As a supervisor in criminal justice, you will need to be able to identify challenges to organizational structure and systems and propose evidence-based solutions to management. Strong written and verbal communication skills are necessary when interacting with every member of an organization. Supervisors must understand how challenges affect the organizational structure of the system. They must also be ready to communicate about such challenges before attempting to apply leadership philosophies and practices to make decisions about needed changes. 

Select an example of a criminal justice organization at the local, state, or federal level. You will use this organization’s structure as an example context for your presentation; you will not need to know the challenges facing the organization in real life.  

Select 3 organizational challenges from the list below that this kind of organization might face. Cite at least 2 scholarly sources in your presentation in addition to the organization’s website. 

Potential Organizational Challenges 

Use any of the following examples of challenges facing managers of criminal justice organizations that could threaten the organization’s structure or systems: 

People Challenges 

• Establishing consistent hiring and performance standards (screening out underqualified, unethical, or underperforming staff)
• Building and maintaining diverse and inclusive teams and relationships
• Reducing mistrust and turnover
• Strengthening public confidence
• Using staff and resources efficiently to handle cases more effectively
• Addressing lack of integration and collaboration between departments, sectors, agencies, teams, etc. 

Policy Challenges 

• Contingency planning: Recognizing predictable events and prioritizing decisions to make policies to prevent and handle them
• Contingency planning: Developing teams to advise on unpredictable events and how to respond to them
• Protecting civil liberties
• Maintaining a safe, secure, and humane prison system
• Countering terrorism and safeguarding national security
• Coordinating law enforcement to handle increasing levels of violent crime and the opioid crisis
• Addressing the overuse of specific strategies or use of a policy/program for overly short or lengthy durations

Training Challenges 

• Budgeting for and delivery of ongoing training (in-person and remotely) 
• Balancing training needs with staff coverage 
• Establishing clear succession and promotion plans based on performance 
• Protecting against cyberthreats and determining new responses to risks from emerging technologies 

Supervision Challenges 

• Leading with compassion and confidence 
• Managing negativity and conflict 
• Improving morale or engagement 

Discipline Challenges 

• Handling policy violations, reporting, and accountability 
• Making consistent leadership decisions about disciplinary issues 
• Using sensitive investigative authorities by department law enforcement 
• Ensuring financial accountability of department contracts and grants 
• Reducing delays or errors in the administration of justice 

Assessment Deliverable

Create a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation as if you were a supervisor examining problems and proposing solutions within the organization. Your presentation should include the following information supported by evidence of challenges to the organization’s structure and systems: 

• Describe the selected criminal justice organization that is currently undergoing organizational challenges.  
• Summarize 3 organizational challenges the organization might experience. Discuss how these organizational challenges affect the structure and systems of the organization. 
• Explain how the organization has addressed cultural and gender challenges at the leadership level. 
• Apply a different philosophy or practice for effective organizational behavior leadership to each of the 3 challenges. Recommend a strategy for preventing or reducing each organizational challenge based on the philosophy or practice.