Abstract This paper looks at the issues relating to ethical conduct by law enforcement officials, including the basic concepts, ethical behavior and its motivation, ethical decision making, and finally, the impact of unethical conduct on effective law enforcement.
Contents
Basic Concepts of Law Enforcement Ethics
Ethical Behavior
Motivation for Ethical Behavior
Ethical Decision Making
The Effects of Unethical Behavior
Annotated Bibliography
From the Paper "Certain guidelines are also in place in order to ensure ethical behavior. Firstly law enforcement officials should ensure that they are acting within the rule of law as prevalent during the specific time period in which they operate (Alderson, 1979, p. 15). Secondly the internal rules of policing should also be followed in order to ensure correct conduct. If these rules are followed effectively, it should be evident in the absence of crime (Chu, 2001, p. 24). Police officers are however not only dependent on themselves for their ability to effectively perform their duties. The public also plays a substantial role in terms of their approval of the existence, actions and behavior of the law enforcement agency."
The paper is written from the stand point that gay marriages should be legalized because marriage is a basic human right. It also examines the work of those who claim that it is actually a very old institution.
3,030 words (approx. 12.1 pages), 12 sources, 2000, $ 89.95
From the Paper "The paper fuses research done by two brilliant writers, John Boswell and W. Eskridge to prove that same-sex marriages have actually been in existence since the Dark Ages. It includes legal citations, the Catholic view on gay marriages, different types of marriages..."
Abstract This essay is an argumentative paper which states both sides of the death penalty controversy and is opposition to capital punishment. The author chooses multiple points for, and against, the use of capital punishment regarding moral, ethical, and biblical standpoints.
From the paper:
"From the beginning of recorded history, there has always been a great deal of controversy over the concept of capital punishment. Is it moral" Is it a deterrent to crime? Is it effective? Is it efficient? Is it cruel and unusual punishment? These are all questions that we ask when discussing such a delicate topic. There are a wide variety of reasons as to why people are for or against the death sentence. Some are reasoned; others are purely emotional. From my point of view, capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime, and I don?t believe it should be in use today.?
Abstract This paper presents a detailed look at the positive and negative effects of capital punishment. The writer examines historical events on the topic and discusses the pros and cons to each viewpoint. There were twenty sources used to complete this paper.
From the Paper ?Few issues can get the public stirred up as well as the issue of capital punishment can. When we talk about the death penalty we open a very emotional subject that can become quite heated even between friends. For every argument one finds in favor of capital punishment there is a counter argument against it. It seems to be a never ending battle with each side making valid points. The positives and negatives of the dilemma end up becoming a personal choice based on which side most closely matches one's personal views."
Abstract This paper presents a discussion about school prayer. The author of this paper believes that prayer in school is a direct violation of the constitutional mandate that church and state remain separated, and discusses the intent of the founding fathers when implementing such a separation.
From the Paper "For many years now, the issue of school prayer has made the forefront to the news. We hear that students defy direct orders from school officials and stand to recite the Lord's Prayer at graduation. We hear about principals being hauled into court by the ACLU for allowing students to pray on campus. It is a volatile issue that remains close to the heart on both sides of the argument. The bottom line, however, is that America proudly waves its diversity banner to the rest of the world. We brag about the fact that we welcome and encourage diversity and we are founded on the premise that freedom of religion should be a right of every person."
Abstract This research paper describes to the average internet user the possible abuse of copyright laws. The paper investigates the legality of companies such as Napster, which is organized downloading or file sharing services. It states the basic goals of copyright law and looks at new technologies, such as MP3 players.
From the Paper "When an artist writes a song or a novelist writes a book, copyright laws protect his or her ideas. Copyright laws protect and secure a person's creativity, their originality and his or hers product so that others will not gain a profit from their work. Companies such as Napster, an Internet file sharing service, break these laws. However, downloading music off the Internet is not technically illegal."
Tags: kazaa, metallica, music, napster, sharing, web, wide, world
Abstract The paper begins with a definition and history of affirmative action in the U.S. The controversy surrounding this practice is then explored. Statistics are cited and the University of Michigan is used to illustrate the controversy. Advantages and disadvantages of the practice of affirmative action are discussed.
From the Paper "Much of the debate over affirmative action focuses on the notion that affirmative action gives preference to minorities at the expense of whites. For example, California's Proposition 209 ended local and state affirmative action programs in public employment, public education, and public contracting. Advocates of proposition 209 claim that affirmative action is unconstitutional since it gives preferential treatment to certain groups."
An examination of the controversy which has swept across America since the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional.
Abstract This paper examines the trend in America to totally separate religion from the state in as many ways as possible. The writer presents arguments for and against the recent court ruling calling the phrase "under God" as unconstitutional. Critics argue that the reference to God infringes on their personal freedoms, while supporters argue that the reference is part of the greater American character, and that the Court's decision simply reflects the views of a small, vocal minority of Americans.
From the Paper "Supporters of the 9th Court's ruling argue that the phrase amounts to a government endorsement of a specific religion, and is in direct opposition to the constitution that guarantees religious freedom. Critics of the 9th Court's decision, argue that the religious content of the phrase "under God" is minimal, and that the Court's decision paves the way for the removal of all religious references from the Constitution, the Star Spangled Banner and other quintessentially American areas. Critics argue that the Court's decision is the worst kind of political correctness, and simply reflects the will of a small minority, imposed on the rights of the large majority of Americans who want the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance."
Tags: religion, court, state, united, minority, character, freedom, expression, infringement
Abstract This paper discusses the Florida ban on gay adoption, as well as other legal and ethical aspects of same sex parenting. The paper explores the question of whether children brought up by gay parents are at a disadvantage in any way and uses professional research to back up the findings.
From the Paper "Despite the number of laws passed or the numerous movies or television shows that support gay rights, the negative conations associated with same-sex parent adoption continue to taint both attitudes and laws. Society is still laden with negative biases against homosexual adoption, and against gays in general (Johnson, et al., 1995) which severely limits their rights as people and as parents."
The paper examines the way that the judiciary is empowered with the freedom to act in opposition to the wishes of the electorate using judicial activism, unlike the political branches who must follow the wishes of the voters.
Abstract The paper discusses how judicial activism is necessary because some issues are too difficult for the political branches of the government to confront. It examines how advocates of the opposing theory of "judicial restraint" hold that the judiciary should follow precedent carefully and defer to legislative decisions. It also analyzes the reasons the system of governmental checks and balances and judicial review was set up.
From the Paper "Another important principle implicit in the Framers' writings and actions was that no branch of the government is infallible and this must be seen to apply to the majority of voters, whose will is expressed through their elected representatives, as much as it applies to the un-kingly presidency and the nonpartisan judiciary. Thus the will of the majority in various states was that schools be segregated by race and the rules of these localities codified this expressed wish of the majority which resulted in a status quo in which white and black children were educated separately and, according to advocates of the system, equally. Strict adherence to the will of the majority and to the right of states to decide their own course of action would have meant that the Supreme Court could only decide in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that the majority's wishes must be respected. The decision to order desegregation, however, was based on no explicit Constitutional basis but on the finding that "government-supported racial discrimination violates the principle of equal justice under the law" (Patterson 425). Although this was widely perceived as a case in which the Constitutional principle could not be denied it should also be understood as a textbook case of the need for judicial review and the invalidating of laws that are unconstitutional."
Abstract The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was signed into law on July 29, 2002. It was the U.S. government's response to the questionable business practices of a number of corporate executives, which caused across-the-board declines in the value of stock in publicly-traded companies during the summer of 2002. The passage of the Act has been heralded by some as an historic occasion, some calling it a long overdue corporate reform package, while others have severely criticized the Act as an unnecessary overreaction by the government. This paper discusses the business conditions that prompted the passage of the Act, the accounting problems that made the Act necessary, the advantages and disadvantages of the Act, and the effect of the Act on the future of the accounting profession.
From the Paper "The Corporate Sector in the United States is already sufficiently regulated. Further regulation goes against the principles of a free market economy that is one of the basic principles of the country's economy. What was needed in the wake of bankruptcy scandals was stricter enforcement of the existing laws rather than creating new ones.
The Act was a knee-jerk reaction to the accounting scandals in a tiny percentage of businesses. The new reporting requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley will divert the attentions of managements and boards of directors to self-protection away from the business purposes of companies."
Abstract This paper attempts to provide rational reasoning in support of the legal sale of marijuana in Canada.
From the Paper "Legalizing marijuana is a controversial issue. This issue has raised many questions, which are being fought on an economical, political and ethical front. "
Abstract This research paper argues that immigration in the U.S. has reached a crisis and we need to rethink our immigration policies. The paper briefly touches on the history of immigration, present immigration problems such as illegals, expert opinions, and ends with a call for an immigration moratorium.
Abstract This paper takes a look at the anti-trust case against Microsoft, the charges against them, and the end result of the case. It then looks at the issues for and against Microsoft, with the author's personal view suggesting that Microsoft does more good than bad.
From the Paper "Since 1990, a battle has raged in United States courts between the United States government and the Microsoft Corporation out of Redmond, Washington, headed by Bill Gates. What is at stake is money. The federal government maintains that Microsoft's monopolistic practices are harmful to United States citizens, creating higher prices and potentially downgrading software quality, and should therefore be stopped, while Microsoft and its supporters claim that they are not breaking any laws, and are just doing good business."
Abstract A look at Martin Luther King Jr. A brief overview of his life and work in politics. The author gives a personal opinion about his impacts and contributions, and for his fight for freedom, equality and for the general understanding of justice.
From the Paper "I see King as a great visionary and a person who valued humanity and people for what they were worth. I admire his self-sacrifice and his courage to be controversial and be always outside comfort. As a journalist who must always step out of the comfort zone, I know how difficult that is. But I cannot comprehend what would it be like to be uncomfortable and constantly risk your life. I think there are very few people in history who put their beliefs and the interests of other people before their own, and there are only a few people who are willing to risk being unpopular and controversial while risking their well-being. Unfortunately, without those kinds of people big history cannot be made and changes are not possible."
