CJ 790 9-2 Final Submission: Capstone Component 3 In this module, you will submit the third component of your capstone, the personal and professional reflection. In your reflection, you will look back

James Spann

SNHU

CJ 790 7-1 Reflection

I have learned much while researching my capstone project. First, I got to understand my strengths and weakness while I also increased my comprehension of criminal justice. Secondly, I was able to understand the implications of ethical and social decisions on criminal justice. I was able to use several research tools to expand my knowledge in the field. I mostly used online databases to access material that was relevant to my capstone project. I believe that I now know how to conduct expansive and effective research using online tools. I did explore some contemporary issues on news articles that related to my topic to gain a perspective on its application in the real world.

While working on the project was able to realize that I have great analytical skill. I was able to read and understand the issue that emerged in my case study. One of the issues that merged is the funding issue in the criminal justice department. It was easy to understand how leaders in criminal justice have to deal with funding issues while trying to implement justice in the community. I also discovered that I was capable of applying ethics in criminal justice decisions. Primarily, I am now capable of understanding the implications of making ethical decisions to the organization’s mission and society.

I particularly found it challenging to attain an optimal decision in most scenarios. Ethical decisions are exigent when the resources are constrained. One of the hardest decisions is that of deciding what is to be left behind when making the decision. The criminal justice department has its role in the community but can only constrain its activities to the resources available. I came to understand that nearly every criminal justice issue is important to society. The only problem is that organizations involved in criminal justice have to be effective internally to perform externally. A budget constraint harms the internal operations while affecting external activities. I found it challenging to determine the way leaders approach the problem to ensure a balance between the internal needs of the organization and the needs of society.

I came to understand the use of ethical principles in making moral decisions in the field of criminal justice. The only way leader overcame the challenges I encountered in the project was through the application of the viable ethical principle. I know that there is no definite ethical principle to follow, and each leader can favor the one they perceive is the most effective in a situation. I, for one, found that utilitarianism was the most effective ethical principle when faced with a resource constraint decision. The utilitarian theory suggests that moral choices are those that will lead to the greatest benefit (Johnson, 2016). Leaders in criminal justice should try and weigh their decisions against their outcomes. The moral choice should be the one that leads to the optimal benefit for the organization and society. I know that other ethical principles exist, but I do favor utilitarianism since it focuses on the outcome of a decision.

Reference

Johnson, J. S. (2016). Benefits of Error in Criminal Justice. Va. L. Rev., 102, 237.