You have just been elected to the office of County District Attorney (DA). You spent your earlier years in the profession as an Assistant District Attorney (ADA) and later as a criminal defense attorney. You ran for the DA position because you saw the need to upgrade the professionalism and effectiveness of that office. You found the ADAs to be cynical and hostile toward defendants, defense attorneys, and, even in some cases, victims. Also, the ADAs were permitted to take civil cases to supplement their low state wages.
However, many of the ADAs were reputed to be spending more time and energy on their civil cases than the state criminal cases. As a result, they were rushing to get criminal cases off their desks by giving out generous pleas to criminal defendants. It was also suspected that criminal defense attorneys getting favorable pleas for their clients were referring civil cases to the ADAs. The former DA tried to rectify this situation by hiring a couple of young zealots as ADAs in the hopes they would have a positive influence on the work group. However, the zealots were soon alienated from the work group and seemed to determined to take as many cases as possible to trial rather than plea bargain. It is clear that you have to change the behavior and work values of the ADAs to improve the effectiveness and professionalism of the office.
1. What is the first thing you should do the first day at the office?
2. What beliefs and values on the part of the ADAs need to be addressed?
3. How would you go about writing new policies for the DAs office?
4. What is the first formal policy that needs to be addressed?
5. What unofficial (informal) practices on the part of the ADAs need to be changed?
6. Can the energy of the zealots be harnessed and used to affect the cynical ADAs in a positive manner?
7. How can a DA affect some stages of anticipatory socialization?
8. What new forms or methods of formal socialization would you implement?
9. How can you impact the informal socialization process among your staff?
