Criminal Justice: A Closed-System Model

The organizational and administrative side of criminal justice seems to revolve around a variety of models. Some models have been developed years ago and some are even being constructed today. Some reflect off each other and some take a model and build on it. One thing is for sure; models are either closed -system models or open -system models. Closed-system models are the most widely used. They are also the easiest to use. The reason behind this is that with closed-system models explanations of occurrences do not need any outer external aspects within organizations that stand alone. According to Dean John Campion in his text book Administration of Criminal Justice, closed-systems " Rely…on internal organizational processes to account for organizational behavior (Campion, 2003). Champion gives the example of the modern penitentiary being a closed -system facility with "self-sufficient entities complete with …medical facilities, recreation, vocational training and person or group counseling"(2003).
Open-system models are defined by Campion as: " Characterization of organizations that stresses their greater external environment and seeks to explain organizational behavior by using factors and events occurring both within and outside of the organization (2000).
The difference between closed -systems and open - systems is that while closed-system models are often stressing internal incidents, open-system models do not limit themselves and search beyond the internal factors, taking everything into account. Relating back to the prison scenario, Campion describes how an open system penitentiary would operate. He says: "…all factors will be considered, including how inmate prisoners are treated….and they are acutely aware of the treatment inmates receive in other
prisons"(2000). There are also some similarities between closed-system models and open -system models. Both of them can often be used on similar situations such as penitentiary example above. Although the outcomes might not be the same, organizations can be looked at by both models. Some of the main differences between open-system models and closed -system models are considered in a quote taken from Authors Rice and Bishoprick by Champion. This quote states that:
‘ " The simplest and perhaps most widely used and most valuable application of the systems concept is that of closed- system analysis. …closed -systems do not exist in reality. There never was…and never will be a completely closed -system…But closed -system analysis as a way of thinking about the interaction of components is extremely useful" ' (2003). Closed systems are often used more in research since there is no need for the utilization of external factors. Closed systems models also seem to have more advantages over open-system models. Open-system models are harder to apply to everyday situations since attention must be given to the many external factors that happen outside of the elements of organization. Other differences between open-system models and closed- system models are that closed-systems are more of an independent agency , the system has structures of subgroups and other various functions. Open-System models are more of a cultural product, it is an agent that exchanges with its environment and it is an input and output system. Closed-System models are also grouped into two subdivisions, rational and non-rational. The rational models of closed-systems handle events that often reoccur and are easily noticed. Non-rational models deal with structured organizations that focus on unapparent behavior and events. There are many other closed-system models such as: scientific management which is reminiscent of the machine model, the bureaucratic model which is the most popular of closed-system models, the goals model which focuses on the achieving of goals and finally the decision model which deals with independent decisions in interrelated departments.