Social Work in Juvenile and Criminal Justice Settings

Book excerpt: In this completely revised and updated classic, Professors Roberts and Springer, along with 51 justice-oriented and forensic experts, have set 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 second edition of Social Work in Juvenile and Criminal Justice Settings was published almost ten years ago in 1997, and was also translated to Chinese. Now Dr. Roberts, Dr. Springer, and their team of 51 prominent chapter authors have done such a thorough job of updating and finding new authors, that the end result is a comprehensive new book. In this third edition, 16 of the 31 chapters are new and specially written for this book. A growing number of mental health professionals are recognizing the need to examine current evidence-based program developments, assessment, and treatment practices with crime victims and offenders. This book focuses on the multiple roles and practices of justice social workers, also known as forensic social workers and crisis counselors. Many professional social workers, counselors and field placement students work in corrections and probation, forensic mental health, addictions treatment, juvenile justice, victim assistance, and police social work settings. In the words of Dean Barbara W. White (former President, Council on Social Work Education, and NASW) in her laudatory Foreword to this edition: "This groundbreaking book provides the necessary blueprints and guidelines for best practices with crime victims as well as juvenile and adult offenders in institutional, community- based, diversion, and aftercare programs. . . . This is the first all-inclusive, authoritative, exceptionally well-written volume on social policies and social work practices in both juvenile justice and criminal justice settings. . . . This book is a landmark achievement." An increasing number of offenders and victims have been found to be