Role and Importance of Professional Ethics in the Chosen Profession

Role and Importance of Professional Ethics –

Michelle A. Crawford

Walden University

Abstract

For the purpose of this paper, the author has reviewed Chapter 1 in the course text Risk Management: Clinical, Ethical, and Legal Guidelines for Successful Practice, reflecting on professional ethics from a risk management standpoint and taking note of basic principles of risk management, thinking about how they relate to professional ethics. Next, the author reviewed the “Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists’” and other codes/guidelines used to do research for the specialty area in which she aspires to work, thinking about why these codes/guidelines are import to the profession.  The author then selected a forensic psychology profession of which she aspires to be, thinking about the role of professional ethics in the profession that she selected and considering why professional ethics are important in this particular profession.  After having completed all of these objectives, the author will briefly describe the profession she selected, analyzing the role of ethics in the profession she selected.  The author will then explain why ethics are important in the profession, being specific and providing examples to illustrate her points.  Lastly, the author will share insights and draw conclusions about professional ethics in forensic settings/practice.

Introduction

There are several different types of ethics, however, the two most commonly used and referred to are professional, or business ethics, and personal ethics.  Although we may incorporate some of our personal ethics into our work environment, these ethics must coincide with the professional ethics that have been established by the profession in which we work.  Although each profession has its own set of ethical guidelines, many of them overlap with those of other professions because there tends to be a certain number of ethics that are considered necessary across multiple different professions.  Ethics can basically be viewed as a list of rules which, if violated, will result in the termination of a person’s employment.  Forensic psychologists should not just follow the professional ethics guidelines set for them, but they should also understand why those guidelines have been created and put into use (Bush, Connell, & Denney, 2006).

The Profession

If there were any profession that this author could have, without restriction or restraint, she would choose the profession of being a researcher of, and psychologist to, serial killers.  While this seems like a most unlikely profession for anyone to choose, this author is intrigued and mystified by the inner workings of the mind of a serial killer.  Serial killers are men, and occasionally women, who kill three or more individuals, whom they did not know prior to the killing, with a “cooling off period” in between (Haggerty & Ellerbok, 2011, p. 6).  While current studies of serial killers have almost exclusively focused on the history of offenders and the causes of their actions, this author would delve deeper into the minds of serial killers and determine what they feel they are lacking in their lives that causes them to commit serial murders (Haggerty & Ellerbrok, 2011).  If they do not feel that they are lacking anything in their lives, the author would then inquire as to what they were gaining by committing these unfathomable acts.  In addition, the author would like to inquire as to the differences between serial killers that are loners, such as Jeffrey Dahmer, and those that lead seemingly normal lives, such as Ted Bundy.  Despite the obvious reason of them being easily accessible and rarely missed or reported, the author would attempt to determine why the vast majority of serial killers tend to have prostitutes and/or drug users as their victims (Haggerty & Ellerbrok, 2011). 

The Role of Ethics in the Chosen Profession

Ethics play a role in every profession, whether they are recorded in written format or otherwise.  Individuals realize that they are held to a certain ethical standard lest they be terminated from their current job or profession.  In the profession of a forensic researcher and psychologist, ethics plays a very big role.  The role that ethics plays is that it sets the guidelines by which the forensic researcher and psychologist must conduct themselves professionally.  Ethics plays the role of morals and values rolled up into one succinct set of ethics by which the forensic researcher and psychologist must abide.  The role of ethics in this chosen profession is drastically similar to the role of ethics in all professions, with the exception that the actual Code of Ethics may vary in its actual content. 

As cited in a previous paper regarding ethics, this author stated that, according to Bush, Connell, and Denney (2006), fundamental human values are the backbone on which all ethical principles are based.  Beauchamp and Childress (2001), as cited in Bush et al., (2006), offered a model of ethics that has been accepted throughout numerous different specialties, including psychology.  The model is comprised of four general principles (the last three of which can be are contained within the APA Ethics Code): autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice (Bush et al., 2006).  The term autonomy refers to an embedded sense of self-reliance and the capacity to make determinations about where one wants to go in life (Bush et al., 2006).  The term nonmaleficence refers to the fact that this person makes an oath to cause no harm to another individual (Bush et al., 2006).  The term beneficence refers to a clinician’s responsibility to make a valiant effort to do what is advantageous for the patient (Bush et al., 2006).  Finally, in relation to health care settings, the term justice refers to the unbiased dispersal of the encumbrances and conveniences of care (Bush et al., 2006).

Why Ethics are Important to the Profession

            Ethics are important and relevant in every profession; however, they are important and relevant to each profession in a different way.  Ethics are important to the profession of a forensic researcher and psychologist to serial killers because there has to be a very distinct line drawn when working with these most dangerous of predators.  According to the European Foundation for Psychologists and Analysts (EFPA), ethics are important in this profession because they outline the responsibilities that a psychologist has to his or her patients (n.d.).  Ethics within the practice of psychology also establishes what actions and behaviors are considered acceptable and unacceptable (EFPA, n.d.).  Ethical principles are put into place to ensure that psychologists providing services, and anyone receiving services from them, are all protected from any infraction that might cause poignant or bodily harm to either party involved in the treatment (EFPA, n.d.).  It is especially important that these ethics be adhered to in relation to the profession of someone who is in close proximity to serial killers.  The psychologist must always remain in control of any situation and let the offender know from the beginning which role each of them will play in this situation.  For example, if a female psychologist were to go into a therapy session with a serial killer without making the guidelines very clear, or by showing fear towards the offender, she will be giving him the upper hand in the situation and the possibility of controlling the situation to the point that he may threaten, or actually cause, physical harm to the psychologist.  Ethics are also important in this profession as a forensic researcher conducting research on the actions and histories of serial killers. If, for example, the code of ethics is not followed, the research results may not only be inaccurate but may also be completely irrelevant to the point that they will have to be disposed of because they have no validity or reliability.  This will not only make the researcher look incompetent, it may have a significant effect on his or her career.

Insights and Conclusions

            One of the insights that this author has learned while researching the topic of ethics in regard to the forensic researcher and psychologist profession is that there are very strict guidelines as far as being deceptive to a client, especially when that deception is to the advantage of the psychologist (EFPA, n.d.).  On the other hand, in cases of research studies, there are codes of ethics which allow for psychologists to deceive the research participants as long as it will not cause them pain or distress (EFPA, n.d.).  In addition, once the research project has been completed it is required that all participants be debriefed and given the results of the study (EFPA, n.d.).

            Another insight that this author has learned while researching the profession of a forensic researcher and psychologist to serial killers is that, although police and academic experts accept the definition of a serial killer contained herein, this acceptance can also limit the ability to analyze such crimes as the definition fails to integrate many of the commonplace attributes of serial killing (Haggerty & Ellerbrok, 2011).  I also discovered the three following attributes of serial murder: 1) It has become more prevalent due to the fact that there are so many people in the world now, and so many of use keep to ourselves, that it is easy for people to go missing and others not be aware of it; 2) Serial killers have the deep-seeded need to be seen as a celebrity, despite the fact that they are becoming so in a most negative light.  Most of them felt abandoned or neglected as children and this celebrity status makes them feel important; and 3) Serial killings seem random but they are anything but.  While serial killers do target strangers, they choose victims that they feel are throw away people, such as prostitutes, drug addicts, and homeless people.  This also reduces the chances of them being discovered because most of these types of people are estranged from their families and rarely get reported missing (Haggerty & Ellerbrok, 2011).

            Lastly, this author has come to the conclusion that becoming a researcher and psychologist of serial killers is definitely something that would make for her a fulfilling and exciting career.  It would be exhilarating to uncover new and empirical evidence about the minds of serial killers and the facts and reasons behind the murders they commit.  To have a serial killer share with a researcher the true reasons behind their killings and the physical and emotional way it makes them feel could be groundbreaking research.  Finally, if this author could create just one positive thing out of a psychologist/patient relationship with a serial killer, it would be that he or she would divulge to the author where the unknown bodies are of their victims that have not been found so that the bodies can be brought back to their families, closure can take place, and the victims can receive a proper burial. 

References

Bush, S., Connell, M., & Denney, R. (2006). Ethical practice in forensic psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Doverspike, W. (2008). Risk management: Clinical, ethical, & legal guidelines for successful practice. Sarasota, Fla.: Professional Resource Press.

European Foundation for Psychologists and Analysts (EFPA). (n.d.). Ethics of psychology. Retrieved from http://www.efpa.be/ethics.htm

Haggerty, K., & Ellerbrok, A. (2011). The social study of serial killers. Criminal Justice Matters, 86(1), 6-7. doi:10.1080/09627251.2011.646180