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Article
Publication date: 9 February 2015

Jenny Mercer, Kerry Gibson and Debbie Clayton

Much evidence suggests that animals can serve as therapeutic tools for those working with vulnerable individuals. This exploratory study analysed the accounts of staff and…

1409

Abstract

Purpose

Much evidence suggests that animals can serve as therapeutic tools for those working with vulnerable individuals. This exploratory study analysed the accounts of staff and offenders involved in a UK prison-based animal programme. The purpose of this paper was to explore the perceived impact of such a programme with male offenders.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three service users and five staff members. Participants were drawn from a special unit in a category B prison which housed an animal centre.

Findings

A thematic analysis identified four salient themes: a sense of responsibility, building trust, enhanced communication, and impact on mood and behaviour. Findings revealed that offenders seemed to gain particular benefit from interacting with the two Labrador dogs which were present on the wing.

Practical implications

The study highlights the therapeutic potential of the presence of animals in prisons. Their implications of this for forensic practice are discussed.

Originality/value

This paper offers an important contribution to the sparse literature about prison-based animal programmes in the UK.

Details

Journal of Forensic Practice, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-8794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2019

Colleen Dell, Darlene Chalmers, Mark Stobbe, Betty Rohr and Alicia Husband

Prison-based animal programs are becoming increasingly common in North America. The majority focus on community and animal well-being, with less explicit therapeutic goals for…

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Abstract

Purpose

Prison-based animal programs are becoming increasingly common in North America. The majority focus on community and animal well-being, with less explicit therapeutic goals for human participants. The purpose of this paper is to measure the objectives of a canine animal-assisted therapy (AAT) program in a Canadian psychiatric prison and examine whether the program supports inmates’ correctional plans.

Design/methodology/approach

A modified instrumental case study design was applied with three inmates over a 24-AAT-session program. Quantitative and qualitative AAT session data were collected and mid- and end-of-program interviews were held with the inmates, their mental health clinicians and the therapy dog handlers.

Findings

Inmates connected with the therapy dogs through the animals’ perceived offering of love and support. This development of a human–animal bond supported inmates’ correctional plans, which are largely situated within a cognitive-behavioral skill development framework. Specifically, inmates’ connections with the therapy dogs increased recognition of their personal feelings and emotions and positively impacted their conduct.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that prison-based AAT programs emphasizing inmate mental well-being, alongside that of animal and community well-being generally, merit further exploration. It would be worthwhile to assess this AAT program with a larger and more diverse sample of inmates and in a different institutional context and also to conduct a post-intervention follow-up.

Originality/value

This is the first study of a prison-based AAT program in a Canadian psychiatric correctional facility.

Details

International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1744-9200

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 October 2023

Kirsten Wilson

Whilst a growing body of support exists for the use of prison animal programmes (PAPs), research within UK prisons is sparse. Opportunity to add to this body of literature is also…

Abstract

Purpose

Whilst a growing body of support exists for the use of prison animal programmes (PAPs), research within UK prisons is sparse. Opportunity to add to this body of literature is also limited due to the practical barriers around safely embedding animals within forensic settings. This study aims to capitalise on an opportunity to explore a visitation model of a prison-based dog programme (PBDP), recently implemented within a UK prison. The intervention requires staff members to volunteer to bring their pets into the prison on a weekly basis and to accompany them as they complete their normal day-to-day prison roles.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected within a Category B adult prison for males convicted of a sexual offence. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six prisoners who had spent time with the visitation dogs and six staff members who had been part of those interactions. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, and three themes were developed that focused specifically on the value of this model of PBDP (staff members bringing their pets into the prison).

Findings

Three themes (reconnecting men to their outside lives; legitimising pro-social narrative; and “a safe space for them to open up”) were developed from participants’ lived experience of the intervention and its perceived value.

Practical implications

The potential for a low-level PAP to contribute to a rehabilitative prison culture was supported.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to explore the value of this particular model of PBDP within a UK prison.

Details

The Journal of Forensic Practice, vol. 25 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-8794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 September 2023

Helen Codd

This study aims to assess the nature and scope of dog-based programmes in prisons, assessing critically the potential opportunities, benefits, challenges and risks of developing…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to assess the nature and scope of dog-based programmes in prisons, assessing critically the potential opportunities, benefits, challenges and risks of developing innovative dog-based programmes for older prisoners in England and Wales. This paper outlines the potential benefits and challenges of developing dog-based programmes for older prisoners and sets out next steps for future research and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a scoping review of published research literature on prison dog programmes (PDPs) in the USA, the UK and other countries, with particular reference to older people in prison, followed by semi-structured interviews with six members of an expert advisory group. The literature review and data from the qualitative interviews were analysed thematically.

Findings

There is a substantial body of published research literature which supports PDPs as having identifiable positive impacts for people and also dogs, and also published research which highlights the benefits to older people of dog ownership or participation in dog-based activities. However, much of this research is small-scale and qualitative, and it has been argued that there is a lack of a quantitative evidence base. This research concludes that findings from the literature review and the semi-structured interviews support further research and the creation of pilot projects to develop dog-based projects for older people in prison.

Research limitations/implications

This study was small-scale, and the findings need to be approached with caution. The literature review searched a small number of databases and filtered out articles published in languages other than English, and the review of the grey literature focused on reports from the UK. The number of experts interviewed was small and there was no direct consultation with older people in prison nor with older people with recent personal lived experience of imprisonment and community resettlement. A more extensive future study would benefit from a more extensive literature review, a larger group of participants and the inclusion of service users, prison managers and government policymakers, subject to the appropriate ethical and security approvals. At the time the research took place, ongoing COVID-19 restrictions on prison research meant that research with current prisoners and prison managers would not have been approved by the HMPPS NRC.

Practical implications

This research provides a research-based justification for future dog projects for older prisoners, leading potentially to improved well-being for older people in prison.

Originality/value

This study brings together the published research literature on PDPs with the research literature on the needs and experiences of older people in prison for the first time, and identifies potential directions for future research.

Details

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, vol. 24 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-7794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 February 2022

Jenny Mercer, Ella Williams Davies, Megan Cook and Nic J. Bowes

Amid concerns regarding prisoner well-being, growing evidence indicates that prison animal programmes (PAPs), most commonly involving dogs, have significant therapeutic potential…

Abstract

Purpose

Amid concerns regarding prisoner well-being, growing evidence indicates that prison animal programmes (PAPs), most commonly involving dogs, have significant therapeutic potential. Published research on this topic from the UK remains sparse, and more is needed to determine the type of programmes which work best and for whom. This study aims to explore the perceived benefits of a short-term PAP on the well-being of a sample of individuals assessed as at risk of self-harm.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants with complex mental health needs in a category B prison took part in a four-week programme where two dogs were brought in for interactions once a week. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants at the end of the programme.

Findings

Three themes were identified through thematic analysis: “A Safe Space for Emotional Experience”, “An Opportunity to Connect” and “Being Human”. The narratives offered a range of perceived benefits which illustrated the potential of dog based PAPs for enhancing well-being and consistency with desistance goals.

Practical implications

The findings illustrate that even short-term interactions with dogs can be impactful and provide evidence for other practitioners about how this approach may be used with individuals with complex mental health needs.

Originality/value

The study highlights the therapeutic potential of the presence of animals in prisons. The research contributes to the limited literature about PAPS in the UK.

Details

The Journal of Forensic Practice, vol. 24 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-8794

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 9 February 2015

Carol A. Ireland and Neil Gredecki

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Abstract

Details

Journal of Forensic Practice, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-8794

Article
Publication date: 25 February 2020

David Redmalm

This article adopts Foucault's notion of a bipolar technology of disciplinary power and regulatory biopower to address the tension between discipline and freedom in domestic…

Abstract

Purpose

This article adopts Foucault's notion of a bipolar technology of disciplinary power and regulatory biopower to address the tension between discipline and freedom in domestic relationships between human and nonhuman animals commonly referred to as “pets.” In doing so, the article examines the promises and pitfalls of thinking through pet keeping as a form of lived, posthumanist critique.

Design/methodology/approach

The argument relies on an interview study with 20 pet owners—most of the interviews conducted in their homes together with their pets—to conceptualize how they organize their lives in relation to their pets.

Findings

The analysis shows that the boundaries of the home, the play of power between bodies, and the “conditions of an unconditional love” are central to producing the pet relationship as inherently meaningful and as an indispensable part of the lives of both pet keepers and pets. A balance between discipline and freedom enables the construction of both human and other identities: pet owners produce their pets' subjectivity by speaking of them as autonomous persons, while pets' presence in the home also enables their owners' subjectivity.

Social implications

The article critically examines interspecies relationships, which by extension can benefit nonhuman animals. It argues that pet keeping can challenge anthropocentrism and unsustainable consumption lifestyles, but it may also reinforce prevailing biopolitical logics, if it remains maintained within a secluded domestic or cultural sphere.

Originality/value

The article draws on original data. While Foucauldian theory has been used to discuss pet keeping, empirical studies of pet keeping that rely on this theoretical framework are scarce.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 41 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 August 2014

Barbara J. Cooke and David P. Farrington

Offender-led dog-training programmes (DTPs) are increasingly used throughout US correctional facilities. The rather sparse literature on these programmes is outlined in this…

Abstract

Purpose

Offender-led dog-training programmes (DTPs) are increasingly used throughout US correctional facilities. The rather sparse literature on these programmes is outlined in this manuscript, including the reported benefits of participation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the opinions of programme coordinators and staff from 13 programmes.

Design/methodology/approach

The perceived effects were measured using an open-ended questionnaire, with attention paid to those benefits reported in the extant literature.

Findings

Respondents noted improvements in several factors including impulsivity, self-efficacy, empathy, social skills, emotional intelligence, and employability.

Practical implications

It is argued that DTPs should be implemented in other countries including the UK, and that well-designed, larger scale evaluations are needed.

Originality/value

Though potentially limited by sample size and self-selection biases, these findings expand on the existing literature by supporting existing reports as well as expanding the breadth of the DTPs that have been studied.

Details

Journal of Forensic Practice, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-8794

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 23 April 2013

Ryan Turner

This piece is a review of the animal selfhood literature in sociology, organized into four main parts. First, I review the sociological literature of human–animal interactions, in…

Abstract

This piece is a review of the animal selfhood literature in sociology, organized into four main parts. First, I review the sociological literature of human–animal interactions, in which sociologists claim that animals possess selves. Second, I review how sociologists have referred to the self, from which I construct five criteria of selfhood, including self as attribution, self-awareness, intersubjectivity, self-concept/reflexivity, and narration. Third, I address how animals have selves using these criteria, drawing on sociological and ethological evidence. Fourth, I critique the animal interaction sociologists’ specific claims of animal selfhood, including their epistemological failure to distinguish between human accounts of animal subjectivities and animal subjectivities, and their empirical failure to show how animals act toward themselves. Ultimately, I conclude that animal selves, particularly in an elemental Meadian sense, are potentially real, but in most cases are unobservable or unverifiable phenomena.

Details

40th Anniversary of Studies in Symbolic Interaction
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-783-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 December 2023

Sam Smith and Patricia Howie

Understanding and preventing prison-based violence remains a challenge for both prison professionals and academic researchers. Alongside the rising tide of prison violence, the…

Abstract

Purpose

Understanding and preventing prison-based violence remains a challenge for both prison professionals and academic researchers. Alongside the rising tide of prison violence, the contemporary researcher views prison violence as a social problem and something that needs to be understood from an ecological viewpoint before violence prevention strategies can be implemented. The purpose of this study was to present an exploratory investigation into the causes of violence within a Category B UK prison, its impact and the factors that contribute to violence prevention.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting an ethnographic, qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six prisoners to gather their individual perspectives on prison violence. Interview transcripts were analysed by the researcher using grounded theory analysis.

Findings

Results revealed that participants perceived debt as a catalyst for violence and associated a sense of “loss” with emotional violent outbursts. Furthermore, participants placed responsibility on other prisoners and staff to facilitate violence prevention outcomes by making positive changes (prisoners) and being honest, and moral within the workplace (staff). Emphasis was placed on cultural maintenance factors that appeared to promote, reinforce and maintain a violent cultural environment.

Practical implications

Including the prisoner voice in prison violence research is fundamental to understanding the complexity of the problem. Understanding the cultural environment within which violence occurs strengthens the ecological perspective. Violence prevention strategies identified in this research requires change from prisoners, staff and ultimately the wider prison system if it is to succeed in preventing violence.

Originality/value

Results are discussed considering their implications for future policy and practice in the context of violence prevention.

Details

Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-3841

Keywords

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