Prison programs are becoming much more
common these days and research shows that some certain programs really help out
inmates. One program that seems to have no drawbacks is a dog training
program that is currently offered in some prisons around the country. Research
has shown that the human-dog bond that is established during the program makes
prison life much better for not only the specific dog trainer, but for the
environment as well.
The idea was that allowing certain inmates
to raise dogs in prison and begin training them would be extremely beneficial
for a variety of reasons. Since these programs started in 1981, the program has
grown exponentially. What was once a small program in one prison is now countrywide
and many prisons are taking part in it.
Getting to train a puppy in prison is not easy to come by. The process is highly selective and inmates have to work really hard to obtain this privilege. Good inmate candidates for this program are inmates who have never gotten in trouble in prison, who follow the rules, and who have earned their right to participate in this program.
Getting to train a puppy in prison is not easy to come by. The process is highly selective and inmates have to work really hard to obtain this privilege. Good inmate candidates for this program are inmates who have never gotten in trouble in prison, who follow the rules, and who have earned their right to participate in this program.
The prison dog training programs are
basically a win-win situation for the prisons and the inmates. Patience,
parenting skills, helping others, increased self-esteem, social skills, and the
calming effect on the prison environment are all pluses that prove this program
is worth taking a part in. The prison dog training programs are not only
beneficial to the prison population, but they are also beneficial to society;
one might even say that it is an alternative form of restitution because by
training the dogs to help out disabled people it is a form of paying back
society. There is not much that an inmate could do inside the prison to
help out society so dog training programs are very innovative in their own way.
There are some drawbacks to this program, however. Even though it may seem like these programs are not flawed at all, there are a couple of downfalls .The biggest problem is selectivity. Even though a lot of prisons take part in programs like this, it does not mean that every inmate is able to train a dog. Being able to participate in the program is extremely hard because of the competition. This could lead to some tension between inmates because the people who don’t receive this opportunity can become jealous of those that did.
There are some drawbacks to this program, however. Even though it may seem like these programs are not flawed at all, there are a couple of downfalls .The biggest problem is selectivity. Even though a lot of prisons take part in programs like this, it does not mean that every inmate is able to train a dog. Being able to participate in the program is extremely hard because of the competition. This could lead to some tension between inmates because the people who don’t receive this opportunity can become jealous of those that did.
In my opinion, allowing inmates to have the responsibility of
training a dog could help show them that there is hope for life outside of the
prison walls and that might be what is keeping them from going back to jail. I
can see other people saying that they do not deserve this right because of the
crimes that they have committed, but in the end I see it has more of a positive
program than a negative one. So I ask you, should inmates have this right?
I think that the inmates should have a right to be able to train dogs. It gives them the opportunity to give something back to society. It is very costly to pay someone else to train these dogs. It also gives the inmates a goal to work towards and keeps them from doing wrong in hope that they will get selected to participate in this program.
ReplyDeleteI just visited the Dwight women's prison and they have this program there. I thought it was awesome just for the fact that they get that bonding relationship and sometimes it can help them attitude-wise within the prison. I remember them saying that it is really competitive for a spot in this program because they usually give it to inmates who have been there a LONG time or are lifers in prison. I really do like this program.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a great program and it should be used more often. I think this could really help the prisoners in many different ways and give them a goal or something to look forward too. This could really help them with responsibility and give them something to concentrate on while they are in prison. I feel like this program should be more available to more prisons to see how it affects different people. This bond and caring attitude could potentially change a person for the better, and I think that this idea could really change rehab programs in general.
ReplyDeleteI also think this is a great program , like you said it gives the in mate a chance to learn some responsibility and this can also be used as a deterent to stop unwanted behavior in the prison by threatening to take the dog away from the in mate.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that they should have this right. Having the opportunity to train a dog in jail could help inmates in different ways. One way could be like you said it gives them hope outside the prision walls. Another way it could help would be that they have the dog to talk to to get out whats kept inside. Not everyone has someone to talk to about certain things specially in jails. The another plus would be that they learn patients with the dogs because training a dog does not happen over night. One negative that I thought of would be that they get attached to the dog and then go crazy after they have to give them up. That would not be good!
ReplyDeleteHonestly this article made me smile. The negative stigma of those who are in prison often keeps people from realizing that these criminals are still human beings. Many are young men who have made mistakes needing reform just as much as punishment. The connection that animals and people can have are just as strong as bonds between humans. A program like this does need to be very selective but can also make major strides to accomplishing the responsibility of taking care of something which hopefully can keep them sane in prison, but more importantly lower recidivism.
ReplyDeleteI like this program. If prisoners show that they can handle the responsibility they should be able to partake. It sounds wonderful for the dog and prisoner alike. These are still people and dogs could prove to be beneficial in rehabilitation efforts. if these are pound dogs that would be put down anyway its a win win. prisoners get to play with dogs and the dog doesn't get put down.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an awesome idea. I agree with the writer when they say that the bond between humans and dogs is something that cannot be explained, but is such a powerful love. When a prisoner shows that they can be responsible enough to take care of an animal, then they should be eligible to get into other programs to make their transition back to society easier.
ReplyDeleteI think that inmates should absolutely be able to train dogs. Not only are they giving back to society, but I think that having a relationship like this would by good for the inmate. I think that this would be a great way for an offender to begin their road of rehabilitation, while giving back to the people they harmed at the same time.
ReplyDelete