Music as a tool for rehabilitation
Those of us who teach music are well aware of the power to transform an individual. I have seen music keep children in school and out of trouble over and over. Billy Bragg is taking that effect outside the schools by using guitars as a tool to rehabilitate prison inmates in the UK.
I love this idea. People who break the law do need to be punished, but I think we are over-focused on punishment in this society (not only in the justice system but in the education system as well.) We need to be more focused on creative ways to help children and adults stay OUT of trouble in the future. It is painfully clear that we have a damaging cycle that is difficult for our students and inmates to break.
The short video available on the guardian.uk site is well worth watching.
