NCJ Number
203248
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 65 Issue: 7 Dated: December 2003 Pages: 12,14
Date Published
December 2003
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the importance of training programs that meet the individual needs of criminal justice employees.
Abstract
Creating a well-rounded work force through training and career development programs is important. The cost of employee complacency is too high, fostering mediocrity rather than keeping pace with a continuously changing justice system. An approach that illustrates that training is a tangible benefit can be accomplished through a three-step system referred to as the VIP methods. The acronym stands for visibility, individualized attention, and progressive development. The trainer has to be a visible agent within the justice community. The more individuals perceive their main values being fulfilled through their work, the more fully engaged they are. This concept leads to individuals giving discretionary effort and intellectual capital beyond the minimum job requirements. It is important for trainers to visit the work site of the trainees and learn about their goals as well as their frustrations. Visibility requires trainers to observe the tasks that employees perform on the job rather than solely depend on what is written in their job descriptions. Visibility also requires the implementation of a training needs assessment, which is an excellent tool that can provide insight about staff training needs based both on the job description and individual input. Information from such assessments can serve as a basis for a training program designed to fill in skills and knowledge gaps among employees. The benefits of individualized training are endless. Trainers need to give some employees individualized attention. An individualized approach to training gives employees the comfort of discussing their strengths and weaknesses. Employees will feel more appreciated and recognized when their individual needs are met. A trainer that believes in the concept of progressive development will continuously empower staff to develop and enrich their personal careers. The concepts of the VIP approach enable trainers to identify what type of needs the employees have by being a visible agent within the system; give the individualized attention necessary for employees to better perform their jobs; and treat staff as clients and deliver the training they request.