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Social work clients often must come into contact with the legal system as they navigate events in their lives such as intimate partner violence, child custody, criminal or civil charges, divorce, and more. As their advocates, social workers must accompany clients on those journeys through a complex and confusing system with sometimes limited understanding unless they have earned another degree in a legal specialty or have taken additional courses to supplement their knowledge. For those social workers who face negotiating a challenging legal system, our E-News Exclusive interviews experts in forensic social work who encourage social workers to take courses in forensic social work whenever available, seek out information from forensic social work experts, and utilize the resources of the National Organization of Forensic Social Work.
We welcome your comments at SWTeditor@gvpub.com. Visit our website at www.SocialWorkToday.com, like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter.
— Marianne Mallon, editor |
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Forensic Social Work — You’re Probably Doing It,
So Learn More About It
By Sue Coyle, MSW
For many, the legal system may seem abstract and distant. Yes, it dictates how quickly we drive and how we interact and respond to others, for example, but it does so almost indirectly.
“The average person knows that we have all these rules, but they don’t understand how it truly governs our lives,” says Viola Vaughan-Eden, PhD, MJ, LCSW, an associate professor and PhD program director at The Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work at Norfolk State University and president of the National Organization of Forensic Social Work (NOFSW).
Without that understanding, navigating and working within the legal system if or when it does come to the forefront of one’s life can be difficult if not seemingly impossible. For those struggling with mental health issues, abuse, criminal or civil charges, or the end/beginning of familial relationships, guidance, support, advocacy, and effective services are tantamount. That’s where social workers come in.
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Researchers Make Recommendations, Including ‘Smart Gun’ Technology, to Reduce Firearm Suicide Rates
Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) have found that legislation reducing access to firearms has lowered firearm suicide rates in other countries. This finding is based on evidence from around the world on the relationship between firearm ownership and firearm suicide rates.
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Treating Trauma in America's Refugees
Men, women, and children seeking asylum from human rights violations and other horrific brutalities come to the United States and must adjust to a new land while also trying to come to terms with the trauma conditions they left behind. Social workers are learning how to help. Read more »
Americans and Guns:
A Complex Relationship
Some individuals in this country are wedded to their guns; this has caused a big problem in trying to enact legislation that could help to curb the gun violence that has plagued us in recent years. Read more »
Orthorexia Nervosa:
The Eating Disorder Hidden in Plain Sight
In a culture so heavily focused on healthy eating, it is often difficult to recognize when someone has crossed the line from health consciousness to obsession. Read more »
Visioning Social Work's Future,
Celebrating Its Past
For our 15th anniversary, Social Work Today's editorial advisors look to the future of the social work profession while reflecting on its rich past. Read more » |
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