Generations, “Doing What They Do” in the Criminal Justice System— Part 2

This is a continuation of the November/December 2023 Guest Editorial.

Authority and Relationships

Distinct generations interact with authority in disparate ways. Traditionalists tend to have respect for authority and the hierarchical system, where seniority and job titles are valued. They have the attitude of, “tell me what I should do for you.” Baby Boomers challenge authority and desire flat organizations that are democratic. They tend to have the mindset of “let me show you what I can do for you” (Smith, 2021). Members of Generation X may be unimpressed by authority and expect their competence and skills to be respected. Their approach may be “tell me what you can do for me.” Millennials respect authority figures who demonstrate competence. Their attitude tends to be, “Show me what you can do for me right now,” (Smith, 2021). Generation Z respects the process and follows direction but wants to be engaged. As upper management learns how each generation reacts to authority, changes become unavoidable, and it is only natural to see how each generation responds to change.

Smith discussed the work styles of the different generations. Traditionalists tend to be linear and follow the thinking that change is necessary mainly when something is broken. Baby Boomers like a structured organization but challenge the rules yet are cautious about change. Generation X tends to be flexible, want to change the rules, and sees change as an opportunity, according to Kovary. Millennials have more fluid work styles and expect to create rules that equal improvement. Finally, members of Generation Z can adapt to changing circumstances and seek balanced rules, seeing change as simply reality. Some make the argument that this study of generations, a form of ageism. Quoting Laura Tamblyn Watts, the founder and CEO of Canada’s National Seniors Advocacy Organization (CanAge), Catherine Skrzypinski (2020) states in “Canada, US Fight Ageism in the Workplace” that “we need older workers to stay in the workforce longer…older workers stabilize teams, and they have strong skills working with all generations.”

Generation X and Millennials

Currently, in the Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department, the majority of generations represented are Generation X and Millennials. The statistics gathered in this department were from sworn staff, no civilians were included. Reviewing traits of both Generation X and Millennials basically gives us organization ambiance flow, or organization culture. We have transitioned from a culture of being loyal to the team to being loyal to the manager and colleagues. We have moved from having respect for authority and hierarchical system to having a lack of respect for authority with an expectation of their competence and skills to be respected or respect for authority who they feel exhibit competence. The department has evolved from change being necessary when something is not working or broken to seeing change as an opportunity and a wanting to change rules. Additionally, the expectation of creating rules that equate to improvement. Lastly, we see a shift in the attitude of the employee asking what he/she should do to make the department better to one of tell me what you can do for me and show me what you can do for me right now.

The rising question is how can we prepare for losing these Traditionalists to assist in preparation of total “fade out” of these individuals? To address the “fade out” of Traditionalists, suggestions include:

• Address ageism and define what it is and address it in the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policy.

• Importantly, relate a mentor role for older workers.

• Focus on the adaptability of polices, instead of assuming what works for one set of employees will work for the others.

• Provide a purposeful direction toward a corporate vision, including promoting cohesiveness.

• Close the gap between formal education and competencies for the job.

Juneja (2015) stated, “appreciate employees whenever they perform an extraordinary task. Praise them in front of all. Let him/her feel indispensable for the organization. This way, you are not only motivating the employee what has performed well but also others who failed this time.” It takes a conscious effort to bridge the gap between generations to a place where the generations complement each other for the better of the organization. Traditionalists have a lot of wisdom to pass on to each generation represented in the workplace. Technology is thriving, new ideas are being presented, changes are being made. What is extremely important is to not lose sight of what is working at the price of innovation. If it “ain’t broke, don’t fix it,”; if it wasn’t broken and it was changed, there is nothing stopping the switch back. It is all about just doing the right thing that works.

What It All Comes Down to Is This:

Knowledge of what each generation brings to the organization is very important when understanding how to encourage and cultivate each person’s abilities and expertise to enhance the success of any organization. While doing this, the end goal should be to understand the workplace is evolving and new strategies to accommodate and enhance those changes must be developed. In the Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department, the four generations represented were Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z, with Generation X and Millennials being overwhelmingly represented. What is fascinating about all the mentioned information is that the Traditionalists tend to adhere to a military or semi-military organization such as law enforcement and corrections. Traditionalists tend to have respect for authority and the hierarchical system, where seniority and job titles are valued. This group is not represented in the corrections staff. Overall, this may be part of the breakdown point of what criminal justice, including law enforcement, looks like and what it used to be, regarding staffing.

__________________________________ Juanita M. Brunson-Alonso, Ph.D., CJM, is an Administrative Officer 2, with the Miami Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department Boot Camp Program, in Miami Florida. She has more than 20 years of criminal justice experience at state and local county levels. She obtained her B.S. and M.S. in Criminal Justice from Florida International University and a Ph.D. in Public Service Leadership with a specialization in Criminal Justice from Capella University. She can be contacted at Juanita.Brunson-Alonso@miamidade.gov.