In a correctional facility or jail, the correctional officers utilize legitimate power, for which the prisoners accept as the authority of the institution. The power or authority usually comes from a person’s position with an organization, which is given to them to complete their duties effectively. Correctional staff uses the legitimate power that comes with the specific positions to supervise or provide instructions. This power is typically used to give sensible directives, and it also establishes compliance with a significant amount of inmates (Carlson & Garrett, 2008). The concept of legitimate power will minimize chaos. The hierarchies of power or established positions that are developed within companies to set direct focus, achieve goals …show more content…
It can be used to supply the force when necessary to support legitimate power. Correctional facilities are coercive organizations by design. It is an environment where the number of inmates exceeds the correctional officers. However, the personnel must control prisoners and maintain a safe institution(Carlson & Garrett, 2008). Coercive power in jail or prison is contrary to reward power in a sense that it attempts to demand that inmates act in a specific way by force or the threat of force. Coercion usually refers to exhibiting physical force, but it can also be associated with retaining resources, reprimand, demotions, firing, denial of privileges, pay cuts, layoffs or unwanted assignments (Downer, 2018). In an institution, coercive power could be used on a prisoner who fails comply with correctional officers orders which results in physical abuse. I recall the scene the movie “Hurricane” starring Denzel Washington where Hurricane Carter a championship boxer was wrongfully accused of the murder. Mr. Carter who was eventually convicted of the deaths of two men pledged his innocence, even when it was time for him to change into his prison