Comments on: What would you do with this ethical dilemma? http://www.ethnography.com/2007/03/what-would-you-do-with-this-ethical-dilemma/ A group blog on a wide variety of topics realted to anthropology Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:34:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Larry http://www.ethnography.com/2007/03/what-would-you-do-with-this-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-4899 Larry Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:59:07 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=33#comment-4899 Prison inmates are very good at manipulating people and lie all the time in attempts to achieve specific goals, even when exhibiting suicidal behavior. Inmates have little else to do and often play these type of games to escape boredom. It's very likely the inmate was simply trying to entertain himself as well as the researcher, while also trying to continue the relationship/conversation as long as possible, in hope that the relationship/conversation would eventually become beneficial to him. Prison inmates are very good at manipulating people and lie all the time in attempts to achieve specific goals, even when exhibiting suicidal behavior. Inmates have little else to do and often play these type of games to escape boredom.

It’s very likely the inmate was simply trying to entertain himself as well as the researcher, while also trying to continue the relationship/conversation as long as possible, in hope that the relationship/conversation would eventually become beneficial to him.

]]> By: Walter http://www.ethnography.com/2007/03/what-would-you-do-with-this-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-78 Walter Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:03:12 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=33#comment-78 You did the right thing. You protected his privacy, let him have even the slim chance for parole, allowed him to make his choice and let the decision rest in his hands. I suspect he did or at least tried to kill himself. Knowing he was stuck in there the rest of his life would have promted a bid for freedom. You did the right thing. You protected his privacy, let him have even the slim chance for parole, allowed him to make his choice and let the decision rest in his hands. I suspect he did or at least tried to kill himself. Knowing he was stuck in there the rest of his life would have promted a bid for freedom.

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