The criminal justice system has many programs and policies in place to help rehabilitate and educate the inmates in the correctional facilities across the states. The Prison Puppy Programs is an example of an effective implementation of one of these programs in the US Prisons. They have programs that allow dogs that would otherwise be euthanized in shelters to be trained and socialized by inmates. In those situations the dogs are giving the inmates the emotional support they need while dedicating their time into making the dog “adoptable”(Davis). Prison programs have continued to branch out with puppy training and have expanded to partnerships dealing with service dogs in the program Puppies Behind Bars. The goal of Puppies Behind Bars (PBB)
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From the research provided by Britton and Button (2005), management at a Kansas correctional facility recognizes the inmate’s behavior adjustment with the dogs. The handlers involved with the program “believe that the dogs help them deal with anger, teach them patience, give them unconditional love, and simply make doing time a little easier.” These attitudes influence other inmates to behave similarly if they want a chance to be involved with the program. Even people not involved with the program have seen the direct impact of the dogs. There are countless examples of cellmates seeing these transitions from the extra responsibilities and unconditional love they receive from the dogs. Really angry and violent inmates can transform into extremely reliable dog handlers through this program. For the inmates this program also gives them a direct connection to helping their community. The handlers attend the dog’s graduation where they are able to interact with the potential “new homes” for the service dogs. It’s a great opportunity to bridge the gap between the correctional facilities and the local …show more content…
The amount of timeless effort the handlers put into the dog’s training exceeds expectations for typical inmates and changes their lives. Gilbert Molina from a New York prison, serving 15 to life for murder, participated in the Puppies Behind Bars program. He was trained for the program and has contributed to many dogs’ trainings through the prison. Training these dogs was Molina’s everyday prison job and he wasn’t compensated for any of his work. He prepared his dog, Faith, for her forever home with a war veteran, Kent, who had frequent PTSD episodes. The bond that Molina and Faith formed over the twenty months of training helped him pass the time and have something to keep himself accountable for. In the note Gilbert Molina wrote to Faith’s new owner he discloses, “There's no way to prepare for the day when my best friend has to leave. My main concern is for Faith to receive all the love possible.” He truly cared for Faith, and she was able to emotional support him for the time being. Most of the inmates have photos with their dogs decorating their otherwise plain walls with great memories and accomplishments (Hatch,
From the research provided by Britton and Button (2005), management at a Kansas correctional facility recognizes the inmate’s behavior adjustment with the dogs. The handlers involved with the program “believe that the dogs help them deal with anger, teach them patience, give them unconditional love, and simply make doing time a little easier.” These attitudes influence other inmates to behave similarly if they want a chance to be involved with the program. Even people not involved with the program have seen the direct impact of the dogs. There are countless examples of cellmates seeing these transitions from the extra responsibilities and unconditional love they receive from the dogs. Really angry and violent inmates can transform into extremely reliable dog handlers through this program. For the inmates this program also gives them a direct connection to helping their community. The handlers attend the dog’s graduation where they are able to interact with the potential “new homes” for the service dogs. It’s a great opportunity to bridge the gap between the correctional facilities and the local …show more content…
The amount of timeless effort the handlers put into the dog’s training exceeds expectations for typical inmates and changes their lives. Gilbert Molina from a New York prison, serving 15 to life for murder, participated in the Puppies Behind Bars program. He was trained for the program and has contributed to many dogs’ trainings through the prison. Training these dogs was Molina’s everyday prison job and he wasn’t compensated for any of his work. He prepared his dog, Faith, for her forever home with a war veteran, Kent, who had frequent PTSD episodes. The bond that Molina and Faith formed over the twenty months of training helped him pass the time and have something to keep himself accountable for. In the note Gilbert Molina wrote to Faith’s new owner he discloses, “There's no way to prepare for the day when my best friend has to leave. My main concern is for Faith to receive all the love possible.” He truly cared for Faith, and she was able to emotional support him for the time being. Most of the inmates have photos with their dogs decorating their otherwise plain walls with great memories and accomplishments (Hatch,