•  
  •  
 

Keywords

women prisoners, jail programs, parenting, animal assisted therapy, jail research

Abstract

With 68% of prisoners recidivating within a three year period, designing and implementing innovative programming within the corrections setting is a necessity. The transient nature of the jail population begets difficulties for its successful implementation and maintenance. Since incarcerated females represent a smaller portion of the population, women, who face different challenges than their male counterparts, often receive less opportunity for programming, especially within the jail setting. Parenting, Prison & Pups (PPP), a program which weaves together an evidence-based parenting curriculum, integrated with the use of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), serves as a model for how to implement innovative programming within the jail setting at both the federal and county level for female prisoners. This paper outlines strategies to employ and discusses challenges that arise during program creation, implementation, and evaluation, which all require consideration prior to starting a new jail-based program. Despite a multitude of challenges, well-developed strategies can advance program goals and outcomes.

Author Bio

Dr. Kimberly Collica-Cox is an Associate Professor in the Criminal Justice and Security Department with PACE University. Prior to teaching, Dr. Collica worked for a women's correctional facility in NYS coordinating an HIV prison-based peer education program and for a NY jail supervising their jail-based transitional services unit. She trains professionals in HIV- related issues in the NYS Metropolitan area and is a certified ACA (American Correctional Association) and PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) Auditor. Her research has focused on female inmates, rehabilitation, reintegration issues, prison-based programming and female correctional executives.

Dr. Gennifer Furst is a Professor in the Sociology Department at William Paterson University of New Jersey. Dr. Furst’s research interests focus on issues of punishment and incarceration. She published the first national survey and book about animal programs in prisons in the United States. Additionally, her research interests include criminal justice policy, program evaluation, race and the administration of justice, the death penalty, and the relationship between drugs and crime. Prior to teaching Dr. Furst worked at one of the country’s three independent prison monitoring agencies, The Correctional Association of New York.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

References

Aaron, L. & Dallaire, D. H. (2010). Incarceration and multiple risk experiences: Effects on family dynamics and children’s delinquency. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 39, 1471–1484.

AIDS Alliance. (2003). Serving women in the Corrections system through Ryan White CARE Act programs. Cooperative Agreement, grant no. 5U69HA00037-03.

Alper, A., & Durose, M. R. (2018). 2018 update on prisoner recidivism: A 9 year follow-up period (2005-2014). Washington DC: BJS. Retrieved:

https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/18upr9yfup0514_sum.pdf

Apa, Z. L., Bai, R. Y., Mukherejee, D. V., Herzig, C. T. A., Koenigsmann, C., Lowy, F., & Larson, E. L. (2012). Challenges and strategies for research in prison. Public Health Nursing, 29 (5), 467-472.

Applegate, B. K., & Sitren, A. H. (2008). The jail and the community. Comparing jails in rural and urban contexts. The Prison Journal, 88 (2), 252-269.

Batton v State Government of NC, 501 f. Supp. 1173 (Ed. N.C. 1980).

Belknap, J., Lynch, S., & DeHart, D. (2016). Jail staff members’ views on jailed women’s mental health, trauma, offending, rehabilitation, and reentry. The Prison Journal, 96 (1), 79- 101.

Berry, J. D., & Jones, W. H. (1995). The parental stress scale: Initial psychometric evidence. Journal of Social and Personal Relations, 12, 463-472.

Bonta, J., Pang, B., & Wallace-Capretta, S. (1995). Predicators of recidivism among incarcerated female offenders. The Prison Journal, 75 (3), 277-294.

Brazier, A. (2014). Creature comfort? Animal assistance in therapeutic work with children and young people. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 19 (2),165-168.

Brooks, C. (2016). The 10 most in-demand soft skills. Business News Daily. Retrieved:

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7860-skills-employers-want.html

Brower, J. (2013). Correctional officer wellness and safety literature review. U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs Diagnostic Center: Washington, D.C. Retrieved from:

https://www.ojpdiagnosticcenter.org/sites/default/files/spotlight/download/NDC_CorrectionalOfficerWellnessSafety_LitReview.pdf

Christian, S. (2009). Children of incarcerated parents. Washington D.C.: National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved from: https://www.cga.ct.gov/coc/PDFs/fatherhood/NCSL_ChildrenOfIncarceratedParents_0309.pdf

Chandler, C. (2001). Animal-assisted therapy in counseling and school settings. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED459404.pdf

Clark, J. C. (2009). Inequality in prison. American Psychological Association, 40 (9), 55-56.

Collica-Cox, K. (2016a). All Aboard the Desistance Line: First Stop, Producing Prosocial Prison Attachments

Within an HIV Prison-Based Peer Program. Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, 3 (2), 67-91.

Collica-Cox, K. (2016b). Female Offenders, HIV Peer Programs and Attachment: The Importance of Prison-Based Civilian Staff in Cultivating Prosocial Behaviors. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 1-27.

Collica-Cox, K. (2014). Counting Down: HIV Prison-Based Peer Education Programs and Their Connection to Reduced Disciplinary Infractions. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 58 (8), 931-952.

Collica, K. (2006). From incarceration to rehabilitation: Transitions that transcend the criminal trajectory (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). City University of New York, NY.

Collica, K. (2002). Levels of Knowledge and Risk Perceptions about HIV/AIDS Among Female Inmates in New York State: Can Prison-Based HIV Programs Set The Stage for Behavior Change? The Prison Journal, 82 (1), 101-123.

Collica-Cox, K., & Fagin, B. (2018). Parenting, prison & pups: Parenting with a purpose. Corrections Today, 80 (3), 24-32, 110.

Courtright, K. E., & Mackey, D. A. (2004). Job desirability among criminal justice majors: Exploring relationships between personal characteristics and occupational attractiveness. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 15 (2), 311-324.

Cullen, F. T., & Gendreau, P. (2000). Assessing correctional rehabilitation: Policy, practice & prospects. In Policies, processes and decisions of the criminal justice system (ed. Horney, J.). Washington DC: NIC, 109-175.

Cusack, O. (1988). Pets and mental health. New York: Haworth Press.

Dunlap, V. M. (2010). Canine assisted therapy and remediating reading: A review of literature (Unpublished dissertation). Northern Michigan University: Michigan.

Durose, M. R., Cooper, A. D., & Synder, H. N. (2014). Recidivism of prisoners released in 30 states in 2005: Patterns from 2005 to 2010. Bureau of Justice Statistcs Special Report. Retrieved from:

http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/rprts05p0510.pdf

Duwe, G. (2017). The use and impact of correctional programming for inmates on pre- and post-release outcomes. Washington DC, NIJ. Retrieved: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/250476.pdf

Eddy, J. M., & Clark, M. S. (2010). Preparing for reentry with parent management training. Corrections Today, 72 (6), 44-48.

Eddy, J. M., Martinez, C. R., & Burraston, B. (2013). A randomized controlled trial of a parent management training program for incarcerated parents: Proximal impacts. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 78 (3), 75-93.

Enders-Slegers, M.J. (2000). The meaning of companion animals: qualitative analysis of the life histories of elderly cat and dog owners. In Companion Animals and Us: Exploring the Relationships between People and Pets (e.d. Podberscak, A.L., Paul, E.S. & Serpell, J.A.) NY: Cambridge University Press, 237-56

Esposito,L., McCune, S., Griffin,J. A., & Maholmes, V. (2010). Directions in human–animal interaction research: Child development, health, and therapeutic Interventions. Child Development Perspectives, 0 (0), 1-7.

Ferraiolo, K. (2004). Assessment strategies in civic engagement and higher education. In New directions in civic engagement: University Avenue meets Main street (ed. Ferraiolo, K), 89-102, Retrieved:

http://www.civicchange.org/pdf/new_directions/5_assessment.pdf

Fournier, A. K., Letson, E. A., Berry, T. D. (2016). HAIS. Human-Animal Interaction Scale & manual.

MH: Eagle Vista Ranch and Wellness Center.

Furst, G. (2006). Prison based animal programs. A national survey. The Prison Journal, 86(4), 407-430.

Gaes, G., Flanagan, T., Motiuk, L. & Stewart, L. (1999). Adult correction treatment. Prisons (ed by Tonry, M. & Petersilis, J). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Geist, T. (2011). Conceptual framework for animal assisted therapy. Child and Adolescence Social Work Journal, 28, 243-256.

Gerber, J. & Fritsch, E. (1995). Adult academic and vocational correctional education programs: A review of recent research. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 22 (1/2), 119-142.

Glover v Johnson, 478 F. Supp. 1075 (E.D. Mich. 1979).

Gonzalez, P., Romero, T., & Cerbana, C. B. (2007). Parent education program for incarcerated mothers in Colorado. Journal of Correctional Education, 58 (4), 357-373.

Gray, T., Mays, G. L., Stohr, M. K. (1995). Inmate needs & programming in exclusively women’s jails. The Prison Journal, 75 (2), 186-202.

Hairston, C. F. (1991). Mothers in jail: Parent-child separation & jail visitation. Affilia, 6 (2), 9-27.

Hammett, T., & Daugherty, C. (1991). 1990 update: AIDS in correctional facilities. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice.

Hanlon, T., E., Carswell, S. B., & Rose, M. (2007). Research on the caretaking of children of incarcerated parents: Findings and their service delivery implications. Child Youth services Review, 29 (3), 384-362.

Harer, M. (1995). Prison education program participation: A test of the normalization hypothesis. Washington, DC.: Federal Bureau of Prisons Office of Research and Evaluation.

Haywood, T. W., Kravitz, H. M., Goldman, L. B., & Freeman, A. (2000). Characteristics of women in jail and treatment orientations: A review. Behavior Modification, 24 (3), 307-324.

Hedge, J. M. (2016). Children of Incarcerated Parents: The Relation of Contact and Visitation to the Parent-Child Relationship and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems. Retrieved:

https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2677&context=all_dissertations

Hogben, M. & Lawrence, J. (2000). HIV/STD risk reduction interventions in prison Settings. Journal of Women’s Health and Gender Based Medicine, 9 (6), 587-592.

James, D. J., & Glaze, L. (2006). Mental health problems of prison and jail inmates. Washington DC: BJS.

Jasperson, R. A. (2010). Animal-assisted therapy with female inmates with mental illness: A case example from a pilot program. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 49, 417–433.

Kaeble, D., & Glaze, L. (2016). Correctional populations in the U.S., 2015. Washington D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Keaveny, M. E., & Zauszniewski, J. A. (1999). Life events and psychological well-being in women sentenced to prison, Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 20 73-89.

Kelly, T. M. (2015). Reviewing criminal justice baccalaureate curricula: The importance of student input. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 15 (2), 219-237.

Kelly, M. A., & Cozzolino, C. A. (2015). Helping at-risk youth overcome trauma and substance abuse through animal-assisted therapy. Contemporary Justice Review, 18, 421- 434.

Koda, N., Miyaji, Y., K niyoshi, M., Adachi, Y., Watababe, G., Miyaji, C., Yamada, K. (2015). Effects of a dog assisted program in a Japanese prison. Asian Criminology, 10, 193-208.

Koons, B., Burrow, J., Morash, M., & Bynum, T. (1997). Expert and offender perceptions of program elements linked to successful outcomes for incarcerated women. Crime and Delinquency, 43 (4), 512-532.

Korjenevitch, M., Dunifon, R., & Kopko, K. (2010). Outcomes of Participants in Cornell Cooperative Extension Parenting Skills Workshop Series Parent Education Program. NY: Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Kramer, K., & McDonnell, S. (2016). Children, parents, and incarceration. Descriptive overview of Data

from Alameda and San Francisco County Jails. CA: Zellerbach Family Foundation. Retrieved from:

http://sfgov.org/sfreentry/sites/default/files/Documents/CIP%20Jail%20Survey%20- %20Full%20Re port%20FINAL%203%2015%2016.pdf

Krause-Parello, C. A., & Gulick, E. E. (2015). Forensic Interviews for Child Sexual Abuse Allegations: An Investigation into the Effects of Animal-Assisted Intervention on Stress Biomarkers. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 2 (8), 873-886.

Lahm, K. (2000). Equal or equitable: An exploration of educational and vocational Program availability for male and female offenders. Federal Probation, 64 (2), 39- 46.

Lawrence, S., Meors, D., Dubin, G., & Travis, J. (2002). The practice and promise of prison programming. Washington D.C.: Urban Institute Justice Policy Center.

Loper, A. B., & Tuerk, E. H. (2011). Improving the Emotional Adjustment and Communication Patterns of Incarcerated Mothers: Effectiveness of a Prison Parenting Intervention. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 20 (1), 89–101.

Loper, A. B., & Tuerk, E. H. (2006). Parenting programs for incarcerated parents. Current research and future directions. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 17 (4), 407-427.

Lovibond, S.H. & Lovibond, P.F. (1995). Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. (2nd. Ed.) Sydney: Psychology Foundation.

Lurigio, A. J. (2016). Jails in the Uited States: The “old-new” frontier in American corrections. The Prison Journal, 96 (1), 3-9.

Markus, G., Howard, J., & King, D. (1993). Integrating community service and classroom instruction enhances learning: Results from an experiment. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 15, 410-419.

Martin, M. D. (2007). Jail standards and inspection programs: Resource & Implementation Guide. Washington DC: DOJ/NIC.

Maruschak, L. M., Glaze, L. E., & Mumola, C. J. (2010). Incarcerated parents and their children: Findings from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Children of incarcerated parents: A handbook for researchers and practitioners, 33-54.

McClanahan, K. K. (2014). Can confidentiality be maintained in group therapy? The National Psychologist, retrieved from: http://nationalpsychologist.com/2014/07/can- confidentiality-be-maintained-in-group-therapy/102566.html

Mears, D. P., & Siennick, S. E. (2016). Young adult outcomes and the life-course penalties of parental incarceration. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 53 3-35.

Mercer, J., Gibson, K., & Clayton, D. (2015). The therapeutic potential of a prison-based animal programme in the UK. Journal of Forensic Science, 17 (1), 43-54.

Miller, H. V., & Barnes, J. C. (2015). The association between parental incarceration and health, education, and economic outcomes in young adulthood. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 40, 765–784.

Minton, T. D., & Zeng, Z. (2016). Jail Inmates in 2015. Washington DC: BJS.

NIJ. (2012). Challenges of conducting research in prison. Retrieved:

https://www.nij.gov/journals/269/pages/research-in-prisons.aspx

OSHA. (2006). Best practices guide: Fundamentals of a workplace first-aid program. Washington DC: US Department of Labor. Retrieved:

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3317first-aid.pdf

Palmer, T. (1995). Programmatic and non-programmatic aspects of successful intervention: New directions for research. Crime and Delinquency, 41 (1), 100-131.

Parke, R. D., & Clarke-Stewart, K. A. (2003). Effects of parental incarceration on children: perspectives, promises, and policies. In From Prisoners once removed: The impact of incarceration and reentry on children, families, and communities (ed., Travis, J., & Waul, M), 189-232.

PIO (Parenting Inside-Out). (2015). Outcome study. Retrieved from:

http://www.parentinginsideout.org/outcome-study/

Poehlmann, J., Dallaire, D. H., Loper, A., Shear, L. D. (2010). Children’s contact with their incarcerated parents. Research findings and recommendations. American Psychology, 65 (6), 575-598.

Purvis, M. (2013). Paternal incarceration and parenting programs in prison: A review paper. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 20 (1), 9-28.

Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and adolescent self-image. NJ: Princeton University.

Sandifer, J. L. (2008). Evaluating the Efficacy of a Parenting Program for Incarcerated Mothers. The Prison Journal, 88 (3), 423-445.

Sawyer, W. (2018). The gender divide: Tracking women’s state prison growth. Prison Policy Initiative. Retrieved: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/women_overtime.html

Scott, C. K., Lurigio, A. J., Dennis, M. L., & Funk, R. R. (2015). Trauma and morbidities among female detainees in a large urban jail. The Prison Journal, 96 (1), 102-125.

Scott, C. K., Grella, C. E., Dennis, M. L., & Funk, R. R. (2014). Predications of recidivism over 3 years among substance using women released from jail. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 41 (11), 1257-1289.

Silcox, D., Castillo, Y. A., & Reed, B. J. (2014). The Human animal bond: Applications for rehabilitation professionals. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling Volume, 45 (3), 27-37.

Simpson, S. S., Yahner, J. L., & Dugan, L. (2008). Understanding women’s pathways to jail: Analysing the lives of incarcerated women. The Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 41 (1), 84-108.

Spjeidnes, S., Hyunzee, J., Yamatani, H. (2014). Gender differences in jail populations: Factors to consider in reentry strategies. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 53, 75-94.

Stevens, S. J. (1993). HIV prevention programs in a jail setting: Educational strategies. The Prison Journal, 73 (3/4), 379-390.

Taylor, M. (1993). Pell grants for prisoners. The Nation, 88-91.

Tewksbury, R. (1994). Literacy programming for jail inmates: Reflections and recommendations from one program. The Prison Journal, 74 (4), 398-413.

Tremblay, M., & Sutherland, J. (2017). The effectiveness of parenting programs for incarcerated mothers: A systematic review. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26 (2), 3247-3265.

Toch, H. (1987). Regenerating prisoners through education. Federal Probation, LI (3), 61-66.

Wakai, S., Shelton, D., Trestman, R. L., & Kesten, K. (2009). Conducting research in corrections: Challenges and solutions. Behavioral Sciences & The Law, 27 (5), 743-752.

White, M. C., Dunag, T. M., Cruz, E. S., Rodas, A., McCall, C., Menendez, E., Carmody, E. R., & Tulsky, J. P. (2003). Strategies for effective education in a jail setting: The tuberculosis prevention project. Health Promotion Practice, 4 (4), 422-429.

Will, J. L., Whalen, M. L., & Loper, A. B. (2014). From one generation to the next: childhood experiences of antisocial behavior and parental incarceration among adult inmates. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 53, 190–210.

Zilcha-Mano, S., Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2011). Pet in the therapy room: An attachment perspective on animal-assisted therapy. Attachment & Human Development, 13, (6), 541–561.

Erratum

Change of Spelling: "Research Paper" was incorrectly spelled as "Research Papaer" on the first page, now corrected.

Share

COinS