I work in the criminal justice system and every decision requested needs balancing concern. Our concern is prosecuting the guilty and respecting the right of the accused protecting the victims and creating a safe community. I work with my partner where we handle the majority of homicide cases in our town. A woman who was walking alone in the city was brutally raped, beaten and left for dead. After the attack the women was in coma. In that part of the city a young gang had been terrorizing people committing different types of crimes. Early that evening, a young man was seen in the area assaulting and threatening others, who were passing by where the attack took place. The respondent officials picked up two young men 14 years old near the location of the crime after they fled the scene and they were held for questioning by the police.
My partner and I have been assigned to this case. We already apprehended the two male 14 year olds. They have previous criminal records for robbery and assault and are members of a gang. The law states that minors must be informed of their legal rights to have their parents present during the interview and the proper use of videotape during the interviews. In spite of this, my partner decides to push aside his ethical obligation and precede the interview alone with them without following the correct procedure. Our responsibility as law enforcement is to follow the guiding principle and moral standards of our police department and do what is right.
After the end of the interview, my partner comes to me to tell me he has gotten both of the confessions to the attack. Now with the confessions we will be able to close the case. My partner’s procedures put me in a difficult situation and our department in a typical moral predicament that is difficult to do our responsibility as police officers. We need to follow the law and make the