Graduation Year
2014
Abstract
The American pledge of allegiance and Constitution indicate that liberty and justice are provided for all citizens and that we are guaranteed equal protection under the law. Understanding the state of nature as Thomas Hobbes did, it is clear that liberty and justice are not efficiently allocated and there is no protection under law. Therefore, these ethical concepts are provided in civil society tangibly through civil services including policing. This essay views local police resources as an economic good, limited in its supply, in need of both equitable and efficient allocation. The ethical implications of inequitable or inefficient policing are potentially staggering, and so several policing strategies are analyzed in terms of costs and benefits, or trade-offs between liberties and justices. I maintain that empirical crime data is a necessary component of ethical policing as it tremendously enhances the efficiency with which police allocate liberty and justice. Furthermore, personal morality is an important aspect of ethical police work, considering there are social and local biases that must be avoided and values that must be prioritized.
Recommended Citation
Bates, Jake K.
(2014)
"“…With Liberty and Justice Equitably and Efficiently Allocated for All”,"
CrissCross: Vol. 2:
Iss.
1, Article 2.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/crisscross/vol2/iss1/2
