Michigan's Correctional System Case Study

The criminal justice system is a set of organizations and procedures set up by governments to control wrongdoing and force punishments on the individuals who disregard the laws. The main frameworks are state and federal. The state criminal justice systems handle wrongdoings perpetrated inside their state limits and government, the federal criminal system handles violations carried out on federal property or in more than one state. This system is supposed to be equal yet the nature of offenses, differential policing policies and practices, sentencing laws and biases are possible contributors to disparities in the system. The severity of the offense, prior record, age and education level are also taking into account when a decision is being made. Our prison system today varies immensely with ascending numbers of minority groups jailed within the system. Racial and ethnic imbalances continue in the United States and no disparity is more evident than that found in the criminal justice system. Disparity usually refers to a difference that is unfair, disparity in the criminal justice system stems from racial disparity which concludes that the proportion of a racial ethnic group within the control of the system is greater than the population of that group outside that control.

5. Administration building assignments- these are officers that check in visitors and manage the control center.

While the defendant is in the custody, Corrections is responsible for probation, prison and parole. When the defendant is found guilty and sent to prison, s/he will be housed away from society for a given period of time and while in prison, corrections is responsible for humane treatment of the defendant. Correction also takes up the responsibility of rehabilitation of that individual and tries to make them productive members of the society. Based on their behavior, the

Department of Corrections is an agency of the state that is responsible for the supervision and management of convicted felons. The Department of Corrections allows the protection of the community by operating safe, secure facilities that keep offenders under firm, fair practices. There is a wide range of treatment including educational and vocational programs that help

It is more complex. There are lawyers, judges, probation officers, rehabilitation programs, community service hours, trials, jail, prison, parole etc. Corrections encompasses all of these things and more. From the time a person commits a crime and is arrested, to the last time they meet with their probation offices, and everything in between, I associate that as the corrections

The department has more of a divisional structure. For example, Marion County has two main divisions within the department known as the Adult and Juvenile Divisions. Within those divisions there are many sub units that handle different specialized caseloads such as the Field Team unit, Mental Health, Sex Offender, Pre-Sentence Investigation Writers, Intake (Youth and Adults), Court Team, and Regular Caseload Officers. These different units have supervisors that manage each personnel. Each of these units may receive cases from any of all 24 criminal court divisions. This sometimes leads to personnel having high numbers on their caseloads. As a Probation Officer in the Regular Caseload unit, I supervise over 130 probationers. These high numbers play a huge role in employee burn-outs and turnovers. Different Judges in the each courtroom require different conditions from the offender and each Probation Officer is required to maintain enforcing those

Corrections have existed throughout society for many years and continued to change and evolve in the United States reflecting society’s values and ideals throughout the centuries. In the criminal justice system, corrections exist in more than one form. Not only do corrections refer to jails and prison systems but they also pertain to community-based programs, such as probation, parole, halfway houses, and treatment facilities. Past, present, and future trends in regard to the development and operation of institutional and community-based corrections vary between states but corrections have grown immensely since the early 1800s and have continued to expand

The U.S. corrections system, a subdivision of the criminal justice system, continues to undergo change. From its beginnings as laws written in stone, the corrections system has sought to punish offenders. The origin of the corrections system dates back several thousand years and has witnessed various perspectives and goals. The best method of administering punishment to these prisoners has remained an issue of dispute for many years. Events through history, such

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website the major administration functions are “population management, human resource management, security and facility management, correctional leadership and effective public administration, public safety, national security, and inmate programming, building partnerships, and counterterrorism” (2012).

The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) appointed a new commissioner at the beginning of 1983, at this time the department was facing many organizational issues. The state legislature had previously passed legislation affecting the environment in which the organization operated affecting the population it was originally intending to serve. Internally the DJJ faced many challenges involving organizational goals, routines, engaged staff, and new leadership. It is recommended that the organization take actions to adjust to the environment and align its goals with the new legislature. The newly appointed commissioner should adjust her management towards a task-orientated leadership until the critical director and staff positions are fulfilled. Once the department directors are in place, directives can be established to develop department routines. Hired management can then enforce standard operation procedures as needed to optimize the performance of the organization.

The criminal justice system is composed of four categories: law enforcement, legal counsel, courts, and corrections. I am going to focus on one of these subjects and the problems or issues that are within the corrections part of criminal justice usually refers to the events that occur after being sentenced in a court of law. During the past few decades many problems have arisen in this area, solutions have been discussed and put into use over the years as well. However, there are still problems that are being dealt with in today’s corrections.

The administrative division is again broken up into four sections: support services, accreditation and compliance, technology, and fiscal services. These sections are responsible for the daily management of facility maintenance, inmate records, publications, training, all compliance audits, technology, grant monitoring, budget, inmate accounts, and logistical management. The administrative division oversees the jail to make sure that it is running smoothly so that all other divisions within Frederick County Corrections has the resources they need to fully do their jobs.

Corrections as a term in criminology involve the treatment, incapacitation, and punishment of criminal wrongdoers who have admitted to the court. The criminal court convicts and condemns those perpetrators who are found guilty of crimes. Upon sentencing, the corrections component of the criminal justice system begins to function. In the United States there are several correctional agencies including; residential facilities, juvenile and adult probation and parole agencies, and so much more. These agencies are established to correct, treat and control post-adjudicatory care to

A prison warden is the chief executive of the institution and oversees the entire operation within a prison system. A prison warden needs to possess an array of skills that is capable of managing “large groups of employees, and to operate facilities in a way that keeps inmates, staff, and society safe” (Clear et al., 2013, p. 321). Studies from Clear et al. (2013) further indicate that today’s prison warden must function effectively despite decreased autonomy and increased accountability” (p. 321). The role and responsibility of a prison warden are comparable to a police chief’s because it requires extensive knowledge in administration, and experience in various areas within the department or institution.

A Corrections Officer has many duties to consider as they manage the activities of inmates. They are charged with the responsibilities of conducting head counts, monitoring recreational activities, and supervising their work assignments while maintaining a safe environment ensuring the welfare of those who are incarcerated in the correctional facility and employed there, as well as protect the safety of the public communities. They are investigators trained to search for illegal or prohibited goods smuggled into the institution, respond to riots, transport inmates and write reports. Although the job of an officer is challenging still the manner in which they ought to interact with the inmates should exemplify a standard of discipline that displays ethical professionalism, and respect at all times.