Lesson of the Day: ‘How a Prison Play Goes on Tour’

Before really digging into this article, I thought of prison as only being a place to punish and teach criminals a lesson. However after reading this article, I now understand the importance of giving the inmates opportunities to change. Providing artistic opportunities in prisons, such as plays, is a good way to spread some positiveness within the prison walls. It allows the inmates to form relationships with one another, as well as the public who they preform these plays to. An inmate mentioned in the article says his whole prison experience is "some weird dream". Though he happens to be serving a life sentence in prison for a crime he knows he cannot undo, he says that "maybe through something like performing plays, there's a chance for him and others like him to be forgiven. With that being said, in order for the inmates to be forgiven- they would first have to be given that chance, and providing any artistic opportunities for prisons not only creates a more positive environment for the inmates rather than punishment, but is a way for the inmates to being rehabilitation and their road to change.

The purpose should be to rehabilitate those incarcerated not just to imprison. I think that if those incarcerated were able to participate in rehabilitative programs than the chances of them re-offending will be lessened. In the article advocates for prison arts argue that learning to paint or to perform a monologue can imbue humanity and purpose into the bleakness of life behind bars. Families of victims question why those that have committed monstrous crimes should be allowed to participate in an activity such as a play. The prisoners that participated in the play “One That Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” said that delving into the characters- many of them broken and traumatized forced them to look inside of themselves. Before I read the article I knew that creative outlets could benefit everyone’s mental health but now are reading the article I know that they are especially beneficial to those incarcerated as they can be quite therapeutic.

Rehabilitation in prison is a topic that has been circulating recently. People’s opinions cary greatly on whether rehabilitation is useful. The article, “How a Prison Play Goes on Tour,” is about inmates in a prison in Colorado who performed “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Before reading this I knew that programs like these existed, but I didn’t know that they were as beneficial as they are. Several of the inmates said that the play allowed for them to feel human again. The article goes on to say that the inmates were “marveled to be allowed to shake hands with the state officials, lawyers, and arts advocates who attended the show.” I believe that these programs are great as they teach the inmates self control, discipline, and have an overall effect on positive behavior. Spreading these programs throughout the country will greatly improve the lives of the inmates.

Prisons should be for rehabilitation, after all, the atmosphere and being cut off from the rest of the world is punishment enough. Anything further can be seen as simply humane— and no matter what a person did, you cannot deprive someone of their humanity. The fact that the population of people in prisons could be the 5th largest city in the U.S., shows us how we are doing it wrong. As of 2011, 67.3% of people who were released from jail were arrested within three years. 76.6% were arrested five years later. This is simply because we are punishing and them sending them out completely unprepared. The article talks about how the play gave the inmates a purpose and it made the feel more humane— obviously somethings working.

What is a prison? The purpose of our prisons is the heart of this debate; should we be punishing, or rehabilitating prisoners? I believe that rehabilitation is the best option. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime recommends that countries focus on rehabilitation for both humanitarian reasons, but also financial. A continuing cycle of recidivism helps no one but the private prisons. We should be preparing prisoners for life on the outside, and as some of them have said, it’s restored their sense of humanity. The study mentioned in the article lead me to many other studies on this topic, and they all concluded that arts programs improve life skills for prisoners. Prisoners who participated had better self control, and worked better with others. They were offered a chance to be introspective, and reflect on how they can improve. They learned how to express and deal with potentially hazardous emotions like anger and aggression. Rehabilitation is in the interest of all parties, the prisoners and society as a whole. However, I agree with many of the other comments that a line must be drawn. I suggest that rehabilitation only be offered to people who will get out or have the possibility of getting out. People sentenced to life without parole have no reason to rehabilitate, and such should be punished for their heinous crimes. But for anyone else, rehabilitation is not only a good thing but a necessity.

This is an amazing idea! Prisons should be for rehabilitation of those who have done wrong. Though not all are going to change, this opportunity can really change a man. I am sure they appreciate this opportunity!

The controversy in this article revolves around whether ‘prison plays’ should be incorporated into prisons. Prison plays are shows of which prisoners voluntarily participate in—an arts program funded by the U.S. government as a form of correctional movement. It allows prisoners to freely express themselves through acting (with set constraints) and travel to other confined facilities to perform. The purpose of prison plays are not solely meant as recreational exercises, but to encourage introspection. It can “reduce disciplinary actions inside prison,” helping shape one’s self control and discipline, as well as influence positive behavior. Although I believe that prisons hold multiple purposes: rehabilitation, incapacitation, etc, these self-growth opportunities, such as prison plays, should be offered to inmates whose severity of committed crime(s) fall below a certain extent. For example, one who is convicted of murder should not be allowed to participate, despite the benefits of introspection. I believe that one’s participation depends on the extremity of one’s actions that initially placed them in prison.

I think the most prisons do not eradicate crime. But, something like Sweden prisons with educational and realizational programs can make people better. In opinion the biggest part of us should redefine the concept of modern prison. People think that needs to panish criminals but I think the prison should re-educate them.

Like almost every aspect in life, boundaries are necessary to keep a balance between various points of view. I think these prison plays are a good way to give certain prisoners the opportunity to change, and allow them the creative outlet they need to heal. However, there are many crimes that are so severe that when it comes to being able to travel I think a line needs to be drawn. Healing and forgiveness are important, but there is also a point where certain freedoms need to be taken away due to the severity of a crime one committed. The idea of the play being able to travel could be very beneficial to some, I just think it should be given to those who have committed less severe crimes and have good behavior while in prison. In the article Healy wrote that some inmates said the “play allowed them to feel human again” (Healy). Prisons should not be taking away the humanity from people, they should foster rehabilitation and growth: but it is vital to find the right balance of punishment for one’s actions and providing help. For those who will eventually finish their time and return to the real world it is important to prepare them for what their life will be like post-prison—to prevent further crimes. Overall I think that art programs in prisons are highly beneficial and valuable to allow people to grow and change. However, certain aspects need to be controlled and monitored to make sure that those who committed very serious crimes are still punished and justice is served.

In my opinion,prison- is a place where punished people waste their live by sitting their term for violation of the law. On the other side, prison- is the psychically influencing place, where people can get flashbacks of their offenses Also, they can get rehabilitation and forget their sins.

I don’t think that prison can change people in a good way,as a huge number of examples show that all people after prison get more worse,it becomes incredibly difficult for them to live surrounded by ordinary people, because people see in them only a former prisoners and nothing more,they can’t get a job because no one don’t want to have deal with prisoners their families refuse them,they’re lost absolutely all.They start to become more angry than they was and commit a crime for them is not as scary.As for me I think in prisons they are must make former criminals more humany and kindly people

The intention of prison is to hold people who have committed crimes, but ultimately to prepare them for the real world one day. By providing an arts program to individuals at a prison, it allows them to revisit the world they once lived in, and hopefully give them a desire to return once again. Currently, people released from prison tend to hold onto their criminal pasts and resort back to their old ways. By providing opportunities for growth and hope in a prison, these instances can be eliminated. Yes, maybe this option isn’t suited for all people, but for some, it may be what makes a difference and helps people find reason for change.

The overall consensus among other comments appears to be that these rehabilitation programs are a wonderful way to allow prisoners the chance to retain their humanity in the grey cage some call prison. It gives them meaning, and helps them ready for their eventual release. Even with these programs prison is still a punishment, and should be regarded as such, but if the punishment breaks down their mental state, what good does it do for them to improve their actions? However, there is a group that is avoided in these conversations; prisoners sentenced to life without parole. They are told that prison is where they will live and be until their death. Why should they be given the opportunity to experience these programs? If their crimes were severe enough to warrant such a punishment without the chance to rejoin society, then perhaps they should not be allowed to participate in rehabilitation programs. In those cases withdrawing meaning to their lives, albeit an awful penalty, may be the best way to give them what they deserve.

While a prison’s purpose should be to enforce punishment for some inmates who have committed heinous crimes, I believe that it should also enforce reforming policies more effectively. The prisoners allowed on tour being one of those policies is a step forward in that direction, but some worry about the prisoners who were murderers or have committed violent crimes. With the severity of the crime comes rules and privileges either being given or taken away. In this situation, murderers or prisoners that have been admitted for severe assault charges should not be given the same liberating opportunities as someone who may have committed something less violent, such as fraud or money laundering. However, this doesn’t mean that people who have committed the worst of crimes shouldn’t have a shot at redemption. Because of their major crimes and history, they would be given less privileges and have to follow stricter rules such as not being able to go on the tour. But there can be room for gaining privileges. For example, if someone who is serving a life sentence for a violent crime they committed has shown good behavior for the 30 years they have been there, then they would be rewarded for that. Restricting people in a confined area only worsens the situation and doesn’t give these prisoners a chance to feel normal or even human again. This opportunity allows them to try something new and experience this “transformative” and “surreal” moment

The American prison system is quite something. It‘s the question of should prisons be a rehabilitation center or a punishment? It is saddening to see prisoners become completely confined from the outside world. Unfortunately, the prisoners are there for a reason. Some may be in there because of a low level crime, but there are others that are in there because of a high level unforgivable misdemeanor. It is quite shocking to see prisoners who are capable of doing something bad perform and tour. The state of California has spent eight million dollar for the rehabilitation of prisoners. Although that is amazing, it’s a lot of money that could be given to low paying teacher, or other situations. The funding is going towards a murderer who is “free” and performing. It must be devastating for the victim’s family to see such bad be so out there and free. There are many factors like the trust of facility, behavior of prisoners and so on, to let such “freedom” be given. It is truly difficult to determine who deserves it because there are some truly bad people but there are some truly good people in prison too. Prison should have some aspect of a rehabilitation center for especially for the people who are trying and deserve it. Just from one group I see so much inspiration and hope. Although, I see it to a side where the state should tone it down. They shouldn’t be spending millions on one group but equally distributing it throughout to have a minimum rehabilitation effort.

I think that it is wonderful that our society is starting to put programs like these into prisons. While I understand that people may feel that prison is meant to be a punishment, as of now the goal is to release people from prison once they have done their sentence. If prisons go without these programs, how can we expect these prisoners to have changed at all? In the typical prison inmates send the day according to a strict schedule without much freedom. This will not teach the prisoners anything or help them rehabilitate at all. However, if we included these art programs into prisons it might help them learn different skills that will help them once they are released back into society. Through plays prisoners can learn to collaborate and rely on others for success, as well as letting the prisoners see the world through a different point of view: their characters. Furthermore, taking these prisoners on tour could help them once they get out of prison; the prisoners will have been shown a glimpse of the outside world, helping prisoners adjust to the world when they get out as they have seen some of the changes made.

The issue being addressed in this article—the controversial tour of thirty prison inmates from a men’s prison in Colorado for a production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”—raises the question of what purpose prisons should serve for those that are incarcerated: punishment, rehabilitation, or deterrence. Many opposing perspectives have been introduced for this particular topic. While I agree with the prominent opinion that prisons should deter inmates from committing other crimes, I do not believe that prisons should only punish or rehabilitate their inmates. Rather, prisons should serve as a mix between the two, disciplining prisoners for their crimes while also giving them the opportunity to redeem themselves and possibly become better people. In the case of the production tour, I think that the inmates that committed lesser and non-violent crimes should be allowed to participate, but those that committed major crimes—such as murder—should be subject to restrictions in sympathy to victims of their crimes. While some might argue that this would not allow the latter to retain parts of their humanity and become reintroduced to life outside of prison, I think that they do not deserve the privileges that they are granted by being in the play. The crimes that some inmates have committed prove that they do not have any humanity; thus there is no humanity for them to regain. One’s actions most certainly determine the manner in which they are treated and the freedoms they have.

After reading this article I have mixed emotions on the concept of prison plays. Healy begins by presenting the plays as an opportunity for those incarcerated to feel human again as the prisoners are allowed to travel outside the restricted walls they are confined by. By traveling outside the prison, prisoners are allowed to see the changes made in the world they are removed from—which is where my concerns lie. I fear that when the prisoners are constantly changing from the restricted walls of their prison cells, to the exposure of the real world, the constant change will only make their desire to escape their reality even greater and possibly do more harm than good. Furthermore, as the plays might serve as an opportunity for rehabilitation for the prisoners, it could very well cause the victims to relapse back into a distressed state of mind caused by a prisoner. However, I do feel that entertaining the idea of how to adapt back into society is very beneficial for those who are not sentenced to life.

When you get put in jail, the goal is a punishment for your disappointing and wrong actions. However nowadays, prisons are shifting towards the idea of prosperity towards their prisoners. These jails provide their prisoners with helpful and entertaining plays for them to participate in and watch. According to Jack Healy, these “prison arts may reduce disciplinary actions inside prison” which leads people to believe how these plays are more than just beneficial. Sure we want to help these people suffering, but at the same time, should these prisoners who have committed unjust crimes be rewarded for their wrong actions? To me that seems a little unfair how people who killed others, are now able to travel around the world, doing what they love instead of thinking about their disrespectful actions. These prisoners deserve to pay for their actions and the best way to do it is not to provide them with fun activities.

It is no surprise that our prison system is in desperate need of a transformation. In an effort to do just that, art programs, including plays have been introduced in some prisons. There have been mixed receptions by civilians. The feedback from the inmates participating in the play and even those watching it shows how important it is to stimulate minds through the use of literature and theater, in an otherwise bleak and monotonous environment. On the other hand, the families of people who were victims of the crimes said inmates had committed want no such privileges to be provided to the people who hurt them and their families. To them a jail was punishment, and not a place to live and enjoy away from home. I agree with the concerns the families of the victims have brought forward. Even though these weren't maximum security prisoners, more care should be taken into selecting people for the program. These people shouldn't be allowed to tour, because even if they do “feel human again” after the experience, it takes away from the crimes they committed and must pay for. Not only does the program cause security risks, it also uses an unnecessarily large budget to run, one that could be used towards more practical prison reforms. While creating institutions for working and participating in the prison community are great ideas for preparing inmates for the transition back into society, touring prisoners is not a practical solution to this nationwide problem.

Incarceration is a weird concept. The thought that removing someone from their lives for a designated time period for violating a code of laws is somehow beneficial to our society confuses me. I’m not going to say all criminals deserve the chance to be members of society again but in reality the majority of them are just regular people. When it comes down to it, our prison system is deeply broken, the way we think about prison is wrong. The focus of prison should be rehabilitation in an attempt to help that person and the root of why they committed their crime. In theory anyone would agree this is how it should work, so why doesn’t it? Because somehow the notation of punishing someone for their wrong doings has trumped the notation of humanity. Actually switching our prison system is going to take lots of time and effort but it all starts with changing hearts and minds.

The question on if prison should be for rehabilitation or punishment can be seen from two different views. One view is if you are a victim of a crime, or related to a victim of a crime. From that point of view you would want prison to be punishment and not for rehabilitation and enjoyment. Amy Mund, whose sister was murdered by a man performing in the play stated, “I question why he is allowed to participate in plays and travel outside the confines of the prison. As a victim of a violent crime, that does not sound like justice to me”. Through this quote we can see that Mund is very upset that the prison system is giving enjoyment to the man that murdered her sister instead of punishing him. A second view is coming from both current and previous inmates, and the leaders of the art systems, who say that the new art programs “imbue humanity and purpose into the bleakness of life behind bars”. Although I still believe that going to prison should be a punishment, I support the idea of giving prisoners art programs. Being locked up in prison, I feel is a major punishment of itself, as prisoners are forced to a tight schedule and stripped of many of their freedoms. After serving many years, prisoners start to feel a loss of purpose in life, and a loss of their own humanity. So I believe that giving prisoners a chance to restore that lost humanity and use their creativity is a good thing as it allows them to once again feel part of society.

Like any other therapy or rehabilitation, the atmosphere should not be dehumanizing, rather encourage forgiveness and open new opportunities to those who have been limited for possibly years on end. Restricting criminals to cages can in no way be improving their personality or make a positive impact on their later actions when outside of jail. I personally love the main idea of this article, purely because of the ability for all of these prisoners to create a second chance for themselves. Although some have committed unforgivable crimes, this opportunity could easily show them what they did wrong and how severe it truly was. Involving them in an arts program unlocks the side of their brain most haven’t needed in a while, as their everyday prison routine includes limited creativity and imagination. Although I feel remorse for the lady who spoke towards losing her sister, I don’t believe a cell is the only option. I truly believe the arts are not only a life changing experience, but a personality changing opportunity for these felons. Consequences should focus on rebuilding rather than tearing them down.

This article shows that people in prison are still people. Prison should be a place where people go to become someone new and learn from their mistakes, but instead it has been made out to be a place of pure punishment until their sentence is served and they are simply released no change at all. People can’t expect change without doing something to make them change. The opportunity to be in an arts program allows the prisoners to develop as humans and become a better self, it provides them with a second chance. It is able to show them their wrong doings, and helps them learn that what they did was wrong. They start to see value into their life, and it makes them feel human again. Art is a form of redemption. Having a way to express themselves can not only let them find forgiveness within others but also within themselves.

Honestly all prisoners deserve a 2nd chance but some people just deserve to be locked up for ever