ABSTRACT
As you approach the study of ethics, crime, and justice, it is important that you view your study as a search, journey, or exploration. This search in many ways will yield more questions than answers. It is a creative endeavor in which a number of your beliefs and assumptions will be challenged. Questions such as “Can moral or ethical behavior be illegal and legal actions be immoral?” and “Can we have a more equitable criminal justice system without addressing social problems such as poverty and discrimination?” will test the limits of your personal values and beliefs (Braswell & LaFollette, 1988). This study will also encompass a variety of disciplines that contribute to criminal justice, including law, economics, psychology, sociology, philosophy, and theology. For the purposes of our exploration we will use the terms ethical and moral interchangeably.
