Utilitarianism And Deontological Ethics In Law Enforcement

There are various normative ethical theories that can explain human behavior as it pertains to actions of those working in law enforcement. This research paper summarizes the various ideologies that are associated with utilitarianism and deontological ethics concerning human behavior and the ethical or unethical decisions and /or actions of those working in law enforcement. It contrasts between the utilitarianism and deontological ethical arguments as they relate to law enforcement. It highlights various justifications and objections to the utilitarianism and deontological ethical theories in law enforcement. The issue of trust and legitimacy in law enforcement is also discussed with a brief summary of the various paradoxes and ethical dilemmas that exist during law enforcement. The paper concludes by noting that utilitarianism and deontological two ethical theories are arguably inherently …show more content…
As Braswell, McCarthy & McCarthy (2011) argue, it is in the best interests of the community to employ police officers in order to thwart morally the behavior of some individuals such as thieves, murderers, rapists and other criminal elements in society whose actions result in infliction of pain on members of the community, (Braswell, McCarthy & McCarthy, 2011). The behavior of criminal elements in society results in more pain than collective benefits and pleasures thus the need for law enforcement agents to avert the level of crime and lower the amount of collective pain inflicted on the society. However, in some circumstances, there are some paradoxical situations when a certain action may inflict more pain than happiness yet be regarded as a morally right action rather than a morally wrong action as per the ideologies of the utilitarianism consequentialism ethical theory. Such paradoxes result in the second ethical theory that is regarded as