The California Supreme Court Case: Tarasoff Case Of 1969

In 1976, the California Supreme Court ruled that psychotherapists have a duty to warn and protect potential victims if their patients made threats or otherwise behaved as if they presented a serious danger of violence to another. This ruling happened because of the Tarasoff Case of 1969, in which the court determined the need for therapists to protect the public was more important than protecting patient-therapist confidentiality. (Vitelli 1) The Tarasoff Case is based on the 1969 murder of a University of California Berkley student, Tatiana Tarasoff. The perpetrator, Prosenjit Poddar was a student at the University who had met Tarasoff at a folk dancing class on campus. While they went on several dates, they soon disagreed on the seriousness of their relationship and Poddar became obsessed with her. When Tatiana rebuffed him, Poddar began stalking her and underwent an emotional crisis for which he began psychological counseling at the university medical center. (Vitelli 1)
He sent a letter to campus police, who then interviewed Poddar, but ultimately he was released under the impression he would avoid contact with Tarasoff. The police ordered that the evidence of all notes taken and the letter to the authorities be destroyed, as well as placing Poddar on a 72-hour hold. All while this was happening, no one informed Tarasoff. Some time after Poddar was released, he confronted her at her apartment and ended her life. In the end, the main ethical question is, is it more important to protect patient-therapist confidentiality or to protect the public? (Vitelli