4.2 Assignment_Creating an Ethical Guide_Storm
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Apr 3, 2024
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OL-Storm, Kevin (Online)
3/23/2024
ECPI
CJ430, Kolb
4.2 ASSIGNMENT:
Creating an Ethical Guide for the Workplace
Define the five moral principles of ethical decision making.
Autonomy is the first of the five discussed principles of ethical decision making. Autonomy, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, means “the quality or state of being self-governing n.d.).” To describe “autonomy” I would posit that self-determination and informed consent must be present in one’s consideration of an action or experience for this term to be valid. One must be capable of one’s own volition and therefore able to maintain their decisions as their own. The second of the principles mentioned is “benefice.” Benefice is the morally guiding principle that refers to an individual offering others aid or effort for their well-being (James, Gilliland, 2023). Providing support in the presence of trauma or crisis is crucial for first responders. The decisions guiding this ethical concept can remove an individual from harm and provide support for those vulnerable to their circumstances. Third in the discussion of moral principles is “fidelity.” Fidelity refers to one’s commitment to their responsibilities (James, Gilliland), and is an indication of that person’s devotion to the promises they are held accountable for maintaining. Justice is the fourth principle and represents an invaluable aspect to response. Justice is blind and therefore holds no prejudice or assumptions. Promoting equality, fairness, and standards, “justice” is the bar that is set with which we hold each other accountable for recognizing and respecting. Justice means, in simple terms, that an individual receives what they have earned (Velasquez et al, 2014), and that every individual is deserving of their dues. Another principle enlisted in the concept of ethical decision making is that of non-maleficence. The root-word “maleficence” is defined as “the act of committing harm or evil (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).” Understanding the root of this
concept provides us with the understanding that the opposite is to be applied. Non-maleficence is the idea that we avoid actions that could be potentially harmful or damaging in respect to those we are serving (James, Gilliland).
Distributive justice is another of the ethical decision-making concepts that we
are responsible for employing. Most interestingly, this term refers to the perception of the individual in regard to the “justice” they have received (Cropanzano, Molina, 2015). To establish this concept clearly, we must consider equality, equity, and need. Once we have put those ideas in order we can determine how resources for relief should be divided appropriately (James, Gilliland).
Create five different workplace scenarios (one for each of the five principles) and describe the role a first responder would play in each
scenario.
Explain why the principle was applied to the scenario and how the client and/or first responder would benefit.
Autonomy
: A man calls 911 and claims his wife has had too much to drink and that she is becoming irate and may act out in violence as she has already
thrown a bowling statue through his TV. Once police arrive, the woman is led outside with a team of officers and is being evaluated for potential threat to herself or others, as well as her level of intoxication. The husband is seated in
the kitchen of their home and is speaking with officers about the instance. After the situation is de-escalated the husband is asked if he wants to file charges for destruction of property. The husband declines and admits that the
situation was alcohol induced and instead decides it’s best if he is just allowed to leave the house to spend the night with his friend. -In this instance, an individual was provided with the opportunity to act on their own behalf while being presented with options that could be provided by the first
responders. First responders, in this example, would be responsible for ensuring the safety of both of the individuals involved. They would need to make sure that
the wife is no longer a danger to herself or others, and that the husband has been provided with an explanation of his rights.
Beneficence
: In her father’s house a young girl is locked in her room avoiding her his drunken tirades. She has her cellphone but is unable to reach
her mother to ask for her aid or for a way out. She does, however, have the number of her guardian ad litem. After reaching out and explaining why she
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needs a way out of the house, he arrives with police to escort her to her other
home in an effort to protect her. -In this example, the GAL and police provided the girl with a service that has ensured her safety and an opportunity to speak with an individual that is bound to her wellbeing. They have ensured that the child’s vulnerability has been mitigated to the best of their ability and provided respite from her current circumstances. First responders would provide protection for the girl to be safely removed from the house.
Fidelity
: Two officers, Ron and Lindsay, have been partners for the last few months. They work in a city that suffers from terrible crime that is often very traumatizing to bear witness to. They have been relying on each other rather than seeking professional help for their troubles and this
has drawn them very close. Upon realizing this, Ron discusses this with his
superiors and Lindsay and reveals that this relationship is toeing the line of inappropriateness for a married man with four children. The decision is then made for them to be reassigned to different partners in an effort to maintain a professional workplace and avoid what mistakes could be made. -This example illuminates the concept of fidelity clearly for the sake of professionalism and constancy for a marriage. Ron shows his ability to remain
devoted to upholding high morals and ethical decision making by recognizing his predicament and addressing his concerns head-on.
Justice:
On Interstate 405, in the middle of the hellacious Los Angeles traffic, one motorist rear-ends the car in front of them and their airbags are deployed. The accident is, effectively, rough enough to stop traffic as the one car cannot be pulled from its position in the middle of the 5-lane segment of the interstate. The car in front has a white man and his girlfriend in the car. The car at fault was driven by a Mexican American woman who spoke very little English. The first responders immediately began gathering information from the man because they were able to clearly understand him. One of the EMS team members noticed that no one was asking the woman questions and then it dawned on him. None of
the responding officers or EMTs spoke Spanish. After realizing this, she radioed in to dispatch and requested a Spanish-speaking officer to be directed to the scene so she can be communicated with comfortably and fairly. - Justice, in this example, was delivered by a woman who was present in order to provide care and assistance to all at the scene. She noticed that the woman, who spoke too little English to be effectively communicated with, was not receiving the help, attention, and care that she was in need of. The request for and presence of the responder who spoke Spanish would have brought the woman a chance to explain her side of the accident and any kind of injuries she may have been suffering from.
Nonmaleficence
: Officer Petty was the first on scene for a call for a domestic disturbance. Upon arriving to the house he heard the shouting and cursing from behind the fence surrounding the backyard. After letting himself through the fence he saw a man striking another and immediately ran to restrain him. After getting the man down on the ground Officer Petty was struck by the man’s fist across his face. Instead of striking back and allowing his own anger and emotion to take over, Petty rolled the man onto his stomach and placed him in handcuffs in order to subdue the threat of any further violence. - Nonmaleficence is a one-word term for “do no harm.” In this case, the officer made
the ethical decision to not allow his ego or anger to cause him to strike the man back or let the situation escalate further physically. He showed great restraint and collection in his professional actions and was, most likely, therefore able to glean more information from the man he witnessed attacking the other. This is going to be
very helpful in being able to portray a clear image of the circumstance of the event. References:
Merriam-Webster, (n.d.). Autonomy. Retrieved on March 20, 2024. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autonomy
James, R. K., & Gilliland, B. E. (2023).
Crisis Intervention Strategies
(8th ed.). Cengage Learning US.
https://ecpi.vitalsource.com/books/9798214341194
Velasquez, M., Andre, C., Shanks, T., S.J., Meyer, M., (Aug. 1, 2014). Justice and Fairness. Santa Clara University: Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/justice-
and-fairness/
Merriam-Webster, (n.d.). Maleficence.
Retrieved on March 20, 2024. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maleficence#:~:text=%3A
%20the%20act%20of%20committing%20harm%20or%20evil
Cropanzanon, R., Molina, A., (2015). Organizational Justice. International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (Second Edition). Pages 379-384. doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.22033-3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780080970868220333
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