Project 1: Research an Issue in Corrections (15 points)
Project Objectives
To research a specific issue in the field of correctional management
To critically analyze journal articles that reflect current or recent perspectives on that issue
Assignment
Using library resources, find two (2) journal articles relating to one single particular issue in correctional management. (The designated topics are listed below.)
The UMUC Library is an excellent source for journal articles.
See RESOURCES-> Library on the classroom tool bar, or
See CONTENT-> Guide to Criminal Justice Resources
Critique the quality of each article.
Based upon the methodology of the study conducted, do you think the results are reliable and valid?
Summarize the main points of both articles and then compare those main points. Do the articles reach the same conclusion?
Analyze the articles and determine whether you believe that the conclusion(s) of the articles agree with your perception of the correctional management issue. Explain the basis for your conclusion.
Topics: (Spring 2016)
Overcrowding in prisons and jails
Mental Health Services
Sex Offender programs
Format Requirements
Paper should be a minimum of three, maximum of 5 pages in APA format
Narrative pages: Double space, 12 pt. font, 1” margins
Use APA format for all in-text and reference page citations
Include reference page using APA format guidelines (not included in word count)
NOTE: All sources materials cited on the reference page must have a corresponding in-text citation in the narrative of the paper
Sample Solution
Our society has been plagued with gang activity since the 1920’s and the resolution was to incarcerate them for their criminal activities. Which brought about the development of prisons gangs which is still a tremendous issue for correctional management in the society we live in today. The purpose of this essay will be to summarize and compare two articles that deal with the same issue of gang violence pertaining to the management of corrections.
Article 1: “Managing gangs in a correctional facility: what wardens and superintendents need to know.”
Summary: This article puts a lot of emphasizes the significance of knowing what issues are important and what issues will have the greatest impact on the prison. The article sheds light on how to properly determine efficient ways to better develop managerial protocols that will successfully manage gangs in prisons. The main audience that this article spoke specifically to wardens and superintendents because ultimately it is their main responsibility to deal with the development and implementation of protocols in the corrections that they manage. Prison gangs are responsible for most of the criminal activity inside of correctional institutions which range from drugs trafficking to prostitution (Marchese). Marchese puts a significant effort in representing that having a gang unit in a correctional facility is solely not enough to combat the issue but also having a successful gang management strategies as well could turn the tables.
The way to develop a successful management protocol certain key factors must be taken into account and be efficiently evaluated way before even being considered to be implemented in the prison. The biggest wall that needs to overcome in order to implement these types of changes comes from funding. There is no budget that will allow for the forming a gang unit inside of the facility which is another issue that funding is something that correctional institutions do not have much of (Marchese). The article talks about six key factors in order to set up a correct gang management protocols which are Intake, classification, intelligence, facility disturbances, recruitment of gang members, and staff training. Intake: Refers to flagging gang members and directing them to the proper facility gang intelligence officer.
Article 2: “Managing prison gangs: Results from a survey of U.S. prison systems”
Summary: The article took the responses from a survey pertaining to gang management strategies and were collected from U.S. prison systems holding a combined total of 1.19 million inmates. The article focuses on three major parts of the influence of gang activity and violence through corrections facility in the U.S. which are The negative impacts of STG on correctional systems, Gang management strategies, and Data and methods. Due to the increase of gang activities, many researchers have found the distinctive boundaries we have set in place for gang members in prison and the gang members on the outside have become very blurry.
Intelligence is a key factor in keeping up with the changing times and the gang members are becoming even more sophisticated in how they handle their affairs in prison. Illustrating the reason why having a gang management strategies are highly important. Over the past decades, STG officers have developed and implemented numerous gang interventions strategies but will only work with certain key factors such as having management’s actually acknowledge the problem. (Winterdyk, J., & Ruddell, R.) We live in an era where having the proper knowledge of intelligence is key to making very crucial decisions, especially in the corrections field. The article brought up a phenomenal source where criminal justice professionals share information which is fusion centers. Based on the methodology of the study conducted, do you think the results are reliable and valid?
Yes, based on the methodology of the study conducted by both articles are reliable and valid. Both articles supplied backed up references for the material as well as charts and graphs to better get their point across for example a chart was created to show how success certain implication of management strategies was effective and was not effective.
Conclusion:
All and all I thought both articles are great examples of what my perception of the correctional management issue consists of which is gang violence. Correctional management has a lot of pressure to not only making their employees are safe but the inmates themselves. The violence that occurs in correctional facilities come stems from gang violence. Ultimately continuing to do nothing and not evolve is defeating the main objectives of incarnation which is rehabilitation. How would you expect a gang member to rehabilitate themselves if they are put in the same institution with many of their fellow gang members?
Reference:
Marchese, Joseph J. “Managing Gangs In A Correctional Facility: What Wardens And Superintendents Need To Know. – Free Online Library.” Thefreelibrary.com. N.p., 2010. Web. 3June 2018.
Winterdyk, J., & Ruddell, R. (2010). Managing prison gangs: Results from a survey of U.S. prison systems. Journal Of Criminal Justice, 38(4), 730-736. doi:10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.04.047
