This guide covers what forensic social work is, MSW programs with a focus on forensics/criminal justice, and what the job tasks and career outlook is for forensic social workers.
Forensic social work as a specialty is gaining traction, awareness, and respect. Simply put, forensic social work involves theories, principles and interventions related to law and the various legal systems.
In this guide- Forensic social work
- Forensic MSW programs
- Degree requirements
- Online forensics MSW
- Forensics jobs
- Career outlook
What is forensic social work?
A broad overview of forensic social work is applying social work perspectives to justice and corrections systems. In reality the profession is much more nuanced and diverse. Professionals thoroughly understand the juvenile, civil and criminal justice systems and
Understand how factors such as socioeconomic status, cultural background, and personal history can impact a clients’ access to, understanding of, and ability to navigate the complex, ever-changing legal system.
Forensic social workers can conduct interviews and assessments to investigate allegations of child abuse or neglect or to determine whether a defendant is competent and able to stand trial for the crime of which they have been accused. Other forensic social work practitioners are called upon to be expert witnesses in civil and criminal trials. Still others serve as victim advocates, educating victims of domestic violence on what to expect during the process of applying for emergency protective orders and any court appearances in addition to ensuring the rights of the victim are upheld and that the victim’s voice is represented within the legal system.
Serving as case managers to youth in the juvenile justice system is another area of forensic social work. Forensic social workers can also work closely with law enforcement, teaching and training on de- escalation techniques, non-lethal interventions, and evaluate and counsel law enforcement after particularly difficult cases.
These are but a few of the roles that social workers can take on within the field of forensic social work. Read on to learn more about this interesting and important career and how you can make a difference by becoming a forensic social worker.
Forensic social work MSW programs
The master of social work (MSW) degree with a concentration in forensics or criminal justice is the degree you’d earn to enter this field. The MSW is a widely awarded degree, offered by many schools via in-person classes, online-only classes or a hybrid of the two. There aren’t as many schools that offer classes in forensic social work, so you’ll need to research the specific programs you’re most interested in to determine if they offer the courses you’d need to become a forensic social worker.
Traditional MSW programs consist of two years of courses along with fieldwork in both years for hands-on learning. Courses are split between foundational (first-year) and advanced (second-year) classes, and all prepare social workers for professional practice. Core classes focus on the categories of human development and behavior, generalist social work practice methods, social justice, social policy, social work theory, research methods, and field placement (also called fieldwork or practicum).
Additionally, courses teach social work practice at the micro (individual and/or family), mezzo (organizations and community) and macro (policy) levels. This ensures students understand how change happens at each of these levels and affect the other levels at the same time.
An example of forensic micro social work would be providing mediation to parents agreeing on child custody arrangements as part of their divorce proceedings.
Mezzo forensic social work would be educating law enforcement and court personnel on the victim advocate services that are provided to those involved in the criminal justice system.
Macro forensic social work would be advocating for change and introducing policies and laws to overhaul one or more areas of the justice system.
Students who have already earned their bachelor of social work (BSW) degree are eligible to apply to advanced standing MSW programs. This eliminates the need to take foundational courses, as they were already covered during the BSW program. Advanced standing students can essentially skip the first year of the MSW program and complete their degree in approximately one year rather than two.
Costs of the MSW degree vary widely, depending on the school attended, if it is a state or private university, if you’re attending full time or part time, in-person or online, and if you’re a traditional or advanced standing student. Financial aid also varies between schools, so be sure to do your research to determine total costs of each program you’re considering for this degree.
Other Options
A few schools offer post-graduate certificate programs in forensic social work. This is an option for students who may have completed their MSW from a school that did not offer a forensic concentration but want to hone their skills in this area. These certificate programs are approximately 15 credit hours and can typically be completed part time within one year.
Other schools, such as the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, offer their forensic social work Certificate to currently enrolled MSW students, who complete a few additional courses alongside their MSW coursework. They graduate with both an MSW degree and the certificate in forensic social work.
Another option for interested students would be to complete joint degrees in law and social work. These programs are referred to as JD/MSW programs. These joint degrees would provide extensive training and experience in both the legal side and social justice side and could be an excellent foundation for a forensic social worker wanting to work at the macro level, enacting policy changes and overhauling the current legal and justice systems.
Forensic MSW degree requirements
Typical degree requirements for MSW programs include successful completion of all coursework, often with a B average (3.0 out of 4.0 grade point average), and successful completion of all fieldwork hours.
In addition to the general core classes mentioned previously, students take concentration or specialization classes related to their areas of interest. Examples of forensic social work classes include:
- Legal research, writing, and analysis for the non-JD student
- Structure and operation of the American legal system
- Interviewing, evaluating, and offering treatment as a forensic social worker
- Forensic social work and domestic violence — legal, cultural, ethnic, and religious issues
- Forensic social work with drug and alcohol populations in the criminal and juvenile justice systems
- Principles and methods of rehabilitation of offenders
- Criminal justice response to domestic violence
- Forensic practice I: Theory and direct practice
- Forensic practice II: Evidence-based practice models
- Understanding and disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline
- Social work in prisons and community reintegration
- Skills lab: Testimony and working with attorneys
Fieldwork hours can range from 400-1,000 hours, depending on the social work program and if the student is a traditional or advanced standing student.
Fieldwork is where students complete an internship (sometimes paid) in a local organization related to their area of interest to gain hands-on experience and begin making professional connections within the field. Some examples of fieldwork placements for forensic social work students include:
- Public defender’s office
- Courts
- Department of corrections
- Department of social services
- Police departments
- Private law firms
- Victim’s services organizations
- Juvenile corrections facilities
Some schools also require the completion of a thesis or capstone project, which is an independent research project related to the student’s concentration or area of interest. This project is meant to demonstrate the students’ ability to integrate what has been learned throughout the program and apply it to their topic.
Online MSW in forensic social work
While most MSW programs in forensic social work are offered in-person, there are a few online-based MSW programs that offer this concentration. Some are fully online, while others are mostly online, but require a few trips to campus during the program. Online programs are structured identically to in-person programs in order to meet the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accreditation requirements.
When completing an online MSW in forensic social work, fieldwork will be arranged in your local community. You’ll work with the field education coordinator at the school who will vet the agencies and departments you suggest to ensure they can provide the oversight based on a social-justice perspective needed for a field placement. This often means that the agency will need to have an MSW on staff willing to supervise your work. This is not always the case, so you’ll need to work with your field education coordinator to determine options for your field placements.
What does a forensic social worker do?
As previously discussed, forensic social workers find opportunities in a variety of agencies and departments. Depending on their training and areas of interest, they may:
- Counsel troubled youth on making better decisions and providing opportunities and services to help them avoid the school-to-prison pipeline
- Counsel and encourage families whose children have been removed due to abuse or neglect to complete their court-ordered classes and requirements, and supervising visits with their children
- Educate law enforcement on mental health issues and non-lethal de-escalation techniques
- Educate court personnel, including judges, on how various socioeconomic factors set certain populations at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing services, understanding, and navigating the legal system, along with evidence-based interventions that have been shown to improve rehabilitation and reintegration into society
- Go out on calls with law enforcement to provide crisis intervention when needed
- Counsel offenders in juvenile and adult corrections facilities
- Provide victim advocate services
- Provide testimony in court cases
- Assist parolees in developing and implementing a plan to secure housing, employment, and other needed services
- Advocate for changes in unfair policies and laws
- Fill leadership roles in relevant nonprofit organizations
Career outlook for a forensic social worker
The career outlook for forensic social work is quite strong. Unfortunately, there are many individuals coming into and interacting with the criminal justice system every day that need assistance. Recent events have further demonstrated the need for law enforcement personnel to understand mental health issues, socioeconomic factors that can lead to criminal activity, and non-lethal methods of subduing suspects.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the average salary for a social worker is $50,390 annually. This is an average of all social work specialties, though forensic social work salaries may be higher, particularly those working in private law firms or in management or leadership positions. The field is expected to grow 12 percent between 2020 and 2030, which is faster than the national average. An estimated 89,200 jobs will come available for social workers during that time.
A quick search on Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com found the following job openings for forensic social work:
- FBI Special Agent
- Forensic interviewer/therapist for child victims
- Forensic case manager — Jail Diversion Program
- Research forensic social scientist
- Court advocate
- Municipal court forensic liaison
- Forensic rehab specialist
- Director of investigative services
The listed salaries for these positions ranged from $40,000 a year to over $86,000 annually.
Summary
The field of forensic social work is much needed and serves a vital purpose. The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. There are millions of additional individuals who are under some sort of correctional supervision. Social workers are needed to collaborate with the criminal justice system to ensure the accused’s voice is heard, that appropriate punishments are considered, and that the accused are aware of their rights and what to expect during the process of their interactions with the justice system. They work with individuals to discourage recidivism and provide services and referrals to assist in creating a different, more productive, and healthy life upon release from the system.
The work of a forensic social worker is challenging, yet extremely rewarding. Every day can be quite different, with multiple cases requiring attention. Balancing the needs of the client with both the necessity of having safe communities and the requirements of the justice system calls for skill in communication, patience, and creativity to find solutions that work for everyone. If this sounds like an interesting challenge, perhaps the field of forensic social work is for you!