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ETHICAL ISSUES AND DECISIONMAKING

IN: PUBLIC SERVICE

“If you don’t want to work for a living – this is as good a job as any”John F. Kennedy 1946 – New Congressman

With Funding from: Department of Justice, COPS Office

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CLASS RESOURCESMEET YOUR TEAMMATES

““90% of success is 90% of success is just showing up”just showing up”

Woody AllenWoody Allen

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“Ethics” – What is it & WHY?

• Ethics – Study of what is “Right & Wrong – Good or Bad”

• Morality – Rules & Social Standards• Ethical Issues – Debatable questions of

Moral Right & Wrong

“Congress would exempt itself from the Laws of Gravity if it could”Congressman Henry Hyde, 1988

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““BRAIN STORM””

THREE MINUTE EXERCISE:

What are some “ETHICAL ISSUES”Relevant to PUBLIC SERVICE

“Just put in some of that VISION thing”George Bush to speech writer - 1988

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ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

“SHOULD”• Treat others as they want to be treated

• Be honest• Respect rights of others

• Greatest Good – Greatest Number

“Character is much easier kept than recovered” Thomas Payne

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PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

• APPLICATION of Universal Ethical Principles to situations that arise in Business of

Professional Life

“So far – about morality. I know only that what is moral is

what you fell good after and what is immoral is what you

feel bad after”Ernest Hemingway

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“VIRTUES” IN ETHICS

THREE MINUTE EXERCISEVirtuesVirtues and a

“GOOD PUBLIC SERVANT”

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Character & Integrity

• Character = Total of all ethical Strengths and Weaknesses – (Continuum)

• Integrity = Living by Commendable Ethical Principles

“The world has achieved brilliance without conscience – Ours is a world of

nuclear giants and ethical infants” Omar Bradley

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4 Components of Rest’s Consistent

Ethical Behavior

• Moral Sensitivity• Moral Judgment• Moral Motivation• Moral Character

“Only a life lived for others is a life Only a life lived for others is a life worth living” worth living” EinsteinEinstein

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THREE (3) Minute “Brainstorming”

“STANDARD” of Behavior forPUBLIC SERVANTS

“Everything secret denigrates: nothing is safe Everything secret denigrates: nothing is safe that does not bear discussion and publicity” that does not bear discussion and publicity”

Lord ActionLord Action

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UNIT 2: MORAL DEVELOPMENT

PERSONAL ETHICS POP QUIZ

““Inability to tell good from Inability to tell good from evil is the greatest worry of evil is the greatest worry of

man’s life”man’s life” CiceroCicero

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LEVELS OF MORAL REASONING

– Level One : Basic, Immature, Self serving, No punishment

– Level Two: Conforming, Social Approval, “Right”– Level Three: Rational, “Universal”

““The ethical person should do more The ethical person should do more than he is required to do and less than he is required to do and less than he is allowed to do” than he is allowed to do” Michael Michael

JosephsonJosephson

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ILLUSTRATION OFMORAL DEVELOPMENT

Kohlberg Video of Milgram’s 1950’s Experiments

““All virtue is summed up in dealing All virtue is summed up in dealing justly” justly” AristotleAristotle

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APPLICATION SCENERIO

“GOOD” PUBLIC SERVANT Dilemmas

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UNIT 3 – Conflicts of Interest to

Public Servants

““Trust like the Trust like the soul – never soul – never

returns once it is returns once it is lost” lost” SyrusSyrus

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HUMAN “SCAVENGER HUNT”

Back to “Teammate” Resources

““Ethics requires us to Ethics requires us to abandon the notion that an abandon the notion that an

act is ethical – simply act is ethical – simply because it is legal”because it is legal”Michael JosephsonMichael Josephson

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CONFLICTS of INTEREST

Competing Priorities – Personal & Professional Commitments

““Too many people are ready Too many people are ready to carry the stool when the to carry the stool when the piano needs to be moved”piano needs to be moved”

UnknownUnknown

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Errors in Judgment =Trust & Reliability Problems

Three Levels of Conflicts of Interest:• Actual

• Potential• Apparent

““There is a big difference There is a big difference between what we have a right between what we have a right to do – and what is right to do”to do – and what is right to do”

Justice Potter StuartJustice Potter Stuart

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COPING WITH CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

WE MIGHT:• Do Nothing – Ignore it

• Avoid • Escape

• Disclose• Manage

““The reward of a The reward of a thing well done – is thing well done – is

to have done it”to have done it”EmersonEmerson

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APPLICATION SCENARIO

“Max & Minnie”• Type of Conflict of Interest?

• Possible Actions – Coping Strategies

““It is easier to fight It is easier to fight for principles – than for principles – than to live up to them”to live up to them”

Alfred AdlerAlfred Adler

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UNIT 4FLORIDA CODE OF ETHICS

for: Public Officers & Employees

Set of Rules and Principles intended to provide

Guidelines and Behavioral Standards to those under

its authority.

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3 Types of Ethical Codes

• Corporate Codes• Professional Codes

• Government / Public Service Codes

“ “ We make a living by what we get, but we We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”make a life by what we give”

Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

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LEVELS of Ethical PRINCIPLES, STANDARDS

& RULES• THEORETICAL LEVEL

• PRACTICAL LEVEL• CURRENTLY ATTAINABLE LEVEL

• BASIC LEVEL

““Life consists, not in holding good cards, but in playing Life consists, not in holding good cards, but in playing well those you hold” well those you hold” Josh Billings Josh Billings

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OVERVIEW of Florida Code Ethics

• Prohibited Actions• Prohibited Employment & Relationships

• Restrictions Regarding Relatives• Revolving Door Restrictions• Voting Conflicts of Interest

• Disclosure Forms• Additional Content

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APPLICATION EXERCISES Florida Code of Ethics

• “If we were In Charge”• “Lenny’s Dilemma”

““We cannot live happily as human beings in We cannot live happily as human beings in the belief that our own actions don’t the belief that our own actions don’t

matter”matter”Alvin TofflerAlvin Toffler

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WRAP UP & EVALUATION

THANK YOU -

““Remember not only to say the Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place – right thing in the right place – but far more difficult still, to but far more difficult still, to

leave unsaid the wrong thing at leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment”the tempting moment”

Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin