Criminal justice organizations do not operate in isolation. The system is comprised of many interdependent organizations. While a manager or leader may have authority in only one specific agency, he or she must be aware of the many ways that the agency is connected to others in the system.

Assume that you are a manager of a county-wide criminal justice organization, such as a courthouse, probation office, or other organization of your choice.

• Identify the other agencies within the system that your organization would interact with as part of its regular operation.
• Identify organizations outside the criminal justice system that your agency must interact with.
• Can management in one agency impact the performance in other agencies within the system? How?
• How should leaders address the issues of competition and lack of cooperation between agencies? For example, consider a courthouse scheduling clerk who builds dockets without consideration for the transportation difficulties faced by the local jail.