Skills through Drama: The Use of Professional Theater Techniques in the Treatment and Education of Prison and Ex-Offender Populations

Authors

  • Marjorie Melnick Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12926/c2pwwn49

Keywords:

Populations

Abstract

The present report summarizes a descriptive study of an educational and therapeutic process called Skills through Drama. Although the techniques can be adapted for different populations, Skills through Drama was originally created for prison inmates and ex-offenders, particularly the transient populations in detention centers. Professional theater techniques are used to teach basic educational skills to adults while providing a safe and therapeutic setting to work on conflicts and problems. Former students have assisted teachers in conveying the techniques to others. The techniques have been documented on videotape and in written format. This training may lead to productive jobs for a population who have difficulty obtaining stable work.

References

Blatner, H. A. (1973). Acting in: Practical applications of psychodrama methods. New York: Springer Publishing Co.

Haskell, M. R. (1974). The contributions of J. L. Moreno to the treatment of the offender. Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, 27, (1-4), 147-156.

Haskell, R. J . , & Larr, L. (1974). Psychodramatic role training with stutterers. Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, 27, (1-4), 30-36.

Hoff, H., Sluga, W., & Grunberger,J. (1969). Gruppen-psychotherapie und psychodrama bei kriminellen psychopallen (Group psychotherapy and psychodrama with criminal psychopaths). Group Psychotherapy, 22, (1-2), 103-115.

Morton, C. (1976). Nuyorican theater. The Drama Review, 20, (1), 43-49. Ryan, P. R. (1976). Theater as prison therapy. The Drama Review, 20, (1), 31-42.

Syracuse University Research Corporation ( 1968). Comparative survey of 1000 paroled inmates: Educational history of the Indiana Reformatory. Pendleton, Indiana: Data Processing Center, Indiana Reformatory.

Downloads

Published

2025-03-14

Issue

Vol. 37 No. 3 (1984): Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, and Sociometry

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

You are free to:

  1. Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
  2. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

Under the following terms:

  1. Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  2. NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
  3. NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
  4. No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Notices:

You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation.

No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.