Moral values seem to be top of mind for many Americans. According to a recent Gallup poll, most Americans think the country’s moral state is at a low point — in fact, it's the lowest it has been in over 20 years. And their feelings about the future are not rosy either, the poll found.
With a high-stakes 2024 presidential election around the corner, we asked two University of California, Riverside experts to weigh-in on crime and morality. How does morality apply to public figures and why does that matter? What does a felony mean for an average American who lacks wealth or celebrity status?
Following is commentary from John Martin Fischer, distinguished professor of philosophy and coauthor of the book, “Should You Choose to Live Forever?: A Debate” (2023, Routledge), and Michael A. Ramos, former San Bernardino County district attorney, author, and current external relations director at UCR’s Presley Center of Crime & Justice Studies.
John Martin Fischer
Q: When people talk about a person’s principles and morals, what do they mean?
A: Crucially, principles are “general.” For example, I cannot just make exceptions on a whim to a principle. So, when I adopt a principle, I need to be consistent. Moral principles are those general action-guides that are acceptable from a perspective that includes more than just me. Typically, we might say that a moral principle is one that can be justified when taking into account the interests and rights of all affected parties (humans and perhaps also animals). That is, they apply to persons in general, and not just to me and those I love/care about. This is not to say that moral principles must be “utilitarian,” i.e., require the greatest good for the greatest number. That is a particular moral principle, but morality simply involves taking into account all persons’ (and animals’) interests and rights in arguably justified ways (which differ in different moral theories). For a utilitarian (such as John Stuart Mill, a British philosopher and economist from the 1800s), the most important moral fact is the capacity for pleasure (or perhaps happiness) and pain. For a Kantian, it is our capacity for reasoning and the rights that come with it.
Q: Why do morals matter?
A: Morality is important from an individual point of view and also a societal one. From an individual perspective, it helps to guide our actions in consistent ways. A set of moral principles can be so central to us that they become part of our identities — of who we are at a fundamental level. From a societal level, morality is crucial for coordinating behavior in such a way as to minimize conflict and enable individuals to flourish in their lives. In short, morality is part of the glue that keeps us together as societies (and teams, families, and so forth), and allows us to make free choices about our lives. Morality (along with the related institution of law) helps to give us reliable expectations about how we can form our plans of life and act on them within a social setting, without being subject to unpredictable interventions and human-imposed obstacles.
How does this apply to politicians? It is important that we know and can trust a political candidate. Specifically, we need them to be consistent, compatible with the changing times and social situations. This allows us to be confident that the office holder will have the basic values of the candidate. If an individual does not have a moral framework, and just goes whichever way the political wind blows, we really don’t know whom we’re voting for (and what the office holder will be like). Morality thus is an important part of democracy.
Michael A. Ramos
Q: What is a felony?
A: A felony is determined by the California penal code. It is defined by the type of crime it is and the seriousness of the crime. Most would agree that the crime of assault with a deadly weapon, rape, and of course murder, are very violent crimes and should be considered felonies. There is another category of what they call nonviolent/non-serious crimes such as drug dealing, burglaries, and some auto thefts that are considered felonies as well. This is different from misdemeanor crimes that are usually nonviolent, property crimes, and drug possession crimes. Again, the extensive list is in the penal code.
Q: How is a person’s day-to-day life impacted when a felony appears in their background check?
A: The stigma of having a felony conviction on your record makes it very difficult to get a decent job even after you have done your time in state prison or county jail. Employers are concerned about their businesses when it comes to employee misconduct or theft by employees. It also creates issues regarding housing, especially, federal grant housing and simple things like purchasing a car.
Currently the UCR Presley Center of Crime & Justice Studies is conducting a study on prison-to-work issues.
Q: Generally speaking, can felonies be expunged or “erased” from a person’s criminal record? If so, under what circumstances or conditions?
A: A felony can be expunged from a person’s record who has stayed crime free and has completed their sentence whether it be prison, jail, or felony probation (or a combination of all three). A felony probation allows a felon to serve their sentence out of custody while adhering to laws, court orders, and all terms of probation. The person is assigned a probation officer that they have to meet on a regular basis as well.
The expungement can be done by calendaring a hearing in superior court. I would highly recommend this to those looking to changing their lifestyle and becoming productive citizens.
