TY - JOUR
T1 - MSW Programs’ Admissions Policies Regarding Applicants with Histories of Criminal Justice Involvement
AU - Curran, Laura
AU - Sanchez Mayers, Raymond
AU - DiMarcantonio, Laura
AU - Fulghum, Fontaine H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2019 Council on Social Work Education.
PY - 2020/10/1
Y1 - 2020/10/1
N2 - This article examines U.S.-based MSW programs’ admissions practices and policies toward applicants with criminal convictions. Despite national attention to mass incarceration and its impact on college admissions, there is a dearth of empirical investigation in this area. Through a national survey of MSW programs’ admissions personnel (n = 146), this study seeks to fill this research gap. We ask: How do MSW programs evaluate applicants with criminal justice histories; what factors account for programs’ interest/concern with these histories; and what factors influence programs’ admission decision-making in relation to these applicants? Findings indicate that a majority of MSW programs screen applicants in relation to their criminal justice backgrounds and do so primarily to uphold professional gatekeeping responsibilities and address concerns related to securing field placements. Social justice issues did not emerge as a significant factor in program practices and policies. The majority of respondents did not provide training or guidelines to the reviewers regarding evaluation of applicants with criminal convictions nor did programs’ criteria for admission entirely correlate with the criminal justice literature on predictors of recidivism. Recommendations include greater transparency in processes and greater training and consistency for reviewers.
AB - This article examines U.S.-based MSW programs’ admissions practices and policies toward applicants with criminal convictions. Despite national attention to mass incarceration and its impact on college admissions, there is a dearth of empirical investigation in this area. Through a national survey of MSW programs’ admissions personnel (n = 146), this study seeks to fill this research gap. We ask: How do MSW programs evaluate applicants with criminal justice histories; what factors account for programs’ interest/concern with these histories; and what factors influence programs’ admission decision-making in relation to these applicants? Findings indicate that a majority of MSW programs screen applicants in relation to their criminal justice backgrounds and do so primarily to uphold professional gatekeeping responsibilities and address concerns related to securing field placements. Social justice issues did not emerge as a significant factor in program practices and policies. The majority of respondents did not provide training or guidelines to the reviewers regarding evaluation of applicants with criminal convictions nor did programs’ criteria for admission entirely correlate with the criminal justice literature on predictors of recidivism. Recommendations include greater transparency in processes and greater training and consistency for reviewers.
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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2019.1661903
DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2019.1661903
M3 - Article
SN - 1043-7797
VL - 56
SP - 721
EP - 733
JO - Journal of Social Work Education
JF - Journal of Social Work Education
IS - 4
ER -