High Performing Corrections Organizations

Get Involved with the HPCO Project!

2009-08-25T21:40:00Z

We are seeking participants from throughout corrections to complete a short survey. The survey examines what data measures are deemed most important for corrections organizations to collect and the feasibility of actually collecting these measures. Feedback will be utilized to assist the HPCO Project in pilot site selection, tool construction, & project evaluation. The survey is conducted online and will take around five minutes to complete. Ready to take the survey? Go here: HPCO DATA SURVEY...(read more)

Practices that Empower Employees

2009-06-26T20:23:00Z

What is any high performing organization’s most valuable asset? Its workforce! Full-time employees, volunteers, part-time staff, executives, frontline workers, consultants, managers, and contractors comprise the “human capital” of an organization, and are an essential component to an organization’s success. In the federal government, however, strategic human capital management is a pervasive challenge. Indeed, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has included human capital on its high-risk...(read more)

Baldrige National Quality Program and HPCO Applications

2009-06-13T14:47:00Z

An earlier post on this blog asked readers to examine the question, What attributes are associated with high performing correctional organizations? Now we add the question, How does one define and, more importantly, measure them? While not a perfect fit, a possible model for answering these questions can be found in the Baldrige National Quality Program. This program is sponsored by The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The mission...(read more)

Organization Performance Annotated Bibliography

2009-05-31T19:50:49Z

Acorn, L. R. (1991). "Kentucky Officer Personalizes Service for Large Probation Caseload." Corrections Today : 26. Kentucky Probation Officer Virginia Helbling has a caseload of about 100 offenders, yet she says the best aspect of her job is that it allows her to give each probationer individual attention. "We have so much freedom in the Kentucky system," she explains. "The leeway we have for handling each case is very important, because for every individual there are different...(read more)

Spring 2009 HPCO Roundtable Meeting Summary

2009-05-28T15:07:33Z

"Growth means change and change involves risk; stepping from the known to the unknown." - Author unknown, recited by Sherry Carroll On March 26th and 27th 2009 eighteen thought leaders from diverse correctional (jails, prisons, community corrections), human service, and business backgrounds came together outside of Denver, CO to explore the concept of a high performing correctional organization (HPCO). The Roundtable Members are: · Brad Bogue (Justice System Assessment & Training) ...(read more)

Meet the HPCO Roundtable

2009-03-23T18:02:29Z

Over 60 thought leaders and experts from Corrections and other fields were interviewed as a part of the HPCO project . These interviews will help us discover the characteristics of high performing organizations and potential members for the Roundtable and Focus Groups. The Roundtable is a cross-disciplinary group who will work with the HPCO staff to develop a definition, model and assessment tool that will help Corrections organizations measure their performance and create a plan to improve...(read more)

Shrinking Core and Expanding Periphery Key to High Performing Organizations (HPOs)

2009-02-03T19:38:28Z

In a journal article from the California Management Review CEOs and management from Fortune 1000 companies were surveyed in an attempt to identify the attributes associated with with those firms in top 25%. The questions addressed issues around organizational challenges and necessities perceived by these individuals. What organizational strategy or structure guarantees long-term success of a company? Customers There are four levels of customer relations, ranging from no significant relationship where...(read more)

What Would A High Performing Corrections Organization Look Like?

2009-01-12T18:43:00Z

What would it look like to the citizens in any state if their Department of Corrections was comprised of high performing organizations? Imagine that all of its agencies were functioning optimally. Perhaps the citizens would see a decrease in the crime rate, perhaps a decrease in the cost of housing inmates in their prison system. Staff in the corrections agencies might experience a decrease in the number of inmate violations and an increase in the number of offenders who successfully complete their...(read more)