This was in the sunday paper in Lincoln this weekend. The photographer and writer had been coming in for about 2 months. I think its great publicity for the program, which takes pound puppies and makes them more adoptable.
This program is one of the reasons I love my job. I get to play with a bunch of really cute dogs on a daily basis. I even taught one in the last rotation "go lock down!". That dog, Bear, went to a correctional officer so it worked out great.
anything that makes the pound pups more adoptable is great, but it alos helps rehab SOME inmates with their unconditional love shown back to them from the dogs.
Yeah, I look at it more for the dogs that could get put down than the "change" it will have on the inmates. It is a positive program for the inmates but I am not so naieve to think that the inmates who are in the program will all change. It is a "tool" that they can use to change, but it has to be something they want to do and if they are willing to give up a life of drugs or easy money or whatever else they do.
The handlers in the program really try to walk a straight line or be *really* discreet about breaking rules. Misconduct reports can get them kicked out of the program and most of them fear that.