Values and professionalism in criminal justice system
The criminal justice system employs people who make decisions on the conduct of people accused of breaking the law. Simple decisions can change the course of the lives of the inmates, and that calls for adherence to ethical practices based on professional standards and values. It means that judgments and decisions should be devoid of bias and that decisions should be based behaviors of the accused rather than on their cultural backgrounds. Ensuring that processes are followed and respected in administering justice promotes the feelings of confidence towards the criminal justice system. That calls for integrity and openness in handling cases and spelling out correctional decisions for people who have broken the law, with the aim of making them better and responsible citizens as opposed to punishing them for their actions.
While it seems simple on paper, drawing a line between personal beliefs and convictions can be a great challenge for the professionals. Keeping a neutral stand when handling criminal cases is always affected by one’s beliefs and cultural leaning, making it hard to stay focused on the process of justice. Apart from the administration of criminal justice, ethics come in very handy in guiding the conduct of the professionals against each other. Professional standards and guidelines incriminate everyone who harasses fellow employees at work, and disciplinary actions are predetermined for people who breach the code of conduct. Protecting professionals from overboard behaviors of their colleagues is necessary for ensuring that interactions between different specialists are inculcated in value systems that favor the strict adherence to professionalism. The professional standards and values, therefore, form a very important part of the criminal justice system by helping in the administration of justice and peer to peer conduct.
