Students, at some point in their future criminal justice career, may decide that a career in corrections offers the desired job security, financial security, and stability that their lives require.

Over time, a corrections officer will have gained sufficient knowledge and credibility to work up through the ranks to become responsible for managing others and leading policy decisions. Being knowledgeable about the plethora of management and leadership styles and theories is essential to becoming a successful manager and leader.

This LASA is your opportunity to demonstrate how policies, procedures, and management and leadership styles must be adapted from time to time based on the assessment of a problem or problems.

It is important that you clearly identify the problem (problem statement) and then use multivariate analysis to identify, isolate, and solve the problem or problems using a process paper to communicate the information that led to your recommendations, while differentiating between managing and leading in a correctional setting.

Instructions:

You have been appointed as an associate warden of the Centervale Men's Prison. The Centervale Men's Prison has operated in a very traditional style for the past forty years of its existence. The warden has been there for a long time. He operates in a very autocratic fashion that is becoming increasingly ineffective.

Line staff members have been joining the union at increasing numbers, their morale is very low, and they complain that they are never told what is going on or when a threat of conflict is developing between inmate groups. The midlevel managers of the prison's departments believe they do not have the authority to make any decisions without first getting approval from the warden.

You accepted the position as associate warden at the Centervale Men's Prison because you wanted to make a difference. In your assessment, you confirm that the morale of the staff and inmates has reached an all-time low; the staff is calling in sick at record numbers, and the inmates are becoming restless and aggressive.

You also find out that the warden is nearing retirement (ten months away) and has lost interest in the operations and leadership in the facility. You must use all your leadership and management knowledge to get the facility back on track.

In your evaluation of the facility, you see an opportunity to make improvements. In order to change things, you must identify the risks associated with each change, as well as a plan for gaining the approval of the warden.

What types of changes should be made, and what are some actions you will take to make the changes? What end results will be in place once your changes are implemented?

Using the knowledge gained from your textbook and additional research through the Argosy digital resources, identify the strengths and weaknesses of each of the management and leadership styles available to you; reduce the total down to three and then select one management and one leadership style to guide you in your recommendations for change at the Centervale Men's Prison.

Your content will be presented in the form an APA 6th ed. process paper, which will be no less than 8 pages (title page, abstract, 5 pages of content, and a references page).

You will explain the events leading up to your decisions and compare at least three different management styles you might consider when administering your recommendations; in addition, you will identify and describe at least three leadership styles you might consider when guiding the staff.

Ultimately, you will determine the management style and leadership style you will demonstrate as the associate warden of the Centervale Men's Prison and explain how and why you selected these two styles. Include the following discussion points in your response:

Identify and describe three management styles and provide a comparison of the three styles.

Identify and describe three leadership styles and provide a comparison of the three styles.

Select the management style and leadership style you will demonstrate as the associate warden of the Centervale Men's Prison and explain how and why you selected these two styles.

Examine three or four improvements that need to be made in the Centervale Men's Prison. Describe how your selected management style addresses the types of changes that should be made and explain how this style facilitates change.

Assess how your leadership style will drive your plan for gaining the approval of the warden. What end results will be in place once your changes are implemented?

Expectations of a Process Paper:

Your assignment is a process paper in APA 6th ed. format. "A process paper is a kind of how-to or explanation paper that explains a particular process by giving step-by-step directions or by describing certain changes or operations." Remember that a process paper must be written in chronological order. For a process paper, it's important to define your audience because they'll determine what kind of language you'll use and how much detail you'll go into.

For instance, in a process paper about how to change a tire, you'd write in a less detailed manner for an audience of mechanics than you would for a group of beginning drivers. If you're writing for a general audience, you need to explain anything that they might find confusing or unfamiliar.

Think about how you would explain the process to children. Then reread your material and add a simple explanation of any words or concepts that children wouldn't be familiar with (without being patronizing!). Be sure to be precise when you give measurements. If you write 'Use a little compost in the mixture,' your readers may think that 'a little' is a tablespoon, when you actually meant a gallon.

"Remember that transition words and phrases help your reader see the chronological flow of the steps (next, after that, finally) as well as the placement of materials (above, beside that, to the right). Be sure to check with your instructor, publisher, or company about any mandates regarding point of view (usually a process paper is written in second person), use of bulleted lists, and use of illustrations, diagrams, or photos" (Thurman, 2003, pp. 156-157).

Reference:

Thurman, S. (2003). Finding the right words. In The only grammar book you'll ever need: A one-stop source for every writing assignment(pp.156-157). Avon, MA: Adams Media.