Breaking the chains? The effects of training a shelter dog in prison on criminal behavior and recidivism

The effectiveness of Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD), a prison-based dog training program, in reducing criminal behavior and recidivism was assessed in a quasi-experimental study in twelve correctional facilities in the Netherlands (N = 241). DCD is a program in which incarcerated offenders train a shelter dog bi-weekly for eight weeks. Results demonstrated that DCD (n = 121) did not outperform treatment-as-usual (TAU; n = 120) in official recidivism outcomes and self-reported criminal behavior. However, subgroups based on age and detainees’ functioning responded differently in self-reported criminal behavior. Positive effects were found on self-reported criminal behavior for DCD participants who were older, had lower callous-unemotional traits, or had higher treatment motivation. In conclusion, findings provided initial evidence that subgroups may respond differently to a dog training program, however, more experimental research with larger sample sizes is needed

Differences and similarities between mothers’ and fathers’ risk factors for child maltreatment

Background: Parental risk factors play an important role in child maltreatment, however, little is known about the role of fathers’ risk factors. Objective: The current study aimed to compare fathers and mothers in terms of (1) the prevalence and impact of risk factors for perpetrating child maltreatment and (2) the interplay of risk factors. Participants: The Dutch sample consisted of 4090 mothers and 3973 fathers who had a newborn and received health-and developmental checks between October 2001 and November 2002. Methods: Risk factors were assessed using the Instrument for Identification of Parents at Risk for Child Abuse and Neglect (IPARAN) and child maltreatment was defined as a verified report at Child Protection Services in a period of 3-years following completion of the IPARAN. McNemar tests and network analyses were performed. Results: Results demonstrated that the majority of assessed risk factors were related to perpetrating future child maltreatment for both fathers and mothers. In general, risk factors were more prevalent in mothers than in fathers. Inability to ask for help was the risk factor that was most prevalent for both mothers (22.4%) and fathers (22%). The risk factors worries about raising the child, unhappy during pregnancy, and losing control when angry were more strongly related to future child maltreatment in mothers compared to fathers, whereas risk factors related to their own child maltreatment in the past and experiencing a lack of support were more impactful for fathers compared to mothers. For fathers and mothers, belief in physical punishment and risk factors related to their own history of child maltreatment were most central. Conclusions: Overall, these findings underscore the importance of considering the long-lasting, intergenerational effects of child maltreatment. Intergenerational trauma may put parents at a higher risk of becoming perpetrators; our network results confirm that these risk factors deserve an important spot in prevention efforts

Who Lets the Dog In?: Differential Effects of a Dog-Training Program for Incarcerated Adults

This quasi-experimental study examined the short-term effectiveness of Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD), a short prison-based dog-training program, on anti-social behavioral and wellbeing outcomes of incarcerated adults (n = 138; men = 133; women = 5). Little is known about the responsivity of subgroups–and the prerequisites of change–in dog-training programs (DTPs). Therefore, the role of moderators (age, cultural background, correctional facility type) and predictors (dog bond, implementation process) of DCD was also assessed. Results demonstrated that DCD (n = 70) did not outperform treatment-as-usual (TAU; n = 68) in any of the outcomes, although a small negative effect was found for aggression (F (1,135) = 5.552, p = 0.020), which appeared driven by the group of participants who had a weaker bond with the dog. This group had higher aggression levels after the program, compared with TAU (F (1, 98) = 9.443, p = 0.003). The dog bond was not associated with any other outcomes post-intervention. In addition, age moderated program effectiveness on infractions (Wald χ2(1) = 6.254, p = 0.012), suggesting differential effects for younger (< 36 years) participants. No evidence was found for the other moderators and predictor of implementation quality. In conclusion, DCD did not outperform TAU in anti-social behavioral and wellbeing outcomes. Some evidence for predictors and moderators were found. The present study is only one of the first to examine what matters for whom in a DTP for incarcerated adults. More research, preferably in the form of randomized controlled trials with sufficiently large sample sizes, is needed

A Quasi-Experimental Study on the Effectiveness of Dutch Cell Dogs in Incarcerated Youth

This study examined the effectiveness of Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD), a prison-based dog training program that aims to improve socioemotional functioning of incarcerated youth by giving them the opportunity to train a shelter dog. Primary (aggression and institutional infractions) and secondary (wellbeing and therapeutic functioning) outcomes were assessed for the intervention (n = 61) and comparison group (n = 77) before the start of DCD, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks at posttest. Overall, DCD participation was not effective. Compared to the comparison group, institutional infractions decreased in DCD participants with an immigrant background and increased in DCD participants with a native Dutch background. In addition, DCD participation reduced the quality of the therapeutic alliance for younger participants and those in secure residential facilities. The current study demonstrated heterogeneity in DTP responsiveness. Future research with robust designs and sufficiently large samples is needed to further identify who benefits from DTPs

Heart-wired to be cold? Exploring cardiac markers of callous-unemotional traits in incarcerated offenders

Elevated callous-unemotional (CU) traits have been repeatedly identified in a subgroup of offenders that displays severe antisocial behavior; establishing physiological markers may help improve early identification and treatment efforts. This study examines to what extent baseline-resting heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) can be used as markers of CU in incarcerated juvenile and adult offenders. CU traits were assessed using the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional traits. Results of the multiple hierarchical regression tests indicated that there was a small yet significant positive association between baseline HR and CU and negative association between HRV and CU in juvenile offenders with medium model effect sizes (R2 = 0.115 for HR-CU; R2 = 0.126 for HRV-CU). The cardiac markers were unrelated to CU in adult offenders. These findings are important because they demonstrate that impaired cardiac autonomic activity is related to CU traits in juveniles, suggesting that socioemotional processing difficulties should be considered in understanding these deficits. Future research should be conducted in large samples, under reactive and static conditions, while including cardiac covariates, to get more clarity on the interplay between biological systems and behavioral expression

A Friend in Prison: Human-Animal Bond, Stress and Self-Esteem of Detained Juveniles in Dutch Cell Dogs

This study examined to what extent the human–animal bond (HAB) had a positive impact on stress and self-esteem among detained juveniles participating in the prison-based dog training program Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD). Participants were 75 detained juveniles (mean age = 19.5, 86.7% male). Self-reported stress and self-esteem were assessed before the start of DCD (T1), after four weeks (halfway training/T2) and after eight weeks (end training/T3). Structured interviews and questionnaire items were used to measure the HAB quality and perceived reciprocity in the HAB at T2 and T3. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. In the variable-centered approach analyses, only the cross-sectional positive association between HAB quality and self-esteem at T2 was significant in the cross-lagged panel models. None of the cross-lagged paths between the HAB and stress or self-esteem were significant. In the person-centered approach analyses, growth mixture modeling identified two patterns of self-esteem (“high stable” and “high decreasing”); however, these patterns were not predicted by HAB. Thus, in contrast to our hypotheses, the HAB did not predict improvements in detained juveniles’ stress and self-esteem. These findings underline the need for more research into the often-presumed role of HAB within prison-based dog training programs

A Friend in Prison: Human-Animal Bond, Stress and Self-Esteem of Detained Juveniles in Dutch Cell Dogs

This study examined to what extent the human–animal bond (HAB) had a positive impact on stress and self-esteem among detained juveniles participating in the prison-based dog training program Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD). Participants were 75 detained juveniles (mean age = 19.5, 86.7% male). Self-reported stress and self-esteem were assessed before the start of DCD (T1), after four weeks (halfway training/T2) and after eight weeks (end training/T3). Structured interviews and questionnaire items were used to measure the HAB quality and perceived reciprocity in the HAB at T2 and T3. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. In the variable-centered approach analyses, only the cross-sectional positive association between HAB quality and self-esteem at T2 was significant in the cross-lagged panel models. None of the cross-lagged paths between the HAB and stress or self-esteem were significant. In the person-centered approach analyses, growth mixture modeling identified two patterns of self-esteem (“high stable” and “high decreasing”); however, these patterns were not predicted by HAB. Thus, in contrast to our hypotheses, the HAB did not predict improvements in detained juveniles’ stress and self-esteem. These findings underline the need for more research into the often-presumed role of HAB within prison-based dog training programs

Breaking the chains? The effects of training a shelter dog in prison on criminal behavior and recidivism

The effectiveness of Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD), a prison-based dog training program, in reducing criminal behavior and recidivism was assessed in a quasi-experimental study in twelve correctional facilities in the Netherlands (N = 241). DCD is a program in which incarcerated offenders train a shelter dog bi-weekly for eight weeks. Results demonstrated that DCD (n = 121) did not outperform treatment-as-usual (TAU; n = 120) in official recidivism outcomes and self-reported criminal behavior. However, subgroups based on age and detainees’ functioning responded differently in self-reported criminal behavior. Positive effects were found on self-reported criminal behavior for DCD participants who were older, had lower callous-unemotional traits, or had higher treatment motivation. In conclusion, findings provided initial evidence that subgroups may respond differently to a dog training program, however, more experimental research with larger sample sizes is needed

Who Lets the Dog In?: Differential Effects of a Dog-Training Program for Incarcerated Adults

This quasi-experimental study examined the short-term effectiveness of Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD), a short prison-based dog-training program, on anti-social behavioral and wellbeing outcomes of incarcerated adults (n = 138; men = 133; women = 5). Little is known about the responsivity of subgroups–and the prerequisites of change–in dog-training programs (DTPs). Therefore, the role of moderators (age, cultural background, correctional facility type) and predictors (dog bond, implementation process) of DCD was also assessed. Results demonstrated that DCD (n = 70) did not outperform treatment-as-usual (TAU; n = 68) in any of the outcomes, although a small negative effect was found for aggression (F (1,135) = 5.552, p = 0.020), which appeared driven by the group of participants who had a weaker bond with the dog. This group had higher aggression levels after the program, compared with TAU (F (1, 98) = 9.443, p = 0.003). The dog bond was not associated with any other outcomes post-intervention. In addition, age moderated program effectiveness on infractions (Wald χ2(1) = 6.254, p = 0.012), suggesting differential effects for younger (< 36 years) participants. No evidence was found for the other moderators and predictor of implementation quality. In conclusion, DCD did not outperform TAU in anti-social behavioral and wellbeing outcomes. Some evidence for predictors and moderators were found. The present study is only one of the first to examine what matters for whom in a DTP for incarcerated adults. More research, preferably in the form of randomized controlled trials with sufficiently large sample sizes, is needed

Brief report: The effectiveness of Dutch Cell Dogs: A multiple case experimental study

Prison-based dog training programs (DTPs) aim to improve successful rehabilitation after detention. However, empirical evidence for their effectiveness is lacking. To evaluate the effectiveness of a DTP—Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD)—on externalizing behavior, stress, self-esteem, empathy, and treatment motivation, a pilot study with a Multiple Case Experimental Design in six adolescents residing in a juvenile justice center (JJC) was conducted. Results did not provide convincing evidence for DCD’s effectiveness. Further research is needed to determine whether and for whom DCD could be a useful addition to regular JJC programming