This study explores the beliefs, goals, and motivations of arts-based prison initiatives based on acase study of a jail arts program provided by an art museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. This case study includes in-depth interviews with individuals who provide a range of support for this program, which I compare with interviews conducted with individuals involved in other arts- based programs outside the criminal justice system in Charlotte. I supplement this case study with information garnered from attending Justice Arts Coalition meetings. Analyses focus on the ideas that respondents have about perceived benefits of arts programming, potential for building cultural capital, and the capacity of arts-based programs to assess their impact. Findings have implications for sociological theory and research about cultural capital as well as for arts-based prison programs.
