Introduction
The ethical issue of the scenario is the choice Judge Jeffrey Owens must make regarding the defendant. On the one hand, the judge understands that incarcerating Woodrow Wilson in a state prison would be ineffective because it would be unlikely to help the prisoner cope with his psychological trauma and possible disorders. On the other hand, a county jail might help because a grant was provided, but Wilson’s charge does not meet the “classic” criteria of a county jail. That said, the judge’s primary motivation is to restore justice in which the prison system performs its primary function, which is to correct, not just keep him incarcerated. If the prisoner is sent to a state prison, however, the traditional judicial system will not face a problem, but Wilson will be incarcerated without the possibility of correction. Otherwise, Wilson could improve his mental health in a county jail, which would prove more beneficial to society, but could set a precedent as to the judge’s competence.
Discussion
As a solution, Wilson should be placed in the county jail because it would benefit society and the prisoners in the long run. In addition, it would allow the prison system to fulfill its primary purpose despite the potential problems with the business community raised by Wilson. The ethical foundation for this decision is the fairness and rehabilitation applicable to Wilson. The judge prioritizes the improvement of the prisoner’s mental condition and places him on an equal footing, given his impairment. Utilitarian ethical theory, as has been shown in the course, identifies the need to benefit the most significant number of people, and Wilson’s prisoner is no exception (Tseng & Wang, 2021). Thus, the judge will benefit the prisoner and society in the long run.
The District Attorney
The ethical issue is to determine whether Jessica should continue to go after police officers for their offenses or whether she should stop doing so in order to maintain a good relationship with the police department. Jessica’s motivation is clear: The district attorney wants to fulfill her promises to voters, uphold the law, hold offenders accountable, and demonstrate the fairness of the judicial system. If she continues her efforts, it will lead to less crime and an aggravated relationship with police officers. On the other hand, it may lower her political reputation but improve her relationship with the police.
Jessica needs to keep pressing charges because it is part of her political commitment and reflects principles of justice, regardless of the profession of the accused. Justice is the most important principle underlying this scenario. Any offender must be held accountable regardless of levels of authority. According to the course, this scenario utilizes a deontological theory of ethics, which shows the need to act according to ethical principles regardless of the possible consequences (Alston, 2019). Thus, even if the relationship with the police officers goes bad, the decision will be based on fairness and fulfilling political duty.
The Officer
The ethical issue of the scenario is to determine the value of the actions of Scot, who, on the one hand, performed an illegal search and, on the other hand, discovered a potential criminal (perhaps a drug dealer or smuggler). Scot was eager to impress his superiors and demonstrate himself as an excellent probationary police officer. Had he apprehended the criminal and begun collecting evidence, he would have obtained a conviction, but it would have become known that he had committed a felony contrary to the Constitution. On the other hand, Scot would still risk being charged with a misdemeanor if he chose to report his mistake.
Conclusion
As a solution, Scot must report his mistake to his superiors and refuse to detain the driver. This decision is based on the need to uphold the law and respect the constitutional rights of citizens (Smentkowski, 2023). Scot can take responsibility for the offense and respect the driver’s rights. According to the course, the scenario is built on deontological ethics, which means the need to comply with moral duties and laws regardless of the consequences. Thus, Scot releases the offender and creates a threat but reports the incident to his superiors and legitimizes the offender’s search and arrest, which respects a citizen’s ethics and rights.
Reference
Alston, W. (2019). Deontological desiderata. Contemporary Epistemology: An Anthology, 3-16. Web.
Smentkowski, B. P. (2023). Fourth amendment. Britannica. Web.
Tseng, P. E., & Wang, Y. H. (2021). Deontological or utilitarian? An eternal ethical dilemma in Outbreak. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 1-13. Web.