Posted: November 18th, 2022

Collaboration among the Components of the American Criminal Justice System

Week 2 Discussion Question #1: Collaboration among the Components of the American Criminal Justice System

As we have learned in our first discussion question, the American criminal justice system is comprised of components with differing missions and slightly conflicting objectives. Broadly speaking, the police want to protect the public and enforce the law which frequently includes arresting people. The courts want to, simultaneously, see those arrests prosecuted while ensuring that the individual arrested has suffered no injustice. Corrections is concerned with carrying out the sentence imposed by the courts as a result of the police enforcement efforts. While the separate components comprise the system, if they are driven solely by their mission, it is unlikely that they will be overly concerned with the objectives of their partners. As explained in our text, the American criminal justice system is, “complex and fragmented” (McGarry & Ney, 2006, p. xviii).

 Problems are typically perceived from the point-of-view of one specific agency or component of the system and solutions are developed accordingly. As we progress in this course, you will be representing and advocating for one of those components while completing various assignments. Your success will be impacted by your ability to collaborate with the other components of the criminal justice system and develop a cooperative plan that achieves systemic objectives rather than simply addressing component centric concerns.

Your task for this discussion question1 is to answer the below questions about systemic planning in the American criminal justice system (McGarry & Ney, 2006, pp. 3.7).

 1.    Why do we need collaborative planning?

a.    Provide three examples of collaboration

2.    Describe three elements involved in criminal justice system planning

3.    Although you will represent and advocate for a specific criminal justice system component, as a member of a policy team, explain how you will view and approach problems to achieve systemic objectives?

McGarry, P., & Ney, B. (2006). Getting it right: Collaborative problem solving for criminal justice. Retrieved from National Institute of Corrections: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/019834.pdf
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Collaboration among the American Criminal Justice System (CJS)
Name:
Institution:

Collaboration among the American Criminal Justice System (CJS)
Collaboration entails working together to accomplish a common goal that would otherwise be impossible without the other parties’ efforts. Collaborative planning would be essential in developing an effective Criminal Justice System (CJS). We need collaborative CJS to overcome the challenges of conflicting components of CJS. Collaboration helps the systems to not only provide the immediate solutions on crimes but also a long-term solution that aims at the safety of the public. No single or a divided CJS entity has resources and authority to provide such solution alone. Therefore, the system should turn to the tradition of cooperating to attain an effective strategy to address the underlying issues.
Collaboration examples include communicating, cooperating, and coordinating with other agencies in the CJS. Collaboration requires the agencies to let go of their autonomy and begin sharing resources as well as information as the method of establishing a common power. Leaders are convinced that team work and collaboration with other stakeholders is a key to the successful attainment of a broader vision of the system. To achieve collaborative CJS, the steps include describing a clear and compelling vision, fostering communication and building trust, supporting and protecting one another, acknowledging power and status, and understanding the challenges involved in the collaboration.
The three distinct elements of the collaborative planning in the CJS are; the vision, the policies, and planning and implementation strategies. Creating a vision of success entails defining the future of the system (helps the CJS to know where they want to be in the future). On the other hand, the system needs to assess the relevant policies, programs and practices, and the existing dynamics over time (helps the CJS to know where they are currently). The final element is planning and implementing methodologies for change, that is, the means by which the CJS will use to get to where they have planned to be in their vision statement. In order to achieve the cooperation, a policy team is set to observe and understand the system from all its perspectives, challenge their beliefs and attitudes regarding crimes, be accountable to the public and each other, and interact with the community as well as the justice colleagues.
It is our responsibility as a member of the policy team in criminal justice planning to ensure that the system’s objectives are met. The team must ensure that its response is guided and informed by policies, information, and data. To address the challenges, issues must be reevaluated, revisited, and a solution proposed. The policy team should engage in day-to-day CJS planning to collaborate on any of the following CJS problems. To begin, the team should address any instances of injustice as they arise. Second, it should identify issues and put CJS strategies and policies in place to address them. Third, the team should devise strategies for both the system and the defiant offenders. Finally, the team can achieve collaborative success by implementing effective and measurable strategies that produce consistent results.
As a member of the policy team in the criminal justice planning, it is our responsibility to ensure that the system’s objectives are met. The team should make sure that its reaction is directed and informed by policies, information, and data. Issues must be reevaluated, revisited, and a solution proposed to solve the challenges. The policy team should engage in a day-to-day CJS planning to accomplish any of the following CJS problems through collaboration. First, the team should address any issue of injustice as it arises. Second, it should identify issues and implement the CJS strategies and policies that address them. Third, the team should come up with strategies necessary for the system and the defiant offenders. Finally, the team can achieve collaborative success through implementing effective and measurable strategies that result in reliable outcomes.
In conclusion, we need collaborative planning to share information, make mutual and joint decisions regarding resources deployment, and avoid conflicts in operations within the CJS to ensure an adequate and dependable result concerning the public safety. For effective collaboration, the leaders must be willing to develop a common goal, evaluate a joint progress, make changes if needed, share information and regularly use it effectively.

Reference
McGarry, P., & Ney, B. (2006). Getting it right: Collaborative problem solving for criminal justice. Retrieved from National Institute of Corrections: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/019834.pdf

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