Ethics concepts and applications

¶ … ethical issues is the only way to devise a personal moral code that can carry into one's professional life. It is helpful to imagine hypothetical moral dilemmas or reflect on known dilemmas prior to being placed in a position of having to make moral decisions. We need to "face up to the hard questions," and risk the "intellectual, psychological, and emotional discomfort" of doing so (Jones & Carlson, 2004, p. 6). Doing the right thing depends largely on experience, though, which is why it can be of great help to think clearly about all potential problems, situations, and outcomes and put those thoughts into action. Unless we have thought something through in our head first, we may never have a blueprint of ethical behavior.

Compromising personal values and interests is never easy. However, I do understand where Jones & Carlson (2004) are coming from. The authors note that students are often "somewhat scared of confronting their biases and prejudices," (p. 6). Confronting biases and prejudices is a prerequisite to practicing outstanding moral conduct. The reason why it is important to occasionally compromise one's personal values and interests is because all people have biases that might conflict with the mission or values of the organization. When we commit to an organization, we are committing to its value system as well. If we as Christians do not like the value system of the organization, we should find work elsewhere.

Loyalty to colleagues is contingent on the morality of the colleague's behavior. Each situation and each person must be evaluated individually. In some cases, yes, loyalty to colleagues should be fostered as an appropriate and necessary value. This is because a culture of camaraderie, trust, and mutual support is essential in any organization but especially in corrections. Officers need to trust and rely on one another. On the other hand, all officers are responsible for their own actions and behaviors. Loyalty to officers should never entail compromising core values and ethics, and should never mean acting unlawfully.