Criminal Justice and Code of Ethics

Criminal Justice Code of Ethics

The code of ethics provided by the “Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences” has stipulations on the ethical standards and the general principles underlying the professional conduct, responsibility, and behavior of the organization’s members, coupled with the procedures and policies that guide the enforcement of the same. This is very crucial to criminal justice and law enforcement. It is particularly essential when conducting any form of research concerning criminal activities and the criminal justice processes (Martinson et al., 2010). Ultimately, ethical research plays a crucial role in providing the correct information and data that the criminal justice system can utilize to solve societal problems and improve the system. As such, adherence to the ethical standards in conducting research is essential, as discussed below.

The Meaning of Research Standards- Members of the Academy as Researchers

Members of the academy should adhere to a high level of technical standards in research. Research ethics dictates the standards of conduct for researchers. They are encouraged to strictly adhere to the stipulate ethical principles to protect the study and the subjects’ welfare, rights, and dignity. This means that they must follow the guidelines stipulated in the code of ethics to avoid putting themselves or their subjects in jeopardy (Cho & Trent, 2006).

The second standard under section B of the Code of Ethics, the academy members are required to acknowledge the limitations that might impact their findings’ validity, bearing in mind that they vary in experience, skills, and research modes. This means that they do not discriminate based on gender, age, ethnicity or race, or any other dynamic (Martinson et al., 2010). Instead, they are sensitive to the role, cultural, and individual differences among their subjects. They also acknowledge other people’s rights, opinions, attitudes, and values that might not necessarily align with their own.

They are further required to report their findings in detail and avoid misrepresenting or omitting significant research findings. As such, the theories, methods, and designs are reported in detail as long as they affect the interpretations of the findings. Achieving this means that they are obliged to be open and honest when disclosing their methods and presenting their research findings. This is because assessing the validity of the research conclusions and the procedures’ ethics requires one to know precisely how it was conducted.

They are also required to give a full report of their financial support sources and other sponsorships. This means that they provide a detailed account of any form of funding or sponsorship they have received in undertaking their research to help maintain or increase accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency. This also aligns with the goals of the academy. Generally, there is a connection between research outputs and funding (Bille & Steenfeldt, 2013).

They should avoid making commitments to groups, individuals, organizations, and respondents, mainly if there is no intention of honoring them. The academy members are open and honest in their professional dealings. As such, they don’t make any misleading, false, or deceptive accounts regarding their work for any particular reason. This helps avoid a situation where a subject or client or anyone involved expects something they might not receive.

After completing their analyses, members of the academy should make raw data and documentation available except in cases of confidentiality. Confidentiality is crucial in most research, more so in situations where subjects are required to divulge certain information regarding criminal justice processes or criminal activity, mainly when this is related to violation of rights or criminal activity that has not yet been detected. Availing their findings to other social scientists at a relatively cheaper access fee should help with more future research concerning the same topic since the world is constantly evolving.

They are also mandated to provide enough information, citations, and documentation regarding the measures and scales of the research (Bille & Steenfeldt, 2013). This means that they approach their research objectively and also set aside any personal partialities that they might have and be open to the idea of learning more, and acknowledge that different actions potentially contribute to knowledge advancement. Attention to validity should be evident in the organizational procedures and the physical conditions surrounding the research.

They should also not accept any research assignments, contracts, or grants that might violate ethical principles. Should such a discovery be made, and they cannot correct it, then it’s best if they distance themselves from the research. This will help them avoid any consequence that might result from them being entangled in the violation. Such consequences include sanctions related to the academy’s membership, including termination or restrictions on the membership.

Once financial support is accepted, they must make the necessary effort to complete the proposed work on time. This means that the academy members always strive to keep a high competency level in their professional dealings and do everything possible to deliver the expected results within the stipulated time.

When involved with others in the research project, there should be a mutual acceptance of explicit agreements at the initial stages regarding work division, data access, authority rights, responsibilities, and compensation. This means that everyone is limited to their area of expertise and only undertakes the tasks they are qualified for in terms of experience, training, and education. Also, the agreements should not be coercive, intimidating, or exploitative (Cho & Trent, 2006).