To prepare for working with justice-involved individuals, the best way to protect yourself from failing due to ethical issues is to think through dilemmas ahead of time and know how to establish your personal boundaries.
Background: You have been tasked by your supervisor to provide a training session for the new support workers who were recently hired. The topic is Making Ethical Decisions When Faced with Ethical Dilemmas.
Write a 700-word document which will be used as a handout for the training session. Address the following:
Describe 1 situation which may violate personal boundaries of either the worker or the client, and poses a typical professional dilemma/conflict for the worker, when working with correctional clients. Clearly identify what/which and whose boundaries are being violated.
Identify one code of ethics (ex: CCP Code of Ethics, ACA Code of ethics, etc.) and explain which section/element/part identifies the situation as a possible violation.
Choose one of the four decision-making models presented in our readings and explain the steps/processes/elements of the model.
Sample Solution
Scenario
A new support worker is assigned to work with a correctional client who is incarcerated for a sex offense. The client is very charming and manipulative, and he begins to flirt with the support worker. The support worker is attracted to the client, but she knows that it is unethical to have a relationship with him. She is also concerned about the potential for boundary violations.
Full Answer Section
Ethical Code
The following section from the Correctional Counselors Professional Standards of Practice (CCP Code of Ethics) identifies the situation as a possible violation:
Standard 3: Professional Relationships
Section A: Dual Relationships
3.A.1. Correctional counselors must avoid dual or multiple relationships with clients that could impair their professional judgment or lead to exploitation or harm of the client.
Decision-Making Model
The following are the steps in the Ethical Decision-Making Model:
- Identify the problem. The support worker has identified the problem as the potential for a dual relationship with her client.
- Gather information. The support worker needs to gather as much information as possible about the situation. This includes understanding the client's history, the nature of the relationship between the support worker and the client, and the potential consequences of a dual relationship.
- Consider the ethical principles involved. The support worker needs to consider the ethical principles involved in the situation. These principles include confidentiality, informed consent, and avoidance of harm.
- Generate options. The support worker needs to generate different options for how to handle the situation. Some options might include setting clear boundaries with the client, seeking supervision, or reporting the situation to a supervisor.
- Evaluate the options. The support worker needs to evaluate the different options and choose the one that she believes is the most ethical and in the best interests of the client.
- Implement the decision. The support worker needs to implement the decision that she has chosen. This may involve setting clear boundaries with the client, seeking supervision, or reporting the situation to a supervisor.
- Monitor the situation. The support worker needs to monitor the situation to ensure that her decision is working. She may need to adjust her approach as needed.
Conclusion
The situation described above is a typical professional dilemma/conflict for support workers who work with correctional clients. It is important for support workers to be aware of the ethical issues involved in this type of situation and to have a plan for how to handle it. The Ethical Decision-Making Model can be a helpful tool for support workers who are faced with ethical dilemmas.
Additional Considerations
In addition to the above, here are some other things to consider when working with correctional clients:
- Be aware of your power. Support workers have a lot of power over correctional clients. It is important to use this power responsibly and ethically.
- Be respectful. Treat correctional clients with respect, even if you disagree with their behavior.
- Be mindful of your own biases. Support workers may have biases against correctional clients, based on their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or crime of conviction. It is important to be aware of these biases and to work to minimize their impact on your work.
- Seek support. If you are struggling to deal with an ethical dilemma, seek support from a supervisor, colleague, or professional organization.
It is important to remember that you are not alone in dealing with ethical dilemmas. There are many resources available to help you make ethical decisions and to provide support.