Ethics are described as moral principles that guide how individuals should act which is classified as either right or wrong. Federal agents are often faced with ethical dilemma in their line of duty which calls for the making of ethical decisions either immediately or after much consultation with their colleagues (Pollock, 2012).
The ethical dilemma presented calls for making an ethical decision. The issues identified are the right of the family of the murdered individual to obtain justice and the need for the drug cartels of the region to be arrested and put out of business following substantial evidence.
In trying to achieve a sound resolution, the outcome has to be a win-win situation or fair in the eyes of those involved. It is important to remember that the informant himself is a criminal and if not closely monitored can render the drug investigation worthless, endanger the federal agent’s life or destroy the agency’s credibility (Pollock, 2012). The family seeking justice needs to be brought on board to ensure they do not tamper with the ongoing investigations. This does not mean that they be informed that the criminal is an informant but at the same time assured that justice will prevail.
References
Lieberman, B. (2007). The Police Chief: Ethical Issues in the Use of Confidential Informants for Narcotic Operations. Vol. 74 (6). Retrieved from http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1210&issue_id=62007 on 20.1.2014.
Pollock, J. M. (2012). Ethical dilemmas and decisions in criminal justice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
