ABSTRACT
Chapter six brings together the findings of the research presented in chapters two and five and the existing literature examined throughout this book. Doing so, this chapter critically discusses in what ways music therapy is beneficial as a component of high-risk offender therapy. The chapter begins with a discussion on the core beneficial components of offender treatment including schema therapy and victim empathy skills, group therapy and active and creative activities. The core limitations to high-risk offender treatment, as perceived by the practitioners, are mapped on to the existing research. The main limitations discussed are a “one-size fits all” approach, the limitations of talk-based therapy and the difficulties associated with treatment facilitators quality. The chapter also presents the additional key benefits offered by music therapy for high-risk offenders, highlighting music therapy as advantageous in developing offender emotion-expression and regulation, working within a trauma-informed care approach and taking a strengths-based approach. In presenting the challenges to implementing music therapy in correctional settings the chapter outlines the issues of limited awareness and a need to conduct further, more rigorous research.
