Ethics in Criminal Justice - Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering key ethics concepts from the lecture notes.

Ethics

Studies ideas of right and wrong; influenced by personal beliefs, upbringing, and societal factors.

Cultural relativity of ethics

There is no single definition of ethics; what is considered ethical varies across cultures.

Personal context of ethics

An individual's sense of justice shaped by lived experiences.

Social context of ethics

How environment and interactions with others influence ethical perspectives.

Professional codes of ethics

Standards guiding conduct in professions (e.g., police, law, medicine).

Due process

Fundamental fairness and legal rights within the criminal justice system.

Police corruption (perception)

Perceived corruption can undermine trust, even if corruption is not proven.

Perception vs reality in ethics

Public perception of misconduct can damage trust regardless of actual behavior.

Ends justify the means

The outcome justifies the methods used, including deception in some cases.

Lies and perjury in court

Ethical questions about lying or misrepresenting facts in legal proceedings.

Interrogation ethics

Ethical considerations in questioning suspects, including what to reveal and when.

Undercover ethics

Deception required in undercover work raises key ethical questions.

Justice vs rehabilitation

Debate over punishment (eye for an eye) versus rehabilitating offenders.

Truthfulness and honesty in policing

Whether officers should disclose what they know during investigations; context matters.

Ethical lens

A person’s dominant moral framework (e.g., honesty, ends-justify-means) guiding ethical judgments.

Personal vs professional ethics

Differences between individual morals and duties in a job (e.g., military vs civilian).

Sources of ethical learning

Family, church, neighborhoods, and culture shape what is considered acceptable.

Slippery slope in ethics

Small ethical compromises can lead to larger ones without clear boundaries.

Five goals for exploring ethics

Raise moral awareness, develop critical thinking, foster personal responsibility, and articulate approaches to ethics.

Ethics in daily law enforcement decisions

Balancing personal beliefs with professional obligations in everyday policing.