peer respond to the 2 questions below.

Peer Respond 1

One common ethical dilemma that criminal justice professionals, particularly law enforcement officers, encounter is the use of excessive force. This issue determines when force is necessary and what constitutes "excessive" force. A structured approach is needed to ensure a comprehensive understanding and effective decision-making to address this.

Identifying the ethical principles involved would be a step in analyzing the dilemma. According to the principles discussed in Introduction to Deontology and the chapter on Kantian Deontology, a criminal justice professional would focus on the duty to uphold the law and protect citizens. This duty, which is at the core of deontological ethics, emphasizes that actions should be guided by moral rules or duties, regardless of the consequences (Heimir Geirsson, 2018, pp. 185-188; Kranak, n.d.). In this context, an officer's duty might be to use force only when vital and in a manner consistent with established laws and policies. Drawing from John Rawls' Justice Theory, as discussed in Shahla Eslami's article, the decision should also consider the principles of justice and fairness. Rawls' theory advocates for actions that ensure fairness and equality, which implies that any use of force must be justifiable and applied equally to all individuals without bias (Eslami, 2016).

According to the Kantian Deontology chapter, Kant's Categorical Imperative suggests that one should act according to the maxim that one wishes to become a universal law. The officer must consider whether the use of excessive force could be justified as a universal principle. If the answer is no, then excessive force cannot be ethically justified, regardless of the situation (Kranak, n.d.).

As discussed in the What is Ethics page from the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, professionals must maintain integrity. Officers must consider how their actions align with ethical standards. Upholding integrity would require the officer to adhere strictly to guidelines on the use of force, ensuring their actions reflect the ethical responsibilities of their role (Velasquez et al., 2010).

After considering the principles of deontology, justice, and consequences, the officer would make a decision that aligns with their duties, ensures fairness, and considers the broader impact of their actions on public trust and safety. This decision should be one that the officer could defend as ethically sound in both a professional and public context.

By following these steps, the officer can approach the ethical dilemma of using force in a manner that is principled, fair, and consistent with both ethical principles and professional responsibilities.

Peer respond 2

Law enforcement has to be held to a higher standard than the general public. This does not mean that must be perfect and never make a mistake but you can't overlook things like misdemeanor drug possession, disorderly conduct cases or even DUI. These are character flaws and/or lapses in judgement that raise serious doubt about your ability to carry a badge and gun for a living and to make the decisions that police have to make. Your thoughts?