Week 7 Discussion 1,2 - Role Conflicts, Prediction of Future Violence

Week 7 Ethics In Psych Discussions

DQ1

Topic: Role Conflicts

1. Review Heltzel's (2007) discussion about role conflicts between psychologists as therapists also acting as forensic experts.

2. Select a side in the debate and defend your stand using supportive examples and additional research.

3. In your conversation with peers, argue for or against other students' reasoning.

DQ2

Topic: Prediction of Future Violence

In criminal court proceedings in which an individual has committed a crime against society, forensic psychologists may be asked to determine an individual's competency to stand trial and his mental state, assess potential of future violence during sentencing or treatment of sex offenders, among other tasks. A debate in the forensic area is whether psychologists should be charged with assessing future violence or focused on preventing future violence by managing risk.

Listen to NPR's audio clip (2007) on predicting violence. Select a side in the debate and defend your stand using supportive examples and additional research.