Social Work in Juvenile and Criminal Justice Systems

Social Work in Juvenile and Criminal Justice Systems sets the standard of care for mental health treatment and the delivery of social services to crime victims, juvenile and adult offenders, and their families. The chapters, all authored by experts in the field and all committed to the mission of social justice, are written with the clear understanding that we cannot study criminal justice in a vacuum. Therefore, a major focus of the book is on the renewed growing sense of the profession s obligation to social justice. Each chapter interconnects with the various components of juvenile and criminal justice. Another prominent aspect of the book is that it is strength-based. It views those involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems as individuals rather than inmates or criminals, each with unique positive talents and abilities. The book is divided into four sections. The first section discusses forensic social work, including crime and delinquency theories, trends, and ethical issues. The second section prepares social workers for practice in correctional institutions and explores crisis intervention with victims of violence, reentry of adult offenders in society, and aging in prison. The third section covers assessment and intervention in child sexual abuse, mental health and substance abuse, interpersonal violence and prevention, child welfare and juvenile justice. The final section presents an overview on social work in the twenty-first century, which includes restorative justice and the justice system, new ways of delivering justice, domestic violence, neighborhood revitalization, race and ethnicity, and social work practice with LGBTQ offenders. This book will be the best single source on social work in criminal justice settings and will prove to be an invaluable resource for the many professionals who have responsibility for formulating and carrying out the mandates of the criminal justice system.