Journal of Forensic Social Work

Letter from the Editors

David McLeod — 2024-08-07

A letter from the JoFSW Editors reflecting on the 2023 year and future plans.

Flipping the Narrative: A Unifying Framework for Juvenile Court-based Forensic Social Work Practice

Elizabeth Loizeaux Walker — 2024-08-07

Professional social workers are trained in multiple competencies and occupy various positions within the forensic landscape. Unified by a code of ethics that emphasizes social justice and the protection and empowerment of marginalized populations and a philosophical approach that recognizes the interplay of individual and environmental factors, social work leadership in youth justice policy and practice is vital. This article proposes a unifying framework for macro, mezzo, and micro court-based forensic social work practice in the 21st century that draws from post-modern critical social work theory.

The lifelong negative impacts of court involvement for young people are well documented and contribute to persistent societal inequities. Pre-disposition court practices can mitigate or further harm court-involved youth. “Flipping the Narrative” is a culturally relevant practice framework for evaluating and designing youth court practices that recognize the intersectionality of the identities and experiences of court-involved youth. The proposed framework incorporates the practical implications of Critical Theory, specifically Critical Race Theory, the Theory of African American Offending, and Queer Theory, and relevant practice approaches, such as Social Justice Youth Development and Narrative Therapy, to analyze current youth court practices, propose areas for further evaluation and innovation, and recommend practice enhancements for defense-based forensic social workers. The urgency for innovation in one New England state is illustrated through a case study.

“Helping Me Get Through the Day”: The Importance of Social Contact and Support for Incarcerated Young People During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jacoba Rock — 2024-08-07

Background: There is limited knowledge about how incarcerated young people have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. An improved understanding of the impact of pandemic circumstances could help to advance a multitude of practices and policies, including those that strengthen personal relationships.

Objectives: This study aimed to (a) describe self-reported perceptions that social contact and support for incarcerated young people are powerful protective factors with the potential to attenuate the negative impacts of incarceration, (b) explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their personal and relational well-being, (c) determine the extent to which the pandemic restricted access to social support and other resources, and (d) consider potential identity-related differences in these perceptions and impacts.

Methods: This exploratory study employed interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith et al., 2010) of semi-structured interviews with 30 incarcerated youth in an adult correctional setting, ages 16-21 years, in addition to some preliminary information about social contact and multidimensional social support.

Results: Significant benefits of family support were identified, such as moral guidance, hopefulness, and goal maintenance, as well as the necessity of relationships for youth well-being given the especially challenging circumstances created by the pandemic. Limitations and barriers to social support, as well as access to services, were identified that may have implications for programmatic and system-level changes.

Conclusion: Contact with and involvement in supportive relationships is important for incarcerated young people, perhaps especially so during times of crisis. Specific implications for both forensic social work practice, such as family-focused advocacy and services, and further qualitative social work research, including with incarcerated young people, are further explored.

Teaching Forensic Paraphilia in Undergraduate and Graduate Human Sexuality: A Note from the Field

Nafees Alam — 2024-08-07

Part of being a social work professor is teaching human sexuality, including paraphilias. Approaching such emotionally charged topics intellectually can be particularly difficult when teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels in higher education. Students coming from different parts of the nation, different parts of the planet; students coming from a diverse array of ethical and ideological backgrounds, can take these lessons in different ways, ways in which professors may never intend. Employing a point-counterpoint philosophy to explore the ethics related to sexual diversity and inclusion can encourage students to consider counterpoints to their points of view, focused not on agreement, but understanding. The aim isn’t for students to change who they are, but to get to know who they are at a deeper level by covering divisive topics from a variety of opposing and conflicting perspectives. For professors, it’s important to understand that divisive topics are divisive for a reason, and will likely never be universally considered.

Motherhood, Trauma and Justice: A Critical Look at Black Women's Reentry Pathways

Leslianne Davis — 2024-08-07

Objectives: This article seeks to investigate the particular problems that Black mothers with justice involvement experience upon reentry and to offer a more effective framework for their assistance.

Hypothesis: Traditional reentry frameworks fail to address the complexity that emerges from the combination of race, gender, and trauma experienced by Black mothers.

Methods: The article conducts a critical intersectional analysis using Critical Race Theory (CRT), Black Feminist Theory (BFT), and Trauma-Informed Care (TIC). This study analyzes previous research and combines the findings from each framework.

Results: The research demonstrates three essential things: that systemic racism in the criminal justice system disproportionately imprisons Black women, contributing to unfavorable reentry experiences; that Black women show perseverance and opposition to carceral regimes, but their unique perspectives and agency are frequently left unattended; and that trauma is common among Black women and has an immense impact on their reentry experiences. The requirement for trauma-informed support programs is vital.

Conclusion: Based on the findings, a re-conceptualized reintegration support framework is presented, focusing on racial justice, gender equality, and the well-being of Black women and their families.

Understanding the Characteristics and Motivations of Female Sexual Offenders: A Systematic Review

Burcu Ozturk — 2024-08-07

Sexual offenses are considered among the most egregious crimes in modern society. While some information is available in the public sphere, most popular conceptualizations of female sexual offenders are more heavily influenced by mythology and popular culture than science. Nonetheless, research helps further identify the characteristics of those who commit these crimes and their relation to those they victimize. This systematic review has been conducted to collect data on female sexual offenders. The initial literature search yielded 5,344 potential articles, 16 of which met the review’s eligibility criteria. The data organized from these articles provide this phenomenon's most recent state of science and provide a detailed picture of these women's identities, along with possible developmental and behavioral trajectories. Findings suggest extensive trauma histories and problematic boundary development in personal and familial relationships are critical factors for consideration--data that doesn't necessarily align with portrayals of these women in popular culture.

“So many forms of loss”: Cumulative grief among formerly incarcerated people

Olivia Ward — 2024-08-07

Objectives: The review aims to explore nuanced phenomena, compound loss and cumulative grief that previously incarcerated individuals experience because of their incarceration.

Hypothesis: Compound loss and cumulative grief manifest in multiple ways that differ based on the individual and their experiences before, during, and after incarceration.

Methods: The study adopted a secondary research design using transcripts from interviews with individuals on parole that were collected from a previous study conducted by Dr. Susan Dewey and reanalyzed for the present study.

Results: The review presents the findings from the first author’s analysis of multiple transcripts focusing on topics from a previous study relating to life before, during, and after prison. The findings showed three primary forms of compound loss: positive loss – loss of problematic relationships, negative loss, and transformative loss. Participants of the present study experienced one or more forms of loss, resulting in experiencing compound loss. Positive loss encompassed losing a fractious romantic relationship and or substance misuse. Negative loss encompassed losing reputation, time, relationships, trust, and freedom/independence. Transformative loss encompassed improved relationships, improved self-worth and self-awareness, and advocacy for others or self. Cumulative grief and compound loss can have negative impacts on reentry success for many, as they are unable to properly cope with the pile-on effects of loss.