Deck 3: Understanding Criminal Justice Ethics: Sources and Sanctions

Question 1

Natural law has been defined as:

A) a law that is everlasting and unchanging
B) a law that is universal
C) the law of humanity
D) all of the above

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following is not a natural law principle?

A) gravity
B) mortality of human beings
C) sympathy
D) no smoking in a smoke-free building

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Among the natural law principles that restrict state power is:

A) governments shall not deprive anyone of liberty or citizenship
B) governments shall not banish individuals
C) governments shall not disallow habeas corpus
D) all of the above

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The ethical implications of natural law in criminal justice focus on the fundamental obligation to:

A) protect society
B) prevent crime
C) preserve human dignity
D) enforce the law

Question 5

According to the text, which of the following is the correct rank order of virtues (from the lowest to the highest)?

A) professional virtues-American virtues-human virtues
B) human virtues-professional virtues-American virtues
C) American virtues-professional virtues-human virtues
D) professional virtues-human virtues-American virtues

Question 6

Martin Luther was a(n):

A) English bishop
B) French cardinal
C) German monk
D) American leader

Question 7

According to O'Dea and Aviada, the essential functions of religious testaments include:

A) providing society with a point of reference that transcends the everyday world
B) promoting among believers a feeling of security and a sense of worth
C) assisting the individual in establishing a group identity
D) all of the above

Question 8

Which of the following countries does not have a written constitution?

A) United Kingdom
B) Russia
C) North Korea
D) Israel

Question 9

Institutional guidelines used to reinforce ethical conduct by practitioners are:

A) Discretion
B) Code of Ethics
C) Fallacies
D) Metaethics

Question 10

This represents the "not illegal "doctrine:

A) Aristotle syndrome
B) Plato syndrome
C) Edwin Meese Syndrome
D) Captain Balin Syndrome

Question 11

All of the following are characteristics of organized religion EXCEPT:

A) Concerned with things considered sacred by virtue of being apart from mundane daily activities
B) Each believer must donate a certain percent of her money to her church
C) involves beliefs and practices directed primarily by faith
D) it is the property of the group of believers, rather than the individual

Question 12

For what reason(s) are Christian values likely to be ignored in the practice of criminal justice?

A) One's inability to distinguish between the purpose of religion and the process of religion
B) An unhealthy work environment which regards mixing religious principles as a professional weakness
C) The idea that religious convictions may cause lapses in judgment, endangering one's co-workers
D) Both a and b

Question 13

All of the following are categories included in the US Constitution that ensure individual freedom EXCEPT:

A) Protection of individual integrity and independence through freedom of speech, press, and assembly
B) Protection of the individual from the government through barring unreasonable searches, seizures, and detainments
C) Protection of the government from the individual through classification of national secrets and sensitive information
D) Provisions designed to protect individual property, like prohibiting confiscation of belongings without due process

Question 14

Which of the following supports the position that what is just or unjust can also be determined independently of the institution of government?

A) Humankind does not live by law alone
B) Constitutions are products of human intelligence
C) Moral governments cannot be guaranteed to always remain moral
D) all of the above

Question 15

Who would argue that religion in society is offered by the bourgeoisie (rich) to the proletariat (working-class) as a distraction from the state of perpetual helplessness in which the working-class lives?

A) Marx
B) Freud
C) Meese
D) Augustine

Question 16

The idea of a practitioner exercising his/her judgment to determine whether a law is worth complying with best describes which concept?

A) Incorruptibility
B) Democratic philosophy
C) Ethical discretion
D) Code of ethics

Question 17

Public servants should satisfy which of the following functions?

A) Serve the interests of society as a whole
B) Reflect a moral character equal to members of society
C) Oversee moral order
D) Both a and c

Question 18

Which of the following is true regarding the relationship between areas of ethics and law?

A) The purpose of ethics is not to undermine law, but complement it
B) Laws and ethics address all human activities
C) Like laws, ethical principles change frequently
D) Both ethics and laws are "logical instruments" of social control

Question 19

All of the following assumptions are true of an administrative approach to professionalism EXCEPT:

A) Agency ethics are derived from the job description as stated in the hiring contract
B) Workers maintain absolute loyalty to superiors
C) When the agency succeeds, it is because of good management
D) Negative subcultures, unless intercepted, spread corruption throughout an agency

Question 20

Which conditions lead to codes of ethics being successful in promoting ethical conduct by employees?

A) Codes must be taken seriously.
B) Administrators and supervisors must themselves follow the codes.
C) The organizational environment must be healthy.
D) all of the above

Question 21

If one sought to operate within the bounds of the highest level (most ethical) of virtues, they would pursue professional virtues.

Question 22

Religions value matters of faith, which entails accepting given assumptions without questioning them.

Question 23

Freud thought that religion was the "opiate of the people."

Question 24

Going against what most theologians argue was Jesus' message, the prosperity gospel teaches that God wants his believers to prosper in terms of health and wealth.

Question 25

The US Constitution serves as a symbol of the social contract that unites a government and its citizens.

Question 26

An ethical definist would be someone who believes one can use principles independent of the Constitution to determine what is just or unjust.

Question 27

A prevailing view of democratic philosophers is that a law that does not qualify as an instrument of reason, or is not conducive to a common good, should be rescinded or simply disregarded.

Question 28

Incorruptibility is a concept whereby one's standards of excellence and self-respect outweigh any temptation to violate duty for a possible monetary reward.

Question 29

Professional codes of ethics serve two major purposes: they act as moral guidelines for practitioners of criminal justice and define professional behavior in the workplace.

Question 30

The moral approach to professionalism focuses primarily on building the moral character of employees before anything else.

Question 31

Discuss each level of virtues included within the hierarchical order of virtues. In doing this, provide an argument for which level of virtues (or perhaps levels) practitioners should abide by when administering justice. Is it plausible to adhere to the human virtue level at every stage of the criminal justice process? Why or why not?

Question 32

Provide an overview of the role of religion in society, including radical views and dysfunctions of religion. Second, discuss the relationship between ethics and religion. Some argue these two concepts are largely intertwined-with religion serving as the basis for ethics. However, religious goals may not always be ethical (e.g., Crusades). Explain the importance of distinguishing between the two concepts in the field of criminal justice.

Question 33

Provide an argument for why ethical discretionary decision-making by practitioners is important. Why might allowing one's mother to go free on a speeding ticket be different than manslaughter? Further, some would argue that even forgoing a speeding ticket can lead to more serious forms of corruption. Explain why you would agree or disagree.

Question 34

Compare and contrast the administrative and moralistic approaches to achieving professionalism. Which do you think best describes agencies today, and which do you believe agencies should be following? Explain.