As a supervisor in criminal justice, you will need to be able to identify challenges to organizational structure and systems and propose evidence-based solutions to management. Strong written and verbal communication skills are necessary when interacting with every member of an organization. Supervisors must understand how challenges affect the organizational structure of the system. They must also be ready to communicate about such challenges before attempting to apply leadership philosophies and practices to make decisions about needed changes.
Scenario
Leadership has invited you to speak at an upcoming meeting to share your recommendations on mitigating challenges with the organization’s structure and systems. For this assignment, you will prepare the presentation that you would give at the meeting.
Preparation
Select an example of a criminal justice organization at the local, state, or federal level. You will use this organization’s structure as an example context for your presentation; you will not need to know the challenges facing the organization in real life.
Select 3 organizational challenges from the list below that this kind of organization might face. Cite at least 2 scholarly sources in your presentation in addition to the organization’s website.
Potential Organizational Challenges
Use any of the following examples of challenges facing managers of criminal justice organizations that could threaten the organization’s structure or systems:
People Challenges
Establishing consistent hiring and performance standards (screening out underqualified, unethical, or underperforming staff)
Building and maintaining diverse and inclusive teams and relationships
Reducing mistrust and turnover
Strengthening public confidence
Using staff and resources efficiently to handle cases more effectively
Addressing lack of integration and collaboration between departments, sectors, agencies, teams, etc.
Policy Challenges
Contingency planning: Recognizing predictable events and prioritizing decisions to make policies to prevent and handle them
Contingency planning: Developing teams to advise on unpredictable events and how to respond to them
Protecting civil liberties
Maintaining a safe, secure, and humane prison system
Countering terrorism and safeguarding national security
Coordinating law enforcement to handle increasing levels of violent crime and the opioid crisis
Addressing the overuse of specific strategies or use of a policy/program for overly short or lengthy durations
Training Challenges
Budgeting for and delivery of ongoing training (in-person and remotely)
Balancing training needs with staff coverage
Establishing clear succession and promotion plans based on performance
Protecting against cyberthreats and determining new responses to risks from emerging technologies
Supervision Challenges
Leading with compassion and confidence
Managing negativity and conflict
Improving morale or engagement
Discipline Challenges
Handling policy violations, reporting, and accountability
Making consistent leadership decisions about disciplinary issues
Using sensitive investigative authorities by department law enforcement
Ensuring financial accountability of department contracts and grants
Reducing delays or errors in the administration of justice
Assessment Deliverable
Create a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation as if you were a supervisor examining problems and proposing solutions within the organization. Your presentation should include the following information supported by evidence of challenges to the organization’s structure and systems:
Describe the selected criminal justice organization that is currently undergoing organizational challenges.
Summarize 3 organizational challenges the organization might experience. Discuss how these organizational challenges affect the structure and systems of the organization.
Explain how the organization has addressed cultural and gender challenges at the leadership level.
Apply a different philosophy or practice for effective organizational behavior leadership to each of the 3 challenges. Recommend a strategy for preventing or reducing each organizational challenge based on the philosophy or practice.
