Whistleblowing is quite common in a wide variety of organizations, from employees of drug manufacturing companies to inmates of correctional services. This practice is controversial because it is not always possible to define when it is ethical to use it. Scholars reveal various aspects of this issue, discussing whistleblowing in big companies and the extent to which police officers have the right to lie when interrogating suspects. From the perspective of ethics, the application or non-application of practice fits into the discourse associated with utilitarianism’s theory (Graham, 2004). In any case, any leader should consider the pros and cons before deciding to use this practice in his institution.
According to the theory of utilitarianism, the best action is the one that leads to the greatest happiness for the most significant number of people. However, critics of this idea cite many examples where sacrificing the interests of the minority in the name of the majority’s interests is deeply unethical. Besides, some scholars note that the justification of lies by police officers must necessarily be considered every time from an ethical point of view, as in earlier times, every case of torture was considered (Skolnick & Leo, 1992). Whistleblowing can have serious consequences for organizations and those who choose to bring hard-hitting information to senior management’s judgment.
On the one hand, the correctional administrator can receive useful information from whistleblowers about illegal practices, such as prisoners’ beating by inmates or warders. On the other hand, scholars note that often whistleblowers can be guided by personal motives and present false or distorted information (Barnett, 1992). Another consequence of whistleblowing practices can be the subsequent complications in relationships with others for the whistleblower after disclosing the violators’ identity. One cannot also ignore the fact that the administrator must maintain a certain level of trust in management among inmates in correctional facilities since a lack of confidence can increase incidents of violence and moral decay. Thus, when deciding whether to apply whistleblowing practice, one should consider all pros and cons carefully.
References
Barnett, T. (1992). Why your company should have a whistleblowing policy. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 57(4), 37-42.
Graham, G. (2004). Eight theories of ethics. Psychology Press.
Skolnick, J. H., & Leo, R. A. (1992). The ethics of deceptive interrogation. Criminal Justice Ethics, 11(1), 3-12.