This document summarizes research on the long-term effects of music programs in prisons. It includes a literature review finding benefits like increased well-being, self-esteem, and reduced recidivism. The methodology section describes interviews conducted with 5 NGOs implementing music programs in prisons. Limitations include difficulty accessing prisons and bias from only interviewing NGOs. It suggests a need for more long-term, unbiased research directly measuring outcomes of such programs.

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3. Introduction
Research question:
What are the long-term individual and social
effects of music-making in prison populations?
Literature review
Methodology
Limitations
Findings
Conclusion and further research suggestions

4. Literature review
• The relevant literature consists mostly of short-term research programmes, adopting a
qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approach, as well as literature reviews and
assessment reports.
• Various music and creative arts programmes are implemented, such as song-writing activities,
choirs, and gamelan ensembles. These take place in general prisons and incarcerations
facilities, or may concern specific populations, such as women inmates or young offenders
• Research concerning music and art in prisons schemes often suffers from a variety of
methodological problems, such as questionable evaluation methods and biases.
• Research outcomes have policy implications for the management of prison environments and
future offending rates.
• There is need for further well-designed, long-term research on the effect of music programmes
on the musical and social development of the participants, the transfer of skills and the
possible impact on their well-being, quality of life and degree of re-offence.

5. Effects of music interventions
in incarceration contexts
• Reported benefits affect prisoners, ex-offenders, involved volunteers and the wider
community as a whole.
• Music-making activities are independent from pre-existing music abilities and can be based on
existing music and cultural interests, providing participants with immediate motivation and
common or individual goal-setting.
• Highly accounted benefits include enhanced self-esteem, self-expression, self-gratification
and self-perceived well-being. Additionally, music activities seem to increase relaxation,
reduce stress, anger, tension, anxiety and recidivism and enhance the capacity to empathize
with others and control negative feelings.
• Music-making seems to provide a sense of personal achievement, belonging, personal
empowerment and regain of control, while it offers aesthetic pleasure and enjoyment.
Additionally, it promotes the development of social, emotional and communication skills as
well as supporting the ability to make positive life decisions.
• General aims of music programmes in prisons are inmate reconnection through performance
and participation in group processes, safe and pleasant social reintegration, increased
engagement and continued education.

6. Selected bibliography
• Abrahams, J., McCorkle, L. W. (1946). Group Psychotherapy of Military Offenders. American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 51 (5),
pp. 455-464. Accessed: 21/10/2012 15:22.
• Anderson, K., Overy, K. (2010). Engaging Scottish young offenders in education through music and art. International Journal
of Community Music, Vol. 3 (1), pp. 47–64. Accessed: 21/10/12 17:35
• Bailey, B. A., Davidson, J. W. (2005). Effects of group singing and performance for marginalized and middle-class singers.
Psychology of Music, Vol. 33 (3), pp. 269-303. Accessed: 21/10/12 18:46
• Baker, S., Homan, S. (2007). Rap, recidivism and the creative self: a popular music programme for young offenders in
detention. Journal of Youth studies, Vol. 10 (4), pp. 459-476. Accessed: 22/10/12 15:34
• Cohen, M. L. (2009). Choral singing and prison inmates: influences of performing in a prison choir. The Journal of
Correctional Education, Vol. 69 (1), pp. 52-65. Accessed: 21/10/12 16:43
• Cohen, M. L. (2012). Harmony within the walls: Perceptions of worthiness and competence in a community prison choir.
International Journal of Music Education, Vol. 30 (1), pp. 46-56. Accessed: 21/10/12 19:32
• Daveson, B. A., Edwards, J. (2001). A descriptive study exploring the role of music therapy in prisons. The Arts in
Psychotherapy, Vol. 28 (2), pp. 137-141. Accessed: 22/10/12 16:35
• Dunphy, K. (1999). A creative arts performance program for incarcerated women. The Arts in Psychotherapy, Vol. 26 (1), pp.
35-43. Accessed: 22/10/12 16:30
• Harvey, L. (2010). Creativity inside and outside prison walls: A journey of inspiration. International Journal of Community
Music, Vol. 3 (1), pp.129-132. Accessed: 22/10/12 15:36
• Meekums, B., Daniel, J. (2011). Arts with offenders: A literature synthesis. The Arts in Psychotherapy, Vol. 38 (1), pp.229-
238. Accessed: 21/10/12 14:20
• Mendonça, M. (2010). Gamelan in Prisons in England and Scotland: Narratives of Transformation and the “GoodVibrations”
of Educational Rhetoric. Ethnomusicology, Vol. 54 (3), pp. 369-394. Accessed: 21/10/2012 16:33.
• Sheehan, E. (2010). Critical Song: Exploring Songwriting’s Value and Pedagogy in Prison. Thesis submitted to the faculty of
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut. Accessed: 21/10/12 18:32
• Teasdale, C., Rath, M. (1999). Report: Developing principles and policies for arts therapists working in United Kingdom
prisons. The Arts in Psychotherapy, Vol. 26 (4), pp. 265–270. Accessed: 22/10/12 16:49
• Ward, T. (1999). Competency and Deficit Models in the Understanding and Treatment of Sexual Offenders. The Journal of
Sex Research, Vol. 36 (3), pp. 298-305. Accessed: 21/10/2012 15:19.

7. Methodology
We contacted, via email, 9 NGOs that implement music and arts
projects in prison settings, aiming to organise interviews:
Prisoners' Education Trust, Rideout, Arts Alliance, Music in
Detention, Superact, Music in Prisons, Good Vibrations, Only
Connect and Changing Tunes.
Moreover, we contacted Roma Hooper, founder of the first
prison radio station and Director of Make Justice Work
Only Arts Alliance did not reply. However, we were only able to
organise an interview with the following 5: Superact, Music in
Prisons, Good Vibrations, Only Connect, Changing Tunes and
with Roma Hooper.

8. Methodology
• We conducted semi-structured Interviews:
2 recorded skype interviews
3 phone interviews, 2 of which we attempted to record
1 live interview
• We gathered all the answers and compared them to report
the findings
• We took into consideration the reports given to us by the
NGOs, aiming to have a more detailed perspective on their
work

9. Interview questions
1. What is the background, motivation and main aims of your
organisation?
2. Why have you chosen to use music?
3. What are the main music activities you do and why?
4. Are there long term effects, individual and social, of your
music activities in prisons and, if yes, what are these effects?
1. How do you assess your projects and evaluate their impact?
1. Have you encountered opposition to or difficulties in
delivering your work?

10. limitations
Research limitations:
Difficulty getting access to prisons to participate or observe
workshops
Mainly NGO's views – Bias
Practical issues:
Last minute difficulty in recording phone interviews
Last minute interview withdrawal
We missed the UK's annual showcase of visual arts, film,
music and writing by prisoners and others in securing settings
(20th
Sept – 25 Nov, Southbank Centre, London)

11. Further study suggestions
• As the literature already mentioned, there is need for further
well-designed, long-term research on the effects of music
programmes on the individual and social development of the
participants, the transfer of skills and the possible impact on
their well-being, quality of life and degree of re-offence
• Longitudinal research especially in regard to women prisoners
• Reliable non-biased research measuring the hard outcomes of
the NGOs work

12. Further study possibilities for the
group
Invitation by Superact to a cafe session dialogue with a number
of their European partners tomorrow (5th
December, London)
Arts Alliance will soon be launching the Arts Alliance online
Evidence Library (13th December 2012, London)
Music in Detention has suggested there will be volunteer
assistant workshops opportunities opening early next year
(2013)