Evaluation of a Music Intervention in a Swedish Prison Setting : A pilot project within Skådebanan’s “Culture for Life”-project

Abstract: Background. The Swedish cultural organization Skådebanan conducted a pilot prison-based music intervention at a department of Kristianstad’s prison institution as part of their “Culture for Life”-project, aiming to bring culture closer to Swedish inmates and to contribute to a criminal-free life for this group. Aim. The present study aims to conduct a half-way evaluation of Skådebanan’smusic intervention. More specifically, it was explored (1) whether the intervention affected participating inmates’ sense of coherence, (2) what attitudes inmates had towards the project, (3) how inmates commented on the music intervention, and (4) what expectations and experiences the project leader had of the project. Methods. Before and after intervention, a survey containing three parts (Sense of Coherence scale, Likert-scale questions on attitudes, open questions on expectations/experiences of the project) was distributed to the 27 inmates staying at the particular department. The project leader was interviewed before and after he conducted the intervention. Quantitative analysis was performed but limited due to low sample size, qualitative data were subjected to thematical analysis. Results. Minor indications were found that inmates who participated in the intervention had a more positive change in their sense of coherence than those who did not. Inmates held positive attitudes towards the project. Both inmates and project leader noticed positive impacts of the intervention on the participants. Conclusion. Skådebanan’s music intervention may function as a catalyst for change and indirectly contribute to inmates’ desistance from crime. However, no firm conclusions can be drawn and further research is needed to explore potential effects of this musical initiative.