Ethics: Do you report admissions of crime?

[LisaT4P]

If you were reading for a client, and it somehow came to them confessing a crime, do you tell the authorities? Technically this goes against most of our "confidentiality" rules in our codes of ethics.

I already have my opinion, but I'll wait until some others post theirs first.

[Glory]

Haha... I'm a typically morally bankrupt person. But for me it'd be circumstantial.

If someone came to me for a reading, and then said that they were planning to rob a bank, I would first try to convince them not to. If I felt that they were going to do it, I'd alert the authorities. Not because I fear for stolen money, but because I fear for the safety of the client and the people in the bank.

So basically, I'd alert the authorities if I felt someone would get hurt. Most of the time, in my experience, ethics are more of a nice idea than a reality. The need to protect human life and health overrides them, for me.

[Brightshores]

Ooh, good questions!

Obviously, confidentiality is a serious concern, but sometimes I would feel that the ethical implications of staying silent were overridden by the greater good. For me, whether I spoke or not would depend on many things.
1) The nature of the crime. Someone who told me that they killed fifteen people is going to be treated very differently than someone who told me that they stole a couple of bars of chocolate from the convenience store when they were seven. I would always report someone who admitted to molesting or abusing children, and probably murderers and rapists as well.
2) How dangerous the person was to society. Obviously, the danger posed by an unrepentant pedophile and an active serial killer is going to be far greater than the danger posed by someone who occasionally smokes marijuana on the weekends.
3) Whether I had any reason to believe that they were going to commit another crime, particularly a violent one. I would feel obligated in that case to warn the relevant authorities, as I can't really justify sitting back and watching innocent people get hurt.
4) Whether the person had already paid for his or her crime in some way. If the person had already served time for the crime, or was otherwise extremely repentant or showed a recognition that what he or she did was wrong and was sorry for it, and didn't intend to repeat his or her mistakes, I think I would tend to be a lot less likely to feel any need to break confidentiality.

Really, I would have to judge the situation on a case-by-case basis; I don't know that I could give a general, one size fits all policy.

[Lunacie]

I wonder how seriously the police would take such a report coming from a tarot reader?

But, for me too, it would depend on what the confession concerned, and whether I believed the person had actually done the act, or if they were just wanting some attention.

[Taliesyn]

I have to go with my minister's training on this one. You have a duty to protect your community. a non-violent crime? Nah, I'd just lecture the person till they gave it up. A serious, but non-violent crime? I'd turn them in. A viloent crime (like Brightshores example of a serial killer or pedophile) I'd put 'em in hte hospital, then call the cops.

but that's just me:)

[Rainbow]

I make it clear before my readings that the confidentiality portion of my code of ethics exempts cases in which keeping things confidential would harm them or others. If somebody admits to a murder, or a rape, or expresses the intention to do a violent crime, I cannot in good conscience keep it to myself to protect a client. I have a responsibility to others as well, not just them.

To put strict confidentiality in your code of ethics is somewhat like promising a friend you won't tell hir secrets "no matter what," and then learning sie's planning on committing suicide. I don't make those sorts of promises to friends, and I don't make them to clients either.

[Rainbow]

I wonder how seriously the police would take such a report coming from a tarot reader?

As long as you're not claiming to have learned this through the Tarot and not from them specifically, I don't see why they wouldn't. It's not like you're telling them you saw it in the cards, it's a confession.

[Taliesyn]

As long as you're not claiming to have learned this through the Tarot and not from them specifically, I don't see why they wouldn't. It's not like you're telling them you saw it in the cards, it's a confession.


Yeah, Rainbow's right- heck, I know all the local cops- and they know about my integrity. if I said it, they'd listen. I found a cristian saying that I have always tried to live by- "by their deeds, let them be known."

[Brightshores]

I probably wouldn't even mention the Tarot thing when I was speaking to the police... I'd just say, "I was speaking with this person, and he said this." Why confuse the police with irrelevancies that might color their opinion of my credibility, however unjustly? The tarot reading isn't the issue, the confession is.

[Silverwings]

I agree with the above posters; depends on the circumstance.
I suppose the bigger the danger to the rest of the population the more willing I'd be to report it. But if it's something trivial E.G. Jaywalking or speeding (not likely the confession but just examples!) or something else of minimal consequence probably not.

[MysticMoggie]

One has to ask - who would confess such crimes to a tarot reader? or do they expect us to know all and thus assume that they couldn't keep things a secret from us, LOL!

Anyway. If I was in immediate danger, yes, I would ring for help. If I knew what they had done, I would feel that I personally was in danger and would ring for help.

If not, and if I only found out through psychic/tarot methods, I would probably not be moved to do much about it. If I recognised them as wanted though, I probably would ring the police, but in my capacity as a citizen rather than a reader. One doesn't really need to let on that you are a "fortune-teller", rather that as a concerned citizen, you learned that ... and know where they are ... etc.

[wolf]

My $0.02 ... You're not a lawyer. There is no legal 'psychic-client privilege.' If you have that information and do not disclose it, you are legally liable.

[Meadhbh]

Like other people have said it depends on what they did. If it was something that could harm another person then I would. But if it was something minor that really won't mess up another persons life I doubt I would say anything.

[LisaT4P]

Exactly, wolf! LOL

I agree that if someone confessed to a little pot-smoking it would be completely different than if they confessed to abuse or another violent crime. I do feel that it is more important to be a good citizen & report the crime than it is to keep confidentiality (that wont' stand up in court anyway).

Glad everyone chimed in!