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Forensic standards in the American Psychological Association's new ethics code
1Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA.
Professional Psychology, Research and Practice
|November 1, 1994
Summary
The 1992 American Psychological Association ethics code revision addresses forensic issues but has notable inconsistencies and omissions. It offers modest guidance on fundamental ethical challenges in forensic psychology practice.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychology
- Professional Ethics
Background:
- The 1992 American Psychological Association (APA) ethics code revision introduced a dedicated section for forensic issues.
- Forensic practice involves unique ethical considerations distinct from general psychological services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the adequacy of the APA's 1992 Forensic Activities section.
- To assess how well the code addresses core ethical issues in forensic psychology.
Main Methods:
- Content analysis of the APA's 1992 ethics code, specifically the Forensic Activities section.
- Examination of ethical principles related to competence, service requests, informed consent, service provision, and reporting in forensic contexts.
Main Results:
- The code provides a modest approach to critical forensic ethical issues.
- Inconsistencies, insufficient detail, and omissions were identified within the section.
- The term 'forensic' was sometimes applied to general standards not specific to forensic practice.
Conclusions:
- The 1992 APA ethics code offers limited and sometimes flawed guidance on forensic psychology.
- Further refinement is needed to address the unique ethical demands of forensic practice more effectively.