Ethical Ways and Unethical Decisions on a Case - Assignment Example

Ethical ways and unethical decisions on a case Lecturer: What is the most ethical way to handle this situation?Raynor & Robinson (2009) claim that probation prevents offenders from further immersion into an illegal lifestyle as a result of exposure to chronic offenders while in prison. However, it is necessary to recognize that the role of parole and probation officers is to protect society and its members while assisting parolees and probationers to become industrious law abiding citizens. Pollock (2007) documents that to solve ethical dilemmas; one should consider policy, law, and ethics.

According to the Professional Ethics Code for Rehabilitation Counselors (2009), six pillars should guide the probation officers in their ethics. These include1. Autonomy: this entails respecting a clients’ rights to govern themselves in a social cultural framework.2. Beneficence: Doing good to all and promoting a clients’ well-being.3. Fidelity: This entails faithfulness, keeping promises and honoring the trust vested upon rehabilitation counselors.4. Justice: to exhibit fairness while treating all clients and to give appropriate services to everyone.5. Non maleficence: To cause no harm to anyone.6. Veracity: to remain honest at all times.

Autonomy promotes choice (Patterson & Patrick, 2000). However, while allowing the woman to make her own choices, the parole officer should still tell her about the parolee’s previous charges. This is because the parole officer has been trusted to offer protection. Pollock (2007), reports that while utilitarian ethics may tolerate actions (means) that ultimately have a good end, any “bad means” (such as not letting the woman know about the previous child molestation offences of the parolee) might lead to a bad outcome.2. What are some unethical decisions one could make in this case?

In this case, not letting the woman know of the parolee’s previous child molestation charges would be going against the code of ethics established for rehabilitation counselors. This is because the woman’s three children aged 6, 9, and 14 would be at serious risk of being harmed by the offender (John).However, in keeping with the justice requirement cited in the rehabilitation counselors’ code of ethics, the probation officer should recognize that no crime has been committed against any of the woman’s children yet (Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors, 2009).

An unethical decision would be to assume that the parolee has already committed a crime by being close to “potential victims.”3. Making sure to uphold ethical and moral values/concepts, what other options do you have in this situation?Other options available in this situation include informing the woman to avoid John at all costs for the safety of the three children. The argument for this is that extreme shaming should be avoided. Pollock (2007) argues that “shaming” conditions only work towards making the offender feel abandoned and cast aside by the society and may work against the rehabilitation process.

Since no offence had been committed to the woman or her children, avoiding “shaming” the parolee further would still be ethical and morally acceptable.ReferencesCode of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors, (2009). Retrieved February 27, 2013,from http://www.oregon.gov/dhs/vr/docs/crc-code-ethics.pdfPatterson, J., & Patrick, A. (2000). Choice: Ethical and Legal Rehabilitation Challenges.Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 43(4), 3. Retrieved February 27, 2013, fromhttp://www.

worksupport.com/documents/proed_choice.pdfPollock, J. M. (2007). Ethical dilemmas and decisions in criminal justice (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.Raynor, P., & Robinson, G. (2009). Why help offenders? Arguments for rehabilitation as a penalstrategy. Home - European Journal of Probation.