Shakespeare Behind Bars was founded on the belief that all human beings are inherently good, and that although some convicted criminals have committed heinous crimes against other human beings, this inherent goodness still lives deep within them and must be called forth. Participation in the SBB program can effectively change our world for the better by influencing one inmate at a time, awakening him or her to the power and the passion of the goodness that lives within all of us.
Through the healing power of the arts, Shakespeare Behind Bars offers participants the ability to hope and the courage to act despite their fear and the odds against them.