Personality Defect Theory

Power is the ability of an individual or a group to influence the behavior of another individual/group to do something that they would not have done otherwise (Allen, 2010). Power is considered an entity ability to control its environment, with the behavior of other entities. For example, at workplace power is used as the main way of directing and controlling people’s behaviors toward attaining desired outcomes. Power is obtainable through personal characteristics and depending on the position one is holding within the organization.

Authority is the position to which power is awarded by the organization (Allen, 2010). Therefore, the assistant accepts authority of the position holder because they believe it is assigned legitimately. Authority can be present without power or power without authority. It comprises a right to command a situation, give orders and expect them to be obeyed, and is accompanied by equal responsibility for one’s action/failure to act.

Pondy’s model of conflict includes: latent, perceived, felt, manifest, and conflict aftermath (Allen, 2010). An example of conflict that may occur in criminal justice would be when inmates are complaining of harassment from various correctional officers. According to Pondy’s model in the first stage, latent conflict, the condition could be influenced by the previous complaints from the inmates about the guards which may be happening due to the guards working long hours developed from the facility having no enough staff.

In the second stage, perceived conflict, the inmates are starting to really get frustrated by the action of the guards. The inmates anger start to escalate with facial expression and even exchange few verbal prompts as time passes. In the third stage, felt conflict, there is tension whenever the specific guards are around the inmates. There are disagreements due to the hostility treatment from the guards to the inmates and, chores are not being done by the inmates as they are expected by the facility. They begin to blame each other and the environment turns insecure.

In fourth stage, manifest conflict, the conflict becomes open through one of the guards getting beaten severely. The inmates create a situation that attract the guards around their cells. Inmates ran out their cellblock while releasing others. In a matter of time, large group of inmates is running loose, and running around letting others loose. Some inmates will be smashing windows and chairs, and others might start fires.