Katherine van Wormer

Social and economic justice, human rights and peace The challenge for social work in Canada and the USA

English Social work in Canada and the USA shares a common heritage in the commitment to advancing social and economic justice. Today the capitalist global market and increasing militarization affect social work in both nations. This paper discusses these challenges and presents a vision for social work as a human rights profession. French Au Canada et aux É tats-Unis, le travail social partage l’héritage d’un engagement à faire évoluer la justice sociale et économique. Aujourd’hui, la mondialisation du marché capitaliste et la militarisation croissante ont un impact sur le travail social dans les deux pays. Cette étude se penche sur ces enjeux et formule une vision du travail social en le considérant comme une profession liée aux droits de la personne. Spanish El trabajo social en Canadá y los Estados Unidos comparte una herencia común en su compromiso de avanzar hacia la justicia social y económica. Actualmente, el mercado global capitalista y la creciente militarización impacta al trabajo social en ambas naciones. Este trabajo discute estos retos y presenta una visión para el trabajo social como profesión de los derechos humanos.

The Case for Restorative Justice: A Crucial Adjunct to the Social Work Curriculum.

Abstract This paper discusses the significance of restorative justice practices and orientations for social work education. It describes the four basic forms of restorative justice-victim-offender conferencing, community reparative boards, family group conferencing, and healing circles, with special relevance to social work. Learning about principles and practice of restorative justice is important, if social work is to provide leadership in policy innovation and program development. Following the overview, this paper provides suggestions for integrating restorative content on this timely topic throughout the social work curriculum.

Training Social Work Students for Practice with Substance Abusers: An Ecological Approach

Substantive information is provided to help students recognize and treat clients suffering from chemical dependency. This concern cannot be limited to addictions specialists but must be shared with generalist social work practitioners. The ecological perspective is a relevant approach in the treatment of a disease that has strong physical and psychological ramifications. The following questions are addressed: Why should general BSW/MSW students need to know about alcoholism/addiction? What should the general or specializing social work student know of chemical dependency? What skills are required for assessment of chemical dependency intervention with individuals and families? How can the social work curriculum be shaped to provide adequate training for work with substance abusing clients?

What We Can Learn of Resilience from Older African-American Women: Interviews with Women Who Worked as Maids in the Deep South

Resilience theory is increasingly informed by an in-depth study of personal narratives and story telling by survivors of personal trauma and cultural hardship. From the perspective of risk and resilience theory, this study examines the personal narratives of three older African-American women who engaged in domestic service from childhood. Collectively, their autobiographical memories describe experiences coping with the forces of an oppressive social and economic system. Our analysis of these personable narratives reveals how these women not only endured the cruelties of segregation and racism but somehow prevailed over them.

The Impact of Priest Sexual Abuse: Female Survivors’ Narratives:

This article explores the effect of priests’sexual abuse on victimized girls and young women. The data were obtained from in-depth interviews with women who were seeking help years after the violation. The results revealed the following themes: the loss of innocence, a period of self-blame, the loss of religious faith, immense pressure to maintain silence, recognition of the imbalance of power, and healing through out-side help. The contribution of the principles of restorative justice to victims’healing is described.

Working with Male Batterers: A Restorative-Strengths Perspective:

The Duluth model of batterer intervention is based on a feminist critical theory paradigm that makes sense from the point of view of the victim/survivor. Male batterers in treatment, however, may resist many of the precepts of this model. Applying a restorative-strengths perspective to the group process and evaluation may enable us to meet participants where they are and help reduce the resistance, denial, recidivism, and high dropout rates common with this group. Principles of restorative justice may be applied at the community level as well to reinforce community standards of behavior.

Restorative justice : A model for personal and societal empowerment

Abstract Restorative justice is the growing movement that aims to change the direction of criminal law by focusing it on the needs of victims and repairing communities. The focus of this article is on three restorative initiatives-family group conferencing, victim-offender mediation, and reparations. The link between social work and restorative justice is explored in each of these areas.

The psychology of suicide-murder and the death penalty

To understand the dynamics of individuals who seek or are attracted to the death penalty as a form of suicide, one must first probe the dynamics of a related matter, the so-called murder-suicide syndrome. Following a review of the literature on murderers who killed themselves shortly after committing murder, a sketch of twenty-two cases of murderers in the United States who killed in hopes of getting themselves executed, is provided. In recognition of the primacy of suicide in some forms of homicide, the term suicide-murder is used instead of murder-suicide.

No wonder social workers feel uncomfortable in court

The present article assesses the adversary systemper se and asks the question, Is there any place for courtroom antics and histrionics in cases involving children? Social workers are uncomfortable before the august body of thecourt, not because of any lack of education or knowledge on their part but because of the nature of the adversary process itself.

Non-Abstinence-Based Supportive Housing for Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders: A Human Rights Perspective

Surveys of providers of social services in Portland, Oregon, in 2003 and 2007 revealed a significant policy shift in meeting the housing needs of chronically mentally ill, homeless persons with ongoing substance-abuse problems. The shift in policy, taking place in Portland, Seattle, Washington, Minneapolis, and other U.S. cities, from a sobriety-first requirement to a housing-first philosophy has occurred largely because of cost-effectiveness. Only when such housing is provided as a human right can we say that a true paradigm shift has occurred.Surveys of providers of social services in Portland, Oregon, in 2003 and 2007 revealed a significant policy shift in meeting the housing needs of chronically mentally ill, homeless persons with ongoing substance-abuse problems. The shift in policy, taking place in Portland, Seattle, Washington, Minneapolis, and other U.S. cities, from a sobriety-first requirement to a housing-first philosophy has occurred largely because of cost-effectiveness. Only when such housing is provided as a human right can we say that a true paradigm shift has occurred.