Survelliance Flashcards
What is surveillance in context of policing?
Surveillance refers to the monitoring of individuals or groups to gather information, often using covert or intrusive methods to enforce the law or ensure public safety.
Why is survelliance considered a critical aspect of policing ethics?
Surveillance involves discretion and affects citizens’ rights to privacy, requiring police to act ethically to avoid misuse of their powers.
What ethical theories guide the use of surveillance in policing?
Duty (deontological), utility (consequentialist), virtue (moral character), and care (emphasizing relationships and needs) are ethical theories applied to guide decisions in surveillance practices.
How does the code of ethics apply to survelliance and policing?
The Code of Ethics promotes ethical reasoning and accountability, ensuring that surveillance methods align with principles like legality, proportionality, and respect for rights.
What are potential abuses of survelliance in policing?
Abuses include corruption for personal or organizational gain, violating privacy, and using surveillance disproportionately against specific groups.
What are “discretionary and coercive activities” in surveillance?
These are actions that rely on police judgment, such as when to deploy intrusive methods, requiring high ethical standards due to their impact on individual freedoms.
What is the “blue code of silence,” and how does it relate to surveillance?
The blue code of silence refers to the informal practice of police protecting each other from accountability, which can lead to unethical uses or cover-ups of improper surveillance.
What role does the National Decision Model (NDM) play in surveillance?
The NDM helps embed ethical reasoning into police decision-making, ensuring surveillance practices are justified, fair, and transparent.
What is the significance of “integrity” in surveillance practices?
Integrity ensures that police resist the temptation to misuse surveillance powers for unethical purposes, maintaining trust and accountability.
What are the risks of surveillance misconduct?
Risks include breaches of privacy, discrimination, wrongful targeting, and creating a culture of distrust between police and the community.
