1 in 32
One of my mini-missions in life is to contribute toward and increase social work research, education, and practitioner skill in navigating the criminal justice system. This is not one of the hallmark social work arenas, such as the public welfare and child welfare spheres, although, historically, social workers were instrumental in the creation of the juvenile justice system, including probation and the courts. So, when I go to conferences, such as the American Society of Criminology meetings, I get asked questions like, "So, you're in social work, why are you here?" Well, figures recently released are at least part of the reason why. Seven million people in the United States were under the supervision of the criminal justice system by the end of 2005 - this includes those in prison, jail, on parole or probation. That's 1 in 32 adults. Do you know 32 people? Well, most social workers, regardless of their primary area of practice, work with at least that many on a caseload. Chances are, given that social workers often work with populations at greater risk for criminal justice intervention (the poor, minorities), a great many more than 1 in 32 of those individuals are likely affected by this increasingly powerful system. And the effects of this system go way beyond "time served" either while incarcerated or "on paper," as my illustrious boss and others have demonstrated. "Collateral consequences" of involvement in the criminal justice system are sweeping, affecting an individual's civic rights, parental status, employment prospects, housing, and other "life chances." Not to mention that the lives of families and children of those involved in the system are also deeply altered, both practically and psychologically.
Social workers ought to be in on this mess, and not just those few of us who are directly involved in the criminal justice system, but all of us. Because the lives of our clients are undoubtedly touched, directly or indirectly, by this far-reaching system, we ought to be looking critically at how this system works or doesn't, how it affects our clients' (whether individuals or communities) lives, and what we can do to promote change and greater social well-being - even for those who have "done wrong" but who have "done their time."