Theories within Criminal Justice

 Theories within Criminal Justice

Essential Theories for Success Supervision

• Theories required for successful supervisory practices can be grouped into three categories:

1. Behavioral Theories
2. Trait Theories
3. Contingency Theories

Behavioral Theory

• The behavioral approach is applicable where the supervisor emphasizes on initiating a structure, and the objectives are attained by structuring the subordinate’s role (Yukl, 2011).
• Therefore, the activities are carefully communicated and planned.
• The deadlines are established, and providing the instructions dominates the interpersonal relationship between senior and junior officers.
• The tasks are scheduled, and rules are adhered to ensure adequate performance (Colber et al., 2012).

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Contingency Theory

• The contingency theory is applicable where the first-line supervisor finds the working environment to be tense and lower interpersonal relationships.
• The supervisor should establish and implement a relationship-oriented leadership style.
• Close supervision activities should be eliminated, and subordinates should be involved in the decision-making process.
• Therefore, the supervisor should do whatever it takes to create a viable and relaxed working environment (Nohria & Khurana, 2010).

Trait Theory

• Trait theory helps in distinguishing characteristics or qualities of an individual when operating as an effective leader.
• This theory is acceptable because it’s clear and not complicated.
• The skills, personality traits, and abilities are possessed by successful leaders and supervisors in the criminal justice system (Colbert et al., 2012).
• Trait theory ensures that the supervisor is fair to all officers and trustworthy

Importance of each Theory

• Each of the three approaches is important since the supervisor should never portray favors to the subordinate officers (Miller & More, 2017).
• Behavioral theory ensures the maximum output for all the officers by establishing a comfortable working environment.
• The role of each subordinate officer is well structured, which portrays an effective supervisory strategy.

Cont…

• The contingency theory is also essential since the supervisor ensures there is a productive interpersonal relationship in the workplace.
• The trait theory ensures that all the officers within the department have practical working qualities.
• The trait theory ensures that a supervisor accepts the challenge of leadership with all rewards and problems (Bennett & Hess, 2004).

Impact of Theories to Supervisory Practices

• These theories impact the supervisory practices by exploring the ability of criminal justice organizations in making decisions.
• Also, these theories deal with particular circumstances that challenge the employees and solve the problems (Nohria & Khurana, 2010).
• The policies are implemented within the organization based on these theories, which impact the organization’s culture.

Supporting Theories with Research

• The behavior theory is a behavior-approach that offers actual marketing potential.
• Behaviors can be conditioned such that an individual can have an appropriate response to stimuli (Miller & More, 2017).
• As a result, the individuals have now realized leaders can be made by teaching them the most appropriate behavioral response to a given intervention.

Supporting Theories with Research Cont…

• The contingency theories are essential especially where each situation is unique and the ideal leader also the led situation should be outstanding
• Therefore, there is no leadership style, and the nature of those being led to the make-up of the leader and subjects are different.
• Contingency theory holds that the effectiveness of a leader does not necessarily depend on the leader’s ability (Miller & More, 2017).

Supporting Theories with Research Cont…

• According to Trait theory, the leaders have particular innate traits that enable them to supervise other officers (Nohria & Khurana, 2010).
• Some of the traits like assertiveness, persistence, adaptability, and dependability are convenient for the supervisor (Bennett & Hess, 2004).
• This theory assumes that leaders are born and, therefore, identify the behavioral attributes which are shared among the leaders.

References

Bennett, W. W. & Hess, K. M. (2004). Management and supervision in law enforcement. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Colbert, A. E., Judge, T. A., Choi, D., & Wang, G. (2012). Assessing the trait theory of leadership using self and observer ratings of personality: The mediating role of contributions to group success. The Leadership Quarterly, 23(4), 670-685.

Miller, L. S., & More, H. W. (2017). Effective Police Supervision. doi:10.4324/9781315400822

Nohria, N., & Khurana, R. (Eds.). (2010). Handbook of leadership theory and practice. Harvard Business Press.

Yukl, G. (2011). Toward a behavioral theory of leadership. Organizational behavior and human performance, 6(4), 414-440.