Ethics and Social Change

To prepare

• Consider  the ethical consequences of the topics in the Learning Resources.
• Review  each of the following topics and consider the ethical issues that may be  involved. Be prepared to discuss at least one of them during the Discussion.
  • Deterrence  and the death penalty 
  • Guns  deter crime and support capital punishment
  • Guantanamo  Prison and torture 
  • Classifying  crimes by severity
  • Mandatory  minimum sentencing 

Post  by Day 3 a response to the following:

• What  are the ethical concerns of the topic you selected?
• What  is the role of the forensic psychology professional in the topic you selected?
• You  are in charge of addressing one key issue involving crime deterrence, criminal  behavior, victimization, punishment, or victim reconciliation. What would you  change, add, or improve to make society a better and safer place to live? 

Readings

• Miller,  L. (2012). Criminal psychology: Nature,  nurture, culture. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.     
  • Chapter 21, “Corrections, the Death  Penalty, and Crime Victims” (pp. 572–588)
• Nagin,  D. (2014). Deterrence and the death penalty: Why the statistics should be  ignored. Significance, 11(2), 9–13.  
    Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Britto,  S., & Noga-Styron, K. E. (2015). The belief that guns deter crime and  support for capital punishment. Criminal  Justice Studies, 28(3), 314–335.
    Retrieved from the Walden Library  databases.
• Foley,  B. J. (2007). Guantanamo and beyond: Dangers of rigging the rules. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 97(4),  1009–1069.
    Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Discovery News. (2013, February 11).  Science of evil: Depravity scale ranks crimes. Retrieved from http://www.seeker.com/science-of-evil-depravity-scale-ranks-crimes-discovery-news-1766492965.html#news.discovery.com
• American Psychological Association.  (2010). Ethical principles of  psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/
• American  Psychological Association. (2011). Specialty guidelines for forensic  psychology. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/forensic-psychology.aspx
• Welner, M. (2006). Classifying crimes by  severity: From aggravators to depravity. In J. E. Douglas, A. W. Burgess, Allen  G. Burgess, & Robert K. Ressler (Eds.), Crime  classification manual (3rd ed.). Retrieved from  http://www.forensicpanel.com/data/Unsorted/Classifying_Crimes_by_Severity-88939-1.pdf
• Bernick, E., & Larkin, P. (2014).  Reconsidering mandatory minimum sentences: The arguments for and against potential  reforms. Retrieved from http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2014/02/reconsidering-mandatory-minimum-sentences-the-arguments-for-and-against-potential-reforms