ABSTRACT

We do not normally ask professionals themselves whether they believe that their behavior “crossed the line.” But they were there, perhaps they know more about their own intentions than we can ever hope to gather. Perhaps they are in a better position to say whether substance abuse played a role, or whether the procedures that they violated were workable or correct or available. And whether they knowingly violated them or not. Yet we don’t rely on insiders to give us the truth. After all:

• we suspect that those people are too biased for that; • we reckon they may try to put themselves in the most positive light

possible; • we will see their account as one-sided, distorted, skewed, partial-as a

skirting of accountability rather than embracing it.