CJUS #2 Replies

Each reply must be at least 200 words but not more than 400 words. Responding to a classmate’s post requires both the addition of new ideas and analysis. A particular point made by the classmate must be addressed and built upon by your analysis in order to move the conversation forward. Thus, the response post is a rigorous assignment that requires you to build upon initial posts to develop deeper and more thorough discussion of the ideas introduced in the initial posts. As such, reply posts that merely affirm, restate or unprofessionally quarrel with the previous post(s) and fail to make a valuable, substantive contribution to the discussion will receive appropriate point deductions.  Each response must include academic and biblical support.

15 hours ago

Michael Schaff

DB #2

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1. Consider the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution which provides equal protection under the law, or we must treat people who are similarly situated the same. Is this the case in our criminal justice system? If you believe this is not the case, please cite examples in which people who are similarly situated are not treated the same. (Does biased–based policing exist?)

I believe that the legal system tries very hard to follow the 14th Amendment. Trying to apply the same justice for the same crime regardless of the person. Do I believe this is being accomplished? No. I truly believe that the justice system has lost the ability to fairly and equitably distribute the punishments across all people regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religious background. There are now so many ways that people can claim you are being bias but how do we best avoid that trap? Consistency is the best way to ensure that the 14th Amendment is followed. You must develop the reputation of doing the right thing regardless of outside influences. Why do you think that defense lawyers and prosecutors hope for certain judges to hear cases? They are looking for judges that either hold to the letter of the law or that they know have a background on being more lenient or stricter on offenders of certain crimes. Take drunk driving or driving under then influence as an example. I have been to several cases where the defense attorney states that his client has been a great role model and citizen for years and years. That this was just his first time and that he is willing to go to class to learn more about the dangers of what could have happened. This is truthfully not his first time, simply the first time he got caught. The judge hits him hard and takes his license for a year, sentences him to community service and an AA program. You then have the teenage boy who is caught for the same infraction. His attorney has the same plea for mercy based of his first time and him being a good boy. The judge caves and gives him community service and sends him to class but he keeps his license. Was that fair and equitable? Not in my eyes. And most likely you will see the young man again after he finishes telling his friends how he got off with just a warning. Unfortunately, we all know that bias-based policing exists to a degree in every department.  

2. Do we control our actions and should we be held accountable for them?  Please read I Kings:16–28. Please describe the importance of having the right people in justice administration positions such as judges.

We all control our own actions. We don’t control the situations we are put in, but we control how we choose to respond to each situation. We as professionals are taught how to respond appropriately to job related situations. How we respond to them comes down to a mixture of enforcing the rules and our moral and ethical beliefs.

3. Do you possess a Biblical Worldview? Please explain why or why not. 

I do possess a Biblical Worldview. I believe that the foundation for my Biblical Worldview house is built on the foundation of God as our creator. I also believe in free will as read about in our assignments this week. Free will however can lead us to the “slippery Slope” (Goodman, 2013).  

4. Dilemma    

You are the President of the United States. You are advised that a commercial airliner has been hijacked by a terrorist who claims to have a bomb on board. The terrorist has diverted the flight and the plane is headed toward Yankee Stadium where the third game of the World Series is underway. Fighter jets have been deployed and they are following the aircraft which has 310 passengers.

If the greater good justifies your decision, what would you do?

This is a huge ethical and moral dilemma for sure. Do you sacrifice the good of the masses for the possibility of saving the lives of a few? I would have to say from my 28 years in public service and having made decisions on who lives and dies on many occasions that the decision never gets any easier. It is never going to be a decision that you come to peace about but more likely a decision that you eventually can live with. Not one of those decisions that I ever made did not keep me up at night thinking of the ones we left behind to save the others. If I think about what the Lord would have me do, I would have to make the decision to shoot it down. I would make the decision to save the masses at the unfortunate sacrifice of the few. “Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17 NKJV). Not a popular decision but also as we learned this week leadership is lonely in the small decisions and the big ones as well.

References:

Goodman Debbie.  Enforcing Ethics: A scenario Based Workbook for Police and Corrections Recruits and Officers (Boston: Pearson Eduction 2013) pp. 11

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1 day ago

Richard Cheatham

Discussion Board 2

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1. Unfortunately, there are still incidents of biased based policing occurring across the country. As much of a national topic this has become over the years, and many departments have been sued by the Department of Justice for condoning it, it remains. An example of this was recently discussed in New Jersey by the Attorney General. In determining that there were incidents of biased based policing “in NJ, the State Police from 1999 to 2009, and more recently the Newark Police Department, which entered into an oversight agreement with the Department of Justice last year” (Sullivan, 2016).  These were cases involving traffic stops of black motorists, as compared to white motorists, under the guise of drug interdiction.
2. Yes, I believe we control our actions and should be held accountable for them. Deciding to do something, believing it to be right or wrong, is a choice, and having an independent authority to judge those decisions, if needed, is paramount to our rights. Being judged based on the law, as compared to public opinion, elicits a sense of justice within the judicial system.  In the scripture, there was a division among followers, not allowing a decisive confirmation of justice.
3. As much as I would like to answer with a resounding YES, I honestly cannot fully say I do. I have my beliefs which I do my best to follow. I have an open mind, and listen not only to my beliefs, but I also listen to others and try to understand theirs, and not judge those who I do not share the same sentiments. I realize I am accountable to Him for my beliefs and actions, and am comfortable in the way I am living my life. I do try to apply this to my profession, treating everyone as an equal and not being judgmental, as it is not my position to do so.
4. Without hesitation, I would order the downing of the airliner to prevent the death of the larger number of persons attending the game. I do not lessen the value of life of those on the airliner, but as stated, for the greater good, it leaves one with little choice. Romans 12:1 states “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (KJV). We saw during the attacks on 9/11 that the outcome can be tragic, but also the outcome can be minimized as were the results of Flight 93, where the passengers took control of their destiny and prevented a larger catastrophe. They knew they were sacrificing themselves for the greater good, and I believe any person with a Biblical sense would do the same, knowing that Heaven awaits them. It is an unfortunate decision one would have to make, but the same goes for a normal citizen if there comes a time where they may have the decision of taking a life to protect themselves or another. I pray every day that when I go to work, I will not have to make that life or death decision, but I have mentally prepared myself to do just that if needed.

Reference

Sullivan, S.P., N.J. attorney general orders statewide police training on racial bias, deadly force, 20

N.J. attorney general orders statewide police training on racial bias, deadly force | NJ.com

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