Ethics in Law Enforcement

Reviewed by Christopher Sharp, Assistant Professor, Newberry College on 9/28/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The book does a great job of introducing basic ethical views and applying them to the job of policing. However, many of the discussions are superficial and there would be a great deal of additional reading and work for my course. There is a lack of a discussion on how ethics are impacted by worldview and vise versa, and an unrealistic view of military professionalism and impact on policing. There were several references to the negative side of law enforcement as a result of the paramilitary structure without a detailed analysis to back up the assertions. Since retiring from the military, many of the assertions in this book are not consistent with the American military experience. Additionally, there is a strong Canadian and British focus that would be perceived as disconnected from the American experience.

Content Accuracy rating: 2

There was a strong since of bias against the paramilitary structure (i.e. bureaucracy) without looking at how private industry and government has utilized the same structure. Additionally, some of the recommendations on use of force, arrest decisions, etc. are unrealistic in the American style of policing given the socio-political environment.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

I absolutely agree that ethical decision making in all aspects of governance is important and I have covered and taught ethics for 20 years. Unfortunately, this book does not go into a deeper analysis of how ethics can grown and change through the mechanisms of formal and informal socialization and how leaders and employees can use these to build a system of ethics that compliments the organization's mission.

Clarity rating: 3

The writing is very clear, albeit biased in several areas, but comes across as very dry. While the study of ethics can be dry, this is why it is so often avoided. Practical exercises to incorporate material, discussion points, etc. would have assisted in making the material more relevant and engaging.

Consistency rating: 3

The book was consistent throughout in how the information was presented but provides a myopic and sometimes biased view of the law enforcement experience. Unfortunately, this book is significantly shorter than the one that I currently use (which is already short) and does not get into the concept of defining moments and how a career and a life are defined by how we respond to these moments in light of ethical decision making.

Modularity rating: 3

There is a break in some of the chapters that make connections difficult. The portion about socialization and leadership should have been combined which would have provided very rich discussion for the application of ethical decision making to the on-boarding process for new officers.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The flow of the book is overall very logical, with the exception of the section on socialization that could have easily been incorporated into other areas. A reader could easily follow the thought process of the authors. A recommendation would be to have the ethical thought discussion, followed immediately by practical examples from the field at multiple organizational levels as examples of how ethics are applied and making it easier to internalize.

Interface rating: 4

There were no interface problems with the text, use of more illustrations and case studies would have helped with the ability to analyze, interpret, and practice the elements of the text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The writing was not overly laden with acronyms or jargon, and no noted spelling errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 2

The concept of the book is extremely relevant to the field of criminal justice. However, the perceived anti-paramilitary discussion and practical application of some of the ethical schools (for instance in the decision to arrest and its impact) came across as very rudimentary and biased. I do not believe this was the intent, but I bristled at much of the discussion of the military influence and structure given my 20 year career in the military.

Reviewed by Wendy Perkins, Assistant Professor, Marshall University on 12/30/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book grounds itself in ethical theories and an application of these theories to several facets of law enforcement activities. Students are offered an examination of ethics related to general policing practices, individual police officer decisions, and police administration/management. It is an excellent introductory textbook that would have to be supplemented with other readings to explore some of the concepts more fully. I am particularly appreciative of the chapter about police culture. Policing ethics, at least in part, stem from the collective experiences of police officers who are responsible for socializing new officers into their departments and into the profession. This chapter provides a crucial discussion about the aggravating and mitigating effects of ‘real world of policing’ on officer/department ethics.

The sex offender notification section (6.3) does not quite fit with the rest of the issues discussed in the book. This seems to be more of an ethical issue for the criminal justice system as a whole rather than an ethical issue that is solely faced by the police.

An extended discussion about conformity would be beneficial. It was not entirely clear if these sections (4.3 & 4.4) were meant to be applied to police conforming to expectations (e.g. acting in an ethical manner) or the public conforming to expectations (e.g. following lawful police orders). Both applications would be beneficial to students.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book provides accurate information. The authors strike a balance between classic works and relatively recent academic research to provide students with philosophical and historical context while addressing the unique ethical circumstances which confront police officers. While policing practices and the climate in which policing occurs change, those changes do not necessarily eclipse the basics of policing ethics.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The police are a societal fixture and ethical decision-making is always a concern. The book will continue to remain relevant well into the future as individual jurisdictions (or entire countries) consider their approaches to policing. Instructors will need to provide supplemental materials to account for current events and newer research, but this is common practice when using any textbook.

Clarity rating: 5

The authors have written a book that is exceptionally clear and easy-to-understand. The writing style is less academic and more conversational, which many students tend to appreciate.The structure of chapters is consistent throughout the book

Consistency rating: 5

The structure of chapters is consistent throughout the book.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is well-suited for module-based classes or classes in which the instructor wishes to assign smaller blocks of reading. The chapter sub-sections are clearly delineated by content which makes it easy for instructors to determine which sections will work best for the task at hand.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is organized from general ethics to more specific law enforcement ethics, which is a sensible way for students to learn the material.

Interface rating: 5

I did not experience any issues with the interface.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not note any grammatical issues

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

I am located in the United States, and the basic concepts in the book are applicable to policing in my country. I would provide students with policies and ethics standards from United States police agencies, and ask them to complete a comparative policing assignment. It would be helpful to include a discussion about the challenging relationship between police and people from different cultures and backgrounds, and how the police make ethical decisions within that context.

Reviewed by Cathryn Lavery, Professor of Criminal Justice, Pace University on 8/18/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book, although only eight chapters, provides the reader/student an excellent overview of ethical systems and how ethics is applied to law enforcement. Although written from a North American perspective (primarily Canadian) it does sync with the same issues and dilemmas faced by American law enforcement. It would be a good consideration if the authors would perhaps add a chapter focusing on various American policing systems as they range based on cities, states and impacted by social issues which may not be as similar in nature to other countries and agencies.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book is structured in such a way that it gives the reader thought provoking questions and situations to consider. The authors write their chapters in a clear and easily comprehensive nature that can be follow by undergraduate students. Issues and dilemmas were presented objectively which does not only help with students' understanding of all the arguments, but can be a springboard for discussions in the classroom and applied to case examples in "real time". The overall content presented is done so in a non-biased perspective.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book gives a good variation of examples and situations. Many case examples given can be applied today. The authors arranged the chapters in such a way that revised editions can be easily formatted and updated or the professor in the course can amend with their own learning objectives and with current and past examples. However, most examples given in the text are very relevant today in law enforcement.

Clarity rating: 4

The authors provide readers with the necessary terminology needed in the field of law enforcement and criminal justice. However, it is not overwhelming, nor difficult to understand. Ideas, definitions, issues and arguments are explained in a thorough, yet concise form. The book is relevant and be connected with not only policing but other areas of the field.

Consistency rating: 4

I enjoyed how the chapters were organized and flowed. It was easy to read through. I do feel that some areas could have given more recommendations for change or perhaps expand on discussion of what change can occur and how law enforcement can strengthen ethics and integrity. However, I also believe that the instructors can fill that with their own added material, so it is not a major concern.

Modularity rating: 4

The book is set up by authors to be able to fit into most instructors' lesson plans and learning objectives. It does not have to be followed sequentially and allows the instructor to construct their own modalities based on their syllabus and target areas to cover.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book's organization structure is solid and flows from general theoretical concepts, which gives readers a good foundation on ethics. Then the issues flow to more law enforcement focused perspective which allows the students to build on the foundational concepts and relate specifically to the dilemmas faced by officers.

Interface rating: 3

The book is easy to navigate through, but I think for a revised edition, it may be prudent to add more pictures, related charts on studies and graphics to hold the attention of students. Other than that, it does not have have distortions or features which could confuse the reader or instructor.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any grammatical errors within the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This book is not culturally insensitive and in fact presents many sensitive issues in a positive manner. Due to the complexities and recent social movements, especially in the United States around law enforcement, I cannot see a better time for this text. It is relevant for students, whether interested in criminal justice and policing or not. I would most likely use this book with a companion workbook on ethics in policing. I think that would compliment it and bring more depth and discussion into lectures.

Comments

I really liked this book and believe for any future editions it might be worthy to add focus on issues like systemic racism and its relationship with policing, current social movements and gender issues related to law enforcement. The book, overall, gives a solid overview on ethics and law enforcement and is an excellent open resource for students.

Reviewed by Adina Giannelli, Assistant Professor, Holyoke Community College on 6/1/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Ethics in Law Enforcement offers a concise and accessible introduction to the topic of ethics in law enforcement, in a Canadian context. Learning objectives at outset of book are clearly worded; many chapters include thorough list of references/supplemental readings, which might be useful/of interest to faculty teaching the course (and/or students working on topical research projects).

Content Accuracy rating: 3

The textbook is well-researched and accurate. Certain examples and statements reflect authorial bias:
“law enforcement agencies place a great emphasis on good behavior of their officers” (pp. 21-22).
“While a common theme in academic discourse is that police culture is negative…” (p. 119).

Limited emphasis on ethical breaches—position that “widespread systemic corruption and lawbreaking in Canada is relatively rare” (p. 52); not necessarily transferable to US policing contexts.

Although the section of the textbook on Divine Command Theory offers criticisms, the section on religion is problematic in a secular teaching context in the U.S./while training future officers: “not only will some officers refer to scripture, so too will members of the public” (p. 26); “officers could use divine command theory to reaffirm in their own minds what is right, even when the Criminal Code or other legislation is unclear on a particular issue. By officers asking themselves what would God command or prohibit, they may be able to make a decision they can justify” (p. 27). For U.S. faculty in public higher education, this section would require significant contextualization.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Policing in the US has been subject to much scrutiny over the last five years--and the last year in particular. Because this text was published 5+ years ago, in a rapidly changing and highly contentious ethical field, through no fault of the authors, there are some critical omissions and supplemental readings will be necessary for those assigning this text.

A potentially greater challenge for US/non-Canadian professors: with few exceptions, the text focus on Canadian examples, policy, jurisprudence, Criminal Code, and legal precedent—not transferable to the US context, and not necessarily legible to U.S. students/or non-Canadian learners. References administrative and governing bodies, laws, commissions, and charters (such as British Columbia’s Police Act, RCMP Police Act, Jurisdiction of the Current Commission for Public Complaints, Canadian Criminal Code, and the Canadian Charter of Rights ) with which the average non-Canadian student will have no familiarity. This is perfect for a Canadian audience, of course, but less relevant for transnational learners.

The text's section on sex offender laws and moral panics made very effective use of the US as a case study/reference, and the section on the ethics of private policing draws clearly on the US and other transnational examples. The section on discretion in policing was also highly transferable for US audiences.

Clarity rating: 5

With very few exceptions, the text is written in clear and accessible language.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is logical and internally consistent.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is easily divisible for purposes of creating modules--brief chapters are clearly subdivided into smaller, digestible readings organized thematically.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics are highly and logically organized, and easy to identify.

Interface rating: 5

The interface is generally clear and free of significant issues. One minor exception: the bar graph on page 64 is blurry

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book is grammatically sound throughout.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text references "minority rights" (p. 16) early in the text, and suggests that diversity of hiring practices could transform ethical issues in policing toward its conclusion: “newer officers are hired from a more diverse background that includes different sexual orientations, cultures, and races. This may enable the police subculture to adapt and overcome its more negative characteristics” (p. 121). Overall, the text could do more to address the issues of bias, disproportionality, and racism within policing, including in the Canadian context.

Comments

As someone who routinely teaches criminal justice ethics and is always looking for OER sources, I was excited to see McCartney & Parent’s text, and learned a great deal about Canadian policing from reading it! A reference to Canada in the title would be beneficial for potential textbook adopters.

Reviewed by Ronald Brevard, Professor Criminal Justice, Middlesex Community College on 6/22/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The textbook was very comprehensive on the subject matter of ethics and law enforcement. Students can expect the content to be thoroughly researched by the authors with excellent and appropriate examples that are critical for understanding the concepts. An index would have been helpful at the end of each chapter, however, terms and major concepts were explained and defined within the chapter sections.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The textbook has an extensive list of references at the end of each chapter which supports the material as being accurate, error-free, and unbiased. The references will assist students who want to do further research on the various topics.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The material in the book is up to date and will not be obsolete within a short period of time. A versioning history section was added to the textbook so that the reader knows the latest changes and/or updates.

Clarity rating: 5

The style in which the textbook was written makes it very easy for students to understand. Students are provided with examples that are put into proper context so that the connection between ethical behavior and law enforcement is easily understood.

Consistency rating: 5

The framework of the individual chapters, subsections, and content makes it easy for students to follow.

Modularity rating: 4

The textbook is divided up into main chapters or headings along with subsections which make it easier to read and understand the concepts. Section six, Policing, includes subsections that are quite lengthy and should be broken up further with appropriate graphs or other visuals/information.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This area is one of the strong features of the textbook. The use of this textbook in the classroom is ideal because of the way the individual topics flow in logical sequence.

Interface rating: 4

There were no significant interface or navigation problems with this textbook. One suggestion might be the addition of more appropriate visuals or graphs to underscore the concepts.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

There are some grammatical errors in this textbook, but not to the point where the intent and meaning of the text confuses the reader. For example in section 2.2, "The Problems with Utilitarianism" subsection "Happiness" the word planning was used instead of planting. A second example is in 2.9, "Social Contract Theory" where there are missing words in the second paragraph. Again, these errors do not take away from the meaning of the content.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

There is one section, 4.4, on "Person, Gender, and Cultural Differences in Conformity" that contains some information to help students begin to understand the importance of cultural competence and its connection to ethics and policing in communities that are or fast becoming culturally diverse. There should be much more information devoted to this topic in this textbook. The current issues of ethics and law enforcement reveal a demand that this topic be covered with students in Criminal Justice.

Comments

I would definitely recommend this textbook to be used for students in Criminal Justice. It is a great introduction to ethics and law enforcement. The content of the book can be applied to American policing as well. The issues are relevant. I would like to see more case studies and scenarios where students can do additional critical thinking exercises by working in groups in the classroom.
The textbook is very well done overall.

Reviewed by Patrick Barry, Adjunct Professor, Berkshire Community College on 6/19/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

I was astounded at how comprehensive this book is.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I did not notice any mistakes, or errors.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Very pertinent in this day and age of Covid restrictions, and the protests going on in America right now.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is written by Canadian authors, and references Canadian law, but the ethics apply equally to American policing.

Consistency rating: 5

Excellent consistency in terms of terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 5

Very well ordered, and very easy to divide.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Excellent flow. Table of contents was laid out very well. Chapters flow in very good order.

Interface rating: 5

No issues with interface observed.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

None noticed in the sections I read. Just a few words are spelled the Canadian way, but it is very clear that they have the same meaning as the American version.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I did not detect any offensive or insensitive language.

Comments

I was very impressed with this book. It is extremely comprehensive and would serve as a great text book for a course in Ethics in Policing. Perhaps Berkshire Community College will want to have such a course as an elective. I may suggest it.

Reviewed by Connie Koski, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, Longwood University on 4/5/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This book provides an excellent and effective index/glossary for the information contained therein. However, the content of the book as a whole only contains 8 chapters that could most definitely be expanded upon for greater inclusivity of problems, challenges, and ethical issues facing law enforcement today. Moreover, although there are some U.S scholars cited and some U.S. ethical issues and incidents provided as illustrative examples, the book is written from a Canadian perspective. On the whole, this is not a major issue, given that they are also a democratic nation, but do face some uniquely different challenges than do American law enforcement officers in some instances.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I enjoyed reading this text. It is well written in plain, straight-forward language and poses genuinely thought-provoking questions for students to critically consider. I particularly enjoyed the fact that it was written in such a manner that, when appropriate, both sides of an argument or issue were objectively presented for the reader to weigh and consider based upon supporting evidence and assertions. This tone was set immediately by the authors in Chapter 1 with regard to the pros and cons of the "slippery slope" perspective; a very important one frequently debated in law enforcement.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The one great thing about a book on Ethics in law enforcement (and criminal justice more broadly) is that many of the dilemmas are the same across time and space. They will always be there. Thus, the only real issue is occasionally updating illustrative examples. That being said, however, some of the very best lessons and examples in Law Enforcement Ethics have happened in decades past and will forever remain timeless and important examples.

Clarity rating: 4

As noted above, this book was actually enjoyable to read and was clear, concise, and to the point. I think even someone not interested in becoming a future law enforcement practitioner could readily read and understand the contents and understand the discussion.

Consistency rating: 3

I felt as if it flowed properly and was not confusing; with the exception of the end. This text seemed to end abruptly without any sort of overall summary or reassessment of what had been discussed. It really did not tie together all of the key concepts throughout the book to explain why ethics are so important to law enforcement and/or how law enforcement might go about improving some of the pervasive lack of ethics in certain areas that has persisted over time. I really felt like the book almost "left me hanging," as it were.

Modularity rating: 4

Although this book does not follow the same order as the Ethics text I am currently using, I could see how it might be rearranged to closely model my goals for teaching a course like this.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

I would say yes. It goes from general to specific so that the reader is first allowed to glean a foundational perspective of ethics in general, and then transition to applying that understanding to the ethical and moral dilemmas faced by law enforcement specifically.

Interface rating: 3

I had no issues of this sort when reading this text. However, I might add that today's student is far more visual that someone from my generation. Thus, I would note that there were relatively few (to none) graphics and visual aids contained within this text. This may, for some students, be somewhat of a "turn off" leading to lack of interest. More photos, charts, tables & graphics would be helpful.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not observe any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I found this book to be culturally appropriate, and as noted previously, non-biased in writing style as well as race/ethnicity where appropriate.

Comments

I would have no problem utilizing this textbook in a "pinch," or if it really made a different in my students lives. But it is definitely not my first choice. Further, it does not appear that it has any associated ancillaries whatsoever, so when at a high teaching load institution, I would have to create everything from scratch. While I often do this anyway, I don't always have the time to, and I would have no choice in the event that I adopted this text. given the importance to ethics for Law Enforcement, this class should be included in every Criminology/Criminal Justice program. I would say that with some "tweaks," this would be a fantastic Open resource for students and faculty alike.

Reviewed by Paul Bowdre, Director of Assessment/Coordinator of Criminal Justice Positions, Oakland City University on 2/26/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text begins with a good explanation of the foundations of expected ethical behavior in law enforcement careers and ethical systems. As one moves through the text, the focus expands on ethical dilemmas and ethical issues to individual and agency accountability. Additional topics addressed by the text include investigations due to ethical violations by law enforcement personnel, the role that agency leadership and supervisors are involved with and close with an examination of the law enforcement culture. The text includes The British Columbia Police Code of Ethics as an appendix. The text includes a detailed table of contents, and nearly every chapter of the text includes a brief glossary of key terms.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

A reading of the text failed to identify any errors, and the information presented in the text is current and accurate. It is important to note that as one moves through the text, it is clear that the authors addressed the variety of topics in a manner free of bias.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The manner in which key topics are presented in the text will allow it to be current and relevant for many years. Chapters 3 and 5 address various criminal laws, accountability, and investigative methods. The laws and investigative models presented that may need to be supported with readily available supplemental material in the future. As with many law enforcement topics, a book published in 2015 and is reviewed in 2019 may need a small amount of support with recent material, but the foundation of the text is strong.

Clarity rating: 5

The text presents key issues surrounding ethics in law enforcement in a clear and lucid manner that includes an effort to increase student's understanding of important terminology. The manner in which the information is presented is easy to follow, and the information follows a logical path.

Consistency rating: 5

The organization or framework of the text lends itself to consistency in terms of information exposure, presentation of important concepts, and the connection between ethical behavior by law enforcement officers and societal expectations.

Modularity rating: 5

The organization of the text is separated into chunks of information at logical points. Any instructor could use the text and present the material in an order that fits their course and will find that the text is set-up to allow such actions. Several chapters may be too brief for some instructors, and the terminology that students are exposed to may need to be increased, but these efforts can be made simply and added to the text that would serve as the core material for the course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The overall organization of the text is good, but not all instructors may appreciate the order information is presented. I very much appreciate the information presented in Chapters 1 and 2 and would have liked Chapter 8 on law enforcement culture presented earlier. How the author's present the information in the text is easy to navigate and understand.

Interface rating: 5

The text does not present any concerns related interface and navigation issues. Moving through the text was easy and without hindrance.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors were noted in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The manner in which the information was presented by the authors failed to reveal any obvious bias. The text describes situations and concerns related to the ethical conduct of law enforcement officers that would be acceptable to all genders, races, and ethnicities.

Comments

The text appears to be most appropriate for an undergraduate course that is focusing on ethical conduct by police officers. While the text was published in Canada, much of the material being presented is applicable in North America. The text is brief (only eight chapters) and may be best suited as a supplemental text and not as the primary text for a course. If used a the primary course text, additional resources may be necessary especially as the book ages. Finally, the fact that the material is presented in logical chunks of information and a neutral manner, few students would not find this book as anything other than a great resource.

Reviewed by Andrew Kozal, Lecturer, Bowling Green State University on 2/1/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text starts with a foundation of ethical systems and behavior and then provides the reader specific instances of ethical behavior in law enforcement. It is comprehensive, but also at times too brief in some topic areas i.e. Chapter 3, Ethical Dilemmas and the Process of Effective Resolution. A glossary of terms is located at the end of each chapter and again is brief in nature and may only contain one term.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content appeared to be accurate, error-free and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Much of the material will remain relevant for a long period of time. The foundations of ethical behavior have been similar and consistent for many years. The areas which may not remain relevant are areas such as Chapter 5 Accountability and Investigation and Chapter 7 Discretion, Supervision, and Leadership where new technology will transform law enforcement ethics and behavior in the future. The effects of social media also play an important role in law enforcement ethics and should be discussed in future texts. There are many examples from Canadian police departments that may differ from other police organizations.

Clarity rating: 5

It is very succinct and easy to read.

Consistency rating: 5

The book was consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 4

The book is set up in easily readable sections. However, some instructors utilizing the text may find that some of the sections are too brief in format and may use the text as a supplement to another text and/or course material.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The chapter sequence may not fit the personal needs of all instructors. For example, the last chapter, Chapter 8, discusses the Culture of Law Enforcement which may be better suited towards the beginning of the text. Otherwise, the topics are presented in a clear fashion.

Interface rating: 5

The text is free of significant interface issues. When hyperlinks were utilized there were no navigation issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text contains no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.

Comments

Overall the book covers the topic of Law Enforcement Ethics thoroughly in an easy to read format. This book ideally is a supplement to an undergraduate course on criminal justice ethics or to be used as a stand-alone text in law enforcement academies.

Reviewed by George Wilson, Professor, North Carolina Central University on 2/1/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

I
I really liked the way the book introduced the importance of ethnic behavior first then followed ethnic in law enforcement. This set a framework to talk about the theory and philsophy of ethnic in the following chapter. I would add so material about the impact and importance of ethnic to the entire criminal justice to end the chapter. Law enforcement is the first stage of the criminal justice which influences the public views of the entire system.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book was informative accurate and unbiased and addresses issues that are current today

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book was written so it could be easily updated or new materials added to the list of issues. The only issues that might be added to the next edition is material on politics and law enforcement with an emphasis on the professional duties.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is well written for undergraduate students. However, students using this book should have taken an introduction to law enforcement course so the can relate ethical issues to the operations of policing.

Consistency rating: 4

The book is consist during this period of political change that make influence some perception of the behavior. The may want to address the issues of poverty and race in a proactive manner making should that ethical and cultural addresses.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is written so that I can use and will build my face to face and online moduules around certain chapters.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is organized in the format that I plan to teach my course and I plan to use videos and other materials.

Interface rating: 4

The interface was very good and easy to navigate.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I did a quick read for content issues and did not find any errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

See comment in last box

Comments

I really liked the book and would on add the material on politics, race and culture to the next edition. Black lives matter and gender issues implicit bias might be addressed.

Reviewed by William Lopez, Assistant Probessor, L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College on 6/20/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text is comprehensive yet concise. It covers all pertinent aspects of criminal justice ethics. The text covers a wide range of ethical systems. Various ethical concepts are applied to the three core components of the criminal justice system.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

No inaccuracies or biases were observed.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

I am reviewing this text in 2017, the copyright is 2015. The material seems to be very relevant and up-to-date. This book is a valuable source of information for both criminal justice students and law enforcement practitioners. Because of the veritable explosion of interest and news in the area of criminal justice ethics this book will remain relevant for years to come. At some point in the future a new edition would be appropriate. The text is structured in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement.

Clarity rating: 5

As a teaching instrument it is a valuable resource in that it is presented in a clear, succinct, fashion. It is very easy to follow. An example of one of the features that adds to the book's clarity is an alphabetized list of ethical values found in chapter 3.

Consistency rating: 5

Each chapter in the book was well organized and consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 5

The book was structured in such a format that it was easy to read and can be easily separated into modules for classroom discussion. The text was not excessively self-referential.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics in the text were presented in a logical and clear order.

Interface rating: 5

No significant interface issues or navigation problems.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors were observed.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The content was presented in a culturally unbiased way. No offensive or insensitive wording was detected.

Comments

This publication seems appropriate for any undergraduate level criminal justice ethics college course. This book is well researched and well written. Overall, I like this text as a supplemental resource to other material I am currently using in my criminal justice ethics course. The clarity and conciseness of the material is the strength of this publication.