We’re not talking here about canine prisons—puppy mills where dogs are kept in deplorable conditions. We’re talking about a program called Prison Puppies in which incarcerated men and women train puppies to become guide dogs and thereby help people in need. The program currently operates in prisons in Michigan and Minnesota.
Does it do anything besides help convicted felons while away the time? Yes. The initiative has “a profound impact on prisoners’ rehabilitation,” according to Leader Dogs for the Blind (leaderdog.org). “According to the wardens,” the organization says, “the puppies are a positive morale booster among both inmates and the prison staff. The dogs help reduce tensions and foster better social interactions within the prisons, and working with the dogs helps inmates develop patience, dependability, compassion and self-esteem. Prisoners report that they are happy to have the opportunity to give back and help a person in need.”
But it’s even better than that, as an analysis in the journal Animals suggests. Looking at 20 studies on some 1,300 prisoners around the world—prisoners who sometimes ended up in jail because of violent crimes involving theft, vandalism, and the use of weapons—researchers concluded that training a dog may even lead to lower rates of recidivism. That is, those who might have lost touch with part of their humanity have been shown to find their way back to it by bonding with a dog, caring for and working with the animal while experiencing its affection in return. No wonder prisons in other states also operate programs for inmates to help raise puppies.
They really are amazing creatures.
