Signing your life away?: Why Research Ethics Committees (REC) shouldn't always require written confirmation that participants in research have been informed of the aims of a study and their rights - the case of criminal populations. (Commentary)

This brief commentary discusses the problematic incursion of Research EthicsCommittees on social research, particularly on those groups who wish (and/orindeed it is vital for their safety) to remain anonymous. It is argued thatREC's, often ignorant of social science methodology, commonly attempt to imposerestrictions on research and researchers that contradict their own ethicalguidelines and expose them to unreasonable risk. It is further pointed out thatREC's are as yet not fully established within all UK institutions but fear oflitigation will mean that those who do not already have them fully in placeeither have some form of REC in embryonic structure or are looking to implementREC's in the near future. It is in this context that it is argued we as socialscientists should be helping to actively shape the workings of incumbent andemerging REC's in order to protect research, researchers, research participantsand the integrity of what REC's actually do.