Undercover Work is Ethical when it is the Best Means

What is morality, and ethics and how does relate to prevention of serious crime? I have asked this question of myself several times over the last several years. Now morality according to Merriam-Webster is a doctrine or system of moral conduct. This in nonprofessionals' terms means principles of right and wrong, without qualification to any certain system of belief. Morals are simply based on the individuals perceptions of right and wrong, social norms state moral codes that are generally accepted by all involved in that society however again these can be seen in varying degrees and ways due to individual perception. Ethics is yet another interesting word; it is the approach of the individual to those group moral views. Understanding the difference is important especially when approaching something that is a potential bombshell like undercover law enforcement work and what should be allowed or disallowed.

I was asked to support a position either against or for undercover work, to do so I chose for the stance that undercover work is ethical when it is the best means (to complete an investigation.) Being fully aware of the issues that can arise when this stance is held I will attempt to explain myself in detail. Current United States legal codes provide protection for citizens whether they are criminal or not, however according to the current Judicial Code a felon can no longer vote, bear arms, or one of several other things that most legal citizens claim as inherent rights. In effect, the Judicial System in these United States has made the felon (one who commits a felony) someone that is no longer technically a citizen. My views in this regard mean little as I feel strongly that those that break the law and negatively and permanently affect the lives of another human (without just cause) should lose their rights in normal society. When investigating potential candidates for this dubious distinction (felon status) I feel that any means necessary (within the structure of the law) should be allowed to gain information needed to place these lawbreakers in state or federal custody. I do not feel that the rights of the felonious individual are as important as those of the law abiding one. I have mentioned the greater good several times, and this is a mantra I wholeheartedly follow in my day-to-day life. If someone is guilty or has committed grievous crimes against others within their societal group, they do not deserve the rights of everyone else. I feel that the rights most citizens find normal should be earned, and when breaking them you lose that ability. Therefore, when I state that undercover work is ethical when it is the best means, I do indeed mean this in the full context necessary.

morality. (2008). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
Retrieved August , 2008, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morality