NCJ Number
61243
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 22 Issue: 1 Dated: (1978) Pages: 91-96
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
COMMUNITY DRAMA HAS PROVEN TO BE AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF DEALING WITH AND PREVENTING DELINQUENCY IN ISRAEL.
Abstract
SINCE 1972, A LARGE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY DRAMA WORKSHOPS HAVE BEEN SET UP IN THE SLUM AREAS OF ISRAEL'S MAJOR CITIES AND IN VARIOUS DEVELOPMENT TOWNS. ALL THE GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP CATER TO MARGINAL YOUTH AND MOST OF THE PARTICIPANTS HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE POLICE. A FEW ALREADY POSSESS CRIMINAL RECORDS. ONCE INVOLVED IN A DRAMA GROUP, HOWEVER, THE YOUTH SEEM TO FORSAKE THEIR OLD HABITS OF DELINQUENCY. BOTH THE CONTENT OF COMMUNITY DRAMA AND THE WAY IN WHICH IT IS PRESENTED TEND TO CREATE A VERY NEGATIVE IMAGE OF LOCAL LIFE AND GIVE PARTICIPANTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACT OUT THEIR AGGRESSION AGAINST SOCIETY. THUS THE DRAMA ACTS AS A CATHARSIS WHICH PREVENTS PARTICIPANTS FROM DRIFTING FURTHER INTO DELINQUENCY. COMMUNITY DRAMA ALSO ACTS AS A CATALYST BY ENCOURAGING CREATIVITY AND HARNESSING IT TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. PARTICIPANTS, THEREFORE, ARE ABLE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN BOTH IN THEIR LIVES AND THOSE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, MEMBERS OF THE GROUP ARE ENCOURAGED TO HELP WRITE THE PLAY AND THE DRIFT INTO DELINQUENCY HAS PROVIDED THE MAJOR THEME OF MOST OF THE PLAYS PRODUCED. DRAMA WORKSHOPS NOT ONLY PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE WAY OF STRIKING BACK AT SOCIETY, BUT THEY ALSO CREATE AN AWARENESS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGING IT. (MJW)