Ethical Dilemma Worksheet Essay

Include any important | |potential economic, social, or political pressures, and exclude inconsequential facts. | | | |The most important fact about this case is that officers never saw the male suspect driving while intoxicated. The fact that two | |different police reports were made one stating the officer saw the male driving and the other stating officer did not see the male | |driving. | |Identify each claimant (key actor) who has an interest in the outcome of this ethical issue. From the perspective of the moral | |agent—the individual contemplating an ethical course of action—what obligation is owed to the claimant? Why? | |Claimant |Obligation (owed to the|Perspective (What does the claimant hope will happen? ) | |(key actor) |claimant) | | |Officer Rook |Designated officer to |Officer Rook wrote the original police report and followed policy and turned it in to | | |write original report |the D. A. ffice to let the process begin for the individual male arrested for driving | | | |while intoxicated. | | D. D. A. Acute |To ensure that laws are| | | |upheld and the process |D. D. A. notices the differences between both police reports and make notes of them. | | |serves all parties |The D. D. A. has the responsibility to uphold all laws and rights of individuals and | | |involved. |wants to ensure that the criminal justice system is just and fair. |Officer Nixon |Turning in second |Officer Nixon turned in the second the police report that made n ote that the officers | | |police report |saw the individual male driving. This officer wants a conviction of the individual | | | |male for driving while intoxicated. | |Wife |Wants to take husband |Wife wants to take husband home after being processed. Wife reported that her husband| | |home |had bad experiences while in Somalia and it would best for him to go home. | | | | | | | | Evaluating Alternatives |What are two alternatives for the scenario? One alternative can be a wild card that you ordinarily may not consider an option | |because of potential implications. Both should be within free will and control of the same moral agent. |Alternative A |Alternative B | |Use report without seeing intoxicated male driving |Use report with seeing intoxicated male driving | |Respond to the following questions based on your developed alternatives. | | |Alternative A |Alternative B | |What are the best- and worst-case | | |scenarios if you choose this |Best-Original report is used charges are |Best-male is convicted of driving while | |alternative? |dropped. |intoxicated | | | | | | |Worst- the male individual is drug through |Worse-Male is convicted of driving while | | |the criminal justice system and tax payer |intoxicated. The original police report is | | |money is wasted. |never shared | |Will anyone be harmed if this |No harm will come. |Yes harm may come when convicted and sentence to| |alternative is chosen? If so, how | |serve time incarcerated. | |will they be harmed? Consider | | | |families and derivative effects. | | |Would honoring an idea or value—such | | | |as personal, professional, or |No |Yes | |religious—make the alternative | | | |invalid? | | | | | | |Are there any rules, laws, or | | | |principles that support the |Yes the law of needing to see the driver of |no | |alternative? Are there rules, laws, |driving while intoxicated. | | |or principles that make the | | | |alternative invalid? State the rule | | |or principle and indicate if it | | | |invalidates or supports the | | | |alternative. | | | Applying Ethical Guidelines |Consider each ethical guideline and explain whether it would support or reject your alternative. |Guidelines based on the action itself |Alternative A |Alternative B | |Should this alternative become a rule or policy that everyone in this|There is law in place to avoid|No, this is wrong and | |situation should follow in similar situations in the future? (Kant) |making arrests like this. |unethical | |Does this alternative result in using any person as a means to an end|No |Yes the Officer Nixon wrote a | |without consideration for his or her basic integrity? Kant) | |bad report and is using the | | | |court system to enforce his | | | |false report | |Is the intent of this action free from vested interest or ulterior |Yes |No, convict ion is wanted | |motive? Kant’s good will) | | | | Does this alternative demonstrate a genuine concern for others |No |No | |affected by the decision, and is the moral agency responding to a | | | |perceived need? | | | |Guidelines based on consequences |Alternative A |Alternative B | |Is the good hat results from this alternative outweighed by the |Yes, the good being that the |No, falsifying reports is | |potential harm that might be done to others? (Mill’s harm principle) |charges are dropped. |unethical and can have | | | |rippling effects on all | | | |officers. |Is any harm brought about by anyone other than the moral agent? |No |Yes, the husband and the | |(causal harm) | |rookie officer who wrote the | | | |first report. | |Will anyone be harmed who can be said to be defenseless? No |No | |(paternalism) | | | |To what degree is this alternative based on the moral agent’s own |This is the truthful report |This should never be used, | |best interest? (ethical egoism) |and should be used regardless |based on it bei ng falsified. | |of the outcomes. | | |Which alternative will generate the greatest benefit—or the least |Because this alternative is | | |amount of harm—for the greatest number of people? Select only one |the truth it will only have | | |alternative. (utilitarianism) |the best possible outcome. | Ethical Decision Making |Choose to proceed with either Alternative A or Alternative B and explain the reasons for your decision. | | | |I would go with alternative A, because it is the truth and the original report turned in. I would allow the court system work | |their process and except the outcome reached. I would then address the facts of a falsified police report and the officer who tried| |to used it. |