Addresses the following topics:
Explain the kinds of improper or illegal behaviors some police officers have exhibited.
Explain bias-based policing, why it can be so problematic in policing and what police leadership can do to address it.
Create at least three recommendations on how police leaders can create an environment of ethical policing and how they can prevent police misconduct.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Addressing Improper and Illegal Behaviors of Police Officers
Improper and illegal behaviors exhibited by some police officers have been a longstanding issue that raises concerns about accountability and public trust. While it is important to acknowledge that the majority of police officers fulfill their duties with integrity, there have been instances of misconduct that cannot be ignored. Some common examples of improper or illegal behaviors among police officers include:
Excessive Use of Force: Instances where officers use force beyond what is necessary and proportionate to the situation, resulting in injury or death. This can be due to factors such as lack of proper training, inadequate policies, or personal biases.
Racial Profiling: The practice of targeting individuals based on their race, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics, rather than reasonable suspicion or evidence of criminal behavior. Racial profiling perpetuates systemic discrimination and erodes community trust.
Corruption: Instances where police officers engage in bribery, extortion, or other forms of illicit activities for personal gain. This undermines the integrity of the police force and compromises their ability to serve and protect the public.
Bias-based policing, also known as racial profiling, is a particular form of improper behavior that is deeply problematic in policing. It occurs when officers disproportionately target individuals from specific racial or ethnic backgrounds based on stereotypes or prejudices. This not only violates the principles of fairness and equality but also exacerbates existing social divisions and erodes community trust in law enforcement.
Police leadership plays a crucial role in addressing bias-based policing and creating an environment of ethical policing. Here are three recommendations on how police leaders can achieve this:
Implement Bias Training Programs: Police leaders should prioritize training programs that address implicit biases and promote unbiased policing practices. These programs should educate officers about the impact of bias, enhance their cultural competence, and provide strategies to mitigate unconscious biases when making decisions in the field.
Foster Accountability and Transparency: Police leaders need to establish clear policies and procedures for reporting and investigating misconduct. They should create a culture of accountability wherein officers are held responsible for their actions. This includes conducting thorough and impartial internal investigations, cooperating with external oversight bodies, and promptly addressing any substantiated complaints.
Strengthen Community Engagement: Police leaders must prioritize building strong relationships with the communities they serve. This can be achieved through regular dialogue, community forums, and collaborative problem-solving initiatives. By actively engaging with community members, police leaders can gain valuable insights and foster mutual trust, thereby reducing the potential for bias-based policing.
Enhance Recruitment and Training Practices: Police leaders should focus on recruiting diverse candidates who reflect the demographics of the communities they serve. Additionally, comprehensive training programs should be implemented to equip officers with the necessary skills to effectively interact with diverse populations and de-escalate potentially volatile situations.
Promote Officer Wellness and Support: Police leaders must prioritize the well-being of their officers by providing access to mental health support services, stress management programs, and regular debriefing sessions. By addressing the personal challenges faced by officers, leaders can reduce the risk of misconduct resulting from stress or burnout.
In conclusion, addressing improper or illegal behaviors exhibited by some police officers is a complex issue that requires proactive measures from police leadership. By implementing bias training programs, fostering accountability and transparency, strengthening community engagement, enhancing recruitment and training practices, and promoting officer wellness and support, police leaders can create an environment of ethical policing while preventing misconduct. These efforts are crucial in rebuilding public trust, improving relationships with communities, and ensuring that law enforcement serves as a force for justice and equality.
