MORAL RESPONSIBILITY By: Ronald F. White, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy College of Mount St. Joseph

Conceptual Framework Praise and Blame –Forward Looking (Teleological) –Backward Looking (Deontological) Legal Responsibility and Moral Responsibility Individual Responsibility Collective Responsibility

Individual Responsibility Responsible Persons –Rationality –Free Will Responsibility Limiting Conditions –Imperfect information –Imperfect Freedom Personal Coercion (Threats and Enticements) Circumstantial Coercion –Social Coercion –Biological Coercion

Collective Responsibility Groups as Voluntary Associations Hierarchies –Leaders and Followers Information Flow- Coercive Power-delegation of responsibility Responsibility Within Hierarchies –Information –Consent Coercive Force- –Threats and Freedom to Exit Shared Responsibility

CASES Jim Jones- –The People’s Temple Agricultural Project –Jonestown, Guyana –Mass Suicide: (Nov. 1978) 914 died: 638 adults and 276 children Enron Scandal- Corporate Culture

Federal Sentencing Guidelines 1991 Assessing Legal Responsibility for Organizations –Individual Culpability –Corporate Culpability Organizational Structure can Cause Criminal Activity Diffusion of Responsibility in Organizations Strengthen Internal Mechanisms to Prevent Criminal Activity by Agents and Employees Theories: –Respondeat Superior Theory-any crime committed by an employee within an organization is the prganization’s responsibility. (even “rogue employees”) – Model Penal Code Theory-direct participation, authorization, or tolerance of high officials. –Corporate Character Theory-culpability based on corporate policies or customs cause agents or employees to violate the law on behalf of the corporation. Participation of HIGH Managerial Officials Prior History Obstruction of Justice and Cooperation with Authorities Program to Prevent and Detect Violations of Law