Zasady efektywnego przesłuchania Méndeza w dziedzinie pomocy społecznej – perspektywy dla Republiki Czeskiej i dla Polski
Ondřej Pavelek
Silesian University in Opavahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5329-4039
Denis Solodov
Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie UWMhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2884-9420
Abstract
The Principles on Effective Interviewing for Investigations and Information Gathering, also known as the Méndez Principles, present an innovative approach to interviewing, interrogations, and the prevention of torture. The Méndez Principles blend legal and scientific elements to enhance the effectiveness of information gathering conducted by state officials while upholding human rights. They can also be extended beyond criminal proceedings to other areas, such as social services, embodying an inclusive multidisciplinary strategy that integrates law and psychology. Aimed to facilitate accurate and complete information acquisition, these universal principles accommodate diverse state legislations. In the Czech Republic, social services adhere to the standards of care established in 2007, which prioritize individual needs and human dignity, in conjunction with the Méndez Principles. In Poland, the standards of social services have been defined by the law on social welfare of 2004, which prioritizes individual rights and dignity and thus adheres to the values of the Méndez Principles. In both countries, national legal standards on social services converge on safeguarding human rights, respecting individual will, and promoting professional development and communication between social service personnel and their clients. The aim of the paper is to explore the potential application and relevance of the Méndez Principles – originally designed for interviewing and information gathering in investigations and interrogations – to the field of social services in the Czech Republic and Poland. The authors seek to examine how these principles, which emphasize human rights, legal integrity, and psychological insights, can enhance the standards of care and information gathering in social services, ultimately contributing to fairer, more respectful, and effective procedures. The paper investigates the intersections between the Méndez Principles and existing national social service standards, aiming to identify possible synergies and benefits of integrating these principles into social service practices. The authors conclude that there is potential for the implementation of the Méndez Principles in social services, among other areas, with respect to information gathering for decision-making.
Keywords:
Mendez Principles on Effective Interviewing, social services, social workers, clients, human rights, individual dignity, familial interviewReferences
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