Many universities fail to provide appropriate education in their curriculum (e.g. practicum or internship) in forensic psychology. Therefore, as they obtain a career in this area they lack competency regarding the Code of Ethics, as well as other guidelines which can create ethical dilemmas in the future (Knapp & VadeCreek, 2001). Additionally, these individuals lack competency regarding the roles of the forensic psychologist. The role of a forensic psychologist is to function as an expert witness by the means of conducting evaluations, as well as interpreting the results for the legal system. With this being said the information provided assist with the outcome of the defendant sentences (Bush, Connell, & Denney, 2006). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the ethical concerns regarding the evaluation performed by Dr. Jones to determine if Mr. Smith is competent to stand trial and/or understand criminal responsibility. Furthermore, this paper will employ references from the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct written by the American Psychological Association and the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology written by the American Psychology-Law Society.
Ethical Dilemma One Dr. Jones was order by the court to execute an evaluation on Mr. Smith who is charged with killing his girlfriend 3 year-old daughter. EPPCC 3.06: Conflict of Interest – states psychologist should refrain from taking an professional role in personal, legal or other interests
Throughout my educational journey, my interest and attention was always captivated by classes which had even the slightest tendency towards Forensic Psychology. Yet, my passion remained unconscious until I took a class of Criminal Law in Business, class which seemed to hold the answer for the consuming question “What am I going to study at University?” From there, I began putting the puzzle pieces together, determined to find the source of the spark- Law, Criminology, Forensic Science all seemed to bring me closer to the right one for me: Forensic Psychology. Reading the first few lines of the field description was enough to assure me that there is no other subject could fascinate, intrigue and motivate me to give by best to apart from this. I became infatuated with the evidence that evil in a human being can be so incandescent, transparent and mischievous that it could bring down any barrier of normality. I became absorbed by its power to grow into the mind and punish the
There are many research studies conducted in the past that would not be considered ethical today. This essay will review two research methods, whilst taking into account the ethical standards of modern psychology. The focus of this essay will be; ‘Landis’ Facial Expressions Experiment 1924’ carried out by Carney Landis and ‘’Milgram’s Obedience Experiment’ carried out by Stanley Milgram. Both experiments were carried out under immoral circumstances and perhaps should never have been allowed to take place. Nowadays, neither would be considered acceptable.
The psychologist did preform an IQ test on Carolyn and came up with a diagnosis of mentally mildly disabled. Let’s stop her what is wrong? This professional has taken a young woman who is mentally disabled and unable to think clearly for her and preformed testing on her. By the contents of this case study there was no consent forms signed for this test. The professional also did not seek out a family member to gain some knowledge of the family history. There was no family background assessed. If this woman is mentally disabled then she is incapable of allowing any kind of testing to be performed because she will not understand the diagnosis nor will she understand what is expected from her. I feel there was misuse of a psychologist assessment. It states in “1.01 Misuse of Psychologists' Work
It is no secret that forensic psychology is an example of an area where psychologists apply their knowledge of psychological approaches, methods and treatments to a specific problem. However, before assessing the implications, it is crucial to establish the research methods used in criminal
This may lead to a difficult evaluation, the psychologist needs to obtain information that may be incriminating and not benefit the defendant if they provide it. The defendant has no control over how that information is used. (Datz,1989) Such issues as prescription authority ,where the psychologist is able to prescribe medication for their client has become an ethical issue. Many psychologists themselves believe that prescription should be be given by medical graduates with full training (Boschert 1998).This is backed up by 43% of responding to an American Psychological Association survey indicating that they believed that full medical training would be required for prescription.(APA 1992a
Unit 2 homework and quiz: Psychology’s Voice in the Legal System; Psychologists’ Licensing and Ethical Guidelines.
1). Forensic Psychology is the application of the theories of psychology to law and the legal system. Issues of violence and its impact on individuals and/or groups delineate the main and central concerns in Forensics within the adult, juvenile, civil, and family domains. Forensic psychologists provide advice to legislators, judges, correctional officers, lawyers, and the police. They are called upon, for example, to serve as an expert witness, diagnose and treat incarcerated and probationed offenders, and screen and evaluate personnel in the law enforcement and judicial systems. Forensics encompasses a wide range of academic orientation. Synonyms for Forensic psychologists include criminal psychologist,
The Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct, published by the American Psychological Association are the standard guidelines for all Psychologists. Forensic Psychologists are also informed by Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologist. Psychologists practicing forensic psychology can use these two documents to help clarify ethical questions. This paper will focus on role conflicts specifically in the area of Sex Offender Management and the ethical conflicts that may arise as a result and how to best handle this situation when faced with it. When an individual chooses to practice psychology within the legal system, they must be aware that this can at any point in their career lead to ethical conflicts. Just the possibility
Select two complaints presented in the Grenyer & Lewis article (see Table 1) and explain the ramifications of these violations applying the APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct to each situation.
This paper discusses the different roles that are taken on by a forensic psychologist, and how those roles interact and affect each other and how the psychologist is about to do his/her job. It looks briefly at the history of the field. We discuss the forensic psychologist as the consultant, the therapist, the researcher, as well as the expert witness. This paper also discusses predicting dangerousness and whether or not an expert can predict dangerousness. Finally we look at conflicting roles and ethics in the field.
Forensic (criminal) psychology is a job field that deals with both psychology and law. The field has experienced dramatic growth in recent years due to the role of popular movies, television programs and books popularizing the field. Often these individuals are depicted as vivid components in solving vicious crimes or timing out a criminal’s next home. While these depictions of certainly entertaining, yet these portrayals are not necessarily precise. Forensic psychologists play an instrumental role in the criminal justice system while applying psychological principles to the legal system. The crossover of the two spheres is best decided in the Encyclopedia of Psychology,
A Forensic Psychologist focuses on “why people do bad things, why they commit crimes, lie to police officers, and treat their children abusively” (AllPsychologyCareers). There is this fascination with criminals and the psychopathy behind their actions and thoughts. According to All Psychology Careers, this field of study focuses on all types of research in psychology including clinical, developmental, social, clinical, behavioral and neuropsychological to blend together ideas and studies to apply to criminal action. The major focus of forensic psychologist is criminology and law because there needs to be a broad understanding of how the judicial system works and what statutes apply in what states. This type of work can be applied in many different settings such as prisons, correctional facilities, court systems, government agencies, parole boards and research.
From time immemorial, man has been fascinated with behavioral deviations from the normative particularly in the context of crime, or more generally, morality. In fact, classical playwrights and novelists such as Shakespeare and Dostoevsky owe their literary success to their incredible ability to glare into socially and morally deviant minds and weave stories around them. We see a similar trend today. Much of primetime television is filled with shows that have experienced psychoanalysts chasing sophisticated and grossly deviant criminals or some variation of this general theme. The general public tends to relate to the job of a forensic psychologists to that of a cat chasing a mouse. Forensic psychology, however, is a far less
Ethical Principles of Psychologists and the Code of Conduct are very important guidelines in any workforce. “These guidelines serve a purpose to guide and inspire psychologists toward the very highest ethical ideals of their profession” (APA, 2002). There are five major parts of the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct guidelines. These parts include, Beneficence, Responsibility, Integrity, Justice, Respect for People 's Rights and Dignity. These are also known as principals that start from A, and end in E. All of these guidelines are to be obeyed when working in our chosen career.
The profession of rehabilitation counseling seeks to provide assistance to individuals who suffer from developmental, emotional, mental, and physical disabilities. These professionals give the support needed for struggling individuals to continue leading fulfilling lives, and maintaining their independence. In order for a rehabilitation counselor to provide their services with the highest quality, they must complete their duties all the while pertaining to the appropriate code of ethics. At times, the ability to do so can be challenging, therefore resulting in the need for a rehabilitation counselor to reference a practitioner’s guide for assistance in ethical decision making. The utilization of a secondary source insures that the specialist can make the best possible decisions regarding the person in their care. In order to complete this case study, the provided practitioners guide to ethical decision making, the Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors, and two peer reviewed journal articles, will be used as supplementary tools.