Professional Responsibility and Organizational Legitimacy
The American society has experienced a soaring degree of hasty cultural, political, economic, and social change throughout the past half a century. The perceptible disparity is astonishing when a regular person’s behavior in the 1950s is measured up with comparable regular behavior at present (Tully, 1997). Observably, the professionals of the criminal justice are as well going through the same occurrence in enormous ways.
Consequently, the professionals’ unethical conduct, which includes the abuse of authority and infringement of laws, has a tendency to hold back people’s confidence in the criminal justice system. The United States prosecuting attorneys for instance, are often observed of violating the bounds of fairness and decency by misstating case facts, bullying witnesses, and many others. Law enforcers, on the other hand, are observed for several incidents of corruption, misconduct, and police brutality.
Because of the increased incidents of unprofessional conduct in addition to the recent depressing publicity of reprehensible incidents, it is reasonable to conclude that the loss of public trust in the system may turn into one of the most severe problems that the country will confront in several years to come. Reasons for Unprofessional Conduct Several assertions link the unethical conduct to the professionals’ to their lack of knowledge to their respective policies, regulations and rules. In addition, criminal justice professionals confront enormous temptations than they did years before.
Today’s professionals are often lured by circumstance to steal large sums of illicit cash due to the enticements of considerable payoffs from criminals (O’Malley, 1997). The consequence of temptation could demonstrate devastating outcome for the ethical welfare of the organization. This issue if unchecked could lead to an environment within the organization where unprofessional behavior is regarded as tolerable. Department heads should take positive actions to guarantee that such situation does not develop. Addressing the Problem
Department heads must make every effort to guarantee that criminal justice professionals uphold the organization’s ethical integrity. Department heads and other officers of the organization can better facilitate those officers consumed by their dark side by means of understanding better the challenges and temptations that the latter confront every day. There are several areas to deal with in order to encourage ethical behavior within the organization’s environment. An indispensable first step for realizing the aforesaid objective is by instituting a formal organizational code of ethics.
A well-drafted code of ethics is capable of offering direction and comprehensible standards of behavior for professionals, especially when framed with contribution from the entire levels of personnel. However, a well-drafted code of ethics is deemed useless if not supported by appropriate actions, department heads must take positive steps to promote ethical behavior, and take part in formal training and higher education, as well as set moral tone through observable praiseworthy conduct (O’Malley, 1997).
Department heads should constantly promote an ethical environment that dejects extreme hostility that result to unnecessary force. In addition, qualification standards for applicants must be strengthened. Extensive background checks, psychological tests, and interviews must be conducted in order to guarantee the compatibility of a candidate with the ethical philosophy of the criminal justice organization. Conclusion In every undertaking, the professionals’ environmental background and individual values act as the foundations of their ethical behavior.
Currently, more and more criminal justice professionals are conducting themselves in scrupulously inappropriate and reprehensible behavior. Most professionals are not capable of following the upright choice or not properly guided by responsible personality of the organization. Consequently, unprofessional behaviors will inevitably conclude in appalling and devastating situation. However, for those few who succeed in constraining their evil nature, are rewarded with a life overflowing with pride and honor of being a respectable individual, excellent parent and a model officer of the criminal justice system.
References O’Malley, T. J. (1997). Managing for Ethics: A Mandate for Administrators. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved January 22, 2009, from http://www. fbi. gov/publications/leb/1997/apr975. htm Tully, E. J. (1997). Misconduct, Corruption, Abuse of Power—What Can the Chief Do? National Executive Institute Associates, Major Cities Chiefs Association and Major County Sheriff’s Association. Retrieved January 23, 2009, from http://www. neiassociates. org/mis2. htm
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