Books & eBooks

Examines the professional specialty of forensic social work which involves testifying in court as an expert witness, investigating cases of possible criminal conduct, and assisting the legal system in such issues as child custody disputes, divorce, child support, juvenile delinquency, spouse or child abuse, and placing individuals in mental hospitals.

Helping social workers understand how to operate within the complex legal environment. Social Work and Law exposes students to the ways in which social work and law intersect. Students will explore the judiciary's contributions to important social policy issues and the knowledge social workers need to effectively participate in the judicial process.

By reading this book, social work students will gain a useful understanding of and application of key legal concepts that influence social welfare policy. Instead of just telling students that the law has a major influence on social welfare policy, this book will teach students basic constitutional and legal principles as well as how and why the law shapes social welfare policies and social work practices.

Using Clinton's welfare reform act of 1996, Albert provides a conceptual framework to illustrate how socio-legal problems emerge in the welfare state, and presents the skills base necessary for effective social work response. A new section on socio-legal issues highlights many fields where social worker-lawyer partnerships can occur, such as civil rights and advocacy, the death penalty, liability for neglect in nursing homes, informed consent and medical treatment, and much more.

This book explores legal concepts, legal reasoning, and legal processes -- illustrated with case vignettes from social work practice -- in order to provide social work practitioners and students with practical and accessible legal knowledge.

Why knowledge of the law is essential to effective social work practice -- Sources of law -- The justice system and an introduction to criminal and civil law -- Legal research -- The organization of social services and the regulation of the profession -- Social workers and the courts -- Professional liability -- Families and the law -- Education -- Care and protection of children -- Adoption -- Domestic violence -- Legal issues in health care -- Mental health and the law