Motivation and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Criminal justice agency is an institution which is responsible for detecting and stopping crime. It is also controls the works of correctional institutions.
The work of criminal justice agency is very important for the normal functioning of the society. Criminal justice agency fulfills and important functions because according to Abraham Maslow safety need is an important element of the hierarchy.
According to Maslow human needs can be structured and measured. Maslow’s theory belongs to the category of Need theories of motivation.
Need theories are based on different hierarchies of needs, dividing needs according to their importance. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs places physiological needs on the lowest stage.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs consist of four layers. He based his hierarchy on human needs and these four human needs are: psychological needs (includes hunger, etc), safety needs, belonging and love needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs. Hierarchy is constructed in a form of the pyramid and upper needs cannot be satisfied until the needs from the lower levels are not satisfied. For example, when the person is hungry or in danger he is very unlikely to worry about his esteem and self-actualization.
Criminal justice agency deals with the second level as it guarantees safety for people. People who do not feel safe cannot pass to other levels, such as belonging needs and esteem needs.
The concept of justice also occupies and important place in Maslow’s theory. Some specialists place justice to the first category as one of basic needs.
Motivation is an important part of the work of police. In order to make the citizens be satisfied with the work of criminal justice agency it is important to reach police satisfaction. In order to reach satisfaction of physiological needs police workers should get adequate salary which would enable them to satisfy these needs. If the needs of the first level of the hierarchy are not satisfied people become centered on them only. Need for food and sleep becomes extremely important and they cannot concentrate on other needs. As soon as primary of physiological needs are satisfied, the person can pass to another level of hierarchy. Psychological needs and needs for belonging also should be satisfied. If they are satisfied it is possible to pass to the category of esteem and appreciation. These factors are very important because they may be distinguishing features which make the work of criminal justice agency different from any other kind of jobs. Traditionally, the work in this sphere was considered prestigious and respected one. If this tendency is saved, the forth level of Maslow’s hierarchy will be involved in the work of criminal justice agency. For this purpose the workers of this agency should know that their work is appreciated in the society. Job satisfaction is very important criteria of fulfilling psychological needs. It is the task of contemporary society to provide necessary estimation and appreciation of criminal justice agency. Only in this way its workers will be able to provide high level service and correspond to the demands of the society.

References

Driscoll, Marcy Perkins (1994). Psychology of learning for instruction. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Flavell, John H. Greene, J. R. (2000). “Community Policing in America: Changing the Nature, Structure, and Function of the Police” in Policies, Processes, and Decisions of the Criminal Justice System vol. 3. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice.
Whitaker G. P. & Phillips C. C. (2002).Evaluating Performance of Criminal Justice Agencies. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.