Posted: October 27th, 2022

Management by Objectives in Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice
Title: Writer’s choice

Paper instructions:
Management by objectives (MBO) has been a management principle applied in the criminal justice profession for quite some time. (It has been used throughout most if not all management fields.) MBO fits well in criminal justice because this profession lends itself to addressing emerging problems on a systemic level. For example, the current increase in heroin and pharmaceutical opioid overdoses is a newly identified problem that has objectives to address.

The criminal justice system will seek to increase efforts identifying, investigative, dismantling and destroying heroin and pharmaceutical distribution organizations while public health will work on treatment programs. Collaboration across fields will help increase the effectiveness of both plans.

Read and study the Fulk, Bell & Bodie article included in the learning resources for this week and answer the below questions.

1. What is your understanding of the concept of management by objectives (MBO).

2. Read the description of the group problem GROUP PROJECT – The Virtual Criminal Justice Alliance. Select three areas where you feel MBO would be a useful management tool to utilize. Explain why you believe using MBO could help overcome obstacles and lead to a more effective result.
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Management by Objectives in Criminal Justice

Management by objectives is an approach that leaders in certain organizations adopt intending to increase the organization’s performance through the alignment of goals and subordinating objectives. Organization leaders apply management by objectives approach focusing more on the outcomes rather than the activities they engage in (Fulk, Bell & Bodie, 2011). Over the years, the organizations that have been applying the concept of management by objectives have accumulated evidence showing how valuable the concept is. Research indicates that those teams that are self-managed can have the best results from the management by objectives approach.
For any team to improve its performance by applying management by objectives, it is important to consider the principles within the Management by Objectives concept. One of the principles of management by objectives is that the initiators need to base the approach upon effective communication between the managers and team members (Fulk, Bell & Bodie, 2011). Another principle of management by objectives approach is that both managers and team members must participate together in the process of developing goals and objectives that will direct all the activities within the organization. Involving the team members in the process of developing goals and objectives is essential since it fosters team members’ commitment to achieving the objectives.
One key element in the development of goals and objectives is that the results of this process should be specific so that these results will direct the efforts of the team members. Another key element in the management by objectives is that it is the role of the team leaders to ensure that the team members can achieve goals and objectives (Fulk, Bell & Bodie, 2011). Team leaders can achieve their role of enabling team members through motivating them and nurturing the growth of their ability. Empirical research shows that applying the above principles elements of management by objectives helps a team to develop in a sequential form over time.
Management by objective can be an important tool to the Virtual Criminal Justice Alliance in achieving its group project. The Virtual Criminal Justice Alliance consists of a group of agencies that depend on one another in achieving common objectives in criminal justice (García-Santesmases, Vergés & Almeda, 2017). One of the areas where management by objective can be useful is the police department. The police department sector is responsible for investigating criminal activities and apprehending offenders. To apply management by objective principle, the senior officers in the police department need to bring other regular police together to develop common objectives and goals. After coming together, the entire police department needs to develop new strategies on how they apply new investigative strategies. The reason why I believe that applying management by objectives can be of great significance is that it involves developing new strategies that didn’t exist before. Thereby, Virtual Criminal Justice can overcome the obstacles and achieve more effective results.
The other area in the Virtual Criminal Justice Alliance that can benefit greatly in applying management by objectives is the correctional department. The correctional department deals with the treatment of an offender especially through imprisonment (García-Santesmases, Vergés & Almeda, 2017). Applying management by objectives in the correctional sector means that senior officers in the correctional department need to join forces with the entire team working in the correctional department. Applying management by objective approach can help the correctional department time in developing new approaches that can help an offender change to a better person. Another benefit that can arise from applying management by objectives is that correctional officers can develop effective ways to handle prison inmates.
The other area in the Virtual Criminal Justice Alliance that can benefit from applying the management by objectives approach is the court department. The court department is responsible for determining the type of correctional treatment for an offender (García-Santesmases, Vergés & Almeda, 2017). The court department consists of judges and other legal officers and for them to apply the management by objectives approach, they need to come together and develop the new goals and objectives. These new goals and objectives may entail alternative means to achieve justice. A good example of an alternative correctional means is restorative justice that seeks to restore the previous relationship between an offender and the victim.

References
Fulk, H. K., Bell, R. L., & Bodie, N. (2011). Team management by objectives: Enhancing developing teams’ performance. Journal of Management Policy and Practice, 12(3), 17-26.
García-Santesmases Fernández, A., Vergés Bosch, N., & Almeda Samaranch, E. (2017). ‘From alliance to trust’: constructing Crip-Queer intimacies. Journal of Gender Studies, 26(3), 269-281.