San José State University
School of Social Work
ScWk263; Social Work and the Law
Class #XXXXX; Section X; Fall, 20XX
Instructor:
Emily Bruce, Ph.D., LCSW
Office Location:
Washington Square Hall 217M
Telephone:
(408) 924-5810
Email:
emily.bruce@sjsu.edu
Office Hours:
TBA
Class Days/Time:
TBA
Classroom:
TBA
CANVAS AND MYSJSU MESSAGING
Our course, is listed in San José State’s on-line learning management system as follows: FAXX:
SCWK263-Sec XX – SW and Law. You should be able to use Canvas for the upcoming
semester.
Login URL: http s://sjsu.instructure.com
Please note that unlike many other websites, this web address should NOT have “www”
at the start of the web address.
Username: SJSU 9-digit ID number.
Password: Self-generated password for your SJSUOne account.
Courses: Once logged into Canvas, you will see your course or courses listed in the Courses
Heading on the top of the page. From the dropdown menu, click on the course name, and you
will be entered into the course. Note: That link will not be active until the start date of the course.
NOTE: I recommend that you visit the It is recommended that you visit the
eCampus Canvas website at http://www.sjsu.edu/at/ec/canvas/. This website offers a number
of Quick Start Learning Guides to help you navigate Canvas tools. Also, detailed guides can be
found at http://guides.instructure.com/. For questions regarding the course or course
materials, please contact me, the instructor.
For issues related to Canvas, please contact the eCampus Help Desk. The Help Desk can
give technical support for issues encountered in Canvas Courses.
 Phone: (408) 924-2337
 Submit a help ticket using the following
URL: https://isupport.sjsu.edu/ecampus/ContentPages/Incident.aspx.
 While logged into Canvas, click on the word Help on the upper right corner of the screen.
You are responsible for regularly checking with the messaging system through MySJSU (or
other communication system as indicated by the instructor).
Catalog Description
Analytical skills to understand the legal system, its functions, organization, jurisdiction and case
processing methods. An examination of the legal environment of social work practice in
selected settings: domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, sexual abuse and education. (This
is a 3 unit elective course; it also meets requirements of licensure and requirements for Title IVE and Pupil Personnel Services Credential.)
Course Description
SW 263 is an advanced level course in which students examine the role of the law and its
influence on children and families. The course places specific focus on the family and juvenile
court systems in California and laws relating to divorce, adoption, custody, child abuse, and
juvenile justice. Students will examine and analyze critically the impact of specific court
decisions and their impact on current practice.
Course Competencies & Practice Behaviors (Student Learning Objectives)
The following Competencies are realized through this course:
1.
Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.
2.
Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
4.
Engage diversity and difference in practice.
5.
Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
8.
Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well being an to deliver
effective social services.
Upon completion of ScWk263 students will be able to:
1. Practice Behavior 1d: Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and
communication in the context of a field of practice.
2. Practice Behavior 2a and 2b: Effectively apply decision-making strategies that are grounded
in social work values and ethics.
3. Practice Behavior 2d: Use of social work knowledge, supervision, and learning opportunities
that arise in the context of legal and court interactions regarding cases involving children and
their families, acknowledging ambiguities, resolving conflicts, and making principled
decisions.
4. Practice Behavior 4a: Apply the Transcultural Perspective in practice, including
understanding of structural contexts and dynamics of power, privilege and oppression that
influence interaction at micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
5. Practice Behavior 4c: Demonstrate an understanding of ways that social location and
difference shape perspectives and experiences of both the professional and client systems.
6. Practice Behavior 5a: Demonstrate an understanding of historical, social, political, and
economic factors affecting clients and communities in the context of substantive
administrative, legislative, and judicial decisions that have an impact on the social welfare
services being provided to the children and families, particularly in relation to diverse
populations (e.g. race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, immigration status, disability etc.)
with whom they work.
7.
Practice Behavior 8a: Demonstrate an understanding of policies and programs that emanate
from the public policy and/or the juvenile court that have an effect on the lives of children
and their families; as well as an ability to apply skills to analyze and influence policies and
programs.
7. Practice Behavior 8b: Demonstrates ability to collaborate with stakeholders to influence
policy and program changes in the context of legal and court procedures for children and
families.
Required Texts/Readings
The following textbooks are required:
Saltzman, A. & Furman, D. M. (1999). Law in social work practice (2nd ed.). Pacific
Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole–Thomson Learning.
Lucero, K. (2012). Family drug courts: An innovation of transformation. Bloomington,
IN: Balboa Press.
American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. ISBN
9781557987914. Available at Spartan Bookstore.
Library Liaison
For assistance in the library go to the King Library Reference Desk (2nd floor; 808-2100) and/or
utilize the Social Work Research Guide available at http://libguides.sjsu.edu/scwk. The Social
Work Library Liaison is: Teresa Slobuski, Teresa.Slobuski@sjsu.edu or
408-808-2318.
Classroom Protocol
Students are expected to arrive on time, participate in class discussions and exercises, and to be
attentive to lectures and discussions. It is important for everyone in this class to be courteous to
each other (i.e., the instructor and the students). Students are asked to refrain from using cell
phones, earphones or other devices that are not relevant to the course. Use of laptops, ipads, or
other electronic devices during class is a privilege; students are expected to use these devices for
note taking or other relevant course related tasks.
Dropping and Adding
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops,
academic renewal, etc. Refer to the current semester’s Catalog Policies section at
http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current
academic calendar web page located at
http://www.sjsu.edu/academic_programs/calendars/academic_calendar/. The Late Drop Policy
is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of
the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes. Information about the latest changes and
news is available at the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.
Assignments and Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be based on your written work, presentations, and participation in
class, as follows:
Table 1: Assignments and Grading
Course Student Learning
Assignment
Points
Objective/Competency
Brief Writes
2
PB1
Small group discussions – report
10
PB1, PB2(a)(d), PB4, PB5, PB8(a)
out
Assignment #1: Individual Case
15
PB1, PB2(a)(d), PB4, PB5(a)
Law Analysis Presentation
Assignment #2: Curriculum Vitae
10
PB1
Assignment #3: Court Report
15
PB1, PB2(a)(b), PB4, PB5, PB8(a)(b)
Assignment #4: Group Policy
20
PB1, PB2(a)(b), PB4, PB5, PB8(a)
Analysis Presentation
Assignment #5: Group Policy
20
PB1, PB2(a)(b), PB4, PB5, PB8(a)
Analysis Paper
Class Participation
8
PB1
Total points
100
Penalty for Late Work
All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. If the assignment is not turned
in at that time, the assignment is late. If an assignment is turned in after 5:00 pm on the day it is
due – that assignment is late. Students are responsible for submitting assignments on time. If
you are unable to submit an assignment by the date and time indicated on this syllabus (or
announced in class), please discuss your situation with me no less than 24 hours prior to the time
the assignment is due. Points will be deducted from your grade for each day that an assignment
is late. Further, if you submit an assignment after the due date and time without making prior
arrangements with me, additional points will be deducted from the grade for the assignment. For
example, if an assignment is worth 30 points, points will be deducted from the assignment grade
for each day the assignment is late. In addition, 5% of the total grade will be deducted from the
grade if arrangements are not made prior to the initial due date. Additional late points can be
avoided by planning ahead and contacting me to make alternative arrangements.
Submitting Assignments
I do not accept assignments e-mailed as attachments. Often students have contracted computer
viruses and I am trying to limit the degree to which the computers on which I work are
vulnerable to computer viruses, worms, phishing and the like. Papers must be turned in the day
they are due in class. If you cannot make it to class, please make arrangements to have a hard
copy turned in by a classmate or turn it early. If a student has an emergency, please let me know
that you will not be able to attend class, and be prepared to bring evidence of the emergency (i.e.,
the hospital band from your stay in the hospital, notes from a doctor, etc).
Brief Writes
Periodically there may be an unannounced writing exercise where students will be asked to
provide a brief in-class written response to a question regarding the material covered in the
content of the course. The goal of the assignment is to think critically about the issues presented
in class and to integrate points that have emerged over the course of the class (i.e., readings,
videos, presentations, lectures, group discussions).
Small Group Discussion and Reporting Out
Over the course of the semester there will be two to three small group discussions regarding
topics that are covered in class. The small group discussions will be unannounced exercises.
Utilizing critical thinking skills, a transcultural practice framework, an advanced multi-system
perspective and personal reflection, students will be asked to meet in small groups and to discuss
a response to a question, or to assess a vignette that illustrates the legal ambiguities of work with
children and families, the issues of disproportionality; and other concerns; and then to report out
to the class what your small group has determined based on your discussion. While not required,
groups can use electronic resources to explore evidence to support the group’s perspective. Each
person in the group should have a responsibility in the reporting out process (i.e., 1. an
introduction that briefly provides an over view; 2. an explanation of the issue; 3. an explanation
of the consequences of the issue, 4. the evidence the group has found regarding the issue; 5. the
group’s assessment of the issue; and finally, 6. the group’s conclusion about the issue).
Assignment #1: Case Law Presentation
Students will be expected to identify a social work case that has been decided – and provide the
class with a brief explanation of the issue that came before the court and the court’s decision
about the case, and the implications of that decision in terms of social work practice. This
exercise is expected to be a concise exposition of the case and the outcome. This assignment is
designed to assist students in understanding and reporting on the role of the courts in rectifying
aspects of law, practice, procedures, or decisions that are inequitable or disproportionally
burdensome.
Assignment #2: Curriculum Vitae
Students are to create a curriculum vita that lists their education and experience, that could
potentially be used to justify expert witness status, or provided to court prior to testimony.
Required elements include employment and educational experience, as well as a list of all
specialized trainings attended.
Assignment #3: Court Report
Students are to create a court report that provides the court with a brief history of the case, the
social workers observations, the role of stakeholders at the specific point in time in the life of a
case, the social worker’s assessment, any recommendations to the court for additional work or
continued services; and a conclusion regarding the current status of the case and potential
implications for future progress.
Assignment #4: Group Policy Presentations
This will be a presentation of each group’s findings from their research on the preparation of
their group paper. Be sure to provide an outline of your presentation to be handed out to your
audience. Groups can use poster boards, power point or other media in addition to having an
outline for their audience. Again, each person will be responsible for their portion of the
presentation, so that individual contributions will be graded individually. Students will be
provided with a grading rubric for each individual’s presentation.
Assignment #5: Group Policy Paper
Four groups of 4 individuals (and 2 groups of 5 individuals) will be responsible for identifying a
child welfare policy issue and completing a policy analysis using the format presented in class.
Specifically, identify the history of the problem and previous legal and or administrative attempts
to resolve the concerns, and explain the policy that is currently in place. Quantify the problem,
the numbers, the costs, and where the problem exists (i.e., at which level of jurisdiction; federal,
state, or locally). Indicate the intended goals of the current policy, how the current policy is
being implemented and the variable impact the policy may or may not have on various
communities and populations of children and families receiving services; including a discussion
of the outcomes of the policy in the lives of children and families in the context of the
Transcultural Perspective. Finally evaluate the policy and provide recommendations for changes
in the policy. This policy paper should be at least 10 pages and not more than 15 pages (that
does not include title or reference pages). Each person will be responsible for specific portions
of the paper and individual contributions will be graded individually; thus the grade for this
assignment will not be based on the work of the group.
Class Participation
Each student is expected to attend all classes. Students are expected to share ideas, listen to the
ideas of others and participate in class discussions in a respectful and professional manner. As
part of class participation, students are expected to critically analyze information that is
presented/discussed, bring examples and applications of the concepts being covered in class.
Note: If you are not attending class, you are not participating.
APA Format and Writing Requirements
All papers must follow current American Psychological Association (APA) format guidelines
(6th edition). All papers must use standard, 12-point fonts (e.g., Times Roman) and be free of
typographical, formatting, spelling, and content errors, as the quality of the writing will be
evaluated as part of the grade for all written assignments. Be sure to carefully review and edit all
drafts prior to submission. All ideas, quotes, and information taken or derived from other
sources must be appropriately cited and referenced in accordance with APA rules.
Table 2: Grading
The grading and evaluation distribution for the class is outlined below.
Percentage.
97-100%.
93-96%.
90-92%.
87-89%.
83-86%.
80-82%.
77-79%.
73-76%.
Grade.
A+
A.
AB+
B.
BC+
C.
70-72%.
67-69%.
63-66%.
60-62%.
Below 60%
CD+
D.
DF..
Special Note
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have
emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangement in case the
building must be evacuated, please make a special appointment with me as soon as possible, or
see me during office hours.
University Policies
Academic integrity
Your commitment as a student to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose
State University. The University’s Academic Integrity policy, located at
http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S07-2.htm, requires you to be honest in all your academic
course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of
Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical
Development website is available at http://www.sa.sjsu.edu/judicial_affairs/index.html.
Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism
(presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without
giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For
this class, all assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise
specified. If you would like to include your assignment or any material you have
submitted, or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU’s Academic Policy
S07-2 requires approval of instructors.
Due to the increase of scholarly works being plagiarized, San José State University and
its faculty are beginning to implement safeguards, one of which is an electronic antiplagiarism service called Turnitin.com. For the protection and education of all students,
using an anti-plagiarism service will add your scholarly papers to the academic database
so that others cannot plagiarize your hard work. Details will be discussed in class.
Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need
to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an
appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential
Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must
register with the Accessible Education Center (AEC), formerly known as the Disability
Resource Center (DRC). The Accessible Education Center or AEC will continue to
function as a comprehensive department featuring distinct yet interconnected programs,
services, and accommodations aimed at the strategic removal of barriers that inhibit
students with disabilities’ full physical and curricular access, co-curricular engagement
and learning, and effective communication. The new name reflects the broad scope of
attention and support for our students with disabilities and the University’s continued
commitment to increasing accessibility and inclusivity on campus. You can find
information about the AEC at the following website address: http://www.sjsu.edu/drc/.
School of Social Work Policies
School of Social Work Writing Policy
The Instructor will return selected assignments (as specified elsewhere in the syllabus)
ungraded if at least five unique errors are found in grammar, punctuation, sentence
structure, spelling, typos, APA style, or other basic writing errors. Late penalty points
may apply, as specified in the syllabus.
A unique error is an error that will be counted 1 time. For example, if a possessive
apostrophe is left off of a word 5 times in a paper, it will be counted as 1 error (i.e. a
possessive apostrophe error). It is the student’s responsibility to make corrections
throughout the paper and ensure there are no additional instances of the error in the paper
before re-submitting the paper and submitting next assignments.
Resources: SJSU and College of Applied Sciences and Arts (CASA)
Student Technology Resources
Computer labs for student use are available in the SJSU Academic Success Center
located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall and on the 2nd floor of the Student Union.
Additional computer labs may be available in your department/college. Computers are
also available in the Martin Luther King Library. A wide variety of audio-visual
equipment is available for student checkout from Media Services located in IRC 112.
These items include digital and VHS camcorders, VHS and Beta video players, 16 mm,
slide, overhead, DVD, CD, and audiotape players, sound systems, wireless microphones,
projection screens and monitors.
SJSU Peer Connections
The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) and the Peer Mentor Program have
merged to become SJSU Peer Connections. Peer Connections is the new campus-wide
resource for mentoring and tutoring. Our staff is here to inspire students to develop their
potential as independent learners while they learn to successfully navigate through their
university experience. Students are encouraged to take advantage of our services which
include course-content based tutoring, enhanced study and time management skills, more
effective critical thinking strategies, decision making and problem-solving abilities, and
campus resource referrals.
In addition to offering small group, individual, and drop-in tutoring for a number of
undergraduate courses, consultation with mentors is available on a drop-in or by
appointment basis. Workshops are offered on a wide variety of topics including
preparing for the Writing Skills Test (WST), improving your learning and memory,
alleviating procrastination, surviving your first semester at SJSU, and other related topics.
A computer lab and study space are also available for student use in Room 600 of Student
Services Center (SSC).
Peer Connections is located in three locations: SSC, Room 600 (10th Street Garage on
the corner of 10th and San Fernando Street); at the 1st floor entrance of Clark Hall; and in
the Living Learning Center (LLC) in Campus Village Housing Building B. Visit the Peer
Connections website at http://peerconnections.sjsu.edu for more information.
SJSU Writing Center
The SJSU Writing Center is located in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by
professional instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each
of the seven SJSU colleges. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA
requirement, and they are well trained to assist all students at all levels within all
disciplines to become better writers. The Writing Center website is located at
http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/about/staff/.
The CASA Student Success Center
The School of Social Work is located in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts
(CASA). While the CASA Student Success Center focuses on providing advising for
undergraduate students majoring or wanting to major in programs offered in CASA
Departments and Schools, graduate students in CASA are also able to use the resources
of the CASA Student Success Center.
All CASA students and students who would like to be in CASA are invited to stop by the
Center for general education advising, help with changing majors, academic policy
related questions, meeting with peer advisors, and/or attending various regularly
scheduled presentations and workshops. Looking for academic advice or maybe just
some tips about how to navigate your way around SJSU? Check out the CASA Student
Success Center! It’s also a great place to study, and you can check out laptops.
Location: MacQuarrie Hall (MH) 533 - top floor of MacQuarrie Hall; phone:
408.924.2910; e-mail address: CASASuccessCenter@gmail.com
ScWk263.XX – Social Work and the Law
Fall 20XX Course Schedule
This schedule is subject to change with fair notice. I will announce any changes in class or via
Canvas.
Table 1 Course Schedule
Week
Date
1
8/26/13
2
9/2/13
3
9/9/13
4
9/16/13
Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
Introductions
Overview of the Course
 Introductions
 Review of syllabus
 Review of textbooks for this course
 Discussion of course assignments and tasks
 1st Small group discussion
LABOR DAY: NO CLASS
BASIC LEGAL CONCEPTS
The Rule of Law
 Different Types of Laws
 Federal Level
 The U.S. Constitution
 Federal Legislation
 Administrative Regulations
 Federal Constitutional Protections
 State Level
 The State Constitution
 State Legislation
 State Administrative Regulations
 What does any of this have to do with social work practice?
Readings: Saltzman & Furman, (1999). Chapter 1, 5
Practice Behavior 8a: Policy Practice
Application of the Law
 The Federal Court System
 Federal Courts
 Federal Court of Appeals
 U.S. Supreme Court
 The State Court System
 Superior Court of California
 State Court of Appeals
 California State Supreme Court
 Plan for Case Law Summaries
Readings: Saltzman & Furman, (1999). Chapter 1
Week
Date
Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
Practice Behavior 8a: Policy Practice
5
9/23/13
What Happens in Court
 Applying the Transcultural Perspective
 Types of Hearings
 Who can bring a case before the court?
 The Process of a Trial
 The Types of Evidence
 http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1
&t=1&islist=false&id=206948225&m=209413715
Readings: Saltzman and Furman, (1999). Chapters 2.
Practice Behaviors 1, 2, 4 & 8: Professional social worker, Ethical
Principles, Diversity, Policy practice
6
09/30/13
Assignment #1: Case Law Summaries
15 Individuals
Practice Behaviors 1, 2(a)(d), 4, 5, & 8: Professional Social Work,
Ethical Principles; Diversity; Social Justice; Policy Practice
7
10/7/13
Assignment #1: Case Law Summaries
15 Individuals
Practice Behaviors 1, 2(a)(d), 4, 5, & 8: Professional Social Work,
Ethical Principles; Diversity; Social Justice; Policy Practice
8
10/14/13
Assignment #1: Case Law Summaries
5 Individuals
Practice Behaviors 1, 2(a)(d), 4, 5, & 8: Professional Social Work,
Ethical Principles; Diversity; Social Justice; Policy Practice
The Role of the Social Worker in Court
Reading: Saltzman and Furman, (1999). Chapters 3.
Assignment #2: Curriculum Vitae
Practice Behavior 1: Professional Social Work
9
10/21/13
CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND THE LAW
Issues in Criminal Justice
 Adult Crime
 Three Strikes
 Juvenile Crime
 Proposition 21 (2000) Gang Related Crimes
 Remand to Adult Sentencing
 Role of the Social Worker/Probation Officer
Week
Date
Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
Readings: Saltzman and Furman, (1999). Chapter 6, 7
California’s Criminal Justice System: A Primer
http://www.lao.ca.gov/2007/cj_primer/cj_primer_013107.aspx#chapter5
Practice Behaviors 1 2, 4, 5, & 8: Professional social worker, Ethical
principles, Diversity, Social Justice, Policy Practice
10
10/28/13
Protection of Children
 Child Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency
 Parents’ Rights and Responsibilities
 Social Workers’ Rights and Responsibilities
 Special Circumstances
 Domestic Violence
 Substance Abuse
 Incarcerated Parents
 Parents with Disabilities
 ICWA
 Dual Status Youth
Readings: Saltzman and Furman, (1999). Chapter 8
Lucero (2012). pp. 3-31; 41-69; 72-98;
Practice Behavior 1, 2, & 8(a)(b): Professional social worker,
Ethical Principles, Policy Practice
11
11/4/13
Educational and Medical Rights of Children
 History of Discrimination
 Race, class, sex, ability
 C.W. Attendance and Discipline
 Arrested Futures:
http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/maarrest_reportweb.pdf
 Children with Disabilities
 Medical Rights of Children
Readings: Saltzman and Furman, (1999). Chapter 13; pp. 431-436
Assignment#3: Court Report
Practice Behavior 2 & 4: Ethical principles, Diversity
12
11/11/13
VETERANS’ DAY: No class
13
11/18/13
Familial Contracts
 Marriage
 Adoption
Readings: Saltzman and Furman, (1999). Chapter 10 and 9
Practice Behavior 4: Diversity
Week
14
Date
11/25/13
Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
Familial Contracts (cont’d)
 Divorce
 Child Custody
Disclosure and Professional Responsibility
Readings: Saltzman and Furman, (1999). Chapter 11, 18, and 19
Practice Behavior 1 and 2: Professional social worker, Ethical
principles
15
12/2/13
Assignment #4: Policy Presentations
5 Groups
Practice Behaviors 1 2, 4, 5, & 8(a)(b): Professional social worker,
Ethical principles, Diversity, Social Justice, Policy Practice
16
12/9/13
Assignment #4: Policy Presentations
2 Groups
Practice Behaviors 1 2, 4, 5, & 8(a)(b): Professional social worker,
Ethical principles, Diversity, Social Justice, Policy Practice
Assignment #5: Group Papers Due
Practice Behaviors 1 2, 4, 5, & 8(a)(b): Professional social worker,
Ethical principles, Diversity, Social Justice, Policy Practice
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alexander, R. Jr. (1995). Social workers and immunity from civil lawsuits. Social Work, 40,
648-654.
Alexander, R. Jr. (2003). Understanding legal concepts that influence social welfare policy and
practice. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole-Thomson Learning.
Barron, J.A., Dienes, C.T., McCormack, W., & Redish, M.H. (1992). Constitutional law:
Principles and policy (4th ed.). Charlottesville, VA: Michie.
Bentley, K.J. (1994). The right of psychiatric patients to refuse medication: Where should social
workers stand? Social Work, 38, 101-106.
Berstein, D.E. (1999). Sex discrimination laws versus civil liberties. University of Chicago Legal
Forum, 1999, 133-197.
Blau, J. (1996). Reasonable efforts, unreasonable efforts: A retrospective analysis of the
“reasonable effort” clause in the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980.
Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 23, 133-150.
Bruce, E. J., Martinez, C., Clark, M., Lee, S., & Lee, P. A. (2007). Court training for public
child welfare social workers: An evaluation of a training program. Professional
Development: International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education, 10(1), 45-61.
California Healthcare Association (2002). Minors and health care law: A handbook on consent
for treatment of infants, children and adolescents. Sacramento, CA: Author.
Crawford, J.M. (1999). Co-parent adoptions by same-sex couples: From loophole to law.
Families in Society, 80, 271-278.
McCarthy, F.B., Patton, W.W. & Carr, J.G. (2003). Juvenile law and its processes: Cases and
materials. Boston, MA: LexisNexis
Mnookin, R.H. & Weisberg, D.K. (1995). Child, family and state: Problems and materials on
children and the law (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company.
O’Brien, T.M. (2004). Child welfare in the legal setting: A critical and interpretive perspective.
Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press.
Siegal, L., & Senna, J. (2000). Juvenile delinquency: Theory, practice and law (7th ed.). St. Paul,
MN: West.
Stein, T.J. (1991). Child welfare and the law. White Plains, NY: Longman Publishing Group.
Weisz, V.G. (1995). Children and adolescents in need: A legal primer for the helping
professions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Press.
San José State University
Social Work Programs: Evaluation and Grading Criteria
Instructors in the Social Work program promote and evaluate critical thinking1 and
communication2 skills to help students achieve academic and professional excellence. These
skills encompass one’s ability to organize ideas, reason concretely and abstractly, and apply
objective and subjective reasoning to ideas, situations, and theories.
One method to evaluate students’ critical thinking and communication skills is via written
assignments. To evaluate your writing, the social work faculty will uses the writing guidelines
established in the Publications Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th Ed.). If
you need writing or editing assistance, please consult with your instructor.
Plagiarism3 is unacceptable. It may be monitored by your instructor with commercial
plagiarism detection services4. Any student who plagiarizes will be dealt with according to San
José State University policies and procedures, which may include expulsion from the University.
_____________________
1
Critical thinking is the use of intellectual skills that address relevance, accuracy, clarity,
depth, and breadth of ideas, situations, and theories. It enables one to self-assess mindfully her
or his understanding and thought processes; it includes analyzing an issue or situation, its
context, and its elements from multiple perspectives; and it generates self-improvement as one
becomes sophisticated in theorizing, conceptualizing, and communicating.
2
Communication is fundamental to social work and occurs in written, oral, and nonverbal
forms. All communications, including case notes, reports and proposals, should be clear and
cohesive. Effective communication is essential to effective and efficient social work practice on
micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
According to SJSU Academic Senate policy F88-10, “. . . plagiarism is the act of
representing the work of another as one’s own (without giving appropriate credit) regardless of
how that work was obtained, and submitting it to fulfill academic requirements. Plagiarism at
SJSU includes but is not limited to, 1.2.1 The act of incorporating the ideas, words, sentences,
paragraphs, or parts thereof, or the specific substance of another’s work, without giving
appropriate credit, and representing the product as one’s own work”
(http://www.cob.sjsu.edu/FACSTAFF/KWAN_S/conduct.htm).
3
4
4.htm).
See Academic Senate policy on plagiarism detection (http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/So2-
Social Work 263_Section 1
Only one form per group needs to be submitted to Dr. Bruce
Group Participants
1. _______________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________
Options for group’s presentation topic:
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Date that your group submitted your group presentation plan: ___________
The first group to submit a form does not automatically get to be Group #1
Form is due no later than October 7, 20XX.
Will be confirmed by October 21, 20XX
Formatting of group presentations
Schedule
Minutes per individual/and per group
Group 1 (5) 5 minutes each person=> 25 minutes each group
Break
5 minute transition
Group 2 (5) 5 minutes each person=> 25 minutes each group
Break
5 minute transition
Group 3 (5) 5 minutes each person=> 25 minutes each group
Break
5 minute transition
Group 4 (5) 5 minutes each person=> 25 minutes each group
Break
5 minute transition
date: Total Minutes (2 hours)
Group 1 (5) 5 minutes each person=> 25 minutes each group
Break
5 minute transition
Group 2 (5) 5 minutes each person=> 25 minutes each group
Break
5 minute transition
Group 3 (5) 5 minutes each person=> 25 minutes each group
Break
5 minute transition
date: Total Minutes (1 ½ hours)
Minutes
25
5
25
5
25
5
25
5
120
25
5
25
5
25
5
90