1st Edition
The Ethical Foundations of Criminal Justice
Ideal for anyone involved in the study of criminal justice, this book acquaints students with the philosophical concepts upon which ethical theory is based. It applies these ideas to specific issues and dilemmas within the criminal justice system. Its ultimate goal is to acquaint students with basic concepts of ethics in criminal justice and to train the mind to solve moral issues independently.
The Ethical Foundations of Criminal Justice offers a comprehensive definition of ethics, and elucidates its unique language and logic. The book explores the major ethical theories, with extensive discussion of authorities like Kant, Aristotle, Mill, and Hobbes. Chapters investigate normative ethics, teleological theories, deontological theories, and the alternative theories of ethics.
The author exhibits the practice of these theories in actual matters of rights, the law, and the behavior of the courts. This book addresses ethics in the context of civil liability, police corruption, and abuse of police power, and includes numerous case studies and references to other relevant works. Criminal justice majors, criminology and law school students, and even police academy cadets will find this text an invaluable source of information both for academic studies and real-world applications.
UNIT 1:PRELIMINARIES
Some Moral Dilemmas
Ethics and Morality
Ethics and Law
Ethics and Social Science
Ethics and Philosophy
The Branches of Ethics
Ethics and Other Academic Disciplines
The Value of Ethics
Thematic Continuities
Perennial Problems and Issues
Normative Statements
The Meaning of Ethical Terms
Logic
Moral Reasoning
UNIT 2: NORMATIVE ETHICAL THEORY
The Nature of Ethical Theory
Overview of Normative Ethical Theories
Obligation and Value
Ethical Egoism
Utilitarianism
Assessment of Teleological Theories
The Divine Command Theory
Natural Law Theory
Kant's Ethics
Ross' Prima Facie Ethics
Act-Deontologism
Assessment of Deontological Theories
The Social Contract Theory
Virtue-Based Ethics
The Ethics of Love
UNIT 3: TOPICS IN THE ETHICS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Retributive Justice
Utilitarian Justice
Contractarian Justice
Restitutive Justice
The System of Juvenile Justice
Moral Concepts and Issues in Juvenile Justice
Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development
Kohlberg's Stages and Juvenile Justice
Resolving Issues in Juvenile Justice
The Anatomy of Discretionary Justice
Discretionary Justice and the Police
Discretionary Justice and Prosecutors
Discretionary Justice and Sentencing
Discretionary Justice and Parole
The Nature and Forms of Corruption
The Causes of Corruption
The Consequences of Corruption
Remedies for Corruption
Moral Implications
The Problem of Force
The Moral Justification of Force
Biography
Richard A. Spurgeon Hall, Carolyn Brown Dennis; Tere L. Chipman