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REORGANIZATION OF STATE CORRECTIONS AGENCIES - A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE

NCJ Number
41058
Author(s)
T HENDERSON; M KANNENSOHN; J R WEBER; S WERNERFOSTER J D
Date Published
1977
Length
126 pages
Annotation
FORTY-TWO STATES RESTRUCTURED THEIR JUVENILE AND ADULT CORRECTIONS AGENCIES FROM 1965 TO 1975, 29 DOING SO TWICE. THE REORGANIZATION PROCESS IN SOME IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE REORGANIZATIONS HAVE, IN ALMOST EVERY INSTANCE, INVOLVED CONSOLIDATING CORRECTIONS ADMINISTRATION INTO FEWER AGENCIES. THE RESEARCH REPORTED HERE USES THE EXPERIENCES OF NINE STATES THAT REORGANIZED CORRECTIONS AT LEAST ONCE DURING THIS PERIOD - ARIZONA, COLORADO, DELAWARE, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, ILLINOIS, MARYLAND, OHIO, AND OREGON. POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY, MANAGERIAL CONTROL, AND PROGRAMMATIC IMPROVEMENT WERE THE DOMINANT THEMES CHARACTERIZNG REORGANIZATION PROPOSALS. THE TWO MOST DOMINANT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES FOR UNIFYING CORRECTIONS SERVICES WERE AN INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND A HUMAN RESOURCES OR PUBLIC SAFETY UMBRELLA. A THIRD ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENT CONSISTED OF STATES IN WHICH ADULT AND JUVENILE PROGRAMS WERE LOCATED IN SEPARATE AGENCIES. REORGANIZATION HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON POLITICAL RELATIONSHIPS AND MANAGERIAL EFFECTIVENESS. IN GENERAL, IT WAS LIKELY TO INCREASE RESOURCE AVAILABILTIY, REGARDLESS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE. HOWEVER, THE INCREASED VISIBILITY ACCOMPANYING DEPARTMENT STATUS PUT CORRECTIONS ADMINISTRATORS IN A BETTER COMPETITIVE POSITION WITH OTHER AGENCIES DURING EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BUDGET MANEUVERINGS. THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT TWO FACTORS NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN DECIDING WHETHER TO REORGANIZE AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE NEW AGENCY SHOULD BE RESTRUCTURED. FIRST, ALTHOUGH CHANGING THE ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE HAS IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR CORRECTIONS POLICY, THE EXACT MEANING IS VERY PROBLEMATICAL. NUMEROUS INTERVENING CONDITIONS ARE NECESSARY FOR REORGANIZATION TO HAVE MAXIMUM IMPACT. SECOND, REORGANIZING IS A COSTLY, TIME-CONSUMING PROCESS WHICH IS MORE APPROPRIATE FOR DEALING WITH BROAD-SCALE WEAKNESSES THAN FOR RECTIFYING SPECIFIC PROBLEMS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...ELW

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