Codes of Conduct and Ethics in Criminal Justice - Research Paper Example

 Codes of Conduct and Ethics in Criminal Justice Ethics deals with the study of matters which are regarded as right or wrong in the society. Ethics and codes of conduct involve forming moral judgments regarding what is good or bad, or right or wrong (Clarke, 2000). Right and wrong are moral judgments or qualities that people assign to conducts and actions. Training in critical ethics and code of conducts, with regards to criminal justice, helps to create reasoning abilities and analytical skills essential for understanding the profession and the theoretical aspects of criminal justice. This paper will discuss the codes of conduct and ethics in criminal justice. Codes of conduct and ethics, with regards to criminal justice, are based on nine principles. These principles are responsibility to clients, confidentiality, dual relationships, integrity and professional competence, responsibility to fellow workers, employees and supervisees, responsibility to the profession and financial agreements. The other two principles remaining are advertising, as well as legal and moral standards. It should be noted that stern measures are taken to the law officers who do not follow these ethical standards. In a majority of situations, the licenses of the law officers might be revoked (Clarke, 2000). These principles are discussed below. Responsibility to Clients People who are concerned with criminal justice should respect the rights of other persons who are seeking assistance. Law officers are expected to make reasonable efforts, which will ensure that their services are used correctly (BGDA, 1994). Law officers should not discriminate against or deny professional service to anyone on the basis of gender, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation. This principle also warns law officers from using relationships with clients to pursue their own interests. Law officers are educated on disabling conditions. Therefore, this principle expects them to portray comfort and empathy in interactions with disabled clients. Other ethics, under this principle, are that law officers are expected to respect the rights of their clients and make a decision that will help their clients understand the results of their decisions (BGDA, 1994). Finally, this principle warns law officers from engaging in law enforcement while suffering from a contagious illness, which might also risk the health of their clients. This protects the broad society from contagious illnesses. Dual Relationships Law officers are aware of their significant position with regards to their clients. They, therefore, should avoid exploiting the dependency and trust of their clients. Instead, they should build a working relationship with them (Felkenes, 1987). According to the dual relationship principle, law officers are expected to avoid making dual relationships with their clients, which could increase the risk of exploitation or impair professional judgment. In case a dual relationship could not be avoided, laws officers should take correct precautions to make sure that no exploitation occurs, or judgment is not impaired. Also, law officers are aware of their significant position with regards to their work mates and supervisors (Felkenes, 1987). They should, therefore, avoid exploiting their fellow co-workers and avoid being in positions that will make their supervisors exploit them. Confidentiality The principle of confidentiality expects law officer to protect the privacy of their clients. They should not disclose confidential matters that they acquire during practice, teaching or investigation prior to an approved consent (Lindy, 2008). This principle expects law officers to make correct provisions for the preservation of confidentiality and the ultimate disposition of private records. Law officers should make sure that information obtained from any criminal procedure is secured by any security methodology that is available. Information should be limited to records that are necessary to the services being offered. This law expects law officers to adhere to local, state, as well as federal laws, concerning confidentiality (Lindy, 2008). People involved with criminal justice can release confidential information only when there is an imminent and clear danger with regards to their client. This confirms that criminal law values the privacy of its clients, and this can only be breached during exceptional cases. Professional competence and integrity This principle expects laws officers and other parties that are related to criminal justice to maintain high standards of integrity and professional competence. Stakeholders, in criminal justice, should seek correct assistance for their personal conflicts or issues, which may harm work performance. Law officers, as researchers, supervisors and teachers, should present accurate information along with their standards of scholarship (Singer, 1995). As a way of portraying competence, individuals concerned with criminal justice should not engage in sexual harassment or exploitation of other clients. This principal confirms that it is ethical that individuals, who are concerned with criminal law, should not offer advice on matters outside their recognized boundaries. Law officers should not engage also in ethical activities that do not meet the accepted standards their practice such as using drugs while providing professional services (Singer, 1995). Finally, this principle expects law officer to comply with conditions, limitations and terms on their licenses or certificates. Responsibility to co-workers and supervisors This principle expects law officers not to exploit the dependency and trust of their co-workers and supervisors. This principle restricts co-workers and their supervisors from performing or holding themselves out capable of performing professional services beyond their level of experience, competence and training (Singer, 2002). Law officers who supervise others should accept the duty facilitating further professional enhancement of these persons by offering correct, as well as current information, constructive consultant and timely evaluations. This principle does not expect members of criminal justice to obtain or coerce information through manipulation, sexual favors or professional advantages. In addition, professionals of criminal justice ought to recognize that an intimate or romantic relationship with their co-workers is vulnerable to manipulation (Singer, 2002). When acting as supervisors, law officers should offer their juniors with explicit regulations and criteria regarding conditions for admission to a law program. Finally, supervisors should make sure that their juniors are qualified in the criminal justice field, which they are assigned (Singer, 2002). Responsibility to the Profession This principle expects members of the criminal justice system to respect the duties and rights of professional colleagues (Womack, 1995). A law officer should treat a colleague with courtesy, respect and fairness. A professional of criminal justice should cooperate with duly constituted ethics committees and punctually offer necessary information unless restricted by the needs of confidentiality. Also, professionals of criminal justice should report any unethical practice or conduct of other persons to the correct certifying authority. It is also essential that they do not file falsely a report regarding their clients, a matter that could make their license to be revoked. As members or workers of criminal justice, law officers should refuse to take part in a practice which is inconsistent with the codes of conduct accepted for criminal justice (Womack, 1995). Finally, members of a criminal justice system should give credit where it is due such as when a person has done an excellent work. Financial Arrangements Professionals of criminal justice should formulate financial arrangements for proceedings with their respective clients, as well as third-party payers, which conform to accepted practices and are reasonably understandable. Law officers should not give, receive or offer rebates or commissions for the referral of their clients (Lindy, 2008). The principle of financial arrangements restricts professionals of criminal justice from overcharging excess fees for the services offered. Also, it is advisable not to disclose fees to clients prior to the service. Another serious restriction of this principle is that professionals of criminal justice should not enter into private financial agreements with their clients (Lindy, 2008). If this is done, then it will be considered as corruption. Finally, the principle of financial arrangements restricts law officers from acquiring personal fees or gifts from a client during a professional duty. Advertising The principle of advertising persuades law officers to engage in appropriate and correct informational activities like those which enable lay individuals to select professional services through an informed basis. Therefore, professionals of criminal justice should represent their training, competence, education and experience correctly (Lindy, 2008). Members of this system are not allowed to use their letterhead, first name, publication, title designation or term in any dealing. It is also advisable for these individuals not to use members any professional identification such as office sign or business card to advertise themselves (Lindy, 2008). Legal and Moral Standards Criminal justice professionals should endorse the law and portray high morals in both personal and professional conduct (Singer, 1995). Basis for discipline, under this principle, include a conviction of a misdemeanor or felony. Fraud-related conducts, with regards to this principle, include punishing any advertisement that is false, deceptive, fraudulent or misleading. Law officers are not permitted to engage in fraud, deception, concealment of material fact or misrepresentation of any kind (Singer, 1995). Professionals of criminal justice are expected to cooperate with an investigation. They should not interfere with a disciplinary proceeding or investigation through willful misrepresentation of information. Conclusion Ethics and code of conducts are fascinating, but sometimes confusing, parts of criminal justice. Whereas this paper’s view might not agree with this thought, it is true to say that every case and person approached should be treated individually in criminal justice. In order to enhance public opinion regarding the justice system, the government needs to change its fundamental approaches to criminal justice. If this is done, then the justice system will be liable for many years to come. References Board of Governors and Delegate Assembly. (BGDA). (1994). Code of ethics. Retrieved from http://www.aca.org/pastpresentfuture/ethics.asp Clarke, R. (2000). Code of ethics. Carolina: Carolina Academic Press. Felkenes, G. (1987). Ethics in the graduate criminal justice curriculum. Teaching Philosophy, 10(1), 23-26. Lindy, B. (2008). Crash culture. New York: Oxford University Press. Singer, P. (1995). The importance of ethics in criminal justice. Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/4031_Banks_Chapter_1_Proof.pdf Singer, P. (2002). How are we to live? Ethics in an age of self-interest. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. Womack, M. (1995). Studying up and the issue of cultural relativism. NAPA Journal of law enforcement, 3(4), 16-17. Read More