it's at the Oshkosh Correctional Institution have a unique opportunity to give back to the community Fox 6 is amy dupont went behind bars where men are learning to be responsible for themselves and others we use words like reform and rehabilitation but there is no doubt prison is a place for punishment where we lock away dangerous criminals I mean you're for first-degree intentional homicide armed robbery and armed burglary sometimes for life alright now I see parole in 2023 2000 in mates are locked up at the Oshkosh Correctional Facility most committed violent crimes but prison officials agreed to let inmates feel close raised dogs that's something that I would never have told you I was ever going to do in my entire life the puppies belonged to journey together a nonprofit that provides free service dogs to Wisconsin residents with PTSD inmates are chosen by prison staff and work under the supervision of journey together as Brenda C Cerrone we have never had a dog injured through the course of the program they teach dogs everything from basic obedience to how to open drawers and retrieve items yes and comfort and anxious owner the puppies live at the prison for up to two years at no cost to the taxpayer community members donate supplies and dollars to pay for veterinary care inmates alone are responsible for feeding and grooming the dogs and making sure their cell is puppy-proof a lot of them will tell us I've never been responsible for anybody but myself and I didn't make the best of choices and they say this is the first time I've ever been responsible for anything else in my life and I want to show and prove to myself that I can do it at 37 years old Jeff has already served more time in solitary confinement than he's lived as a free man they teach you how to be human raising a dog to help make a stranger's life better is Jeff's chance for redemption I destroyed my life I destroyed my family's life I destroyed these people's lives you know the families their friends you know I destroyed a lot of lives and you don't just and imprison with the rest your life you're like man I screwed up man you know and you don't know when you're gonna get a second chance halo bring good boy inmates in the service dog program earn a vocational certificate something correction officials believe will help these men find employment after they are released I'd like to hope so this is just another kind of a tool that they can use and another opportunity for us to you to give them some tools Jeff may never get out he's not eligible for parole for another five years and even he admits after taking a life he might not deserve it the dogs give Jeff reason to hope I'm learning how to love other people how to care out again and you know I help people out you know and by giving man there's a reward in that day I don't know how to explain but it just it feels good man it it brings the reason to live at the end of the day feeling good about ourselves is something humans crave whether you're a free man or locked up behind bars in Oshkosh Amy Pond Fox 6 News over the past two years the inmates have successfully trained seven dogs that have been placed with their forever owners and those owners actually have the chance to bring the dogs back to the prison for more training if they wanted that's what I was wondering do they ever get to see the dogs again that they trained in some cases apparently they do nearly