Superviso Supervisor's Role In A Correctional Environment

Managing a correctional agency requires effective recruiting, training, directing, and motivating staff to provide a stable and safe correctional environment. Communication between supervisors and staff is paramount in the field of corrections. Supervisors and staff spend an incredible amount of time communicating with each other to carry out daily functions, including understanding policy, following procedures, and accomplishing work. Supervisors continuously communicate with staff by giving direction, seeking input, listening, and sharing information to successfully carry out their duties and accomplish the work of the agency. Supervisors not only communicate with the individuals they supervise, they also communicate directly with other supervisors and managers, executive leaders, other departments, and external sources. Supervisors are also tasked with understanding, recognizing, and dealing with stress factors and how to lessen the effects of the prison environment on staff.

They guide staff in specific duties to achieve the mission of the agency. However, being a good supervisor does not seem easy. Supervisors are expected to be prepared, have adequate training, balance completion of work with available resources, perform at their best all the time, and are continuously in a position of scrutiny. Supervisors also serve many roles in their daily functions. They not only have to perform their own responsibilities, most times they must perform staff duties as well. According to Seiter (2017), supervisors must be “all things to all people.” Supervisors who become effective leaders do so by helping staff develop through training, coaching, and creating opportunities for staff to learn and experience new things. With this said, it takes time and attention to become an effective supervisor and