In a federally funded study of a probation program, a researcher discovers that one participant was involved in a murder while on probation. Public disclosure of this incident might threaten the program, which the researcher believes, from all evidence, is beneficial. Judging the murder to be an anomaly, the researcher does not disclose it to federal sponsors or describe it in published reports.
Post your thoughts to the following questions:Can you see the ethical issue in the situation? Explain.
How do you feel about it?
Are the procedures described ultimately acceptable or unacceptable?