Professional Conduct and Ethics Flashcards
7 cards from real CCO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Professional Conduct and Ethics flashcards as text
An inmate discloses suicidal ideation to a corrections officer. The officer's primary ethical and legal duty is to:
Answer: Immediately notify mental health staff and document the disclosure
Suicidal disclosures require immediate referral to mental health professionals and documentation to fulfill the duty of care.
Which best describes 'ethical relativism' and why it is problematic in corrections?
Answer: It suggests ethics vary by situation, potentially justifying misconduct case by case
Ethical relativism is problematic in corrections because it can be used to rationalize misconduct by claiming situational exceptions to standards.
When an officer is subpoenaed to testify in court about an incident at the facility, the officer's ethical obligation is to:
Answer: Testify truthfully based on direct personal knowledge and documentation
Officers are obligated to testify truthfully under oath; coordinating false testimony constitutes perjury and obstruction of justice.
A corrections officer who repeatedly ignores an inmate's documented medical needs could be found liable for violating:
Answer: The Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment
Ignoring serious medical needs constitutes deliberate indifference under the Eighth Amendment, as established in Estelle v. Gamble.
An officer suspects a coworker is under the influence of alcohol while on duty. The officer should:
Answer: Immediately report the concern to a supervisor
An impaired officer poses immediate safety risks to staff and inmates, obligating colleagues to report the situation to supervisors.
Which practice best supports ethical decision-making when an officer faces a morally ambiguous situation?
Answer: Consult the agency's policy manual, supervisor, and applicable law before acting
Consulting policy, supervisors, and law provides a structured ethical framework that reduces the risk of misconduct in ambiguous situations.
The term 'code of silence' in corrections refers to:
Answer: An informal norm among officers to not report colleague misconduct
The code of silence is a cultural norm that pressures officers to protect colleagues from accountability, which undermines integrity and safety.