Policies and Procedures

 

1. No offender left behind

All non-violent offenders have the opportunity to integrate back into the community by discontinuing the criminal behaviors and learning skill sets that will allow them to become normalized citizens where deviant behaviors are no longer a choice for them.

     Procedure 1: The employee’s abilities

All employees of Fervin Day Center have the knowledge and training necessary to help offenders reintegrate back into society. Staff members will create activities that offer offenders the opportunity to develop positive characteristics. Such characteristics that Fervin Day Center focuses on include:

* Leadership capabilities

* Teamwork

* Decision-making

* Communication

These activities will give offenders opportunities for hands-on experience that targets the development of these skills. The hands-on experience will enable offenders to demonstrate these skills once they return to society.

     Procedure 2: Supplies and equipment

Employees and staff of Fervin Day Center will work with state of the art equipment that will allow for positive interaction between staff and offenders, and in combination with treatments. Trained staff handles treatment equipments. These staff members will enable the connectivity between the clients and the use of medical or psychological treatments. Equipment Managers will monitor all equipment in order to continue to keep equipment working accordingly and benefiting each and every offender that comes to Fervin Day Center.

The equipment that is used at Fervin Day Center are the latest in technological changes because offenders will have the ability to receive treatment that is current (Chan, 2001). Employees will constantly attend seminars in which new knowledge are given, therefore will be used within Fervin Day Center to care for the offenders. Technology changes over time and Fervin will commit to constantly work with the technology in order to connect the offenders with the changes.

 

Rationale:

Fervin Day Center works as a front-end program and allows offenders to learn skill sets that will better their chances of obtaining jobs and to make the correct decisions within society. Fervin strives in assuring all employees are well trained and have the necessary materials to helping offenders. Creating policies and procedures that will benefit clients with the most recent equipment and knowledge will create an environment in which the individuals can develop. Policies and procedures are used for an organization to express their goals and tasks (Marion & Oliver, 2012). Fervin uses these policies and procedures as means of doing well within society. Developing skills that are beneficial to society is vital within Fervin Day center because the employees are here to communicate with offenders that will allow them to grasp an understanding of behaviors they should develop.

Although offenders have committed a crime, they still are given rights. Fervin Day Center will accomplish the task of helping all non-violent offenders to evolve as a working individual in order to disrupt the possible path to more crime. Having trained staff and faculty will allow for the advancement of one’s personal characteristics to develop. The offenders will have hands on experience with the employees and continue to operate current materials that they will possibly encounter within society.

2. Cultural trends

Within Fervin Day Center, offenders will be given a chance to integrate into society, and given the tools and techniques of prospering within any and all communities. Fervin Day Center will keep up with all cultural trends in an attempt of making sure all offenders are aware of their surroundings but also keep them from any harmful recidivist behaviors.

Procedure 1: The ability to interview

At Fervin Day Center, offenders, as part of their goals in the center, will learn how to do well successfully when interviewing for jobs. Fervin Day Center wishes to empower offenders in a matter where offenders are not oppressed or constructed in a fashion that they believe they have to commit criminal behaviors. Learning how to interview will enable offenders to increase the likelihood of getting a job but help communicate within the community with a much larger range of capability. Obtaining a job can open the doors for offenders and the ability to help offenders prosper is a principle at Fervin Day Center.

Procedure 2: The fight against stigmatization

All employees will work with each offender in attempts to help against the stigmatization of being convicted of a crime. As employees work to integrate and the development of socially acceptable characteristics, employees will also work with the psychological effects that stigmatization can cause. Employees will work with clients in order to overcome stigmatization that may be caused by the community. Employees will allow clients to complete activities that will help them combat any form of stigmatization in matters that would allow clients and others of the community that they are working citizens who want to change and be productive. Therefore, offenders will learn how to overcome the social stigma and feelings of stigmatization by learning how to empower themselves as working beneficial citizens of the community.

Rationale:

Offenders, within society, are labeled as the “others”, and even if the crime was minor compared to others, the individuals are deemed as negative within society. Offenders are then socially constructed to believing that they are just criminals and not able to do good things within society because there is already a pre-existing fear of them (Kraska & Brent, 2011). Fervin believes it is necessary to overcome the stigmatization of being an offender, in hopes of working within society as norm working individuals. The stigmatization of individuals is a cause of oppression; they are labeled, treated differently. In doing so, changes the fabricate of the individual and creates an ideology of just an offender and not as the individual in a society that contributes to the promotion of the society.

 3. Corruption

In order to ensure that Fervin does not experience corruption and other forms of criminal behavior the board of directors have established strongly worded agreements with the employees. Corruption can exist on all levels of our program so it is important to analyze the levels of employment individually, with an example of possible corruption, with a finite solution.

Board of Directors:

Example: A board member decides to take Fervin’s curriculum and create their own company with a more centralized goal. The board member resigns from their position and begins employment with their new company.

Solution: In a contractual agreement, it is clearly stated that, “directors will not take away information from the organization in order for personal benefit, monetary gains, or political influence.” The director will be immediately terminated with a lawsuit pending if this type of infraction occurs. The board of directors will be signed on a 5 year term, and after those five years will have the opportunity to resign or agree to another contract. If the director decides to resign, there will be no buy-out clause, but the strict adherence to organizational policies must still occur, otherwise financial lawsuits and other forms of legal action will be taken.

Officers and Managers:

Example: An officer has been accused of enabling individuals in order for personal benefit, in terms of: sexual conduct, financial gains,  money laundering, enabling positive statistical data when false, and promoting negative behavior inside of the day center.

Solution: There is a zero tolerance policy for all the forms of misconduct above. If this occurs the manager/officer will be terminated immediately and will receive notification from the organization on whether criminal charges will be filed. The organization will not allow for private sectors of criminal deviance to occur. The immediate termination of an employee who is detrimental to the organization will occur, and there will be no appeals process. The decision will be made by the board of directors, and the verdict is final.

Subordinates:

Example: An employee is found stealing learning accessories and other products inside of the day center. The employee also has been linked to selling contraband (prescription drugs, bootleg dvd’s) to the offenders as well.

Solution: A criminal charge will be filed against the employee and immediate termination of their contract will occur. The employee will have lawsuits filed against them, and the criminal matters will be handled by the judicial system. The employee will not be allowed to work inside of Fervin or any other day centers in affiliation. The employee who chooses to cooperate with the investigation will be deemed worthy of leniency in terms of punishment, however, termination will still occur. It is important to get information in regards to the daily activities which go against the curriculum Fervin has presented

Rationale:

The aspects of corruption can become detrimental to any organization, it is essential that the acknowledgment of corruption must not be overlooked by personal bonds or social familiarity. Stojkovic, Kalinich, and Klofas (2015) define corruption as, “violating rules, policies, and ethical considerations for personal gain” (p.252). The definition is extremely beneficial to interpret and understand as a collective whole. Fervin has a zero tolerance policy which allows for automatic termination if any of these issues arise.

The board of directors are now accountable under the American Anti-Corruption Act (AAA) (2014) passed in Tallahassee, Florida. AAA eliminates political bribery by overhauling lobbyist’s ethics and makes the transparency of funding more evident to the general public. The board of directors at Fervin will be monitored closely in terms of political access and the allocation of private sector funding. Wright et al. (2000) state that the opportunity for upper management buyouts can create a sense of understanding and loyalty to their present company (p.592). It is essential that the board of directors do not take away Fervin’s guidelines and policies in order for personal gain or monetary profit.

In terms of officers and managers of the programs inside of Fervin day center, there too, is the application of a zero tolerance policy for rule infractions. The use of political behavior can be detrimental to Fervin if it used in a negative manner. Stojkovic, Klofas, and Kalinich (2015) define, “political behavior may be defined as any action by a criminal justice worker that promotes individual goals over organizational goals” (p.297). The acknowledgement that this can occur in the organization should not be overlooked through sanctions or personal familiarity. The termination of the employee will immediately take place, and a thorough review by the board of directors will ensue.

Subordinates whom are found to be in collusion with the offenders in a negative manner, will be terminated immediately. As Bac, M (1996) states, “Corrupt behavior can be manifest at both the individual level and the group level, as the members can act cooperatively to organize corruption” (p.277). The elimination of this behavior is imperative if Fervin day center wants to maintain a sense of accountability and high respect as an institution of positive change. Technology presents a challenge but also an opportunity for accountability for those within the organization. Bac (1996) also claims that there is a trade-off between the sense of external corruption and the triggered events that could lead to the internal aspects of corruption (p.279). It is important that a sense of accountability is created within the institution, and that reports of corruption are handled immediately. The lingering effects of corruptible behavior can be detrimental on all levels of the organization.

 

Decoupled, Environment, and Outputs

Fervin Day Center is not a decoupled organization because the issues that arise within Fervin or around are for the betterment of the organization and those Fervin help. Fervin Day Center strives for the betterment of non-violent offenders that places them in Fervin’s care instead of a jail cell. Therefore, issues that the environment may cause will be handled and taken into account in all aspects of the organization. One of Fervin’s policies ensures that offenders are constantly aware of the cultural trends. This policy not only help offenders adjusting to society, but also allow Fervin to be aware of the environmental influences that may be occurring. The dominant coalition is the board of directors. However, they work alongside the work processors in making sure the offenders are the top priorities and that all decisions conducted are in favors of the employees and clients.

The environment in which Fervin Day Center function is as simple but also dynamic. The environmental forces that can influence the day center deals with topics that pertain to offenders and possible legislative actions that can occur, e.g. a judge changes ruling due to their decision in a case. Fervin is an organization that deals on a daily basis with people and people can sometimes be unpredictable; these unpredictable traits can influence how Fervin deals with offenders. The change in ruling is not as unpredictable since this behavior does not happen as often. However, Fervin Day will work with the new ruling due to the nature of working with offenders on a daily basis.

The outputs of Fervin Day Center deals with the efforts of every individual, from employees to clients (Stojkovic, Kalinich, & Klofas, 2015). The employee outputs are measured by how they approach each client in matters that allows them to grasp the concepts and skills to better themselves in the community. However, employees can have recognition from their positive relationships and development of their clients. The client’s outputs entail them to be able to integrate into society as functioning workers. Client output measurements are seen through their social accomplishment when they can finish their time at Fervin Day Center, but most importantly obtaining jobs. When clients can function accordingly within society and no longer have the desire of criminal behaviors but instead follow the social norms of society, one say that they have overcome stigmatization and obtain the positive outputs needed.