Ethical Issues in the Criminal Justice System
Welcome to Ethics 101!š
Hey there! Welcome to blog one of many that will outline numerous ethical issues within the Criminal Justice System (CJS).Ā The criminal justice system refers to the body of courts, corrections, law enforcement, and other law-related arms that focus on dispensing justice, ensuring that laws are implemented and obeyed, and maintaining public order. The criminal justice system is built on fairness, equality, justice and good conduct thus ethics is the very foundation on which this system lies. To begin this new series of blogs, we will define a few terms and familiarize ourselves with the foundation of ethics. So, letās get started!
What is a Code of Conduct?
This refers to the formal set of principles, rules, and standards that govern an institution, and establishes what is acceptable behaviour among its members while outlining what to do when faced with various issues or dilemmas.
Ā What is Ethics?
According to Pollock (2010), ethics refers to āthe discipline of determining good and evil and defining moral dutiesā. So oftentimes we hear the word morals or morality rather than ethics, but are they really the same thing? Both morals and ethics are related, with morals and morality having to do with the principles of differentiating between right and wrong or simply judging an individual as having good conduct.
Ethical Issues vs Ethical Dilemmas
Without deep thought, one might think that ethical issues and ethical dilemmas are the same things. I shared similar thoughts, but I am here to inform you that such thoughts are a misconception.Ā
In fact, while they may be similar, the major difference lies in the fact that an ethical issue involves an event or situation in which there is disagreement when deciding what is the right thing to do. They can also be āsocial questions or policy decisionsā (Pollock, 2010). According to Pollock (2010), these issues āoften concern the governmentās social control mechanisms and the impact on those governedā, and we will see this being highlighted throughout this blogging series.
On the other hand, ethical dilemmas refer to those decision-making situations in which the right choice is not clear, the right choice has negative consequences that should be considered, or where there the ālesser of multiple evilsā must be selected. These decisions must be made by an individual or an organization and may not necessarily be based on a policy.
As citizens, we must hold ourselves accountable, and get informed so that we may be equipped to differentiate between wrong and right when faced with ethical issues or dilemmas. Members of the criminal justice system should do the same to ensure that they make the right decisions as it relates to the law. Additionally, these individuals within the CJS must use their discretion and various codes of conduct to govern their choices. Ā
Ā Educate Yourself, and Make the Right Choice! Stay Tuned for More- Zorian Clarke
Ā Reference
Pollock, J. M. (2010). Ethical Dilemmas & Decisions in Criminal Justice. Seventh Edition.












