Approach with Caution: How to Successfully Implement New Correctional Technology

• NCJ Number: 228205
• Journal: Corrections Today Volume: 71 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2009 Pages: 28-30
• Author(s): James R. Upchurch
• Date Published: August 2009
• Length: 3 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Instructional Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses a strategy for implementing new correctional technologies into a subculture that is typically suspicious of anything new, untried, and untested.

Abstract

New technologies must be introduced into correctional settings through a carefully planned series of strategies that recognize the issues, concerns, and interests of those who will be expected to use the new technology as well as those upon whom the technology will be applied. The series of strategies discussed are an impact strategy, sales strategy, and educational strategy. The impact strategy includes addressing ways to prevent or reduce potentially detrimental collateral effects associated with the introduction of a new technology. This requires analyzing possible direct and indirect adverse impacts of introducing the new technology and devising ways to mitigate these impacts. The sales strategy follows the implementation of the impact strategy. This strategy sets the stage for successful implementation of the technology. The sales strategy emphasizes the benefits of the new technology by saving money and time, making job tasks easier, and reducing employee job-related risks and associated stress. The technologies that offer the most benefit to employees in the performance of their work are almost always the most successful and least problematic to implement. The sales strategy should ensure that the staff responsible for using the new technology are aware of how they will personally benefit from the new technology. An educational strategy is required to convince managers, supervisors, and line staff that the technology will reliably achieve the benefits for which it is designed. This should include clear explanations of how the technology works. Ideally, the educational strategy should include a hands-on opportunity to use the technology in a realistic application that reflects how it will be used in practice. The expression of questions and concerns should be encouraged and addressed.