1) When considering an organizational structure as complex and varied as that of a criminal justice organization, one must examine the existence of conflicting goals. It is the ultimate goal of every organization to meet established and expected goals. This is a direct measure of that organizations effectiveness. However, when an agency has numerous and complex goals, is it desirable that these goals may conflict? Stojkovic et al., 2008 point out that organizations may seek to attain satisfactory levels of all of their goals, as opposed to attempting to entirely meeting every goal.
While certain goals of an agency may conflict with others, this is not necessarily negative, but simply a constraint that may influence the outcome of these goals (Stojkovic et al., 2008). For example, while it may seem unreasonable that a known criminal be released from jail and acquitted due to a legal technicality in our judicial system, this due process is essential to our countries liberty (Stojkovic et al., 2008). Criminal justice organizations are, in their nature complex and there are a variety of external and environmental issues that influence these agencies. Their primary goal is to maintain order and reduce crime. While attempting to attain these goals, police agencies come into contact with several other organizations with varying goals of their own. For example in the course of their function the police agency encounters the prosecutor’s office; the division of corrections; federal level law enforcement agencies; as well as others. During their encounters they must balance their goals with the goals of the other agency to attain a satisfactory outcome for each organization.
2) The hierarchy, or chain of command, of a criminal justice...
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...ests over that of the organization, which Stojkovic et al., 2008 argues is where the majority of motivation is seated. Motivation of employees is important to install positive morale. The rewards programs and incentives of agencies are based from this frame. Administrators must then keep in mind that a lot of problems arise when power is concentrated in the wrong place (Stojkovic et al., 2008). This is where the political frame comes into focus. This frame concentrates on the different interests of the organization. Finally, administrators must focus on the symbolic frame. This is the culture, rituals, and ceremonies that comprise their particular organization (Stojkovic et al., 2008). This could be as simple as the uniforms and medals worn by the employees to inspire authority or a metaphor used by members to explain away uncertainty (Stojkovic et al., 2008).
The human service model strives to integrate employees goals into organizational goals. However, it has such a reliance upon the most committed employees. These employees, therefore, must to accomplish job tasks and feel as though fulfilled in their distinctive roles within the criminal justice organizations. This model creates a much less centralized rules and bureaucracy as the supervisors and employees become part of a team governed by an agreement of purpose. Such agreement of purpose may appear to be blurred in terms of governance within the organization since it is in human nature to not wanting to share anything of values, especially money and power. Criminal justice organizations have multiple and sometimes conflicting goals. Those
2. Did you easily find the National Criminal Justice Reference Service when you searched for NCJRS on the search tools?
Stojkovic, S., Kalinich, D., & Klofas, J. (2012). Criminal Justice Organizations: Adminstration and Management. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Crime is a part of society encompases the news and the public. A variety of studies of media content have estimated that as much as 25 percent of the daily news is devoted to crime (Surette 1992) and that crime is the largest major category of stories in the print and electronic media (Chermak 1994, 103). (Lawrence 18). With crime at an all time high, police are constantly having to deal with more and more issues. This can lead to stressed out and fed up officers, which can lead to poor decisions by an officer. The use of force by police is a highly controversial topic as it raises questions about a government’s ability to use force against its citizens (Lawrence 19). Today’s society is caught up on the ideals of civility and equality before the law, making police use of force a touchy
Police officers are faced each day with a vast array of situations with which they must deal. No two situations they encounter are ever the same, even when examines a large number of situations over an extended period of time. The officers are usually in the position of having to make decisions on how to handle a specific matter alone, or with little additional advice and without immediate supervision. This is the heart of police discretion. As we shall find, the exercise of discretion by police has benefits and problems associated with such exercise. The unfettered use of discretion can lead to the denial of citizen rights. Strategies that control the use of discretion are, therefore, very important. The benefits and problems of police discretion and controlling strategies are the focus of this essay.
As taught in the lectures, it is impossible for police officers to win the war against crime without bending the rules, however when the rules are bent so much that it starts to violate t...
The criminal justice system is always criticized for a range of issues concerning the injustices that has taken place throughout history and even today. Many political leaders and social activists have sought to reform the criminal justice system; however, some have realized that there are systematic barriers that inhibit reformation. Political ...
Unfortunately, the criminal justice system is a vital piece of today’s society. Without it, the public would be free to do whatever they choose with no real consequence to negative actions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 3 million workers were employed in the criminal justice field in 2015 (Occupational Employment, 2016). This is made up of countless different agencies, including law enforcement, corrections, homeland security, and many more. Corrections is a key element in the criminal justice system, which has its own unique functional philosophy, administrative structure and functions, theoretical assumptions that govern its existence, organizational mission, goals and objectives, and division of responsibilities.
Most police departments utilize the traditional pyramid structure to differentiate specialized functions, authority, and leadership. Studies from Peak et al., (2012) indicate that numerous police agencies experimented with other methods of structural leadership styles, and most of them prefer the traditional pyramidal configuration because it emphasizes “rapid leadership and division of labor particularly in catastrophic incidents” (p. 28). Police departments in the United States are considered as bureaucracies for two of the following reasons: (2) heavy reliance on rules, regulations, policies and procedures; and (2) pays
make police work more effective and efficient. Hanser and Gomila (2015) noted, “The criminal justice system does not operate in a social vacuum; rather, it is directly impacted by this sense of rapid and continual cultural change” (p. 7). In light of globalization, law enforcement organizations must change the way it operates in a world where criminal activities and terrorism are more geographically diverse and sophisticated.
The Criminal Justice System and its agencies encounter challenges while trying to perform their daily activities. The system deals with laws involving criminal behaviour. It dwells on three major agencies: the police, courts, and the corrections. Each agency has its own specific and important roles to contribute to society. This paper will explain both the roles and challenges each agency unfortunately battles.
The criminal justice system is composed of three parts – Police, Courts and Corrections – and all three work together to protect an individual’s rights and the rights of society to live without fear of being a victim of crime. According to merriam-webster.com, crime is defined as “an act that is forbidden or omission of a duty that is commanded by public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law.” When all the three parts work together, it makes the criminal justice system function like a well tuned machine.
Mays, G. Larry., and Rick Ruddell. Making Sense of Criminal Justice: Policies and Practices. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print
Kania, R., & Davis, R. P. (2012). Managing criminal justice organizations: an introduction to theory and practice (2nd ed.). Waltham, MA: Anderson Pub.
Police decisions can affect life, liberty, and property, and as guardians of the interests of the public, police must maintain high standards of integrity. Police discretion concerning how to act in a given situation can often lead to ethical misconduct (Banks 29).