Roundtable: Animals in Prison: Program Evaluation Design and Measuring Outcomes

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract

Historically, Animal-Assisted models of therapeutic interaction and corrections have been often used, but rarely studied in justice populations. There have been a few studies that suggest an increasing use of these programs and positive psychosocial changes in participants, such as: increases in treatment progress, decreases in institution infractions, improvement in social sensitivity/prosocial behaviors, decreases in anxiety/depression/social isolation (Fournier et al., 2007; Furst, 2006; Jasperson, 2015; Pich & Houser, 2015). While many anecdotes exist that support a positive impact on institutional adjustment and positive re-entry for inmates and returning citizens involved in prison-based animal programs, quasi experimental and experimental research is limited, but promising. A mixed-methods approach is ideal in this line of research. The current roundtable session will discuss designing and implementing scientific research protocols for these types of correctional programs, including which populations they best serve, best practices in methodology, and barriers to implementation. In particular, the chair and discussants of this roundtable session will be addressing program evaluation design specific to an animal-assisted correctional re-entry program in Pennsylvania that they are involved in implementing and designing, as well as broader implications of generalizability to other similar programs.

Sub Unit

• Area XIII: Roundtable Sessions

Chair

• Michele Pich, Rowan University / University of Pennsylvania

Discussants

• Gennifer Furst, William Paterson University of New Jersey

• Kimberly Houser, Rowan University