ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the appearance of social workers and their contributions to legal decisions made at the criminal justice entrance and examines not only how social workers contribute to legal decision making processes, but also pursuing the policy significance of social workers entering the criminal justice stage. Joji Yamamoto’s book played an important part in raising awareness and stimulating debate on the plight of mentally handicapped, elderly repeat offenders, among social workers, legal professionals and the general public alike. The social advisers at the Prosecution Office, or other social workers approached by a Center or the suspect or defendant’s lawyer, will thus inform and advise prosecutors on the possibilities and prospects for support and rehabilitation. One difference with social workers, however, is that for prosecutors as well as judges, rehabilitation is something that stands in service of crime prevention and maintaining social order.
