Professional Codes of Ethics in Criminal Justice
Professional ethical codes are a primary tool for regulating the behavior and activities of professionals in various fields. They formulate rules and principles that professionals should follow in their work, including ethical principles and standards of conduct. In criminal justice, professional ethical codes are related to the ethics of virtue and are essential for making ethical decisions. The ethics of virtue is a philosophical concept that holds that ethical principles are based on specific character qualities that individuals should develop (Cockerham, 2021). These qualities include kindness, generosity, honesty, nobility, etc. (Snow, 2020). Professional ethical codes often include principles aimed at developing these qualities in professionals.
In criminal justice, professional ethical codes are necessary because they establish standards of behavior for professionals working in this field. These codes determine how judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and other participants in the justice system should conduct themselves. They also establish requirements for professionals’ competence, independence, and objectivity (Souryal & Whitehead, 2019). Professional ethical codes can help participants in criminal justice make ethical decisions based on the ethical principles they should follow in their work. For example, regulations may indicate that lawyers should not represent defendants if they have a conflict of interest or know that their client has committed a crime.
Professional ethical codes can also serve as an essential tool for monitoring professional ethics. They can define procedures for reviewing complaints about unprofessional conduct and provide disciplinary measures for violations of ethical principles. This may include revoking the right to practice a profession or even imprisonment in cases of serious violations. However, the mere existence of professional ethical codes is insufficient to ensure ethical behavior in criminal justice. It is necessary for these codes to be effective and for their principles to be genuinely adhered to (Souryal & Whitehead, 2019). It is essential that monitoring and control mechanisms are developed to ensure compliance with ethical principles, and that violations of codes are addressed and sanctioned.
In conclusion, professional ethical codes are an essential tool for regulating the behavior of professionals in criminal justice. They are linked to the ethics of virtue, define the rules and principles that specialists must follow, and can help make ethical decisions. However, to be genuinely effective, mechanisms for monitoring and sanctioning violations of ethical principles are necessary.
References
Cockerham, W. C. (2021). Sociology of mental disorder. Routledge.
Snow, N. E. (2020). Contemporary virtue ethics. Cambridge University Press.
Souryal, S. S., & Whitehead, J. T. (2019). Ethics in criminal justice: In search of the truth. Routledge.