Ethics

Ethics and Morality - The words “morality” (moral) and “ethics” (ethical) are commonly employed as synonyms, even by philosophers. They are, however, different. Morality is personal. Ethics is (are) social.

Ethics in Law Enforcment - Formal ethical theories. Cleaning up New Orleans. Defending the Indefensible.

Ethics in Scientific Research - From a criminological viewpoint, the lack of formal, institutional and bureaucratic reporting mechanisms is a structural impediment. The Uniform Crime Reports of the Department of Justice do attract valid criticisms, but they are nonetheless direct reports by local police on defined categories of crimes. Also, the National Crime Victimization Survey is a self-reporting statistical sampling that easily shows about twice the numbers in all categories versus the UCR. The latitudes in those both being what they are, nothing like them exists for scientific research. On the other hand, a relatively recent academic research survey reported that misconduct is shockingly common.

Ethics in Business - Martha Stewart, the savings and loan scandal, junk bond raiders, … Over the last 20 years, moral failures in capitalism have paralleled the increasing profits to both the corporations and to their chief executive officers. The gap between rich and poor widens. For most people, from 1980 to 2008, wages have risen about two or three times (unadjusted for inflation), while executive compensation has increased 600% over the same period. Since 1980 corporate profits increased over 500%, while taxes on them only tripled. Inequalities in income and wealth represent a grave structural problem in our society for which mere structural solutions may be insufficient. Or so it is claimed.