Roundtable: How to Make Social Work fit Around Here

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract

Social workers play many roles when providing services in the criminal justice system. In many adult and juvenile settings, these roles may include therapists, parole agents, diversion program managers, case managers and conflict mediators. One of the biggest challenges can be navigating between the needs of the offender and desires of the system to serve, protect and keep the public safe. A social worker’s job is to advocate for a client’s mental health needs, provide appropriate services and to help manage relationships. Oftentimes however social workers find barriers in place that make it difficult to deliver the services they need to provide. Though these barriers are not intended to make the social worker’s job more difficult, they often exist because of the punitive nature of the system. The dichotomy between the two can often be at odds, even when positive reentry and lower recidivism rates are in fact the ultimate goal for social workers and criminal justice professionals. This roundtable will serve as a discussion for people in both arenas to come together and discuss how social workers can be more effectively utilized within criminal justice settings without jeopardizing the values of either profession.

Sub Unit

• Area XII. Roundtables

Chair

• Jenny Fritz, Eastern Michigan University

Discussants

• Barbara Walters, Eastern Michigan University

• Bonnie Miller, Eastern Michigan University