Youth and Crime
1) Choose a social issue of interest and describe why you believe it is a social issue and/or relevant for yourself as an upcoming social worker.
As an example, it could be a social issue related to mental health supports for a specific population/mental illness (access to perinatal mental health supports or around the topic of Schizophrenia or substance abuse impacting a specific population etc)
2) Analyze historical theoretical perspectives or ways of looking at the problem (potential societal assumptions) and how they may have impacted intervention decisions and outcomes at that time.
For example, was the issue viewed as an individual problem or a social problem?
What theory may have been applied based off these assumptions that negatively impacted interventions used at the time (a theory that focused on the individual or society etc)
How they impacted intervention decisions at that time
What interventions were chosen because of those assumptions (for example trying to scare youth out of drug use by meeting police or other inmates etc)
Were those interventions effective in anyway?
Did they do no harm? Any ethical dilemmas that arise in these approaches)
3) Analyze contemporary theoretical perspective(s) or ways of looking at the problem (potential societal assumptions) and how this may currently impact intervention decisions and outcomes today.
For example, is the issue viewed as an individual problem or a social problem?
What theory is being applied today? Why?
Have assumptions or ways of understanding the social problem changed?
How does contemporary theory currently impact intervention decisions today?
What interventions are used today?
Are these interventions effective in any way?
Do any ethical dilemmas arise today?
4) Analyze and compare historical and contemporary assumptions and/or theories, interventions and outcomes
What was the difference between historical and contemporary interventions related to the chosen social problem?
Why do you think these differences in intervention exited? (assumptions about the problem? Theory utilized? Etc)
What does this information tell you about the foundations of social work practice and contemporary practice? Are there still many similarities or differences? Why or why not?
Critically reflect on learning surrounding your comparison of historical and contemporary discourse, theory and practice and include:
your sense of the significance of this content for your education, and its relevance for your career as a social worker.
This reflection should integrate the associated reading, your viewpoint, and class content/discussion (if relevant).
5) In the final section, highlight any key questions and/or your learning goals/needs.
Identify relevant and critically reflective questions that relate to the overall paper and enhance potential future understanding of the problem/problem approaches (Did you notice gaps in research for future consideration? Do you have relevant questions about contemporary approaches and potential ethical dilemmas)
Identify 1 or 2 learning goals that are clearly connected to the overall content of your paper and critical learning reflection (learning goals could be related to desired policy changes, ways of looking at a social problem or practice approaches for yourself as a future social worker)
