Ethics and Professional Behavior in the Administration of Criminal Justice - Essay Example

? Ethics and Professional Behavior in the Administration of Criminal Justice Essay Introduction Every individual behaves or makes decisions that can be assessed under ethical principles. Those who are involved in the criminal justice profession should be highly aware of the ethical concerns that may occur in their professional lives. Professionals in the criminal justice sector, whether they are correctional officers, judges, or law enforcers, confront numerous situations where in they should make decisions that influence the lives of other people. The domain of professionalism necessitates a great degree of ethics. The public expects professionalism and ethical conduct from those in the criminal justice system. The discipline of ethics focuses on the issue of what comprises appropriate or inappropriate behavior. A prominent specialist on ethics, Dr. Sam S. Souryal, gives a specific definition of ethics for corrections officers (Cronkhite, 2013, 304): Ethics has come to mean behaviors as they relate to a profession. Thus, there are medical ethics, legal ethics, and correctional ethics. All corrections professionals must follow basic ethical guidelines. Ethics boils down to making a choice between right and wrong, and doing what is right. In general, you can use your conscience as a guide. If you use sound reasoning, act in good faith, do your job fairly and honestly, respect the rights of others, and follow the rules and regulations of the agency, you will avoid most ethical problems. As argued by Whisenand (2005 as cited in Cronkhite, 2013, 304), ethics in the criminal justice system involves moral obligations and how individuals should act with regard to both objectives and behavior. The criminal justice system is an inherently service-oriented field that assesses its people and behavior merely in terms of the actual exercise of power and the realization of objectives. Codes of Ethics and Ethical Dilemmas Therefore, codes of ethics fulfill two main functions. First, they serve as ethical or moral rules for those working in criminal justice. They lay down moral responsibilities that must be fulfilled and moral features that must be followed. Moreover, codes of ethics establish rules of professionalism vital to the organization’s interests (Chipman, 2000). The purpose of such rules is to hold the professionals accountable to the utmost performance level and encourage them to be committed to the rules of integrity, loyalty, and obligation. Second, codes of ethics establish professionalism in the criminal justice system. When employees abide by a code of ethics, the outcome is a setting favorable for excellence. Employees know how to carry out their duties without too much supervision. They feel a sense of commitment and fulfillment in their work. They behave with respect and acceptance toward one another and in relationship to their fellow workers and clients (Chipman, 2000). They are capable of surpassing ‘petty behaviors’ like backstabbing, distrust, and envy and learn to avoid and detest inappropriate behaviors like favoritism, prejudice, and insensitivity. All codes of ethics aim at promoting two major qualities, namely, professionalism and public service. These are natural virtues, essential and fixed (Pollock, 2011). Without these codes of ethics, an organization loses its moral standing and faces serious ethical dilemmas. So how do people confront ethical dilemmas? Scholars explain that people initially exercise intuitive moral thinking when they confront ethical dilemmas. Intuition gives people quite simple rules learned from previous experiences (Braswell, McCarthy, & McCarthy, 2010). Another method of confronting ethical dilemmas is critical thinking. Contrary to intuitive thinking, critical thinking uses rules provided by moral and philosophical doctrines. In making moral choices when confronted with ethical dilemmas, people may at first exercise intuitive thinking, using their intuition to determine potential decisions or actions (Braswell et al., 2010). Nevertheless, people are likely to discover that their intuition does not sufficiently enable them to make ethical judgments and that critical thinking is needed. Making moral judgments may involve aspects like personal preferences, beliefs, values, or how a certain judgment may affect other people. Hence, the most ethical decision is not definite at all times. To decide or behave morally is not only a matter of choosing what is right or wrong beforehand and rigidly standing by that decision (Pollock, 2011). Because there are numerous ambiguities it is not always that simple to determine which judgment is ethical. Furthermore, if a person is to behave ethically, s/he has to give good reason for what s/he does, and the reason should be adequate that it may persuade any rational individual. Proposal for a Seminar in Ethics Training for Law Enforcement Officers To demonstrate the importance of ethics to the criminal justice system, five areas of ethical conduct are recommended for this proposal. These five areas focus on the exercise of power and authority, dealing with conflict between one’s professional and personal life, and with ethical issues found in the criminal justice system. Accountability is a major prerequisite for ethical conduct in criminal justice. Accountability is defined as the obligation of every officer to honestly admit and explain his/her decisions and behavior when asked to do so by an official in their agency (Leighton & Reiman, 2001). The following are the five areas of ethical conduct needed in law enforcement agencies. First are discipline, conscientiousness, and accountability. Officers should be directly responsible for their decisions. They should be honest, thorough, and accurate in every matter. They should recognize accountability for their decisions without trying to hide, avert, or underplay their actual culpability. This area of ethical conduct is important because it makes sure that every component of the ethics system is being followed. Law enforcers and the community will definitely benefit from this accountability system because it guarantees transparency, integrity, and honesty among professionals in criminal justice. The second area is conduct toward citizens. Law enforcers must deal with citizens in a professional and civil way that signifies a commitment to service and that will encourage public support and respect. Law enforcers must handle offenders with civility, be wary against using a bossy or arrogant language or behavior that may threaten, deride, or insult the person, or behave in a way that unreasonably impedes the performance of their obligation. This area of ethical conduct is important because it ensures that law enforcers use their authority reasonably and responsibly, that they will not abuse their power. The third area is conduct toward colleagues or other employees. Law enforcers must conduct themselves in a way that will encourage teamwork among employees, displaying professionalism and respect in their interactions with one another. Officers should not take part in activities that threaten, pester, or humiliate another individual. This area of ethical conduct is important because it ensures the survival of the agency by promoting cooperation among employees. Moreover, respect and courtesy within the agency facilitates service-oriented performance. The fourth area is use of law enforcement authority, powers, or privileges. Law enforcers must disclose any unsolicited perks or gifts that they receive. They should not exercise their power for monetary gain, for acquiring or giving favors or gratuities to prevent the outcomes of unlawful activities for themselves or for other people. They should not use information acquired through their authority as law enforcers to satisfy monetary or other personal interests. This area of ethical conduct is important because it guarantees truthful, unbiased, and fair services from law enforcers. It promotes an environment of trust and integrity. The fifth area concerns off-duty police activities. Law enforcers must not take advantage of their authority or privileges to resolve personal issues. They should call on-duty officers in instances where there is personal involvement. This area of ethical conduct is important because it ensures that law enforcers act within the confines of the rules of their profession. The community is assured that these officers will not abuse their powers to obtain personal gains. Conclusions Behavior and decisions of law enforcers or those that work in the criminal justice sector that are in conflict with or unsuited to the principles determined by an agency adversely impact its reputation and that of its employees. These behaviors thus hamper the agency’s general capability to competently maintain and promote peace and order, protect the citizens, and perform other important matters. Hence, the codes of ethics of the criminal justice system require officers to act in a way that reflects the ethical principles and professional standards of the agency. References Braswell, M., McCarthy, B., & McCarthy, B. (2010). Justice, Crime and Ethics. Burlington, MA: Elsevier. Chipman, T. (2000). The ethical foundations of criminal justice. New York: CRC Press. Cronkhite, C. (2013). Law Enforcement and Justice Administration. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Leighton, P. & Reiman, J.H. (2001). Criminal Justice Ethics. New York: Prentice Hall. Pollock, J. (2011). Ethical Dilemmas and Decisions in Criminal Justice. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Read More