Young offenders

Henley, J. (2016) Young offenders. In: The Routledge Companion to Music, Technology, and Education. Routledge, Farnham, pp. 192-207. ISBN 9781138921382

Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the impacts of musical learning within criminal justice contexts. Research from across the globe has reported impacts such as an ability to cope with anxiety, an increased sense of responsibility, self-perception and worthiness, and an ability to interact positively with society. Moreover, research has demonstrated musical impacts such as realisation of one’s musical potential, development of improvisation, composition and performance skills, and an ability to engage in expressive musical communication through a shared music-making experience. With these impacts being consistently evidenced, research is now emerging investigating the processes leading to the musical and extra-musical outcomes and impacts of musical learning within such contexts. This chapter explores a Javanese Gamelan project in a Young Offenders Institution in the UK. In line with other research, profound changes in the way that participants viewed themselves as members of society and as musicians emerged throughout the project. Through a deep investigation of the learning processes that led to these changes, it was found that they were in part facilitated by the use of a hand held digital recorder. The chapter will consider how this simple technological device was able to support the complex transformational processes that contributed to the positive change in participants found both during the project week and after the project had ended.

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