A well balanced survey of ethics presented through applications to the criminal justice system. The text introduces the reader to ethical decision making in the first chapter and then moves through three major ethical perspectives: virtue, formalism, and utilitarianism. The text then moves to the social and criminal justice context where ethics is discussed in separate chapters as it relates to law, police, courts, and corrections, and liability in general. The final chapter looks to the future development of ethics in everyday life.
Table of Contents
1. Recognizing Ethical Decisions: Ethics and Critical Thinking What are ethics and what is ethical? To what types of things or beings should we limit the discussion of ethics? What is the difference between morals and ethics? What are values? Why is critical thinking fundamental to ethics? Ethics Checkup: Too Much Nintendo Can morality be taught? What is moral relativism? How can we choose what to believe and how to act ethically? Ethics in Books: The World According to Mr. Rogers Ethics in the Movies: The Emperor's Club Critical Thinking Exercises 1.1 Teenagers and Drug Sniffing Dogs 1.2 Sentenced to the Newspaper 1.3 Brewing Up a Storm 1.4 Internet Predator Sting 2. Virtue Ethics: Seeking the Good The Roles of Socrates and Plato Nichomachean ethics of Aristotle A hierarchy of "goods" The ultimate good Stoicism and Hedonism Ethics Checkup: ATM Trouble Moral virtue Achieving moral virtue The habit of moral virtue Evaluating ethical dilemmas Ethics in Books: Why Can't We Be Good? Ethics in the Movies: Return to Paradise Critical Thinking Exercises 2.1 A Parole Fugitive at Princeton 2.2.Misrepresentation at MIT 2.3 Presidential Exit Ethics 2.4 A Large Contribution 3. Formalism: Carrying Out Obligation and Duty Kantian ethics The categorical imperative The practical imperative Ethics Checkup: Punishment for Lying Lying & Criticisms Comparing Formalism and Virtue Ethics Ethics in Books: Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers Ethics in the Movies: Hotel Rwanda Critical Thinking Exercises 3.1 Lying to the Sick and Dying 3.2 Lies of Public Officials 3.3 Is a Good Deed Required? 3.4 Raising Awareness, Committing Crimes 4. Utilitarianism: Measuring Consequences John Stuart Mill and utility Pain, pleasure, and happiness Motivation versus consequences Ethics Checkup: Martha Stewart an Example? Criticisms of utilitarianism Summarizing ethical theories Ethics in Books: The Good, the Bad & the Difference Ethics in the Movies: Quiz Show Critical Thinking Exercises 4.1 A Flexible Expense Account 4.2 The Bad Samaritan 4.3 The Ring of Gyges 4.4 CSI Effect on Offenders? 5. Crime and Law: Which Behaviors Ought to be Crimes? The outer limits of morality Choosing what to criminalize Violating laws on moral grounds Ethics Checkup: Beeper Ban The ethics of criminals An ethical explanation of crime Ethics laws Ethics in Books: Ethics for the New Millennium Ethics in the Movies: Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Critical Thinking Exercises 5.1 A Boat Ride with Some Close Friends 5.2 It Fell Off a Truck 5.3 Prostitution: Just a Business? 5.4 '24' and Depictions of Torture 6. Police: How Should the Law be Enforced? The scope of police decisions Investigation and surveillance Curtailing liberty: and stop and frisk Placing in custody: arrest and search Police Corruption Ethics Checkup: Dirty Harry Questioning: interrogation of suspects Lies in court Codes of ethics Ethics in Books: On Bullshit Ethics in the Movies: Minority Report Critical Thinking Exercises 6.1 Suicide by Cop 6.2 Abusive Speed Traps? 6.3 The Informants Among Us 6.4 FBI Spy Powers Challenged 7. Courts: How Ought a Case be Adjudicated? Doing justice Prosecutor misconduct Defense misconduct Issues at trial Ethics Checkup: Justice versus Mercy Deciding cases without trial Judicial decisions Ethics in Books: Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World Ethics in the Movies: A Civil Action Critical Thinking Exercises 7.1 Butt Charge 7.2 Attorney Confidentiality of a Client's Criminal Plans? 7.3 A Judge's Relations 7.4 The Duke Lacrosse Case 8. Punishment and Corrections: What Should Be Done with Offenders? The ethics of punishment The problems of sentencing Ethics Checkup: Punishment by Electric Shock Corporal punishment Innovative penalties Capital punishment Life imprisonment more severe than death? Ethics in Books: The Prince Ethics in the Movies: Dead Man Walking Critical Thinking Exercises 8.1 Ethics of Sniping and Negotiating 8.2 Ethics and Mandatory Minimums 8.3 Lawyer-Assisted Suicide 8.4 Predisposed to Re-offend? 9. Liability: What Should Be the Consequence of Unethical Conduct? Civil remedies for ethical misconduct Individual misconduct Ethics Checkup: Employee E-mail Surveillance Corporate misconduct Government misconduct Ethics in Books: Do Unto Others: Extraordinary Acts of Ordinary People Ethics in the Movies: Shattered Glass Critical Thinking Exercises 9.1 The Scarlet Driver's License 9.2 Paying for Legislative Results? 9.3 Would You Do it for $1 Million? 9.4 Bananas and Terrorism 10. The Future: Will we be More or Less Ethical? Recognizing ethical decisions when they arise Is the bar rising? Finding defining moments in life Ethics Checkup: A Bathrobe Bonus Being ethical when no one is looking Ethics in Books: The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil Ethics in the Movies: Gattaca Critical Thinking Exercises 10.1 Both Sides of Genetic Testing 10.2 Transplant or Prosecute? 10.3 A Marriage Proposal 10.4 Good Warrant, Wrong House
