Reference no: EM133249601
All ethical decisions affect others in different ways. Aristotle points out; ethical decision making is achieved consistently only through practice. The virtue ethics provided by Aristotle (i.e., seeking the real goods via the moral virtues), assess the moral permissibility of the conduct in question in each scenario. I would like for you to evaluate the scenario using your critical thinking skills. Please evaluate each situation, first examining pros and cons of alternate views, before you come to a conclusion. Do not draw a conclusion first, and then try to find evidence to support it- this frequently leads to ill and unwise (and incorrect) thinking. Apply ethical principles to the moral question based on an objective evaluation of the facts, only then drawing a conclusion.
The use of criminals as informants to testify against other suspects in exchange for leniency is fraught with peril. On one hand, informants might he untruthful in order to give the prosecution what it wants in their testimony and thereby insure leniency in their own cases." Their testimony is essentially bought and paid for? said John Wesley Hall In, president of the National Asseciation of Criminal Dafense Lawryers.
On the other hand, prosecutors believe that deals to obtain testimony from informants are necessary evils, and often the onlv practical way to obtain information about secretive ordanized crime figures. "Often the people who are in the best posttion to be witnesses in case are the people who ihemselves have been involved in the criminal activity." said Marylend U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.
The evidence shows that the testimony of criminal informants has resulted in the convictions of manv serious criminals, However, the evidence also shows that the inalbility to independency coniirms that the testimony of most informants has resulted in wrongful convictions. in addition, tradling the liberty of one criminal (the informant) for another (the defendant may not always be in the public's long-term interest in safety, because leniency is based on cooperation rather than culpalbility.
Evaluate the moral permissibility of the prosecutor's decision to use convicted crimainals whose sentences are not yet final, to testify against
another suspect.