Can the arts help prevent crime? No. The following is idealistic in the extreme:
Esserman, who has made Providence's police headquarters available for various art exhibits, said an increasing number of young Americans are being arrested. He believes that families, teachers and others can make a difference in whether young people fail or succeed by approaching them "with love," and by encouraging them to pursue educational and artistic challenges.
There are plenty of reasons to support the arts, but I don't think this is one of them. People who respond to "educational and artistic challenges" and people inclined to crime are generally two different sets
