Ethics In Criminal Justice Practice Test 2026 - Free Ethics and Criminal Justice Practice Questions and Study Guide

The main idea here is how actions are judged by their consequences. A utilitarian framework evaluates what we do based on the outcomes and seeks the greatest overall good for the most people. If harassing a racial minority is believed to prevent terrorism and improve safety for the larger population, a utilitarian would see that action as justifiable because it increases overall welfare, even though it harms a specific group. In contrast, an ethical formalist system focuses on universal moral rules and treating individuals as ends in themselves, so it would condemns using people as means to an end, regardless of assumed benefits. Relativist ethics depend on cultural norms, so its stance could vary by society and isn’t inherently about endorsing harm for a supposed greater good. A rational system, depending on how it’s defined, doesn’t automatically prioritize outcomes over rights in the way utilitarianism does, so it’s less likely to justify harassment for security gains.