1. Criminal Justice 2011
Class Name,
Instructor Name
Date, Semester
Chapter 1:
Criminal Justice and
the Study of Morality

2. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
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HEADLINES OF INTRIGUE
• Genarlow Wilson
• Armin Meiwes
• Kathryn Johnston
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3. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
ETHICS AND MORALITY
• What is morally “right,” “wrong,” “good,” “bad,”
“obligatory,” and “permissible;
• Effort to understand and justify moral concepts,
principles, and theories;
• Effort to establish principles of moral behavior that can
serve as guides;
• Investigating important values and virtues for leading
and living the “good” life.
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4. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
THE MORAL PROBLEM OF PUNISHMENT
• How can we justify intentionally inflicting evil
upon other human beings?
• What justifications can you think of for
punishing criminals?
• What justifications might exist for dealing with
criminal offenders in ways other than
punishment?
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5. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
NEVER KILL AN INNOCENT
HUMAN BEING
• Is this a worthwhile principle?
• Are there legitimate exceptions and why?
• Does the concept conflict with other important
principles?
• Do some “trump” others when there is a conflict?
• Who decides this and by what process?
• What if killing an innocent human being can save the
lives of ten other innocent human beings?
• What is a “human being”?
• What constitutes innocence?
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6. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
WHY ETHICS WHEN WE HAVE LAWS?
• Laws Can Be Immoral
• Laws Are Not Infallible
• Right Does Not Always Make Good
• Law Is Not Inclusive of All Moral Concerns
• It Is Not Enough to Do the Right Thing
• Jury Nullification
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7. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
MORALITY, ETHICAL INQUIRY,
& CRIMINAL JUSTICE
• Criminal Justice Practice
• Laws and Lawmaking
• Social Justice
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8. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
MORAL REQUIREMENTS OF
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
• Authority
• Power
• Discretion
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9. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
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MORAL REQUIREMENTS IN
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
• Criminal Justice Agents as Public
Servants
• Individual Behavior Reflects Institutional
Morality
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10. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
PROFESSIONAL CODE OF CONDUCT
1. Enforcement
2. Minimalism
3. Codes Are External
4. Ethics Are Internal
5. Moral Dilemmas
6. Discretion
7. Limited practical utility
8. Situational factors
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11. © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
MORALITY and ETHICAL INQUIRY
• What is “justice” and a “just” society?
• What is the “good” life?
• How does morality function to promote justice (or fail
to do so)?
• How does morality further our interest in living a good
life?
• How does morality further our interest in living a good
life?
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