tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post5159400905496611603..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Prison dog training programs deserve results-based evaluationGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-72996445951436970552015-06-16T08:07:26.682-05:002015-06-16T08:07:26.682-05:00I started the prison dog programs back in 1981 in ...I started the prison dog programs back in 1981 in Washington State and since this time started them all over the country, never charging money for my work.<br /><br />It is very difficult to study the Recidivism rate since once they leave the prison, the dog programs or the prisons have nothing more to do with this inmate... it goes to the job of the parole office who often don't know what the inmate did in prison. <br /><br />There are people who turned their lives around. The institutions want the inmate to succeed but their focus is how they change while in prison.. what they do when they get out, they can only hope that it will carry over. It isn't just the dogs but the connections with the trainers, with education that a program might give to the inmates.. about encouraging them to use their ability to train in a positive manner once they get out.<br /><br />The programs have helped so many people around the United States and in other countries.<br />Sr Paulinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14877168848315029451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-62015289811006915102010-09-09T00:09:47.318-05:002010-09-09T00:09:47.318-05:00""This is wonderful, Scott, I have begge...""This is wonderful, Scott, I have begged for TDCJ to become an educational institution -- run like a school or college rather than a punishment machine"" <br /><br />fyi, TDCJ does have a school/college, its called the "Windham School District" do some research before you spout ur mouth off. Also, if you want to be educated, and not punished....how bout ooooh idk, not being a jerkoff and learn how to obey the law.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-23558781106856629032010-08-24T17:13:18.867-05:002010-08-24T17:13:18.867-05:00Tuning in late here, but I think this evaluation q...Tuning in late here, but I think this evaluation question is an important and worth thinking about more generally. I think we can be too narrow in defining the outcomes we want to measure. Recidivism is a popular measure, but since rearrest & parole violation are at least in part driven by CJS factors unrelated to the person's conduct (e.g., funding, War on Drugs policy decisions), I don't like it as an exclusive focus. Giving people purpose, a sense of self-worth, an opportunity to care for another creature - maybe those things are things we should measure as well, as they may help someone do his or her time, be a better parent, or simply live a decent, dignified life and contributing to his or her community.MMRnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-47840244423433427202010-08-18T13:53:29.130-05:002010-08-18T13:53:29.130-05:00When I was at Gatesville I was involved in dog tra...When I was at Gatesville I was involved in dog training. The security group called it practice runs. They would give me a route to take and 10 minutes then send the dogs after me. The important thing was to climb a tree so the dogs would not attack you. You could not wrap your feet in trash bags our use pepper or go into the river. These were tricks employed on a real run.<br />Several weeks ago a man in his late 60’s sent me a short story he wrote about his time in Gatesville. I asked my daughter now a junior at a prep school, and a huge fan of horror stories, and I’m proud to say very scholarly, to read the short and give me a literary commentary. She thought it was an ok story and began going down the list of literary critiques. I asked her what would you think if I told you it was a true story. Her face turned white, she sat down, and said That makes it really scary because it’s difficult to believe people could do this to children. We are having very interesting conversations about the us vs them mentality. <br /><br />I was wondering what Christina Crain was about when I heard the Gatesville facility was being named in her honor. I was very much impressed with all the wonderful things she has done especially in the area of child advocacy. Her Amachi program is really commendable at keeping kids out of the system. I can’t help to think if some group was playing a cruel political joke on her by naming a facility with such a devastating history of state sponsored child abuse after her. I wonder if Christiana Crain new the history of this horrible place in this horrible town could she have accepted this as an honor. On the other hand as the blood of children in unmarked graves cries out against the state while tyc continues its culture of cover up and abuse, no one, even child advocates seem to care to acknowledge. It’s a joke or its Texas politics.<br />SheldonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-61686158554392920312010-08-18T10:53:21.403-05:002010-08-18T10:53:21.403-05:00On their face, these programs appear to work. But ...On their face, these programs appear to work. But you are right, we need facts and program evaluation to prove this. However, it is highly unlikely to ever occur since TDCJ will probably lay off the staff who are qualified and capable of conducting such research. I would definitely like to see programs that are educational and vocational (at the same time) while allowing offenders to actually give back to the community. We have a lot of wounded warriors coming home who could use some assistance and many nonprofits who are likely willing to step up to the plate to help, not to mention the other special needs members of our society who can benefit. But the proof is in the pudding, not how we feel about the pudding.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-34110674624637643442010-08-17T15:14:52.184-05:002010-08-17T15:14:52.184-05:00P.S. I should have said "room" not &quo...P.S. I should have said "room" not "cells." Each man has a key to his room that he can enter and exit at will to go to ice/soda machines, microwave ovens, day room, rec room (with pool tables, ping pong, card tables, exercise machines, and an art corner). They hear "please" and "thank you, gentlemen" from the officers. Can buy fresh fruit and Irish potatoes at commissary. Very civilized.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-84535830036170786772010-08-17T15:07:40.857-05:002010-08-17T15:07:40.857-05:00This is wonderful, Scott, I have begged for TDCJ t...This is wonderful, Scott, I have begged for TDCJ to become an educational institution -- run like a school or college rather than a punishment machine -- and this could be the perfect way to begin. I have someone just getting out of a KY prison where the units are run with opportunities for the men to make choices and manage themselves. But the way, they are allowed to keep cats as pets in their cells.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com