A police detective has arrested a known sex-offender who is suspected of kidnapping a young child. The detective has arrested this suspect before for allegedly molesting a 16-year-old girl but the suspect got off on a technicality. The detective is a 20-year veteran of the police force and has always believed he has a sixth sense about these things and he knows this suspect is guilty. When interrogating the suspect, the suspect confesses and has revealed details about the kidnapping that the detective believes only the kidnapper would know. Some of the details revealed confirms the location and time police suspect the child was kidnapped and some personal details about the child such as an unusual birth mark on the child's right arm. The known sex-offender also admits he greatly fears being placed in the general population of the city jail. However, he will not tell the detective where to find the child. The child is diabetic (juvenile diabetes) and needs insulin soon or the child will die. The city prosecutor's office believes the suspect is guilty of the kidnapping and has already indicated that if the child dies they will pursue a death penalty conviction. Is it ethical to torture the suspect until he tells the detective where the child is located? (Watch the "Dirty Harry" video below to put the dilemma in context.)
Critical Thinking:
Maintain and open mind.
Evaluate the facts on both sides of the issue and identify those that are relevant.
Identify the precise moral question to be answered.
Apply Aristotle's Virtue Ethics, Bentham's and Mill's Utilitarianism (Consequentialism) and Kant's Duty and Reason (Non-consequentialism) to the moral question based upon an objective evaluation of the facts.
Draw a conclusion.
NOTE: Organize your paper according to four headings: 1) Relevant Facts; 2) Precise Moral Question; 3) Application of Ethical Theories; and 4) Conclusion.