Ethical Decision Making Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethical Decision Making - Assignment Example This article also introduces the moral aspect of making suitable decision through a number of morality theories in society. Introduction The application of ethical concepts in various fields has provided numerous benefits to parties that are affected by criminal activities in society. However, during certain instances law enforcers face a number of challenges in the process of following provisions in the code of ethics hence introducing moral issues when solving these situations. This discourse places its focus on ethical decision-making and the implication of decisions made to various individuals and the society. Question 1 In this case, the best decision to make would be to approach the lieutenant’s supervisors and report the planned exoneration of the lieutenant’s brother from a certain case. This decision would be advised by the theory of utilitarianism and concepts in value ethics. First, according to the theory of utilitarian ethics an action is ethical if it resu lts to a higher number of positive consequences. Therefore, choosing not to follow the lieutenant’s advice would be moral since it would result to benefits such as availing justice to the offended in this case, cleaning of the criminal investigation department of unprofessional officers and abiding by the oath serving and protecting the citizens (Kapp,2004). Secondly, virtue ethics requires that the actions of an individual should portray suitable characteristics hence in this situation the officer is required to uphold honesty and transparency. This will ensure that the offended party receives justice through prosecution of the violators of the law (Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell, 2013) Question two According to ethics, making a decision based on the lieutenant’s report may result to a number of implications. These implications may affect individuals, the criminal investigation unit, and the law. Making a criminal investigations report based on compromised evidence a ffects individuals in a number of ways. First, making a report based on altered information may result to formation of a different case against offenders. This may result to denial of justice to the offended as the offender is left scot-free. According to ethical theories of consequentialism, this action would be immoral. Secondly, compiling of a criminal investigation report based on altered reports erodes the credibility of the criminal investigation unit (Kapp, 2004). This is because cases resulting from certain reports because more harm since perpetrators are left free hence a repeat of the crime may occur. According to virtue ethics, individual characters should enhance the compliance with the law. However, in this case compiling a report based on incomplete information makes serious violations on the law and virtue ethics. This may set an undesirable precedent in law enforcing organizations thus resulting to increased incidences of violation of the law and the code of ethics i n the criminal investigation units. Question three Approaching the lieutenant’s supervisors on this case would have various implications. First, approaching the supervisors on this case may result to a strained relationship among colleagues in the criminal investigation unit. This would hamper efficient operation of the department hence resulting to