Forensic Psychology and Psychiatry Arena

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• Price: $75.95 $68.36
• Hardback: 217 pages
• Also available in e-Book
• Published: December 2009
• ISBN: 978-1-4200889-3-9
• Publisher: CRC Press

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While we would like to believe that forensic science professionals are intrinsically ethical by nature, the reality is that these individuals have moral compasses as varied as those of any individual you may know. They confront ethical dilemmas every day, some with clear-cut protocols and others that frequently have no definitive answers. Ethics and the Practice of Forensic Science explores the range of ethical issues facing those who work in the field and highlights the complicated nature of ethical decision-making in this complex arena.

Ethics in the courtroom and the lab

Written by one of the leading researchers in forensic ethics, the book provides data-driven examples of the behaviors – both good and bad – that shape the forensic profession. It provides real examples of ethical behavior combined with research to demonstrate how ethics works (and sometimes does not) in this richly interesting scientific field. The book begins by exploring philosophical approaches related to ethical decision-making. It examines the ethics of the criminal justice culture, ethical issues in the courtroom, and ethics in science and research. Next, the book shifts to a discussion of unethical behavior, and provides actual case studies spotlighting ethical breaches, including the O.J. Simpson case and other reported examples.

Ethics codes in various organizations

The book concludes with a discussion of the code of ethics. Appendices discuss research data on ethics in forensic science and provide ethics codes from various forensic science organizations. Offering a lively source of debate for professionals and academics, this volume provides a window on a topic that is frequently fraught with uncertainty.

Table of Contents

What Is Ethics?

Introduction

Ethical Theories

The Study of Ethics

Utilitarianism: The Greater Good

Deontological Ethics: Obligation and Intention

Comparing Approaches for Forensic Science

Ethical Decision Making

Framework for Ethical Decisions

Rule 1: Inherent Good Surpasses Noninherent Good

Rule 2: Noninherent Evil Surpasses Inherent Evil

Rule 3: When Selecting between Levels of Good or Evil,

Select the Highest Good or the Lowest Evil

Result of Decisions

The Ethics of the Criminal Justice Culture

Introduction

Recruitment

Culture

Ethics of Criminal Justice

Ethics Training

Unethical Behavior

Sources of Pressure for the Forensic Scientist

Ethics in the Courtroom: The Scientist’s Perspective

Introduction

Role of Attorneys

Attorney–Expert Relationship

Misconduct

Examples of Misconduct

Duke Lacrosse Case, 2006

Federal Prosecutors, 2007

Research Ethics in Science

Introduction

Science, Technology, and Society

Research and Publication

Ethics in Science and Research

Misconduct

Ethics in Forensic Science

Introduction

Crime Scene

Laboratory

Role of the Scientific Expert Witness

Qualification

Admissibility of Scientific Evidence

The Frye Case

The Daubert Case

Parameters

Misconduct

Unethical Behavior: The Fork in the Road

Introduction

Unethical Behavior

Motivation

Justification

Consequences

Whistle-Blowing

Good Examples of Bad Behavior

O. J. Simpson Case

Case Studies

False Credentials (Associated Press 2007a)

Misleading Degree (Moran 2006)

Abuse of Power (North 2001)

Supporting a Habit (Huicochea 2008)

"Errors" (Armstrong 2007)

Prosecutor Pressure (Moxley 2008)

Detroit (Clickondetroit.com 2008)

Procedure (Johnson 2008)

Fingerprints (Associated Press 2008)

Personal Gain (Bone 2007)

Research (Associated Press 2006)

FBI Whistle-Blower

Notorious Examples Every Forensic Scientist Should Know

Fred Zain

Michael West

Kathleen Lundy

Allison Lancaster

David Petersen

Joyce Gilcrist

Houston Police Department Crime Laboratory

Codes of Ethics

Introduction

National Forensic Center

Developing Codes of Ethics

Purpose

Council of Scientific Society Presidents Study of Codes of Ethics

Familiarity with Codes of Ethics

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)

Article II. Code of Ethics and Conduct

The American Board of Criminalistics (ABC)

Rules of Professional Conduct

American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors

The International Association for Identification (IAI)

An Ethical Approach to Forensic Professionalism

Introduction

Education

Competence

Professions and Professionalism

Awareness

National Academy of Sciences Report

Bibliography

Appendices

Index

Reviews

… a welcome addition to the small list of books that are already available on this topic and goes a long way in filling up the existing gap.

—Anil Aggrawal's Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Vol. 12, No. 1, January - June 2011

Author/Editor Biography

Robin Bowen is assistant director for the Forensic Science Initiative, a program that develops research, scientific resources, and professional training and continuing education for forensic scientists and related professionals. Her primary responsibilities include coordination of continuing education programs, management of research projects, and correspondence of progress to the National Institute of Justice. Bowen is the primary developer of the Forensic Educational Alliance, an initiative to offer a variety of forensic science continuing education courses online. She has an undergraduate degree in forensic and investigative sciences and a graduate degree in secondary science education. Bowen is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Science, International Association for Identification, and National Science Teachers Association. Over the last four years, ethics as it relates to forensic science has been her primary research topic and has culminated in a successful web-based continuing education course as well as workshops provided to the forensic community.