Correctional Administration and Change Management

Change is an inevitable part of any correctional institution, as new trends and initiatives constantly bombard the system. Introducing the concept of organizational capacity, this volume examines leadership, management, and organizational culture and how they apply to correctional agencies, enabling administrators to identify the changes that can be successfully implemented within the organizational context. Topics discussed include management theory, the importance of effective communication, information capital, the human element of change, the concept of evidence-based practice, and the role of evaluation and outcome assessment in the process of improving correctional practice.

Change is an inevitable part of any correctional institution, as new trends and initiatives constantly bombard the system. However, as budgetary constraints increasingly require correctional agencies to do more with less, a paradigm shift in the way they operate is imperative to ensure success. Correctional Administration and Change Management examines leadership, management, and organizational culture and how they apply to correctional agencies, enabling administrators to identify the changes that can be successfully implemented within the organizational context.

The book begins by defining the construct of change management in corrections. It reviews management theory and discusses why change is so difficult in correctional environments. It also introduces the concept of organizational capacity and examines its importance. After providing this fundamental background as a starting point, the authors discuss:

• The role of administration and guidance in driving and implementing change
• The importance of effective communication
• How correctional leaders can improve communication channels within their organizations
• Information capital (the collection, access, and storage of facts and figures necessary for informed, data-driven decision making)
• The human element of change within the organizational context
• Choosing staff with the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities to manage and implement change initiatives
• Proven strategies to improve correctional outcomes
• The concept of evidence-based practice and its relevance within the correctional context
• The role of evaluation and outcome assessment in the process of improving correctional practice

Correctional organizations struggle to keep abreast with the constant influx of change propagated by internal and external forces. Steeped in research, this volume highlights proven methods that can be utilized by any correctional organization to establish the capacity to adapt to change, and to make these changes successful.

Learning objectives, key terms, discussion questions, references for additional reading, and web links appear throughout the book. Instructors have access to PowerPoint^® lecture slides with graphics from the text. An accompanying solutions manual allows correctional administrators to work through current issues that their agency is faced with in each topical area, and instructors can use it as part of a management simulation program.