Deck 5: Why Should We Be Good

Question 1

Actions by law enforcement officers that exploit the powers of law enforcement for personal gain (e.g. ,accepting bribes)can be regarded as:

A)Corrupt.
B)Egoistic.
C)Paternalistic.
D)Both corrupt and egoistic.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following involves rationalizing misconduct by perceiving informal norms - such as secrecy or loyalty to fellow officers - to be more important than societal laws,norms,or the formal norms of the organization by which one is employed?

A)Denial of responsibility
B)Denial of victim
C)Denial of injury
D)Appeal to higher loyalties

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Accepting gifts from inmates for special considerations (e.g. ,choice cells or job assignments)is a form of prison corruption categorized as:

A)Theft.
B)Misuse of authority.
C)Embezzlement.
D)Trafficking.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Violations of the law usually go unpunished.

Question 5

Which of the following explanations of morality argues that actions are right/wrong,good/bad because they are approved or disapproved of by God (or some other higher power)?

A)Strong reciprocity
B)Social contract
C)Divine command
D)Law-and-order morality

Question 6

Direct misconduct by a police officer,such as extorting money from drug dealers,would be an example of which of the following forms of misconduct?

A)Nonfeasance
B)Misfeasance
C)Malfeasance
D)All of the above

Question 7

With respect to religion and morality,the problem of common ground refers to the fact that religious commands and principles:

A)Are too old to be valuable today.
B)Are of unknown origin.
C)Only appeal to believers.
D)Are often immoral themselves.

Question 8

Which of the following explanations of police corruption diverts attention away from the possibility that corruption is systemic,arguing instead that corrupt acts are committed by only a few "bad" officers within otherwise ethical departments?

A)Systemic
B)Institutional
C)Paternal
D)Rotten Apple

Question 9

A law enforcement officer accepting money or other favors for overlooking traffic violations would be classified as which of the following forms of corruption?

A)Theft
B)Fixes
C)Shakedowns
D)Opportunistic theft

Question 10

Which of the following was NOT discussed in your text as an important source of "sanction" for immoral behavior?

A)The law
B)God (or other divine being)
C)Guilt
D)All of the above WERE discussed as possible sanctions

Question 11

Which of the following actions,if committed by a law enforcement officer,would be considered "corruption of authority"?

A)Stealing money from crime victims
B)Accepting free meals for doing one's regular duty
C)Selling drugs and burglarizing businesses
D)All of the above

Question 12

Which of the following refers to the anxiety or discomfort we experience when we deviate from our own internal standards of right and wrong?

A)Moral inferiority
B)Punitive egoism
C)Guilt
D)Hedonism

Question 13

Acts of omission by criminal justice professionals that involve not fulfilling one's professional responsibilities could be considered acts of misfeasance.

Question 14

If,as Plato and others have implied,human nature is egoistic then our actions are motivated by:

A)Concerns for the well-being of others.
B)Fear.
C)Self-interest.
D)Pleasure.

Question 15

Simply stated,our awareness that certain actions are morally wrong can be referred to as:

A)Conscience.
B)Guilt.
C)Internal moral authority.
D)Moral predisposition.

Question 16

Plato's story of the "ring of Gyges" was used in class to illustrate the importance of which of the following questions:

A)Why should we be moral?
B)Is it possible to be moral?
C)Is morality relative?
D)Is behavior determined?

Question 17

Although it may be useful for discouraging some undesirable forms of behavior,the use of punishment may serve as an impediment to the development of genuine morality.

Question 18

The vast majority of major religious groups in the United States officially support capital punishment.

Question 19

Techniques of neutralization refer to processes of protecting ourselves from guilt and negative self-image by justifying or rationalizing our actions.

Question 20

Guilt might best be described as emotional self-punishment.

Question 21

Condemnation of condemners occurs when we deny responsibility for our wrongdoing,arguing that "they made me do it" or "they deserved it."

Question 22

Briefly discuss at least one (1)problem with relying on reward/punishment to motivate moral behavior.

Question 23

Briefly describe at least two (2)forms of corrupt conduct in prisons as outlined by Bernard McCarthy,providing a specific example of each.

Question 24

Briefly describe the central question and key moral issue/s raised by Plato's story of the ring of Gyges.

Question 25

List and briefly describe at least one example of a "technique of neutralization" or form of rationalization as it applies to professional deviance within criminal justice.