NCJ Number
200700
Journal
Community Corrections Report Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: May/June 2003 Pages: 49,50,62,64
Date Published
May 2003
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article proposes the development of a "layered" correctional organization that is quick to abandon old methods of operation that are not adequate for contemporary situations and to develop new methods that are appropriate to a "sensible" appraisal of current reality.
Abstract
This is done by first teaching managers and staff to be creators and leaders engaging in realistic appraisals of the elements and characteristics of situations that must be confronted and resolved by the organization. Such a person can be defined as a "bricoleur," a French term for someone who tinkers about, as a person who remains "creative under pressure, precisely because they routinely act in chaotic conditions and pull order out of them. Thus, when situations unravel, this is simply normal natural trouble for bricoleurs, and they proceed with whatever materials are at hand." (Weick, 1993). Wisdom is a sound critical element in an organizational culture of "sense making." Wisdom recognizes that ignorance and knowledge grow in tandem and that the more we know, the more we recognize what still must be learned. Wisdom avoids both excessive confidence and excessive cautiousness, each of which can cloud good judgment, especially in times of crisis. A third element required for the establishment of "sense making" is a belief that one's actions can make a difference. The advocates of community justice seek to involve and empower a broad spectrum of neighborhood residents in the development and implementation of criminal justice policy. This is designed to draw people into a culture of action in which they believe they can mold the world in which they live into an environment that is safe and fulfilling.