Introduction Drawings and other forms of self-generated visual art, produced by people suffering from mental illnesses, aroused the interest of psychiatrists around the end of the 19th century. They were considered “outpourings of the mind in turmoil” (Rubin 6). Fascinated by these specimens of artwork, psychiatrists began studying them in an effort to better understand the creator and the disease. Art therapy is a fluid, adaptable and evolving field. Art therapists today employ a variety of methods and work in a variety of rehabilitation settings, but the focus of this article is the use and benefits of visual art therapy in correctional settings. Unfortunately, little research has been conducted to measure the effectiveness of art therapy in prison. Researchers are still in the early stages of understanding what art therapy does, how it does it, and why it is effective. Through art therapy programs, inmates are able to more fully know themselves and are therefore able to authentically participate in life and community, as well as develop ongoing motivation towards recovery. About the Art Therapist Art therapists have experience in at least one field of prior knowledge such as: medicine, psychology, education, visual arts, or social work. They work in a variety of rehabilitation settings with a variety of problems including: mental health problems, learning difficulties, language and communication difficulties, detention, medical problems, sensory or physical problems, stress, emotional and/or social problems. In a prison setting, a therapist is likely to encounter more than one of these issues with each client. Each of these contexts has its own rehabilitation needs. Art therapists define what they do based on the context in which they work. How Art Therapy WorksThe purpose of art therapy is different from that of most other arts