There are some inspiring sounds coming from the Genesee County Jail – the sounds of music, that is.
Through a partnership with the Flint Institute of Music (FIM) and the Genesee County Sheriffs Office, inmates have had the opportunity to study music theory as part of the I.G.N.I.T.E. program curriculum since February of last year.
“Music is a part of everybody’s life. It’s therapeutic, inspirational and educational,” states Sheriff Christopher Swanson of his choice to include music therapy in the I.G.N.I.T.E. course offerings. “For a population that impacts everybody in the country, what better tool to use for rehabilitation and freedom from addiction than the power of music?”
Board-certified Music Therapist Jonathan Carmona has 20 years of experience and specializes in songwriting/creating digital music with clients. | Photos Courtesy of Flint Institute of Music
According to FIM Music Therapy Department Chair Janelle Ballard, MT-BC, each weekly session has a different focus, from the first session when inmates share their favorite songs and create a personal playlist to subsequent sessions that focus on group drumming, improvisation, writing a song as a group, writing individual songs and performing their music at the final session.
The inmates attend a weekly 45-minute session for a total of six weeks. To date, 25 inmates have completed the program. “The end goal is to give the inmates new skills for managing their emotions, provide peer support for navigating the challenges that come with incarceration and help them develop insight to reduce recidivism,” explains Ballard. “Music therapy is structured to provide positive outcomes and be a supportive environment.”
“The end goal is to give the inmates new skills for managing their emotions, provide peer support for navigating the challenges that come with incarceration and help them develop insight to reduce recidivism.”
Janelle Ballard, MT-BC, FIM Music Therapy Department Chair
Music therapy is just one option available to inmates as part of the I.G.N.I.T.E. program; they have the opportunity to take financial literacy classes, GED preparation, and a variety of career skills classes to prepare them for their release from incarceration.
Ballard says inmates take surveys rating their anxiety, depression, quality of life and social connections before starting the six-week course and upon completion of the course. For the 25 inmates who completed the course, the results show: Depression – 72% of participants improved; Anxiety – 52% improved; Quality of Life – 80% and Social Connectedness – 40% of participants improved.
Jelly Roll recently visited the Genesee County Jail to participate in an I.G.N.I.T.E. graduation ceremony and reward inmates with a brief, private concert. | Photos Courtesy of Flint Institute of Music
Upon completing the six-week course, they receive a certificate from FIM at the I.G.N.I.T.E. graduation ceremony.
Teaching the classes is Jonathan Carmona, MT-BC, a board-certified music therapist. With 20 years of experience, he specializes in songwriting/creating digital music with clients. Prior to and throughout his music therapy career, he has performed with various music groups, instructed private music lessons, composed/collaborated original music and worked as a session musician for other artists. His areas of specialty are digital music production (beat-making/recording), adaptive instrument instruction, music education, culture, and appreciation.
Last July, FIM installed the Jailhouse Music Studio Inspired by Jelly Roll and Powered by the UAW and in February, I.G.N.I.T.E. began its second set of courses that utilize the studio. Two courses are offered: “Intro to Recording and Avid Pro Tools”, and “Intro to Music Production and Songwriting.” Both 20-hour courses involve daily, two-hour meetings for a two-week period, and each course can accept 8-10 participants, most of whom complete both courses in sequence. The first cohort, a class of all-male inmates, graduated last September and the female inmates began their class on February 10. Both are taught by Corey “Co-P” Peterson, a multi-instrument musician, producer, singer and songwriter. The goal is to offer classes quarterly, alternating between male and female inmates. FIM and I.G.N.I.T.E. have also been approached to expand this model into other facilities both within and outside of the state. All music recorded by the inmates is their owned intellectual property.
I.G.N.I.T.E. offers two courses that utilize the new recording studio. | Photos Courtesy of Flint Institute of Music
Additionally, the FIM Music Therapy Program, in coordination with Motherly Intercession, has engaged two classes of female inmates in the Carnegie Hall Lullaby Project, in which mothers write songs for their born and unborn children. With the help of music therapists, the participants then used the recording studio to record the music they created.
Recently, country music star Jelly Roll visited the Genesee County Jail to participate in an I.G.N.I.T.E. graduation ceremony and reward inmates with a brief, private concert. As a former inmate in jails across Texas and now a multiple-award-winning celebrity musician, Jelly Roll is not only an example of the transformative power of music, but a role model for inmates who want to successfully reintegrate into society.
Jelly Roll has shared this inspiring message: “The windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason” – meaning that what’s ahead of you is more important than what’s behind you.
The inmates attend a 45-minute session each week for a total of six weeks. To date, 25 participants have completed the program. | Photos Courtesy of Flint Institute of Music
Rodney Lontine, FIM President and CEO is proud to support the work of I.G.N.I.T.E. “This work is very important to us,” he shares, “music therapy and now, a jailhouse music studio. Music is a universal language: it connects people, it breaks down barriers. Everybody understands music. And music therapy is one step toward recovery, one step toward redemption and moving forward with your life.”
I.G.N.I.T.E. According to the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, “I.G.N.I.T.E.’s mission is to reverse the cycle of generational incarceration through education. Educating inmates has numerous benefits that help reduce recidivism and make the community safer. By providing inmates with valuable job training, they are equipped with skills they can use upon release to gain meaningful employment and reduce their likelihood of reoffending. Educational programs have also been found to reduce generational incarceration by offering inmates a way to break out of the cycle perpetuated by previous generations.
Janelle Ballard, MT-BC, FIM Music Therapy Department Chair | Photos Courtesy of Flint Institute of Music
“Additionally, providing positive reinforcement while incarcerated through educational programs gives inmates much-needed hope, which has been found to reduce violent behavior and fights among inmates. This effective program has been implemented in hundreds of prisons and jails nationwide; it is clear that this approach is one of the most effective ways of combating crime and restoring a sense of purpose within the inmate population.”
