Set Adrift: a Study of Characteristics, Sustainability, and the Lifelines
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University of Connecticut OpenCommons@UConn Doctoral Dissertations University of Connecticut Graduate School 4-30-2018 Set Adrift: A Study of Characteristics, Sustainability, and the Lifelines Tethering Connecticut Forensic Social Workers in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Jennie Jerome Albert University of Connecticut - Storrs, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://opencommons.uconn.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Albert, Jennie Jerome, "Set Adrift: A Study of Characteristics, Sustainability, and the Lifelines Tethering Connecticut Forensic Social Workers in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems" (2018). Doctoral Dissertations. 1825. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/dissertations/1825 Set Adrift: A Study of Characteristics, Sustainability, and the Lifelines Tethering Connecticut Forensic Social Workers in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Jennie J. Albert, PhD University of Connecticut, 2018 Despite its roots as a leader in juvenile justice, prison advocacy and reform, appreciation and professional support for forensic social work (FSW) has waxed and waned over the last one hundred and twenty years. It has gone from leadership in the field of criminal justice to becoming nearly invisible to the profession of social work itself. Over the last decade, FSW began experiencing a resurgence thanks to a shift in policy and practice toward treatment and diversion for justice-involved individuals. Despite FSW’s historical roots and relevance to today’s justice systems, there is a dearth of materials about who is practicing in the FSW field and their level of fit in their organization. Other information, such as how they chose their specialization, how they were educated and trained, and how various protective and deleterious (negative) factors influence that level of fit, job satisfaction, job role stress and sustainability is also essential. Because this critically important area of practice was not well reflected in the literature, this study examined those gaps. Relying on the ecological perspective, this study used a cross- sectional design to electronically survey 384 individuals working as social workers in the core criminal and juvenile justice processes within 13 public, non-profit and proprietary agencies in Connecticut. The quantitative and qualitative findings of this research indicate that this sample of forensic social workers came from a variety of backgrounds, worked in a variety of settings, Jennie J. Albert – University of Connecticut, 2018 and experienced difficulty with level of fit and job role stress. The group had moderate to high levels of secondary traumatic stress (STS), burnout (BO), and compassion satisfaction (CS) with STS and BO increasing with the number of negative factors experienced by the individual. The most predictive factors for STS, BO, and job role stress were stress over isolation from other social workers at work, resources, safety, and value inconsistencies with one’s place of work. Based on the results of this study, the suggested policy and practice implications would improve process and outcomes for the profession, the specialization, the workers, and the employers. Those changes would reduce the impact of negative factors on social workers, particularly those in custodial or other host settings, and increased protective factors (e.g. mentoring, clinical supervision, and social work training) would improve job satisfaction, recruitment and retention. Considering the important work of forensic social workers and their impact on marginalized, oppressed, and often victimized individuals entangled in the criminal and juvenile justice systems, implications for increased social work education and training through specialized forensic curricula would provide a highly educated pool of forensic social workers prepared to address the individual and social justice needs of clients. Keywords: Forensic, Social Work, Career, Specialization, Education, Professional Support, Level of Fit, and Ecological Perspective i Set Adrift: A Study of Characteristics, Sustainability, and the Lifelines Tethering Connecticut Forensic Social Workers in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Jennie J. Albert B.A., University of Connecticut, 1995 M.S.W., University of Connecticut, 1999 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut 2018 ii Copyright by Jennie J. Albert 2018 iii APPROVAL PAGE Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Set Adrift: A Study of Characteristics, Sustainability, and the Lifelines Tethering Connecticut Forensic Social Workers in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Presented by Jennie J. Albert, B.A., M.S.W. Major Advisor ___________________________________________________________________ Eleanor Lyon Associate Advisor ___________________________________________________________________ Nancy A. Humphreys Associate Advisor ___________________________________________________________________ Tina Maschi University of Connecticut 2018 iv Acknowledgements There are a number of people without whom this dissertation might not have been completed, and to whom I am greatly indebted. Thank you to my parents who are not here to see me complete this degree. Their own journeys are a constant source of encouragement. From my mother Janet’s bravery in completing her high school degree at fifty-four years old and my father Bob’s passion for higher education and, the University of Connecticut in particular, have been with me all along the way. Go Huskies! I am so grateful for all of my family, including my siblings Lenny, Noella, and Wendy who are proud of me no matter what. In addition, my in-laws Pat, Cam, and Dawn who treat me as if I was born an Albert. Thank you for that. Thank you to my friends, particularly my University of Connecticut cohort of “elephant girls” and my high school sisters who always lift me up in dark times and celebrate with me now. You are my personal protective factors. Thank you also to my doctoral cohort – you are each amazing human beings. Thank you to my professional and doctoral support system. My agency, the Division of Public Defender Services, particularly Susan O. Storey and Mary Hoban, have been so generous and supportive of my doctoral education and I cannot thank them enough. My sincerest gratitude to my chair, Dr. Eleanor Lyon and my committee members Drs. Nancy A. Humphreys and Tina Maschi who have guided me throughout this long journey. Dr. Lyon, in particular, provided a magical formula of space and guidance that helped me complete this chapter of my life and begin another. Thank you. Finally, thank you to the forensic social workers who stand up against societal norms, oppressive forces, and great odds, to dedicate themselves to their clients and social justice. Thank you for being who you are. Take care of yourselves. v Dedication I dedicate this dissertation to my own little family. To my wonderful husband Mike who has always been my biggest supporter. You found a way to remind me that I, we, are more than my work while still providing unwavering support for each new mountain I decide to try to climb. Your commitment to making sure our lives ran smoothly for the past ten years while I worked full time, studied, read articles, held meetings, and worked late into the night is only one of the many reasons I love you so. You are my lifeline in the truest sense of the word! I also dedicate this dissertation to my two phenomenal sons Jack and Ben. You have hardly known a time when I was not a student, until now. Your patience all of these years and your enthusiasm for my commitment to completing my doctoral degree fueled me to keep working even in the most difficult times. You two will always be my greatest accomplishment and my biggest source of pride. “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” - Sir Isaac Newton vi Table of Contents TITLE PAGE i COPYRIGHT PAGE ii APPROVAL PAGE ……………………………………………………… iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………………… iv DEDICATION ……………………………………………………… v TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………………… vi LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………… vii LIST OF FIGURES ……………………………………………………… x Introduction ……………………………………….................................................................. 1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………. 1 Problem Statement ………………………………………………………………. 3 Research Overview ………………………………………………………………. 4 Summary ………………………………………………………………. 4 Chapter One: Background of Study and Literature Review……………………………… 6 Historical Roots of Forensic Social Work …………………………………………………... 6 Definitions of Forensic Social Work ……………………………………………………….. 14 Research on Forensic Social Work ……………………………………………………….. 16 Forensic Social Work Education ……………………………………………………….. 21 Specialization within the Profession ……………………………………………………….. 26 Conceptual Framework of the Study ……………………………………………………….. 29 Rationale and Justification ……………………………………………………….. 37 Significance of the Study ……………………………………………………….. 40 Research Questions ……………………………………………………….. 40 Summary ……………………………………………………….. 42 Chapter Two: Methodology ……………………………………………………………... 43 Research Design and Rationale ……………………………………………………….. 43 Researcher Role ……………………………………………………….. 45 Sampling ……………………………………………………….. 46 Instrument ……………………………………………………….. 55 Data Collection and Context ……………………………………………………….. 65 Data Management and Planned Analysis …………………………………………………… 68 Verification ……………………………………………………….. 71 Data Analysis ……………………………………………………….