Thinking Things Through - A Conceptual Analysis of the Construction and Implementation of Sentencing Guidelines (From Impact of Social Psychology in Procedural Justice, P 215-248, 1986, Martin F Kaplan, ed. - See NCJ-101784)

• NCJ Number: 101787
• Author(s): J Galegher; J S Carroll
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 23 pages
• Sale Source: Charles C. Thomas
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

This paper demonstrates how principles of change management determined by social research could have been used to predict the outcome or guide the development of a sentencing guidelines project.

Abstract

Gottredson et al. developed empirically based parole guidelines in a 1972 pilot project which was sufficiently successful to warrant their use by the U.S. Parole Commission. A similar pilot effort in the development and use of sentencing guidelines was not successful. The disparate outcomes of the projects could have been predicted through the use of Zaltman et al.'s conceptual checklist for organizational innovations. The checklist first determines whether involved parties agree that a new procedure is necessary; this identifies awareness of a performance gap. The checklist then examines how participants will view the new procedure; this ascertains participant compatibility with decision goals. The advantage of the new procedure over existing procedures is then specified, as are any obstacles to its implementation. The checklist determines who will develop the new procedure and plan its implementation, followed by the identification of who will oversee the change process and evaluate its outcome. The application of this checklist to both the parole and sentencing guidelines projects would have predicted their outcomes. Tables and 40 references.