Using Kant's ethical formalism, if the police were to operate as if every law included an absolute duty to make arrests
A) America's jails, courtrooms, and prisons would be filled beyond their capacity
B) criminal justice expenditures would skyrocket
C) America's entire criminal justice system would grind to a halt
D) all of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Kant's ethical formalism, the morality of an action depends on whether it follows a universalizable maxim. If the police were to operate as if every law included an absolute duty to make arrests, they would be acting on a maxim that cannot be universalized without contradiction. This is because the duty to arrest would apply to everyone and in every situation, even when it is impractical, harmful, or unjust to do so. As a result, the consequences of such a policy would be detrimental to society as a whole. America's jails, courtrooms, and prisons would be filled beyond their capacity, criminal justice expenditures would skyrocket, and the entire criminal justice system could grind to a halt due to the overwhelming number of arrests, trials, and appeals. Therefore, the best choice is D (all of the above).

Using Kant's Ethical Formalism, If the Police Were to Operate