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30 T. Jefferson L. Rev. 455 (2007-2008)
Ethical Dilemmas, Forensic Psychology, and Therapeutic Jurisprudence

handle is hein.journals/tjeflr30 and id is 459 raw text is: ETHICAL DILEMMAS, FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY, AND THERAPEUTIC JURISPRUDENCE Ida Dickie* Broadly speaking, the legal system and forensic psychology have in common the management of criminal behavior. However, one of the immense difficulties that psychologists face when trying to work within the legal system is that historically, the legal system has not been conducive to promoting therapeutic change of criminal behavior! Some argue that an irreconcilable conflict exists between therapeutic and forensic psychological roles in civil contexts.' This position also exists within the criminal contexts and promotes the idea that effective psychological assessment and intervention cannot occur within the legal system.3 However, with the relatively recent emergence of the legal theory of Therapeutic Jurisprudence (TJ),4 which articulates how the legal system can act as an agent of therapeutic change, a collaborative relationship between psychology and law can exist. The question now becomes: How can forensic psychologists and the legal system work together to contribute simultaneously to the advancement and well-being of the offender, the community, and society? This Article explores how the * Ida Dickie, Ph.D., Director of Forensic/Correctional Psychology Emphasis Area, Spalding University. Correspondence can be addressed to idickie@spalding.edu. 1. DAVID H. BARLOW & VINCENT MARK DURAND, ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH 554-55 (Marianne Taflinger et al. eds., Thomson Wadsworth 4th ed. 2005). 2. Stuart A. Greenberg & Daniel W. Shuman, Irreconcilable Conflict Between Therapeutic and Forensic Roles, 28 PROF. PSYCHOL.: RES. & PRAC. 50,50 (1997). 3. James McGuire, Ethical Dilemmas in Forensic Clinical Psychology, 2 LEGAL & CRIMINOLOGICAL PSYCHOL. 177,186 (1997). 4. David B. Wexler & Bruce J. Winick, Therapeutic Jurisprudence as a New Approach to Mental Health Law Policy Analysis and Research, 45 U. MIAMI L. REV. 979,981-90 (1991).