As an update to a previous Mind Hacks story, the American Psychological Association has released a statement after considering the backlash against their guidelines that permit psychologists to participate in military interrogations.
The statement seems to reaffirm the previous position that permits participation in interrogations but additionally requires that psychologists intervene in abusive situations and report the incidents to the relevant authorities.
However, the statement still falls short of the policy adopted by American doctors’ and psychiatrists’ organisations that specifically warns against any participation in interrogations.
This has spurred pressure group Psychologists for Social Responsibility to urge the APA to adopt a similar policy.
The subtext of much of this debate is about ‘war on terror’ interrogations, and more specifically, whether psychologists should participate in the controversial interrogations of inmates in Guantanamo Bay and other secret facilities.
Link to APA statement on military interrogations.
Link to response of Psychologists for Social Responsibility.
The subtext is not just about whether psychologists should participate.
Keeping the door to the interrogation room open for psychologists is actually fundamental to maintaining current US torture practices. I lay it out here, in my blog post, “DOD and DOJ Heart the APA,” http://hungryblues.net/2006/08/11/doj-dod-apa/