Oath of Office
Oath of Office
Barbara Schneider
St. Leo University
Abstract In today’s world there are many issues facing the criminal justice system. Some of these issues include police corruption, use of excessive and deadly force, and pursuits. The media influences the public’s view and there is concern over the morality and ethics of our public leaders. (DeShon, 2000) The criminal justice system has two neglected and important issues of integrity and truth; the oath of office and the code of ethics. (DeShon, 2000) In many agencies the impact these two issues have on the community are not fully understood. The public has distrust for many different criminal justice professions. (DeShon, 2000) Perhaps, the problem of public distrust can be corrected if criminal justice professionals received continuing education and training regarding their oaths of office and the code of ethics they are to live up to. (DeShon, 2000)
Oath of Office Many members of our government and criminal justice system must take a sworn oath before they are authorized to perform the duties of the office they are about to step into. (DeShon, 2000) It is important to know who is required to take an oath, and not assume that it is requirement for all who work in the criminal justice system. For example; attorneys in Michigan must take an oath, (State Bar of Michigan, 2011) yet in the state of Texas all that is needed is a notarized statement of recommendation from another attorney. (United States District Court Eastern District of Texas, 2011) The reputation of an attorney is of utmost importance and can be carefully built over years of hard work only to be lost in a moment of unfair, intemperate, thoughtless, malicious, dishonest or lazy behavior. (Conley, 2011) Prosecutors seem to be more vulnerable to this collapse of reputation because the powers vested in them are extraordinary. (Conley, 2011) Prosecutors who put winning a case before
Barbara Schneider
St. Leo University
Abstract In today’s world there are many issues facing the criminal justice system. Some of these issues include police corruption, use of excessive and deadly force, and pursuits. The media influences the public’s view and there is concern over the morality and ethics of our public leaders. (DeShon, 2000) The criminal justice system has two neglected and important issues of integrity and truth; the oath of office and the code of ethics. (DeShon, 2000) In many agencies the impact these two issues have on the community are not fully understood. The public has distrust for many different criminal justice professions. (DeShon, 2000) Perhaps, the problem of public distrust can be corrected if criminal justice professionals received continuing education and training regarding their oaths of office and the code of ethics they are to live up to. (DeShon, 2000)
Oath of Office Many members of our government and criminal justice system must take a sworn oath before they are authorized to perform the duties of the office they are about to step into. (DeShon, 2000) It is important to know who is required to take an oath, and not assume that it is requirement for all who work in the criminal justice system. For example; attorneys in Michigan must take an oath, (State Bar of Michigan, 2011) yet in the state of Texas all that is needed is a notarized statement of recommendation from another attorney. (United States District Court Eastern District of Texas, 2011) The reputation of an attorney is of utmost importance and can be carefully built over years of hard work only to be lost in a moment of unfair, intemperate, thoughtless, malicious, dishonest or lazy behavior. (Conley, 2011) Prosecutors seem to be more vulnerable to this collapse of reputation because the powers vested in them are extraordinary. (Conley, 2011) Prosecutors who put winning a case before
References: DeShon, R (2000) Police Officers Oath of Office and Code of Ethics a Question of Knowledge, Eastern Michigan University Retrieved February 6, 2011 fromhttp://www.emich.edu/cerns/downloads/papers/PoliceStaff/Unsorted/OATH%20&%20ETHICS.pdf International Association of Chiefs of Police (2011) Ethics Training in Law Enforcement A report by the Ethics Training Subcommittee of the IACP Ad Hoc Committee on Police Image and Ethics Retrieved February 6, 2011 from http://www.theiacp.org/PoliceServices/ExecutiveServices/ProfessionalAssistance/Ethics/ReportsResources/EthicsTraininginLawEnforcement/tabid/194/Default.aspx International Association of Chiefs of Police (2011) Presenting the Oath of Honor, Retrieved February 6, 2011 from http://www.theiacp.org/PoliceServices/ExecutiveServices/ProfessionalAssistance/Ethics/WhatistheLawEnforcementOathofHonor/tabid/150/Default.aspx Raffenburg, J (2010) The Oath of Office Retrieved February 6, 2011 from http:/ / www.newswithviews.com/ Raffenburg/ jim101.htm SBM (2011) State Bar of Michigan Retrieved February 12, 2011 from http://www.michbar.org/generalinfo/lawyersoath.cfm United States District Court Eastern District of Texas (2011) Attorneys Admissions Frequently Asked Questions Retrieved February 10, 2011 from http://www.txed.uscourts.gov/page1.shtml?location=attorney:faq_admissions [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic]