Question 1

Aristotle stated that to actualize the soul of any public organization, it is necessary to have both a moral virtue and an intellectual virtue.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle believed that in order for a public organization to achieve its full potential, it must possess both moral and intellectual virtues, which he called arete. Moral virtues then were thought to include traits such as honesty, integrity, and compassion, while the intellectual virtues might include wisdom, knowledge, and creativity.

Question 2

Broader perspectives of police corruption align more with legal definitions of the behavior.

Accepted Answer

Broader perspectives of police corruption often encompass ethical and moral violations that may not strictly fall within legal definitions, highlighting a wider range of behaviors beyond just those that are illegal.

Question 3

A national study found that during 2005-2007 almost 400 police officers were arrested for sex-related crimes.

Accepted Answer

This statistic is accurate and reported by several news sources, including NBC News and CNN.

Question 4

Hedonistic corruption refers to purposefully not following departmental rules and regulations during the performance of normal duties.

Accepted Answer

Hedonistic corruption refers to engaging in corrupt practices for personal pleasure or gain, not specifically to the act of not following departmental rules during normal duties.

Question 5

A commitment to legality is what separates democratic governments from totalitarian ones.

Accepted Answer

Democratic governments adhere to the rule of law and have legal frameworks in place to protect individual rights and freedoms. Totalitarian governments, on the other hand, do not follow the rule of law and often make decisions arbitrarily without regard for individual rights or public opinion. Therefore, a commitment to legality is a key factor distinguishing democratic governments from totalitarian ones.

Question 6

Blacks and whites have very similar rates of use of marijuana but police disproportionately target blacks with arrests.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that blacks and whites use marijuana at similar rates, but police are more likely to arrest blacks for drug offenses, including marijuana possession. This leads to a disproportionate impact on black communities in terms of arrests, convictions, and other collateral consequences of drug enforcement.

Question 7

Administrative approaches to combatting corruption are the best way to correct officer behavior.

Accepted Answer

While administrative approaches are important, they are not the only or always the best way to correct officer behavior. Combating corruption effectively often requires a combination of strategies including legal, ethical training, community engagement, and oversight mechanisms.

Question 8

The President's Task Force on 21^st Century Policing concluded that procedural justice and community policing are the two fundamental pillars that support policing.

Accepted Answer

The President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing identified procedural justice and community policing as the two fundamental pillars that support effective and equitable policing.

Question 9

When conducted on the basis of reasonable suspicion, stop and frisks are a violation of the constitution.

Accepted Answer

When conducted on the basis of reasonable suspicion, stop and frisks are not a violation of the constitution. However, if they are conducted without reasonable suspicion, they may violate the Fourth Amendment's prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Question 10

One criticism of asset forfeiture is that it leads police to focus on drug crimes and ignore issues such as domestic violence.

Accepted Answer

Asset forfeiture provides a financial incentive for law enforcement agencies to pursue drug crimes, which may divert resources away from other crimes, such as domestic violence.

Question 11

This chapter discussed in some detail the police prerogative to abuse power. Within that section, concerns pertinent to a lack of trust by citizens were addressed. Do you believe fear of police abusing power differs between those who have been justice-involved (e.g., arrested, pulled over, etc.) and those who have not? Why or why not? Be sure to mention how there may be a difference in the type of fear (e.g., escape vs. anticipatory fear) experienced based on whether one's encounters with police were negative or positive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of This chapter discussed in some detail the...

Question 12

Terry v. Ohio (1968) established precedent which validated the use of stop-and-frisk by police. Research indicates that widespread usage of these stops results in aggressive policing styles fraught with Constitutional violations. However, in the process, drugs and guns are taken off the street. Considering this, do you believe there is a place for stop-and-frisk in policing and, if so, what can be done to utilize the practice within the bounds of democratic principles? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Terry v. Ohio (1968) established precedent which...

Question 13

Provide an argument for or against the acceptance of gratuities by police being the beginning of a "slippery slope of moral career." Put another way, do you believe the acceptance of gratuities, like free meals or coffee, leads to participating in more serious forms of corruption like theft of cash or other goods? Explain why or why not.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Provide an argument for or against the...

Question 14

One topic of contention in policing ethics is the use of deception. What are the benefits and drawbacks of using deception to obtain a confession or other information? Does the adjudicatory stage (i.e., investigatory, interrogation, or testimony) during which police employ the tactic really matter? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of One topic of contention in policing ethics...

Question 15

Should police departments continue to pursue the "war on drugs?" Why or why not? What might be an alternative approach to addressing the problems of drug use and drug abuse?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Should police departments continue to pursue the...

Quiz 11: Ethics and Police