Cell Dogs

My other half and I were watching Animal Planet tonight, and the show Cell Dogs came on. This is a very interesting program that has been started in prisons through the US. The initial program was started in a very violent prison in Nevada. The warden wanted to shake things up to try to settle the inmates down, so he went to the Humane Society.

After a rigorous screening program a group of 8 inmates was selected to handle the dogs. They were given 8 unadoptable dogs to care for and train. Several of the inmates are in for life, one was minutes away from death on Death Row when his sentence was commuted.

Here's the interesting part of this program. Since the start, violence in the prison is down over 40%. One of the lead guards said that since the program started they haven't broken up a single fight. It's allowed friendships between guards and inmates, and broken down barriers within the inmate population. The guards can walk the yard, and not be afraid anymore.

After a period of a few weeks, up to a year, the dogs get retrained and adjusted to people, at which time they are adopted out to new homes. The inmates then get a new dog to start over with.

For the inmates, this is the first time that some of them have ever felt unconditional love from anything. For the dogs, the inmates have the time to truly take care of them and show them that not all people are mean, and that not every one will hurt them.

The inmates even have a webpage with the dogs on them, and keep detailed records of everything that happens with the dogs.

Personally I think this is a wonderful idea, and it really helps the inmates to change their way of thinking. Even the inmates that aren't caring for the dogs have changed their attitudes since the dogs came into the prison.

I've seen this show once or twice, and yes I agree. It's a great way to get inmates to break the thought pattern of crime, and rehabilitate them so that they can rejoin the rest of the human race. It's a win win situation for the prison and the guards, because they get to have a nice peaceful prison.

But then, they did screen these inmates, I bet not all of them would be nice to a dog.

No, not all of them would be, but in the case of the prison in Nevada, the ENTIRE PRISON changed. It wasn't just the 8 inmates. The entire prison became more peaceful because of the presence of the dogs.

Originally posted by Acidtastic
It's a great way to get inmates to break the thought pattern of crime, and rehabilitate them so that they can rejoin the rest of the human race. It's a win win situation for the prison and the guards, because they get to have a nice peaceful prison.

What happens when you let them out of prison and they don't have a dog to care for? Perhaps it is a good method to make prisons a relatively more peaceful place but I don't think anyone can change a perpetrator. All the terrible things they do, theft, rape, slaughter, torture... Once they commit a crime, there is a very high chance it will happen again, no matter what you do.

[edit on 14 Apr, 09 by dramafreak]

But what about the HUGE numbers of prisoners that are released every year that never do it again? Yes there are a LOT of repeat offenders, but there are HUGE numbers of criminals, some of them that committed violent crimes, that are single offenders.

I must admit, when it comes to crime offenders, I'm pretty conservative.
If someone commits hanus crimes, such as (especially) offensive crimes to children, they shouldn't have that luxury. Pedophiles, imo, are worse than murderers and bank robbers, and don't deserve any "unconditional love."
Just wanted to get that point across.
HOWEVER......I stronlgy believe and urge the rehabilitation of prisoners, 100%. It's important that people change for the better after being imprisoned, and allowed in society again. As being the nation with more prisons and prisoners than any other nation on the planet, it still shows that we also continually have the highest crime rates and violent offenses in the world.
If education programs, as well as other programs don't meet their goals, or prove to be successful, then this is definetaly a good approach.
I'm all for it.
If dogs can show the good in a human being so be it.....
Seems like an inexpensive program too!

reply to post by Zaphod58


I think what is so amazing is the capacity that animals have to love unconditionally.

We still make demands of the animals for our love but many of them will continue to love and seek our affection even when we abuse them.

Think they teach us unconditional love? Let one of them have trouble with house breaking or have one chew himself through your showcase living space and see how unconditional your love is.

I have four misfits that were dumped because they have quirks or have trouble conforming. I wish I could say that they never get on my last nerve but they do constantly.

I continue to love them and put up with their shenanigans because they are my walking breathing mirrors.

I too have problems with conformity and screw up more then most so I guess we belong together.