Assignment 3

2 Parts: Assignment and Powerpoint: A COPY OF THE ASSIGNMENT IS ATTACHED

PART I

Using the Grand Challenges for Social Work Statement “Policy Recommendations for Meeting the Grand Challenge to Smart Decarceration”, choose one of the four policy recommendations suggested to answer the following sections listed below. Please use additional research and resources to support your argument.

Chosen Recommendation:

Recommendation 3: Remove Civic and Legal Exclusions (copy of document attached)

Coinciding with the era of mass incarceration has been the proliferation of civil disability policies, also known as collateral consequences policies, which revoke or restrict legal rights and privileges because of a criminal conviction. Examples include ineligibility for housing assistance, student loans, professional licensure, and employment, as well as denial of voting and parental rights. There are now an estimated 40,000 such laws nationwide. This patchwork of policies severely limits the rights and daily behaviors of people with criminal convictions. Many civil disability policies stand in direct tension with rehabilitative aims such as educational attainment, employment, social support, and reunification with family. As decarceration efforts proceed, it is imperative to investigate how to align public policies and rehabilitative practices to support reforms and ensure that people with criminal convictions have the greatest possible chance of success. Civil disability policies that do not directly advance public safety and well-being should be revoked or curtailed to eliminate their counterproductive effects.

Please cover the following in your assignment:

A. Understanding the problem

1. What is the problem the policy aims to address? Try to break the problem down into its most fundamental parts, and provide a one-sentence problem statement.

2. How are any relevant terms defined? Are there different definitions of any of the terms? How might differing definitions shape the extent of the problem or solutions to the problem?

3. What is the history of the problem in the U.S.? When was it first seen as a problem? Has our understanding of the problem changed over time?

4. What are the various theories about the central causes of the problem? What do you think are the most important causes and why?

5. What is the extent of the problem? How big is it?

6. Who defines this as a problem?

7. Who believes that this is not a problem?

8. What are the conflicting social values and beliefs of those who believe this is a problem and those who think it is not a problem? Is one side or the other better supported by social work values and ethics? Explain why you think so.

9. What is likely to happen with this problem if we make the policy choice to “do nothing?”

B. Power imbalance or struggle

1. Who loses, or is suffering, from this social problem?

2. Who gains from keeping the problem the way that it is?

3. Who seems to have power around this issue and who lacks power? What is the basis for the power that one side has?

C. Policy recommendation analysis

1. What are the stated or overt objectives of the policy? What do you think might be any unstated or covert objectives of the policy?

2. Who is the direct target of this policy, meaning who will it most affect? Do members of the direct target population come from any specific demographic groups (for example racial, ethnic, gender, age, class, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity groups)? Will this policy help people from some groups while it hurts people from other groups? Who are the indirect targets of the policy?

3. Do you know who supports and who opposes the policy?

4. What are the possible unintended consequences of the policy? Can you think of things that might happen because of this policy that was not what lawmakers intended?

5. Will there be any changes in the distribution of material resources, services, and/or rights as a result of this policy for either the direct or indirect target groups?

6. Your final thoughts and recommendations on why you think this policy recommendation is needed for smart decarceration efforts.

This assignment will need to be typed, double-spaced with a cover page, font should be Times New Roman size 12, and inclusive of traditional (normal) one-inch margins. 

For this assignment: (1) APA style must be used correctly, (2) All required relevant course readings and materials must be used, and (3) At least 6 scholarly sources used (beyond course materials). The assignment must be clear, well organized, and should be 5-7 pgs not including the cover pg, references, and any other attachments.

Part II: Presentation of the assignment

For the second part of this assignment, students will be responsible for presenting their smart decarceration grand challenges assignment as a presentation using PowerPoint. The last slide of your presentation will need to pose two (2) questions to be answered by your classmates to facilitate class discussion in future discussion boards regarding your topic matter.