Deck 3: Moral Dilemmas in Criminal Justice

Question 1

The moral arena helps us decide whether our behavior (or that of others) is "a question of ethics."

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A moral dilemma describes a situation where one is required to do two or more actions, is able to do each, but cannot do both (or all) of them without potential harm occurring.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Most moral philosophers agree that emotion plays a small role, at best, in resolving moral dilemmas.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Epistemic dilemmas occur when one has conflicts between two (or more) obligations and the person cannot decide which obligation is the more important under the circumstances.

Question 5

Ontological dilemmas occur when one has conflicts between two (or more) obligations and the person cannot decide which obligation is the more important under the circumstances.

Question 6

Sophie's Choice illustrates, or is an example of, a self-imposed dilemma.

Question 7

Ethicists make a distinction between moral dilemmas that are self-imposed and those that are other-imposed-they are not the same.

Question 8

Conflicts may arise between general and role-based moral obligations, which helps create moral dilemmas.

Question 9

Obligations are moral requirements that people have, simply because they are moral agents

Question 10

Role-based obligations are rules or principles taken from several systems of ethics, including Utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics, that are combined into an overarching view of morality.

Question 11

Which of the following is not a component of the moral arena?

A) Must involve human behavior (not attitudes or ideas)
B) Behavior must be product of free will/rational choice
C) Behavior must significantly affect others, including nature
D) Each of the above IS a component of the moral arena

Question 12

The "trolley-car problem" is a classic illustration of which of the following?

A) Moral ideal
B) Moral consequences
C) Moral dilemma
D) Moral thinking

Question 13

Which of the following would not be considered a category of type of moral dilemma?

A) Obligation-based
B) Epistemic
C) Other-imposed
D) Ontological

Question 14

This type of dilemma which occurs when all feasible actions are forbidden.

A) Self-imposed dilemmas
B) Other-imposed dilemmas
C) Obligation-based dilemmas
D) Prohibition-based dilemmas

Question 15

Sophie's Choice illustrates which of the following type of dilemma?

A) Obligation-based
B) Self-imposed
C) Role-related
D) None of the above

Question 16

Reporting your partner's use of excessive force against a suspect whom the two of you arrested for raping a 10 year-old girl would be an example of a moral dilemma relating to:

A) Probation officers
B) Policing
C) Prosecutors
D) Correctional officers

Question 17

Withholding evidence tending to show a defendant's innocence would be an example of a moral dilemma relating to:

A) Probation officers
B) Judges
C) Police officers
D) Prosecutors

Question 18

Which of the following would create a potential moral dilemma for a judge?

A) Use of excessive force against suspects
B) Withholding evidence
C) Accepting campaign contributions when running for election
D) Pursue revocation of a probation agreement

Question 19

Moral dilemmas confronting criminal justice practitioners such as police officers, judges, and correctional officers tend to involve conflicts between which type of obligations?

A) Epistemic/prohibition-based
B) General/role-related
C) Role-related/periodic
D) Systemic/periodic

Question 20

Which of the following would be a role-related obligation of a probation/parole officer?

A) Enforce conditions of probation (protect the community)
B) Facilitate offender rehabilitation
C) Use discretion wisely
D) All of the above

Question 21

_________ involves a conflict between two (or more) obligations where neither is overridden.

Question 22

The "trolley-car problem" is a classic illustration of a ____________.

Question 23

Sophie's Choice illustrates a _____________ dilemma.

Question 24

_____________ is an important aspect of resolving moral dilemmas.

Question 25

An ________ occurs when one has conflicts between two (or more) obligations and the person cannot decide which obligation is more important under the current circumstances.

Question 26

A ______________ describes a situation where someone is required to do two or more actions, is able to do each of them, but cannot do both (or all) of them without potential harm occurring.

Question 27

The _________________ creates a context for making moral judgments about our own and others' behavior.

Question 28

The _________________ is the person facing the moral dilemma and having to choose one course of action over another.

Question 29

In an _____________________, there is conflict between two (or more) obligations, but neither is overridden because neither obligation is the stronger.

Question 30

An example of a ___________________ dilemma would be Jo promising to take her mother to the doctor and drive her son to the championship pee-wee football game at the same time.

Question 31

Which group do you believe faces more dilemmas: probation/parole officers, correctional officers, prosecutors, or police officers? Describe the dilemmas this group faces and justify their selection.

Question 32

What are the largest differences between self-imposed and other-imposed moral dilemmas? Can an individual prevent other-imposed moral dilemmas? If so, explain how.

Question 33

How should criminal justice practitioners handle dilemmas that have a real possibility of causing harm? Explain.