Corrections Officers: Roles and Challenges

Corrections Officers: Roles and Challenges
Student's Name
Course Title
Lecturer's Name
Assignment Due Date
Correctional Facility Staff Hierarchy and Goals of Correctional Staff Members
Correctional facilities consist of administrative staff, clerical personnel, program staff, custodial staff, service and maintenance staff, and volunteers. Administrative staff monitors everyday operations and operates the facility and its programs with established policies. The staff also ensures the respective staff supervises the inmates and the prisoners have a fully protected environment (Baker et al., 1). These individuals also manage the facility's budget and resources.
Clerical personnel help detention deputies with the booking and releasing process of inmates. They also update prisoners' files and perform various jail-related clerical duties. Other duties include observing and reporting security concerns to the supervisor, maintaining and tracking court-ordered inmate treatment, and maintaining office supplies and prison property issued to inmates.
The custodial staff directly manages the inmates by securing checks, monitoring visits, conducting search procedures, and writing reports. They also escort inmates and help in the prisoner review as part of their daily work. Additionally, the custodial staff advises the inmates on the available programs and provides suitable care and support for inmates at high risk of self-harm (Baker et al., 1). Their job is to control prisoners and their safety.
Program staff encourages prisoners to participate in educational, vocational, and treatment programs. They review prisoners' files, promise proper categorization to determine their psychological health, and refer them to counseling programs or other helpful programs. The program staff also processes prisoners' accounts, work releases, and records connected with the inmates. They are important because they maintain the closest ties with the inmates and the staff.
The four main goals of correctional staff members include: (1) To ensure community safety (2) To enhance the smooth and successful operation of the institution (3) To ensure that imprisonment is secure and humane (4) To allow inmates to gain the personal and empowerment skills needed to develop a positive lifestyle.
The first goal is important because it assures community members of safety. Through this goal, the correctional facility establishes a strong relationship with the community. The significance of the second goal is that it enables the facility to operate smoothly with limited challenges. The third goal promotes human rights. It ensures that the correctional officers uphold human rights by following the requirements of the law before incarcerating a convict. The final goal is important because it advocates for the inmate's training and development.
Effectiveness of the Five Types of Power available to Correctional Staff
The five types of power available to correctional staff to manage inmate behavior include legitimate power, referent power, expert power, reward power, and coercive power. Legitimate power is derived by virtue of position in the organization. It is the most important because it is the position in power. This type of power works along wi...