Criminal justice professionals in management positions are accountable to the public and to their teams, supervisors, and subordinates for the decisions they make in the line of duty. Individuals in every branch are expected to analyze the complexity of different situations and to determine ethical ways of responding to them. As a manager, you will need to be ready to speak to the ethical factors that inform decision-making strategies used in various criminal justice environments.
Imagine that you manage a team at an agency that has been invited to participate in a focus group for the ethics board. The focus group plans to compile a report on best practices in ethical decision-making to manage situations and dilemmas. For this assessment, you will prepare a response that you would present in the focus group.
Select one of the following criminal justice environments at the state or federal level as your focus for this assessment:
Interaction between law enforcement and the community Crisis scenario or disaster situation Pretrial assessment Pretrial detention Correctional facility (e.g., prison, jail, juvenile detention center) Clinic with diversion program for individuals with mental health issues Parole environment (e.g., halfway house) Research a case that calls into question the ethical conduct of a criminal justice professional within the selected criminal justice environment. Choose a real case published in the media and investigate the ethical considerations in the situation. Research best practices for handling similar issues.
Assessment Deliverable Create a 15- to 18-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation as if you were a criminal justice manager presenting to a focus group on best practices in ethical decision-making to manage various situations. Your presentation should include the following information supported by evidence from your research:
Summarize the case that you selected and explain the ethical considerations in the situation. Describe the environmental and cultural factors involved and relevant background information. Identify the originating causes influencing the dilemma. Determine ethical solutions for addressing these causes and preventing similar issues in the future. Summarize the protocol or process that the individual should have followed and identify any process changes since this incident. Explain how you would respond to the situation and how you would apply ethical decision-making strategies in a similar situation. Conclude with a statement about your level of confidence to make ethical decisions in a managerial role. Summarize your expectations for the ethical conduct of your team.