Managers and human resource administrators therefore have to be aware not only of the legal aspects related to diversity but also to the dynamic potential that is an intrinsic part of this diversity.
With Regard to the criminal justice system, diversity is an important part of protecting the rights of the employees, as well as adding to the depth of skills and talents in the system itself. A good example is the diversity training program developed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Human Resources Division. This program allows for the protection of the rights of employees and subscribes to affirmative action legislation, while at the same time allowing for the application of the criminal law Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws. These EEO laws include the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), 1967's Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the American Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) (Allen, 2010).
In essence, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice makes a point of encouraging employees to recognize that workplace diversity is an important aspect of the Department's functioning and that it is in fact seen as one of its "strengths" (Managing Diversity Training Series). As the Managing Diversity Training Series website run by the Department states; " by capitalizing on diverse backgrounds and expertise, not only does the Agency accomplish its mission, but employees also enrich themselves both professionally and personally" (Managing Diversity Training Series).
The Managing Diversity Training Series has been introduced to bolster the commitment to diversity within the Department. The acknowledged acceptance as well as the inculcation of diversity within the Department serves two central purposes. The first is that diversity as a formally accepted principle safeguards the rights of employees and guards against forms of discrimination and prejudice. Secondly, it provides a richer and more diversified and inclusive base of expertise and knowledge from which to draw from and, as such, enhances the capacity for effective criminal justice functioning. It is also noted that while training cannot solve all communications and related problems. However, it "… can send a clear message regarding organizational commitment to diversity within the workplace. It can also facilitate improved communication and...
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which is "…responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information" (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Overview).
Diversity as an element of modern workforce management in the Department of Criminal Justice is therefore seen as an important that receives ongoing attention.
References
Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences: Code of Ethics. Retrieved from http://www.acjs.org/pubs/167_671_2922.cfm
Allen L. ( 2010) Rights of Employees in Public Criminal Justice Agencies. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_7257805_rights-public-criminal-justice-agencies.html#ixzz1CJtL1yzw
Chaires R. And Lentz S. Criminal justice employee rights: An overview. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 18(2), pp. 259-288). Retrieved from https://springerlink3.metapress.com/content/r6332435227u2273/resource-secured/?target=fulltext.pdf&sid=yg4izprlpy1eoz45mlixk355&sh=www.springerlink.com
NEW LEGISLATION GIVES CRIMINAL JUSTICE EMPLOYEES GREATER 'PEACE
OF MIND'. ( 2010) States News Service. Retrieved from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-222883549.html
Managing Diversity Training Series. Retrieved from http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/vacancy/diversity/diversity.html
Management Skills and Practices. Retrieved from http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/vacancy/diversity/diversity2.html
Peak K. ( 2010) Justice Administration; Chapter 14. Rights of Criminal Justice Employees.
Retrieved from http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpacs.unt.edu%2Fcriminal-justice%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FPeak%2520-%2520Chapter%252014.ppt&ei=9nw9TeLtOcSSswb7vfHzBg&usg=AFQjCNFwKTO2QpOFc1_Tnpdnzs_v0b5MHg
Rubin P. (1995) Civil Rights and Criminal Justice: Primer on Sexual Harassment.
Retrieved from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/harass.pdf.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Overview. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/
