An Analysis of Ethical Dilemmas in Forensic Criminology Practices

This essay delves into the ethical dilemmas encountered in forensic criminology, focusing on the importance of ethical and professional conduct within the Australian forensic practice, especially under judicial scrutiny. It explores various challenging situations where both individual and professional reputations can be compromised. The essay discusses the crucial difference between professional and personal ethics, highlighting the complexities arising from the intersection of law and science. It identifies six key ethical conditions faced by practitioners, including issues related to professional credentials, accurate testimony, analytical processes in laboratories, and the ethical considerations for public and private forensic laboratories. The essay examines the misuse of work, professional judgment, competence, and the importance of avoiding harm and ensuring proper work division. It emphasizes the need for updated knowledge and skill management to maintain high ethical standards within the field. The assignment underscores the significance of maintaining ethical integrity in forensic criminology to ensure accurate and reliable evidence presentation in legal proceedings.

Forensic criminology

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
References........................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
MAIN BODY
In Australian forensic practice generally attracts normal public and in sector of
judicial scrutiny. The presentation way of any forensic psychologist is to always conduct them in
correct ethical and professional manner. This is very crucial for to maintain standards &
reputation of an individual as well as of their profession. The following essay shall explain
several aspects in this field. It will provide several challenging situations in which both
individual and profession's image will get harmed. The codes and conducts are created for
making several outline to psychologist for categorising their performances.
Their is a major difference between a trade and a professional business in which it
follows a specific code of conduct on which all the people involved agree upon. These codes are
present in every profession and these generally arise from ethical point of view of profession. It
is mandatory for every code to create their own ethical codes and follow them so that in case of
any consequential situation these codes can protect them. Since if there are gaps or loops in
profession government tries to fill them with legal provisions which later causes several issues as
they are rigid and non-flexible in nature. Their are several numbers of profession in the field of
forensic science and especially in the section of criminology. It is best clash of science and crime
which leads to helping several mystery murders and case laws which are practically seen
impossible to solve. Forensic scientists help in providing several evidences which leads to
correct suspect in case. The general aspects of maxims which are used in court rooms such as “to
tell truth, whole truth, and nothing but truth” looks easy to follow but practically it becomes
impossible to relatively be close to this legal maxim. Since there is is no such regulatory legal
body which ad misters forensic science but registering under It provides several rights and
provisions to protect them and provide them several benefits in the law(Porter, Julian and Kelty,
2015).
Their is a full difference between professional and personal ethics in this profession. This
concept is best amalgamation of law & science this field has several dilemma and concepts
which have always confused and created an impasse in many situations. It has always been a
very controversial subject and it directly or indirectly regards to psychological understandings of
patients. In several case one has to diminish their professional ethic's and treat them using

personal ethics. Since it leads to term of special or concern towards another person. Which in this
field is not allowed as case can get biased because of personal opinion of forensic
scientists(Perlin and Lynch, 2016).
The topic in this essay is the ethical dilemmas which are faced in this field of forensic
criminology. Their are basically 6 different types of conditions which are faced by practitioners
and in such cases it can be contrastingly wrongs in eyes of law but correct as a professional.
These 6 types are which are mentioned below:
Professional credentials
In simplest terms it means misconduct or confusion in this particular profession, which is
credentials before the judiciary court. This includes misinterpretation related to degree of
professional. For example claiming to be Ph.D but actually no such degree is attained by such
person. Also attaining wrong certification of professional licensees. This lets law intervenes in
such places and declare provisions against such places there is always a professional background
check done fore accepting any employee. Such are done for verification of a persona who claims
to be an professional in such fields(Ribaux, 2017).This is done so that people cannot attain such
important jobs because of using some fake degree or through any other matter. These things are
caught when it is cross examined in court next to judiciary and due to lack in resources of
material case or fact s checking techniques are caught seldom, such are called unethical codes of
conducts and individuals like such are put behind bards and their licenses are revoked.
Presenting testimony in the judiciary court room with correct interpretation
of data
Generally, in any court rooms any forensic scientists face several issues and disputes
regarding their work while they are presented next to judiciary benches for giving their
testimony. Ethical issues regarding correct interpretation of information and statistical data
collected by an professional is contaminated and in cases of criminals involved in it. Its very
complex for judiciary to accept several concepts . As mostly every criminal activity is connected
to some intention which is generated by some incident in life structure of criminal. According to
the scientist who is reading its case on psychological and criminological level has to understand
and make court understand the pre-reflective in case. In such cases several wrong testimonies are
recorded which leads for court to become very strict while recording one. Their have been
situations of individuals using deceptive testimonies or wrongs jargon's to just prove the case

right and let the wrong person out of it. Generally these scientists are not required to be present
in court to explain their case or study of patient, but in cases of criminology one has to provide
brief explanation of such topics and give several explanations related to their study of
matter(Wilson, 2014).
Analytical process in laboratory
There are several laboratories which have particular protocols which are followed
workings in such labs. Its has to be followed by procedure and any accident can lose a very big
evidence to solve cases. In the case of criminal involved it is very important to find evidence
related to them. Here, any sort of negligence is bared by innocent party of case. This is the
reason that court or judiciary has created several such acts and provisions which are to be
followed and code of conduct that one has to follow before commencing such acts. Unethical
issues in such matters are related to giving indiscriminate analysis, and proving results according
to written laws. Their are recoded case where people have given results without even opening
containers, this term specifically is called dry dabbing and in such cases people performing such
acts are assumed to be involved in criminal case and they are supporting such matters. In a
different context it can be said that sometimes following correct protocols can waste a lot of time
and things in some evidential cases depend totally about perfect time calculations and results.
(Ribaux, and et. al., 2015).
Employed by public
In the matter of public forensic laboratories, it is not administered by any local
government official bodies and its always scheduled by its own code of ethics and regulations.
Due to such there are numerous perception about such labs. That they are working under the
laboratories of private law firms and do not execute proper results in any criminal case. It is very
important to prove their ethical records and standards when these are used in providing evidential
facts and figured to prove things in a criminal case. these are performed under so such
supervision so generally it is concluded to be contradictory results as their is no guarantee of
such places. Such places have to maintain high ethical grounds on which their is no finger
pointed out towards workings and facts provided by such laboratories. In different context such
labs. are not safe &sounds to give evidences into and things can get compromised if such places
are used for evidence gaining (Maciów-Głąb and et. al., 2014).
Employed in private

There is a huge demand of adopting a private firm for testimony or creating evidential
facts for a murder mystery or criminal related case laws. Such places have maintained proper
code of ethics which include keeping all results confidential and making them properly executed
in data analysis report which is submitted directly in court to see evidential facts about case.
Professional integrity of all members in such places is considered to be the most stringent form
of maintaining all levels of standards and avoid any confusion related to certain case laws. such
places are filled with malpractices and full of undisclosed outcomes as they are not reviewed by
any legal authority and in many cases these are proven to be misleading and misconducted. Here,
basic tension in facts is that at the time of presenting these results next to court shall provide
several considerations and perceptions which can get caught while doing cross examination. This
can later turn out to be wrong for the party as well as innocent person involved in such case. In
difference context such private labs can be administered or not by government which involves
them to get compromised and make different evidences. at such places things can be changed
and performed wrongly. Due to, which people can get wrongly accused or victimised.
Several obligation which occur in this profession skill management
This profession demands an person to be in a very compromised situation, sometimes
which can lead to forensic science profession to properly maintain such increased levels of
ethical values and levels of standards. Such areas create several dilemma and which a can
provide several problems while solving issues. These include firstly to keep an updated and
qualitative recent advancements also their shall be updated knowledges. No use of improper
materials and not to continue any sort of educational practices. In different context one can
object as well for correcting skills and perform it with perfect management and it is not possible
every time.
Their are several cases where ethical misinterpretations are done under forensic criminology.
Their are several types which are mentioned below:
Misuse of work: In this it is mentioned that any such code and ethics maintaining organisations
shall not misuse information and data for their personal use or benefits in psychological
profession must not be misused by their expertise such as psychologist. In no such situation one
can conclude both human rights and using their profession to get achieve them. In any certain
case where if ethical codes are violated one shall either solve issues effectively with minimum

destruction. generally psychologist should refuse to get involved in any legal, moral rights or
civil case so they can stay away from such situations.
Professional judgement: Any opinion made by an expertise should depends on the data and
results he has accumulated in the case. Their are various circumstances where personal beliefs
are mixed by the practitioners which is wrong since their has to be very clear in providing
legalised judgement that any sort of personal review.
Competence: Their is always an perspective of competence in any profession and this can lead
to several consequences situations and provide many immoral repercussions in findings and
leading of such aspects.
Avoiding any sort of harm or injury: This is done for particular sort of harm in any such
regulations as it is very strictly ordered to every person involved in such progression to avoid any
sort of changes or keep it very professional. getting harmed in such matters is very common and
it can happen of any person its sited to all such professionals to be very precise and expert while
workings and try to keep it maintained.
Dividing work to other: It is very mandatory for them to divide all the work & provide a perfect
guideline towards their colleges since they can always help in work. In legal terms its known as
“Vicarious liability” it is the concept where supervisor is appointed to govern workings of
people. This person is responsible for making correct declined schedules and strategies according
to which other people have to work. If one will have relations with all the employees it can lead
to lack of objectivity.
Numerous relationships: This means that if one person has to provide psychological help due to
orders from law or judiciary legal body, their profession and their workings shall be recorded.
Here, all people have to clarify their role and confidentiality in workings. Any person who has
any other relationship with people related to case or anything shall be very practical and if there
is any new relation in such case one shall not assume it to be an professional role. Since, the
workings and competency will get affected one shall keep both things separate.
Misdeed: It is one of the most important aspects on which one shall not exploit any person or
organisation on grounds of evidence or facts which they have regarding them. Such exploitation
can include soliciting of patients or clients, scaring people or for sexual relations for gaining such
services in other end of deals. It is considered a crime and is illegal in the eyes of law, it can
cause criminal law suits and can lead to revoking license and ending their practice life.

References
Books and journals
Maciów-Głąb, M. and et. al., 2014. “New designer drugs” in aspects of forensic
toxicology. Archiwum Medycyny Sądowej i Kryminologii/Archives of Forensic
Medicine and Criminology. 64(1). pp.20-33.
Perlin, M. L. and Lynch, A. J., 2016. In the Wasteland of Your Mind: Criminology, Scientific
Discovieries and the Criminal Process. Va. J. Crim. L.. 4. p.304.
Porter, G., Julian, R. and Kelty, S. F., 2015. Forensic science as “risky business”: identifying key
risk factors in the forensic process from crime scene to court. Journal of Criminological
Research, Policy and Practice.
Ribaux, O and et. al., 2015. Forensic intelligence: deregulation or return to the roots of forensic
science?. Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences. 47(1). pp.61-71.
Wilson, A. D., 2014. Electronic-nose applications in forensic science and for analysis of volatile
biomarkers in the human breath. Journal of Forensic Science & Criminology. 1(1).
pp.1-21.