Ethics in Criminal Justice - Lecture Notes

What is Ethics?

Ethics examines ideas of right and wrong; it is influenced by personal beliefs, upbringing, and societal factors.
There is not one universal definition of ethics; what is ethical in one culture may not be in another. Ethics are like slices of a worldview.
Cultural norms, laws, and religious teachings shape our understanding of morality; professional codes exist in various fields (police, judicial, medical) and individuals align with their own versions.

Personal and Social Contexts

The personal context guides our sense of justice and is often learned through lived experiences.
Sources of ethics include family (parents), church, neighborhoods, culture, and the groups we interact with.
The social context includes our environment and interactions, both chosen and required.
Together, personal and social contexts shape actions, decisions, and everyday ethical views.
In law enforcement, conflicts can arise when personal ethics clash with professional duties, creating ethical dilemmas (for example, personal beliefs about interactions with others versus arrest responsibilities).
There are many small everyday ethical issues and conflicts that professionals in law enforcement and corrections wrestle with.

Ethical Complexities in the Criminal Justice System

Due process, fairness, and legal rights are fundamental ethical concerns; police corruption is a topic to be explored in more detail later.
Perception matters: even perceived corruption erodes trust. If it seems corrupt, trust in law enforcement can diminish.
Cultural and religious backgrounds can influence how actions are interpreted by others; external judgments from society can differ from an officer’s internal perspective.
There is a constant balancing act between personal ethics, professional duties, and societal expectations.

Justice vs Rehabilitation

Debates exist about whether punishment should be punitive (an eye for an eye) or rehabilitative, aiming to reintegrate individuals back into society.
Various ethical approaches exist, and the field continues to wrestle with these questions.

Truthfulness, Lies, and Perjury

The idea of lying, including small white lies, raises questions about honesty in legal proceedings.
Is it acceptable to bend the truth in certain contexts, such as court? The line between personal integrity and strategic deceit is explored.
Honesty to oneself and in professional dealings is presented as a core ethical concern.

Interviewing Suspects and Ethical Boundaries

When interviewing a suspect, questions arise about whether to reveal exactly what you know; the answer depends on context and perspective.
Example scenario: stating that you saw a suspect running from a grocery store robbery can be used to elicit information, but the ethics depend on context and intention.
From the criminal’s perspective, deception by investigators can feel exploitative; from the victim or victim’s family perspective, pressure may be justified to obtain confessions.
This highlights the idea that ethics can be viewed differently depending on who is evaluating the situation.

Ends Justify the Means: Perspective and Slippery Slope

The question of whether the ends justify the means is situational and depends on point of view.
The discussion illustrates how moral relativism and differing ethical frameworks can lead to conflicting conclusions about permissible actions.

Undercover Operations and Deception

Undercover work requires deception and adopting a different persona, including not disclosing your true role.
This raises the ethical question of whether deception is permissible and to what extent it should be used.
Different contexts (undercover vs routine interviewing) can demand different ethical considerations, and there is concern about a slippery slope where deception escalates.

Five Goals for Exploring Ethics

Develop a greater awareness of moral and ethical issues.
Develop critical thinking and analytical skills.
Develop personal responsibility to understand and articulate different approaches to ethics.
Foster the ability to articulate and discuss multiple ethical approaches.
Build capability to weigh competing considerations when facing moral dilemmas.

Ethical Lenses and Personal Reflections (Class Discussion)

What ethical lens feels natural to you? A student may describe honesty as a guiding lens, while others consider the ends justify the means or a combination of lenses.
Some perceive two distinct ethical sets: one for service/military contexts and another for civilian life, which can lead to different expectations and permissible actions.
For example, military drill culture may tolerate blunt language and strict discipline that would be less acceptable in civilian settings.
A person may prefer a hybrid approach, balancing straightforwardness with softer communication depending on context.
The instructor notes that in some jobs, you must act according to professional expectations even if they conflict with personal beliefs, and the intention behind actions matters.
Adriana mentions inmates in custody often articulate excuses based on upbringing, childhood, environment, or current circumstances; they may justify their actions with sob stories.
The discussion returns to whether ends justify the means; it is highly context-dependent and culturally influenced, signaling ongoing exploration in future sessions.

Practical and Real-World Implications

Ethical decisions have real-world consequences, including trust in law enforcement, justice outcomes, and choices between rehabilitation and punishment.
Ethics training aims to enhance critical thinking, offer frameworks for evaluating scenarios, and improve articulation of ethical positions.

Questions and Next Steps

Open floor for questions; check for comfort levels with the material.
Slides will be posted on Canvas (likely tomorrow).

Real-World Framing and Takeaways

Ethics is not about finding a single answer but about navigating complex, real-world situations with thoughtful reasoning.
Ongoing discussion, reflection, and practice are essential for applying ethical principles in law enforcement and the broader criminal justice system.