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Empathy in Forensic Evaluations: a Systematic Reconsideration
Author(s) -
Brodsky Stanley L.,
Wilson Jennifer Kelly
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
behavioral sciences and the law
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1099-0798
pISSN - 0735-3936
DOI - 10.1002/bsl.2042
Subject(s) - empathy , forensic science , psychology , presentation (obstetrics) , subjectivity , element (criminal law) , social psychology , applied psychology , medicine , epistemology , political science , philosophy , law , veterinary medicine , radiology
This paper reexamines the Shuman seminal paper arguing against empathic behaviors in forensic evaluations. Shuman concluded that empathy by examiners seduces evaluees into believing a therapeutic relationship exists. We reconsider empathy as an element of rapport and a helpful supplement in a successful assessment. Actively avoiding empathy could lead to cold and callous examiner self‐presentation, which may in turn produce biased and negative results. In this paper we assert that ethical forensic professionals may use moderate empathy during an assessment. Examiners should consider it not as a component of subjectivity and pseudotherapy, but rather as a potentially useful tool for effective assessments. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.