FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Project Scope: Changing perceptions about people in prison
This research based project is a 24-month long artistic response to the misperceptions of people in prison fostered through stereotypical mainstream media representations of prison life and the people who experience incarceration.
People in prison, including those suffering from mental illnesses, are victims of mistreatment such as violence due to the use of excessive force and severe neglect in the form of moral exclusions and disengagement by prison guards and other staff (Haslam, 2006; Blackler, 2015; Gullapalli, 2015), as per correctional policy. This mistreatment is not conducive to a successful reentry back into society. The US rate of recidivism in 2014 was 76.6% compared to Norway’s 20%. This difference is attributed to Norway’s implementation of the concept of “restorative justice” (Sterbenz; 2014). This concept prioritizes the humanization and rehabilitation of people in prison. Acknowledging their humanity and treating people in prison as people instead of irredeemable and unworthy of acceptance (Dreisinger; 2016). Despite the above research, existing information, and efforts made by activist and organizations lobbying against these conditions, the inhumane treatment continues to occur (Blackler, 2015). This would suggest that a larger constituency remains compliant with, and/or ignorant to, these abuses.
This research based project is a 24-month long artistic response to the misperceptions of people in prison fostered through stereotypical mainstream media representations of prison life and the people who experience incarceration.
People in prison, including those suffering from mental illnesses, are victims of mistreatment such as violence due to the use of excessive force and severe neglect in the form of moral exclusions and disengagement by prison guards and other staff (Haslam, 2006; Blackler, 2015; Gullapalli, 2015), as per correctional policy. This mistreatment is not conducive to a successful reentry back into society. The US rate of recidivism in 2014 was 76.6% compared to Norway’s 20%. This difference is attributed to Norway’s implementation of the concept of “restorative justice” (Sterbenz; 2014). This concept prioritizes the humanization and rehabilitation of people in prison. Acknowledging their humanity and treating people in prison as people instead of irredeemable and unworthy of acceptance (Dreisinger; 2016). Despite the above research, existing information, and efforts made by activist and organizations lobbying against these conditions, the inhumane treatment continues to occur (Blackler, 2015). This would suggest that a larger constituency remains compliant with, and/or ignorant to, these abuses.
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The general public’s negative perception of who people in prison actually are encourages their willingness to legitimize or ignore prison injustices and the dehumanization of people in prison. Mainstream media characterizes these negative beliefs about people who go to jail or prison. According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day. According to the Television in American Society Reference Library, watching television influences viewers' attitudes about people from other social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Watching TV also influences the way people think about important social issues such as race, gender, and class. Not only does television, movies and other shared media actively shape attitudes, but they also condition people to respond to things in a collective way, to develop shared feelings of ill-will and hatred, and to react impetuously without further thought or self-examination. Forms of media such as TV and film actively (p)redefine and engineer subconscious beliefs about people who go to jail or prison. These beliefs then feed into emotional responses. This is a technique that allows information to bypass any conscious thought.
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The public’s perceptions of people in prison is influenced largely by stereotypical mainstream media portrayals of:
1. prison threats, i.e. dialogue such as “If you go to jail something violent and sexual will happen to you.” 2. prison situations, and i.e. New prisoner entering a violent facility. 3. physical characteristics of people in prison. i.e.Tattoos, baldheads, huge muscles, and big-black-mean. |
The average TV viewer is not presented with honest representations of:
1. who people in prison actually are, i.e. parents and students vs. murderers and drug dealers. 2. how they productively utilize their prison time, and i.e. Self-advocating, creating programs inside, maximizing limited resources for professional development, and physical care. 3. the good they are capable of when given fair and equal opportunities. i.e. or example: College in prison, skills building projects, and transitional support. |
These representations manipulate attitudes to fit within a particular frame, which like all frames excludes everything that doesn't fit within its parameters.
Words from
Pastor Isaac Scott, Director and Lead Artist of The Confined Arts
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This project was successfully launched by Pastor Scott with an artist lecture talk and solo exhibition,
April 11, 2018 at the Delaware County Community College in PA.
Exhibition Project
The headline exhibition for this project is a solo presentation curated by Isaac Scott, to visually articulate the thoughts, feelings, and hardships of people doing time and people returning home. This includes abuses and the harsh treatment people in prison suffer from prison administration. This exhibition will premiere (15) 16" x 20" canvases entitled "Rikers Island The Good the Bad and the Ugly." The content for these pieces were compiled from several discussions that Isaac Scott had with people who self-identified as current and former correctional officers on Rikers Island.
This project will also consist of group exhibitions following the same theme. The TCA open call for visual artists solicits new and existing artists to submit visual works of art that articulate the thoughts, experiences, and hardships of people doing time and people returning home. Artworks that include exploitation, abuses, systematic barriers, and the harsh treatment people in prison suffer from prison administration will be considered first. This artist call is national and each artist will be able to express how his or her work advances the mission of the “From the Inside Out” Project. Exhibitions will be held throughout the United States for 2 years.
These visual arts exhibitions are imperative because mainstream media does not attribute basic human qualities like emotion, empathy, and self-control to people in prison. Instead people in prison are portrayed as cold, impetuous and barbaric. Using stigmatized and stereotypical depictions of prison life inside fictional media denies the formerly incarcerated person the opportunity to be perceived by society through humane lenses when they are released from prison in real life.
This project will also consist of group exhibitions following the same theme. The TCA open call for visual artists solicits new and existing artists to submit visual works of art that articulate the thoughts, experiences, and hardships of people doing time and people returning home. Artworks that include exploitation, abuses, systematic barriers, and the harsh treatment people in prison suffer from prison administration will be considered first. This artist call is national and each artist will be able to express how his or her work advances the mission of the “From the Inside Out” Project. Exhibitions will be held throughout the United States for 2 years.
These visual arts exhibitions are imperative because mainstream media does not attribute basic human qualities like emotion, empathy, and self-control to people in prison. Instead people in prison are portrayed as cold, impetuous and barbaric. Using stigmatized and stereotypical depictions of prison life inside fictional media denies the formerly incarcerated person the opportunity to be perceived by society through humane lenses when they are released from prison in real life.
Film Project
From the Inside Out is a 7-part fictional short-film series designed to re-direct and accurately inform the public’s perception of people in prison and their challenging transitions back into society. Through seven episodes (parts) this film will explore the personal experiences of 5 characters. These characters will be divided as such: 2 female characters, 2 male characters, and 1 transgender character, all with different backgrounds, circumstances and prison experiences. Each character’s story will be inspired by true events experienced by formerly and currently incarcerated people partnering with TCA. The film order will consist of flashbacks and flash forwards and will involve cross-cutting between different timelines throughout the short and extended prison sentences of the main characters.
Engaging with this film project will involve a small amount of self-reflection that is important for changing how we view people with justice involvement. In addition, this project will explore barriers that stand in the way of people in jail/prison being able to function and exercise healthy self-regulatory living inside prison the same way as people do outside prison, as a means of reentry preparation. This film project will not only confront stigmas and stereotypes as well as change the public’s perception of people in prison, but will also contribute something valuable to the debate and discussions around mass incarceration (e.g. stigmas and stereotypes in media), extreme punishment (e.g. C.O. brutality, shackling of pregnant women, solitary confinement), and fairness and accountability in the justice system (see 2015 death of Sammuel Harrell in Fishkill correctional facility). With the rise of media platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Sling TV and social media, there is an expanding opportunity for TCA to produce better quality media content for a wider audience, one that may not understand how the nation’s criminal justice system affects the lives of the 6.9 million people under correctional control.
Engaging with this film project will involve a small amount of self-reflection that is important for changing how we view people with justice involvement. In addition, this project will explore barriers that stand in the way of people in jail/prison being able to function and exercise healthy self-regulatory living inside prison the same way as people do outside prison, as a means of reentry preparation. This film project will not only confront stigmas and stereotypes as well as change the public’s perception of people in prison, but will also contribute something valuable to the debate and discussions around mass incarceration (e.g. stigmas and stereotypes in media), extreme punishment (e.g. C.O. brutality, shackling of pregnant women, solitary confinement), and fairness and accountability in the justice system (see 2015 death of Sammuel Harrell in Fishkill correctional facility). With the rise of media platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Sling TV and social media, there is an expanding opportunity for TCA to produce better quality media content for a wider audience, one that may not understand how the nation’s criminal justice system affects the lives of the 6.9 million people under correctional control.
Click Here to Learn More About the Project Artists
Full Project Timeline
This timeline of events does not reflect all of the events, exhibitions, and activities that will take place throughout the duration of the project.
This timeline of events does not reflect all of the events, exhibitions, and activities that will take place throughout the duration of the project.
