NCJ Number
50860
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 42 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 19-25
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
RESPONSIBILITY CHARTING IS A TECHNIQUE FOR NEGOTIATING ROLE CLARITY AND DEALING WITH AMBIGUITY OR CONFLICT AMONG ROLES IN A COMPLEX ORGANIZATION. USE OF THE CHART IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE CONCEPT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY CHART AROSE OUT OF EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS RESULTING FROM UNCLEAR LINES OF RESPONSIBILITY IN RAPIDLY CHANGING AND INCREASINGLY COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONAL SETTINGS. THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM IS VIEWED AS SUCH A SETTING, WHERE DECENTRALIZED OPERATIONS, PROGRAM REVISIONS, AND NEW PROGRAMS REQUIRE CLEAR UNDERSTANDINGS BY STAFF PERSONNEL OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES CARRIED BY EACH IN SPECIFIC OPERATIONS. RESPONSIBILITY CHARTING IS VIEWED AS A PROCESS WHICH CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS: (1) THE CREATION OF THE CHART BY IDENTIFYING KEY DECISIONS AND THE RELEVANT PARTICIPANTS FOR A GIVEN OPERATION, (2) THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMON LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE DEGREES OF PARTICIPATION, (3) INDIVIDUAL BALLOTING BY RELEVANT PERSONNEL TO EXPRESS PERCEPTIONS OF THE CHAIN OF RESPONSIBILITY AND THE TABULATION OF RESULTS, (4) FEEDBACK AND DISCUSSION, AND (5) ACTION STEPS AND FOLLOWUP. TO ILLUSTRATE THE USE OF THESE STEPS, THE DECENTRALIZATION OF FIELD SERVICES IN THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IS DESCRIBED AS A CASE STUDY. IT IS ARGUED THAT ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL ADVANTAGES OF RESPONSIBILITY CHARTING IS TO PROVIDE A FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR DETERMINING ACCOUNTABILITY, THUS REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND SCAPEGOATING. SAMPLES OF THE CHARTS TO BE USED IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ARE SUPPLIED. (RCB)