Ethical Practice in Psychiatry and the Law

1. Applications

   1. The New Sexual Issues

      • Ruth Macklin

      Pages 243-255

   2. Surrogate Parenting

      • Joan G. Wexler

      Pages 257-268

   3. The Use of Psychiatric Expertise in Sex Offender Cases

      • Sheldon Travin

      Pages 269-292

   4. Clinical Judgment and Value Judgment

      • Robert Lloyd Goldstein

      Pages 293-305

   5. Protecting the Rights of the Elderly

      • Stanley R. Kern

      Pages 307-312

   6. Ethical Issues in Mandatory Drug Testing

      • Cynthia B. Cohen

      Pages 313-325

2. Back Matter

   Pages 327-348

   PDF

We would expect a successful series such as Critical Issues in American Psychiatry and the Law to present timely, relevant issues in a high-quality manner, and such is the hallmark of this outstanding series. But we might not expect the editors to dive into the especially controversial issues, e.g., ethics, and I applaud them for doing so and in such a comprehensive and thorough fashion. Public and professional concern about ethical aspects of psychiatrists' be­ havior and practice is growing, and exponentially. Concern about the ethical practice of modern forensic psychiatry is paralleled by deep-seated apprehen­ sion not only about the ethical dilemmas of psychiatry and medicine (e.g., societal versus individual patient values, the corporatization of medicine, access to versus cost of medicine) but also about the widely publicized ethical trans­ gressions of religious and political leaders. That's why this volume is so timely and important. Ethics-the principles and rules of right conduct. Sounds simple. We know it is not. When I'm asked by colleagues to consider the perceived unethical behavior of a fellow professional, I often find that, like obscenity, they can't always define it but they are definite that they know it when they see it. The perception of ethical conduct often appears to be in the eyes of the beholder. read this volume. It may not always please you, Well, that's why you will want to it may upset you and even offend you, but it will definitely inform you.

• perception
• psychiatry
• sexuality

• Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA

  Richard Rosner

• Forensic Psychiatry Clinic of the New York Criminal and Supreme Courts, New York, USA

  Richard Rosner

• Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Alcoholism Services of the City of New York, New York, USA

  Richard Rosner

• Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA

  Robert Weinstock

• Forensic and Ethical Consultation, Psychiatry Service, West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA

  Robert Weinstock

• Psychiatric Training, Student Psychological Services, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

  Robert Weinstock

Policies and ethics