Measuring the psychological impacts of prison-based dog training programs and in-prison outcomes for inmates.

Animal Assisted Therapy

August 2023

Full Citation

Flynn, E., Combs, K.M., Gandenberger, J., Tedeschi, P., & Morris, K.N. (2020). Measuring the psychological impacts of prison based dog training programs and in-prison outcomes for inmates. The Prison Journal, 100(2), 224-239. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885519894657

Abstract

As interest grows in programs that improve prison inmates’ behavior and psychosocial well-being, any such interventions must be rigorously examined and their underlying mechanisms for change must be understood. This pilot study examined the use of prison-based dog training programs across Washington State Department of Corrections facilities for their impacts on inmates’ infraction rates. The study also compared levels of empathy, self-efficacy, and anxiety between program participants and nonparticipants. Findings indicated that prison dog program participants’ infraction rates improved and that participants had lower levels of anxiety than nonparticipants