1 / 13

Peter Nelson Sheffield Hallam University p.nelson@shu.ac.uk Malcolm Cowburn

Social Work admissions: applicants with criminal convictions - the challenge of ethical risk assessment. Peter Nelson Sheffield Hallam University p.nelson@shu.ac.uk Malcolm Cowburn University of Bradford m.cowburn@bradford.ac.uk. Aim of paper.

saskia
Download Presentation

Peter Nelson Sheffield Hallam University p.nelson@shu.ac.uk Malcolm Cowburn

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Social Work admissions: applicants with criminal convictions - the challenge of ethical risk assessment Peter Nelson Sheffield Hallam University p.nelson@shu.ac.uk Malcolm Cowburn University of Bradford m.cowburn@bradford.ac.uk

  2. Aim of paper • To consider the ethical issues involved in admitting applicants with criminal records to social work training • To outline conflicting demands of risk assessment and widening participation

  3. Definitional • Criminal convictions • Crime reports

  4. Social work admissions • Responsibilities • Gatekeeper (protect the public) • Scott, N. & Zeiger, S. (2000) • Emancipator (widening access) • Magen, R. H. & Emerman, J. (2000)

  5. Constructing risk • Actuarial • Clinical • Problem of ‘knowing’ • epistemologies • Cultural contingency • Gender, ethnicities, sexualities, (dis)abilities, age, & class • Historical contingency • Smith (1999) - the sex offender • Moral contingency

  6. Ethical standpoints • Principle-based • Kantian - categorical imperative • Utilitarian - greatest benefit for greatest number • Character-relationship based - • virtue - good, honourable conduct descriptors, equity • Care - relational • .

  7. Making ethical decisions • Issues • Problems • Dilemmas • Equity • Moral Justice .

  8. GSCC & Risk: overview • High - likely pose a risk to safety & well being of service users (Violence, cruelty & sex offences) • Medium - may pose a risk to safety & well being of service users (drink driving, theft, possession of class A drugs, repeated low risk offences) • Low - suggest the offender is unlikely to pose a risk to the safety and well-being of service users (shoplifting offences as a teenager, possession of cannabis, minor motoring offences • (GSCC, 2005)

  9. Technical risk assessment: GSCC guidance • the relevance of the offence to social care work; • the seriousness of the offence; • the length of time since the offence; • whether the applicant has a pattern of offending; • whether the applicant's situation has changed since the offence was committed; • the circumstances surrounding the offence; • the applicant's explanation for the offence; • evidence submitted by the applicant of their good character. (GSCC, 2005)

  10. Case Study (1) • Black working class woman (mid 30s) several cautions for drug related offences over 5 years prior to application • Issues • Not dilemma • Problem for HR (public trust) • Admitted

  11. Case study (2) • White working class man (mid 30s). Offences - theft, drunkenness, threatening behaviour, assault with intent to rob (20 month imprisonment) • 7 years drugs rehabilitation. Clear of drugs and alcohol for 5 years. No offences for 7 years • Problem for all dilemma for some • Rejected (Kantian v Utilitarianism; equity)

  12. GSCC guidelines - reflections • Nature of risk • To whom? (service users/carers, other professionals, self, general public, placement agencies, the profession). • Nature of risk assessment • Actuarial? Proscribed offences • Clinical? • Confused? • Wherein is social work ethics and values? • BASW Code of ethics - Social Justice • ‘Reducing disadvantage & exclusion’

  13. References • Banks, S. (2006). Ethics and Values in Social Work (3rd ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan • Banks, S. & Williams, R. (2005). Accounting for Ethical Difficulties in Social Welfare Work: Issues, Problems and Dilemmas.British Journal of Social Work, 35, 1005-1022 • Cowburn, M. & Nelson, P. (2008). Safe recruitment, social justice, and ethical practice: should people who have criminal convictions be allowed to train as social workers? Social Work Education, 27(3), 293-306. • General Social Care Council (2005) Risk Assessment Document. London GSCC • Madoc-Jones, I., Bates, J., Facer, B., & Roscoe, K. (2006). Students with Criminal Convictions: Policies and Practices in Social Work Education.British Journal of Social Work, BJSW Advance Access published online on May 4, 2006. • Magen, R. H. & Emerman, J. (2000). Should convicted felons be denied admission to a social work education program? Yes!.Journal of Social Work Education, 36(3), 401-407. • Scott, N. & Zeiger, S. (2000). Should convicted felons be denied admission to a social work education program? No!.Journal of Social Work Education, 36(3), 409-413

More Related