Improving Criminal Justice Workplaces: Translating theory and research into evidence-based practice

All organisations, whether private or public sector, seek to improve criminal justice workplace practice from an evidence base, but often find it difficult to effectively translate research findings into policy or design best-practice interventions. This book provides a direct bridge between academic research in organisational behaviour and the management of workers within criminal justice agencies.

The public sector in particular is currently experiencing significant funding cuts and increasingly needs to create optimal workplace strategies to maintain frontline services and preserve the well-being of the work force. The aim of this book is to equip managers with knowledge about key processes and appropriate research methods, thereby enabling them to more readily understand and apply academic research to their workplaces. The means to translate research findings into implementation strategies are also clearly explained. Furthermore, essential organisational issues that either impede or enhance productivity, employee effectiveness, and management responsiveness to change are discussed, following a common chapter template of problem definition, research and analysis, evidence translation, implementation, and evaluation.

Written by experts in the field, this book applies cutting-edge theoretical discussions and research findings to evidence-based policy. It examines new strategies and best practice in the context of widespread demoralization of staff in the criminal justice sector due to the impact of increased austerity. Improving Criminal Justice Workplaces is essential reading for leadership teams, managers and supervisors in the court, police, probation, and prison services, as well as allied professionals such as forensic psychologists and HR professionals.

Section I. Framing issues 1. Introduction 2. Occupational culture and organisational justice 3. Employee Engagement 4. Leadership and Management 5. Organisational Communication 6. Professionalisation Section II. Tools 7. Evaluation 8. Focus Groups 9. Consultation and consultancy 10. Surveys 11. Delphi Technique Section III. Organisational problems and solutions 12. Sustaining environments: Work-life balance 13. Toxic environments: Occupational stress 14. Transforming environments: Leadership development 15. Dangerous environment: Bullying and harassment 16. Diverse environments: Discrimination 17. Conclusions: Final thoughts, emerging issues and next steps.