Question

Describe the role of ethics in a criminal justice organization. Why do incidences of corruption occur? How can administrators reduce the number of ethical violations?

Answer 1

• Without a set of moral guidelines, a criminal justice system cannot accurately meet its population’s needs. The system’s job is to punish bad behavior and ensure that crime victims are appropriately compensated for their losses, whether that means providing restitution for financial losses or giving them the peace of mind that their attackers, abusers, deceivers and other criminals have been safely removed from society.
• What is bad behavior? What is appropriate compensation for crime victims, and what are appropriate punishments for the people who violate laws? These are the questions the criminal justice system continually strives to answer as it evolves to suit society's changing needs and mores. Ethics, the moral principles by which society lives, guide this evolution.
• An Ethical Justice System Benefits Society-When citizens can expect their government to act in their best interest, they are more likely to support its policies and strive to be better citizens. In contrast, citizens who know their government and its representatives, such as police officers and judges, cannot be trusted to act in their best interest are less likely to report crimes and cooperate with criminal investigations.
• A police officer’s code of ethics prohibits her from threatening suspects or using physical force to seek confessions and information about alleged crimes.
• Police officers are not the only professionals in the criminal justice system who have to abide by ethical guidelines. In every criminal case, the jury is expected to fairly consider all of the facts provided to determine whether the defendant is guilty or innocent. Following the jury’s verdict, the judge is expected to make a fair ruling based on the facts presented, applicable laws and circumstances surrounding the case.
• Without ethical standards, it can be easy for law enforcement and the court to operate impartially.Police officers, judges and others in the criminal justice system must consider these ethical issues:
• whether their actions comply with the law
• whether they can legally and morally justify every choice they made to reach certain outcomes
• how their decisions affect others involved in a case and the population as a whole
• the precedents their decisions set
• whether their decisions undermine ethical or legal principles
• Ethical considerations that criminal justice policymakers must make include citizens’ rights to privacy, prisoners’ rights while incarcerated, and how to apply laws and justice procedures to the population without privileging or disadvantaging specific groups. A criminal justice system is meant to serve the people, not to punish them unjustly or only serve specific classes. Maintaining a set of ethics and referring to it frequently enables policymakers to create policies that serve the entire population and amend them as needed.
• While the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics is clear and unambiguous, police must often make decisions in the moment in situations that are ambiguous. Criminal justice is a high-pressure, high-stakes calling, one where mistakes can happen and where the consequences can be disastrous. There are common actions that violate the Code of Ethics; they may also violate police policy and the law.
• Excessive Force-Police officers interact with violent individuals, and sometimes force is required. However, criminal justice ethics require that any force used in the line of duty be appropriate to the situation. Lethal force is a last resort and should only be used to preserve the officer’s own life or the life of another.
• Intimidation or Deception-Once a subject is arrested, a confession is often necessary in order to secure a conviction. However, police officers should remember that they are exemplars to the community; deception and intimidation are unacceptable tactics when securing a confession.
• Due to time limit,any remaining questions can be asked as another question,they will be anwered,thankyou for your cooperation
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