Chapter 2: History of Forensic Social Work Flashcards
Why is history of forensic social work important?
Because it represents the full diversity of our profession, which includes advocating for those accused or convicted of a crime; standing up for victims; responding to youth in juvenile justice systems; testifying in court on behalf of both litigants and defendants; supporting and working alongside law enforcement professionals; and working to improve or change the processes and policies of the US justice system
History clearly displays where a need was met by implementing a policy. For example, where juveniles were once tried as adults – the juvenile justice system was born.
When was the concept of parole established in social work history? What are the current influences (consider class discussions re parole, death penalty reviews, etc.)?**
19th century. People released early based on good behavior - parole
1876 Emira Refarmatory first person released
In class: Apply to workshops, education, and have good behavior to be released early
How does social work history influence Forensic Policy? Provide examples.
A key accomplishment of early social workers was to change the policy regarding young persons charged with criminal offenses . Julia Lathrop, Jane Addams, and Lucy Flower pushed to get children out of penal institutions, where individuals as young as 5 were incarcerated with adults. Their efforts led to the birth of the juvenile justice system in 1899. . The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC), founded in New York in 1875 and modeled after the early Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, presaged these later juvenile justice reforms.
How does social work history influence forensic social work practice?
institutional changes were both fueled by and gave birth to new theories of human nature and childhood. Mary Richmond’s efforts, first in Baltimore’s Charity Organization Society and later as the director of the Russell Sage Foundation, argued for private social work practice, and for creating a system of social work education for “recognizing human differences and adjusting our systems of…law, of reformation and of industry to those differences”
What were the specific roles of pioneer social workers (Jane Adams, Mary Richmond, Jerome Miller, etc) in promoting economic, social, and political reform?
Jane Addams- Nobel Prize winning social work pioneer, targeted the systems and policies that affected the poor of her day; founder of settlement houses; pushed to get children out of penal institutions.
Mary Richmond- Pioneer of Social Work and founding mother of casework. She argued for private social work practice and created a system of social work education for recognizing human differences and adjusting our systems of law.
Jerome Miller- created the soon-copied policy of moving youth in juvenile justice systems from institutions to smaller, community-based group homes.
