Art Expression as a Means of Therapy in Correctional Settings

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Introduction Drawings and other self-generated forms of visual art produced by people suffering from mental illness sparked the interest of psychiatrists around the end of the 19th century. They were considered “outpourings of the mind in turmoil” (Rubin 6). Fascinated by these samples of artwork, psychiatrists began to study them in an attempt to better understand the creator and the illness. Art therapy is a fluid, adaptable and evolving field. Today art therapists employ a variety of methods and work in a variety of rehabilitation settings, but the focus of this paper is the use and benefits of visual art therapy in correctional settings. Unfortunately, there has been little research to measure the effectiveness of art therapy in prison. Researchers are still in the early stages of understanding what art therapy does, how it does this, and why it is effective. Through art therapy programs, prisoners are able to more fully come to know themselves and are therefore fore able to authentically participate in life and community as well as develop an ongoing motivation towards recovery. About the Art Therapist Art therapists have experience in at least one previous field of knowledge such as: medicine, psychology, education, visual arts, or social work. They work in a variety of rehabilitation settings with a variety of issues including: mental health problems, learning difficulties, language and communication difficulties, imprisonment, medical problems, sensory or physical problems, stress, emotional and/or social problems. In a prison setting, a therapist is likely to encounter more than one of these issues with each client. Each of these contexts have their own requirements for rehabilitation. Art therapists define what they do by the context they are working in. How Art Therapy Works The purpose of art therapy is different from that of most other art

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