Therapy dogs who have been heading behind bars have been working wonders with the toughest of criminals.
A scheme has been put in place where pooches have been visiting prisons to play with lags.
Researchers have attempted to employ the power of a man’s best friend to help male prisoners interact with one another.
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Cons are seen “rolling on the floor” and playing with the canines.
Twenty prisoners at HMP Perth, near Edinburgh, Scotland, were subject to a study where they were interviewed before and after the dogs’ visit.
All of the study subjects at the prison stated that they had learned new skills and felt better after seeing the dogs.
According to researchers prisoners, who befriended the dogs, interacted better with humans after the sessions.
The scheme will see inmates have a weekly one-hour session spanning six weeks.
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Canine Concern Scotland Trust runs the programme.
Owners will take their pets into prisons, hospitals and care homes to play with the personal.
There are 500 therapy dogs across Scotland, as reported by What’s The Jam.
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The results from the study were unveiled in July during the annual British Psychological Society’s Division of Forensic Psychology conference in Cardiff.
Nadya Nabi, researcher from the Glasgow Caledonian University, stated: “You see very stoic male prisoners who don’t really engage with staff.
“Then when the dogs come in they are rolling on the floor playing with the dogs, really vulnerable and opening themselves up.
“We are seeing they are building relationships with other inmates and staff members.”
Category A Perth prison is home to 630 male inmates.
They are mainly on remand awaiting trial or serving sentences under four years.
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