You are here

Criminal Justice Ethics
Share
Share

Criminal Justice Ethics
Theory and Practice

Fifth Edition


December 2018 | 448 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

Criminal Justice Ethics examines the criminal justice system through an ethical lens by identifying ethical issues in practice and theory, exploring ethical dilemmas, and offering suggestions for resolving ethical issues and dilemmas faced by criminal justice professionals. Bestselling author Cyndi Banks draws readers into a unique discussion of ethical issues by first exploring moral dilemmas faced by professionals in the criminal justice system and then examining the major theoretical foundations of ethics. This distinct and unique organization allows students to understand real-life ethical issues before grappling with philosophical approaches to the resolution of these issues. The Fifth Edition includes updated discussions around ethical issues in policing, corrections, the changing technological environment and its influence on courtrooms, mass imprisonment, and the ethical implications of current criminal justice policies.

Included with Your Text

Give your students the SAGE edge!
SAGE edge offers a robust online environment featuring an impressive array of free tools and resources for review, study, and further exploration, keeping both instructors and students on the cutting edge of teaching and learning. Visit edge.sagepub.com/banks5e to learn more.

 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
PART I: THE INTERACTION BETWEEN ETHICS AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
 
Chapter 1: The Importance of Ethics in Criminal Justice
The Meaning of Ethics

 
The Value of Ethics

 
Normative Ethics

 
Ethical Relativism

 
Cultural Relativism

 
Ethical Absolutism

 
Ethical Pluralism

 
Religion and Ethical Standards

 
Ethics and Natural Law

 
Ethics and Law

 
Ethical Dilemmas

 
Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice

 
 
Chapter 2: Police Ethics: The Nature of Policing and Police Corruption
Ethics and Policing

 
The Nature of Policing

 
Police as an Institution

 
Police Culture

 
Police Discretion

 
Ethics and Codes of Ethics

 
Policing and Stress

 
Police “Militarization”

 
Police Corruption

 
Discrimination as a Corrupt Practice in Policing: Racial Bias, Racial Profiling, and Selective Law Enforcement

 
Chapter 3: Police Ethics: Use of Force, Investigations, Interrogations, and Lying

 
Police Use of Force

 
Policing, Mental Illness, and Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs)

 
Ethical Issues in Investigation, Interrogation, and Custody

 
 
Chapter 4: Racial Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System
Ethical Background

 
Historical Context

 
Is There Racial Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System?

 
Imprisonment Disparities

 
Hate Crimes

 
Explanations for Racial Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System

 
 
Chapter 5: Judges, Lawyers, and Ethics
Legal Ethics: Historical Context

 
The Nature of Professional Ethics

 
Defense Lawyers

 
The Prosecutor

 
Judicial Ethics

 
 
Chapter 6: The Purpose of Criminal Punishment
What Is Punishment?

 
Theoretical Approaches to Punishment

 
Why Punish? The Philosophical Approach

 
Restorative Justice

 
Why Punish? The Sociological Approach

 
 
Chapter 7: Ethics in Corrections: The Nature of Corrections
The Prison Explosion

 
Maximum Security

 
Medium Security and Minimum Security

 
Stateville Prison: The Changing State of Corrections

 
Corrections Subculture

 
Power and Authority in Prison: Controlling the Inmates

 
Private Prisons

 
Disenfranchising Inmates

 
Treating Opioid Abuse in Correctional Institutions

 
 
Chapter 8: Ethics in Corrections: Guarding Ethically
The Experience of Guarding

 
Guarding Ethically

 
Guarding With Discretion

 
Unethical Situations

 
Rape in Prison

 
Corruption

 
Oversight of Prisons

 
Ethical Issues in Probation and Parole

 
 
Chapter 9: The Ethics of Criminal Justice Policy Making
The Ethics of Policy Making

 
Morality Policy

 
Penal Policies

 
Public Opinion About Punishment Policies

 
Mandatory Minimum Sentencing

 
The War on Drugs

 
Truth in Sentencing

 
Predators and Superpredators

 
Capital Punishment

 
The “Criminalization” of Immigration

 
 
Chapter 10: Ethics and the “War on Terrorism”
Defining Terrorism

 
Warfare or Crime Control?

 
Other Responses to Terrorism

 
The Morality of Targeted Killing

 
 
Chapter 11: Media Ethics and Criminal Justice
Media Constructions of Crime

 
Reporting the Truth

 
Avoiding Bias

 
Avoiding Harm

 
Serving the Public

 
Maintaining Trust

 
Manipulation

 
 
PART II: THE APPLICATION OF ETHICAL THEORIES TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
 
Chapter 12: Duty and Principle
Hypothetical and Categorical Imperatives

 
Conflicting Duties

 
Applying Deontological Theory

 
 
Chapter 13: Considering the Consequences
Pleasure and Happiness

 
Act Consequentialism

 
Rule Consequentialism

 
Public Policy and Utilitarianism

 
Arguments Criticizing Utilitarianism

 
Applying Utilitarian Theory

 
 
Chapter 14: The Importance of Character
Virtues

 
Aristotle and Happiness

 
The Golden Mean

 
Practical Wisdom

 
What’s Wrong With Virtue?

 
Applying Virtue Theory

 
 
Chapter 15: Egoism, Pleasure, and Indifference
Stoicism

 
Hedonism

 
Ethical Egoism

 
Applying the Theory of Ethical Egoism

 
 
Chapter 16: A Sense of Justice
Application of the Principles

 
Justice as Fairness

 
Moral Development

 
Applying Rawlsian Theory

 
 
Chapter 17: Caring for Others
Kohlberg and Gilligan

 
A Theory of Moral Development

 
“In a Different Voice”: Carol Gilligan

 
Gender and the Ethic of Care

 
The Ethic of Care and Justice

 
Peacemaking

 
Applying the Ethic of Care

 
 
References
 
Index

Supplements

Student Site

SAGE edge for students enhances learning, it’s easy to use, and offers:

  • an open-access site that makes it easy for students to maximize their study time, anywhere, anytime;
  • eFlashcards that strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts;
  • eQuizzes that allow students to practice and assess how much they’ve learned and where they need to focus their attention; and
  • exclusive access to influential SAGE journal and reference content that ties important research and scholarship to chapter concepts to strengthen learning.

Instructor Resource Site

SAGE edge for instructors supports your teaching by making it easy to integrate quality content and create a rich learning environment for students with:

  • a password-protected site for complete and protected access to all text-specific instructor resources; 
  • test banks that provide a diverse range of ready-to-use options that save you time. You can also easily edit any question and/or insert your own personalized questions;
  • video and multimedia links that appeal to students with different learning styles;
  • sample course syllabi for semester and quarter courses that provide suggested models for structuring your courses;
  • editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides that offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for your course;
  • exclusive access to full-text, influential SAGE journal articles, which have been carefully selected to tie important research and scholarship to chapter concepts;
  • chapter-specific discussion questions that help launch classroom interaction by prompting students to engage with the material and by reinforcing important content; and
  • lively and stimulating chapter activities that can be used in class to reinforce active learning (the activities apply to individual or group projects).

Criminal Justice Ethics is a well-written and thorough book. I also think it is topical and up-to-date.”

Ross Allen
Rutgers University-Camden

Criminal Justice Ethics is an excellent text that provides the necessary tools for effective learning to the next generation of leaders.”

David Baker
Texas Southern University

Criminal Justice Ethics is the cleanest, clearest text on ethics for undergraduates in criminal justice. It is possible to deliver a complete undergrad ethical course using the text alone; chapter-by-chapter progress works nicely for students. Well-written, logical, and thoughtful, with solid web support for students.”

Nancy Dickinson
Georgia State University

“A thorough and easy read that provides an overview of ethical dilemmas in the criminal justice system.”

Mercedes Valadez
California State University, Sacramento

good primer for ethical considerations in CJ system. Very well balanced on all "sides" of various CJ issues. Caveat: although 5th ed, seemingly a lot of the study/data cited is dated, leading to an "older view" of some issues and lack of prominent newer issues confronting the CJS. Still, a wonderful tool for provoking discussion and steering students toward problem solving activities

Professor Robert Delony
Political Science, Abilene Christian University
October 26, 2023

Met all of my desired needs

Dr John Fisher
Criminology, Univ Of Texas-Permian Basin
May 13, 2021

This book had current examples that my students could relate to. Also the practicality and application of ethical theories and principles were a selling point.

Mrs Tamara McCollough
Criminology & Criminal Justice, Indiana State University
December 1, 2020

Ethics in law enforcement in this day and age is crucial. As a retired Police Chief, I found this text to be complete for my class. I would recommend this book to any ethics instructor.

Professor Matthew Cosby
Arts/Social Sciences Div, Univ Of New Mexico-Los Alamos
February 13, 2020