Ethics in the Time of Injustice

[摘要] ethicsjusticeracismforensic psychiatryAt a time of national protests following the tragic death of George Floyd, and a pandemic that disproportionately affects people of color, it is time to revisit the values that best guide us and our medical specialty. As a profession that works closely with the criminal justice system (and is involved in the direct evaluation and treatment of those hospitalized, arrested, and incarcerated), it is a time for action and reflection about our participation in a system marked by injustice. Arrests of minors, incarceration of adults, and rates of police misconduct have long disproportionately affected communities of color, as have infant and maternal mortality.1,–,3 And now COVID-19. It is past time for the forensic professions to be clear on the social benefits and goods that they can contribute to society. We must define once and for all the goals and purposes that stand in opposition to the glaring deficiencies in the systems where we work.

[学科分类] 儿科学

[关键词] ethics;justice;racism;forensic psychiatry