Ethics
Ethics are defined by Merriam-Webster (n.d.) as “the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation.” Ethics are far from simple, however; the main concern being whose ethics or which ethics we’re talking about. Any discussion of ethics demands further definitions. There are two subcategories of ethics, absolute ethics and relative ethics.
Absolute ethics refer to issues where there is either good or bad, right or wrong. These kinds of ethics seem to be sewn into the fabric of our very being, and are nearly universally accepted within a specific society. Examples of absolute ethics include: murder is wrong, extortion is wrong, honesty is good, loyalty is good.
Relative ethics, on the other hand, are much more complicated and would be best described as issues that have several shades of grey, rather than being black-and-white. As Khan (2006) wisely says, “ethics can be taught” and continues by saying that ethics must be examined critically in order to fully understand (para. 2). Additionally, Eastvedt (2008) shares, “Without a doubt, there are some philosophical problems when considering ethical concepts … [S]ome people may charge that what may be ethical to one person, may not be considered ethical to others.” Some examples of relative ethical decisions include: the best way to handle homelessness issues within a community and how we can limit the number of drug overdoses. The right or good answer to these questions is mind-dependant.
Deontological ethics must also be examined, as it is commonplace within the criminal justice system. Peak (2012) describes deontological ethics as the kind of decision “which does not consider consequences, but instead examines one’s duty to act” (p. 278). Rather than the outcomes motivating the action, it is a sense of duty that drives the action. Criminal justice practitioners are often driven to make ethical decisions out of a sense of duty rather than out of an internal sense of right or wrong. In this case, duty determines right and wrong.