A competent warden needs t to have excellent observational skills. These skills are put to the task every day as one must be observant of any security breaches in the facility and measures to mitigate the risks posed by such a breach. They also must be on the lookout for contraband the convicts may possess and any illegal behavior that may pose a threat to the larger prison population and the prison staff. The warden’s sixth sense can be a great help in knowing when something is amiss in prison. A professional warden should never portray partiality to convicts. Many dangers may come up as a result of wardens playing favorites with inmates, such as the warden’s judgment may be clouded by personal feelings towards an inmate. Another quality a good warden should possess is excellent communication skills, both oral and written. The warden should be able to document what happens in prison without partiality, and the reports are written should be clear. Problem-solving skills are also an added advantage when dealing with uncertainty in prison. The warden should be able to process the information gathered and hence give out practical solutions to be able to counter any threat. The warden should also be able to practice open-minded solutions. Prisons are faced with new challenges each day as convicts often craft new ways to avoid detection by the prison staff. A good warden should be willing to explore each possibility to avert any dangers posed by new threats.
No, the prisoners should have a choice to participate in a program offered by the prison. Prisoners should not be treated as a single entity rather as each individual with different interests and skills. While some prisoners may find educational programs productive, others may deem it a waste of time hence leading to wastage of resources. The prisoners can be evaluated to cater to all their interests, thus creating multi forms of programs that suit each inmate in his or her perspective. Forced participation leads to resentment towards the chosen for the program; hence the chances of success are very minimal. Prisons should have a policy that categorizes inmates based on what one is best at and hence cultivates that interest into something positive that can be useful when integrating the inmates back to society.