As social workers are committed to social justice, human rights, and multiculturalism, we often encounter interpersonal and structural inequalities that require intervention. Human rights are central to social work practice and practitioners embody this commitment in micro, mezzo, and macro actions. It is critical to understand the practice implications of structural and system misalignments. This assignment provides an opportunity to research and evaluate the relationship between human rights, social work, and the law/legal system.

Overview

You will begin by explaining human rights and social justice from a social work lens and go on to develop a literature review (at least 3 journal articles) of ethical considerations for social workers practicing within specific legal settings. The literature should be relevant to a population of interest to the writer (e.g., ethnic, or racial group, gender, disability) and focus on inequitable encounters, intervention, and outcomes. The assignment should conclude with a summary of findings and recommended areas of focus for reform (e.g., what should change).

Components

• Introduction: describe human rights and social justice for social work practice
• Choose a single legal setting for focus e.g.
  • Child Welfare Courts
  • Juvenile Justice Court
  • Immigration Detention/Deportation Hearings
  • Civil Commitment Hearings
• Describe and summarize the impact of ethical decision-making challenges within the chosen setting/industry. 
• Include how the ethical decision-making model (ETHICA) principles impacts the chosen industry. Where do the seven principles create contradictions. 
• Review and summarize existing reform efforts to counteract inequities in the chosen legal setting. 

Resources

Connolly, M., & Ward, T. (2008). Morals, rights and practice in the Human Services: Effective and fair decision-making in health, Social Care and Criminal Justice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.  After selecting your legal setting for focus, please choose the relevant chapter. You do not need to read every chapter.

• Chapter 5: Losing Rights: Offenders on the Margins.
• Chapter 6. Claiming Rights: Disability and Human Rights.
• Chapter 7. Contesting Rights: Cultural Values and Children's Rights.
• Chapter 8. Respecting Rights: Service-User Rights in Child Welfare. Part Three: Integrating Rights-Based Ideas.

Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia, Inc. (2020). Ten Best Ethical Decision Making Models. Norcross, GA: Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia, Inc.

Deliverable

• 4-6 pages; please use APA 7th edition format.

Instructions

• Research sources for Intro, Population Impact, Linkage to Human Rights and Justice. Begin reading resources