Social Work

Social work is an integral and critical component of holistic defense. Whether a client is facing criminal charges, in danger of losing her children, or threatened with eviction, our social workers are there. They advocate for clients in criminal, family, and civil court. They represent clients in meetings with drug program counselors and child welfare agencies. And they support clients as they navigate the complex public benefits system. Our masters-level social workers are not only trained to assess but also address the issues that drive clients into the various justice systems. Moreover, they do so not as a separate practice but as an integrated component of our interdisciplinary teams.

Social workers at The Bronx Defenders collaborate with attorneys and other advocates to determine the best defense strategy for clients based on their needs. Then they work as part of the defense team to educate judges and adversaries in the various justice systems about our clients and their lives. Through written submissions and oral advocacy, our social workers show that the true cause of our clients’ court involvement is not character but circumstance. They humanize our clients, explain their struggles, and encourage just results. Because of their participation, we are able to obtain better outcomes for our clients in and out of the courtroom.

Our social workers also play a critical role in helping clients eliminate from their lives the issues that drove them into the justice system in the first place. They thoroughly research all the social services the community has to offer and build relationships with those that are most effective. By doing so, social workers at The Bronx Defenders create a web of resources that enable them to connect clients quickly to the services they need to succeed in the short term and to reach their long term goals.

Working in partnership with the defense team, social workers facilitate, support, and enhance the relationship between the lawyer and the client. They meet with the client individually and with the lawyer to help assess the client’s needs and develop a defense strategy to meet those needs. Social workers are also a great resource for families. They have the training and experience to counsel and support families as sons get arrested and thrown into jail, sisters have their children taken from them and placed in the care of strangers, and husbands are put into immigration custody and threatened with deportation.