2 discussion questions $10

Many commentators label the current “War on Terrorism” as a state of perpetual war. Many issues become apparent when a nation adopts a permanent war setting. Chapter 8 in your text explores many of the ethical issues associated with the War on Terrorism, and the video Treat Terrorists Like Enemy Combatants, Not Criminals: A Debate (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. debates the best methods to handle accused terrorists (Makio, 2010). In this discussion, discuss the morality and expectations for the criminal justice system to be engaged in such a “war.” How does this status of preparedness and aggressive interdiction affect the creation, design, and implementation of morality policies in the criminal justice field?

Guided Response: Examine the implications of a nation continually in a state or war. Do ethical systems become irrelevant in light of a consistent, aggressive foreign policy, or is the need for moral action and rules more imperative in such a culture?

DISCUSSION 2:

Disparity in the treatment of people accused of crimes in the United States is statistically undeniable. Chapter 3 in your text discusses the concept of institutionalized racism and the video Black Death in Dixie: Racism and the Death Penalty in the United States (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. explores the premise that the death penalty targets minorities (Nelson & King, 2007). In this discussion, examine the moral implications for the criminal justice system if disparities in searches, arrests, and incarceration sentences continue to be skewed due to race. Provide at least two moral strategies to help combat this current event issue.

Guided Response: Morality in criminal justice must be a function of treating all people equally. If this basic premise is true, what does it say about our criminal justice system if people of different races and ethnicities are treated differently? The common symbol for the law is a blindfolded woman holding a balanced scale of justice. Can we say, as a society and as a criminal justice profession that the law is truly blind to such issues in its application?