Generational Differences in the Criminal Justice Workforce Paper

Generational Differences in the Criminal Justice Workforce Paper

Modern-day organizations have embraced diversity and inclusion to increase workforce productivity. One of the main types of diversity in the criminal justice system is age diversity. Law enforcement officers and staff in the criminal justice system come from different generations, thus influencing decision-making and approaches towards law enforcement. Age diversity also impacts the leadership and management techniques used in criminal justice departments such as the police and correctional facilities departments. Modern generations may be more inclined to create and implement new ideas to enhance the efficiency of the criminal justice system, unlike older generations, who are more prone to follow the regulations passed from one generation to another.

The Concepts of Management, Organization, and Leadership

Management is an organizational process that includes setting objectives, strategic planning, deploying financial and human assets, and managing the resources needed to meet objectives (Combe, 2014). Management also includes measuring the results of various actions taken within an organization. Conversely, leadership is a process that includes influencing other people to achieve a specific goal. Management and leadership play a significant role in enhancing the performance of an organization. Leadership and management are also vital in organizing followers. Organization includes ensuring that every follower understands their responsibilities and meets the required expectations.

Role of a Manager versus a Leader

Managers and leaders play a different role within an organization. For instance, leaders and managers within the police department play a different role. The manager’s main role is to oversee the overall management, operation, and administration of the police department. The manager also develops strategies to help the department deal with issues such as corruption and enhance effectiveness in law enforcement operations. Another major role of the manager is to supervise staff to ensure they meet the expected code of conduct and evaluate their needs. Consequently, the leader’s main role is to create a vision for the department and guide the other police officers in achieving the vision. The leader also motivates the law enforcement officers to stay committed to law enforcement and meet the department’s goals by issuing rewards such as budges and promotions.

Generations of Employees That Make Up Today’s Changing Criminal Justice System

The different generations that comprise the current criminal justice organizations’ workforce include Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers. Millennials include individuals born between 1981 and 1996. One of the characteristics of millennials is that they value motivation. Millennials place more value on meaningful motivation, such as creative work and being able to make a change in the environment, rather than monetary rewards. The second characteristic is that they challenge the hierarchical status quo. Millennials are vocal when sharing their ideas and opinions and challenging superiors. They also place more importance on how they relate with their supervisors. Another characteristic is that they are technology savvy. Millennials have a clear understanding of modern technology and how to apply it in various contexts.

Generation X includes individuals born between 1965 and 1980. One of the characteristics of Generation X is self-reliance. Generation X individuals are self-reliant and resourceful. They also focus on maintaining a work-life balance. Another characteristic of Generation X is being individualistic. Generation X focuses on meeting their needs, particularly because most grew up with minimal supervision and were forced to quickly adapt to being independent at a young age. Generation X relates well to baby boomers, who are the preceding generation.

Lastly, Baby Boomers include individuals born between 1946 and 1954. One of the characteristics of Baby Boomers is that they are competitive. Baby Boomers seek a competitive environment where they can feel challenged to improve themselves. The second characteristic is being goal-oriented. They set goals and focus on achieving them to achieve personal and professional growth. Baby Boomers are also independent and prefer working on problems on their own.

Leadership and Management Techniques That Would Be Most Successful with Each Generation

Every generation requires a specific management and leadership technique to meet the organization’s expectations. The leadership and management technique that would be most successful with Millennials is involving them in decision-making. Involving Millennials in decision-making is essential in preventing issues that may arise when they challenge the status quo. According to Lee et al. (2021), Millennials believe in the redeemability of an offender, prefer a rehabilitative correctional style, and prefer policies that protect ex-convicts. Therefore, involving them in decisions relating to implementing laws regulating the criminal justice system is essential. Next, the most successful leadership and management technique for Generation X is creating flexible work schedules to maintain their productivity since they value work-life balance. Leaders can also use work-life balance to increase the commitment of Generation X in the organization. Lastly, providing autonomy can be considered a successful leadership and management technique for Baby Boomers because they prefer independence.

Conclusion

Modern-day organizations have realized the importance of diversity in the workplace and are leveraging age diversity to facilitate the exchange of ideas and enhance organizational success. The criminal justice organizations have embraced age diversity to improve justice administration. The main generations within the organizations include Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. The generations can be managed by using specific leadership and management techniques. For instance, millennials can be managed by being involved in decision-making because they prefer challenging the status quo. On the other hand, Generation X and Baby Boomers can be led and managed by creating flexible work schedules and autonomy, respectively. Therefore, an employee’s generation establishes the foundation for developing an appropriate leadership and management technique.

References

Combe, C. (2014). Introduction to management. Introduction to Management. https://doi.org/10.1093/hebz/9780199642991.003.0002

Lee, H., Cullen, F. T., Burton, A. L., & Burton, V. S. (2021). Millennials as the future of corrections: A generational analysis of public policy opinions. Crime & Delinquency, 68(12), 2355–2392. https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287211022610

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Write an 825-word research paper describing the different generations in the workforce, focusing on approaches for managing and leading criminal justice agencies. Be sure to include the following:

Provide an attention-grabbing introduction.
Define management, organization, and leadership.

Generational Differences in the Criminal Justice Workforce Paper

Explain the roles of a manager versus a leader within your chosen criminal justice organization. (What is the difference between the two?)
Identify, describe, and analyze the different generations of employees (Baby Boomers, Generation X, etc.) that makeup today’s changing criminal justice organizations. Discuss the characteristics of each generation.
Describe the leadership and management techniques that would be most successful with each different generation. Be sure to cover each generation separately and state what management styles or techniques work best with each based on the characteristics you discussed previously.
Provide a conclusion that summarizes the information and leaves the reader with a final thought.
Provide citations for your sources in APA format in the body of the paper and in a reference section at the end.