ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the legislative arena. Of the four components in the criminal justice system, legislation is the component where social workers are employed in fewest numbers. However, this does not mean that social workers are inactive in the legislative or crime legislative arena. Social workers engage in legislative advocacy and social and political action, and support legislation intended to enhance well-being. In fact, social workers have an ethical obligation to engage in political and social action. These efforts are achieved in numerous ways including participating in lobbying and testifying before legislators. In this chapter we examine legislation and crime legislation that is of most interest to the social work profession. Examples of current legislation and its relevance to the social work profession and the criminal justice system are reviewed. Some of the legislation discussed in this chapter has been enacted into law, whereas other examples have been proposed and are awaiting further legislative action.
