Deborah Tobola
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Enter Stage Right
by Deborah Tobola
In our zeal to incarcerate our way out of social problems, America has become the "incarceration nation." The New York Times recently published an editorial by Nicholas D. Kristof, which examines life (without the possibility of parole) sentences for thousands of non-violent offenders, imposed under federal mandatory minimum drug laws. He notes that "America now imprisons people at more than five times the rates of most Western countries."
A few years ago San Diego KPBS producer Wendy Fry looked into how much it costs California taxpayers to keep people in prison. The price tag of $10 billion a year came from the state auditor’s office. Per inmate, the cost in 2010 was $50,000 per year — until an inmate reaches the age of 55—then it rose to $150,000 per year. Presumably costs have gone up since then.
These startling statistics make me think of . . . theatre. And I’m not the only one. Theatre, along with other arts disciplines, is a powerful rehabilitative tool inside prison. Actor Tim Robbins has been teaching theatre inside California prisons for several years, with his non-profit group, The Actors Gang.
Recently he and Senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) wrote an editorial calling for the reinstatement of California's Arts in Corrections program, pointing out that the resulting reduction in recidivism can help solve California’s prison overcrowding problem.
In the Kitchen With a Knife — Cast and Crew
I know theatre works for people coming out of institutions, too. More than 80 men, women and youth have participated in Poetic Justice Project's productions since we began almost five years ago. Our recidivism rate is still less than 2%.
What is it about theatre that benefits formerly incarcerated people in such a profound way? We survey our actors at the end of each production and they report feeling more connected to their communities after acting in a play (and sharing their stories in talkbacks).
They also cite improvements in a variety of other areas, including employment, academic performance, ability to accept criticism, self-discipline, recovery skills and optimism about the future.
Theatre becomes a transformative experience for our actors, as they leave behind CDC or jail ID numbers and become "real" to audience members.
At the same time, audiences are transformed. They discover that there are people behind the statistics they read about. That, unlike the frightening images served up on television and in movies, formerly incarcerated people are . . . people. |
