Corrections_Today_Winter_2024-2025_Vol.86_No.4

The author would like to thank the WCDOC, especially Commissioner Joseph K. Spano, First Deputy Commissioner Nory Padilla, Deputy Commissioner Naima Johnson, Warden Ryan Smith, Program Sergeant Marie Reyes and Program Of ficers Regina Gonzalez and Brian Sadack for their support of rehabilitative initiatives. The author would also like to thank Paws Crossed Animal Rescue for their partnership, especially Jennifer Angelucci, Scott Salant, Bella Gellin and Julie Potter. Abstract A nimal-assisted interventions (AAIs) have become more popular in correctional facilities around the world, with demonstrated improvements in outcome measures such as self-esteem, reduced disciplinary infractions, enhanced feelings of connectedness, increased empathy, improved morale and overall psychological well-being. While dog training programs (DTPs) are the most common form of AAIs within correctional institutions, dog fostering programs (DFPs) are less researched. Puppies on the Block, a dog fostering program at the Westchester County Department of Correction (WCDOC) in New York, in partnership with Pace University and Paws Crossed Animal Rescue, provides rescue dogs to women who are incarcerated in the substance abuse treatment block and young men (ages 18 to 24) who are incarcerated in the Young Opportunities Program (YOP). Participants in these programs serve as canine caretakers for dogs who were rescued from states where they may have otherwise been euthanized. Rescues remain in the facility until they are socialized, increasing their suitability for adoption. Based on pre and posttest interviews, preliminary results from the first two years of program implementation indicate that canine caretakers (n=44) at the WCDOC had statistically significant increased levels of self-esteem, happiness, self-control, and empathy, in addition to decreased levels of anxiety, stress and depression, after only four weeks of program participation. Participants also presented with reduced disciplinary infractions and reduced grievances. With a rise in mental health issues among populations who are incarcerated, DFPs, a benign and cost-effective intervention, can be easily implemented in jail settings to impact psychological well-being, in addition to providing a vital service to the

community, when strong relationships with community based organizations are well established. Mental health within the jail setting Maintaining correctional programming, especially within the transient nature of the jail setting, can be challenging. 1 Where prisons often provide the luxury of time for programmatic interventions, the American jail prisoner averages 25 days of incarceration, compared to their prison counterpart of 2.6 years. 2 While in jail, men and women are removed from their communities for brief periods of time where the opportunity to offer reha bilitative interventions may be limited. 3 Yet, short term, evidence-based programming demonstrates promising results. With an increase in mental health issues, jails must address all levels of mental health needs. As such, jails can supplement existing mental health services through innovative programming that does not have to be facilitated by licensed mental health professionals. With 12 million admissions annually, jails are often the first provider of mental health services for society’s most marginalized, who are often facing additional challenges such as substance abuse disorder/withdrawal, home lessness, trauma/abuse and inconsistent employment/ limited vocational skills. 4 It is estimated that 65.8% of women and 34.8% of men incarcerated in a U.S. prison present with a mental health issue, when compared to 67.9% of jailed women and 40.8% of jailed men. 5 Persons who are incarcerated typically have high higher rates of mental illness as well as trauma when compared to those in the community, and their trauma levels can be exac erbated during the process of incarceration. 6 As a result, programming to address mental health needs is vital in the jail setting and programming that integrates animal assisted activities are a low-risk intervention that can be easily implemented and replicated in many correctional institutions. Carceral animal programs Dog training programs (DTPs) are the most common form of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) in cor rectional facilities and while more research is needed, most studies demonstrate positive effects for residents, as well as animals (i.e., rescue dogs appeared to be more →

Winter 2024-2025 | Corrections Today

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