Behind Prison Walls Cats And Inmates Rehabilitate Each Other
Today we'd like to shine a spotlight on a very special program based at the Pendleton Correctional Facility of Indiana in which inmates are able to care for cats and receive all the therapeutic goodness that goes along with it.
"Cats can't judge men on their wrongdoings. They cannot gauge the gravity of crime, and cannot judge the ink on people's skin. Cats are unable to distinguish between street clothes and prison uniforms –– and that's exactly what makes the relationship between the men at Pendleton Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison outside of Indianapolis, and the cats that live there, so special.
For six hours a day, seven days a week, a handful of men receive unqualified love from the more than 20 cats that live in the prison as part of the FORWARD program, or Felines and Offenders Rehabilitation with Affection, Reformation and Dedication. In exchange for care and a place to stay before being adopted, the cats at Pendleton offer inmates untampered, non-judgmental affection." Story Via Indystar.com
This amazing program benefits everyone involved, and it's wild success has inspired other correctional facilities to engage in similar programs! Pure wholesome goodness.
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"The offenders really get a lot out of it," said Michelle Rains, an administrative assistant at Pendleton who is deeply invested in the program. "Once you bond with animals, they don't judge you. Those cats rely on the offenders." Story Via Indystar.com
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Through the 5-year-old program, a select few incarcerated men are paid 20 cents an hour to spend their days caring for abandoned and abused cats, preparing them for adoption. Or, as some inmates will say, for a reason to get up in the morning. Story Via Indystar.com
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In partnership with the Animal Protection League of Indiana, the program removes cats from a traditional shelter and places them in the prison's "cat sanctuary," a wide-open room with scratching posts, climbing structures and nooks to hide in. Story Via Indystar.com
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The program houses them with incarcerated caregivers, who, incidentally, gain skills such as empathy, responsibility and self-esteem. Story Via Indystar.com
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"I feel that we've already took enough from society," said Anthony LaRussa, one of the inmates in charge of caring for the cats. "Whatever (we) did, we're being judged for it. When we're able to come to a program like this, we're able to give back, and not for just us, but for the animals." Story Via Indystar.com
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Prison pet programs started in the 1980s as a way to decrease recidivism, or the rate at which released inmates reoffend. The programs started with a primary focus on dogs, but have since grown to include cats and in some cases, even horses. Story Via Indystar.com
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Monica Solinas-Saunders, an associate professor at Indiana University whose research focuses on incarceration and offender rehabilitation, said these types of programs have shown significant improvements in recidivism rates –– and on inmates' soft skills, or the personal attributes that help people navigate their environment. Story Via Indystar.com
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"The evidence from the research shows these pet programs actually have a fantastic effect on increased personal responsibility for offenders," Solinas-Saunders said. "It increases self-esteem and self-efficacy. It also increases empathy, which is something we are really appreciating these days, in terms of understanding each other's pain." Story Via Indystar.com
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Beyond that, pet programs have resulted in improved relationships within the facility, between the involved offenders and other incarcerated individuals, and between offenders and the staff and administrators –– which is exactly the intended outcome of programs aimed toward rehabilitation. Story Via Indystar.com
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Studies on prison pet programs have also shown increased emotional intelligence and coping skills, she said, as well as improved work ethic and employability, which improve the chances of job readiness and are critical factors in successfully re-entering society and reducing recidivism. Story Via Indystar.com
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