The Human Caged Animal

Christian Brown

SOC120: Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility

Sheila Fry

[Month, Date, Year]

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The Human Caged Animal

Thesis Statement

Aggressive violence within the premises of prison has worsened the conditions of prison. The inmates need to be treated ethically by the security officials but they are rather victimized within the prison by gangs. This is due to lack of security and corrupted officials.



Introduction

Ethics and criminal justice are closely related. According to social contract theory, a country gives up some liberties so that government may protect the country, while professionals of criminal justice are agents of the government. It is their responsibility to maintain peace within the premises of the prison and treat the inmates ethically in order to bring positivity in the criminals. Justice professionals must have a high moral character. Virtually all criminal justice professionals, be they judges, police officers, prosecutors, correctional officers, defense lawyers, parole officers, or probation officers, need to exercise the use of their discretion during the course of their careers. It is very important that the criminals with the bounds of prison must be treated ethically, as to prevent them from offending future crime.

Discussion

Ethical Systems

Aristotle, in the Nicomachean Ethics, (Albanese, 2008, p. 15) “provided the study of ethics in the history of the Western world”. Aristotle proposed in his book that the ethics of virtue that is concerned with cultivating virtuous habits. He suggested 10 moral virtues

Temperance,

Prudence,

Pride

Justice,

Having a good temper,

Wittiness,

Truthfulness

Courage,

Being a good friend,

Ambition,

Deontological Systems

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is the most prominent deontologist, who promulgated ethical formalism. Kant proposed that moral decisions are on rational basis and identified that an act based on duty was truly moral (Close & Meier, 2003).

Another system is the Golden Rule. It is based on the term that, treat others in a way as you want others to treat you. It is treated as deontological because it defines moral principle (Close & Meier, 2003).

Teleological Systems

Utilitarianism theory is the most familiar teleological ethical system. It was founded by Bentham, J. Utilitarianism theory focuses on the betterment and good of the majority people. Happiness can be measured by pleasure- pain principle laid down by Bentham. Here, in this principle pain is avoided and pleasure is sought (Albanese, 2008). An action will be judged by the total amount of pleasure or happiness that will be created as opposed to the total amount of pain or unhappiness that will be created (Close & Meier, 2003). However, the focus is on the result of an action, as long as the result is good utilitarianism justifies bad actions; in short, the end justifies the means. Utilitarianism sets out a rule and proposes that an action is ethically correct if it can be universally applied as a rule that is ethically right.

Ethical EgoismEthical Egoism is another teleological system, which sets out the principle that an act be judged by the greatest good that is carried out for the person taking the action. The only concern is for the benefit of the egoist. ...