Course Outline of Record

Item	Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	12/03/2024
Top Code	150900 - Philosophy
Units	3 Total Units
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	0
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	Yes
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S),  Pass/No Pass (B)

Course Description

This course is an introduction to applied ethics and leadership principles within the context of the criminal justice system. Topics include moral theories, professional ethics, theories of justice, and philosophy of punishment with a focus on their application within the profession of law enforcement and its place in society. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

1. Course Outcomes
2. Describe the moral standards for law enforcement professions, such as the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics.
3. Analyze moral issues in policing, such as police misconduct and abuse of power.
4. Explain the attributes of ethical leadership in law enforcement.

Course Objectives

• 1. Explain relevant moral principles within the criminal justice system and public service.
• 2. Identify important moral dilemmas within the criminal justice system and ways of resolving them.
• 3. Analyze the importance of moral principles, including justice, in law enforcement.

---

Lecture Content

Applied moral topics Capital punishment Use of force Impartiality and profiling Racial, gender, etc., disparities Moral theories Consequentialism Deontology Virtue ethics Role ethics and the ethics of care Subjectivism and cultural relativism Legal vs. moral wrongness Religious ethics Justice Concepts of justice Justice within law enforcement Justice within the broader legal system Police role in society Warrior mentality versus guardian Discretion, duty, and discrimination Six Pillars of 21st Century Policing Types of corruption Gratuities On-duty use of drugs/alcohol Theft Sexual misconduct Excessive force Ethics in legal professions Attorney-client relationship Ethical issues for prosecutors/defense attorney's Ethical issues for judges Philosophy of punishment Rationales for punishment: retribution, deterrence, rehabilitation, incapacitation, and restoration Community corrections Ethical issues for probation, parole, and corrections officers Organizational ethics Leadership Compliance versus commitment Professionalism in criminal justice Public trust Code of ethics Professional standards The Six Pillars of Character Letter of the law versus spirit of the law

Method(s) of Instruction

• Lecture (02)
• DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
• DE Online Lecture (02X)

Reading Assignments

Textbook readings, Law Enforcement Code of Ethics, Six Pillars of 20th Century Policing

Writing Assignments

Essays, papers, and short answer, with a focus on the application of moral principles.

Out-of-class Assignments

Writing assignments, discussions, quizzes.

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Analyze arguments in ethics, identifying premises and conclusions Evaluate ethical arguments Apply ethical positions to cases Identify consequences and implications of ethical positions

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Essays, papers, and short answer, with a focus on the application of moral principles.

Eligible Disciplines

Philosophy: Master's degree in philosophy OR bachelor's degree in philosophy AND master's degree in humanities or religious studies, OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Cheeseman, Kelly. Everyday Ethics for the Criminal Justice Professional , 4th ed. Charlotte: Carolina Academic Press, 2024 2. Required Levin, Noah (ed). Introduction to Ethics: An Open Educational Resource (OER), 1st ed. NGE Far Press, 2019 Rationale: A collection of classic readings on ethics and applied moral topics.

Manuals Resources

1. Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Code of Ethics, Section 1013, State of California , 07-01-2020 2. President?s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Final Report of the President?s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services , 05-01-2015