Ethics Awareness Paper - Essay Example

According to the Ethics Awareness Test I had taken, my ethical perspective is based on what is good to be, the virtues and characters of an individual as opposed to what is good to do, i.e. the actions of individuals when faced in circumstances where they are forced to make a choice. In this paper, I will apply the results of this Inventory Test to my personal and professional development and thus explain how my experience in Education has contributed to the development on how I think ethically.

I will also address the use of ethics in decision making and discuss potential conflicts that will arise in situations where people have different ethical perspectives compared to mine. According to the test, my ethical perspective is based on the obligation of an individual on what is morally good to be. In my professional and personal life, the results of this test indicated that I will most definitely look at the person’s actions and character to determine the intention of the said individual.

For instance, as a law enforcement officer, while investigating a crime, I will first look at the character of the suspect and later on come up with a conclusion of the intentions of his actions. The test supports the idea that I look beyond actions to determine an individual’s character; uprightness and integrity are the key elements of my analysis. For instance as an interrogation officer within the police department, I may face difficult circumstances that will warrant me to make a choice.

For example, while conducting interrogation on a bank robbery suspect, the robber confesses to me where he hid his loot but offers to pay me a substantial amount of money if I sit on his confession and let him go. My actions at such a scenario will depend on my character. My character will determine if I follow the Codes and Ethics of Law enforcement officers and use this confession to facilitate his prosecution (Corey and Callanan, 1998). I will be unable to act morally and in accordance with the codes and conduct of Law Enforcement agencies if I do not possess the character of honesty and Integrity.

My ethical thinking and view are greatly shaped with my education experience. My experience in Studies on Criminal Justice Administration has changed my ethical view point from focusing on my selfish interests without looking at what my actions could lead to in the enforcement of the law. Before attending my studies on Criminal Justice Procedures, I thought of my own interests and did not have a clear picture on what results my actions have in the criminal justice system and the society at large (Campbell and Pfister, 2002).

However, I have learnt that these elements - honesty, integrity and the urge to do right; significantly affect one’s ethical views besides building their characters. My ability to make decisions is based on my perspectives of ethics. For instance, some things might appear to be good but in reality they are not. Based on this, I am an individual who will examine facts about a particular situation or event, analyzing the characters of individuals involved in relation to their actions at the same time looking at what the impact of my decision will be to the criminal justice system and society.

Based on the test, I have realized that people have their own ethical perspectives, beliefs and behaviors that they strictly adhere to. As an individual, I respect their views and behaviors with a condition that they do