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We are writing in response to the articles in your special issue “The American Psychological Association and the War on Terror” (Vol. 14, Issue 2) in an effort to address some misconceptions and to update your readers on APA's actions since the release of the independent review conducted by attorney David Hoffman of Sidley Austin.
Since the release of the independent review in July 2015, APA has acknowledged organizational failures and undertaken - at the behest of our Board of Directors and Council of Representatives - a series of 19 actions aimed at rebuilding members' and the public's trust in our association. These actions include:
Appointing a Commission on Ethics Processes to evaluate and make recommendations regarding the association's ethics policies and practices. The commission delivered its final report to the Council of Representatives in August.
Adopting a new 2015 Council resolution to amend the 2006 and 2013 Council resolutions by redefining “cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment” to be consistent with the U.N. Convention Against Torture - as is the association's longstanding definition of torture - and to prohibit psychologist participation in national security interrogations, among other key provisions.
Amending the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct to underscore via explicit language that psychologists are prohibited from being involved directly or indirectly in torture or in other cruel, inhuman or degrading behavior.
Appointing a Conflict of Interest Work Group to propose processes to ensure that all members of APA governance, including boards and committees, understand what constitutes a conflict of interest (both financial and non-financial) and when and how to reveal any such conflicts and recuse themselves from APA activities.
Appointing an Advisory Committee on Human Rights to provide strategic advice to the association in its promotion and protection of human rights.
Sponsoring a continuing education worksh