NCJ Number
51807
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 23 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1977) Pages: 394-402
Date Published
1977
Length
10 pages
Annotation
TYPOLOGIES OF POOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION ARE IDENTIFIED, AND A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES IS PROPOSED.
Abstract
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATOR WHO IS INDIFFERENT TO BOTH THE NEEDS OF OFFENDERS AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE CITIZENRY IS PRESENTED AS ONE TYPE OF POOR MANAGER. THIS TYPE OF ADMINISTRATOR HAS LOST OR PERHAPS NEVER HAD TOUCH WITH A SUSTAINING VISION OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES ENTRUSTED TO HIM. APATHY SO PERVADES HIS BEING AND THE DOING OF HIS JOB THAT HARDLY ANYTHING OF VALUE IS ACCOMPLISHED. A SECOND CLASS OF INCOMPETENT ADMINISTRATORS CONSISTS OF THOSE WHO ARE IGNORANT OF THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THEIR DOMAINS OF RESPONSIBILITY; THEY INCREASINGLY NARROW THEIR ACTIVITIES TO A CLOSED SYSTEM OF CONVENIENT DUTIES, CAREFULLY AVOIDING ANY EVALUATION OR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THEIR PERFORMANCE, IN ORDER TO CIRCUMVENT THE STRESS OF CHANGE AND CONFRONTATION WITH THEIR FAILURES. A THIRD KIND OF INCOMPETENT ADMINISTRATOR IS ONE WHO IS KNOWLEDGEABLE IN HIS FIELD AND COMMITTED TO ENLIGHTENED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES BUT FAILS TO ADVOCATE HIS POSITION ENOUGH TO OBTAIN THE NEEDED RESOURCES. A FOURTH INCOMPETENT ADMINISTRATOR IS ONE WHO DEVISES COMMENDABLE PLANS, BUT LACKS THE INITIATIVE OR EXPERTISE TO MANAGE RESOURCES TO PUT PLANS INTO ACTION. A CONCEPT OF 'MANAGEMENT BY DUTIES' IS PROPOSED TO COMMUNICATE A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON 'MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES.' THE REDUCTION OF CRIME AND RECIDIVISM AS MANAGEMENT GOALS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARE VIEWED AS BEING TOO LONG-RANGE AND UNATTAINABLE; PREOCCUPATION WITH THEM LEADS TO FRUSTRATION BOTH IN THE RANKS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL AND THE PUBLIC MIND. THE SETTING OF DAILY DUTIES WITH PRECISE AND MANAGEABLE OBJECTIVES FOR EACH ACTIVITY IS SUGGESTED AS A MORE REALISTIC APPROACH FOR EACH ACTOR IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. NO REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)