Ethical Issues When Working with Nontreatment Staff

Forensic psychology rests on a combination of legal and psychological principles. Some job settings serviced by forensic psychology professionals are multi-disciplinary in nature. As a result, forensic psychology professionals may work with others who have no background in forensic psychology. For example, a forensic psychology professional working in the family court system may work with case workers, victim advocates, attorneys, and other nontreatment professionals. In some forensic settings, a forensic psychology professional may be asked to engage in matters or make decisions that are contrary to forensic psychology professional ethics. Navigating such situations may be difficult, particularly when the directive comes from a nontreatment supervisor. Thus communicating clearly your position as a forensic psychology professional is important to the integrity of your role. Furthermore, asserting your role may influence your professional practice or have legal implications for the people you are treating.

Consider how you might work with nontreatment staff in forensic settings.

Select at least two potential ethical issues/challenges that you might encounter in working with nontreatment staff in forensic settings.

Think about why each ethical issue you selected might be a challenge and consider how you might address each. Provide a description of each of the ethical issues and/or challenges you selected. Then explain why each is a challenge and how you might address it.