Managing a Correction Facility

Correctional Institutions Management Correctional institution hierarchy This normally includes the Unit manager, case worker, secretary, correctional counsellor, correctional officer, educator and psychologist or any other approved mental health worker. However, it is important to note that some correction institutions may adopt varying names yet same duties, for instance there are institutions that have the director's office, chief deputy director's office, correctional facility administration, field operations administration and budget and operations administration (State of Michigan, 2015). The hierarchies defined above are in the descending order, with the highest offices coming first.

Traits in prison volunteer One most important trait in prison volunteers is that they must be able to honor the confidentiality of the offenders. He is also a servant of the Lord and also committed to the course that they are following. They also have the right motive towards engaging in the activities of the volunteering. He is also an individual with integrity that will make his work effective.

A volunteer must be ethical and a good listener, he needs to be empathetic to relate to the challenges of the offenders, respectful of their challenges and position as well as trustworthy. Since the desired changes may not come fast, a volunteer must be patient and realistic in his approaches (Tobel G.V., 2006).

Policies from the American Correctional Association (ACA) Code of Ethics There are several policies that guide the operations of ACA with the outstanding ones being that the members of ACA shall respect and protect the civil rights of all individuals, members are required to treat all the professional situations with the welfare of the individuals in mind and without any malicious personal gain intentions. The members are also required to protect the rights of the members of the public to be secure from criminal activities (American Correctional Association, 2015).

Bases of power Hepburn identified five bases of power for the correctional officers, three of them are; Legitimate power- this is the formal authority that the correctional officers have to take charge over the inmates once they are within the facilities. Coercive power -- involves the presentation of unpleasant conditions to assert power over the inmates and change some behavior. This comes in the form of ability to mete out segregation, searches, disciplinary and even transfers of inmates.

Reward power -- involves the officer using his ability to present favorable conditions to the inmates in order to assert his authority. This involves prized jobs, favorable reports and distribution of privileges (Liebling A. & David P., 2011:Pp134). Norms identified by Kaufman that constitute the correctional officer code. The norms that constitute the correctional officers code are 9 in total, four of them being; Don't rat-which means an officer should inform against another officer lest he risks being cast out of the subculture group and isolated by the rest.

Always go to the aid of an officer in distress -- when a fellow officer is in distress, it is incumbent on the colleagues to g to his rescue. Don't deal drugs with inmates -- this is not as a condemnation of the drug dealing per se, but to decrease the chances of the inmates being harsh and uncontrollable once under the influence of drugs hence a danger to the officers.

Always support a fellow officer in a dispute with an inmate -- this helps reinforce the solidarity against the inmates hence giving them additional control (Kaufman K., 2013). Crouch and Marquart on correctional subcultures influence on new officers There are three ways that the new officers are influenced by the subcultures. One of the central ways as described by Crouch and Marquart is that the guard subculture is central to the socialization of the new recruits. The new rookies observe and imitate the things done and dais by the ranking officers.

They indicate further that the presence of the guard subculture teaches the new officers how perceive convicts, it also teaches them how to anticipate chaos as well as how to manage the inmates (Michael W., 2011: Pp 486).

Positive and negative effects the correctional subculture has on new officers The positive effects that the guard subcultures have on new officers is that they help them cope with the new environment and also exposes them to experiences that others have had and hence minimized chances of making mistakes that would otherwise prove to be expensive or dangerous to them.

It also makes their on job experience much faster and allows the rookies to find comfort in the new zone much easier than if these subcultures would not be in existence. The challenge with the subcultures is that they entrench ills and segregation against the inmates, they teach the new officers that the officers are in an exclusive club hence looking down upon the inmates, a fact that erodes the professional training they undergo.

Essential ingredients for females working in all-male institutions as noted by Graham Working as female officer in a male correctional facility is challenging hence the female officer will have to have the ability and traits to handle challenges as they come. She has to be able to talk straight and calmly to the inmates who express any sexual advances in action or word, without letting go such acts.

The female officer also needs to avoid relationship with colleagues within the same facility that they work sine this may cause trouble at work. The female officers will also need to be professional in all their dealings within the facility inclosing the dressing that would not subject them to male prisoners scrutiny.