Leading Group Challenges

Most criminal justice systems have five key aspects-law enforcement, prosecution, defense attorneys, courts, and corrections, each playing a key role in the criminal justice process. Law enforcement officers file reports for crimes that happen in their areas. Officers investigate crimes that have been committed or are about to happen and gather and protect evidence. Law enforcement officers arrest offenders, give testimony throughout the court process, and conduct follow-up investigations if necessary. I

The criminal justice system has become an ad hoc medical and social service delivery institution with more than eight million offenders under correctional control. Offenders have more physical, substance-abuse disorders, social and psychological deficits than the general population. According to Estelle versus Gamble, correctional institutions are required to provide reasonable care for all offenders who are incarcerated. Other issues such as psychological and social services have become a burden. A recent survey of prison administrators sheds light on the capacity of offenders that needed medical, psychological, and social services for offenders. The survey also dissected the analysis of the organizational factors that may affect whether an

Leadership is a necessary component of any organization to include a criminal justice organization. In recent years, research has clearly indicated that leadership must be present in criminal justice organizations for a multitude of reasons. Leaders provide motivation and inspire their followers to progress while advancing toward a shared vision. This paper will discuss several different aspects of leadership and expand on the importance of having strong leaders in place. This paper will explain that there are different styles and theories of leadership which are utilized today. Basic principles of leadership as well as

I once believed the police and fire departments, court, correction, and social services to be independent entities that provided communities with individual services that sometimes complimented one another by the basic interchanging of information and services. Through this module, I have learned these entities are a very complex and although independent rely on inter-connectivity and communication comprise the criminal justice system. These entities share a common goal to uphold the law and maintain justice in our society (Silver, S. 2011. CJ in the USA an introduction to Criminal Justice. (1st ed., p. 1). The criminal justice system is divided into four major pillars. Within the pillars many divers jobs and skill sets come together to achieve this goal (Johnson, K. (2010). Jobs in criminal justice. Oceanside: Channel Custom Publishing, Oceanside,CA. Available from http://ct2learn.com/els/index.php/member-home/cj/imods/jobs-cj/imod/).

It is through the Criminal Justice System’s close collaborations with like-minded agencies such as the Police, Prison and Courts Services, that the public’s concerns and worries are resolved, in order to bring about justice in our communities (Cavadino and Dignan, 2007 as cited in Fox, 2014). With that in mind and out of the way, this essay will aim to explore some of the strengths and weaknesses, which are prominent within the Criminal Justice System. To do this successfully, the Police and the Courts Service will be the key agencies that will be explored in relation to the key Models that shape the whole Criminal Justice System. These Models were founded by Herbert L. Packer (1968) and Michael King (1981).

It’s no surprise that the correctional system in the United States could use a bit of a makeover. First off, the major increase of incarcerating inmates has now caused the issue of overcrowding prisons all over the United States, some reaching as high as 98% capacity. Secondly, there are too few rehabilitate and educational programs to help current and former criminals from returning to the system, therefore the number of people who are incarcerated each year far surpasses the number of inmates who are let out. Lastly, due to the overcrowding of inmates, low pay, and just overall an extremely stressful job, Correctional Facilities all over the United States are experiencing a staff shortage. In some prisons there are only two correctional officers per a couple hundred inmates. These issues are not only current issues, but are also future issues if solutions are not made and put into action.

Bohm, R., Haley, K., (n.d). Book Title: Introduction to Criminal Justice seventh edition, Chapter 8 Administration of Justice unit #4 Read and Attend Retrieved from

The Departments of Correctional Services across the United States were always looked at as a department that’s main purpose was the housing of the worst of society that need only be provided a limited budget for operations, just enough to get the job done. But throughout the 1980’s and 90’s a change toward the use of improved design and better technology was being introduced throughout the northeast and west coast. These changes incorporated advanced electronic locking systems and electronic surveillance systems. The prison systems across the country were looking to increase the safety of the Correctional personnel working in these institutions and the Inmate population housed in them.

As the United States is confronted with the fallout of mass incarceration, the need for competent correctional personnel to ensure public safety and see that other staff and inmates are safe is of great concern. The prison administration staff is composed of employees who perform a public service of high risk and importance for safeguarding the civil society. However, the roles of prison facilities have drastically changed over the years and they are now no longer regarded as mere custodial institutions. The natures of these institutions have thus shifted from custody to training, education and the rehabilitation of prisoners. The new prison administration is expected to perform medium complexity activities that involve planning, organizing

What are some challenges that correctional administrators are faced with regarding the population of inmates? This may be a question that many people do not consider. Correctional administrators have to work very hard and be creative to ensure that all inmates, regardless of their challenges, needs are being met. The challenges of typical inmates are characterized by those that are mentally ill, elderly, and female inmates.

There are formal policies and structures in every criminal justice and/or law enforcement agency. However, it seems for many agencies deciding whether or not to follow these practices coms as an option and informal practices are a better use. Within police, courts, and correction law enforcement agencies there are a set of informal rules and group processes that one is cultured into that undermine the formal policies Some of the informal policies all departments adapt include shortcuts, stereotypes, and other mechanisms. There are many different causes for the use of informal practices in the system ranging from time management to having too much autonomy in ones job. Leadership can also play an important role on why some formal polices and structures are undermined in the criminal justice system,

Cronkhite, C. L. (2013). Law enforcement and justice administration: Strategies for the 21st century (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett

When we think of law enforcement many of us think of police officers. However, what we don't always put into account is the many different functions of law enforcement that come into play when we think of the term law enforcement. In this paper I will be taking an in depth look at the following law enforcement systems, The United States Bureau of Prisons, the Wisconsin Dept. of Corrections, local county jails, and private corrections corporations. As well as the roles and responsibilities of each agency. Also, I will be providing info about who our current United States Attorney General is, as well as Wisconsin's current State Attorney General, and the functions of both of them.

The principal goal of prison management is social control. Institutional security and the personal safety of staff and inmates is the outcome to a well-managed prison, where both the level of routine misconduct by individual inmates and the occurrence of episodic group disturbances signal the breakdown of management’s ability to exert effective control.

“If the work of police and prosecutors and prison guards is not effecting in preventing crime, what is the social importance of their jobs?” (Zimring, 2007). Law enforcement officers clearly have an impact on crime in America. If they didn’t, society would not require police officer presence. The question is what is police officers effect on crime and which criminal justice approaches and theories will impact crime.