Any of you work in the prison system?

[Drunken Durfin]

My mother is an art major, which means that she does something totally unrelated as a career path.

Anyway, back in her hippy "make the world a better place" days she decided to major in art and wanted to start a program teaching inmates how to paint/sculpt/etc. as part of their rehab. Everyone talked her out of it at the time.

Well, she is coming up on retirement and is flailing for something to do. I have not suggested returning to her initial "dream" yet, but I am going to. Before I hit her with the suggestion I thought I would sniff around for information on existing programs, if there are any, and real-life input from people who might actually know a few things related to such.

Thanks.

[Gan]

Don't know what state your mom is in...

Tell her to look here first. (If she's Texas) The site may also have links to other state correctional educational systems.

http://www.windhamschooldistrict.org/

[Drunken Durfin]

She is currently in Tennessee, but she is looking to move. I'm trying to get her to go back to Arizona.

Thanks for the link.

[Stanley Burrell]

My mother is an art major, which means that she does something totally unrelated as a career path.

Anyway, back in her hippy "make the world a better place" days she decided to major in art and wanted to start a program teaching inmates how to paint/sculpt/etc. as part of their rehab. Everyone talked her out of it at the time.

Well, she is coming up on retirement and is flailing for something to do. I have not suggested returning to her initial "dream" yet, but I am going to. Before I hit her with the suggestion I thought I would sniff around for information on existing programs, if there are any, and real-life input from people who might actually know a few things related to such.

Thanks.

She'd want to work with Records (always available to the public) in a Dept. that has a close proximity and prison transfers to an adjacent detention center where that same Dept. has a handle over its prison.

[Drunken Durfin]

She'd want to work with Records (always available to the public) in a Dept. that has a close proximity and prison transfers to an adjacent detention center where that same Dept. has a handle over its prison.

Whut? She wants to teach prisoners how to paint, what does that have to do with records and transfers?

[Gnome Rage]

I do not work in the prison system however I went to an art therapy lecture and programs like that exist.

Dr. Simone Alter-Muri came to speak to my school. Basically she gave a lecture on what art therapy is, but what relates is that she began her study of art therapy because she wanted to work in prisons teaching prisoners. She started with macrame and stuff like that, ran into some road blocks (ie. the prisoners were making things to kill people with or something like that)

Anyways, if you're mom is really interested in working in the prison system, this woman is in Massachusetts but might be able to give her a bit of insight if she can get a hold of her.

LINK (http://www.spfldcol.edu/homepage/dept.nsf/04E52AE2BE212E4245256BD80029D783/D82A8152420EBD1C45256CF50024EAA1) to her program and Springfield college it has contact numbers on there.

I hope this helps :)

[Stanley Burrell]

Whut? She wants to teach prisoners how to paint, what does that have to do with records and transfers?

Because that's the best place to begin an inquiry if you want to reach out to the prison if you can gain the cooperation of a Dept. that oversees it. The reason I say Records is besides the front desk, that's the only place in a Dept. available to the public and the people who work there are more open-minded ... than the Warden's agreeableness of the idea being pushed. There's more politics involved than you might think.

I'm just telling you what I believe is the best bureaucratic method to build a foundation upon. You can speak to Records and make inquiries about who to talk to about your idea and it will be heard more loudly. The nature of the individuals usually work as a strong gateway. Plus, if your mom catches a desk Captain in Records, you can pretty much get some of the best names and numbers available about how to actually set up the process.

Another thing would be finding someone in the psych or social field who works directly in the rehabilitation of prisoners and collaborate.

Basically, she should just stick with her ambitions and if she's remotely dedicated, she'll find something eventually ... e.g.:
LINK (http://www.spfldcol.edu/homepage/dept.nsf/04E52AE2BE212E4245256BD80029D783/D82A8152420EBD1C45256CF50024EAA1)

There's also the Internet.

[Gan]

My mother is an art major, which means that she does something totally unrelated as a career path.

Anyway, back in her hippy "make the world a better place" days she decided to major in art and wanted to start a program teaching inmates how to paint/sculpt/etc. as part of their rehab. Everyone talked her out of it at the time.

Well, she is coming up on retirement and is flailing for something to do. I have not suggested returning to her initial "dream" yet, but I am going to. Before I hit her with the suggestion I thought I would sniff around for information on existing programs, if there are any, and real-life input from people who might actually know a few things related to such.

Thanks.

Spent 6.5 years in the Texas Prison System as a guard. All of the educational programs (GED/College Programs) are run through the Windham system. There was another aveneue in the psychiatric units but that was more clinical rehab (several types of therapy involved art in some form or fashion) but thats criminal psych and probably not quite the environment she's looking for.

[Drunken Durfin]

Because that's the best place to begin an inquiry if you want to reach out to the prison if you can gain the cooperation of a Dept. that oversees it...

Ah. gotcha. Makes sense now.

I did find this:

http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/org_list.cfm?category_ID=SCE

My mother using the internet is a big negative though. A blind chimp can use Google better than she can.

[Drunken Durfin]

...
Anyways, if you're mom is really interested in working in the prison system, this woman is in Massachusetts but might be able to give her a bit of insight if she can get a hold of her.

LINK (http://www.spfldcol.edu/homepage/dept.nsf/04E52AE2BE212E4245256BD80029D783/D82A8152420EBD1C45256CF50024EAA1) to her program and Springfield college it has contact numbers on there.

I hope this helps :)

Much appreciated.