Deck 7: Management and Staffing

Question 1

the superintendent of a prison, what sort of management problems do you face? Which people can help you solve them?

Answer 1

Management problems faced by prison superintendent are as follows:
The official has to relax security measures, tolerate minor violation, and allow the inmate leaders to keep the order. This is an inmate balance theory.
If the inmates do not follow the rules and indulge in violence, then the administrative control theory is applied. This theory implies that prison disorder results from the unstable, divided, or otherwise weak management. Then the officials will lose their control over the institution, unruly inmate behavior, and collective disorder.
The problems are group formation, threatening or violence by other inmate groups, corruption, disobeying the order, and the illegal activities in prison.
People who help in managing the prison are as follows:
The Superintendent of prison and other officers govern the management of prison. The other officers who help in managing the prison are deputy wardens which are as follows:
• Management
• Custody
• Programs
• Industry and agriculture
Conclusion:
The management control of the prison is with the superintendent of prison. Only when there is a well-organized control over inmates and only if they obey the order, the management is said to be efficient. The superintendent is the superior warden who governs the prison.

Question 2

is the idea of total power in the institutional setting defective?

Answer 2

Total power:
The total power means the power given to the correctional officer for the management of prison. The power is to induce compliance from the prisoner. This also depends on the inmate's cooperation.
Defects of total power are as follows:
• The correctional officer uses physical force to control prisoners. Such strategy violates the rights of criminals' and is against the administrative procedures.
• Prisoners are completely isolated from one another and they put them under continuous surveillance.
• The prisoner who does not follow the order of officers is placed in solitary confinement.
• The officers force the prisoners to follow command, to carry out complex task.
Conclusion:
The public believes that prisons are well controlled and the prisoners obey the orders of correctional officers. The officers have powers to punish the criminals. In reality, absolute discipline is absent. Therefore, the officers use physical power to suppress the prisoners. However, the officers should not misuse powers and try to uphold the rights of prisoners.

Question 3

you were the warden of a maximum-security prison for men, what policies would you adopt to prevent violence in the institution?

Answer 3

Maximum security prison:
Maximum-security prison has aggressive criminals who have done serious criminal activities.
Kind of violence in the institution of men is as follows:
• The violence will be more in the institution as it full of aggressive and serious criminals.
• There will be conflicts between the prisoners and prisoner-officials.
• The prisoners form informal groups among themselves. This results in fight among the groups.
• The young prisoners will also be there in the prisons along with other prisoners. Co-prisoners sexually harass the young prisoners.
Preventive measures taken by Mr. X against violence:
• There must be a preventive custody. The preventive custody will stop the prisoners to get involved in any kind of harassment and violence. It takes care of the misbehavior of prisoners.
• The warden should take essential steps to stop the easy availability of deadly weapons.
• Create opportunity for the prisoners to improve their skills. This will divert them from their criminal attitude.
• There must be strict supervision of the criminals.