Application of Mental Models to Conflict

THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION: APPLYING MENTAL MODELS TO ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT

The New York City Department of probation, Adult Services Division implemented a new system�the Adult Supervision Restructuring Program�designed to focus supervisory attention on those individuals at high risk for violent recidivism. The new program organizes the department along functional lines to address specific probationer needs. Each of the functions is handled by a special unit within the department. The first departmental unit that deals with new probationers is the Intake and Assessment Unit. Other departmental units, such as the Blue Unit, the Amber Unit, the Special Conditions Track Unit, and the Central Resource Unit are responsible for other functions under the new system.

The Intake and Assessment Unit provides the focus for this problem, as the writer is assigned to that unit within the Department of Probation. All offenders enter the probation system following sentencing by the court through an Intake and Assessment Unit at the borough-level. This unit classifies new probationers as being either violence or non-violence prone based upon information obtained during the Pre-Sentence Investigation and using the Adult Supervision Restructuring Program Case Classification and Assignment Instrument. Probationers classified as low risk for violent re-offense are placed in either the Special Conditions or Reporting Tracks. Those probationers who

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is experience allowed him to classify probationers much more accurately than any assessment instrument possibly could. 1. At the time that my probation officer coworker was making this statement, I was thinking that it is just this kind of arrogance that will cause this new system to fail, and that just might end up placing a lot of violent repeat offenders on the street. 2. My probation officer coworker said that he could tell by just looking and talking to a probationer on what track the probationer should be placed. He added that it really was not necessary for him to even check the court assignment documents too closely. 2. I was thinking that, if this guy operates as he says he is going to, the entire Intake and Assessment Unit is going to fail in its performance. I thought also that this man's actions may well being the entire team down in performance. 3. My probation officer coworker said that all of the probation officers in the Intake and Assessment Unit has to support one another. No other officer should report that one or more of the probation officers were not using the new probationer assessment instrument. 3. I was thinking that this statement is more than a call for mutual support

Category: Psychology - A