Bierdeman-Fike, Jane Elizabeth

Jane Elizabeth Bierdeman-Fike (1922–2012) was a state and national leader in developing forensic social work practice and was committed to providing best practices to an oppressed population of patients with mental illness who were residents in psychiatric institutions.

‘Showing one’s card’: Negotiating disclosure through game play in juvenile probation

Communication between probation officers and juvenile offenders is essential, clarifying the nature and cause of possible disorders and providing insight into the chances of recidivism and/or recovery. Forensic social work, however, is complicated as it is both oriented toward collecting information for the court (forensic aims) and aimed at helping the juvenile’s improvement (social work aims). This paper examines two unique cases of probation officer-juvenile interaction that utilize a board game intended to foster disclosure. As any disclosure may be used against the juvenile in court, the juvenile must be compliant enough without disclosing too much. Using a combination of frame analysis and discourse analyses of delicacy, we describe how the game is used to encourage disclosure as well as how the game allows juveniles to appear compliant ultimately without disclosing much personal information.

A generalist approach to forensic social work: A qualitative analysis

Summary Forensic social work is often portrayed as a specialized area within the field of social work. Nevertheless, the target group of forensic social work is confronted with a variety of problems in different life domains. The literature reveals the importance of generalist social work to address the complex needs of vulnerable target groups. However, little has been written or studied about what generalist social work should entail in the field of forensic social work. This article addresses the value of generalist social work for the practice of forensic social work. We conduct 14 interviews with social workers affiliated with forensic social work organizations in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Findings The results show that generalist social work plays a pivotal role in forensic social work. A generalist approach is indispensable to meeting the complex problems of the vulnerable target group of offenders. Our study makes a distinction between five different roles adopted by generalist social workers affiliated with forensic social work organizations when providing services and support to the target group of offenders. In addressing the needs of this target group, they act as a broker, a mediator, a key figure, a safety net and as an advocate. Applications Despite some specific needs and skills required in the field of forensic social work, a generalist approach is critical to a more responsive social work approach towards the target group of offenders.