Criminal law 2700
Respond to two of your colleagues’ posts by offering a different example of how they might overcome their challenges
Leah : Forensic psychologists will have many tough challenges in their work, particularly when it comes to staying competent, being fair, and making sure they don’t cause harm. It’s important to stick to what you know, but the field can throw unexpected situations your way. You might run into unusual mental health issues or complicated cultural backgrounds that you haven’t seen before. This is why continuous learning and connecting with other experts is so important. To be impartial you must do your best to not let your personal opinions influence your decisions. But even when you try hard, unconscious biases, like confirmation bias, can shape your judgment without you noticing. You can help keep these biases under by using standardized methods, talking cases over with colleagues, and reflecting on your own thinking. Psychologists must protect the people they assess and uphold the integrity of the legal process. Forensic reports are vital, so it’s important to be clear about confidentiality and to base your conclusions on evidence. Following these guidelines isn’t always easy, especially when it comes to seeing your own biases, but they’re important for being ethical. Staying up to date with training, working with others, and being aware of your own thinking are some of the best ways to meet these standards.
References
American Psychological Association. (2011). Specialty guidelines for forensic psychology. https://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/forensic-psychology
Dror, I. (2018). Biases in forensic experts. *Science, 360*(6386), 243. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat8443
Martinez, M. A. (2014, October). Good habits start early: Identifying and managing potential bias in forensic evaluations as an early career forensic psychologist. American Psychology-Law Society, Division 41.
Tony:
American Psychological Association, (2011) The three most challenging guidelines are 7.01- Conflicts with Legal Authority. Conflict with legal authority occurs when a law, Judge, or other legal authority issues an order that breaches ethics or conflicts with the psychologist's professional role. The psychologist cannot simply use the excuse that the Judge told me to do it when the order knowingly will impact the client and the psychologist's role. The psychologist must advise the legal authority that the order conflicts with their professional guidelines. The psychologist and Judge must be able to work together and compromise to obtain the goal of the client and the community. Overall, the psychologist must follow the law but not at the extent of violating human rights. This can be challenging because I respect the courtroom and understand the logic behind the Judge's order. I also respect the Judge’s role and understand that they have the final say. My instinct is to comply immediately, and I understand that if I don’t follow orders, it can impact my professional standing. The possibility of facing legal sanctions is important to me. To ensure I stay within my bounds and do not disrespect the Judge’s authority, I explain to the Judge what the ethical conflict is and offer solutions that satisfy the legal aspect and do not conflict with ethics. I would understand that the Judge may not be aware of my professional guidelines, and speaking up to ensure the Judge is aware is important. It will allow both roles to work together to focus on the goal.
The next American Psychological Association (2011) specialty guideline 2.07 – Considering the impact of personal beliefs: this guideline ensures the psychologist is aware that their own personal beliefs, biases, upbringing/culture, and past experiences can impact the way they see the world. Their own beliefs affect their work. If the psychologist becomes involved in a case that triggers their bias or will compromise their fairness, they must confront the bias or remove themselves from the case. This can be challenging; sometimes it is hard to separate my life values and professional guidelines. Our personal beliefs are how we view the world, and we will complete evaluations of individuals who have committed all types of crimes and must remain impartial. To overcome this is to be hyper aware of my triggers and how my own beliefs can affect my thought process. I would need to review the case fully and, from there, decide whether I'm going to struggle with bias and address it with another colleague or not, to decide on that case.
American Psychological Association (2011) 4.02 - Therapeutic forensic role conflicts ensure the psychologist is not treating a client on whom they are required to give expert testimony. This can be challenging in some ways; psychologists have to balance the roles of client and expert. You do not want the client to feel abandoned by you or that you may not be in their corner. To overcome this, specifically advise the client of the role you are taking on, and if you must do both, remain objective. It is important to set the boundaries up front.
Reference
American Psychological Association. (2011). Specialty guidelines for forensic psychologyLinks to an external site.. https://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/forensic-p...