Professionalism and Ethics, Study notes of Criminal Justice

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Professionalism &

Ethics

Professionalism &

Ethics

Chapter – 1 Learning

Objectives

1. Discuss the concept of professionalism.
2. Discuss the characteristics of professionalism.
3. Discuss the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics.
4. Discuss ethical dilemmas in law enforcement.
5. Discuss the differences between physical & moral courage.
6. Discuss Title 8 of the Texas Penal Code in relationship to an officer’s behavior.
7. Explain relevant Federal criminal law in

The Concept of

“Professionalism”

Varying definitions of “professionalism”:

Its earliest meaning comes from those professing the vows of

a religious order. It meant the act of professing, a spiritual

commitment, a range of academic expertise or both.

By 1675 the term was secularized.

The Oxford English Dictionary offers the following

definitions:

Profession - "The occupation which one professes to be skilled

in and to follow. A vocation in which professed knowledge of

some branch of learning is used in its application to the affairs

of others, or in the practice of an art based upon it. Applied

specifically to the three learned professions of divinity, law,

and medicine; also, the military profession."

A professional is one who is "engaged in one of the learned or

skilled professions, or in a calling considered socially superior

to a trade or handicraft."

Concept of

Professionalism

(continued)

Although law enforcement officers are not typically

included in the secular definition of a “professional,”

officers are professionals by every definition of the

word. Additionally, the law enforcement profession

meets every criterion of a “profession.”

A profession is a vocation that meets the following

requirements: The members possess a specialized body of

knowledge, not easily acquired, accomplished through

advanced education or training.

The members share a commitment to serving the

public (or community they serve).

The members share a commitment to promoting the common

good.

The members share a professional creed or code of

ethics that effectively holds themselves and their

colleagues to a higher standard of behavior than is the

norm for other vocations.

Concept of

Professionalism

(continued)

What are the characteristics of profession that make law enforcement a “profession”? What are the qualities and attributes of a “professional” that make the L.E. officer “professional”?

Characteristics of

Professionalism

Service to others Assessment of needs to others Theoretical body of knowledge obtained through extended pre-service education Standards for entry, practice, & ethical conduct Professional association to

Characteristics of

Professionalism (cont.)

Police Legitimacy & Procedural Justice: Police legitimacy means people have trust & confidence in the police, accept police authority & believe officers are fair. Officers build public confidence by: Treating people with dignity and respect Making decisions fairly , based on facts , without bias towards ethnicity or wealth. Giving people “voice,” a chance to tell their side of the story Acting in a way that encourages community members to believe that they will be treated with goodwill in the future.

Departments that employ such principles – supported

by a wealth of research – experience higher levels of

public cooperation with police efforts to address crime,

increased compliance with the law, stronger public

support for police, and greater deference to police in

interactions with community members.

Characteristics of

Professionalism (cont.)

Police Legitimacy & Procedural Justice Applied (continued): Giving Voice to all Parties The second pillar of procedural justice concerns voice. All people want to be heard & involving people or groups in the decisions that affect them influences their assessment of a given situation. Everyone wants to feel as though they have a measure of control over their fate; having voice in situations that may be somewhat out of their control ( such as whether they get a traffic ticket ) helps them to feel that their opinions matter & someone is listening to their side of the story, taking them seriously, & giving some consideration to their concerns.

“This is a Working Man”

“Giving Voice to all

Characteristics of

Professionalism (cont.)

Police Legitimacy & Procedural Justice Applied (continued): Impartiality The fourth pillar of procedural justice is impartiality & unbiased decision making. Impartial decisions are made based on relevant evidence or data rather than on personal opinion, speculation, or guesswork. Americans have a strong sense of fairness, and especially in our media-driven society — which allows for instant answers to nearly every question via the Internet — we want the facts. When officers take the extra time to make clear to the all involved parties, the facts & reasoning used to make decisions, an understanding & acceptance is more likely to occur.

Characteristics of

Professionalism (cont.)

The value of the professional model for law enforcement: Advantages Public better served, & quality of peace officers is improved. Ethical conduct & more effective problem-solving. Stronger community support & respect. Stronger role in the criminal justice system, & more effective innovations, financial rewards. Disadvantages Cost of training & development. Higher salaries or remuneration for job occupant Limited entry into the work force from poor because of less opportunity for educational attainment.

Characteristics of

Professionalism (cont.)

Cultivating Relationships – Procedural Justice & Community Policing: Problem-Solving Refers to the process of engaging in the proactive and systematic examination of identified problems to develop and rigorously evaluate effective responses. Key components of problem solving include the following: S.A.R.A.  Scanning : Identifying and prioritizing problems.  Analysis : Researching what is known about the problem.  Response : Developing solutions to bring about lasting reductions in the number and extent of problems.  Assessment : Evaluating the success of the

Characteristics of

Professionalism (cont.)

Cultivating Relationships – Procedural Justice & Community Policing: Organizational Transformation

Refers to the alignment of police management,

structure, personnel, and information systems to

support community partnerships and proactive

problem solving. Community policing, like

procedural justice, should permeate the agency

at all levels.

Note: It is important to be able to distinguish between professional & non-professional behavior. Sometimes the line is very narrow; sometimes there is a behavioral continuum. The “balancing act” & “work in progress”.