Click Here to Read: Psychologists Vote to End Interrogation Consultations By Benedict Carey from the New York Times on September 18, 2008.
Introduction: APA Eliminates Torture/Interrogation Work by Jerrold Atlas
After working for several years to overturn the APA embrace of participation in interrogation of detainees/prisoners, the membership finally defeated this oprogram as violative of ethics codes. Thus, psychologists/psychoanalysts are now reclaiming their higher moral/etchical purpose and rejecting
the notion that this could be done without violating these concerns.
Military psychologists and less-informed members almost succeeded in preventing this change from happening. The notion that one could properly hold to the profession’s ethical values while participating in torture and interrogations didn’t win.
Congratulations to those who bravely opposed this and brought ethics back into higher consideration in the profession. That these were largely psychoanalysts calls for us to wonder whether this training added to the focus on ethics. After all, this is one factor emphasized in analysis and work with patients. APA ;eadership seems to be interested in delaying things until this change goes into effect in 2009. Shame.
A conference dealing with this “crisis in psychology” was held recently at John Jay College (organized by colleague Chuck Strozier and many of the organiznig group) and were treated to a fascinating documentary showing the extent of the involvement in these odious actions produced by colleague Martha Davis. This was a packed audience showing the concern for regaining ethics in the field.
Interrogations and torture reflect a negative aspect of the Bush-era, a willingness to abuse others and violate basic human rights. This much-delayed action signals a willingness to change life as the Bush world would have had the US group believe in. Jerrold Atlas