Discussion:
Ethics Concerns: Custody Evaluations
Treatment and assessment are two services that are related yet fundamentally different in forensic psychology. For example in forensic psychology, assessment and evaluation involves gathering information from clients related to legal matters. Information gathered during assessment is verified by outside sources and much of the information provided by the client is considered suspect, unless otherwise verified. Assessment information may be collected in a variety of ways and by various sources not just the forensic psychology professional. This is quite different from forensic psychology treatment where the emphasis is placed on acting in the best interest of the client/patient. Standards of confidentiality and informed consent may diverge significantly between treatment and assessment. An important issue to consider is the ethical application of confidentiality and informed consent in forensic settings particularly related to conducting an assessment and evaluation.
A description of the example of assessment or evaluation (custody hearing, competency to stand trial, or death penalty hearings) and the type of client (adult or juvenile) you selected. Then explain potential limits to confidentiality and use of informed consent related to the example. Finally, explain the implications of potential limitations on assessment and evaluation in forensic settings