An Ethics of Interrogation

Turn on your television and you're bound to run across the concept of interrogation, whether it's on CNN or CSI. But despite daily mentions of the practice in the media, you're unlikely to find informed commentary on its moral implications. Moving beyond the narrow focus on torture that has characterized most work on the subject, "An Ethics of Interrogation" is the first book to fully address this complex issue. In doing so Michael Skerker confronts a host of philosophical and legal issues, from the right to privacy and the privilege against compelled self-incrimination to prisoner rights and the legal consequences of different modes of arrest, interrogation, and detention. These topics raise serious questions about the morality of keeping secrets and the differences between state power at home and abroad. Thoughtful consideration of these subjects leads Skerker to specific policy recommendations for law enforcement, military, and intelligence professionals. Whether secrets can be elicited from unwilling subjects in a morally upright manner may be the defining dilemma of our historical moment, making Skerker's profound investigation into this pressing issue essential reading.