve themselves in such programs have also shown a decrease in violent tendencies, which is beneficial in terms of creating a safe environment for all incarcerated individuals along with the prison staff.

Prison education can come in various forms. Theatre and drama programs are examples of such an education that can be highly effective in transforming an incarcerated individual.

Generally, implementing theatre and drama programs in prisons is cost-effective and has various benefits in the long run. Plus, research has shown how such programs have had a positive impact on the mental health of incarcerated individuals (Mundt et al.). [2]

By implementing prison education programs, like “Shakespeare in Prison,” “The Actors’ Gang Prison Project,” “Pelican Bay Prison Project,” “The Redeeming Time Project,” or “Rehabilitation Through the Arts,” incarcerated individuals can benefit from the long-term impacts by putting themselves in the shoes of the characters that they play. In the process, they can reflect on their deviant behavior, which aids in initiating and provoking positive behavior changes within an individual, all while gaining life skills.

Theatre is able to tap into the humanity within each of us, regardless of whether we have committed a crime or not. Theatre and drama programs are essentially a form of prison education that provides various benefits for incarcerated individuals both while in prison and once they get out. This is due to the fact that such programs are able to make individuals reflect on their behavior, thus facilitating a change to positive behavior. These programs teach incarcerated individuals social, cognitive, and life skills, which they will need once it is time for them to reintegrate into the community.

Theatre and drama programs are examples of prison education that can be highly effective in transforming an incarcerated individual. Recognizing the role that such programs play in the prison system is crucial in terms of understanding and considering what we can do to mitigate the chances of recidivism in the future.