Week 1 discussion
Economic Crisis (graded)
Discuss the impact of the current economic recession on correctional administration. Consideration should be given to staffing, overtime, early release, prison construction, and so forth. Then formulate a plan to address spending cuts from your operating budget that require a 10% decrease in staff funding and a 20% decrease in funding for inmate services.
Dq2
Leadership Style (graded)
Discuss Scenario 1 listed under Youre the Correctional Administrator, found on page 43 of the text. As the new chief probation officer for your department, explain your leadership style and why you perceive this style as critical to the successful operations of the correctional facility. Then identify the common challenges to the leadership style you will use and how you deal with these challenges.
Week 2 discussion
The Ideal Applicant (graded)
Discuss Scenario 1 found on page 122 of the text. Given your strategic planning efforts, what qualities will you now look for in an applicant for the position of correctional officer? How will you determine if the candidate possesses these attributes, and what steps will you take to avoid initiating practices that could be viewed as prejudicial? Finally, address the authors questions.
Dq2
Labor Relations (graded)
Discuss Scenario 2 found on page 165. Then identify common issues relevant to employment in which a collective bargaining agreement is in place. Identify accepted protocol for establishing policy that deals with disagreements over matters not covered by the contract agreement. Then, briefly summarize problems faced by mediators associated with disputes over matters not covered in the labor agreements. Finally, address the authors questions.
Week 3 discussion
Unit Management (graded)
Discuss Scenario 1 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on page 197 of the text. Identify the principles of organizations that are linked to the unit management perspective, and discuss at length the pros and cons of unit management. Make sure to address the aspects of managing a correctional facility as well as the programs associated with this task that would prove difficult to administer using this approach. Then propose an alternative form of management that you feel would better serve the institution.
Supervision (graded)
Discuss Scenario 1 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on page 232 of the text. Discuss the strategy you would impart given a supervisory relationship with an employee who has lost interest in the job they perform. Also discuss the implications of your actions on other employees under your supervision. Make sure to address the problems that could be faced when dealing with a labor force working under a collective bargaining agreement.
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Week 4 discussion
Budget Constraints (graded)
Discuss Scenario 1 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on page 259 of the text. Identify and discuss the benefits and limitations of intermediate sanctions. Also identify measures by which effectiveness can be measured. In your discussion, discuss the reasons behind demands by state legislatures to do more with less and explain the feasibility of such demands. Then identify the specific costs associated with stricter budget constraints.
Dq2
Inmate Classification (graded)
Discuss Scenario 1 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on page 304 of the text. Identify the underlying reasons that support the importance of using both a subjective and an objective appraisal strategy for inmate classification. Propose measures by which the effectiveness of the current classification system can be evaluated. What types of problems might present themselves if the current criteria used to classify inmates were to change?
Week 5 discussion
Public Information Officer (graded)
Discuss Scenario 2 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on page 321 of the text. Discuss the actual extent to which inmate-on-inmate, inmate-on-staff, and staff-on-inmate violence occurs. Describe methods by which this problem can be handled. Also discuss the types of programs and policies that fail to handle such problems. Then explain why violent crimes by inmates and parolees continue despite all efforts to limit such events.
Dq2
Prison Security Threat Groups (graded)
Discuss Scenario 2 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on page 360 of the text. Discuss the importance of assessing prison security threats. Identify the criteria commonly used to make this assessment, both at the state and federal levels, and then evaluate the success of these efforts by prison officials.
Week 6 discussion
Model Prison Programs (graded)
Discuss Scenario 1 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on page 387 of the text. Discuss the underlying nature of various successful inmate reentry programs. Identify the characteristics of two or more successful programs and other programs found to be less than successful. Analyze the commonly reported reasons as to why reentry or aftercare programs do not meet the systems expectations. Then present your model prison program and explain why you feel this program is likely to work where others have failed.
DQ2
Medical Services Budget (graded)
Discuss Scenario 1 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on pages 419 and 420 of the text. Discuss the aging prison inmate population and the likely costs associated with a population cohort that, on average, ages more rapidly due to prison life than does the general population. In your discussion, address the relevance of a compassionate release alternative for older inmates with health problems to cut medical care costs for the prison. In this discussion, make reference to already established programs that utilize such an approach to help decrease the cost of medical services associated with an aging prison population.
Week 7 discussion
Mental Health Services (graded)
Discuss Scenario 2 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on page 454 of the text. Discuss the nature and extent of mental health disorders among prison inmates. Include in your discussion information pertaining to the prevalence of co-occurring disorders in prison inmate populations. Also include information as to the number of inmates presenting with mental health disorders or co-occurring disorders and the potential impact these problems have for prison security and inmate safety.
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Dq2
Discuss Scenario 2 found in Youre the Correctional Administrator, on page 477 of the text. Discuss the benefits and limitations of restorative justice programs. Identify characteristics of successful efforts at restorative justice. Discuss the criteria under which a victim and an offender would qualify for such an effort. Then identify current criminal statutes in your state pertaining to forcible felonies and make your recommendations.