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.
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Solution Preview

Dear Student,
Hi and thank you for using Brainmass. The solution below should get you started. In this particular task, you are being asked to reflect on likely ethical issues in dealing with other roles in the current setting you are in. I suggest making it simple using this outline:

1. Current role and related staff – 150 words
2. Ethical issues – 100 words
3. Addressing the issues – 150 words

This outline should yield around 400 words which should cover what you need. Just let me know via the feedback section if you need further clarification. You can use the listed resources to further explore the topic. All the best with your studies.

Ethical Issues in Practice

The role of a prison psychologist is undertaken within the environment of a prison where to complete and ensure the function of the prison; other support staff fulfil demanding and necessary roles from the warden and prison administrators to the officers, nurses and other policing and non-treatment support staff. Dependent on the size and function of the prison, whether it is a county jail, or a state or federal prison, the number of staff can be minimum or extensive. The most familiar of these staff are the prison or penal officers whose job is to supervise and control the inmates and maintain …