In your replies to two colleagues’ initial posts, add something you learned to advance the conversation.
- Briefly describe the topic.
I learned about Promote Smart Decarceration from the Just Society Grand Challenges that this policy focuses on reducing the number of individuals incarcerated in the United States (Grand Challenges for Social Work, 2023). Since the United States is one of the leaders in incarcerating people in jail and prison, these individuals could come from marginalized population, low income, and some have mental health issues (Grand Challenges for Social Work, 2023).
- Share one relevant statistic that demonstrates how it is impacting this population (include citations and references).
According to the University of Chicago, as of 2020 about 2.3 million individuals are incarcerated in jails and prisons in the US (The University of Chicago, 2024). Additionally, about 40% of African American in the US are in prison and 37% of individuals have been diagnosed with mental health issues in state and federal prisons (The University of Chicago, 2024).
- Discuss one ethical consideration sharing the NASW Code of Ethics it relates to.
Dignity and worth of the person (NASW, 2024). Looking at how different groups are more vulnerable than others. Equal opportunity should be discussed for mental health and substance treatment rather than straight to incarceration.
- Discuss at least one aspect of how the environment is impacting behavior.
According to American Academy of Social Worker & Social Welfare, 375,000 individuals with severe mental health issues are incarcerated at any given time, instead of assisting them to live in therapeutic community where they could receive the treatment they need (Pettus-Davis & Epperson 2015). Moreover, about 90% of females and males have history of severe trauma from experiencing or witnessed violence (Pettus-Davis & Epperson 2015).
- Research and discuss at least one prevention or intervention that could address or remedy the environmental impact on your identified population.
Studies have shown that structural and behavioral intervention can assist to lower incarcerated individuals. Attempts to decarcerated fall into three extensive classifications: “(1) divert criminal offenders from prison by first implementing alternatives to incarceration; (2) reduce recidivism and thereby reduce prison populations; and (3) reinvest criminal justice resources into treatment and prevention” (Pettus-Davis & Epperson 2015).
- How is this promoting social and economic justice?
In the United States in 2008 incarceration reached to 2.3 million adults, one in 100 who were incarcerated in prison or jail cost of over $52 billion annually (Pettus-Davis & Epperson 2015). Which is a significant economic cost, and not only that but also the people who are affected such as the minority groups (Pettus-Davis & Epperson 2015). Additionally, drug courts and mental courts specialized on problem solving and treatment plan rather than criminal sanctions. A national review of 29 drug courts showed that a few of these courts significantly lower drug relapse and criminal behavior, which both are elements of increasing incarceration (Pettus-Davis & Epperson 2015).
- Discuss at least two system levels it is impacting.
It is impacting the economic cost and the marginalized citizens.
References
NASW, National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). (2024) https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics/code-of-ethics-english
Pettus-Davis, C., & Epperson, M. W. (2015, February). From mass incarceration to smart decarceration. https://aaswsw.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/From-Mass-Incarceration-to-Decarceration-3.24.15.pdf
Promote smart decarceration. Grand Challenges for Social Work. (2023, January). https://grandchallengesforsocialwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/PSD-Grand-Challenge-Overview_Jan-2023.pdf
The University of Chicago. Smart Decarceration Project. (2024). https://voices.uchicago.edu/smartdecar/Links to an external site.
For my topic I decided to research the equal opportunity and justice topic with the social work grand challenges. This topic focuses on addressing racial and social injustices, stereotypes, inequality, exposing unfair practices, and accepting the diversity of the population with advance this challenge. I found an article that talks about poverty and inequalities with a focus on the bottom 40% of citizens in Malaysia. This research article discusses the Eleventh Malaysia Plan and Sustainable Development Goals(SDG) Agenda 2023. The SDG and social work values align for example the 2030 agenda uses terms like human dignity, inclusivity, respect diversity, equality and non-discrimination, empowerment, reliance, resilience, and self-help and realization of full potential. These are the values and language we as social workers use practice. The impact of this agenda could address and focus on the inequalities of the bottom 40% of citizens in Malaysia. It addresses inequality, social injustices, and development.
Grand Challenges for Social Work. (2024, July 30). Social Progress Powered by Science. https://grandchallengesforsocialwork.org/Links to an external site.Links to an external site.
Jayasooria, D. Sustainable Development Goals and Social Work: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Work Practice in Malaysia. J. Hum. Rights Soc. Work 1, 19–29 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-016-0007-y