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An analysis of the significance of ethics in the criminal justice system
Ethics in criminal justice
An analysis of the significance of ethics in the criminal justice system
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Criminal Justice professionals make decisions everyday and they have to be able to recognize when an issue involves ethical considerations. Therefore, in order to recognize these issues and make appropriate and correct decisions, it is important that the criminal justice professional study ethics. In order to make a good ethical decision the professional will have to have the ability to apply knowledge of ethics, know the ethical terminology and the concepts needed in making a good ethical decision. Criminal Justice professionals are in positions of power and exercise power and authority over others. Therefore, it is important for them to study ethics because they must be aware of the ethical standards needed in making critical decisions involving discretion, force, and due process. It is also a fact that criminal justice professionals who exercise power and authority over others can be tempted to abuse their powers. Police decisions can affect life, liberty, and property, and as guardians of the interests of the public, police must maintain high standards of integrity. Police discretion concerning how to act in a given situation can often lead to ethical misconduct (Banks 29). It is also important for criminal justice professionals to study ethics, as ethics is important in criminal justice policy making. These professionals are in a position to make choices and analyze options in order to make decisions that affects the lives of many people. Professionals who formulate policies should act ethically and they have to realize the ethical responsibility in making policies especially when it comes to punishment. These professionals need to know how unethical and ethical policy-making decisions differ in how it affects those ... ... middle of paper ... ...f nothing and therefore ethics “cannot be taught,” but since 99.9 percent of business and criminal justice professionals have a conscience, it is possible to teach and learn ethics (Perry). Works Cited Banks, Cyndi. Criminal Justice Ethics: Theory and Practice. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2009. Print. Felkenes, George. "Ethics in the Graduate Criminal Justice Curriculum." Teaching Philosophy 10. (1987): 23-26. eBook. Mills, Karen. "Can Ethics be Taught?" Oct. 2010. Arizona Department of Transportation. 02 Dec. 2010 . Perry, David L. "Can Business Ethics Be Taught?" Mar. 1994. Teaching Business Ethics. 03 Dec. 2010. . Pollock, Joycelyn M. Ethical Dilemmas and Decisions in Criminal Justice. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2010. Print.