To: Mr. Brubaker, Warden of Wakefield State Prison
From: Kimesha R. Cooper, Program Analyst
Date: October 22, 2017
Subject: Wakefield State Prison Arkansas- Prison Reform
Abstract:
This policy memo evaluates the corruption of Wakefield State Prison with regard to three problem causes associated to the corruption of this facility; lack of social ethics, lack of clear mission and undefined critical task, and non-existent transformational leadership. The memorandum exemplifies the need of mission within the facility and defines unstable living conditions as a task that should be elevated to aid this corrupt facility. The memo also suggests that social ethics and professional ethics should be improved within the facility. Last but not least, transformational leadership should be considered to help with plans to reform Wakefield State Prison. Evidenced-based solutions associated with the this corrupt institution are to align the state facility’s mission with that of the Federal Bureaus of Prisons, privative facility repairs through a warranted private construction company to provide stable living quarters, improve social ethics and professional ethics from the bottom-up by implementing rehabilitation programs for prisoners to return to society and holding leadership accountable for unethical mishaps, and implement transformational leadership through an Inmate Council.
Introduction
“For people who have committed crimes that have landed them in jail, there needs to be a path back to prison. The federal system of parole needs to be reinstated. We need real education and real skills training for the incarcerated” – Senator Bernie Standards The mission of the Federal Bureau of Prisons is to protect society by confining offenders in controlled environments of prisons and community based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, appropriately secured, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law abiding citizens. (Federal Bureau of Prisons) The following question remains: What are the best ways to reform Wakefield State Prison? It is necessary to understand the problem causes associated to the problem systems, and what solutions will be best to reform Wakefield State Prison. How can Wakefield State Prison align with federal facilities? While research suggests solutions to aid the corrupt institution, it will take full cooperation from the bottom-up to aid the problem causes associated at Wakefield State Prison.
Problem Symptoms
Wakefield State Prison are currently under a scope to be reformed, facing several challenges stemming from unstable living conditions, low quality healthcare, low quality food, and abuse and corruption. The state of Arkansas has a long history of poor conditions in Arkansas prisons. (The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture) An even greater challenge; Wakefield State Prison has suspicion to have a graveyard of inmates who were murdered and buried and a list of inmates who were due for a release years ago and are not prepared to return to society as law abiding citizens.
Over the years, unconstitutional practices by the Warden, Board of Prison, and elected officials have occurred. With political appointees, such as the newly elected governor and the Prisons Board working together to cater to self-gratification, many tasks have been overlooked for years and as result, prisoners have suffered. Prison reform allows leadership to take ownership to provide a safe and humane controlled environment for offenders.
James Q. Wilson declares that “organization matters”. He also declares, “If organization matters, it is also the case that there is no one best way of organizing. (Wilson, 1989) Chester Barnard defines organization as “a system of consciously coordinated activities or forces of two or more persons”. (Wilson, 1989) There is no perfect way of reorganizing Wakefield State Prison. However, coping with these challenges should be a top priority.
This memo will examine problem causes within Wakefield State Prison operating in a corrupt system. Three problem causes that will be examined are; lack of mission and undefined critical tasks, lack of social ethics and professional ethichs, and non-existent transformational leadership. The examined problem causes all have suggested solutions associated to reforming the corruption of Wakefield State Prison.
This memo will propose recommendations that will establish a new profound perspective for inmates and the public of Wakefield State Prison. A defined mission should be implemented, critical tasks should be reviewed every year, social ethics and professional ethics should be improved with accountability attached, and leadership techniques should be implemented.
Consequences
As a result of this corruption, Wakefield State Prison requires major reform. Unable to implement a clear and concise mission and define critical tasks, have lead to unstable living quarters for inmates. Recently, the night of a thunderstorm, a roof caved in and inmates were injured. Although a doctor was present, there is a self abiding law that lacks personal morality and inmates are given a fee for quality healthcare. Those who are less fortunate or are unable to pay, are left to die. If incidents such as the roof caving in continues to take place, more and more inmates could be injured or even die from incident-related injuries. With leadership styles not established, prisoners are unaware of who are in charge and what rules should be abided by. Prisoners serve as trustees and abuse their power to in alienate themselves from other prisoners. Prisoners are even able to carry weapons to uphold unwarranted laws within the facility. Lack of professional ethics related to The Prison Board and the newly-elected governor have led to a decision to release funds to the facility to cover up the suspicion of men who were murdered and buried on the premises. Under the current warden, there is a lack of leadership styles. This corrupt system has also lead to prisoners serving longer incarcerated sentences than they were originally given. Although this consequence is unethical, prisoners have settled because there are no social ethics from the bottom- up that prepare prisons to return to society.
Problem A: Lack of Social and Professional Ethics
Wakefield State Prison System lack social ethics. The prisoners at Wakefield State Prison are not prepared to return to society as law abiding citizens. Abraham, a prisoner amongst a list of prisoners, is long overdue to be released from Wakefield State Prison. However, because members of this society; the warden, Board of Prisons, and the inmates themselves have no social ethics, anything goes and prisoners are left to follow suit. Abraham has even lost track of how many years he has been incarcerated. Although Abraham states that he has worked as a coffin maker, he still has no skills or has been properly rehabilitated to return to society. The Board of Prisons has stated on numerous occasions that the inmates are no more than murderers and rapist. Board members who are considered accountable for these men should feel obligated to bettering their prisoners instead; they are catered to enhancing their wealth. For example, there is suspicion that there is a graveyard that holds men who have been murdered and buried at Wakefield State Prison. The governor, the Board of Prisons, and even prisoners are aware of this issue. In fact, the board has decided to release funds to the Wakefield State Prison to keep this issue covered up. This does nothing to protect other inmates from being punished in the same manner and if funds are not allocated correctly, will not be able to progress prisoners to return to society.
Solution A:
Shafritz et al., define four levels of ethics; personal morality, professional ethics, organizational, and social ethics. (Shafritz et al, 2013, Pg.182) Although each could be improved, a solution to problem A would be to improve social ethics and professional ethics by holding leaders and prisoners accountable for this ethical standard. Shafritz et al. defines social ethics as a requirement to oblige members of a given society to act in ways that both protect individuals and further the progress of the group as a whole. (Shafritz et al,2013, Pg. 182) This can be done by implementing rehabilitation programs that will protect prisoners from recommitting crimes in and outside of prison as well as help each rehabilitate properly to return to society. Prison Museum suggests most people may think of prisons as nothing more than facilities where criminals are incarcerated and deprived of their freedoms while serving a sentence for a crime. While this is true, the concept of imprisonment is also intended to rehabilitate the prisoners. Prison Museum further states that, the basic idea of rehabilitation through imprisonment is that a person who has been incarcerated will never want to be sent back to prison after they have been set free. Also presented is that an inmate’s experiences while locked up will leave a lasting impression that a former prison will do whatever it takes to avoid a second term. (Crime Museum)The Arkansas Department of Corrections list a number of rehabilitation programs that are used to help with prisoner’s rehabilitation. (see Arkansas Department of Corrections)
Shafritz et al., further defines professional ethics as a set of professional norms and rules that obligate them to act in certain “professional ways”. (Shafritz et al, 2013, Pg. 182)A solution to solve this portion of Problem A would be to hold everyone responsible for the prisoners at Wakefield State Prison accountable for the inmates who were murdered and buried. This can be done by shedding light to the media to investigate and even contacting the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate and create a case for those responsible.
Board of Prisons are responsible for catering to the welfare of their prisoners. Seek to find new board members who are not politically-bound and seek to uphold professional ethics for the welfare of those they are responsible.
Problem B: Lack of Clear Mission and Critical Task
Wakefield State Prison has no sense of mission. With an unclear mission, prisoners and leaders have no sense of stability and leads to a corrupt system. The state of Arkansas has a long history of poor conditions in Arkansas prisons.(The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture) The facility currently faces challenges with unstable living conditions, disease, rats, abuse, low-quality healthcare, and a lack of food supply. An even greater challenge; Wakefield State Prison has suspicion to have a graveyard of inmates who were murdered and buried. Inmates at Wakefield State Prison were due for release years ago and are not prepared to return to society as law abiding citizens.
An unwarranted private building constructor that has been hired for years has a continuous way of poorly repairing the Wakefield State Prison. This has lead to poor living conditions and just recently a roof caved in and has left several inmates injured. Although prisoners have committed crimes, they are still human and should be kept in safe and human living quarters.
James Q. Wilson declares that “organization matters”. He also declares, “If organization matters, it is also the case that there is no one best way of organizing.(Wilson,1989) Chester Barnard defines organization as “a system of consciously coordinated activities or forces of two or more persons”. There is no perfect way of reorganizing Wakefield State Prison. However, the coping with these challenges should be a top priority. (Wilson, 1989)
Solution B:
The solution to problem B is to define a concise mission for Wakefield State Prison and define tasks that should be elevated to critical tasks. The mission of the Federal Bureau of Prisons is to protect society by confining offenders in controlled environments of prisons and community based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, appropriately secured, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law abiding citizens.(Federal Bureau Of Prisons) Wakefield State Prison does not align with this mission. However, adopting this mission in a state facility to align with that of the Federal Bureau of Prison is highly suggested. This sets a standard that does not vary from the federal level.
A task that should be elevated to a critical task is safe and human living conditions within Wakefield State Prison. Penal Reform International suggests, living conditions within a prison are among factors that determine a prisoner’s self-esteem and dignity. Prisoners who experience human detention conditions will be more willing and able to respond to rehabilitative programs. Penal Reform International also suggest that those who experience punitive conditions and mistreatment, like Wakefield State Prison, are likely to return to society psychologically shattered and in poor or worse state of physical and mental health than when they entered. (Penal Reform International )
Professor Walti of American University suggests several ways that organizations can be privatized. Privatization is all kinds of ways in which the government can involve the private sector in the delivery of goods and services to the public. (Walti,2017) Although associated with education, South Orange Maplewood School District of New Jersey faced a financial scramble within their school district to provide quality programs for special education. South Orange/Maplewood outsourced the positions to the Essex Regional Special Services Commission, a nonprofit collaborative that provide a variety of services to 10 surrounding districts. The school districts now save the district $1.5 million annually. (Schachter, 2011)
Although associated to education, this case suggests a solution to outsource the repair work to a warranted private construction company that can provide a safe and human living quarters for inmates. This case also suggests that privatizing may be a way to eliminate costs towards building mishaps and focus on other critical tasks; quality healthcare, abuse, etc.
Problem C: Non-Transformational Leadership
Wakefield State Prison currently has no sense of clear and concise leadership. Prisoners are keeping watch over fellow prisoners and are able to possess weapons, prisoners are portrayed as trustees, and the current warden has no sense of leadership. Prisoners currently believe they have no voice and must abide by any unwritten rules set out day by day. Prisoners believe that a leather strap should be used for punishment therefore leaving prisoners feeling useless and no abiding trust in the facility in which they are incarcerated. Prisoners are being charged for quality food and healthcare. With the current warden having no sense of mission and not keeping watchful eye over his prisoners, anything is viable to take place. For example, a prisoner who has been held in solitary confinement decides to lash out on a fellow prisoner because he wants change. He goes on and insist to see “the man”; “the man” being the warden. Transformational leadership is non-existent but how must one change this aspect within Wakefield State Prison?
Solution C:
The solution to problem C would be to implement Transformational Leadership in Wakefield State Prison. Shafritz et al, defines transformational leadership as a leader with the ability to change an embedded organizational culture by creating a new vision for the organization and marshalling the appropriate support to make that vision the new reality. (Shafritz, et al, 2013, Pg. 368)An anonymous writer also presented that, “If a transformational leadership is enacted in its authentic form, transformational leadership would enhance the motivation, morale, and performance of followers through a variety of mechanisms. These include connecting the follower’s sense of identity and self to the mission and the collective identity of the organization; being a role model for the followers that inspires them; challenging followers to take greater ownership for their work, and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of followers, so the leader can align followers with tasks that optimize their performance…” (Anonymous, Langston University)
An anonymous writer of Langston University also presented an argument by Bernard Bass (1978) that suggests the extent to which a leader is transformational, is measured first, in terms of his influence on the followers. The author further suggests that the followers of such a leader feel trust, admiration, loyalty, and respect. This anonymous author suggests, that 30 years of research and a number of meta-analyses have shown that transformational leadership positively predicts a wide variety of performance outcomes including individual, group and organizational level variables (Bass & Bass 2008, The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory Research, and Managerial Applications” 4th edition Free Press). (Anonymous, Langston University) This evidence suggests that transformational leadership is a way to implement certainty within the facility and invite prisoners to support the new vision or mission at Wakefield State Prison.
In a study presented by the Department of Motor Vehicles, customers were asked what they wanted and how could the services of DMV be improved. The organization itself considered that customers would request friendly and quality services as well as shorter wait times. Although much required, customers simply requested better quality pictures for their identification cards. (Reinventing Government) This case suggests that asking prisoners what they requests of their facility and examining how it would align with the vision and new reality presented by the leader would a step in implementing transformational leadership. In doing so, one may establish an Inmate Council that can gather concerns from fellow prisoners and voice their concerns at monthly or bi-monthly meetings.
Recommendations:
The Prison Board of Wakefield State Prison view inmates in their care as all murderers, rapist, etc. Although all are considered heinous crimes, prisons are the best way to confine offenders in controlled environments and a place to rehabilitate prisoners to return to society. As a program analyst, there are several steps that are recommended to overturn corrupt prisons, specifically Wakefield State Prison:
Create a sense of mission at Wakefield State Prison that aligns with the mission of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Define critical task; unstable living conditions, low-quality food and health care, and abuse. Outsource through privatized organizations that will provide basic goods and services to the facility.
Focus on different leadership styles that should be implemented within the facility; Transformational Leadership. (Inmate Counsel)
Improve ethical standards that will overturn this corrupt system and assist offenders in becoming law abiding citizens. Focus on personal morality, professional ethics, social ethics, and organizational. Collaborate with rehabilitation programs that will help prisons progress and not setback.
Following these steps would considerably improve this corrupt prison system by addressing safety and humanity, personal morality, professional and social ethics, and the types of leadership that should be used to change the atmosphere at Wakefield State Prison System.
List of References
Penal Reform International- www.penalreform.org.priorities/prison-conditions/issue/.
2. adc.arkansas.gov/inmate-programs
3. https://www.langston.edu/sites/default/files/basic-content-files/TransformationalLeadership.pdf
4. Shafritz, Jay M. & Russell, E. W. & Borick, Christopher P. (2013). Introducing Public Administration. Boston, MA: Pearson.
5.Wilson, James Q. (1989). Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies Do And Why They Do It. United States: Basic Books.
6. Schachter, R. (2017). Seeking Savings in Special Ed. District Administration Magazine. Retrieved 5 October 2017, from https://www.districtadministration.com/article/seeking-savings-special-ed
7. Federal Bureau of Prisons- Mission
8. Walti, Sonja. “Forms of Privatization”, AU-MPAP
9. https://www.langston.edu/sites/default/files/basic-content-files/TransformationalLeadership.pdf
10. ‘Reinventing Government’, Video