Ethical Dilemma Worksheet Week3

Incident Review
1. What is the ethical issue or problem? Identify the issue succinctly.
The prosecutor should not allow for the new report to be submitted.

2. What are the most important facts? Which facts have the most bearing on the ethical
decision presented? Include any important potential economic, social, or political pressures,
and exclude inconsequential facts.
The report was modified. The most ethical decision is if the prosecutor should allow the other
report to be submitted. Sure if maybe economical to often change reports for errors such as
missed signatures, but not modified information. The political fact is that the integrity of the
officers and department as being examined by the prosecutor knowing they are changing the
information.

3. Identify each claimant (key actor) who has an interest in the outcome of this ethical issue.
From the perspective of the moral agentthe individual contemplating an ethical course of
actionwhat obligation is owed to the claimant? Why?
Obligation
Claimant
(owed to the
Perspective (What does the claimant hope will happen?)
(key actor)
claimant)
Nixon
Legal rights
The husband will be charged with DUI and the report will not
get thrown out for being incomplete
Rook

Legal rights

The husband will be charged with DUI and the report will not
get thrown out for being incomplete

Husband

Justice

They will release him as they do not have enough evidence

Wife

Protection

They will release her husband and not file charges as they
have provided their testimony as to the events that happened

Prosecutor

justice

That he will not prosecute an innocent man by means of a

modified report

Evaluating Alternatives
4. What are two alternatives for the scenario? One alternative can be a wild card that you
ordinarily may not consider an option because of potential implications. Both should be within
free will and control of the same moral agent.
Alternative A

Alternative B

The prosecutor allow the report to be

changed and acts like he didnt know
anything

Tells the officer he will be advising his

supervisor of the attempt to alter a report

5. Respond to the following questions based on your developed alternatives.

Alternative A
What are the best- and
worst-case scenarios if
you choose this
alternative?

Will anyone be harmed if

this alternative is
chosen? If so, how will
they be harmed?
Consider families and
derivative effects.
Would honoring an idea
or valuesuch as
personal, professional, or
religiousmake the
alternative invalid?
Are there any rules, laws,
or principles that support
the alternative? Are there
rules, laws, or principles
that make the alternative
invalid? State the rule or
principle and indicate if it
invalidates or supports
the alternative.

The case is thrown out for lack

of evidence

Alternative B
The DUI gets dismissed
The supervisor allows for the
change to the report

The man is charged with DUI

Yes, the husband will be

sentenced to a term even
though he was not witnessed
doing the illegal act. The wife
will loose her husband to prison

Yes the officers maybe punished

for attempting to alter this report

Yes, it is the right thing to do

no

No, there is never a reason a

report facts should be changed
unless new information is
gathered. Yes there are rules
and laws that prevent this
tampering with the report

Yes, the prosecutors office has to

have polices to report this type of
behavior

Applying Ethical Guidelines

6. Consider each ethical guideline and explain whether it would support or reject your
alternative.
Guidelines based on the action itself
Alternative A
Alternative B
Should this alternative become a rule or policy
yes
yes
that everyone in this situation should follow in
similar situations in the future? (Kant)
Does this alternative result in using any person as yes
yes
a means to an end without consideration for his or
her basic integrity? (Kant)
no
Is the intent of this action free from vested interest No
or ulterior motive? (Kants good will)
Does this alternative demonstrate a genuine
concern for others affected by the decision, and is
the moral agency responding to a perceived
need?
Guidelines based on consequences
Is the good that results from this alternative
outweighed by the potential harm that might be
done to others? (Mills harm principle)
Is any harm brought about by anyone other than
the moral agent? (causal harm)
Will anyone be harmed who can be said to be
defenseless? (paternalism)
To what degree is this alternative based on the
moral agents own best interest? (ethical egoism)
Which alternative will generate the greatest
benefitor the least amount of harmfor the
greatest number of people? Select only one
alternative. (utilitarianism)

No

yes

Alternative A

Alternative B

No

yes

yes

yes
no

Yes

Ethical Decision Making

7. Choose to proceed with either Alternative A or Alternative B and explain the reasons for your
decision.
The prosecutor does not allow for the report to be changed and the arrest is found to later be
dismissed. The reason I chose this is that for a DUI charge the person has to be witnessed
driving which he was not.