Workplace Corruption in Corrections
Everybody expects the criminal justice system’s workers to exhibit strong integrity. This is particularly so, given that these employees are mandated with the responsibility of ensuring that optimal justice is served and that people with indifferent behaviors reform accordingly. Unfortunately, more and more criminal justice employees, especially at the corrections level, have become embroiled in unethical work practices, corruption prevailing as the most pervasive. This paper seeks to discuss the risk of correctional workplace corruption and the measures that could be implemented to reduce the threat.
The risk of workplace corruption among correctional employees
When compared to other workers within the criminal justice system, research shows that the correctional officers are more prone to corruption. One of the most pertinent risks is an inappropriate relationship. According to Goldsmith, Halsey, and De Vel-Palumbo (2018), inappropriate relationship refers to the association where the potential for a person to exploit another person prevails. The researchers claim that correctional environments are often susceptible to inappropriate relationships. Among the key reasons for this is frequent interaction between the staff and the prisoner and the prolonged inmate sentence. Goldsmith, Halsey, and De Vel-Palumbo (2018) confer that the correctional officers or workers hold official or structural power while the prisoners usually exhibit situational power. Such dependency, therefore, establishes a likely line of credit to those inmates that cooperate in such circumstances. As such, the cooperating inmates might feel the urge to seek favors from the correctional workers. The latter might have the temptation to afford the favors as a way of reciprocating the affiliation demonstrated by the inmate.
Prisoner information is also a pertinent risk of corruption. Goldsmith, Halsey, and De Vel-Palumbo (2018) purport that prisons often store confidential data, which include legal information relating to court orders, for example, sentences and convictions, health, and personal information (such as social security numbers). Goldsmith, Halsey, and De Vel-Palumbo (2018) relay that the availability of inmate information usually tempts the correctional officers to misuse the data. Accordingly, misuse of inmate information is categorized into unauthorized disclosure, illegal access, and falsification of records. Goldsmith, Halsey, and De Vel-Palumbo (2018) document that consent, along with the uses made of confidential information, are issues of critical consequences. For example, a correctional officer might corrupt inmate records through false reports to manipulate decisions leading to favors or resentment on the part of the prisoner.
Measures correctional facilities might set up to mitigate the threat of workplace corruption
Corruption among correctional employees is detrimental because it undermines the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. Therefore, implementing measures that prevent corruptible acts is indispensable. One of the measures that could be set in place is having a set of stern rules that govern the standards of conduct between the prison employees and inmates (Columbia Law School, 2016). Particularly, the placement and assignment of the correctional workers should be assessed regularly. Besides, the prisoner work assignments ought to be reviewed periodically, at least yearly. Moreover, the correctional agency should facilitate random inspection of the inmate work stations, including the storage areas (Columbia Law School, 2016).
Apart from this, the correctional facility should document all the inmate movement in the shop log book. As if not enough, the correctional facilities should install cameras to monitor the correctional workers and inmates’ activities in the shop (Columbia Law School, 2016). Other than having strict rules, the correctional agencies should monitor the use of confidential information by the correctional officers. In the case that an employee uses confidential information inappropriately, he or she should be subjected to punitive measures.