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Article Critique 2
Abstract
In this critique it focuses on the general idea of Ethnocentricity, Subculture, and Historical
Evolution within the articles of “Ethical Leadership within Law Enforcement Agencies:
Pedagogical and Cultural Challenges” and “Ethics and the Pretrial Release of Police-Involved-
Shooting Videos.” Each article depicts major themes regarding ethical determinations within law
enforcement and our criminal justice system as a whole. With the examination of these articles, I
will depict many of the strengths and weaknesses that these authors show throughout each of
their statements. I will go into depth about each article and explain the concept behind each of
their purposes based on their relation to Ethnocentricity, Subculture, and Historical Evolution in
the criminal justice system. These articles will display real world scenarios and how we can
apply them into today's systematic society. Lastly there will be a depiction of a biblical
worldview based on both articles that were chosen to be examined.
Article Critique
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Article Critique 3
Both articles "Ethical Leadership within Law Enforcement Agencies: Pedagogical and
Cultural Challenges" and Ethics and the Pretrial Release of Police-Involved-Shooting Videos”
had remarkably interesting statements as they both depicted very intricate ideas within the
criminal justice system. Each article goes into depth about many of criminal justice's systematic
issues and what society can do to help prevent them from reoccurring. There are major themes
within these articles that help see a distinct perspective within our criminal jute system and
outside the criminal justice system. Ethics are a major theme within these articles, and it is
explored in detail by these authors. By examining these articles, the themes presented help
address some of the systematic issues that we have encountered within the criminal justice
system. Understanding these themes will give a better understanding of the ins and outs within
criminal justice organizations. Both articles explored a major impact, and many of the ideas can
be applied to real-world issues and various cultural changes in society.
Article 1-Background
In this article, there are many themes discussed that explore the terms within ethical
leadership in law enforcement organizations, along with the aspects of educational and cultural
challenges within them. One of the major points consists of the importance of ethical leadership
in law enforcement and its impact on organizational culture, this will be explored through the
piece. Another theme of this article is the challenges and overall effectiveness of of ethics training
within our law enforcement organizations, especially police officers. With that, the role of leader's
help with modeling ethical behavior and foster a culture of a set accountability. There are case
studies and slight examples in this article exploring the ethical dilemmas law enforcement faces
and how leadership can influence many outcomes. Lastly there are quite a few recommendations
and certain strategies that address the pedagogical and cultural challenges to promote more ethical
leadership within law enforcement agencies. Overall, this article examines the complex interaction
of education, culture, leadership, and ethics in the context of law enforcement, with the purpose of
identifying obstacles by helping by suggest ways to improve ethical leadership in these
organizations.
Haydn W. McComas's article "Ethical Leadership within Law Enforcement Agencies:
Pedagogical and Cultural Challenges" investigates the intricate struggles of ethical leadership in
many law enforcement organizations. It concentrates on both pedagogical, also known as
educational, and social barriers. The article talks about the importance of incorporating education
of ethics and leadership development into things such as law enforcement training programs.
It continues to emphasize the need of ethical decision-making and critical thinking skill sets in
law enforcement training. “The implication is a clear need to understand and establish the most
effective way for law enforcement officers to grasp the importance of ethics and in doing so,
learn ethical leadership” (McComas 2019). This part is a vital component of the content given
that it emphasizes the actual measures required to develop ethical leaders. McComas continues to
explore the cultural challenges within our law enforcement agencies and points out that some of
these cultural elements can often lead to ethical misconduct and lack of accountability.
External elements that have impacted the ethical leadership within law enforcement
organizations, such as public perception, media scrutiny, and political pressures, could have been
explored further in the article, giving a more in-depth explanation on the impacts within the
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system. These factors can be significantly impactful for the ethical behavior of officers and
leaders. With these factors there could have been a more comprehensive examination that would
have added depth to this article. McComas does provide some recommendations regarding the
pedagogical and cultural challenges, which includes implementing things such as ethics courses
and fostering a culture of accountability. For example, (McComas 2019) states that “At the heart
of the model sits a combination of reflective learning and PBL applied within a series of
scenarios in the form of ethical dilemmas that are simultaneously realistic and dynamically
relevant to the learners’ work context” However, the article could have given a more specific
strategy for law enforcement agencies to improve their ethical leadership.
Haydn W. McComas's study of the "Ethical Leadership Within Law Enforcement
Agencies: Pedagogical and Cultural Challenges" provides many excellent insights into the
problems of establishing an ethical leadership within various law enforcement organizations. It
went on to emphasize the need for ethical education while also addressing our many complex
cultural barriers. However, there are more empirical facts and concrete recommendations for law
enforcement authorities to implement that would help enhance the idea of the subject matter.
Despite these limitations, the research advances to the continuing discussion over ethical
leadership within law enforcement organizations.
Article 1 - Critique of Strengths and Weaknesses of the Article
Strengths
The article examines the pedagogical and cultural difficulties that law enforcement
organizations confront when establishing their ethical leadership in depth. It emphasizes the
complex nature of these difficulties, providing a more in-depth understanding. The article
highlights the cultural dimensions of law enforcement agencies effectively. (McComas 2019)
says that “such wrongdoing is to strengthen rules and enhance punitive measures as a pathway to
cultural change” It recognizes that cultural norms and practices may have a more substantial
influence on ethical behavior. This understanding is critical for taking forward the implicit
causes of moral dilemmas.
Weaknesses
The article seems to rely extensively on theoretical aspects but does not include actual data
or case studies to back up its conclusions. Real-world examples or study findings would have
improved the piece's reliability and significance. (McComas 2019) states that “This is
compounded by the fact that much of the data are self-reported and responses offered by the
participants are subjective." While the article addressed the basic ideas for managing ethical
leadership issues, it should have provided law enforcement agencies with a more particular and
effective measure for a future perspective. With this article lacking both empirical evidence and
limited source recommendations, it may make it difficult to rely on this piece for a future
reference.
Article 2-Background
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The article "Ethics and the Pretrial Release of Police-Involved-Shooting Videos" makes a
detailed and convincing case for making video recordings of police-involved shootings open to
the public before criminal charges are filed. The author examines numerous reasons for
withholding these recordings and provides a persuasive counterargument. Some of the themes
within this article consist of importance of transparency, bias, ethical considerations,
admissibility regarding videos at trial and juror impartiality. The article will examine and state
that neither ethical guidelines nor federal constitutional law restrict the publishing of police-
shooting recordings prior to charges. As stated by the author, such transparency is an essential
legal check on any organizational bias toward law enforcement.
The author begins by underlining how important transparency is in the criminal justice
system. They highlight Supreme Court judgments that emphasize the need of public knowledge
and concurrent evaluation in the public domain as an oversight on potential abuses of judicial
power. According to the article, (Aprile 2023) states that there is widespread anxiety in incidents
involving law enforcement shootings that authorities would protect the officers from punishment
or that law enforcement officers could be scapegoated. They argue that early publication and
exposure about the shooting's circumstances may be critical in resolving those issues. According
to the author, if a video of the shooting is relevant and admissible, it should not be considered as
having a significant likelihood of influencing a judicial action. They compared it with distinct
kinds of evidence, such as photos, which are frequently permitted despite their potential for
causing an offense.
The author disputes the claim that jurors who watch the film before the trial will have
issues achieving a fair and unbiased judgement. “If the recording is favorable to the police
officers involved, the legal team representing the officers will almost certainly introduce it at the
trial, whether it is the trial of a police officer or an alleged perpetrator” (Aprile 2023). They
highlight Supreme Court rulings that demonstrate that jurors do not need to be familiar with the
case but should be able to set aside their preconceived notions and deliver a decision based on
the facts presented in court. Judges should be able to have an unbiased thought process when
determining a decision. The article effectively restates and reinforces the case for the release of
police-shooting videos prior to trial, addressing ethical, legal, and constitutional concerns while
highlighting the importance of transparency to preserving public trust within the criminal justice
system.
Article 2 - Critique of Strengths and Weaknesses of the Article
Strengths
This article examines thorough and well-structured case for the pretrial publication of
police-involved shooting recordings. It touches on various aspects in a systematic way, including
the important ethical considerations and transparency making it a more compelling argument.
The article examines the ethical norms regulating extrajudicial statements and the consequences
for the publication of police-shooting videos in general. (Aprile 2023) stated that “The argument
that a potential juror who sees prior to trial a police-shooting video would have difficulty
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rendering a fair and impartial verdict is without persuasion as that juror will have to evaluate that
same video as evidence presented at the trial” It effectively states that video evidence is immune
under these limitations. The author effectively supports their statements by using legal
precedents and Supreme Court decisions such as Gentile v. Nevada State Bar and United States
v. Tsarnaev. This gives the article's ideas a greater validity and supports its general case.
Weaknesses
The article focuses mostly on legal and ethical issues; however, it does not go into detail
into the possible privacy problems of individuals that are recorded in these videos. Balancing
transparency with privacy concerns is an essential part of the argument that should have been
explored in greater depth. “This country places a high priority on the need for transparency with
regard to the criminal justice system” (Aprile 2023). The article minimizes the issue by
portraying it as a matter of ethics and constitutional rights. The publication of police-shooting
videos includes a more intricate relationship of legal, ethical, privacy, and political problems that
could have been examined a bit more thoroughly than it was presented.
Summary of Articles
Both articles depict aspects of police Ethnocentricity, Subculture, and Historical Evolution
Assignment and touched on the perceptions within the criminal justice system. The first article’s
results and insights are applicable in the real-world environment of law enforcement
organizations. The article's findings can help policymakers, law enforcement officials, and
educators better understand and manage the issues connected with ethical leadership
development in the criminal justice system. The second article emphasizes a major significance
of openness in the criminal justice system. The article makes a convincing case for the public's
right to this critical information and its role in ensuring accountability in the criminal justice
system. Both articles touch on many of the systematic issues within our criminal justice system
and society. These articles highlight the importance of ethics in our system and how crucial it is
for it to apply with significant ordeal. While both articles had some minor setbacks, their
statements outlined many important aspects among criminal justice organizations.
Conclusion: Personal Reflection, Position, and Christian Worldview
I think both articles touched on some particularly important aspects within the world of
the criminal justice system. Each article examined ideas of ethical responsibility and reasoning
withing criminal justice organizations. They help me get a better understanding of the systematic
workings within the system. Each article had especially important perspectives that helped me
grasp the importance of each of these issues in society. The Biblical theme I am deciding to
relate is that evil and sin is colorblind, and we must be able to embrace that everyone has issues.
In the Bible it often states that we should stray away from favoritism. I feel as this relates to the
aspect of unbiased opinion within our judicial system. In Proverbs 28:21, it states that “Those
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who show favoritism aren't good; people do wrong for a crust of bread” (King James Version
2017). It is shown that having biased or favoritism, has no beneficial affect within God’s world.
References
Aprile, J. V. (2023). Ethics and the Pretrial Release of Police-Involved-Shooting Videos.
Criminal Justice, 37(4), 43+.
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A732231962/LT?u=vic_liberty&sid=summon&xid=9c50cce4
Holy Bible King James Version. (2017). Christian Art Publishers.
McComas, H. W. (2019). Ethical leadership within Law Enforcement Agencies: Pedagogical and
cultural challenges. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, 5(2), 66–82.
https://doi.org/10.1108/jcrpp-12-2018-0044
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