Administrator Challenges Analysis

Administrator Challenges Analysis

The criminal justice system is a process designed to handle the crime problems in the United States by federal, state, and local agencies. The components of the criminal justice system are police, courts, and corrections. Each agency serves a specific purpose of handling criminals that break the laws of society. These agencies work to solve criminal cases by processing suspects, to defendants, and finally to convicted offenders in attempt to make the streets a safer place. The modern prison has grown into the centerpiece of today’s correctional system providing diverse forms of social control. The contents of this essay will address briefly the major issues and job satisfaction of correctional administrators. In addition, the text will discuss how this course will benefit the writer in future endeavors within the criminal justice system.

Major Issues

With the high rising occurrences of criminal activity in the United States, sentencing has caused an impact of mass overcrowding as a major issue in the correctional systems for prison administrators (Peak, 2010). The current high level of incarceration reflects three distinct contributory factors, each of which is subject to policy reform. First, much of the nation’s prison growth can be attributed to an increase in the average length of stay in prison. This reflects, in turn, decisions by state legislatures to increase prison sentences, primarily for convictions for violent offenses. Second, the high rate of imprisonment has been sustained to a large extent by prison sentences for drug offenses, particularly drug selling. Finally, the prison population reflects the influx of large numbers of churners, particularly parole violators who move in, and out of prison and stay for relatively short periods, only to return home (Peak, 2010).

These issues impact the effectiveness of prison administration, management, and operations because higher prison populations create a large economic strain on state budgets. The number of prisoners increases every year, and sentences grow longer. Despite these increases, budgets are tighter than ever, and expectations higher. The expense of maintaining prisons continues to rises. Controlling expenses and providing an appropriate environment for convicts and for employees is a huge challenge for a government, whether federal, state, or municipal (Peak, 2010).

As the number of housed inmates in corrections continues to rise, prison administrators must address two other major issues, such as corruption within the correctional system and concerns directly related to the health and welfare of the inmates. Corruption is the oldest and most relentless problem that plagues corrections. Correctional officers must uphold the law to the highest degree and not use his or her position to gain personal advantage or profit nor use