Hickey, Maud. (2018). “We all Come Together to Learn About Music”: A Qualitative Analysis of a 5-Year Music Program in a Juvenile Detention Facility. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. published online March 21, 2018, 1-21.
Author Affiliations: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
Artforms: Music composition, rap
Program: Music-composition program in youth detention center.
Program Description: Participants created at least one original music (mostly rap) composition after attending multi-lesson composition sessions.
Program (Study) Location: Cook County Juvenile Temporary Juvenile Detention Center, Chicago
Participant Type: Court-detained juveniles and adults, both men and women, aged 13-18
Sample Size: 717
Study Published: 2018
Data Type: Qualitative content analysis of written feedback and interviews. Evaluation Focus: “The purpose of this study was to uncover evidence that might support components of PYD [positive youth development] in a music composition program at an urban youth detention center.” Research questions were:
● “What reasons and evidence emerge that support positive aspects of the music program at an urban youth detention center, and how do these align with self-determination theory?”
● “What characteristics from the program might help to inform practices of programming in juvenile detention?”
Summary of Impact: The research found that “The three SDT [self-determination theory] constructs of competence, autonomy and relatedness are essential for the positive development of juvenile [participants in detention].” The creation of music seemed to especially boost participant sense of competence and joy for learning.
KEYWORDS: adult, autonomy, competence, music, music interactions rap, relatedness, positive feeling, positive youth development, self-determination theory
Prison Arts Resource Project 