FORENSIC SOCIAL WORK PRINCIPLES
Justice – Conduct translational research, personal and professional reflection, and forensic social work education that leads to transformative justice
Equity and the Dignity and Worth of Persons – Center strengths-based, trauma-informed, anti-oppressive and anti-racist frameworks and the lived experience of those affected by the law and legal systems to ensure the dignity and worth of all people, the protection of human rights, and the equitable distribution of advantage and disadvantage
Well-being – Implement evidence-informed interventions to improve individual, family, community, and organizational well-being of those impacted by legal systems, respond to harm in a meaningful manner, and address the root causes of crime and violence
Civic Engagement – Practice civic engagement to enact legislation that aligns with social work values, advocates for and advances systemic justice, and reforms policies that perpetuate injustice
Ethical Integrity and Collaboration – Collaborate globally with the various aspects and intersections of social work and the law to practice forensic social work ethically, competently, lawfully, and with integrity and accountability
FORENSIC SOCIAL WORK VALUES
Evidence
Forensic social work professionals value, read, utilize, produce, and share empirical evidence based in science and lived experience.
Critical Self-Reflection
Forensic social work professionals practice critical, ongoing personal and professional reflection.
Continuous Education
Forensic social work professionals participate in continuous education for themselves and with others regarding best practices and are committed to life-long learning.
Justice
Forensic social work professionals support achieving justice through equity (ensuring resources and opportunities are available to all and distributed fairly/based on needs), while simultaneously working to dismantle structural barriers and systemic biases that perpetuate disparities.
Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI)
Forensic social work professionals acknowledge both historic and modern-day privilege and oppression and the resulting injustices within legal and human service systems. FSW professionals work to positively reform these policies and practices, and demonstrate an active and constant commitment to anti-racism and anti- oppressive professional practice, accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Dignity and Worth of Persons
Forensic social work professionals recognize the dignity and worth of persons by separating one’s behavior from one’s personhood. Moreover, they recognize the stigma associated with legal-system involvement and thus, center the person and not the behavior and/or their consequences in FSW practice.
Well-being
Forensic social work professionals recognize the cumulative disadvantage and collateral consequences of participation in legal systems and thus, strive to make sure clients’ basic
needs are met and that they have access to services and resources. They recognize the capacity of individuals, families, organizations, and communities and they work to support and enhance clients’ ability to meet their own needs.
Self-Determination
Forensic social work professionals value the right to individual autonomy and self-determination and recognize that this may not align with the mandated nature of many legal settings and systems. They conduct their practice with humility and view client systems as experts in their own experience.
Civic Engagement
Forensic social work professionals engage in social and political action that aligns with professional values, ethics, and standards.
Challenge Injustice
Forensic social work professionals are cognizant that their acts of commission or omission have implications for equity and justice across legal and human service systems. They are, therefore, charged with raising awareness and challenging injustice in a productive manner.
Collaboration
Forensic social work professionals collaborate with their micro, mezzo, and macro clients as well as representatives from diverse professions/organizations to achieve the best outcomes. They recognize that various professions and disciplines, such as social work and law, have distinct socialization and terminology that is specific to their respective roles and aims. As they partner with others, forensic social work professionals value, leverage, and center diverse perspectives to optimize service delivery and results.
Ethics and Integrity
Forensic social work professionals conduct themselves with personal and professional integrity. They are cognizant that their acts of commission or omission can have profound implications and thus, within the bounds of their professional role, strive to be honest, transparent, and to uphold their respective Code of Ethics and FSWA guidelines.
Competence and Accountability
Forensic social work professionals stay abreast of the best practices in forensic social work and only practice within the scope of their training, relying on supervision and organizations such as FSWA to provide support. Simultaneously, they rely on their engagement with individuals, families, organizations, and communities for practice accountability.
Lawfulness
Forensic social work professionals are obliged to follow laws that guide forensic social work practice and thus, must understand and abide by relevant local, state, federal, and/or tribal law and organizational statute.