Professional ethical standards in practice

Occupations in the field of criminal justice have long been of interest to many. The field of criminal justice is composed of many different occupations including lawyers, police officers and probation officers. For the purposes of this discussion we will focus on private detectives/investigators. The discussion will focus on the occupation itself and the code of ethics associated with the occupation. In addition the research will explore unique ethical standards for the profession, and identify at least two examples of potential ethical dilemmas specific to this line of work that the code of ethics is meant to discourage.

Job Description

According to the occupational handbook published by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), private detectives/investigators are responsible for carrying out a wide range of services. Depending on the type of crime that has been committed, private detectives might be involved in surveillance activities that may include following the individual or tracking communications (Private Detectives and Investigators, n.d.). In some cases, private detectives/investigators may have to conduct background checks or conduct interviews. Private detectives/investigators may also be responsible for investigating cyber crimes such as identity theft or electronic harassment. The work done by private detectives/investigators serves to benefit police officers, lawyers and victims of crime (Private Detectives and Investigators, n.d.). In addition, private detectives are utilized in many different arenas including corporations, celebrity protection, and pre-employment verification (Private Detectives and Investigators, n.d.).

A day in the life of a private investigator may include some very irregular hours, this is particularly true if they have to conduct some type of physical surveillance, which is often the case (Private Detectives and Investigators, n.d.). A private investigator may have to begin work early in the morning if they have to conduct physical surveillance or if they have to follow a subject. Some private detectives/investigators work alone while others work for large corporations or own their own agencies where several investigators may work together (Private Detectives and Investigators, n.d.). If the detective is conducting some type of electronic surveillance they may spend a great deal of time in the office. A day in the life of a private detective may also include night time surveillance. According to the BLS this type of work can be dangerous and stressful on a daily basis.

Ethics

Overall, private detectives/investigators will perform whatever task the client requests within the context of the law and the code of ethics that private detectives/investigators are expected to abide by. Because private detectives/investigators are often self-employed, each state has a code of ethics that private investigators are expected to abide by. For instance individuals that are members of the Private investigators association of Virginia, make a pledge to honor the following code of ethics

To carry out services in a manner that is honest, sincere and moral when dealing with clients (Code of Ethics)

To ensure that clients have the utmost confidence in the investigator and to deal justly regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or economic status (Code of Ethics).

To conduct all investigations within the bounds of legality, morality, and professional ethics.

To council clients in opposition to any illegal or unethical actions.

To explain upfront all of the fees associated with the services that are to be conducted and to produce a report that is factual.

To preserve a professional reputation along with preserving the reputations fellow investigators and professional associates (Code of Ethics).

To support as much as possible the professional goals of the Private Investigators Association of Virginia including making contributions associated with improving community relations (Code of Ethics)

To ensure that all employees abide by this code of ethics (Code of Ethics).

The code of ethic established by the state of Virginia is similar to the code of ethics that other states have in place for private investigators. Basically private detectives/investigators are expected to obey the law as they carryout their investigations. In addition they are not supposed to discriminate against clients or charge fees that have not been discussed with the client beforehand. In addition, private investigators who own agencies or suppose to make certain that their employees are also conducting themselves in a manner that is consistent with the code of ethics.

As far as unique ethical standards are concerned, it is of the utmost importance that private investigators do not break any laws when conducting surveillance or any other type of service. While this is not necessarily a unique ethical standard, the consequences of not conducting services in a legal manner have more serious consequences for private investigators. Not only can the private investigator end up in jail, but the person who has committed a crime may not be held accountable for the crime if the tactics used to prove that they committed the crime are illegal.

In other words, if the evidence gathered against a criminal is not collected in a lawful manner it may not be used as evidence in a court of law. This means that the criminal might not be punished for a crime they have committed and the victim will not receive any justice or closure. With this being understood, private investigators must be careful in the manner in which they conduct themselves because their conduct can affect a significant number of people.

There are several ethical dilemmas that a private detective/investigator may face. One such dilemma is dealing with a client that may want the investigator to carryout services in a manner that is illegal.

In some cases clients may be so desperate to get evidence or find out facts that they attempt to persuade the investigator to ignore the law. For instance, a private investigator may be asked to monitor phone lines or some type of electronic communication. Although this can be done legally, in most states there has to be substantial evidence that a crime is being committed for such surveillance to take place and a court has to give permission to conduct such surveillance.

In some cases the client may be an individual that is a law enforcement professional or a lawyer. Conducting business in a way that is illegal may be extremely tempting for a private investigator who may receives referrals from the law enforcement professional or the lawyer. If the private investigator refuses to act in a way that is illegal or unethical they may not continue to receive referrals and may not have the ability to stay in business. The private investigators association of Virginia attempts to encourage investigators not the compromise in this manner. In the end such a compromise can have significant consequences.

Another ethical dilemma that private detectives/investigators face has to do with the report that is produced and the fees that are charged. Private investigators must ensure that the information that is collected is analyzed and that the conclusions made about the evidence is correct. It is important that the investigator can prove that the conclusions being made are correct and that the report that is produced is not just composed of what the client wants to hear or see.