Deck 8: Egoism and the Abuse of Authority

Question 1

The term egoism means:

A) excessive love of self
B) infatuation with one's official position
C) bullying one's subordinates; showing them "who is boss"
D) all of the above

Answer 1

D

Question 2

According to the text, among all criminal justice institutions, the most visible manifestation of egoism and abuse of authority is in the area of:

A) policing
B) the courts
C) corrections
D) probation and parole

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Egoistical behaviors in criminal justice are usually manifested in:

A) the field
B) the workplace
C) the personal lives of practitioners
D) both a and b

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following scholars represents the natural view of egoism?

A) Socrates
B) Plato
C) Hobbes
D) Butler

Question 5

Joseph Butler presented a theory about:

A) advanced egoism
B) altruistic egoism
C) physical and metaphysical progression
D) power and self-love

Question 6

Which of the following is not a legitimate identification of responsibility?

A) responsibility as accountability
B) responsibility as cause
C) responsibility as burden
D) responsibility as obligation

Question 7

When managers control the behavior of their employees within "legally predetermined parameters," they are exercising:

A) power
B) authority
C) weakness
D) none of the above

Question 8

According to the text, how many wrongful convictions carrying the death penalty have occurred in the last century?

A) none
B) less than 100
C) between 100 and 250
D) more than 300

Question 9

Which of the following arguments reflects the retentionist view of capital punishment?

A) Capital punishment does not deter crime
B) Capital punishment is implemented with a class bias
C) Retribution is uncivilized
D) Capital punishment balances the scales of justice

Question 10

What is Machiavelli's view of egoism?

A) "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
B) "every action is designed in terms of the end which it seeks to achieve"
C) "to take care of your friends and to punish your enemies"
D) none of the above

Question 11

Supervisors can be seen as egotistical when, without valid justification, they what?

A) overstep their authority
B) dominate workers
C) treat employees arbitrarily
D) all of the above

Question 12

The book indicated exercising of what by law enforcement does need to be justified?

A) power
B) due process
C) authority
D) deception

Question 13

Which of the following is one of the two opposing viewpoints in the capital punishment argument?

A) abolitionist
B) neutralist
C) retentionist
D) both a and c

Question 14

Roper v. Simmons (2005) established a bright-line rule prohibiting the execution of which class of individuals?

A) the developmentally disabled
B) juveniles
C) the criminally insane
D) females

Question 15

One argument against life without parole sentences is?

A) they serve no purpose
B) they are unconstitutional
C) they eventually lose their utilitarian value
D) none of the above

Question 16

One argument for life without parole sentences is?

A) LWOP inmates eventually accept their fate
B) the sentence is akin to the death penalty
C) they eventually lose utilitarian value
D) they allow for mistakes to be corrected

Question 17

The Dirty Harry scenario is an example of what?

A) ends justify means policing
B) disregard for duty
C) natural egoism
D) illegal search and seizure

Question 18

Approximately what percentage of countries around the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice?

A) 0%
B) 15%
C) 42%
D) 66%

Question 19

What is a virtual life sentence?

A) one that is served on a computer
B) one that is 50 years or more
C) a sentence recommended by a jury
D) a form of probation

Question 20

Research on shootings by police shows that:

A) police department policies can affect the frequency of officer shootings.
B) a substantial number of citizens have been shot at even though they posed no threat to officers.
C) female officers use deadly force less frequently than male officers.
D) all of the above

Question 21

The most visible manifestation of overstepping authority is likely to occur in the field of policing.

Question 22

The U.S. Supreme Court has completely rejected any use of life without parole for juveniles who murder.

Question 23

Discretionary powers granted to criminal justice officials make it difficult for them to abuse power.

Question 24

Official responsibility is known as the antidote for natural egoism

Question 25

The altruistic egoism view presupposes humans are characterized by ethical intuition-or the ability to discern between right and wrong.

Question 26

Power is the force a practitioner can use in controlling the behavior of others.

Question 27

Most civilized countries still regularly impose the death penalty.

Question 28

Abolitionists contend that the death penalty is an economical way to manage offenders.

Question 29

The U.S. Supreme Court case has banned the use of the death penalty for mentally retarded persons.

Question 30

One of the first stories about the dangers of egoism is the Biblical story of Cain killing Abel.

Question 31

Towards the end of the chapter, some ethical guidelines were established to aid in mitigating egoism within the field of criminal justice. Explain how such guidelines may (or may not) be effective in various agency settings (e.g., policing, corrections, probation) and, if possible, expand on the guidelines to include components you believe may further curtail egoistic behavior.

Question 32

Are ends justify the means tactics acceptable in the field of criminal justice? What types of examples might you think of where they may be beneficial (e.g., Dirty Harry v. D'Angelo, police use of deception, etc.)? Explain.

Question 33

Address the arguments presented by both sides of the capital punishment debate. Which do you believe offers a more convincing position on whether there should be a place for capital punishment in the United States?

Question 34

In recent years, one could argue that the proliferation of mobile phones that have cameras has increased awareness for official responsibility of law enforcement behavior. In addition, many agencies have implemented body-worn cameras to film their officers. Has the increase in public awareness through the availability of technology brought official responsibility to the forefront of thwarting egoistic behavior in policing? Out of fear of potentially being caught on camera, do you think officers have been more cognizant of their egoistic behavior in the field? Explain.