Amidst the disappointment of funding cuts to various well-established arts programmes within the prison system, here’s something positive: Electric radio, a prison radio station based at HMP Brixton, has been nominated for four Sony Radio Academy awards. These include a nomination in the interview category for an interview with Jonathan Aitken, former tory cabinet minister and ex prisoner – jailed for perjury – who has recently written a new report on prison reform.
Electric Radio is supported by the Prison Radio Association, winner of the Best New Charity 2008 at the Charity Times Awards. Broadcaster Jon Snow is a fan:
“I have chosen to lend my support to the PRA because I believe this is innovative broadcasting to a quite literally captive audience… the potential in all sorts of ways is enormous”.
We know these types of creative activities within prison have positive effects. I recently went to a talk on prison reform, where a group of ex offenders were speaking. Intelligent and creative, but with no formal education beyond the age of 14, they hadn’t been engaged by typical prison activities like bricklaying and woodwork. But, an aptitude for art, theatre, radio and television production – which they discovered through activities in prison - provided them with the skills, and self-worth, to break free from a life of crime, which all now have. One worked at the BBC, another was a successful journalist.
Yet more evidence that Jack Straw’s tendency to allow his prison policies to be governed by tabloid opinion, is short-sighted…
Hard skills may have the potential for future employment but any activities which develop the emotional depth, empathy and sensitivity many prisoners have lacked in their upbringing must be a useful part of prison education and rehabilitation.