Introduction
Over the years, how both male and female detainees, inmates, and parolees have been treated in correction stations in Slovenia has been wanting. Lack of in-depth understanding of the best mechanisms to employ in enhancing justice is a major issue of concern. Concerns have also been raised on the appropriate treatment for both male and female detainees and whether or not there should be a compromise between the existing punishments, policies, and mechanisms of enhancing law and order. Proper planning for the future improvement of the Slovenia Department of Corrections is of utmost importance. It is argued that gender-based biases exist in Slovenian correction facilities (Smith & Cole, 2009).
Planning for theFuture
While the Slovenian prison system is organized in line with the country’s health system, to achieve appropriate treatment of both male and female detainees, the current state of the justice system should be restructured. The diverse operations of the courts of law should be assessed to bolster sobriety, dynamism, and winning public trust in the country’s justice system. Though not directly related to the management of correction facilities, such an approach would create a sense of accountability, responsibility, and the desire by law enforcers to work within the jurisdiction of the law (Singer, Das, & Ahlin, 2012).
For effective management of correction facilities and ensuring that detainees are accorded the fairest and appropriate treatment, structural change is very crucial in enhancing effectual and fair treatment of people in the Slovenian correction facilities. The existence of open, semi-open, and closed systems of operations of the correction facilities is very important. Adoption of a streamlined and lean operational structure of the correctional facilities in Slovenia is crucial. This would help in minimizing bureaucracy and thus be in a position to quickly address the concerns of all stakeholders in the Slovenia Department of Corrections. Consequently, the rights and privileges of both male and female detainees would be accorded utmost attention in line with the existing constitutional provisions.
Minimization of bureaucracy is necessary as it helps to eliminate undue delays in decision-making processes (Smith & Cole, 2009). It is also important for departmentalization and specialization of duties and responsibilities of the various correction centers. This should be done based on the gender of detainees and the staff in question. Rather than vesting all powers in a single section of the existing correction facility, the Slovenia Department of Corrections should enhance efficiency in the future operations of the Department of Corrections. A re-designing of the departments should be undertaken. According to Singer, Das, and Ahlin (2012), the design of the department should be streamlined and lean. The authority to make decisions should be diversified. Delegation of duties and responsibilities should be bolstered and a workable chain of command adopted. This is crucial in not only reducing bureaucracy but also in controlling the rate at which detainees suffer as a result of the slow pace of the justice system.
Better still, it would be crucial to ensure that all staff departments are accountable and responsive enough to the extent of being willing and ready to take full responsibility for their jobs whenever the detainees suffer unfair treatment due to the staff members’ poor judgments or indecisiveness. Rather than continue keeping many prisoners in the country’s largest prison, Dob Prison, the Slovenia Department of Corrections should focus on maintaining small numbers of prisoners by creating smaller prisons.
The Slovenia Department of Corrections should embark on thorough research to establish the root cause of evil and unethical practices in the country’s correction facilities. Streamlined operations aimed at ensuring that justice is enhanced would inculcate a culture of understanding and responsibility. It would also foster unity and cooperation among the detainees, the correction facility officers, the government, the society, and other stakeholders involved in the correction process (Singer, Das, & Ahlin, 2012).
The rights of prisoners to launch complaints and to be heard fairly regardless of their gender ought not to be compromised. To achieve this, all the programs and activities that relate to how prisoners, detainees, and parolees in Slovenian penal institutions should be planned and addressed without paying attention to the diverse gender bassed differences of people in correction facilities. This should be done by fully acknowledging that the gender of detainees is a crucial factor in enhancing the detainees’ wellbeing.
Adoption of a new design of the correction facilities in the country is crucial, noble, and timely. A philanthropic and more charitable approach should be employed in ensuring that detainees are not perceived to be enemies of society but rather as people who can become responsible citizens of the country. Though not always reasonable and generally acceptable, this approach would ensure that more focus is put on ensuring that the detainees are fully reformed (Smith & Cole, 2009). The approach also helps to ensure that redundant prison practices are eliminated and modernized means of addressing societal problems are employed. It is crucial to ensure that the departments in every correction facility are organized based on the nature of crimes committed by detainees. Rather than combining all detainees, Bloom (2004) explains that the departments should be aligned to the specific crimes and the interconnection of factors such as the family backgrounds of the criminals, history of the detainees, types of crimes, and other additional problems that the detainees face including physical health, mental health statuses, criminal histories, family and relationship backgrounds, education and employment statuses among other critical issues of concern.
Undertaking policy reforms is another crucial means of ensuring that appropriate treatment of both female and male detainees is enhanced. The reforms should be geared towards addressing all welfare concerns of the people in the Slovenian correction facilities. Minor benefits for detainees should be introduced while the housing facilities should be put in order. Rather than offer selective training and educational opportunities, thorough and expert training should be offered to ensure that the detainees become productive, holistic, and responsible members of society.
While very sophisticated and costly measures could be put in place to enhance fairness in the manner in which male and female detainees are treated, the Slovenia Department of Corrections needs to understand that development of ethics and mutual understanding is crucial for the success of any form of reforms (Zaitzow & Thomas, 2003). As a result, emphasis should be put on inculcating a culture of accountability and understanding that ethical living is not only a virtue but also a duty for all citizens.
To encourage fairness, suggestions boxes and other mechanisms of receiving feedback from the detainees should be adopted. This is an appropriate means of encouraging detainees to open up and share their woes, worries, thoughts, and feelings in the best ways possible. Though unthought-of, the detainees should be incorporated in the decision-making process on issues that relate to improving their wellbeing (Zaitzow & Thomas, 2003).
Additionally, the Slovenia Department of Corrections must adopt modern nonpartisan information systems and technologies. Such technologies may include the use of closed-circuit television networks, dynamic social media platforms, diversified use of security systems, and spyware software applications. Rather than being worried about the possibility of such technologies infringing on detainees’ privacy rights, the core focus should be put on ensuring that how the detainees are treated is effectively monitored. The monitoring could also be done through telemedicine and other relevant forms of teleconferencing, cross-gender victim services programs, use of intensive yet responsive correction center monitoring and supervision programs, and constant evaluation of all existing rehabilitation strategies (Bloom, 2004; Zaitzow & Thomas, 2003). To ensure that the most appropriate treatment is practiced, proper transition and succession planning needs to be undertaken. This should be done by filling all possible gaps that may be left as a result of one person quitting or being transferred to a different correction department or station. Standards of operations and ways of life for the detainees should also be adopted. Such a process could also be fruitful if effective communication across departments and among all stakeholders is improved (Zaitzow & Thomas, 2003; Smith & Cole, 2009).
Rather than constantly tolerating bureaucratic processes, the Slovenia Department of Corrections should employ very effective communication strategies that would in turn eliminate all existing barriers of communication and appropriate treatment of detainees. Through effective communication, detainees would be assured of the fact that all rehabilitation strategies being employed are the most appropriate and fair and that they are aimed at ensuring that the common good of parolees, inmates, detainees, and other stakeholders is enhanced.
Conclusion
Proper planning, effective strategic management, streamlined communication, policy reform, and objective implementation of modernized policies are sure means of improving the appropriate treatment of both male and female detainees.
References
Bloom, B. E. (2004). Little Hoover Commission. Public Hearing: The Impact of California’s Parole Policies on Women.USA: Department of Criminal Justice Administration, Sonoma State University.
Singer, J. K., Das, D. K., & Ahlin, E. M. (2012). Trends in Corrections. Interview with Corrections Leaders around the World, International Police Executive. United States.Symposium CO-Publication.
Smith, C., & Cole, G. (2009). The American System of Criminal Justice, International Edition. 1eth Ed. USA: Cengage Learning.
Zaitzow, B. H., & Thomas, J. (2003). Women in Prison: Gender and Social Control. USA: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.