Training Program for Ethical Behavior - Essay Example

WORK ETHICS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE Work Ethics and Criminal Justice Ethical behavior is an important aspect of life that must be upheld in all places, be it at schools, at work, or at home. This should not be the case since it is a regulation or requirement of some laid down rules. However, it should be an act that comes from within to ensure unbiased coexistence among people. People have the responsibility of ensuring that laws are adhered to thus making ethics at work inevitable. Having understood all these, it is an obligation for individuals in the criminal justice system and everyone else to uphold ethical actions by executing their duties fairly.

Therefore, this paper develops a training program to educate criminal justice employees about ethical behavior. Discussion Criminal justice employees are prone to face many challenges that are real; thus, they need a critical thinking approach to make good decisions. It is upon everyone to be on top of their game in order to face and get the best out of any situation, no matter the complications. Actions of criminal justice officers in the outside world make the community accept, trust and believe in the system.

This is an extremely important factor in enabling officers perform their delegated duties with maximum co-operation from the public. After all, it is their sworn duty to conduct, perform and render protection to people at all times. Additionally, they are supposed to respect the constitutional rights to liberty, equality and justice of all people (Kardasz, 2008). In the outside world, it is no doubt that it is all real and tough, but that is what officers sign for and should be ready for. Ethics are virtues that should not only be taken into consideration while perfoming duties outside, but also in the office.

Policing is a noble duty that should be undertaken with the willingness and dedication that it deserves (Kleinig, 1996). At the office, there are ethical behaviours that can be considered common knowledge, but more often than not people tend to assume and overlook them in their daily activities. These acts include communication, time keeping and many others. These acts should always guide one whenever dealing with a colleague or superior. Criminal justice employees should nurture good and respectful communication skills so as to command and earn respect, as well as admirations from others.

Other ethical virtues such as integrity, courage, obedience and respect are not only important, but also part of the guiding code of conduct for all officers and criminal justice officers (Kardasz, 2008). Policing is a central part of the criminal justice system, and its duties should be in accordance with regulations. A case study that demonstrates police brutality is that of Adolph Archie that was presented on March 22 1990 in New Orleans (Fyfe, 2010). Archie had shot a police officer who was trying to arrest him.

Unfortunately, the officer died in hospital. Police officers having chased and caught Archie, who had also suffered a bullet wound did not take him to hospital as is required by the law (Fyfe, 2010). This action did not conform with their sworn duty of rendering every citizen the right to liberty, equality and justice as earlier seen in this paper. Archie after being brutally treated also died in the hospital after sometime. Archie was a criminal, but there are stated rules of handling such people.

Police officers are also human beings who can be carried away by emotions at times. This should be avoided at all costs to ensure obedience of the code of conduct. Laws and regulations are meant to guide enforcers and to protect citizens such as Archie. If rights are violated like in his case, then no matter how big his offence might have been; actions such as those of the officer are punishable by law. Consequences are dire for actions infringing others rights and freedom. Conclusion In developing a training program to educate criminal justice employees about ethical behavior, these actions are discouraged.

No police officer could give information as to who brutalized their suspect in a show of ‘solidarity’. Investigations could not find anyone to take responsibility for the atrocity. Such actions are in every way unethical and unwarranted. In as much as a police officer may feel the need to avenge the death of a colleague, there are systems in place that make people responsible for their actions. Criminal justice employees are part of that system; however, they should never take matters in their own hand.

Therefore, the training should aim at making police officers understand the law, as well as code of conduct that compels them to enforce the law courteously and appropriately, without malice or ill-will (Kardasz, 2008). References Fyfe, S. (2010). Above the Law: Police and the Excessive Use of Force. London: Simon and Schuster. Kardasz, D. F. (2008). Ethics Training for Law Enforcement. Retrieved April 6, 2013, from http://kardasz.org/Codes_of_Ethics.html Kleinig, J. (1996). The Ethics of Policing.

Cambridge United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.