A democratic government encourages and requires the participation of its citizens. However, in the world of criminal justice, civic participation is often downplayed or forgotten entirely. For a criminal justice system to truly serve its citizens, citizens must participate in that system. For example, the court system relies on eligible citizens to serve as jurors when called upon. Individuals who serve on a jury have an ethical obligation to pay close attention to the case, understand the law and vote on a verdict in a manner that is aligned with the interpretation of the law.
It is often difficult, if not impossible, for law enforcement officers to do their jobs properly if witnesses do not step forward with needed information. The reluctance of witnesses to step forward can be attributed to multiple factors, such as fear of retaliation by alleged criminals. Although witnesses have an ethical obligation to share information with the police, police officers have an ethical obligation to protect those witnesses and verify that the information is accurate before acting upon it.
A related issue is the matter of reporting alleged crimes. A functional criminal justice system is dependent upon everyday citizens reporting crimes or suspected criminal activity. Citizens are ethically obligated to report crimes, even if the crime does not directly affect them. For instance, a person might call the police after hearing screams coming from the apartment next door. Citizens also have an ethical duty to avoid making false reports based on preconceived biases.
Professional ethics and servant leadership are at the heart of the Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies degree program at Grand Canyon University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree may choose to enhance their career qualifications by earning a Master of Science in Criminal Justice with an Emphasis in Law Enforcement. We invite you to explore our online learning community further by clicking on the Request Info button above.