CRJS 395CRJS 395
Ethics In Criminal JusticeEthics In Criminal Justice
CRJS 395 Web SiteCRJS 395 Web Site
http://www.odu.edu/al/cpate/index.htm
CRJS 395CRJS 395
Text Book:Criminal Justice Ethics, LR
Instructor BackgroundInstructor Background
Chris PateMilitaryState GovernmentAcademicPractitioner Perspective
Succeeding In ClassSucceeding In Class
The Easy Way– Read Assignments Before Classes– Attend Class, Participate, Take Notes– Review Material For Understanding
The Hard Way
-Don’t Read Assignments Or Attend Class
-Rely On Someone Else To Carry You
Rules For FairnessRules For Fairness
Verification required for excused late papers and missed quizzes.
Be considerate. Be on time for quizzes and written assignments.
Honor Code is absolute.
Course FormatCourse Format
4 QuizzesGroup Project and (Group) Research PaperInteractive Discussions
Extra CreditExtra Credit
1. Options listed in online syllabus
2. Pre-Approved community service
Provide verification by due date
Course GoalCourse Goal
Help cultivate the richest, fullest moral language possible in order to develop:– Depth– Balance– Consistency– Clarity and– Precision in your ethical assertions and problem
solving
Course PurposeCourse Purpose
Test, expand and enrich our moral languages.
This will be accomplished by:– Case studies involving criminal justice issues– Class discussions– Group projects– Research paper assignments
Course EssentialsCourse Essentials
Trust• Essential for this course to be effective• Essential for you to benefit from this course• Essential to avoid B-O-R-I-N-G classes
Course ExpectationsCourse Expectations
This course will not teach – What is categorically right or wrong about
professional practices.– No absolute answers– No neat moral formulas
Course ExpectationsCourse Expectations
This course will introduce you to– Ethical Languages
Frameworks to think about ethical issues Frameworks to resolve ethical dilemmas
Academic ExpectationsAcademic Expectations
Teacher:– Disseminate information– Provoke discussions– Clarify discussions
Students:– Participate actively in class discussions– Prepare and present assignments on time
What Is This Course About?What Is This Course About?
This course is about normative ethical behavior.This entails:
– Defensible ethical actions– Defensible ethical judgments– Defensible ethical decision making
Ethical understanding and defensibility are important.
What Is This Course About?What Is This Course About?
This course is also about applied ethics. This entails:
– Implementation of general ethical theories, principles, rules, virtues, moral ideals and background beliefs to problems of professional practice.
This includes:– Professional client relationships– Delivery of services– Policy construction and enactment
What You Need To KnowWhat You Need To Know
You need to know the meaning and implication of moral and ethical theories.– Relativism– Consequentialism– Utilitarianism– Virtue ethics– Deontological Ethics– Contractarianism
What You Need To KnowWhat You Need To Know
You need to understand that criminal justice presents moral problems at three levels.– The Level of Laws– The Level of Practices– The Level of Social and Psychological Foundations
What You Need To KnowWhat You Need To Know
You need to understand and apply principles.– Autonomy– Beneficence– Nonmaleficence– Justice
Course BenefitsCourse Benefits
Benefits Of This Course– Ability to identify and understand central issues
in your life– Ability to use languages to:
Frame questions Analyze issues Resolve dilemmas Defend your decisions and judgments
Course BenefitsCourse Benefits
You will derive benefits form this course commensurate with the effort and energy that you invest in it.
The Luxury of DetachmentThe Luxury of Detachment
The Luxury of Detachment
The characteristic gift of a university is the gift of an interval.
“The university offers a moment in which to taste the mystery without the necessity of at once seeking a solution.” Michael Oakeshott
Why Study Ethics?Why Study Ethics?
Ethical Theory is a practical tool for professionals.
Ethical TheoryEthical Theory
If you know what you stand for morally, and why, you can defend your ethical practices anywhere, anytime, to anybody.
This ability might help you keep your job.It might help keep you out of jail.
Is This Course Philosophy?Is This Course Philosophy?
Ethics and Philosophy are intertwined.
Philosopher’s Primary Purpose– Inch closer to some fundamental truths about
the human condition.
Personal EvolutionPersonal Evolution
During this course we will become aware of:– Our ethical confusions– Our ethical inconsistencies– Our ethical compromises
Instructor ExpectationsInstructor Expectations
1. Take the course serious enough to work hard to master the ethical languages.
2. Refrain from issuing ethical imperatives based on politics, religion or philosophy.
Instructor ExpectationsInstructor Expectations
3. Find the truth in what you oppose.
Find the error in what you espouse.
Hear (and read) everyone.
Search for the truth before trying to refute it.
Getting StartedGetting Started
What must every ethical dilemma consider?
Getting StartedGetting Started
“Every resolution to an ethical dilemma must consider the act, the intention, the circumstance, the principles, the beliefs, the outcomes, the virtues, the narrative, the community, and political structures.”
Robert Nash
How We Learn EthicsHow We Learn Ethics
Is the best ethical decision making really subjective, intuitive and impressionistic?
How We Learn EthicsHow We Learn Ethics
Is the best ethical decision making really subjective, intuitive and impressionistic?
We learn ethics by various means.– The “seat of our pants”– Trial and error– Early socialization and indoctrination– Imitation
How We Learn EthicsHow We Learn Ethics
Who teaches us ethics?
How We Learn EthicsHow We Learn Ethics
Who teaches us ethics?
We learn ethics from various sources.– Family– Church, temple, mosque, synagogue– Local community– School
Moral Stages And DevelopmentMoral Stages And Development
What factors influence our judgment of ethical behavior?
Moral Stages And DevelopmentMoral Stages And Development
Appropriate ethical behavior depends on several factors.– Age – Mental Capacity– Role – Training– More
The Panacea PhenomenonThe Panacea Phenomenon
Unrealistic Expectations
Followed By Failure and Dissatisfaction With the Proposed Cure-All
Ultimately a Renewed Search For Another Foolproof Elixir
Prior Ethical Panaceas Prior Ethical Panaceas In The Evolution of CBC In The Evolution of CBC
Community Punishments1700’s Quakers, Penitentiaries1870’s Indeterminate Sentence1800’s-1900 Therapeutic Prison1960’s-1970’s Flourishing CBC1980’s-Present Get Tough On Crime1980’s-1990’s Punish and Control
A Nagging QuestionA Nagging Question
Why study ethics if there are no clear cut, easily defined answers?
A Nagging QuestionA Nagging Question
Why study ethics if there are no clear cut, easily defined answers?
Professional and Personal Rewards
Benefits Of Ethics StudiesBenefits Of Ethics Studies
Little Rewards– Some good reading– Some stimulating conversations– Clarifying core moral beliefs– Thinking deeply about morality in general– Learning to write with precision and clarity– Exchanging views with interesting people
Benefits Of Ethics StudiesBenefits Of Ethics Studies
Big Rewards– Rehearsing for major ethical decision making in the
real professional world– Learning to defend controversial and complicated
ethical actions and judgments– Understanding what makes you “tick” morally– Finding the moral courage to stand up for what you
believe while respecting opposing views– Translating your background moral beliefs and
principles into defensible ethical problem solving
Benefits Of Ethics StudiesBenefits Of Ethics Studies
The Little Rewards– Will make your life more intellectually
stimulating
The Big Rewards– Could someday keep you from being sued
Three Overlapping Moral WorldsThree Overlapping Moral Worlds
1. Metaphysical Life Space
2. Concrete Moral World of Small Communities
3. Secular Pluralist World of Large Organizations
Three Overlapping Moral WorldsThree Overlapping Moral Worlds
1. Metaphysical Life Space– Individual philosophical consciousness
Based on our background experiences Expressed in philosophical, theological, political, scientific,
or other languages
Three Overlapping Moral WorldsThree Overlapping Moral Worlds
1. Metaphysical Life Space– The private moral language of background beliefs
Foundationally rich It grounds the other two languages. Suited to helping us discover deeper purpose and meaning in
our moral deliberations
Three Overlapping Moral WorldsThree Overlapping Moral Worlds
2. Concrete Moral World of Small Communities– The external, tangible world of moral origin and
influence on us Influences much of what we believe metaphysically and
morally, and who we are as moral beings Has its roots in, and is mediated by, smaller, specific moral
communities– Ideological, ethical, racial, political, recreational, familial
Three Overlapping Moral WorldsThree Overlapping Moral Worlds
2. Concrete Moral World of Small Communities– Requires the language of character grounded in
community sanctioned ideals, narratives, traditions and virtues
Suited to explaining the influence of our concrete moral communities on our ethical activities
Three Overlapping Moral WorldsThree Overlapping Moral Worlds
3. Secular Pluralist World of Large Organizations– The workplace, professions and the public arena– Private individuals of diverse ideologies, values and
morals come together to make decisions of moral nature
– Relies on logic, reason, rules and principles
Three Overlapping Moral WorldsThree Overlapping Moral Worlds
3. Secular Pluralist World of Large Organizations– Requires the language of moral principle rooted in mutual
respect and tolerance for moral differences– Necessarily often abstract language of general principle used by
diverse individuals and groups to reach mutual understanding, tolerance, and possibly agreement, regarding resolution of ethical conflicts.
Logically deductive without establishing the absolute “correctness” of any particular point of view
Suited to rational, defensible ethical decision making
Three Overlapping Moral WorldsThree Overlapping Moral Worlds
What do we mean when we say that:
Our understanding and application of rules, principles, and theories are influenced by our stories, traditions and conception of virtues.
Crucial Need For AwarenessCrucial Need For Awareness
It is critically important to become aware of the background beliefs that underlie and drive the ethical decision making process.
This can be a difficult process. These background beliefs exert perhaps the most powerful
influence on all moral thinking.
The Importance Of Active The Importance Of Active DiscussionDiscussion
Mastery of concepts in this course, and individual moral and ethical growth, depend on three things this semester.– Talking freely using technical language about difficult
ethical issues– Taking the risk to discuss professional, maybe even
personal, moral concerns– Remember that conversation can be heated and not be
an argument
Fundamental BeliefsFundamental Beliefs
The best way to get a person to talk publicly about ethical concerns is to treat that person with respect.
No one person has a corner on the market of ethical insight.
No single person inhabits the moral high ground a priori.
Moral ViatorsMoral Viators
People are moral viators, travelers with a purpose, on a journey to find meaning in the work they do.
Because the journey is individual, it has intrinsic worth and should to be respected.
Democracy and OpinionsDemocracy and Opinions
“In a democratic society, all opinions must be heard because some of them may be true; and those that aren’t must be vigorously contested.” John Stuart Mills
Ethics and AestheticsEthics and Aesthetics
“Ethics and aesthetics are one and the same.” Ludwig Wittgenstein
Any moral belief that brings intense satisfaction to the mind or senses can be a beautiful thing, something to be admired by all.
BreakBreak
Read assignments.Participate in class discussions.Review notes weekly.