Understanding Social Work: A Matter of Interpretation?

Correspondence to University of Exeter, Department of Sociology, Amory Building, Rennes Drive, Exeter EX4 4RJ. Summary In undertaking a piece of research, one can expect to encounterintellectual puzzles along the way. Here, the story is recountedof one particular puzzle that arose when examining learningprocesses in social work. An extract from a research interviewis presented and the learning represented by the social worker'sactivity and opinions is interpreted in three distinctive ways,drawing on perspectives in sociology, education and feminism.Consideration turns to the process of interpretation itselfand recent ideas encountered through literary theory are invokedas a means towards appreciating interpretive practice. In sofar as both social workers and researchers consider themselvesengaged with the issues multiple interpretations pose, it issuggested that this brand of literary theory may be of valuethrough its illumination of the construction and deconstructionof understandings.     

INSTITUTIONAL DETERMINISM AND THE RISE OF THE WESTERN WORLD

We tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation.     

Social Work Today

Correspondence to Chris Jones, Department of Social Work and Community Studies, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2TQ Summary This paper argues that over the last fifteen years social workin Britain has undergone a significant transformation. Underincreasing attack, both in the media and from government andits new right ideologues, social work has faced an increasinglyimpoverished client group with fewer resources and growing uncertaintyabout its legitimate role. In this context, legislative, administrativeand financial changes have pushed social work into an increasinglyantagonistic relationship with clients and have left it demoralizedand without a clear sense of direction. The paper looks at theway this change has come about and argues that it has profoundimplications for the future of social work in the reduced welfarestate of the 1990s.     

Examining Factors Associated With Program Completion Among Women Participants in a Statewide Drug Court Program

The study purpose was to examine factors affecting women in completing drug court. Participants were 212 women drug court participants selected via stratified random sampling (by county) from the larger Kentucky Drug Court participant population. Various secondary data sources were used (e.g., participant assessment, Management Information System), and multivariate logistic regression examining 17 independent variables showed 4 variables were significantly associated with program completion for women: employment at program assessment, intravenous opiate use, number of times hospitalized for psychological or emotional problems, and conviction of a misdemeanor-eligible violent crime before drug court. Study findings can be used by social workers and other practitioners to better understand women’s drug court participation and to identify ways to tailor program services for women’s unique needs.     

Language and Practice: Minority Language Provision within the Guardian ad litem Service

Correspondence to Richard Pugh, North East Wales Institute of Higher Education, Plas Coch, Mold, Road, Wrexham, LL11 2AW, Wales. Summary This article contends that language should be seen as an importantelement of social difference and not simply subsumed under ‘race’.While it acknowledges the complex role of language as perhapsthe most significant means by which power is exercised, theprimary focus is upon understanding language as an importantaspect of differentiation that social service agencies needto consider. The results of a survey into Welsh language provisionwithin the guardian ad litem service in Wales are describedand used to develop a discussion on language policies, linguisticawareness, and anti-discriminatory practice more generally.The article contextualizes the Welsh results within the UK andoffers suggestions as to how services might be improved. Finally,it restates the broader relevance of the study of language asa necessary element in the analysis of discrimination.     

Diminished tradition of return? Transnational migration in Bolivia's Valle Alto

One‐fifth of the Bolivian population lives abroad, and transnational behaviour strongly links their villages with destination communities. In this article we address whether the increasing difficulty of return migration (owing to legal and geographic barriers) results in diminished social and economic remittances to the country of origin. Results from a questionnaire survey of 417 households in the Valle Alto area of Cochabamba Department in 2007 reveal that monetary remittances account for one‐half of the income of active migrant families (and one‐quarter of income overall), and that transnational cultural ties remain strong. However, after ten years of cumulated time abroad the intention to return to Bolivia drops markedly along with economic and some social remittances. Closer analysis reveals that time abroad reduces these ties through the mediating forces of family members abroad, legal status, and home ownership abroad.     

Decision Making in Child Protection

Correspondence to Dr Ray Jones, Director of Social Services, Wiltshire County Council, County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, Wilts BA14 8LE Summary A survey was undertaken of 701 decisions in ‘child protection’;and ‘child-care’ cases within one local authority.Decision making at four filter points in case career was analysed.Filter 1 was when the case was initially referred to socialservices, Filter 2 was when consideration was given to holdinga case conference, Filter 3 was when a case conference was held,and Filter 4 was the review case conference following the initialcase conference. The major risk factors which determined decisionswere highlighted, and these were different at each filter level.The percentage of children who remained within the ‘childprotection system’ after decisions were taken at eachfilter level was analysed and recorded. The research found that,based on the risk factor weightings given by the independentauditors, workers were appropriately discriminating between‘child protection’ and ‘child-care’cases.     

A Case for Correction

Summary Current criticisms of the correctional approach to offendersare examined, viz. (a) that it is ineffective, (b) that it isoften unjust, (c) that it is deterministic and (d) that thereare other approaches to which these strictures do not apply.It is concluded that these arguments do not justify the abandonmentof correctional policies.     

Generalizing Mail SurveyInducement Methods: Population Interactionswith Anonymity and Sponsorship

Population specific interactions with mail survey response inducementtechniques have long been suspected as a source of variationin the reported effectiveness of mail survey inducement methods.This study investigated such interactions by use of a 2 x 2x 110 randomized block experimental design involving 23,350survey subjects. Highly significant, as well as substantialinteractions were found between population factors and manipulationsof survey sponsorship and anonymity assurance. Income level,education level, population flux, and regional sponsor loyaltieswere specifically linked to interactive effects with the experimentalmanipulations.