Although the criminal justice system, in which police officers, prosecutors, and probation officers are included, is focused on law enforcement, the application of force and the prevention of harm may be regarded as one of the most controversial issues. In general, it is possible to say that the criminal justice system is predominantly teleological, however, the elements of the deontological approach are presented in it as well. The participants of the system are conducted by the law that presupposes particular punishment for every type of misconduct. Thus, teleology is connected with the theory of punishment that states that offenders should be punished to prevent future wrongdoing and contribute to the well-being and happiness of people (“Punishment,” n.d.). Although it is impossible to create a crime-free society, it is the responsibility of the criminal justice system to deter crimes in the future. At the same time, the actions of the system’s participants may cause dissatisfaction, however, their results are more important for the commonwealth. For instance, police officers may stop a suspicious person for frisking or put down a protest when they are sure that no crime will be committed and no civilians will be affected by protesters’ emotions.
At the same time, the criminal justice system considers the reason for crimes regardless of their outcomes in order to define the presence or absence of punishment. For instance, prosecutors will have a different attitude to a cold-blooded murderer and a man who killed another person protecting his family. Thus, it is possible to say that the system is conducted by a teleological ethical system, however, deontology is considered as well n relation to the motives of crimes to minimize the unnecessary harm to an offender.
Reference
Punishment. (n.d.). Web.