Inmates at SCI-Greene begin training service dogs
There are a few new guests at SCI-Greene, but these guests are of the four-legged, furry kind.
SCI-Greene has partnered with Canine Partners for Life to have select inmates train and raise five yellow Labrador retriever puppies during their first year of life.
CPL is a non-profit organization based out of Chester County, Pa, that use inmates to help train puppies that will eventually become service dogs.
According to their website, CPL “has been dedicated to training service dogs, home companion dogs, and residential companion dogs to assist individuals who have a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities.”
In addition to SCI-Greene, there are four other state correctional facilities that currently work with CPL.
Inmates who were considered lower level custody inmates and met criteria were chosen as handlers for the dogs.
”The inmate is responsible for the dog at all times,” said Tracy Shawley, superintendent’s assistant at SCI-Greene. “The dog has to be with someone 24 hours a day. If they are going to school, then the dog goes to school with them. If they are going to eat, the dog goes to eat with them.”
No matter where the inmate goes, the dog follows, whether it be to the yard or to the dining hall or to work.
”We have the program set up through our K-unit, and that’s one of our lower-custody level blocks,” said Shawley. “And because of their behavior, they get some extended privileges on that block. And so the program was instituted and operates from out of there.”
The dogs are constantly on leashes and cannot leave their handler’s side.
According to Shawley, once the inmates were picked, they received two months of extensive training along with prison staff from a CPL member before the dogs even arrived.
During the year that the inmates will have the dogs, they will teach the dogs basic commands such as sit and stay, but Shawley said this training will come in handy later.
”If you have someone with disabilities, as far as going in and out of doors, you want the dog to wait before they go through the door,” said Shawley.
Following their year with the inmates, the dogs will go back to the CPL compound to go through an additional year’s worth of training.
”It’s more geared toward the person that they’re going to be partnered with, whatever their disability is,” said Shawley.
As for the reaction to the addition of the puppies to the cell block, the mood has become friendlier according to Shawley.
”I think it’s a wonderful program,” said Shawley. “I think it’s great that the inmates are able to give back to the community in such a positive way. I just can’t say enough about it. It’s definitely [an] uplifting feeling around here for morale.”