Ira Neighbors, DSW, LCSW, MSW Southern University at New Orleans Jay Hedgpeth PhD, MSW Tennessee State University KellyPeterson, MSW Southern University at New Orleans Outline Introduction History of Forensic Social work Abstract Questions that guided the 1998 Study Results of the 2000 study 2015 sample 2015 results compared to 2000 results 2015 Future directions Questions / Discussion Forensic Social Work in the 21 st Century: A Replication of a ABSTRACT The primary objective of this workshop is to disseminate information of schools of social work that offer forensic social work at the MSW and BSW levels. The authors conducted a survey of MSW and BSW Schools/Departments of Social Work in the United States accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is being conducted. This survey research is undertaken to find out what schools are offering training in forensic social work. This study is a replication of a 15 year earlier study that surveyed only MSW programs. This study is different in that it includes both BSW and MSW programs. 1
2000 Survey of Schools of Social Work Questions Asked in the 2000 Survey: 1) Does your graduate school of social work/welfare offer a joint MSW/JD degree? 2) Does your graduate school currently offer a course on social work and the law? 3) Does your graduate school offer a class titled: Forensic Social Work? 4) Does your graduate school offer a forensic social work sequence/track? 5) Does your internship program include placement in forensic settings? 6) Do MSW students request social work and the law classes? 7) Do the MSW students request forensic social work classes? 8) What are the titles of courses you offer on the topic of social work and the law or forensic social work? 9) Are you contemplating expanding your program to include forensic social work? 10) Are there comments you would like to make? Questions that guided the 2000 study: 1) Are Graduate Schools of Social Work providing students with adequate training to function in legal settings 2) Is forensic social work and social work and the law essentially the same? 2014/15 Data Collection Over 1200 E Mails + Over 400 phone calls + 100 letters To 686 programs 211 MSW and 475 BSW 2015 Sample Total BSW 71 (51%) MSW 68 (49%) 2
BSW 71 (51%) MSW 69 (49%) % YES # BSW MSW HBCU Total 2015 Total 2000 1 13 (19%) 1 (100%) 13 (19%) 24 (34%) 2 15 (23%) 26 (38%) 2 (33%) 42 (30%) 45 (64%) 3 12 (20%) 13 (19%) 6 (100%) 23 (16%) 12 (20%) 4 6 (10%) 1 (100%) 6 (10%) 3 (4%) 5 42 (65%) 45(68%) 5 (83%) 87 (63%) 48 (72%) 6 19 (26%) 28 (41%) 2 (33%) 47 (34%) 49 (73%) 7 20 (28%) 28 (42%) 2 (33%) 48 (35%) 22 (27%) 9 17 (25%) 2 3(35%) 6 (100%) 40 (29%) 10 (18%) 1) MSW ONLY Does your graduate school of social work/welfare offer a joint SW/JD degree? MSW 15 13 (19%) MSW 00 24 (34%) 2) Does your graduate school currently offer a course on social work and the law? BSW 15 7 (14%) MSW 15 11 (33%) Total 2015 Total 2000 18 (22%) 45 (64%) 3
3) Does your graduate school offer a class titled Forensic Social Work"? BSW 2015 10 (14%) MSW 2015 13 (19%) Total 2015 Total 2000 23 (17%) 3(4%) 4) MSW ONLY Does your graduate school offer a forensic social work sequence/track? MSW 2015 6 (9%) MSW 2000 3 (4%) 5) Does your internship program include placement in forensic settings? Region Total BSW 2015 47 (65%) MSW 2015 45 (68%) Total 2015 92 (66%) Total 2000 48 (72%) 4
6) Do the MSW students request social work and the law classes? BSW 2015 19 (26%) MSW 2015 28 (41%) Total 2015 47 (34%) Total 2000 49 (73%) 7) Do the MSW students request forensic social work classes? BSW 2015 20 (28%) MSW 2015 28 (42%) Total 2015 48 (35%) Total 2000 8) What are the titles of courses you offer on the topic of social work and the law or forensic social work? Social Work and the law (8) Legal Issues in Social Work (3) Forensic Social Work (2) Domestic Violence (2) Legal and Ethical Issues Legal and Ethical Aspects Law and Social Work 5
9) Are you contemplating expanding your program to include forensic social work? BSW 2015 17 (25%) MSW 2015 23 (35%) Total 2015 40 (29%) Total 2000 10 (18%) 10) Are there comments you would like to make? Common Comments Forensic content only embedded in other classes Forensic content in other departments They have full forensic specialization They have no forensics (BSW programs) CSWE.ORG (2015) Current Number of Social Work Programs As of the June 2015, there were: 506 accredited baccalaureate social work programs 238 accredited master's social work programs 15 baccalaureate social work programs in candidacy 17 master's social work programs in candidacy 6
Summary: Lack of focus on Forensic Social Work With a multi data collection approach: Direct E mails, phone calls, survey monkey emails, and letters: only 140 of 738 schools replied. Letters tended to provide the best response. In the 2000 survey only letters were used, and the response rate was greater. 7