Date of Conferral
2021
Degree
Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
School
Social Work
Advisor
Greg Murphy
Abstract
Social workers who practice in corrections settings are faced with dilemmas, burnout, contrasting values between their profession and organization, and a lack of educational training. However, because of the small percentage of social workers that practice in the correctional setting, there is a gap in knowledge of the occupational experiences of these social workers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the occupational experiences of social workers in corrections using Niklas Luhmann’s system theory, which suggests that the world includes a system and its environment. Data were collected through phone interviews with 10 to 15 master’s level social workers who have practiced in corrections within the past 5 years. Participants were recruited from Midwestern jails in the United States. Thematic qualitative analysis led to five themes: client service barriers, barriers faced by social workers in the correctional setting, improvement recommendations for social work curricula, how social workers define success, and systemic barriers and systemic success. These findings can guide social work practice through improving social work education, social worker training, client services, and community resources. Potential implications for social work practice and for positive social change include reforming correctional institutional policies to become more rehabilitative, criminal justice laws and sentencing, and policies that impact people involved with the criminal justice systems.
Recommended Citation
Lopez, Lissette Lucero, "The Occupational Experiences of Social Workers in Corrections" (2021). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 11000.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/11000
