The Role Of The American Psychological Association In CIA Torture Program

The Bush Administration authorized an "enhanced interrogation program", which included the use of such techniques as water boarding on prisoners captured after the 9/11 attack.  The Justice Department provided a legal report which supported the legality of the enhanced interrogation program.  The legal defense has been made public and it has been widely criticized by legal scholars. The participation of the American Psychological Association in the enhanced interrogation program is described in this article.  The APA Board cooperated with the CIA and other government agencies to alter its code of professional ethics so that its members could directly participate in the enhanced interrogation program.  The APA has consistently denied its cooperation with government and private organizations that were involved in the enhanced interrogation program.  A group of medical and psychology professionals investigated the involvement of the APA in supporting the enhanced interrogation program.  It documented the role of the APA Board  in altering its code of ethics so that its members could participate in the interrogation program.