Prisoner’s Freedom …

Prisoner’s Psychology

This article goes on a jaunt into the deeper realms of human behavior today.  The reason being that it ties in nicely with the how we work with others, which ultimately emits from us in all sorts of ‘feel-good factor’ ways and through the response we get from others it dictates our quality of life.

Marc Bekoff has been visiting Boulder County Jail in Colorado for the last 10-yrs (New Scientist – 03.21.09) teaching Animal Behaviour and Conservation Biology   The course is part of Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots program is one of the most popular and made more so by the fact that inmates have to earn a place.

The Findings

What has been discovered is that prisoners respond well to the animals on the program in various ways:

• They feel less judged than they do with other people
• They have greater empathy with the animals
• They have more trust than with people

And simultaneously they are able to articulate their own animalistic behavior that has led them to where they are.

The Teachings

They are taught that even though animals are aggressive and competitive, there is also a lot of compassion, cooperation, empathy and reciprocity. Bekoff explains “‘these behaviors are examples of ‘wild justice’ and this idea makes them rethink their own behavior.”

Pack Mentality

He then shows the inmates examples of pack animal behaviors that support one another, such as wolves, and how they work together for the better outcome of the herd.

The Follow Up

Bekoff has found that after release from prison, many of his students have gone on to do great things they would not otherwise have thought within their grasp, it has made such a difference to them.  Some have gone back into education, some have donated money to conservation projects and some are working for humane organizations.  One person even went on to receive a Masters degree in Nature Writing.

The upshot is that these people, dismissed by society have, through creative psychology, have been given an opportunity to change and become contributing and responsible members of society.

Well done to Marc Bekoff, the prison and the program for thinking outside the ‘usual’ box and enabling people, who for whatever reasons, having strayed outside of societies accepted boundaries, have found their way back to a contributing role and thus restoring their self-respect and confidence.  Brilliant!

Jane

Marc Bekoff is Emeritus Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at The University of Colorado, Boulder, and author of books including Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Tagged with: Boulder County Jail • Jane Goodall Institute • Mark Bekoff • Prisoner's Psychology • Roots And Shoots

Filed under: Community Marketing

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!