Mandatory Sentencing and Organizational Effectiveness
There exist many principles that aim at achieving organizational effectiveness. In relation to mandatory sentencing, principles to organizational effectiveness that I will consider relate to the employees’ and management conduct with both the organization and outside parties like customers, suppliers, members of the public etc. Employees and management are required to obey all stipulated laws of the land in which they are operating in. the laws define the code of conduct between the organization and members of the public. Besides, organizations have got policies, rules and regulations that must be followed by all stakeholders, failure to legal actions are taken. Adhering to the organizational rules and regulations and laws of the land play a crucial role in attaining organizational effectiveness, given that each stakeholder behaves accordingly and ethically.
Both mandatory sentencing laws and the “get tough” approach to law enforcement play a crucial role in promoting organizational effectiveness. Under mandatory sentencing laws, the judicial officers are required to impose punishment to the convicted individuals, irrespective of the circumstances of the case under consideration. Punishment of the criminal activities are already established, and the judicial officers have no discretion of imposing high or low penalties. The convicted individuals don’t go unpunished. In the case of “get tough” measures, the approach aims at ensuring that tough punishments have imposed on the convicted parties. The approach is based on the fact that the purpose of sentencing is to deter individuals; both the convicted and other members of the public, from engaging into criminal activities. Therefore, the more tough the punishment, the better.
In respect to the nature of human beings, punishment is feared, especially when it is tough. Once people discover that they are likely to face tough punishment measures, they regulate their behaviors accordingly. They end up obeying all established laws and policies, something that results to organizational effectiveness. It will be right to conclude that mandatory sentencing laws and the “get tough” approach to law enforcement ensure effective compliance by all stakeholders, hence leading to effective organizations.
Based on the knowledge I have obtained through the class learning; I firmly support the use of mandatory sentencing laws and the “get tough” approach measures to law enforcement. My support to such measures is based on certain facts which are; organizational effectiveness cannot be obtained if there are no laws and regulations regulating the conduct of the stakeholders, for effectiveness to be realized, such laws and regulations should be followed to the latter, again, human beings have got the capability of regulating their conduct and behaving appropriately, especially when they realized that they are likely to face tough punishment. Therefore, such measures should be embraced to make sure the best code of conduct have prevailed across all organizations, for organizational effectiveness to be achieved.
The measures have impacted policing, courts and corrections both positively and negatively. Considering the positive impact, cases of criminal activities have been declining, considering the fact that the goal crime deterrence is achieved through the fear of tough penalties. The negative impact arises from criticism to the system, as it has been termed as unfair and unjust, due to imposition of tough punishment on simple criminal acts. To address the problem associated with the tough measures, there is need to educate the opponents about the benefits of making laws & regulations, why they should be followed and reasons as to why tough measures are effective. By equipping the opposing individuals with the necessary information, such issues will be effectively addressed.
References
Garside, R. (2008, March 17). The purpose of the criminal justice system. Retrieved from https://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/resources/purpose-criminal-justice-system
Feeley, M. (2017). Two models of the criminal justice system: An organizational perspective. In Crime, Law and Society (pp. 119-137). Routledge.