Study Ethics
Week 1 Notes, Read chapter 1, Why study Ethics
Perhaps the most straightforward answer to this question is that we, as individuals in society, face ethical decisions all the time. Having an ethical framework to draw upon, with a system of rules and principles to guide us, will help individuals when they are confronted with difficult decisions involving moral issues.
As you are looking to become criminal justice professionals, studying ethics is especially important. As Pollack (2004) explains, "A characteristic of every criminal justice profession is that the role entails a public trust that involves power over others. Those who have such power over others must be especially sensitive to the ethical issues that arise in their professional lives." For example, police officers have the ability to use force and deprive people of their liberty, prosecutors can exercise their discretion in determining who and what to prosecute in their community, correctional officers wield immense authority over people already deprived of their liberty, and community corrections officers have considerable influence over an offender's custody status. The exercise of discretion and the use of authority by criminal justice professionals have the capacity to profoundly affect people's lives.
As you examine the instances in which criminal justices professionals fail to make the right choices or act in a deliberately unethical manner, it becomes clear why it is important for criminal justice professionals to study ethics. Utilizing an ethical framework will help individuals confronting difficult decisions. Moreover, through practice and study, students can develop an ability to recognize ethical dilemmas and apply critical thinking tools to analyze them.
As you examine the problems and issues in your coursework, you are asked to apply the following critical thinking process suggested by Albanese (2008): 1. Begin with an open mind (no preconceptions), 2. Isolate and evaluate the
Perhaps the most straightforward answer to this question is that we, as individuals in society, face ethical decisions all the time. Having an ethical framework to draw upon, with a system of rules and principles to guide us, will help individuals when they are confronted with difficult decisions involving moral issues.
As you are looking to become criminal justice professionals, studying ethics is especially important. As Pollack (2004) explains, "A characteristic of every criminal justice profession is that the role entails a public trust that involves power over others. Those who have such power over others must be especially sensitive to the ethical issues that arise in their professional lives." For example, police officers have the ability to use force and deprive people of their liberty, prosecutors can exercise their discretion in determining who and what to prosecute in their community, correctional officers wield immense authority over people already deprived of their liberty, and community corrections officers have considerable influence over an offender's custody status. The exercise of discretion and the use of authority by criminal justice professionals have the capacity to profoundly affect people's lives.
As you examine the instances in which criminal justices professionals fail to make the right choices or act in a deliberately unethical manner, it becomes clear why it is important for criminal justice professionals to study ethics. Utilizing an ethical framework will help individuals confronting difficult decisions. Moreover, through practice and study, students can develop an ability to recognize ethical dilemmas and apply critical thinking tools to analyze them.
As you examine the problems and issues in your coursework, you are asked to apply the following critical thinking process suggested by Albanese (2008): 1. Begin with an open mind (no preconceptions), 2. Isolate and evaluate the