Leadership Fostering Collaboration Within the Department of Juvenile Justice

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Leadership within the Department of Juvenile Justice
Enabling Others to Act
Fostering Collaboration and Strengthening Others
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

The latest report published by the U.S. Department of Commerce indicated that “more children had higher chances of falling into the juvenile justice system” (Kratcoski 18). The United States is expected to have over 80 million children before the year 2020 (Ramirez 4). As well, statistics show that over 1.5 million American youths are arrested annually. Most of these youths are usually below the age of 18 (Kratcoski 27). They engage in different criminal activities such as drug trafficking, loitering, human abuse, and murder (Ramirez 6). Government estimates indicate that around 700,000 youths have joined different organized crime and street gangs (Kratcoski 41). Effective leadership in the Department of Juvenile Justice is therefore critical towards dealing with this problem.

Leadership within the Department of Juvenile Justice

The role of the Department of Juvenile Justice is to use appropriate approaches that have the potential to support the needs of every child. The department focuses on the best sanctions and services that can deal with the issue of juvenile delinquency (Kratcoski 93). The department has been working hard to meet the changing needs of every child at risk of engaging in various criminal activities. The department also seeks to support every delinquent youth in the country. The targeted youths are usually given new opportunities to lead better lives.

The individuals and leaders at the department should embrace the power of leadership to achieve the targeted goals. One of the practices of commendable leadership is enabling others to act (Cronkhite 41). The leaders in such departments should possess the relevant traits and competencies in an attempt to achieve the targeted goals. The complexity of the issues surrounding the area of juvenile justice calls for appropriate leadership (Cronkhite 42). The move can make it easier for the targeted followers to focus on the changing needs of different juveniles and their communities.

Enabling Others to Act

Confident and charismatic leaders should be aware of the targeted organizational objectives. They should “use their competencies to enable others to act” (Kratcoski 38). This behavior is one of the best practices towards having a successful institution. The leader in a juvenile justice institution should be aware of the weaknesses and strengths of his or her followers. With this knowledge, the leader will empower the subordinates to become more confident, take control of their goals, and be part of the targeted goals.

Within the Department of Juvenile Justice, leadership should be implemented in such a way that it controls and directs others (Kouzes and Posner 37). This means that the leader will promote a critical behavior known as enabling. The leadership approach should be implemented in such a way that it enables the followers to promote the anticipated goals. Leaders should inform the workers about the targeted results. This knowledge will ensure such followers are aware of their capabilities and strengths that can produce such results. Individuals who have the potential to promote new practices and goals should be empowered throughout the leadership process.

The “concept of autonomy emerges when leaders embrace the power of enabling” (Cronkhite 42). The targeted workers feel free to promote the best practices. They also work hard without any form of supervision. They feel empowered and understand the best practices that can deliver the targeted goals. This leadership behavior empowers more individuals thus promoting the performance of the targeted organization. The subordinates know “when to call on their leader to address various roadblocks or offer adequate resources” (Kratcoski 25).

The other advantage of enabling is that it promotes new organizational processes (Kratcoski 19). For instance, the leader becomes the best link between the workers and the targeted clients. The leader encourages his or her followers in the department to work hard to address the needs of more families and communities. The leadership process also considers the best resources that can be used to improve the level of youth and family engagement (Kouzes and Posner 98). The ultimate goal of the Department of Juvenile Justice is to distribute resources equally thus addressing the needs of every child.

Fostering Collaboration and Strengthening Others

The “concept of enabling others to act is critical in every leadership process” (Abu-Tineh, Khaswneh, and Omary 268). Leaders must ensure those below them become independent thus promoting the best results. This concept encourages leaders to improve the level of collaboration. Kratcoski believes that “collaboration is one of the most powerful attributes of effective leadership” (62). The attribute makes it easier for different workers to collaborate, share ideas, mentor one another, make positive decisions, and address the problems affecting their organizations (Harris 17). As well, collaboration is a powerful practice that results in teamwork. A leader should use this knowledge to produce spirited teams. Within the Department of Juvenile Justice, spirited teams can address the needs of more delinquents (Abu-Tineh et al. 270).

Leaders should use the concept to involve their followers. Throughout the leadership process, the supervisor must ensure there is mutual respect among the workers. Respect is therefore critical towards promoting positive relations within an organization. The practice will also promote new aspects such as teamwork, coordination, sharing, and togetherness (Harris 27). Leaders should ensure every follower or worker is aware of the targeted outcomes (Ramirez 6). This approach will make it easier for the workers to be aware of the changing needs of the targeted juveniles.

Effective leadership characterized by enabling will eventually create an atmosphere of human dignity, hope, and trust. This atmosphere will ensure the workers are ready to strengthen one another. New practices such as decision-making, problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking will emerge thus delivering positive results (Harris 29). Ramirez argues that “effective leaders are the ones who promote a sense of dignity in their respective working environments” (6). Every individual in the targeted department should feel powerful, encouraged, and empowered. They should also feel enabled to act diligently and promote the targeted outcomes. This argument explains why leaders should possess the necessary competencies and attributes to enable their followers. Such attributes will ensure more juveniles achieve their goals in life.

Conclusion

Effective leadership is relevant towards “promoting juvenile justice system reforms in different communities” (Ramirez 6). The stakeholders involved in the juvenile justice process should be empowered and enabled through effective leadership. Leaders in the Department of Juvenile Justice should enable others to support more youths in American society. The above discussion shows clearly that positive leadership will encourage more underage youths to stop offending and reoffending. The “enabled followers will also use their prowess to ensure more children go on to have successful and productive lives” (Harris 18).

Works Cited

Abu-Tineh, Abdullah, Samer Khaswneh and Aieman Omary. “Kouzes and Posner’s Transformational Leadership Model in Practice: The Case of Jordanian Schools.” Journal of Leadership Education 7.3 (2009): 265-283. Print.

Cronkhite, Clyde. Criminal Justice Administration: Strategies for the 21st Century. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2008. Print.

Harris, Linda. “Making the Juvenile Justice: Workforce System Connection for Re-Entering Young Offenders.” Center for Law and Social Policy 1.1 (2006): 1-68. Print.

Kouzes, James and Barry Posner. The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. New York, NY: Jossey-Bass, 2012. Print.

Kratcoski, Peter. Juvenile Justice Administration. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2012. Print.

Ramirez, Florencio. “Juvenile Delinquency: Current Issues, Best Practices, and Promising Approaches.” GPSOLO 1.1 (2008): 1-13. Print.

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