Creative art education: A tool for rehabilitation of adult females incarcerated in a correctional centre in South Africa

Abstract

In countries worldwide, creative art education for incarcerated adult females has been greatly improved and is recognised as making a valuable contribution to rehabilitation. Despite this recognition, some countries refuse to recognise such an art programme. Very few qualitative studies have explored creative art education for adult female offenders in correctional centres. This study explored how a creative art education programme can play an important role in helping female offenders escape emotions and bad experiences in confinement. The participants for this study were four incarcerated adult females. The data collection was generated from a Medium-C correctional centre in East London, Province of Eastern Cape, South Africa. Adult female offenders were organised by the correctional centre management. A thematic analysis was performed to explore the aspects of creative art education as expression that influenced the correctional centre to support and recognise the art programme for rehabilitation of adult female offenders by allowing them to develop their skills of creative independence. The findings included that the creative artworks of adult female offenders were seized as punishment. Creative art education programmes are perceived as a harmless advantage for offenders in terms of discipline, self-expression and personal transformation. Data gathered from offenders resulted in greater understanding of their lifestyle and expression through their creative artworks. The use of observation, interviews and a focus group was an excellent qualitative approach that provided meaning to data collected. This study suggested that the Department of Correctional Services should attract qualified creative art education professionals to reduce boredom, conflicts, recidivism, and to promote self-expression and opportunities among female offenders.