Skills & Knowledge
- Basic knowledge of what the system is
- Basic knowledge of how the system works
- Basic knowledge of terminology
- Basic knowledge of the rights held by clients
- Know the timeline of proceedings to better advocate for clients
Media Depiction
There are many fields the social worker can perform when working in criminal justice. As a social worker you will be working with the criminal population who most have a long history of trauma and making poor choices. As a social worker you will be working closely with your client to make decisions based on their mental health and safety towards themselves and the public. You will be working closely with other professionals to make recommendations about your client’s rehabilitation, suggested treatments and possible resources for them.
Treatment & Collaboration
In chapter 11 there is a case study named “Johnathon” who is incarcerated for abusing his wife. After working with Johnathon, it’s discovered that his parents physically fought often and in front of him as a boy. Johnathon had trouble relating his current unresolved trauma to his negative behavior as an adult. As a social worker you can help your client come to these conclusions by working with them in an individual or group therapy session. Social workers provide emotional support, guidance, navigating the legal system and directing them to resources they may need.
Careers as a social worker in the justice system
- cps/aps– working closely with family members and the client over allegations of abuse and neglect. Providing parenting training and other resources to keep the family together.
- Youth Correctional Counselor-rehabilitate youth offenders, supervising and enforcing discipline, keeping records, making recommendations for future treatments and support systems.
- Prison/Jail social worker-reducing rate of reincarceration, treating past trauma, providing education, evaluating mental health and substance abuse to come up with treatment plans.
- Probation/Parole officer-monitoring offenders, helping them find jobs and housing, progress reports, treatment recommendations.
- Sex offender clinician-counseling offenders of sexually motivated crimes, especially difficult because you have to be able to hear their crimes and still be nonjudgmental and treat offenders with dignity and respect, treatment recommendations.
- Victim advocate-help those in crisis, emotional support, connecting them to resources, accompying them to court, crisis hotlines, group therapy.
- Substance abuse counselor-help client overcome addiction, must be patient and treat client with dignity and respect, creating and monitoring a recovery treatment plan.
- Mitigation specialist-is a member of a defense attorney team that participates in courtroom proceedings, extremely organized and detail oriented, reduce the potential punishment of his/ her client by identifying a factor that warrants a reduction in severity for sentencing.
- Counselor Working with Mandated Clients-counseling individuals who are entering services unwillingly, many consist of the same clients listed above but are especially difficult to work with due to the nature of their care being mandated.
Mindy Haley
I’m curious to know whether you’ve considered any of the careers within this area of social work. While I cannot pretend to know exactly where I want to work when I’ve completed my degree, I will admit that one position within the field hold my interest at this time: working as a victim advocate. Since I have experience from the Policing point of view within the Criminal Justice system, I could see myself using past experience and knowledge to help victims navigate the overwhelming investigative and judicial processes.
I remember, once upon a time, that I would get frustrated by victims of violence, abuse, or sexual crimes who were uncooperative with law enforcement and the courts. I had no idea about the impacts such traumas can have on a person and I couldn’t imagine why they wouldn’t want to do everything in their power to see the offender in jail. The Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica partnered to write a tragic and heartfelt series of articles a few years ago that shared stories of several victims of abuse, and it helped me realize that each victim had their own way of making peace with their trauma and “righting the wrongs” that were done to them. Surprisingly, some of them preferred to forgive or forget and move on with their lives. To them, the loss of dignity during invasive investigations and cross-examination re-opened the wounds caused by the offender in the first place. Others preferred to do everything in their power to lead to the arrest and incarceration of their offender, if only to protect others from the same abuses.
It took some time and reflection, but I can see that it is important to honor the needs of the victim when prosecuting a criminal case. A good advocate could probably shield the victim from some of the harms caused during the criminal justice process, as well as empower them to participate to the fullest extent they wish to go forth.
Danni Reuter
I have considered being a victims advocate as well, I think I would like to work women. As much as I want my job to be fulfilling I also have to factor in the pay scale. I’m kind of open to see where life takes me as far as where I’ll be working exactly.
Olivia Taylor
This particular area of social work has always been a passion of mine. Although many people have described it as draining and challenging, I find it fulfilling. I genuinely enjoy listening to and comprehending people’s problems, no matter how graphic or difficult they may be. This is because I come from a place where it is relatively easy for me to empathize with others, given the past traumas I have experienced and the things I have been exposed to. The area of CPS and victim advocacy is something I feel like I may pursue in the future. I sometimes envision myself moving back to my hometown In the Virgin Islands and working for child protective services because I know the strong need for it.
Danni Reuter
I’m the same, I don’t think I could get tired of hearing about what’s going on in people’s lives. I had considered CPS or something with kids but I think that area might be extremely difficult for me. I don’t know that I would be able to remain professional if I checked on a child and could clearly see that they were being abused.
Kaylana Nations
Hey Danni,
Thank you for this informative blog. I didn’t know much about the different roles social workers could play within the criminal justice system. So this was of great use to me. I would love to see A LOT more focus on different types of therapy while one is in prison. Prison could be a great time for people to work on themselves if they were given a safer healthy environment. I was just thinking back on Indigenous ways of living and the health benefits that come with it. Prison takes away a lot of what comes with being human. Sunlight, fresh air, movement, healthy foods, and personal connections all foster a person into a healthy more fulfilling lifestyle. Most prisons and jails don’t focus on those aspects of life. If more people saw incarcerated people with dignity and as humans, we would see a significant decline in incarcerated folks.
Danni Reuter
My ex-mother in law was working in a men’s prison as some kind of therapist for a while. She was exposed to daily flashes of genitalia and couldn’t handle it anymore. Just a heads up 🙂
Joshua Escobedo
Hello Danni,
Your blog resonated with my decision to pursue a career in the social work field. The scope of opportunities it offers is vast, allowing professionals to make a meaningful impact on various levels. The prospect that our knowledge and expertise might play a role in determining the outcome of a criminal case can be overwhelming, but I am confident that my meticulous attention to detail and genuine passion for helping people will ensure a fair and impartial approach.
While the thought of being called to the courtroom makes me a bit nervous, the available resources and support within our reach provide reassurance. I believe these factors will contribute to my ability to navigate such situations effectively.
Myah Sundby
I appreciate your insights into the diverse roles of social workers in criminal justice. It’s clear that social workers play a crucial role in addressing the complex needs of individuals within the criminal population, many of whom have a history of trauma. The case study of “Johnathon” in Chapter 11 is a poignant example of how social workers can help clients connect past experiences to current behaviors, facilitating a path to rehabilitation. Your mention of the collaborative nature of the work, involving other professionals and legal systems, underscores the interdisciplinary approach required in this field. How do you think the role of a social worker in criminal justice contributes to broader societal well-being and rehabilitation efforts?
Katherine LeBlanc
Hi Danni, your blog was easy to read and clearly shows different roles of social workers in the criminal justice system; good job. It really does show that being a social worker is diverse, even within one system. Each of the roles are important to helping those who need it. Those incarcerated don’t generally become that way because they wanted to. They made poor decisions and likely lacked help or resources when needed. As social workers we aim to help people. This includes preventing bad decisions and helping them understand and do better if they do make some.