Assignment:
Genetic characteristics such as intelligence, neurobiology, and neurochemistry were once considered suitable avenues of study in the quest to explain criminal offending and violent behavior. These theories then began a slow decline as they came to be considered less than politically correct and were dropped from many scholars’ research schedules. In recent years various biological theories and explanations of crime have started to gain wider acceptance. Reflect upon the social and ethical ramifications of a wider acceptance for biological explanations of crime. Identify how the consideration of biological explanations of crime could affect policy development, policing, and the adjudication of offenders. Answer should be at least one page in length.
Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 9-0 decision that law enforcement officers must obtain a search warrant prior to conducting a search of an individual's cellular telephone. Failure on the part of law enforcement officials to obtain the necessary search warrant would render any information acquired during such a search inadmissible in a court of law. Police organizations contend that searching suspects’ cell phones is a vital part of the duty to protect officers during the course of an arrest. Privacy advocates maintain that contents contained within an individual’s cell phone should be considered private, similar to a home or an office.
Analyze the application of the Constitution to the operational functions of the police. Identify ethical issues relevant to the Court’s ruling, and explore such questions as whether arresting officers might be endangered due to the Court's ruling. Consider whether the Court’s decision incapacitates the police as they attempt to maintain order and arrest criminal perpetrators. Answer should be at least one page in length.