3-2 Assignment

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Apr 3, 2024

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1 3-2 Assignment: Module Three Emily Cowick Southern New Hampshire University CJ-230 Discretion in Criminal Justice Professor Robert Baxter 3/24 /2024
2 Officials' ability to act according to their judgment and values is known as discretion in the criminal justice system (Discretion, n.d.). In certain situations, law enforcement officials, like anyone involved in the criminal justice system, possess the authority to exercise discretion based on their values and principles. Discretion is used by judges, law enforcement, prosecutors, correctional officers, and parole/probation officers throughout the criminal justice system. I will use the George Floyd case as an example for this project. George Floyd passed away at the age of forty-six while the police attempted to apprehend him. This catastrophe happened on May 25, 2002, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mr. Floyd faced accusations of dealing in fake money at a convenience shop (Mullen, n.d.). Floyd remained still on the ground as police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck to begin handcuffing him. For more than nine minutes, he was on his knees on Floyd's neck, crying that he was out of breath. On their cellphones, bystanders captured the incident. The discretionary judgments taken by the police officers resulted in Mr. Floyd's death. He had the option to place him in the back of the police cruiser while the matter was being looked into rather than squatting on his neck and making an arrest. Another option would have been to seek medical assistance as soon as Floyd showed signs of trouble rather than knelt on his neck. Integrity is crucial when making discretionary decisions. Integrity means applying truthfulness and demonstrating steadfast loyalty to high moral and ethical standards and ideals. When there is a lack of integrity, discretionary power and authority are typically utilized irresponsibly. Officials are required to conduct themselves with integrity and decency during their work. An officer's use of authority and discretionary power is called into doubt when their honesty is questioned. The absence of integrity on the part of the police may result in unjustified arrests, legal disputes, and issues with residents. Integrity should be demonstrated during the
3 criminal justice system's deliberative decision-making process. Background checks, probation, punishment, and the communities they serve are all included in this. The integrity of a police officer is crucial when it comes to drafting reports and dealing with witnesses since they have the power to utilize their discretionary judgment to execute instructions. Concerning the George Floyd case, the police officers overreached themselves and lacked integrity. Despite the protests of spectators filming the incident, Officer Chauvin did not appear concerned about Mr. Floyd's well-being. Had any of the police officers exhibited honesty, Mr. Floyd would not have died under the circumstances. Although Mr. Floyd was not a threat to anyone and was handcuffed, Chauvin demonstrated his power by squatting on his neck for more than nine minutes. Police may have used their discretion at any time throughout this arrest to evaluate the circumstances and intervene to save his life. They are currently suffering the most significant consequences because they choose not to. This exemplifies how these officials were dishonest and received great satisfaction in their position of power. References Discretion . (n.d.). Retrieved from Cornell Law School: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/discretion Mullen, M. (n.d.). George Floyd is killed by a police officer, igniting historic protests . Retrieved from HISTORY: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/george-floyd-killed-by- police-officer
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