ABSTRACT

This chapter deals with a discussion of the implications for art education programming, particularly its importance in the youth carceral environment. The mandatory Arts and Crafts program was operated on a belief that extrinsic rewards can improve teens' motivation to participate. With the Arts and Craft program, teens were required to work through a level system of learning to create art. Theresa stated that the teens in the Arts and Crafts program achieved eye/hand coordination, dexterity, and discipline, and had to complete one artistic project before beginning another. An image box kept in the Arts and Crafts room contained photocopies of images for students to choose from. Art education is not a priority in a correctional institution, and officers are trained to quickly address any artistic works exhibiting "gangster" images. In the Arts and Crafts program, if a teen was having a "bad day" a correctional officer was called and the teen would "go back to the unit".