Between confidentiality policy and an obligation to denounce – does polish law ignore or protect professional secrecy of psychologists?

Abstract

Confidentiality is without a doubt one of the most important rules in psychologist's profession. Polish law guarantees the protection of professional secrecy of psychologists (also in the provisions of the penal code which criminalize its violation). However, the same law (Polish penal code) forces psychologists to break the policy of confidentiality in the case of gathering a reliable information about certain crimes by. The aim of the current publication is to elaborate on the collision of the values of keeping professional secrecy and of public security and justice system. The outcome of the analysis can with certainty be helpful for psychologists in solving a conflict between professional secrecy and a legal obligation regarding reporting a crime