Dione Roach & Steve Happi talk about JailTime, a record label in a Cameroon prison. They share success stories, like Moussinghi. Paul Njie discusses high reoffending rates in Cameroon prisons. Maurice Chammah on arts programs reducing US reoffending rates. Also, how prisoners worldwide are recording music from their cells.
Music studios in prisons engage inmates positively, reducing reoffending rates.
Arts programs in prisons decrease re-arrests, improve job prospects, and aid in rehabilitation.
Deep dives
Music Studios Inside Prisons: Fostering Creativity and Rehabilitation
In some parts of the world, like Cameroon, music studios are being set up in prisons to engage inmates positively, fostering self-confidence and teamwork. Organizations like Jailtime Records provide inmates with the opportunity to create music, leading to transformations in individuals like Musingi, who found purpose and self-awareness through music, reducing the likelihood of reoffending.
Impact of Arts Programs on Recidivism Rates
Arts programs in prisons, such as music and education initiatives, play a significant role in reducing recidivism rates. Studies show that participation in such programs decreases the likelihood of re-arrest and increases job prospects for ex-offenders. These programs offer individuals a chance for personal growth and development while providing them with essential skills for reintegration into society.
Unofficial Music Culture in Prisons and its Influence
In prisons, there exists an underground music culture where inmates use smuggled cell phones to record songs and make music videos, often attracting punitive measures from authorities. Despite restrictions, incarcerated musicians demonstrate creativity and collaborate to produce music, using limited resources. This music subculture showcases inmates' talents and serves as a form of expression, illustrating the impact of music in challenging environments.
JailTime is a record label that aims to get prisoners away from crime and into the music industry. It operates from a studio in New Bell prison, a high security jail in Douala, Cameroon. They say they’ve brought reoffending rates down significantly.
JailTime’s founders, Dione Roach and Steve Happi, tell us what they're trying to achieve and talk about one of their success stories; Moussinghi.
Paul Njie, a BBC reporter in Cameroon, describes the conditions in prisons there - and explains why reoffending rates are so high.
On the other side of the world, the USA has one of the highest recorded reoffending rates in the world. Can arts programmes prevent offenders returning to crime? Maurice Chammah from the Marshall Project gives us his take. He also talks us through the history of music in prisons and describes how prisoners manage to record music from their cells unofficially.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Ez Roberts
Editor: Verity Wilde
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