Making Difficult Ethical Decision Assignment

Do you believe in “an eye for an eye” as a method of punishing a crime? If we apply this method, the “criminal” pays the same price as the damage his/her crime caused. Alternatively, do you believe that the criminal should be re­trained or rehabilitated so that he or she would not commit the same crime again? But what about the victim of the crime and his or her rights? In a narrower setting, if your employee comes to work under the influence of illicit drugs, should you fire the employee, or should you require that they seek medical and emotional health assistance, at your cost? Your answers to these questions come from your fundamental beliefs about the role of punishment in an organization and in society.

This week, we will discuss two of the most common theories of reward and punishment—namely retributive versus restorative approaches to fair and ethical punishment.

Instructions

1. In your textbook, Ethics: Theory and Practice , read:
2. Chapter 7: Reward and Punishment 2. Chapter 9: The Taking of Human Life 3. Chapter 10: Allowing Someone to Die 2. Watch the following videos:
3. Watch: Why Do We Need Restorative Justice? (3 minutes) 2. Watch: What Is Retributive Justice? (3 minutes) 3. Watch How Language Shapes the Way We Think (Timepoint 8:52 ­ 10:47) 3. After completing the readings and viewing the assigned videos, consider what type of

punishment—retributive or restorative—is more aligned with your personal values and beliefs. 4. In a 2­3 page APA formatted paper , respond to the questions below using citations from

the resources to support your opinions.

1. Assume that you serve on a jury that has just found a defendant guilty of fraud in

which the person defrauded and stole $50,000 from a small business operated by a single parent who cares for three children, causing the victim significant financial hardship. You listened to the evidence carefully and voted “guilty.” Based on your examination of your belief about ethical punishment, what punishment would you recommend for the defendant: i. A 2­year prison term

EDTE 607 Making Difficult Ethical Decisions Assignment

2. A 2­year rehabilitation or retraining program iii. Something else 2. In your response, make sure that you state:
3. What is your stance about how justice is to be distributed; that is, do you

believe that “punishment should fit the crime” or should we aim to ensure that the offender is treated and attended to so that she or he would not commit the crime again? ii. In view of the scenario given, how do you think your culture affects your

viewpoint? iii. What personal values and beliefs led to your decision? iv. Make sure that your responses are informed by your understanding of

retributive punishment versus restorative punishment. EDTE 607 Making Difficult Ethical Decisions Assignment