Through an elective course I’m taking this semester, I’ve had the opportunity to hear a number of  guest lectures by social workers and other professionals working within the court system. Though their roles in the court and clientele varied, I noted a few common trends in their work experiences that I thought I might pass along to y’all, in case anyone was thinking about getting into the field.

• Working in a court is very fast-paced job.  You are likely to see many clients in a day and for short periods of time.

• Being good at completing quick and thorough assessments is a must. Sharpen up on those biopsychosocial skills.

• Be prepared to go to bat for your client. Many of the speakers described being strong advocates for  their clients in the face of a, sometimes, unsympathetic court. If they believed their client would benefit substantially from, say, a supervised release or a certain treatment program,  they had to be able to make their client’s case for such to the defense attorney, to the DA, sometimes even to the judge.

• Along the same vein, many of the speakers described how difficult it can be to admit to the court when their client is not meeting their mandated responsibilities. If their client isn’t attending their treatment program, for example, they have to be honest and report that to the judge knowing that there may be consequences for their client. Its hard to tattle (for lack of a better term) on a client, especially if the social worker may have grown to like them but, ultimately, it may lead to better outcomes for their client. It also retains a social worker’s professional credibility in front of the court. Losing your credibility can be harmful for one’s other clients as well as the program one works for.

• One former public defender who spoke to us noted the importance of a social worker upholding their own professional ethics in the court environment. We aren’t lawyers, we don’t need to act like one.

I got the impression for our speakers that working in a criminal justice setting is an incredibly challenging, yet rewarding endeavor. A lot like most social work positions, huh? I guess, in the end, the lesson I took away from all our speakers is just how valuable an ally a social worker can be for an individual who is court involved. If that’s a role you might be interested in taking, you can find job listings, here and here.