Ethical Decision Making Paper

Ethical Decision Making Paper

Team B

CJA/324

April 8, 2013

David Lish

Ethical Decision Making Paper

As we grow up we are taught the difference between right and wrong. As adults we use those same principles to aid us in life’s many challenges such as our work and personal lives. We are all different and as such have varied opinions as to what is ethically or morally acceptable. Understanding the difference between one another’s ethical learning style could prove to be very useful not only in the criminal justice field but also in regards to working as a team. Would working as a team come easier if we all had the same learning styles or does the fact that we all have strengths and weaknesses in different areas help us in working together as a team?

Each Team Member’s Ethical Style

Every team member has different beliefs thus bringing unique experiences and perceptions to work teams. The differences can power the strengths and complement the weaknesses. The ethics awareness inventory provided insight into what each team member’s general views and approaches are with regard to ethical issues. Each team member defends specific values, principles, or more general ideals by which to live by and at one point our beliefs will be challenged. Exploring our ethical perspective makes us more aware and open to moral and ethical issues (Braswell, 2012, p. 6). Our team had similar ethical perspectives results. Two team members’ ethical profile results are most closely aligned with character and the other two members’ results are most closely aligned with obligation. All team members’ least ethical profile is closely aligned with equity.

The character ethical perspective focuses on what is good to be rather than what it is good to do. The results indicate that people look beyond the actions to examine the individual’s character. The need to look for evidence of virtue in people such as integrity and compassion is an important...