NCJ Number
122696
Date Published
1990
Length
340 pages
Annotation
Studying criminal justice from the established perspectives of management and organizations is a relatively recent development.
Abstract
Since the 1970's, management and organizational theory and research have become influential in criminal justice. Various public and private enterprises exist to train criminal justice managers, and the study of management is a staple in criminal justice curricula. Intended for use as a criminal justice text, this book focuses on a systems perspective and on theory, research, and practice. Part one examines the nature of criminal justice organizations. Part two discusses the individual in these organizations in relation to communication problems, personnel motivation, job design, and leadership. Part three considers group behavior in criminal justice organizations in terms of occupational socialization, power, and organizational conflict. The final part explores processes in criminal justice organizations, such as decisionmaking, organizational effectiveness, and change and innovation. Each chapter begins with introductory quotations to highlight the complexity of the concepts discussed. Chapters end with case studies and questions for discussion. 482 references, 3 tables, 22 figures.