Case example 2

David, a senior human service major, was excited about his placement in the local probation and parole office for his internship. He had the opportunity to work with and observe several staff members and was then given a small caseload of his own to monitor and work with. His faculty supervisor noticed in reading David's journal that there was a great deal of variation in his communication with his clients. Some clients he spoke with often and conducted professional helping interviews involving important exploration, decision-making, and goal setting. Other clients, he spoke with rarely and did little more than lecture and give commands. The faculty member spoke with David about this during a site visit, and David responded with the following comment, "You see, one thing that I've learned in this field placement is that for some of these people, it is not even worth trying. They don't care about their own life. They're not making any effort, so why should the probation officer make an effort? You can just tell which ones are worth the trouble and which ones aren't. I've talked with several officers about it, and they all agree. You're just wasting your time trying to help a lot of these people."

EXERCISE 3.4Analysis

• David does not seem to be aware of the professional issues involved in this situation. What ethical, legal, or values issues are present in David's situation?

• If you had the opportunity to respond to David, what might you say?
• Assuming that David has acquired his attitudes and behaviors from professional role models within the agency, how might he address these issues day-to-day in his work as an ethically sensitive helper?