Identifying and Addressing Political Issues for the Criminal Justice Leader (Essay Sample)

Identifying and Addressing Political Issues for the Criminal Justice Leader
Student’s Name
Course Title
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6TH April 6, 2018
Identifying and Addressing Political Issues for the Criminal Justice Leader
There are many problems in the criminal justice system that call for the attention of the leaders in this system. Inherently, the problems range from social, political, economic among others which may render the functionality and keeping to the true course a challenge thus leaders are called to be good planners, communicators and show leadership amidst all these challenges. The political challenges thus are in relation to the inner city politics, politics of corrections, community police relations, budget cuts, early prevention and intervention for delinquency and related behavior problems, drug policy, youth going to jail among other things.
The leader in the criminal justice system, in the face of all these problems has to be focused and set a good example to those under him. The first thing therefore is to understand your role as a leader, and understand that the authority is given. Therefore one has to ‘manage his or her hungers’ what I can call sobriety but the text calls ‘getting on the balcony.’(As we’ll see later) Therefore in setting the vision, mission, goals and strategies amidst opposition, the leader has to understand that power and control is just a means and not an end. Hence the leader must focus not on what authority you have been but on what you owe back in return which is mature and humble leadership and this involves accepting feedback from the subordinates, understanding that you are not always right and giving the subordinates power to make some critical decisions in times of crisis.
The leader therefore has a role to get on the balcony. By this, the leader must watch the actions of all and sundry. This includes what is happening within the system that has political connotations and also without including the political moves which may jeopardize the criminal justice system. In addition to thus, he or she must also watch his or her moves. “The goal is to come as close as you can to being in both places simultaneously, as if you had one eye looking from the dance floor and one eye looking down from the balcony, watching all the action, including your own(Heifetz, 2002).” This refers to leadership on the line.
The criminal justice leader must also be able to think politically in order to navigate the side shows and innuendos plus propaganda in politics. According to Heifetz, in the exercise of “Criminal Justice leadership there are 6 essential aspects to thinking politically and these include dealing with people who are with you, managing those that are against you and the four remaining is for dealing with those that are wary & uncommitted- the people you are trying to move (Heifetz, 2002).”
Therefore this calls for having strategies on how to use your enemies to accomplish your goals, because your friends are already on your side. The criminal justice leader must therefore use the political and community leaders to champion for legislation that would ensure smooth running of the criminal justice system. Thinking politically would therefore entail concealing your intentions, playing the victim, show commitment and gain trust so that whatever you asked is provided.
The leader must also try to transform and show leadership within, and this entails building a strong team that is geared towards your vision, goals and objectives. When the leader has the team support and cooperation, the execution of strategies would be easy. This would involve coming up with necessary policy initiatives for correctional purposes and influencing the same through commu...