State Prisoners and Abandoned Animals Help Each Other Out

Thousands of abandoned animals are, essentially, behind bars needing loving homes.
Helping them are their human counterparts, also behind bars.
Here's News Three's Alice Massimi with a story of an unlikely partnership that might just give everyone a second chance.

The roar of barking is not a comforting sound, the cute faces peaking through metal bars look sad and lonely.
Lucky for them help is on the way... from a rather unlikely source...
“Basket,” says State Prisoner James Bullock softly to a kitten.
Bullock spends part of his day training and caring for these unwanted pets.
“Its great just to get out and to move around and come over here and love and play with the animals and take care of them. It’s better than being over there a lot better,” says Bullock.
Behind barbed wire for almost ten years Bullock is an inmate at the Effingham County State Prison.
“This facility is a county facility that houses 250 state inmates. The inmates at this facility go out and work in the community,” explains Warden Ronald Spears.
Spears says he fully supports this partnership with animal control.
“It shows the compassion side because they really enjoy working with the animals.”
More than that though James explains he likes making a difference.
“I just think it’s a great experience just to see them get a home. To see someone that is neglected, people don't give them too much thought just to see them learn and of course get taken care of and finally go home.”
Perhaps these men see a little of themselves, the lives they've led... in these pets.
Named after the first dog to go through the program, TAP is run by Suzanne Stover an area animal behaviorist.
She's positive: this is a win, win, win situation.
“Immediately the animals benefit because their lives are improved even while they are at the shelter. Ultimately the public will benefit because they are going to become the owners of these animals who already have training,” points out Stover.
Of course the men benefit James already has his sights set on bigger and better things when he gets out.
“I’d like to be a vet assistant when I get out.”
“Do you want dogs?” I ask.
“I want two dogs, big dogs, at my house, he says with a smile.

While studies have not actually been conducted it's believed programs like this help lower recidivism rates because the inmates now have an employable skill.