Oct. 19--The popularity of Jackson the therapy dog in the Will County state's attorney's office is obvious: His framed portrait, not that of his boss, welcomes guests at the main door.
But Jackson, a 6-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, might soon have competition. Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow and his staff are looking for a "facility dog," a pup trained to the level of a certified guide dog to accompany children into the courtroom when they testify in cases of sexual abuse. A bill signed over the summer and which takes effect Jan. 1 gives a presiding judge discretion in allowing dogs to help kids.
The bill's passage "took me by surprise," Glasgow said. "I never imagined Illinois would allow dogs in the courtroom."
Jackson and his handler, Cheri Johnson -- who is Glasgow's executive assistant -- work as a therapy dog team. They wait with kids at the Will County Children's Advocacy Center, and Johnson said the kids typically talk to Jackson, hug him and flop all over him -- even those who, when they first arrive, seem timid and terrified.
"He loves it, and the kids love it," Johnson said.
Jackson must be with his handler at all times when he's working, Johnson said. While he is well trained, he is not at the point where he can join kids alone in interview rooms or on the stand in court.
A facility dog, on the other hand, is trained to accompany children without a handler, she said. That means the dog can join children during precourt interviews and on the witness stand, where they often are asked to recall painful memories in detail. Typically, the jury will not be able to see the animal at a child's feet.
"A dog changes the emotional setting into a positive thing," Glasgow said.
Not only that, supporters say, the facility dog might be what allows a victim to even tell what happened.
When a victim testifies in court, "they start re-experiencing some of the emotions they had during the experience," said Ellen O'Neill-Stephens, a former prosecuting attorney and founder of Courthouse Dogs Foundation in Seattle. When that happens, the fight-or-flight response kicks in.
"You can't tell the jury what happened, and you shut down," she said.
Courthouse Dogs Foundation teaches legal professionals how dogs can help them better do their job, said Celeste Walsen, the group's executive director and a veterinarian. As of September, the group had helped place 87 dogs in 28 states.
Will County would have the second in Illinois, O'Neill-Stephens said. The first -- Mitchell, a yellow Labrador retriever -- was adopted by the Lake County state's attorney's office in April.
"Going to court can be difficult for anybody, let alone a child," said Michael Nerheim, Lake County state's attorney. "We want children to be as comfortable as possible when they enter the criminal justice system."
Glasgow said he envisions using dogs to help those getting out of jail get back on their feet, gain a sense of accountability and control stress. He and his staff already are talking about adopting a second facility dog with hopes of using it in drug, mental health and veterans' courts.
"The potential creativity to use these dogs is endless," Glasgow said.
gbookwalter@tribpub.com
