Restorative Arts: How Local Arts Agencies Can Facilitate the Arts in Juvenile Justice Settings
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2018-06
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MA in Arts Administration
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
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Abstract
The prison populations in the United States increased significantly in recent decades. The same low-tolerance policies, adopted in school systems, created a school-to-prison pipeline where juveniles enter the justice system and lack the opportunities to develop prosocial skills.
This research was intended to determine whether an arts-based solution exists. The effects of restorative justice techniques, as opposed to traditional punitive methods, were analyzed. The research focused on the personal skills required to make restoration successful and on the personal benefits of arts participation. The identified benefits and real-world examples suggest that arts can be used effectively in juvenile justice settings.
To serve as the framework for a specific model, research focused on the role and responsibility of the local arts agency (LAA) to initiate the partnerships. LAAs are committed to the wellbeing of their communities and are adept at working with partner organizations. Despite this, few agencies have already initiated arts programs for juvenile justice.
The final segment of research was intended to demonstrate the viability of the arts-justice partnership model. Trends suggest that socially-motivated programming will be attractive to future donors. Two actual examples of LAA-led initiatives are presented to serve as indicators of viability.
The conclusion is that a local arts agency can fulfill its responsibility to improve the quality of life in its community by facilitating partnerships that integrate the arts into restorative juvenile justice.