A review of Anglo-American forensic professional codes of ethics with considerations for code design

Continuing instances of ethical misconduct and recent advances in the practice of forensic science, the latter reflected by increased growth and professionalism, along with heightening public scrutiny, require that the profession be clear, current, and forthright about its core values. A way of expressing these values is through the codes of ethics of its professional membership organizations. Codes of ethics/conduct from 14 Anglo-American professional forensic membership organizations are reviewed for their clarity, construction, cogency, and the normative form of their provisions. Ethical precepts from the forensic codes reviewed are organized, in summary fashion, by obligation form and application context. Functions that professional codes have served in other professions are described. The codes are found to vary considerably. Some provisions are unclear, and most of the codes are less than comprehensive. There is very little guidance for application of ethical obligations in any of the codes reviewed. Suggestions for redesign, with a partial example, are provided.     

Exhibitionism: findings from a Midwestern police contact sample

This study used a police sample to examine offense characteristics, recidivism rates, and other types of sexual offending among individuals suspected of exhibitionism. The sample consisted of 202 incidents of indecent exposure perpetrated by 106 identified individuals. Demographic information showed that one quarter of the sample had symptoms of a mental illness and one quarter had a history of substance abuse. More than 84% of the sample had other nonsexual criminal charges. Approximately 30% of the perpetrators were charged for more than one exposure incident. Masturbating during the offense, exposing to child victims, and speaking to the victim did not show any relationship to the occurrence of more sexually aggressive behaviors. However, individuals who had subsequent rape or molestation charges (16.9%) were more likely than those who did not to have had multiple exposure incidents and a history of physical assault charges.     

The conditions of production: A note∗

Herman E. Daly and John B. Cobb: For the Common Good: Redirecting the Economy Toward Community, the Environment, and a Sustainable Future. Boston: Beacon Press, 1989.

Bill Weinberg: War on the Land: Ecology and Politics in Central America. Zed Press, 1991.

Daniel Faber: Environment Under Fire: Imperialism and the Ecological Crisis in Central America. Monthly Review Press, 1993.

Malcom V. Brock: Biotechnology in Japan. Routledge, London/New York, 1989.     

Against Understanding: The Techniques of Shock and Awe in Jesuit Theology,Neoliberal Thought and Timothy Morton’s Philosophy of Hyperobjects

Revolving around three examples - Jesuit missionary activities in 17th century North America, Friedrich von Hayek’s neoliberal thought and Timothy Morton’s theory of hyperobjects - our paper discusses the notions of “distance” and “pointing out” which are subterraneously at work in today’s critical spirit and its tendency to align itself with the “affirmation turn”. Our investigation of the distances between subject and object and the role of the critic’s pointing at diverse “hyperobjects” (god, the market and global warming), helps us excavate a mode of critique that we call “presentist persuasion”. “Presentist persuasion” works as a form of critique that reveals the truth by pointing out hyperobjects’ encompassing presence for the sake of an overarching ethical or political goal instead of initiating a process of understanding them.