NCJ Number
169366
Journal
American Jails Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: (July-August 1995) Pages: 105-108,110
Date Published
1995
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The Featherstone Prison in the United Kingdom decided in 1994 to conduct strategic planning to determine how to cope with numerous problems, including the changing inmate population, perceptions that the facility was unsafe, and a domination by the work schedules of the factory at which inmates had worked since the prison's beginning.
Abstract
The prison was intended for low-security inmates but came to house large numbers of inmates who were younger, more volatile, and imprisoned for violent offenses. The pending retirement of the warden led to the early designation of the new warden, who was involved in the strategic planning from the outset. Management consultants aided the process. A political/economic/social/technological (PEST) analysis was conducted. The analysis revealed that the government believed that prison alone is effective and that efforts to address crime causes were unnecessary, that the prison service was expected to achieve more for less, that the media had presented an image of prisons as lenient, and that the prison service needed to invest in effective management information systems and communications. Another analysis determined strengths/weaknesses/opportunities and threats (SWOT). These included understanding that staff were their most valuable resource, a feeling of helplessness, opportunities for teamwork, and increasing paperwork. The 3-day process led to the establishment of 10 priorities, starting with producing a shared vision and accountable teams to deliver the vision. The strategic plan is a 4-year plan that includes initiatives for each year and is flexible. The plan and the resulting changes have improved morale and established a flatter and more accountable management structure.