Ethical Dilemma Worksheet
Incident Review
1. What is the ethical issue or problem? Identify the issue succinctly.
Based on what the two police officers have carefully observed, the two officers have two problems on their hands to decide. Should the husband be arrested for driving under the influence or should he be arrested for domestic violence.
2. What are the most important facts? Which facts have the most bearing on the ethical decision presented? Include any important potential economic, social, or political pressures, and exclude inconsequential facts.
There is only one car on the street that is visible to the police officers and that is the car belonging to the couple. The officer put his hand on top of the car and it was still warm. The wife stated to the officer that she has not touched the car all day, while the husband states he last used the car 4 hours ago when he got home from work. When the officers arrived on the scene, they observed the man staggering up the doorway and saw what appeared to be a set of keys fall while the husband is walking towards the house and put the keys into his pocket. The officer performed a sobriety test on the husband and he failed the test, having a .20. Another important fact is that the address where all this is happening is the same address where the domestic violence call was made.
3. Identify each claimant (key actor) who has an interest in the outcome of this ethical issue. From the perspective of the moral agent—the individual contemplating an ethical course of action—what obligation is owed to the claimant? Why?
Claimant
(key actor)
Obligation (owed to the claimant)
Perspective (What does the claimant hope will happen?)
Husband
Fidelity Beneficence
The husband is hoping to not be arrested and to be left alone
Wife
Non-Injury Beneficence
She does not need the assistance of the police officers any longer and is hoping they do not arrest her husband
Officer Nixon