After the decision of the court, prisoners are assigned to specialized institutions, where they serve a fixed term. However, there are many problems in the prison that require careful consideration. First of all, this is due to the capacity of people, as in many confinements there is not enough space for new prisoners. Moreover, prisoners report the use of force by employees within the walls of the institution. The issue of financing institutions is acute, as in some cases, there is a downward trend. On the part of the police, in an institution, it is important to pay attention to the number of officers and their reactions to incidents. In addition, in institutions, there is a problem of filing complaints by prisoners against officers who exceed their official powers. At the same time, it is necessary to understand how complete the financing of officers working within the walls of specialized institutions is. Thus, the paper will address the problems of funding, official powers, and capacity of prisons as a reflection of the issue of modern criminal justice.
Criminology Theories
The psychological approach can become the fundamental theory of criminology in the context of the chosen organization and its tasks. First of all, this is due to the excess of official authority by officers and complaints from prisoners about this. According to this approach, people learn criminal behavior and adopt certain patterns (Harel et al., 2019). Thus, surrounded by criminal elements, officers experience a socio-psychological interpretation regarding their place in a special institution. In order to avoid worsening such situations, the solution may be to conduct general conversations and trainings with officers, aimed at their psychological state. Moreover, one can discuss with superiors the issue of shorter shifts and more frequent shifts, so that employees can take a break from the oppressive environment of the institution.
Furthermore, in the context of the sociological criminal theory, one can conclude that the statistics of prisoners’ complaints against officers cannot be reduced. This is due to the fact that within the framework of this provision, there is an assertion that cruelty depends on the environment. Thus, for the period from 2013 to 2016, complaints amounted to 16, 14, 16 and 12 units. Thus, there is no noticeable downward trend, which indicates the lack of a solution to the problem. In this regard, it is possible to apply a solution when more workers take the shift, due to which a more familiar environment is created. They can exchange opinions, talk with each other and help in case of various situations.
Strategic Methods
As a result, leaders use strategic practices to define approaches to problem solving. First of all, this is an approach to a fair and balanced understanding of the situations that have occurred. Thus, in cases of complaints and clashes between officers and prisoners, a thorough check is conducted, which reveals the causes that accompany the emergence of the problem (Boateng & Hsieh, 2019). In addition, the emotional balance strategy allows departments to contain employee mental health problems. This is achieved through training sessions where the challenges of their service and approaches to environmental problem solving are discussed with officers. In this case, it is appropriate to use more employees on a shift so that they can feel the familiar environment and support each other in case of emotional decline.
Practices for Communicating
At the same time, it is necessary to communicate not only with officers, but with prisoners. To do this, departments use various advanced methods of interaction with the audience. The main way in these cases is the personal statement of information for the target audience (Kinman et al., 2019). Thus, Altona Correctional Facility disseminates information with the help of officers and psychologists who listen to the complaints and problems of prisoners, on the basis of which further conclusions are drawn. Moreover, a common method of use is to show films to officers, where officers share their opinions about rude interactions with prisoners and how to avoid it. Thus, departments try to use various methods of communication and psychological support for employees. On the part of communication with prisoners, various cognitive measures are taken. aimed at perceiving the realities in which they found themselves.
Data Analysis
During the analysis of the data, certain trends and patterns were identified that required presentation. From the digital information, one can draw a lack of development and change in the area of reducing the number of complaints from prisoners. They continue to enter the departments and each year vary from 12 to 16 units. The Altona Correctional Facility report shows a sufficient number of referrals for officers from ten to thirteen to show the same problem. Moreover, the important point to be made is that state funding is in surplus. This does not allow the organization to adequately implement the programs needed for officers and prisoners. Altona Correctional Facility reports that their funding does not rise significantly between 2013 and 2021, indicating that conditions are not evolving (“Attorneys & Advocates”, n.d). Thus, the departments cannot develop a sufficient program to improve the necessary levels, as they suffer from an insufficient amount of funds from the state.
Research
In addition, in both cases, there is a downward trend. This concerns the financial solvency of the departments and their possibility to develop. New times require an ever greater need for a significant expansion of the budget. Between 2012 and 2028, the budget either decreased by 12% or 18% or remained unchanged from the previous year. Through this, prisons can afford to hire high-quality psychologists and train officers. Moreover, this will continue to have a negative impact on staff and complaints from prisoners will increase. Another important problem of normal financing is the inability to expand the capacity of the institution (“Attorneys & Advocates”, n.d.). The report from both establishments says that they suffer from a lack of places. This problem can be eliminated by placing more chambers, which requires funds.
Root Causes
Altona Correctional Facility continues to use part of the budget to improve the mental health of officers. Research shows that concern for the psychology of employees plays one of the determining roles in the well-being of the institute (MacDonald, 2018). Moreover, it can be concluded from the analysis that the departments suffer from a lack of funding. As a result, they cannot solve other problems that directly depend on the organization’s budget. The budget is the root cause of the problems, as management cannot afford to take proper care of their employees. Thus, they may lash out at the prisoners, leading to complaints.
In conclusion, the study points to many of the challenges faced by departments. First of all, this is the lack of financial opportunities for the implementation of the necessary programs. This leads to a lack of help for officers whose work takes a heavy toll on their mental state. Their psyche leads to skirmishes with prisoners who file complaints through the medical field. Addressing these challenges requires special training, reduced hours and more funding for departments.
References
“Attorneys & Advocates”. (n.d.). Altona Correctional Facility. Web.
Boateng, F. D., & Hsieh, M. L. (2019). Explaining job satisfaction and commitment among prison officers: The role of organizational justice. The Prison Journal, 99(2), 172-193. Web.
Harel, N., Moskovitch, J. T., Weiland, T. J., & Augello, M. R. (2019). Common emergency department presenting complaints of prisoners: A systematic review. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 31(2), 183-192. Web.
Kinman, G., Clements, A. J., & Hart, J. (2019). When are you coming back? Presenteeism in UK prison officers. The Prison Journal, 99(3), 363-383. Web.
MacDonald, M. (2018). Overcrowding and its impact on prison conditions and health. International Journal of Prisoner Health, 14(2), 65-68. Web.