Practicing Social Justice - 9780789021076

Examine new research and innovative programs targeted to serve vulnerable populations!

This collection highlights innovative programs and interventions targeted toward underserved, vulnerable, and marginalized populations, including the homeless, immigrants, refugees, female ex-offenders, people with developmental disabilities who are entering the criminal justice system, homicidal youth, and children whose parents are involved in high-conflict custody disputes. In addition, Practicing Social Justice raises critical questions on how society should justly provide for the economic well-being of our most valuable human asset—our children—with an incisive look at the Temporary Aid for Needy Families legislation and its long-term impact on disadvantaged children. This book also evaluates the Bridges Across Racial Polarization Programs^® and explores a wide selection of important social justice issues that the social workers of today and tomorrow need to understand.

Specifically, this well-referenced book:

• details the mission and guiding principles of the Emmet and Mary Doerr Center for Social Justice at the Saint Louis University School of Social Service, with a focus on the Center's innovative partnered approach
• examines nine models/theories of justice with varying philosophical, sectarian, and nonsectarian orientations
• illustrates innovative approaches to community economic development for previously neglected poor communities, including an inclusive community plan structured to bring about home ownership, macro-enterprises, and the accumulation of capital through savings
• documents the rise of homelessness in the state of Missouri—in spite of an unprecedented period of economic growth and general prosperity
• explores social justice concerns for immigrants and refugees entering the United States, with a focus on providing positive community commitment and response
• describes an empowering, strengths-based program that can help female ex-offenders to find and develop support from the community
• champions the social rights of people with developmental disabilities who are entering the criminal justice system
• proposes systemic reform for homicidal youth in terms of prevention, intervention, and remediation
• describes a program designed to provide a safe environment for the supervised visitation of children in high-conflict custody disputes, providing security for both parents and children
• advocates for innovative inpatient-staff participatory decision-making in mental health hospitals, offering an approach designed to increase patient control over decisions directly affecting their well-being
• and more!