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Cynthia Molina

Ethical Dilemma Worksheet

Incident Review
1. What is the ethical issue or problem? Identify the issue succinctly.
The ethical issue is that although the officers are certain they are lying, they are not making
an arrest for the violations.

2. What are the most important facts? Which facts have the most bearing on the ethical
decision presented? Include any important potential economic, social, or political pressures,
and exclude inconsequential facts.
They observed staggering and slurring, they fails the sobriety tests and the car is hot. He
failed the test and the car is hot and he is holding the keys after the wife states she was not
left the house. The man was driving intoxicated and he could have injured others. If any
neighbors witnesses this they may cause problems knowing an arrest was not made.

3. Identify each claimant (key actor) who has an interest in the outcome of this ethical issue.
From the perspective of the moral agentthe individual contemplating an ethical course of
actionwhat obligation is owed to the claimant? Why?
Obligation
Claimant
(owed to the
Perspective (What does the claimant hope will happen?)
(key actor)
claimant)
Wife
Protection
Help, then that the officers are understanding she no longer
needed their help
Officers

Truth

That the wife and husband are telling the truth so that justice
can be taken

Husband

Belief

That the officers believe his story so that he wont get arrested

Evaluating Alternatives
4. What are two alternatives for the scenario? One alternative can be a wild card that you
ordinarily may not consider an option because of potential implications. Both should be within
free will and control of the same moral agent.
Alternative A

Alternative B
The officer confronts them with the facts
they have gathered and arrest them for
lying

Make an arrest husband for DWI

5. Respond to the following questions based on your developed alternatives.

Alternative A

What are the best- and

worst-case scenarios if
you choose this
alternative?

Will anyone be harmed if

this alternative is
chosen? If so, how will
they be harmed?
Consider families and
derivative effects.
Would honoring an idea
or valuesuch as
personal, professional, or
religiousmake the
alternative invalid?
Are there any rules, laws,
or principles that support
the alternative? Are there
rules, laws, or principles
that make the alternative
invalid? State the rule or
principle and indicate if it
invalidates or supports
the alternative.

Alternative B

Best case, the wife is safe from

potential hard

Best case: The couple admits to

the lies

Worst case the charges are

dropped

Worst case: wrongful arrest

Yes the husband will be harmed

by the arrest on this record and
the women will feel guilty for
having called the police in the
first place

They will both suffer from being

arrested

Yes, they are providing false

statements to the police officers
no

The officers did not witness the

man actually driving and law
states they have to driving

Yes the law is you cant make

false statements to the police

Applying Ethical Guidelines

6. Consider each ethical guideline and explain whether it would support or reject your
alternative.
Guidelines based on the action itself
Alternative A
Alternative B
Should this alternative become a rule or policy
no
yes
that everyone in this situation should follow in
similar situations in the future? (Kant)
Does this alternative result in using any person as yes
no
a means to an end without consideration for his or
her basic integrity? (Kant)
yes
Is the intent of this action free from vested interest yes
or ulterior motive? (Kants good will)
Does this alternative demonstrate a genuine
concern for others affected by the decision, and is
the moral agency responding to a perceived
need?
Guidelines based on consequences
Is the good that results from this alternative
outweighed by the potential harm that might be
done to others? (Mills harm principle)
Is any harm brought about by anyone other than
the moral agent? (causal harm)
Will anyone be harmed who can be said to be
defenseless? (paternalism)
To what degree is this alternative based on the
moral agents own best interest? (ethical egoism)
Which alternative will generate the greatest
benefitor the least amount of harmfor the
greatest number of people? Select only one
alternative. (utilitarianism)

yes

no

Alternative A
Yes

Alternative B
yes
no

Yes
no
No

Ethical Decision Making

7. Choose to proceed with either Alternative A or Alternative B and explain the reasons for your
decision.
I would proceed with Alternative B. This is a law that is being witnessed. The officers are aware
they are being lied to and have evidence to support their arrest. If they confront the couples with
the information they have they will have to change their story again or admit that they lied.