Abstract
The NYC jail system is a sociotechnical system. It has significant societal impact, is complex, large, technology intensive, and has many stakeholders. Its technical complexity is being addressed by complete replacement of its physical infrastructure at a cost of an estimated fifteen billion dollars. Rikers Island’s jails will be replaced by three Outposted Therapeutic Housing Units (OTxHU) at public hospitals and four 1,040-bed jails in four of the five boroughs. However, the social complexity of successfully transitioning into the new facilities is daunting. The NYC Department of Correction (DOC) and the Correctional Officers’ Benevolent Association (COBA) labor union, representing 6,200 correctional officers along with two additional unions for superiors, are demonstrably policy and change resistant. NYC has invested too much to turn back now. DOC’s organizational culture must evolve into an exemplar of correctional best practices, “grounded in principles of ethics, equality, and care.” How can such a Complex Adaptive System (CAS) with ‘agents’ that resist any change from the status quo be guided to transform its culture into one that embraces direct supervision, commits to care and custody, and continuously seeks improvement, or at a minimum, sustainment?
Presenters
Hugh D. LesterArchitecture Director, Corrections & Secure Psychiatric, Buildings, STV, New York, United States Ellyn Lester
University of Salford
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
The Value of Culture and the Demand of Change
KEYWORDS
Sociotechnical systems, Complex adaptive systems, Organizational culture change, Policy resistant
