Ethical Dilemmas for the Correctional Professional

Use the questions below as a basis for your discussion.

DISCUSSION:

What is the real issue?
What are the ethical considerations?
What is the source of the gap that may have contributed to this issue?
What are the ramifications for doing the "right" thing?
What are your options?
How might your solution in one area cause a problem in another area?
What is the impact on the bigger picture?

Scenario 1

Your Deputy Warden routinely makes ethnic, gender, and sexual "jokes" and you are very uncomfortable, but since you work directly for the Deputy, you are often together in meetings. No formal complaints have been made. You get the sense that the Warden knows about the behavior, but you aren't sure. Lately, others you work with are also joining in. Your stress level is up and you are becoming unhappy at work. You have spoken to the Deputy once about your feelings, but (s)he laughed them off.

Scenario 2

You are a Manager and you inherited one Assistant Supervisor who is an extremely weak supervisor (he is also the son-in-law of your boss). Do you shift the problem and issues to a more competent assistant or do you try to "fix" him? He doesn't see that he has a problem-he thinks you have it out for him.

Scenario 3

As you have just moved into senior management, you work with other executives in your agency who "preach" one set of practices and principles, but behind closed doors are very different. It has been very disappointing to you.