The idea is “new and different”, but Dundee Rep believes drama therapy could hold the key to preventing some of Scotland’s most hardened criminals from re-offending.
The theatre has secured funding fora three-year project working withprisoners at HMP Castle Huntly to ready them for life in the community.
Drama therapy is already used in Broadmoor high security psychiatric hospital, where the focus has been on helping prisoners feel empathy and remorse.
The theatre’s adult drama therapist Rose Sadowski will help theScottish Prison Service (SPS) work with offenders nearing the end of their time in prison.
She told The Courier: “This is thefirst time the Rep has been involved in a project of this kind.
“Drama therapy has been used inprisons before and it has been veryeffective.
“It is first and foremost therapy, using creative means to help prisoners address the challenges and problems in their lives with the overall aim of breaking the offending cycle.
During the first year therapy sessions will be held in the prison, withcommunity work continuing after release with former inmates creating their own drama piece to bring backinto prisons.
Rose added: “Drama gets a bad rap as many people think it is just having a laugh, but there is a serious side and I firmly believe it can give people a voice and transform lives.”
The Royal Conservatoire Scotland, meanwhile, has bid for funding toprovide its own two-year drama workshop project with the aim of improving communication and life skills.
The two drama projects will add to a range of increasingly innovative schemes within Tayside’s prisons, including the opening of a community caf within Castle Huntly.
Inmates will gain barista skills and train in specialist tea-making before gaining work experience with high street chains Pret a Manger and Costa.
Dundee councillor Helen Wright, convener of Tayside Community Justice Authority, said the projects represented “radical thinking” for the prison service and should be commended.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, Murdo Fraser, added: “It’s important that the Scottish Prison Service looks at allpossible avenues to reduce re-offending and I am supportive of any collaboration between the prison service and theprivate sector as real world experience is important in rehabilitating offenders.
“While I would praise the prisonservice for thinking outside the box, I would hope that the success of theseprogrammes is reviewed in time to ensure that resources are usedefficiently and prison still acts as adeterrent.