South Africa, the Arts, and Youth In Conflict With the Law

This paper describes the DIME (Diversion into Music Education) youth intervention program that originated in South Africa in 2001. DIME offers instruction in African marimba and djembe bands to juvenile offenders. Conceived as a community collaboration among organizations in the cities of Cape Town, SA and Tampa, USA (including the University of the Western Cape and the University of South Florida), DIME offers a unique example of community music and multicultural music education. In the 1980s, the world focused on people fighting against apartheid in South Africa. These people included many children and teenagers who were arrested and jailed, often without trial. Even worse, many children were held in adult prisons. When South Africa achieved democratic rule in 1994, a new system began to evolve for children in conflict with the law. At the same time, non-governmental organizations concerned with youth crime began experimenting with non-residential "life skills programs " (or "diversion programs") as alternatives to prosecution and incarceration. As a result, alternative programs for young offenders have grow