Ethical Decision Making Essay

Although traditionally applied to business ethics, the ethical decision-making process is of vital importance in law enforcement as well. Research recognizes several ethical decision-making models and factors believed to influence the process of decision-making. A history of ethical decision-making, including various theories, models and influential factors demonstrates the importance of the ethical decision-making process and how it can be applied to law enforcement.
HISTORY OF ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING
Decision-making has historical roots in philosophy, which generated two primary dimensions: one of logic and reason and one of ethics and moral judgment. Philosophers have primarily viewed these dimensions from a normative standpoint, providing arguments for each one to demonstrate how individuals think and decide. Since the evolution of normative theories of logic, which are mostly based on probability or utility, much work has been dedicated towards their expansion into descriptive models of actual reasoning processes. The ethics and moral judgment dimension remains largely normative, despite the fact that moral thinking is regarded as an important element in the decision-making process as a whole (Strong & Meyer, 1992).
Normative theories of ethics do not have much descriptive strength, so they have been modified in an effort to explain differences in moral judgment. Researchers have since moved from examining the outcomes of decisions towards exploring different processes individuals use when making decisions among various possible outcomes (Strong & Meyer, 1992).
Ethical Decision-Making Models
In an attempt to expand normative theories, Kohlberg’s model of moral judgment proposes that individuals cognitively progress through...

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... rarely under direct supervisory control and are permitted to exercise enormous amounts of discretion (Ortmeier & Meese, 2010). Therefore, ethical decision-making is extremely vital within law enforcement. Moreover, previously discussed ethical decision-making processes and influential factors apply to police officers just as they do to other organizational employees.
Conclusion
Respected scholars have dedicated vast amounts of research towards developing ethical decision-making models and outlining factors believed to influence the process of decision-making. An overview of various ethical decision-making models and influential factors demonstrates the importance of the ethical decision-making process. Furthermore, various models and techniques traditionally used in business ethics can also be applied to policing, positively impacting law enforcement as a whole.