Personal Moral Values Research Articles

Legal ethics and the use of mental health experts in criminal cases

AbstractThe ethical norms of attorneys in mental health law practice are guided by regulatory codes, professional standards, constitutional, evidentiary, and procedural laws, and personal moral values. This article addresses the contours of ethical practice for attorneys in their relationship with mental health experts. In particular, it examines the attorney's responsibility to zealously represent their clients and the ethical limits on such advocacy.

Dimensions of Religiosity in a Post-Traditional Group

Questionnaires from 12,146 Unitarian Universalist members of eighty churches in a representative denominational sample were used to explore the dimensions of religiosity in a post-traditional religion. Mean scores by churches on forty-five varied items were factor-analyzed, producing a large first factor made up of theological values, institutional values, and personal moral values. The second dimension contained all items reflecting social morality. Other dimensions proposed are church sociality, psychological development emphasis, esthetic-worship values, religious education, church as a friendship source, and intrasectarian affirmations. On this basis, modifications of the dimensionality of religiosity are proposed.