ETHICAL FOUNDATIONS What this is not Teaching you

ETHICAL FOUNDATIONS

What this is not… • Teaching you ethics • You determine your ethics

Why Ethics? • 45% of employees have lied to their supervisor • 51% committed an unethical act at work – Violated quality standards – Lied to cover up a breach of quality • 36% have lied on or falsified a report • SHRM & Ethics Resource Center

Ethical Foundations • “Ethics is concerned with questions that have no ultimate answers, yet are important to planning one’s life, justifying one’s activities and deciding what one ought to do. ” Van Hoose, W. H. , & Kottler, J. A. (1985). Ethical and legal issues in counseling and psychotherapy (2 nd ed. ). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Definition of Ethics (Webster) • “The principles of conduct governing an individual or profession”

Ethical Principles Beneficence • • Doing good for others Helping others Obligation to act in the interest of others Beneficence is the professional duty to do or produce good. By "good" is meant the performance of acts of kindness and charity. "Doing good" is considered virtuous conduct.

General Duty to Beneficence • How significant is the need to be met? • Am I particularly qualified to meet the need? • How likely is it that my action will achieve success, i. e. , a desired outcome? • How much of a risk is it to me? Does the potential benefit outweigh the risk to me?

Ethical Principles Nonmaleficence • Prevent harm or risk of harm to clients (s) • Includes misguidance, negligence, and impact of stress/burnout

Ethical Principle Autonomy • Self-rule or self-governance • Free from the control of others • Three conditions necessary • Voluntary participation / no coercion • Competence / can weigh risks and benefits • Full disclosure of relevant information

Ethical Principle Justice • Fairness in relation to distribution or allocation of time, resources and services • Equal Shares • Need • Motivation / Effort / Contribution • Free-Market Exchange (supply and demand) • Fair Opportunity

Ethical Principle Fidelity • Keeping promises or commitments • Confidentiality • Conflicts of Interest

Professional Codes of Ethics • General rule is to ethically act in accordance with approved standards of conduct and responsibility or according to the respective ethical code of behavior

So What!? Why is this important, anyway? • Many ethical dilemmas in criminal justice • Complicated relationships in the field • Requirement of professionalism

IACP Oath of Honor • • • On my honor, I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character, or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always uphold the constitution my community and the agency I serve.

Mandatory vs. Aspirational Ethics • Mandatory ethics focus on compliance with the • • • law and the dictates of professional codes Professionals are concerned with remaining safe from legal action or professional censure Aspirational ethics are a higher level of reflection (sometimes referred to as virtue ethics) Professionals are concerned with the effects of actions on clients or customers and the profession as a whole

AREAS OF ETHICAL CONCERN FOR DECISION MAKING The three areas below are not “static. ” They, at times overlap, at times are mutually exclusive, and numerous varieties in between. I. Codes of Ethics / Written Standards II. Legal Requirements III. Virtues Ethics / Belief Systems

Characteristics of Ethical Dilemmas • A choice must be made between two (or more) courses of action • Significant consequences for taking (or not taking) any action • Each action is supported by one or more ethical principles • Principles supporting the unselected courses (s) of action will be compromised

• Fundamentally ethics is knowing what is right and doing it. • The heart has reasons that reason will never know. Pascal

Personal Values • Core Contributors – Age/era – Location – Socioeconomic – Ethnicity – Religion – Family

Personal Values • External Contributors – Education – Social Interaction – Vocation

Professional Values • Organizational – Professional standards (SOP’s) – Organizational ethics • Governmental – Equality for all – Accountability

Equality

Hammer Model of Scientific Misconduct • Negligence – Lack of Training – Lack of Support – Lack of Commitment • Deliberate Dishonesty – Begins with lack of commitment – Money – Notoriety - media – Ends justify the means – I know he’s guilty – Ego – I don’t make mistakes

D-O-O-R Model • D – Determine • O – Options • O – Outcomes • R - Recycle

DOOR Model of Decision Making • D – Determine – What is wrong? – What’s the REAL issue for me? – Is there a moral or ethical threat to me or someone else? – Would this be a problem if someone else was involved?

DOOR Model • Options – What are some extreme choices? – Am I considering several choices? – What resources or help do I have available? • Choose them wisely

DOOR Model • Outcomes – What could happen based on the Option I choose? – What could happen if I do nothing? – Who will be affected by what I do? – Is it the RIGHT thing to do?

DOOR Model • Recycle – After an option is chosen, return to see if the original question is still valid

Scenario 1 • A police officer has a private arrangement with a • • • local body shop to refer the owners of cars damaged in accidents to the shop. In exchange for each referral, he receives a payment of 5% of the repair bill from the shop owner. Verbal reprimand Written reprimand Suspended without pay Suspended with pay Dismissal

Scenario 2 • Two officers on foot patrol surprise a man breaking into • • • a car. The man flees. They chase him for two blocks and catch him by tackling him and wrestling him to the ground. After he is handcuffed, both officers punch him in the stomach several times for fleeing and resisting. Verbal reprimand Written reprimand Suspended without pay Suspended with pay Dismissal

Scenario 3 • A police officer finds a wallet in a parking lot. It • • • contains an amount of money equal to a full day’s pay for that officer. He turns in the wallet as lost property but keeps the money. Verbal reprimand Written reprimand Suspended without pay Suspended with pay Dismissal

Scenario 4 • An officer is working a concert at Cumberland County • • • Civic Center. While on patrol in the parking garage he finds a concert ticket on the floor. A female sees him pick the ticket up and offers him $50 for it. He takes the money. She goes to the turnstile and is told the ticket is fraudulent. Verbal reprimand Written reprimand Suspended without pay Suspended with pay Dismissal