Revised 08/2023

ADJ 133 - Ethics and the Criminal Justice Professional (3 CR.)

Course Description

Examines ethical dilemmas pertaining to the criminal justice system, including those in policing, courts, and corrections. Focuses on specific ethical choices that must be made by criminal justice professionals. Lecture 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a better understanding of how moral and ethical decisions are a part of the everyday decision-making process of criminal justice professionals and how many of these perplexing decisions challenge one’s personal integrity as well as organizational integrity.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

None.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

  • Demonstrate a working knowledge of the nature of ethics.
  • Describe and provide an in-depth analysis of ethical issues within the criminal justice system.
  • Demonstrate the ability to use ethical systems in order to deal with ethical and moral dilemmas within the criminal justice system.

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Explain the nature and importance of ethics.
  • Define various ethical systems and the importance to proper decision-making.
  • Relate ethical dilemmas and critical issues to ethical systems.
  • Define ethical values.
  • Describe the relation between ethics and morals.
  • Explore ethical issues in policing.
  • Explore ethical issues in the court system.
  • Explore ethical issues in the correctional system.
  • Explore ethical issues with probation and parole.
  • Discuss the ethics of several American crime control policies.
  • Describe personal, interpersonal, and organizational integrity.
  • Review various types of biases and how they impact the criminal justice system.
  • Define and discuss discrimination and disparity within the criminal justice system.
  • Explain the importance of inclusion, diversity, and multiculturalism within the criminal justice
  • system.

Optional Topics

Related subjects at the discretion of the instructor.