You are a parole officer who has a single mother with three hyperactive, attention deficit-disorder young children on your caseload. She receives no support from her ex-husband. Her mother wants nothing to do with her or the children because she believes “God is punishing” the young mother. She works as a topless dancer but hates it. She continues dancing because it pays the bills so well. You know she regularly smokes marijuana in an attempt to deal with stress. Obviously, this is a violation of probation. However, if you file a violation report on her, she will go back to prison. You know she is doing the best she can with her kids, is very involved with their school, and they are strongly bonded to her. You worry about what will happen to the kids.

1.What would you do?

Things to consider as you prepare



Ethical judgment: Defer filing a violation report while you work with her to find a better means to support herself and kids. Moral Rules: One should treat each person as an end and not as a means.

One should act in such a way that you will it to be a universal law.

One should do what is best for everyone.

One should do one’s duty.

Ethical system: A strict duty-based system might support filing a violation report, however, it depends on the definition of duty. It could be argued that a probation officer’s duty is not to automatically file violation reports, but rather to “protect society.” In this expanded view of duty, resolving the situation without filing a violation report might be