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Organizational Issues and Solutions

Angela Thomas Smith

BUS520 - Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Dr. Eva M. Ananiewicz (Dr. A)

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Introduction

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is facing significant challenges in maintaining adequate staff levels and addressing overcrowding in its facilities. The organization's culture and corporate practices have inadvertently contributed to these issues, making it crucial to explore and implement effective strategies for improvement. This paper aims to analyze the organizational issue of understaffing and overcrowding in TDCJ, examine its cultural and corporate influences, identify areas of weakness, and propose recommendations for management to address these challenges. By implementing these recommendations, TDCJ can improve its ability to provide a safe and secure environment, deliver quality rehabilitation programs, and ultimately reduce recidivism rates.

Describe The Organization and The Organizational Issue

The organization I have chosen to review, and resolve is the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). TDCJ is a governmental agency responsible for prisons, jails, and rehabilitation programs in Texas. One major issue affecting TDCJ's productivity is the problem of being short-staffed and operating overcrowded facilities. “The increasing number of incarcerated individuals in Texas has strained the existing prison infrastructure and limited the availability of qualified staff members”(Hardy, 3). This overcrowding issue hinders the organization's ability to maintain a safe and secure environment, provide quality healthcare, and offer rehabilitation programs to inmates. To address this issue, a comprehensive approach that prioritizes rehabilitation and reallocates resources to expand and improve rehab programs in TDCJ facilities is proposed. This solution aims to reduce recidivism rates and alleviate overcrowding.

Organization's Culture

The TDCJ's culture, “as defined by its core values and mission statement, emphasizes perseverance, integrity, courage, and commitment among its employees”(DIVISION, 1). This culture is designed to promote professionalism, strong moral character, and public safety. However, it can be argued that this culture has contributed to the issue of understaffing and overcrowding within the organization.

The emphasis on professionalism and strong moral character could have created a high level of expectation for potential employees, making it harder to attract and retain qualified individuals. These factors could have contributed to the issue of understaffing, as the organization may struggle to fill vacant positions and maintain adequate staffing levels. TDCJ may have put additional strain on existing staff members. With a limited number of employees, it becomes challenging to provide the necessary support and resources to address overcrowding issues effectively.

Add in the two bipartisan bills in Texas “aim to simplify the process of incarcerating defendants before their trial, which has raised concerns among criminologists who argue that this approach negatively impacts public safety”(Hardy, 3). The potential consequence of these bills is the exacerbation of mass incarceration in Texas, leading to overcrowded prisons and understaffing issues. By making it easier for judges to detain defendants awaiting trial, more individuals may be placed behind bars, increasing the strain on an already overburdened system.

In summary, while the TDCJ's culture promotes important values and goals, it may have inadvertently contributed to the issue of understaffing and overcrowding. The organization's commitment to public safety and positive change in offender behavior, along with the expectation of professionalism and strong moral character, may have created challenges in attracting and retaining qualified employees. Overall, a deeper examination of the organization's culture and its impact on staffing and overcrowding is necessary to develop effective strategies for addressing these issues.

Corporate Culture

TDCJ corporate culture has prioritized cost-cutting and maintaining a large inmate population, which has directly contributed to the problem of overcrowding. This is “mainly driven by the use of mandatory minimum sentencing laws and a tough-on-crime mentality that emphasizes incarceration as the primary solution for addressing criminal behavior”(Hardy, 3). As a result, the system has become overwhelmed with an abundance of inmates, leading to severe overcrowding in prisons.

Additionally, the corporate culture within TDCJ has contributed to the issue of understaffing. Hiring and retaining qualified correctional officers and staff is vital for maintaining a safe and secure prison environment. However, “TDCJ has faced challenges in attracting and retaining personnel due to low wages, demanding work conditions, and the inherent dangers associated with working in prisons” (Hardy, 3). The corporate culture within TDCJ has failed to prioritize competitive compensation, adequate training, and support for staff members, resulting in a shortage of qualified personnel. This understaffing exacerbates the issues of overcrowding and poses significant risks to the safety and security of both staff and inmates.

TDCJ Areas Of Weakness

TDCJ has several areas of weakness in its culture and corporate practices. The organization's emphasis on professionalism and strong moral character may have unintentionally contributed to the issue of understaffing. The high expectations for potential employees could make it difficult to attract and retain qualified individuals, hindering the organization's ability to fill vacant positions. Additionally, TDCJ's culture prioritizes cost-cutting and maintaining a large inmate population has directly contributed to the problem of overcrowding. Mandatory minimum sentencing laws and a tough-on-crime mentality have overwhelmed the system with an abundance of inmates, putting strain on the already overcrowded prisons.

Moreover, TDCJ's organizational culture has failed to address important aspects such as diversity, teamwork, and motivational strategies. The lack of emphasis on these areas has resulted in a shortage of qualified personnel and risks to the safety and security of staff and inmates. By not prioritizing competitive compensation, adequate training, and support for staff members, TDCJ is unable to effectively address the issue of understaffing and overcrowding. To rectify these weaknesses, the organization needs to focus on creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce, promoting teamwork and collaboration, and implementing motivational strategies to attract and retain qualified individuals.

Recommendations for Management

To address the issue of understaffing and overcrowding in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), several organizational practice modifications can be implemented. Firstly, TDCJ should focus on attracting and retaining qualified personnel by offering competitive compensation packages and improving working conditions. This can be achieved by increasing the salaries of correctional officers and providing additional benefits, such as better healthcare and retirement plans. Additionally, the organization should invest in comprehensive training programs and ongoing professional development opportunities to enhance the skills and capabilities of its staff.

TDCJ should prioritize rehabilitation programs as a means to reduce recidivism and alleviate overcrowding. By reallocating resources from other areas, such as administrative expenses or non-essential programs, TDCJ can expand and improve the availability of rehabilitation services in its facilities. This can include increasing the number of educational programs, vocational training, and substance abuse treatment options for inmates. By focusing on rehabilitation and providing inmates with the necessary skills to reintegrate into society, TDCJ can decrease the inmate population and ultimately reduce the strain on its facilities.

TDCJ should advocate for criminal justice reforms that promote alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders. This can be achieved through engaging with legislators, community organizations, and other stakeholders to support policies such as diversion programs, pre-trial services, and sentencing reforms. These initiatives will help reduce the number of individuals being sent to prisons, thus addressing the issue of overcrowding. Additionally, TDCJ should collaborate with community organizations and nonprofits to provide reentry support and resources for individuals leaving the correctional system, promoting successful reintegration, and reducing the likelihood of recidivism.

Overall, by focusing on attracting and retaining qualified staff, prioritizing rehabilitation programs, and advocating for criminal justice reforms, TDCJ can address the weaknesses of understaffing and overcrowding. These organizational practice modifications will not only improve the safety and security of TDCJ facilities but also contribute to reducing recidivism rates and promoting positive outcomes for inmates.

Conclusion

The issue of understaffing and overcrowding in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) requires a comprehensive approach that acknowledges the impact of the organization's culture and corporate practices. By prioritizing the attraction and retention of qualified personnel, investing in rehabilitation programs, and advocating for criminal justice reforms, TDCJ can address the weaknesses that contribute to these challenges. These organizational practice modifications not only improve the safety and security of TDCJ facilities but also contribute to reducing recidivism rates and promoting positive outcomes for inmates. With a committed effort from management and collaboration with stakeholders, TDCJ can work towards creating a more efficient and effective criminal justice system in Texas. By addressing the issues of understaffing and overcrowding, TDCJ can better fulfill its mission of ensuring public safety, providing rehabilitation opportunities, and promoting successful offender reintegration. Overall, these recommendations will contribute to a more sustainable, fair, and just criminal justice system in Texas.

RESOURCE

1. HR DIVISION. April 15, 2017. Mission Statement - Texas Department of Criminal Justice. https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/divisions/hr/hr-home/hrsdcat.pdf.

2. Criminal Justice Connection. August 2016. An employee publication of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/connections/2016/JulAug2016/benefits_vol23no6.html.

3. Michael Hardy. March 22, 2023. Texas Jails Are Crowded, Understaffed, and Dangerous. The Legislature Is Poised to Send Them More Inmates.. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/texas-legislature-poised-to-send-jails-more-inmates/.