Ethical Dilemma in Law Enforcement: Confidentiality and Misuse of Information

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The case provided shows a potential moral conundrum involving police personnel and the private data kept in their Records Management System (RMS). A citizen named Badpenny reveals personal information about narcotics bust with her boyfriend Dreadford, who claims that a dishonest police officer framed him. This raises concerns regarding how confidential information should be appropriately handled and the potential repercussions of doing so. The case emphasizes the value of moral decision-making and the consequences of breaking legal requirements. The present essay will analyze external factors influencing Badpenny’s Decision to share Confidential Information, applying Kohlberg’s Moral Stages and strategies to promote ethical conduct.

External Factors Influencing Badpenny’s Decision to Share Confidential Information

In the given scenario, Badpenny must decide whether to share private information from the Records Management System (RMS) of the Grantham County Sheriff’s Office with her boyfriend, Dreadford. Several outside circumstances for Badpenny influences the choice to reveal personal information. First, Badpenny may have been less devoted to the police force since she believed Dreadford when he claimed Detective Alphonse Krupt, or Al Krupt, was dishonest. As a result, she may have believed that the police force was corrupt. Second, Badpenny’s decision to divulge private information may have been influenced by her desire to satisfy Dreadford and appear knowledgeable. Last but not least, Badpenny’s consumption of alcohol may have affected her judgment and led her to divulge the information.

Additionally, Badpenny’s choice to reveal private information was affected by the organizational structure of the University City Police Department and the Grantham County Sheriff’s Office. Employees within the agency have access to the RMS system, and strict rules prohibit releasing private information to the general public. Internal controls, such as audit trails or monitoring of user activity on the system, might have made it simpler for staff members like Badpenny to access and exchange private information covertly (Westmarland & Conway, 2020). In addition, Badpenny’s choice to tell Dreadford about the data may have been influenced by the absence of clear rules defining confidential material and who has access to it. An ethical organization should have a framework that emphasizes the value of moral behavior and offers employees training and specific rules to follow.

Application of Kohlberg’s Moral Stages to Badpenny and Dreadford

Kohlberg describes the stages of moral development in people. According to Kohlberg, there are three levels of moral growth: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional (Wood et al., 2019). On Kohlberg’s pre-conventional level, individuals are guided by avoiding punishment when making decisions. Badpenny telling Dreadford about sensitive information could be categorized as stage two characterized by one focusing on their self-interest and personal gain. On the other hand, stage three of Kohlberg’s pre-conventional level may be applied to Dreadford’s conviction that Detective Al Krupt had set him up. The emphasis on getting other people’s approval and upholding positive relationships characterizes this stage. At this point, people base their decisions on what is socially acceptable and what other people think of them.

Strategies to Promote Ethical Conduct

Many interventions can be used to promote ethical conduct inside an organization. First, businesses can regularly teach their staff members about moral behavior. Clear instructions on what information is secret and the repercussions of breaking confidentiality policies should be included in the training (Saidon & Ab Ghani, 2020). Second, firms can put internal controls to identify and stop illegal access to sensitive data, such as audit trails or monitoring staff activity on systems. Finally, businesses may create a culture of openness and responsibility. Employees should be urged to report unethical behavior without fear of reprisal, and the organization should emphasize the value of ethical conduct.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that an employee’s decision to provide personal information might be influenced by outside factors like trust, the desire to please, and alcohol use. The organizational structure can also influence ethical decisions, particularly internal controls and policies. Badpenny’s decision to reveal sensitive information to Dreadford might be categorized as stage two in Kohlberg’s pre-conventional level under Kohlberg’s moral stages, whereas Dreadford’s conviction that Detective Al Krupt set.

References

Saidon, I. M., & Ab Ghani, N. (2020). How does organizational ethical climate affect interpersonal deviance? The role of moral disengagement. Accounting, Finance, Sustainability, Governance & Fraud: Theory and Application, 3-20. Web.

Westmarland, L., & Conway, S. (2020). Police ethics and integrity: Keeping the ‘blue code’ of silence. International Journal of Police Science & Management, 22(4), 378-392. Web.

Wood, G., Roithmayr, D., & Papachristos, A. V. (2019). The network structure of police misconduct. Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 5, 237802311987979. Web.

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Ethical Dilemma in Law Enforcement: Confidentiality and Misuse of Information

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