Bureaucratic Justice (part 1 on own page)
Introduction
For this discussion, assume you are a district attorney prosecuting a burglary case. The defendant is willing to plead guilty in return for a sentence of probation, and you feel that this is a fair punishment. However, the victims are upset and want to see the offender receive prison time. They insist that you try the case. What should you do?
Instructions
Consider your responses from a legal, moral, and ethical perspective, and address the following in your main post:
Analyze the steps you would take when faced with this dilemma, from an ethical standpoint.
Explain your individual philosophy of ethics, as a criminal justice professional in this scenario, based on the ethical system that applies.
Differentiate the legal, moral, and ethical issues you see in the scenario provided.
Internal Affairs Investigations (part 2 on own page)
Introduction
Imagine that you work for the inspector general’s office as an internal affairs investigator for the U.S. Department of Justice. Your current investigation involves an agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with 18 years on the job. The agent has numerous commendations and awards for successfully arresting some of the most violent drug traffickers in the world. He is 41 years old, and his wife is 39 years old.
A paid DEA informant has alleged that the agent is corrupt, and has been selling illegal drugs on the street.
In opening the case, you conduct some preliminary inquiries, and learn through informal sources that the agent’s wife has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Rumor has it that her only option is a stem-cell transplant, which is not covered by the DEA health insurance plan. The medical procedure is estimated to cost about 300,000 dollars. You can relate to this agent’s situation since you lost your own spouse a couple of years ago to cancer as well.
There are many things running through your mind. Do you call the agent under investigation (he does not know about the internal affairs case) and inquire about his wife’s health? Or do you not concern yourself with the potential reason for his alleged actions? Do you seek help from other investigators, or keep this information to yourself? Should you turn this investigation over to another staff member?
Instructions
Thoughtfully consider your responses from a legal, moral, and ethical perspective, and address the following in your main post:
Analyze the steps you would take as an internal affairs investigator faced with the ethical dilemma in the scenario.
Explain your rationale for the decisions you would make as an internal affairs investigator in this case.
Describe the impact your personal bias may have on the outcome of this internal affairs investigation.
