Mural and Art Community Service Programs for Delinquent Youth

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

The Mural Arts Program will engage vulnerable youth in productive opportunities to improve their art-making skills and broader their appreciation of art, while present them with a wider array of life choices through its art education classes for adjudicated youth. The Mural Arts Program hopes to enhance the well-being of young Philadelphians by encouraging artistic expression, teamwork skills, and concern for others; make their communities safer by helping to rehabilitate first-time youth offenders; and improve education opportunities for Philadelphia students, particularly with regard to art instruction, which is so often eliminated from school programming. In addition, Mural Arts will hold juvenile offenders accountable for their behavior by providing venues and opportunities to engage in community restoration projects, while earning community services ordered by the Juvenile Court. The project will provide up to 200 youth art instruction and will participate in the design, painting and installation of two large-scale outdoor murals within their communities that focus on important figures in Philadelphia history who had a positive impact on the community. The short term outcomes are: 1) cultivation of artistic self-expression and newfound appreciation for art; 2) strong sense of collective efforts and associated cooperation skills; 3) increased self-respect and deepened respect for others; and 4) development of concrete art skills and understanding of mural-making processes. The long term outcomes are: 1) expanded educational opportunities and out-of-school-time programming for Philadelphia youth; 2) increase in positive life choices due to understanding of alternative, constructive activities and newly acquired skills; 3) restoration of community safety and aesthetics through collaborative artistic efforts and 4) decrease in delinquent acts and recidivism. NCA/NCF