Addressing the dual relationship problem in forensic and correctional practice

The dual relationship problem in forensic and correctional practice emerges from conflict between two sets of ethical norms: those associated with community protection and justice versus norms related to offender/defendant well-being and autonomy. The problem occurs because forensic practitioners typically have their professional roots in mental health or allied disciplines such as psychiatry, clinical psychology, social work, or law, and as such, often struggle to ethically justify aspects of forensic and/or correctional work. First, the problem of dual relationships will be described and its nuances explored. As will become apparent, the problem extends beyond the straightforward conflict of roles and resides at the very heart of professional practice. It is a core normative conflict created by practitioners varying ethical allegiances. Second, contemporary ways of resolving the dual relationship problem will be briefly outlined, that is, approaches that assert the primary of one set of codes over the other or involve the construction of hybrid ethical codes. Third, after briefly reviewing the shortcomings of these approaches I present a possible way forward drawing from relational ethics and the concept of moral acquaintances. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.