At the center of this debate has been a conversation about inequities in the basic functioning of the criminal justice system including police practices, the use of force and aggressive policing, arrest and prosecution policies, the severity of criminal sentences, and the disparate impact many of these policies have on communities of color. This paper discusses the person-in-environment framework as it relates to race and the criminal justice reform in the United States. The writer will expand on the social role problem identification, problems in the environment, mental health problem identification, and physical health problem identification as it relates to the criminal justice reform.
Factor I: Social Role Problem Identification …show more content…
This is due in part to the unnecessary incarceration of millions of offenders, which keeps potentially productive citizens out of our workforce and contributes to the economic inequality of communities of color. Pushing lawmakers to create jobs within these communities will help tremendously by breaking down barriers for formerly incarcerated individuals and help them re-enter society. Many people of color have little choice as to where they live and pay higher rents for less adequate housing. Likewise, the realm of housing shows a striking racially based implicit bias when African Americans look to rent or buy housing (Jawando & Parsons, 2014). Housing discrimination removes families from communities with high performing schools, safe streets, and good paying jobs. Social workers can advocate to ensure that the housing policy and that the housing market is available to every family instead of excluding them. This will remove barriers to sustainable homeownership and connect affordable housing to economic opportunity (Hillary for America, 2016). The educational system in the United States systematically denies equal access and opportunity to children and adults of color, especially those who are poor (NASW, 2016). Adequate attention paid to the impact of educational systems that discriminate against students of color and their families. Individuals released from prison should also be able to re-enter society and be given a fair opportunity for
Factor I: Social Role Problem Identification …show more content…
This is due in part to the unnecessary incarceration of millions of offenders, which keeps potentially productive citizens out of our workforce and contributes to the economic inequality of communities of color. Pushing lawmakers to create jobs within these communities will help tremendously by breaking down barriers for formerly incarcerated individuals and help them re-enter society. Many people of color have little choice as to where they live and pay higher rents for less adequate housing. Likewise, the realm of housing shows a striking racially based implicit bias when African Americans look to rent or buy housing (Jawando & Parsons, 2014). Housing discrimination removes families from communities with high performing schools, safe streets, and good paying jobs. Social workers can advocate to ensure that the housing policy and that the housing market is available to every family instead of excluding them. This will remove barriers to sustainable homeownership and connect affordable housing to economic opportunity (Hillary for America, 2016). The educational system in the United States systematically denies equal access and opportunity to children and adults of color, especially those who are poor (NASW, 2016). Adequate attention paid to the impact of educational systems that discriminate against students of color and their families. Individuals released from prison should also be able to re-enter society and be given a fair opportunity for