Assignment:
Have you ever heard the adage "When in Rome do as the Romans do"? Essentially, this means that you should follow the customs and rules in a particular place or setting even if you are not familiar with these customs and rules. If you were a new recruit in a criminal justice.
(1 to 2 pages):
Organization, the adage might also apply to you. The formal training you receive to "do your job" is likely to be accompanied by a set of unwritten and informal rules. You would need to be aware of both the written and unwritten rules to determine how to behave. You also would need to learn how politics and political processes play out in the organization to avoid any missteps or blunders. You will consider the socialization of criminal justice professionals. Then, you will examine how politics and the political process play out and influence criminal justice organizations.
Politics and the political process play a dominate role in how matters are handled in criminal justice organizations. For example, in a criminal sentencing the prosecutor, judge, and defense attorney all have political interest in the outcome. Two levels of politics exist- internal and external. Internal politics occur within criminal justice organizations, as when a police commissioner pushes his or her beliefs to influence change within an organization. External politics occur outside of criminal justice organizations and involve the influence and/or demands of political leaders and the public-e.g., the push from society and national leaders to address the nation's drug problem.
In the case of the sentencing hearing, internal politics involving criminal justice professionals might call for lighter sentencing to ease overcrowding in prisons. On the other hand, the public, legislature, or other external entity might lobby for harsher sentences to demonstrate that society is tough on crime. As a potential criminal justice professional, it is important to acknowledge how politics and the political process may influence the management and administration of criminal justice organizations.
1. Think about how politics and political processes play out in criminal justice organizations.
2. Consider how politics and the political process influence the management and administration of criminal justice organizations.
3. Explain how internal and external politics and the political process play out in criminal justice organizations. Be specific, and use examples to illustrate your explanation.
4. Explain how politics and the political process influence the management and administration of criminal justice organizations. Again, be specific, and use examples to illustrate your explanation.
Article:
Van Maanen, J. (1978). The asshole. In Policing: A view from the street (pp. 307-328). Goodyear Publishing.
Haney, C. (2008). A culture of harm: Taming the dynamics of cruelty in supermax prisons. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35, 956 - 984.