Discuss the importance of evaluating staffing quality within correctional agencies.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

It is important for correctional agencies to evaluate their recruitment and hiring standards as well as their own existing staff. Some examples might include the existence of an effective human resources division, sufficient budgeting for equipment to effectively do one’s job, and the nature of the job design, particularly in regard to caseload. Agencies should evaluate their hiring standards and should examine factors such as the number of complaints generated by the community regarding staff functioning. Grievances and/or complaints by offenders can also be examined if it should turn out that there is some legitimacy to such complaints. Likewise, employee standards of conduct are important as are incidents where employees do not meet standards that are expected by the agency. Further, staff should be consulted and evaluators should consider whether the line staff feel prepared and/or whether they consider their work environment to be on par with other agencies. All of this staff-related information provides a richer analysis of agency operations and also provides additional transparency to the day-to-day routines that occur.