Correctional facility project

Institution: Tiffin University

Taminka Watford

2021 09 01

Introduction

Developing a systematic procedure to cater to the needs of the offenders in a correctional facility is very important. The programs implemented in any correctional facility are dependent on the nature of the correctional facility and the offenders in the facility. For a juvenile detention facility, the government or the sponsor of the correctional facility has to ensure the future of the offenders is based on a good foundation on values and a positive culture. This helps the offender during the reentry and in living a positive life given their young age. Establishing such a good foundation requires programs such as religious activities. This involves determining the denominations to be allowed within the facility and how the teachings are conducted. This should be accompanied by various objectives which are to be attained by the program. Another factor considered in the developing religious program is the external stakeholders who facilitate the teachings conducted in the facility and what schedules are used in conducting the religious teachings and values (Cuéllar, 2019).

The second item necessary in the management of the juvenile correctional facility is the food services. Based on the statistics of the offenders, a plan has to be developed on how 1500 offenders will be fed and on what meals as well as the safety of the meals. The third important aspect in the management of the juvenile correctional facility is the management of the financial operations where a budget has to be developed to determine how the funds will be allocated and managed in enhancing efficiency. Predicting the associated costs and allocating funds to meet the costs enhance efficiency in the management operations of the organization. Lastly, the correctional facility requires a clear organizational chart that outlines how supervision is to be conducted within the organization. This requires a detailed list of the officials involved in the management of the facility and a description of the roles.

This paper aims at determining the effective management strategies to be used in enhancing efficiency in operations of the juvenile detention facility. This is attained through developing a religious program, food service program, financial operations and an organizational structure. Each of the items is customized to the needs of a juvenile correctional facility to enhance efficient outcomes in the realization of the set goals.

Religious programming

The juvenile detention facility requires having a well-defined and developed religious program outlining how the inmates are handled on matters of spirituality. There is a legal body responsible of ensuring there are religious programs for correctional facilities. The body is referred to as the Religious Service Branch and its main duty is ensuring the constitutional religious rights of the inmates are guaranteed within the correctional facilities. The correctional facility has to provide a good infrastructure in terms of both space and policies to accommodate the religious programs. The juvenile detention facility religious program will comprise of various elements including the facility religious leader. This is a position held by a chaplain whose role is presiding over religious services in the facility. The position requires a competent person to occupy and execute the roles of a religious leader in a correctional facility.

With the complexity of a correctional facility and the distinct needs of the juveniles, there is a need for the professional to have a deep understanding of both the spiritual and psychological needs of the inmates. In attaining the required level of competence, the position will be advertised based on defined academic and experience qualifications. Among the qualifications to be met by a candidate occupying the facility chaplain position include a holder of a bachelor’s degree in religion bible studies, religious studies or similar program from an institution recognized in the United States or internationally. Alternatively, the candidate should have attended a seminary for a minimum of 2 years and mastered the required induction in theology. The candidate should also have been ordained as a member of the clergy in a particular faith. This ensures the facility hires the right candidate for the position as it impacts the future of the juveniles in the facility (Tucker & Luetz, 2021).

The religious program also outlines the roles of the chaplain within the facility. Among the roles include facilitating religious worship in the juvenile facility. The chaplain shall also be responsible of conducting spiritual studies across faith lines in addition to provision of spiritual guidance to the juveniles. Counseling is also done under the supervision and coordination of the chaplain. The chaplain will conduct the counseling sessions on matters related to faith or invite an external professional on special incidences that require a specialized professional in counseling and psychology (McNelly, 2018).

Based on the religious diversity where there is more than one denomination in the United States, there is a need to develop a plan to allow the inmates enjoy their freedom of worship using their preferred faith. Among the faiths in the United States which are to be recognized in the facility include Christianity and Islam. The facility will also contract spiritual leaders from such faiths and other religious traditions to conduct religious activities in the facility and work together with the chaplain in ensuring the spiritual needs of the inmates are met. The facility will also have a calendar for the religious activities to ensure the inmates celebrate religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter holidays as normal citizens. In improving the spiritual abilities of the inmates, the juvenile facility will implement the Life Connections Program (LCP). The program allows the inmates to improve various aspects of life such as value system and personal faith. The LCP program is a multi-faith program which makes it more viable for inmates across various faiths to gain opportunities to improve themselves in matters of faith. The program would allow the inmates to develop acceptable values and characters thus making them more responsible citizens before the maturity date of their sentence. The program alongside the spiritual guidance and sessions conducted by the chaplain and contracted spiritual leaders allow the inmates to develop their personal leadership skills. The religious program will allow ex-offenders who have successfully reentered in the society and build successful lives to mentor the juveniles into developing acceptable characters within the juvenile facility (Lal, 2017).

Food service

There has to be a defined food service system defining the food service providers to be contracted or hired or alternatively the in-house food service programs. Based on a comparative analysis between handling the food service from within the facility and hiring a third-party to provide the services, the latter is more feasible. It saves the facility more costs and space as well as saving the company on logistics as it has to plan on daily food requirements and needed adjustments. However, if an external stakeholder is hired to provide the food services, all the management of the facility needs to be concerned with is making payments and ensuring the food service provider complies with safety guidelines and facility policies.

In ensuring there is effective management of food service in the juvenile detention facility, a third party offering food services will be contracted to deliver the services. Quality assurance is a core factor to be considered in selecting the most viable party to provide the services to the facility. This is the reason as to why the Food Service Company or organization has to be dealing specifically with correctional facilities or similar market. Reputation of the organization is the second factor to be considered in selecting the food service company. Based on the two factors outlined, one of the most viable food service providers to be contracted is the National Food Service. Although the contract is to be given based on an open tender invite, National Food Group qualifies for provision of food service in the facility for various reasons most of which are in the best interest of the juvenile detention facility and the inmates. One of the reasons is the wide experience providing services to similar market. The organization has built a reputation providing food services to various correctional facilities such as federal and state prisons, county and city jails, privately-run prisons, work release programs and training facilities (National Food Groups, 2021). This makes the organization a viable option in that it already has the needed logistics and service plans to ensure the inmates receive the food service necessary. Also, by serving such markets, the organization understands the safety protocols of correctional facilities thus minimal risk of the stakeholders getting involved with the inmates or compromising the detention facility policies.

The second attribute that makes an organization such as National Food Group is viable in providing food service to the detention facility is low cost. The organization has a wide variety of plate options which differ with the pricing of each of the plate. This allows the management to determine the plate offer that matches the amount of funds provided in the budget for food service. The National Food Group offers a range of products in the menu developed to match the nutritional requirements of a human body to ensure the health of the juveniles and inmates is well catered for. An important element in relation to the eligibility of National Food Group in providing food services to the juvenile detention facility are that is has partnered with correctional facility bodies. One of its partners is the Association of Correctional Food Service Affiliates. This is one of the agencies whose role is ensuring quality assurance is complied with in food services provided to correctional facilities in the United States (National Food Groups, 2021).

Financial operations

The budget is developed on an annual basis where all the activities to be done within the year are highlighted with their respective costs. The budget worksheet represents the projected expenditure within the accounting year. There are classifications used in the classifying data within the schedule. One of the variables used in classifying and quantifying the projected costs is unit cost. This represents the cost incurred in every unit of production or at each unit of activity. The second variable used is the unit type which is used in describing the nature of cost incurred. Each of the cost incurred is either classified as variable or fixed depending with the frequency and nature of occurrence. Some costs are only incurred once while the other costs are incurred continuously over time. Fixed costs are incurred regardless of the number of inmates while the variable costs incurred vary with the scope of operations or the number of attendants.

In computing the total expenditure, the unit costs are multiplied with the number of units for those costs whose units are quantified. The juvenile detention center comprise of various activities which have to be outlined in the budget. The first item relates to the construction of the facility. A budget has to be drawn on the important elements to be integrated in the construction process in ensuring there is cost control in the actual construction process activities. All the projected costs relating to the establishment of the facility are classified under the facility construction and planning section. The section comprise of elements such as architecture fee which is to be incurred on fixed terms as per the agreement. The section also comprises other items such as surveyor fee, labor, raw materials, labor, finishing, computer systems and hardware and furniture and fixtures. The section outlines the total amount of funds required to set up a complete and fully-equipped facility that with a capacity to hold 1500 juvenile inmates. The budget is sufficient to establish the premises as designed in the initial stages of the project and as per the architectural plan. However, there are certain administrative activities that need to be done in ensuring the facility is functional. Apart from the appointments done by the federal and state correctional authorities, there are hires to be done by the facility. Also, the facility has to ensure the operations are carried out as required by the law. This brings the need to allocate for administration overheads which include various activities and events involved in the daily management of the correctional facilities. Among the items in the administration allocations include salaries to the supervisors and facility officials. Also, there is stationary and electricity bills and rent as well as the cost of making new hires such as hiring the chaplain. The cost to be incurred in food service program and the religious programs has funds allocated to ensure the facility implements the program (Cho et al, 2019).

Fig: 1. Budget worksheet of a juvenile correctional facility

The items highlighted in the budget worksheet are subject to adjustments based on the changes in the needs. The budget is based on the assumption that there will be no changes within the accounting year that might have a material impact on the financial operations of the facility. Any variation in the total cost incurred that exceeds the amount allocated in the budget shall be accompanied by supporting document indicating the reason for the variations. Also, the spending has to be accompanied by the supporting document which is used in enhancing transparency and accountability for the use of funds.

Organizational Chart

The facility comprise of a defined organizational structure that outlines the various levels of supervision and line of workers. Each level of management has distinct roles in the running of the juvenile detention facility.

At the highest level of supervision in the juvenile detention facility is the captain of the detention services bureau. The individual holding the position will be responsible of certain roles such as planning the activities of the detention facility. Also, the captain organizes and makes supervision of the operations to ensure they are conducted in line with the organizational policies and activities. The captain shall also ensure there is full compliance with the legal or contract requirements. For instance, the captain shall ensure the Food Service provider in the detention facility complies with the terms of the contract. Also, the captain shall negotiate contracts on behalf of the facility and assess situations to ensure all activities are done in accordance with the law.

The middle level of supervision is held by three main positions: lieutenant custody division, administration officer and lieutenant intake and inmate services division. Each of the three officers has distinct roles in supervision of activities in the detention facilities. However, they have to report to the captain on areas of their operations and make enquiries from the captain. The lower level of supervision consists of the unit sergeant officers whose role depends with their area of operations. Among the areas of operations include jail operations, workhouse, transport, intake, court liaisons and records. The sergeant officers are in direct contact with the juvenile inmates as they handle their affairs (Wool et al, 2019).

Conclusion

Correctional facilities such as detention centers have an active role in ensuring the attendants such as inmates develop acceptable values and characters. The juvenile detention facility has to be managed effectively through developing efficient mechanisms such as religious programs, food service and financial operations. Developing a worksheet budget is crucial in enhancing success of a juvenile detention center. The budget should be flexible enough to accommodate all projected growth areas within the organization. The facility has to be run through a well-defined organizational structure which comprise of three levels of supervision. The facility should have a clear communication plan detailing how the unity of command flows.

Reference

Cuéllar, G. L. (2019). Deportation as a sacrament of the state: the religious instruction of contracted chaplains in US detention facilities. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 45(2), 253-272.

Lal, P. (2017). Legal and Extra-Legal Challenges to Immigrant Detention. Asian Am. LJ, 24, 131.

McNelly, A. (2018). Truancy, Secure Detention, and the Right to Liberty. Suffolk J. Trial & App. Advoc., 24, 112.

Tucker, S., & Luetz, J. M. (2021). Art Therapy and Prison Chaplaincy: A Review of Contemporary Practices Considering New Testament Teachings. Innovating Christian Education Research, 239-269.

Cho, E. H., Cullen, T. T., & Long, C. (2020). Justice-free zones: US immigration detention under the Trump administration.