Written by Shobanah Brind
Content Warning: Includes discussions around prison experiences and mental illness.
Pussy Cats In Prison
“A lot of us have gave up in life, me included. With them, I just don’t want to give up.” – Anthony LaRussa, Pendleton Correctional Facility Inmate on his experience with the cat program in prison.
When trying to think of ways in improving offender rehabilitation, and ways of reducing rates of criminal recidivism, pussy cat programs in prisons are unlikely to be the first idea to come to mind. However, cat programs in gaols and prisons, are transforming lives for both offenders and cats, with varying cat programs being trialed or implemented in jails across the world; and the research is showing tremendous outcomes. These programs are giving stray, abandoned, or aging cats a second chance at life and knowing human love; whilst encouraging inmates to have an increased sense of responsibility, accountability, sociability, and well-being.
History of Pets and Animals in Prison
One of the first historical accounts of human-animal interactions used as a method of coping for prisoners is that of Robert Stroud, also known as “The Birdman of Alcatraz”. Robert Stroud was an American Federal Prisoner, incarcerated for murder, and known to have been one of the most violent prisoners at McNeil Island. But, during his prison sentence in 1916, after coming across a dying bird, he cared for and nursed the bird back to health. During the course of his imprisonment, he raised, cared for, and sold up to 300 birds, building cages, and rehabilitating the birds with whatever materials he could find or convince the prison to give him; seemingly juxtaposing his violent personality.
One of the first times that animals were intentionally used for therapeutic reasons was throughout World War 2, where prison camps allowed prisoners (prisoners of war), to interact with, and care for cats, dogs, and horses. The prisoners also cared for other captured animals that found their way to the camp such as birds, rabbits, and skunks; with reports showing that the animals helped prisoners to cope with stress, loneliness, and isolation.
The first successful animal therapy program was documented in 1975 at the Oakwood Forensic Centre (previously known as ‘Lima State Hospital for Criminally Insane’). A yearlong study was conducted and compared two wards – one with pets, and one without. Initially, there were concerns held for the safety of the animals, but the study showed remarkable results. The ward with the small pets such as fish and rabbits, “required half the amount of medication, had reduced violence, and there were no suicide attempts. The other ward had eight suicides attempted during that period”. Follow-up studies with a range of animals such as hamsters, cats, ducks, and parakeets, continued to show a decline in medication and a decline in violence and suicide attempts.
What do Cat Programs in Prison look like?
The most common form of cat programs within prisons is the “Trap-Neuter-Return” program, developed and often implemented to control the growing feral cat population on prison grounds. These programs include trapping feral cats, having them desexed, and then returning the cat to their environment or, are sometimes adopted into the community. Though this kind of program is effective in that it ensures that the cat population does not rise, reducing rates of euthanasia of cats in shelters, and meeting the humanitarian needs of prisoners, more formal cat programs have been initiated.
An example of these more formal, innovative cat programs is the ‘Felines and Offenders Rehabilitation with Affection, Reformation and Dedication’ (FORWARD), in the Pendleton Correctional Facility, Indiana, USA. Cats from local shelters are placed in what they call a ‘Cat sanctuary’ within the prison, a room full of cat toys, scratching posts, climbing structures, and nooks. For prisoners, looking after the cats is considered a work assignment, where for 6 hours every day prisoners must care for the cats, cleaning the room and kitty litter, trimming cat nails and hair, grooming, and providing food and water; and in doing so, receive 20 cents an hour for their work.
“When you sit in your room with your cat, it makes you happy. It brings a little joy to your heart.” – Craig Bigler, Prisoner & Cat Handler.
A documentary following a Cat Adoption Program at the Larch Correctional Facility, was interested in following the journey of prisoners with cats, also known as “Cat Handlers”. The prison partners with the Humane Society, where 32 prisoners are allowed to foster, care for, and train, a stray or feral cat, brought to them by a local shelter. The “Cat Handlers” are given the responsibility of training, and preparing cats to be adopted into the community. The cats stay with the prisoners for a few weeks or months, and prisoners prepare the cats for adoption by interacting with and training the cats to be less shy, more comfortable, and confident around humans, less aggressive, and overall, more ‘desirable’ for anyone in the community interested in adopting a cat. The prisoners fill out paperwork for the cat daily, documenting the cats’ behaviours, any interests or dislikes, and any progress or setbacks. The documentary followed the journey of Craig Bigler, a prisoner and ‘Cat handler’, who had been in and out of prison 6 times, serving around 14 years total. Bigler spent 18 months in the Cat program, “I stayed out of trouble, I did everything I was supposed to do, and I was diligent about working the program. For once in my life, I asked for something instead of taking it, and they said yes”. After spending 3 years in prison, Bigler had asked the humane society to have his fostered cat “Galileo”, be adopted by him and leave prison with him and they accepted: waiving the adoption fee and other medical costs.
“If you don’t have no one to answer to or no responsibility, you know, I go and do my own thing, or get bored or hang out with old friends or get in trouble. Maybe if I got something positive, a cat, I’ve got to come home from work and feed every day, I’ll stay home a little more often”. – Craig Bigler.
"I have been doing this for 25 years. I've watched people come in, come out and before I even moved to my next duty assignment, they were back in. You don’t see that as much when people, when they have something to care about". "Most of the time if we can get people to stay out through their first year, then the chances of them not coming back increases dramatically." "To love you unconditionally, that's what the cats do". – Larch Correctional Facility Program Coordinator.
The Benefits of Cats in Prison
One of the most significant benefits of Cats in prison programs is the psychological and psychiatric impact on prisoners. Time and time again, research has shown that rates of mental illness are significantly higher in incarcerated individuals than in non-incarcerated individuals, with higher rates of depression, personality disorders, PTSD, trauma, and abuse.
*Note: There is a significant link between mental health (mental illness) and crime; and is a highly complex issue that should continue to be researched and investigated. The role of mental illness in crime is further perpetuated by the way governments perceive their duty to punish criminal behaviour; as well as a lack of understanding, knowledge, and support of mental illness (including substance abuse and addiction) from governments, communities, and first responders (such as police) – something we do not have time to delve into today!
But, research has found that animal programs improve inmates' emotional and psychological well-being, showing improved moods, enhanced emotional regulation, increased motivation, increases in physical energy, improved trust, and reductions in self-harm. Findings from a national survey of prison-based animal programs in 2006 reported:
· 100% reported reduced inmate stress levels
· 97% reported increased inmate relationship/trust skills
· 93% reported increased inmate self-control
· 89% said the program humanises/ calms the facility
· 85% reported increased inmate work ethic
· 80% reported increased inmate sense of pride/accomplishments
Additionally, there are other added benefits of cats in prison to the well-being, personality, and behaviour of inmates:
· Allow the men/inmates to express positive emotions safely
· Increased empathy
· Skills in responsibility, accountability, and ‘duty of care’ towards others
· Increased self-esteem and self-efficacy
· Increased emotional intelligence and coping skills
· Increased work ethic
· Teamwork and relationship skills
The benefits for prisoners don't end there. Though the effectiveness of prison animal programs on employment after release and recidivism rates is an area that lacks significant research, the research which has been done has suggested that inmate participation in Prison animal programs leads to enhanced employability skills and reductions in recidivism rates. Practical skills gained in the programs can lead to employment in animal care-related services, with some prison programs even offering college credits for the work completed and skills acquired during the programs. A study by Leslie Brooke Hill in 2016 reported that participation in prison animal programs “can lead to moderate reductions in the likelihood of being arrested”, with results showing a reduction in arrested by 18 to 22 percent within the first year of release for participants of prison animal programs. “Even without statistical numbers, the transformation inmates experience while participating in the programs provides them with excellent opportunities to self-reflect, motivation to move on in life, and drive to succeed after release from prison.” (Hill, 2016).
“I have been doing this for 25 years. I’ve watched people come in and out, and before I even moved to my next duty assignment, they were back in. You don’t see that as much when people, when they have something to care about”. - Larch Correctional Facility Program Coordinator.
The benefits of prison animal programs are not just for prisoners…
Prison cat programs have many benefits for the cats apart of their programs. Many programs aim to rehabilitate previously stray or feral cats, by simply providing them with a safe environment, medical attention, and food and water. These programs allow under-socialised, last-chance cats the ability to connect with humans and other cats, with prisoners encouraging desired actions by ignoring hostile behaviours and praising sociability; making the cats more likely to be adopted by the community. The programs are saving cats from being neglected or taken in by shelters where they are more than likely going to be euthanised. Many shelters are understaffed, underfunded, and have limited resources, so cat prison programs may be a means to reduce the stress on animal shelters, having a mutually beneficial outcome for both unloved cats and prisoners. At Kingston’s Bath Institution, a prison in Canada where cats have co-existed with the prisoners for over a decade, a group of prisoners pooled their paychecks to pay for a senior cat’s dental work, contributing $3,000. These otherwise feral cats not only have their health closely monitored every day, and food and water provided to them, but are offered a second chance at love and life, and as do the prisoners.
An Update of Craig Bigler and Galileo…
The latest update on Craig Bigler in 2021 reported that Bigler has not returned to prison. He has a job, stays out of trouble, and is happily living with his mother and his prison cat, Galileo.
Resources:
Lifeline - Call or Text 13 11 14.
BeyondBlue – Call 1300 22 4636.
Community Restorative Centre – Service available to family and friends of people in NSW Prisons – 02 9288 8700 (Monday to Friday)
Sources:
Sullivan, N., 2023. Felines in Carceral Facilities: A Call to Introduce Cat Visitation Rooms in Prisons. Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal, 20(1), p.39.
Hill, L.B., 2016. Becoming the person your dog thinks you are: An assessment of Florida prison-based dog training programs on prison misconduct, post-release employment and recidivism (Doctoral dissertation, The Florida State University).