Drug and Violent Investigation
Name
Institution
Course Number/Name
Instructor
Date
Drug and Violent Investigation
Leaking the identity of a seventeen-year-old gang member
The fact that I was fairly certain about the crime committed by the seventeen-year-old gang member would not warrant that he is 100 percent guilty. Due to these aspects, it is illegal to leak this crucial information to the public because it would result in this teenager being killed by the rival gang members. As a prosecutor, I am tasked with prosecuting the offender according to the law and not getting him killed due to my actions. Concerning leaking the identity of this gang member, some courts consider it as a minor offense. However, what I have to say about the case is that I would not want to leak this vital information to the public even if they would be given protective custody upon pleading guilty for the offense he had committed. In the event this gang member had his public known to media and take the chance of gaining protective custody; then there would be another chance of his name being mentioned (Rossen, 2016). According to the law, some individuals are put under protective custody and have their names changed and have new identities only if the threat to them is factual (Rossen, 2016).
In this scenario, knowing that I am fairly certain he is the one who committed the crime does not warrant me to leak this information to the public. This scenario is similar to having an individual apprehended for murdering someone, but the probability that he committed the crime is only 80 percent and not 100 percent. According to research, numbers are crucial when charging an individual for some crimes (Rossen, 2016). The same rules apply to this scenario. Unless the existing numbers and evidence suggest that this young man committed this crime, his identity needs to be protected and kept away from the public until further notice.
Authorizing the arrest of a fourteen-year-old
The fact that law enforcement agencies use a wide range of tools and tactics in making one confess to being guilty makes this situation tricky. In this scenario, the officers could have tried using another approach and see if the boy would open up and talk to the family members who the officers believe to be the actual killer. Following this procedure, there is no way trauma would be created to the young boy and his family by seeing him arrested for crimes they did not commit. Since such incidents have happened, these officers can conduct their search and find the real person who committed the crime (Redlich et al., 2004). As for if authorizing the arrest of this young man is ethical, I do not think it is fair for this boy to go through this arrest; however, if it is the only way would help apprehend the right criminal. I don’t see any harm in using this young man’s arrest to prove the family member’s guilt.
Authorizing the arrest of one’s Brother for Possessing marijuana.
If authorizing a young man’s arrest for possessing a small amount of marijuana would result in him losing a college scholarship to leverage him testify against his brother, it does not give me reasons for making an arrest. If conducting the arrest will ensure leverage for him to testify on his brother operating a drug smuggling which has often resulted in the deaths of numerous teenagers, then I do not see the challenge other than it won’t be fair for the young man to lose his scholarship even if the judge throws away the case eventually (Russell, 2009). However, in terms of ethical morals, I understand that it is crucial for the arrest to be conducted to ensure that the bigger crime can be stopped and the right individuals convicted for their crimes. As to whether I agree with this arrest, I do not entirely agree; however, I see the need to make the arrest since I am fully aware of it. Additionally, even if the brother was arrested for possessing a small amount of marijuana, this aspect would not guarantee him losing his scholarship (Russell, 2009).
References
Rossen, J. (2016). Secrets of the Witness Protection Program. Mental floss.
Redlich, A. D., Silverman, M., Chen, J., & Steiner, H. (2004). The police interrogation of children and adolescents. In Interrogations, confessions, and entrapment (pp. 107-125). Springer, Boston, MA.
Russell, S. F. (2009). Rethinking recidivist enhancements: The role of prior drug convictions in federal sentencing. UC Davis L. Rev., 43, 1135.