Strategic planning is a crucial aspect of organizational management. It ensures an institution runs on rules, values and policies, presenting an excellent chance to fulfill organizational dreams, goals, and objectives. Strategic planning is essential in the service industry as it ensures that organizations and their employees render services as required and with the public in mind. The police force is one of the institutions that require proper strategic planning as they handle issues concerned with public safety. The plans should encompass aspects of employment policies, legal frameworks, constitutional mandates, and ethical guidelines that ensure inmates and the general public are free from any security threat. The recent news of eight inmates being beaten while handcuffed at the North Carolina Central Prison highlights the dire need for a properly developed strategic plan within the institution. Thus, this plan fills the gap to present steps, procedures, and policies that enable the institution to function within the confines of the law and maintain acceptable ethical standards when dealing with inmates.
North Carolina Central Prison’s Strategic Plan
The recent case of eight inmates beaten while handcuffed is an unfortunate incident that has presented the North Carolina Central Prison in a very bad light. It has unearthed a system that disregards the rule of law and the fundamental human rights and morals which demand that inmates, like any other people, be treated with utmost dignity. The event presents a valid ground for developing a strategic plan to ensure a change in operations within the institution. This strategic plan aims to provide a framework for addressing the issues of employment and policy law, legal procedures, constitutional mandates, and ethics at North Carolina Central Prison. It manifests strategic thinking, which involves a systematic approach to decision-making. In addition, the plan considers the organization’s mission, goals, values and other external factors that can impact its daily operations. Thus, it will ensure the prison integrates ethics in all decision-making processes to provide such an event does not occur in the future.
Legal policies and constitutional mandates are crucial components that impact strategic planning at North Carolina Central Prison. The organization is bound by various laws and regulations that govern its operations, including employment and policy law and constitutional mandates such as the Eighth Amendment (Bedau, 2020). These provisions prohibit cruel and unusual punishment of inmates regardless of their crimes or mistakes. The legal policies and constitutional mandates impact strategic planning by providing a framework for decision-making. In addition, they shape an organization’s culture and values, dictating how workers interact with each other and with the people coming into the institution. For instance, policies governing the treatment of inmates will influence how the organization develops its practices and procedures for handling inmates. Thus, considering the case of North Carolina’s central position is important to craft a realistic strategic plan.
In addition, legal policies and constitutional mandates also impact strategic planning by shaping the organization’s reputation and relationships with stakeholders. North Carolina Central Prison’s compliance with legal policies and constitutional mandates is essential to maintaining a positive image in the eyes of stakeholders such as the public, employees, and investors. Failure to comply with these policies and mandates, as seen in the brutal handling of inmates, can result in legal and financial repercussions. The misconduct can also damage the organization’s reputation, putting it in the wrong position regarding human rights recognition (Blumberg et al., 2020). These issues, coupled with the conduct of the correctional officers, show that the prison failed to implement its strategic plan, leading to mistreating of the inmates to the extent that some of them got disabled. Thus, bringing a new plan into force will ensure correctional officers adopt a new operating style that respects all the laws and constitutional mandates bestowed on them.
Strategic thinking and planning are also valuable in developing ethics within the organization. According to Sewpaul and Henrickson (2019), ethics are moral principles that govern behavior and decision-making. They ensure that an organization, including its employees, operates within a given acceptable standard when handling different issues. Incorporating ethical considerations into the strategic planning process would enable North Carolina Central Prison to evaluate ethical issues and make decisions that align with its values and mission. As a result, the institution will be able to maintain an ethical organization that is accountable to its stakeholders and operates within legal and ethical boundaries.
In addition, strategic thinking and planning can help to develop a culture of ethics within the organization. Such a development would involve integrating ethical considerations into the organization’s decision-making processes. In addition, it will cultivate an environment where employees are comfortable reporting ethical issues. For instance, a good organizational culture of ethics would have compelled some correctional officers to take steps or measures to ensure the offending officers do not harm the inmates to the extent that happened (Steiner & Wooldredge, 2018). However, the lack of a well-defined ethics culture led to the prison’s silence. At the same time, the inmates continued to suffer in the hostile environment despite some of them having serious medical issues. Therefore, developing and integrating a culture of ethics in North Carolina Central Prison’s strategic plan will ensure that officers promptly identify and address ethical issues, mitigating the risk of violations.
Overall, strategic thinking and planning are essential in addressing the issues of employment and policy law, legal policies, constitutional mandates, and ethics at North Carolina Central Prison (Stroube, 2021). These factors have a huge say in the institution’s running and how the officers handle the inmates. Therefore, proper planning would ensure that the institution and all officers working within understand the legal, ethical, and constitutional responsibilities bestowed upon them as rehabilitators rather than punishers.
Issues of Employment and Policy Law
The scenario of eight inmates filing a lawsuit against the State of North Carolina alleging repeated beatings while handcuffed and shackled raises employment and policy law issues. Like any other organization, the North Carolina Central Prison is bound by laws and regulations that govern its operations. Failure to comply with these laws can result in legal and financial repercussions and damage the organization’s reputation. With 21 officers being charged for beating inmates while in handcuffs (Biesecker, 2013), there is no doubt that the prison is unsafe and befitting some changes so it can operate accordingly. Thus, considering the employment and policy laws is a good step toward implementing the needed strategic changes.
Many employment law issues come into play because of the event. One issue that comes out glaringly is the possible lack of proper training for correctional officers. The officers are responsible for maintaining order and discipline within the prison. As a result, their actions can significantly impact the safety and well-being of inmates throughout their prison sentences. In this scenario, the inmates allege that they were beaten while handcuffed and shackled, suggesting that the correctional officers involved may have used excessive force. The officers’ conduct implies that they might not have undergone the proper training in handling inmates, dealing with possible cases of indiscipline, and anger management (Campbell et al., 2014, p. 84). Thus, the new strategic plan must highlight the remedial measures to ensure a change in operation within the institution and build a foundation in which no more inmates will suffer at the hands of correctional officials.
Another employment law issue is the lack of accountability for correctional officers who engage in misconduct. As a correctional institution, North Carolina Central Prison must hold its employees accountable for their actions to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the prison system. The accountability measures can include taking disciplinary action against misconduct officers and providing support and resources for officers who are diligent enough to report misconduct cases. Correctional officers may feel emboldened to engage in abusive or illegal behavior without proper accountability. Such might have been the case at North Carolina Central Prison, considering that the officers beat the inmates even after rendering them helpless.
Aside from the employment law issues, the North Carolina Central Prison case has been influenced by policy law issues. One of the main issues may have been the need for clear policies and procedures for using force and restraint techniques. The North Carolina Central Prison is mandated to ensure inmates’ and correctional officers’ safety and security. While using force and restraint techniques is essential to maintaining that safety and security, there is no justification whatsoever for what the officers did in this case, particularly to the extent of beating inmates who had not caused any trouble. Failure to implement proper policies and guidelines on how officers can use force and restraint will throw the institution into anarchy. Therefore, the new plan must consider such scenarios and ensure the prison has in-house operating policies that will ensure the safety of all people.
Another policy law issue could be the lack of oversight and monitoring of correctional officers. The North Carolina Central Prison ensures its employees follow the right procedures and protocols when dealing with inmates. Such procedures do not include using force or engaging in abusive and illegal behavior. However, with the situation, the institution likely needed such policies. While it could have been possible that the institution expects the officers to understand the state and national laws guiding the running of prisons and the conduct of the officers, it would have been prudent to have inhouse protocols aligning to the national and state prison management laws as a way of deterring such cases. At this point, the plan must include proper guidelines or organizational changes to see the inmates enjoy a peaceful sentence.
Recommended Organizational Changes
The issues arising from North Carolina Central Prison case present a fertile ground for new organizational changes. First, the prison should develop a comprehensive training program for correctional officers. The program should capitalize on the proper use of force and restraint techniques. The training should include instruction on de-escalation techniques, conflict resolution, and the appropriate use of force. The main aim of the training is to reduce the likelihood of correctional officers engaging in abusive and highly violent behaviors in the future. The reputational and financial losses incurred in this case are enough lessons that good conduct is of the essence at all times.
Second, North Carolina Central Prison should establish an accountability system for correctional officers who engage in misconduct. The system could involve the creation of an internal affairs department or an independent oversight committee that investigates misconduct allegations and takes appropriate disciplinary action. In addition, the strategy can introduce an internal vetting, incentive, or promotional program that will reward accountable and responsible officers to encourage good conduct. Such moves will ensure that the officers are accountable for their actions while at the same time reinforcing the importance of ethical conduct and maintenance of integrity within the prison system.
Third, the prison should develop clear policies and procedures for using force and restraint techniques. These policies should outline the appropriate use of force, the circumstances under which force may be used, and the proper techniques for restraining inmates. In addition, they should prescribe conditions under which officers can employ restraint techniques and possible disciplinary measures for the officers who might go overboard and misuse the provisions. The policies must be clear and explained to the officers to ensure no mixup or conduct with other protocols within the forces. With such strategies, North Carolina Central Prison can reduce the likelihood of future abusive or excessive behavior by correctional officers.
Finally, the prison’s management should increase its oversight and monitoring procedures. The strategy could involve using cameras or other surveillance equipment to monitor employee conduct. In this provision, the management must ensure no “blind spots” since the officers have proven to be canny and willing to use such small avenues to execute their ill intentions. In addition, the management should conduct regular audits and inspections to ensure compliance with policies and procedures (Campbell et al., 2014, p. 85). These will ensure the officers remain on top of the game to deliver the best service to the inmates and participate in the overall correctional and rehabilitation into responsible members of society.
Analysis of the Legal Policies and Constitutional Mandates
Legal policies and constitutional mandates are in place to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of inmates and correctional staff. One of the primary legal policies that should be in place in North Carolina Central Prison is the use of force policy. The policy should outline the circumstances under which correctional officers are permitted to use force, including the types and the level of force befitting different situations.in addition, the policy guidelines must provide for the specific measures of threat that call for the use of force to ensure that the officers do not abuse the privilege of power bestowed on them through employment (Campbell et al., 2014, p. 140). Unfortunately, the prison had no such policy, predisposing the inmates to wayward officers out to break the law and are likely to be compromised in slight situations.
In addition to using force policies, constitutional mandates impact correctional institutions, including the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. This mandate requires that inmates be treated with respect for their human dignity, which includes protection from excessive force and physical abuse. Despite these provisions, it is unclear from the scenario whether or not all applicable legal policies and constitutional mandates were in place and being adhered to at North Carolina Central Prison. The fact that eight inmates were allegedly beaten while handcuffed and shackled suggests a significant loophole in applying the recommended policies and laws guiding state prisons. Thus, this plan’s recommendations are to go by if the convicted citizens are to get the proper treatment from the correctional officers.
Many reasons could have contributed to the events around the case. One such might be the need for more training and complete surveillance systems. The officers took advantage of the “blind spots” in the facility to mistreat the inmates and subject them to suffering even when they understood their role as correctional officers. In addition, the lack of proper training meant they needed more understanding or a disregard for the compelling steps leading to the proper application of policy laws and constitutional guidelines (Liebling et al., 2019). Hence, there is a need to address these issues and ensure the facility’s future is promising. One of the ways to ensure such an event does not occur is to prioritize training and supervision. The facility’s management and the entire state and national governments must come in to provide quality and standardized training to the officers. In addition, the “blind spots” must be fitted with surveillance systems to ensure adequate prison checks and that all movements are recorded.
Another possible explanation for failing to implement legal policies and constitutional mandates is a lack of accountability for abusive behavior. The officers were reluctant to stick to the laws and the constitutional guidelines due to the lack of in-house laws that could incriminate them (Charney et al., 2021). The lack of accountability placed the inmates in the wrong position as the officers felt they could escape any crime. Therefore, steps must be taken to ensure such events do not occur again. For instance, the facility can adopt a performance monitoring system connected to the prison surveillance system to check the movements of the officers and award promotions or any other types of incentives to promote accountability within the facility. Such a move will ensure that the inmates are not subjected to brutality.
Ethical Issues
The North Carolina Central Prison case demonstrates a serious ethical loophole in the facility’s management. It shows that the officials lacked the ethical obligation to treat inmates humanely, which should be condemned considering the state’s recognition of prisoners’ rights. The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment (Coppola, 2019). In this case, the allegations of repeated beatings of handcuffed and shackled prisoners outright violate their Eighth Amendment rights. It raises ethical issues regarding whether the prison authorities comply with the law and their ethical obligations to the prisoners. An evaluation of the situation shows that the officials lacked even the basic moral to care for the injured inmates despite being the perpetrators. Thus, the prison does not have good policies that assure inmates of their security despite being in a government-controlled institution.
The employment law also affects ethics in the prison system. Prison authorities are responsible for ensuring that their staff follows the laws and regulations governing the treatment of prisoners. The laws can either be stat-backed, national-backed, or internationally recognized. In this scenario, the brutal treatment of the inmates shows the lack of concern and empathy for them despite being within a secure environment that ought to contribute toward their rehabilitation and consequent adoption into the normal community. The prison staff’s alleged actions have violated the prisoners’ constitutional rights and portray their lack of ethical obligations towards the prisoners. Therefore, the best way to deal with them is through a legal suit undertaken by the victims, as the repercussions would help warn those from other prisons that might have thought of taking such routes.
Addressing the Ethical Issues in the Scenario
The ethical concerns from the North Carolina Central Prison case require proper solutions. They demand implementing policies and procedures that would ensure staff follow the rules, standards, and procedures guiding the handling of inmates. Some of the policies that would be helpful include proper training of the officials on the applicable policies and guidelines, adoption of comprehensive surveillance systems, and implementation of staff performance monitoring systems. These will ensure accountability in the officers’ actions, ensuring the inmates’ safety and security as they continue to fulfill their rehabilitation sentences.
Another policy that would be instrumental in line with the case is the whistleblower protection policy. The institution should implement such a policy to encourage law-abiding staff to report misconduct cases among their colleagues (Horne et al., 2022). Some officers might have known about the events of North Carolina Central Prison but were afraid to report them for fear of revenge from their colleagues. Therefore, adopting such a policy will assure officers of protection when they give reports to ensure the criminal justice system realigns and runs in the right trajectory.
Regarding employment law, the prison authorities should ensure that their hiring and disciplinary policies comply with state and federal laws. The recruitment of prison officers should include conducting thorough background checks on all new hires and providing regular training to staff on the laws and regulations governing the treatment of prisoners. Such checks will ensure that people who work for the criminal justice system love the job, value helping other people, and are humane enough not to handle the inmates brutally, regardless of the offence. The recruiters must also consider the level of self-control and the emotional intelligence level of the new hires to ensure they are people who do not flare up at the slightest provocation. Such measures will help reduce prison violence and give inmates a chance to serve their sentences peacefully.
In addition, prison authorities should consider creating a committee or task force responsible for overseeing the implementation of regulatory policies and procedures. The committee would regularly monitor staff performance, review reports of unethical or illegal behavior, and recommend corrective actions where necessary. It will be fully responsible for the accountability of the officers, ensuring that those who break the law by mistreating the inmates get the exact treatment, albeit through the official criminal justice system. Close monitoring and supervision of the correctional officers as they go through their daily duties are one of the things that could have helped to avert the situation. However, with a weak system and a surveillance system that has left many “blind spots” in a critical facility, there is no doubt that any malicious officer would have partaken in the actions. The event is lesson enough. Thus, there is a need to consider the event and ensure all these recommendations come into force to ensure the inmates’ and correctional officers’ safety and security.
Conclusion
The importance of strategic planning in organizational management must be considered, especially in the service industry. The North Carolina Central Prison case, where eight inmates were beaten while handcuffed, underscores the need for a properly developed strategic plan encompassing employment policies, legal frameworks, constitutional mandates, and ethical guidelines. It is crucial for organizations, especially in the law enforcement industry, to operate within the confines of the law and maintain acceptable ethical standards. Organizations can achieve these metrics by developing proper strategic plans aligning with the legal policies and constitutional mandates guiding their operations. Therefore, a well-implemented strategic plan that upholds these values can ensure the safety of inmates and the public, foster a positive public image, and improve the organization’s overall operations.
References
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