public safety management clsss4

Workers Unite:Workers Unite: Occupational Identities & Occupational Identities &

Peer Relations Peer Relations

Chapter 5Chapter 5 MaynardMaynard--Moody & Moody & MushenoMusheno

Peer relationsPeer relations

►► Workers identify closely with peers and work Workers identify closely with peers and work collectively to address wrongs e.g. unions, strikes, collectively to address wrongs e.g. unions, strikes, class action suits etc.class action suits etc.

►► Workers unite to offset power imbalances with Workers unite to offset power imbalances with managementmanagement

►► Workers use moral judgments in dealings with Workers use moral judgments in dealings with clients but adhere to legal principals in dealing clients but adhere to legal principals in dealing with managementwith management

Clients use legal suasion in response to street level Clients use legal suasion in response to street level workersworkers’’ moral judgments in service delivery i.e. moral judgments in service delivery i.e. expectation of adherence to the lawexpectation of adherence to the law

Occupational Identity: PoliceOccupational Identity: Police ►► Identity: how we recognize ourselves and othersIdentity: how we recognize ourselves and others ►► There is strong worker identification with ones own and There is strong worker identification with ones own and

similar occupationssimilar occupations ►► Occupational identification often involved in whether Occupational identification often involved in whether

workers uphold or suppress the law, e.g. solidarity workers uphold or suppress the law, e.g. solidarity among safety forces in among safety forces in ““Getting Rid of CocaineGetting Rid of Cocaine”” & officer & officer harassing exharassing ex--wifewife

►► Workers handle occupational identities differentlyWorkers handle occupational identities differently Some carry identity all the time while others conceal identity aSome carry identity all the time while others conceal identity at t work as much as possiblework as much as possible Police identity consist of social isolation, danger, and broad Police identity consist of social isolation, danger, and broad coercive powercoercive power ►► Officers resent questioning of use of coercive power, e.g. use oOfficers resent questioning of use of coercive power, e.g. use of f

force, police shootings etc.force, police shootings etc.

Occupational Identity: TeachersOccupational Identity: Teachers

►► Urban middle school teachers also confronted with Urban middle school teachers also confronted with potential danger but have little coercive power to address potential danger but have little coercive power to address threatening studentsthreatening students’’ behavior behavior

►► Teachers often have to choose between teaching and Teachers often have to choose between teaching and administering disciplineadministering discipline

The former often experience fear, frustration, & alienation fromThe former often experience fear, frustration, & alienation from workwork Disciplinarians often encounter trouble with authorities due to Disciplinarians often encounter trouble with authorities due to their their aggressive approach with studentsaggressive approach with students

►► Teachers tend to feel lack of support from administration, Teachers tend to feel lack of support from administration, parents, & legal authorities in addressing behavioral parents, & legal authorities in addressing behavioral problems e.g. problems e.g. ““Lack of SupportLack of Support””

Occupational Identity: CounselorsOccupational Identity: Counselors

►► Voc Rehab counselors tend to identify closely with their Voc Rehab counselors tend to identify closely with their clients and their roles as advocates on their behalfclients and their roles as advocates on their behalf

►► Many emphasize their dedication to the client as opposed Many emphasize their dedication to the client as opposed to the agency or bureaucracy (system)to the agency or bureaucracy (system)

►► Counselors utilize persuasive power more so than coercive Counselors utilize persuasive power more so than coercive power to get what is needed for citizenpower to get what is needed for citizen--clients from other clients from other agencies & bureaucrats agencies & bureaucrats

Presume to know whatPresume to know what’’s in clients in client’’s best interest more so than the s best interest more so than the client or their loved onesclient or their loved ones Knowing how to access interfacing systems and strong bond is Knowing how to access interfacing systems and strong bond is essential among counselors but can also pose barriers with otheressential among counselors but can also pose barriers with other citizen agentscitizen agents

Organizational & Social Organizational & Social Divisions among StreetDivisions among Street--

Level WorkersLevel Workers

Chapter 6Chapter 6 MaynardMaynard--Moody & Moody & MushenoMusheno

Bureaucratic conflict & collaborationBureaucratic conflict & collaboration

►► Agents and management within bureaucracies Agents and management within bureaucracies often have conflicting imperativesoften have conflicting imperatives

►► Agents seek to meet individualized needs of Agents seek to meet individualized needs of citizencitizen--clientsclients

►► Management prioritizes closing cases & treating Management prioritizes closing cases & treating them in systematic mannerthem in systematic manner

►► Both citizens and authorities Both citizens and authorities (managers/supervisors) and citizens and workers (managers/supervisors) and citizens and workers at times work together and at others are in at times work together and at others are in conflictconflict

Cohesion & conflict in identitiesCohesion & conflict in identities ►► Social identifiers (age, gender, race/ethnicity etc.) are as impSocial identifiers (age, gender, race/ethnicity etc.) are as important ortant

among streetamong street--level workers as bureaucratic & occupational level workers as bureaucratic & occupational identifiersidentifiers

Social variables often help define alliances e.g. Social variables often help define alliances e.g. ““Going out on a limbGoing out on a limb”” Also can confound allegiances among those sharing social & Also can confound allegiances among those sharing social &

occupational identities, e.g. rookie officers in occupational identities, e.g. rookie officers in ““Remembering my first Remembering my first arrestarrest”” & movie & movie ““CrashCrash””

►► Generational & racial divisions are salient within police workGenerational & racial divisions are salient within police work As suggested in police work narratives and As suggested in police work narratives and ““CrashCrash”” there are there are generational differences among officers on issues pertaining to generational differences among officers on issues pertaining to race and race and various methods of policing, e.g. community policing evolved outvarious methods of policing, e.g. community policing evolved out of of social unrest of 1960s vs. traditional crime suppression model osocial unrest of 1960s vs. traditional crime suppression model of f policing policing Both also illustrate a reluctance to raise and address issues ofBoth also illustrate a reluctance to raise and address issues of racism racism within departments, e.g. black officer in narrative & black lieuwithin departments, e.g. black officer in narrative & black lieutenant in tenant in moviemovie

Identity EnclavesIdentity Enclaves

►► Shared social identities form enclaves that serve Shared social identities form enclaves that serve as power bases that permeate agencies as power bases that permeate agencies

►► Power of traditional networks e.g. old guard, good Power of traditional networks e.g. old guard, good oleole’’ boyboy’’s network, and policies are being s network, and policies are being challenged by newer networks lesbians, black challenged by newer networks lesbians, black officers (Black Shield), etc.officers (Black Shield), etc.

►► Social identities less prominent among counselors Social identities less prominent among counselors & teachers& teachers

Generational & gender differences more salient among Generational & gender differences more salient among counselors & teacherscounselors & teachers Differences in training, methodology, cohort hired with Differences in training, methodology, cohort hired with etc. more pronouncedetc. more pronounced

Status of Work SitesStatus of Work Sites

►► Work sites gain stability as new identity enclaves Work sites gain stability as new identity enclaves are recognized and acquire space within work are recognized and acquire space within work sitesite’’s culture e.g. western voc rehab centers culture e.g. western voc rehab center

►► Some sites are more open to difference and as a Some sites are more open to difference and as a result more stable than others e.g. police result more stable than others e.g. police organizations which are very inflexible and are in a organizations which are very inflexible and are in a state of flux with entry of new identity enclavesstate of flux with entry of new identity enclaves

►► In spite of differences street level administrators In spite of differences street level administrators have common occupational identities which define have common occupational identities which define their interaction with citizentheir interaction with citizen--clientsclients