Ethics, Whistleblowing, and Professionalism in Criminal Justice

Vocabulary flashcards covering ethical frameworks, professional standards, misconduct types, famous whistleblowers, legal protections, and accountability measures in criminal justice.

Ethics

Moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity.

Utilitarianism

A theory that punishment is justified only if it maximizes overall societal happiness and prevents future crime; judges actions based on the greatest good for the greatest number.

Deontology

A duty-based ethical framework judging the morality of an action by whether it adheres to fixed rules and moral obligations, ignoring the consequences.

Virtue Ethics

An approach that judges the morality of an officer, lawyer, or offender by who they are (character) rather than strictly following rules (deontology) or calculating outcomes (consequentialism).

Brady Rule

A court standard requiring prosecutors to disclose all exculpatory evidence to the defense.

Corruption

Misuse of official authority or position for personal gain or private benefit.

Gratuities

Items of value given to officers purely because of their official position, creating a sense of obligation (e.g., accepting free lunches from a restaurant owner on a beat).

Code of Silence

An unwritten rule among law enforcement officers where they refuse to report or testify against officers.

Misconduct

Wrongful, improper, or unlawful conduct by a criminal justice professional that violates departmental policy or the law.

Use of Force Abuse

Misuse of the effort required by police to compel compliance from an unwilling subject, ranging from verbal commands to deadly force.

Internal Whistleblowing

Reporting unethical conduct or misconduct to a supervisor or Internal Affairs unit.

External Whistleblowing

Reporting unethical conduct or misconduct to media, an oversight board, or a federal agency.

Frank Serpico

Famous NYPD whistleblower from 1971.

Christopher Dorner

Famous LAPD whistleblower.

Samuel Provance

Famous whistleblower involved in reporting misconduct at Abu Ghraib in 2004.

Florida Whistleblower Act (Ch. 112, F.S.)

Florida statute that protects public employees who report unethical conduct from retaliation.

34 U.S.C. § 12601

Federal statute that allows the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate pattern or practice violations.

IACP Code of Ethics

Code of ethics mandating that law enforcement officers shall not condone misconduct.

Civilian Oversight Boards

Independent bodies reviewing complaints against officers, present in over 150 U.S. cities through city and county commissions.

Early Warning Systems

Data-driven tools flagging officers with multiple complaints, use-of-force incidents, or negative patterns before misconduct escalates (proactive accountability).