Rehabilitation Through The Arts (RTA) program has received a great deal of praise for its "intimate" productions as well as its rehabilitative process.
Charles Ishner, a critic for the New York Times called Arin Arbus the "most gifted new director to emerge" in 2009. For the past three years this director has been volunteering her time and working with RTA by directing inmates in plays. One of the plays that the men of Woodbourne Correctional Facility are putting on is one that they have written themselves. It explores their own hardships as they try to maintain their family relationships from behind bars.
Ms. Arbus believes that these performances "seemed to reverse somewhat the effects of the trauma the men had experienced, reawakening emotions that had been dulled and suppressed."
Is the RTA program really that influential?
Many seem to think so. This includes the Commissioner of the NYS Department of Correctional Services. On the RTA website he is quoted as saying, "What you see here is entertainment but what I see is rehabilitation."
As further evidence, in a study performed by Ph.D. Lorraine Moller, 35 inmates who took part in RTA were compared with 35 inmates who did not. The results showed that the men who took part in RTA had a higher level of positive coping, a decreased level of anger, and less infractions than the other group. When the amount of time that an inmate was a part of RTA was analyzed, researchers found that, "the longer the inmate was in the program [RTA], the fewer violations he committed."
Prison Community International explains that RTA has been using writing, acting, directing, and a number of other stage skills since 1996. Currently, RTA states that they operate in Bedford Hills, Fishkill, Green Haven, Sing Sing and Woodburne.
A New York criminal defense attorney could inform you if you are eligible to become a part of this rehabilitation process.
Related Resources:
- Rights of Inmates (FindLaw)
- Prisoner Rights & Resources (FindLaw)
- New York Criminal Defense Attorney Directory (FindLaw)
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