SUBCONTRACTING OF YOUTH SERVICES - AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY (FROM JUVENILES IN JUSTICE - A BOOK OF READINGS, 1980, BY H TED RUBIN - SEE NCJ-66872)

• NCJ Number: 66875
• Author(s): G L ALBRECHT
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Goodyear Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

SUBCONTRACTING OF SERVICES BY JUVENILE COURTS IS ANALYZED AS AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY DESIGNED TO PRESERVE THE COURT'S POWER AND DOMAIN IN AN UNCERTAIN AND STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT.

Abstract

A RESOURCE DEPENDENCY PERSPECTIVE WAS USED IN THE ANALYSIS. NUMEROUS LAWS PERMIT GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING. JUVENILE COURTS SUBCONTRACT MANY SERVICES, INCLUDING COUNSEL, TRANSPORTATION, CUSTODY, INCARCERATION, DETENTION, REHABILITATION, DIVERSION PROGRAMS, PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION, PSYCHIATRIC COUNSELING, AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG TREATMENT. THROUGH SUBCONTRACTING, JUVENILE COURT JUDGES USE THEIR AUTHORITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES TO DESIGN AND COORDINATE YOUTH SERVICES. SUBCONTRACTING IS A MARVELOUSLY ADAPTIVE STRATEGY FOR A POWERFUL, COMPLEX ORGANIZATION FUNCTIONING AN AMBIGUOUS AND CHANGING ENVIRONMENT. THUS, IT IS USEFUL WHEN THE POLITICAL, LEGAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS ARE ALL CHANGING OR STRESSFUL. THE COURT IS A COMPLEX BUREAUCRACY WITH MULTIPLE GOALS THAT ARE OFTEN IN CONFLICT. THE COURT IS THE DOMINANT LINK AMONG OTHER AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONS COOPERATING IN DELIVERING SERVICES TO YOUTH. SUBCONTRACTING IS A COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY THAT ALLOWS THE DOMINANT ORGANIZATION TO CONTROL ITS WORK AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MAINTAIN SOME DISTANCE THROUGH LOOSELY COUPLED INTERORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. REASONS FOR SUBCONTRACTING INCLUDE THE NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY, THE FULL USE OF SPECIALIZED WORK GROUPS IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT, AND THE ABILITY TO CONDUCT YOUTH SERVICES IN A MANNER APPROXIMATING THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM. POTENTIAL OR ACTUAL DRAWBACKS INCLUDE POSSIBLE MISUSE OF POWER BY THE JUVENILE JUDGE, BIAS, LACK OR QUALITY CONTROL OF SUCH PROGRAMS AS DIVERSION, AND LACK OF COORDINATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY. OPERATIONAL CHECKS AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE NEEDED. FURTHER RESEARCH BASED ONLY ON THE SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT MODEL BUT ALSO ON ASSESSMENT OF COURTS' SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENTS, IS RECOMMENDED. NOTES WHICH INCLUDE REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)