NCJ Number
233453
Date Published
2011
Length
186 pages
Annotation
This book examines prison-based animal programs.
Abstract
This book presents an overview of prison-based animal programs so as to understand the benefits of these programs not only to the inmates and the animals, but also to the prison and the outside communities. The author notes that animals are increasingly being incorporated into programs inside prisons across the United States and in foreign countries, yet there is limited research as to success of these programs. The book is divided into seven chapters that examine prison based rehabilitation programs. In chapter 1, the author discusses the traditional goal of inmate programs as a way to reduce recidivism. In chapter 2, the author discusses the evidence supporting the social, psychological, and physical benefits of human-animal interactions in prison settings. Chapter 3 examines the history of correctional programming in the United States, and in chapter 4, the author explores the evolution of prison-based animal programs (PAPs). Chapter 5 contains an in-depth analysis of two successful PAPs, one with male participants and one with female participants. The author also presents a list of preliminary ideas on why PAPs produce the outcomes repeatedly seen by criminal justice researchers. In chapter 6, the author examines a number of emerging ideas in punishment that consider the use of alternative prison programs, while in chapter 7, the author concludes with a broad discussion of how animals can help prison inmates in their efforts for personal change, while at the same time creating an opportunity for incarcerated offenders to give back to the community. Tables, bibliography, and index