Argosy University Module 3 Assignment 2 – Crime and Ethical Standards

Since
you have demonstrated your knowledge about criminal justice so well, the chief
of police has another assignment for you. Chief Draper wants you to review a
specific case and assess the arresting officer’s conduct. To prepare your
report, you consider certain factors, such as the societal factors that may
have influenced the suspect’s behavior, the role of the government in terms of
protecting both society and an individual’s rights, and the ethical standards
that govern law enforcement.
Here’s
What Happened . . .
Centervale
police officer Lance Marconi responded to a call for service from a high-end
retailer, who reported that an unkempt woman wearing disheveled, dirty, and
torn clothing left the store without paying for items she selected while shopping
in the Misses Clothing Department. The store manager reported that the woman
failed to respond to any verbal prompts made to her by store associates.
As
Officer Marconi drove toward the store, he noticed a woman matching her
description walking along the side of the road, carrying what appeared to be
clothing. Once the officer reached the location of the woman, he recognized
her—Mary Jones—as being an individual he had arrested several times before for
public drunkenness, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance,
felony larceny, and prostitution. Officer Marconi anticipated that this could
be a very challenging situation because Jones did not like law enforcement,
tended to be aggressive, and had, in the past, run as soon as she saw a police
cruiser. Marconi called for backup and asked Jones to stop as he stepped out of
his vehicle. She started to run, but he caught up with her very quickly.
Jones
struggled with Officer Marconi on the ground, although he managed to humanely
subdue her and place her in handcuffs. Officer Marconi called the incident into
Communications and placed the suspect in his cruiser. He then gathered the
clothing items dropped by the suspect along the side of the road. He noticed
the items had price tags displaying the name of the retailer who reported the
initial incident to law enforcement. During transport, Jones yelled and became
very agitated.
When
she arrived at the police department, Jones was very upset. She tried to hurt
herself by banging her head on the desk as the officer tried to interview her
about the alleged larceny report. It was clear to Officer Marconi that Jones
was under the influence of drugs, so he discontinued the interview process.
Marconi requested emergency medical services, and Jones was taken by ambulance
to the hospital.
Here’s
What You Need To Do . . .
After
carefully reviewing the case details, prepare a 2- to 3-page report assessing
whether the procedures (both legal and ethical) were followed appropriately.
Your report should address the following:

Select one of the crimes Jones has been previously
charged with (e.g., public drunkenness, resisting arrest, possession of a
controlled substance, felony larceny, or prostitution).

What type of crime is it (misdemeanor or felony)?
How is this crime defined in the state in which you
live?
How might societal factors have influenced this
suspect’s crimes?

Analyze how the purpose of government and the social
contract might protect the rights (e.g., safety and security) of the
suspect in this case.
Compare the various roles Officer Marconi must play in
this case. Consider that Marconi must enforce the law and protect the
suspect from harm at the same time.
Analyze how a law enforcement officer’s actions might
be influenced if he or she is arresting an “unsympathetic suspect or
victim,” specifically a suspect or victim who the officer has
arrested before or who engages in a high-risk lifestyle, such as substance
abuse, drug dealing, or prostitution. Justify whether Officer Marconi
acted accordingly.
How might the criminal justice professional maintain
ethical standards when working with diverse populations?
Once charged, what rights does the defendant, Jones,
have?

Be
sure to organize your paper into clear and concise paragraphs. Include an
APA-formatted reference page that links to your in-text citations.