Social Work and Criminal Justice System in India

Social work in criminal justice system in India plays a vital role in supporting involuntary clients, from offenders to victims, within a complex socio-legal framework. Social workers navigate police stations, juvenile justice boards, prisons, and aftercare systems, employing perspectives like social conflict and rights-based approaches to foster rehabilitation and justice. With skills like bargaining, persuasion, and empathy, they address structural inequalities and empower clients. This blog explores the roles, perspectives, and strategies of social work in criminal justice system, highlighting initiatives like TISS’s Prayas and Special Cell. Discover how social workers transform lives in India’s CJS!

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What is Social Work in Criminal Justice System?

Social work in criminal justice system (CJSW) involves working with involuntary clients—offenders, victims, or marginalized groups—whose rights are often curtailed by legal processes. Unlike voluntary clients, these individuals are typically mandated to engage with social workers, often in distress or resistance. Social workers operate in settings like police stations, juvenile justice systems, prisons, and protective homes, addressing issues such as domestic violence, child protection, and rehabilitation. Their work balances legal mandates with psychosocial support, aiming to restore dignity and promote reintegration.

• Focus: Involuntary clients like offenders and victims.
• Settings: Police, juvenile justice, corrections, aftercare.
• Goal: Rehabilitation, rights advocacy, and social justice.

Perspectives Guiding Social Work in CJS

Social work in CJS is guided by distinct perspectives that address the unique challenges of involuntary clients. These frameworks shape interventions and client relationships.

Social Conflict Perspective

The social conflict perspective views therapy as a political process involving power dynamics between clients and their social environment (Cingolani, 1984). In CJS, clients often resist intervention due to deviant behavior or systemic conflict. Social workers adopt roles like:

• Enforcer: Ensures compliance with rules.
• Negotiator: Bargains to align client and societal interests.
• Mediator: Balances client and system needs.
• Advocate/Coach: Supports client interests publicly or covertly.

This perspective is effective in settings like prisons or protective homes, where control and negotiation are key.

Rights-Based Perspective

The rights-based perspective centers on clients’ fundamental human rights, addressing inequality and oppression (Kam, 2012). Guided by frameworks like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and India’s Constitution, it prioritizes:

• Legal Aid Access: Ensuring fair representation.
• Advocacy: Fighting for client rights in court.
• Empowerment: Addressing social injustices like discrimination.

Jim Ife (2008) emphasizes using “rights” over “needs” in practice, employing deductive (starting with rights) or inductive (case-specific rights identification) approaches. For example, ensuring legal aid for a detained client reflects this perspective.

Key Skills and Strategies for CJS Social Work

Working with involuntary clients requires specialized skills and strategies tailored to the CJS context. These include:

Role Clarification

Social workers must clarify their dual role as helpers and authority figures, discussing how authority is used transparently with clients (Trotter, 2006). This builds trust and sets expectations.

Bargaining and Persuasion

Bargaining redefines mutual expectations through stages like discovering bargainable issues, finding agreement, and sealing deals (Murdach, 1980). Persuasion, using promises or rewards, supports this process, though it requires ethical caution.

Pro-Social Values Promotion

Social workers reinforce pro-social behaviors—actions opposing criminality—through praise and rewards, fostering values like care and support for others (Trotter, 2006).

Self-Awareness and Non-Judgment

Social workers must cultivate acceptance and non-condemnation, managing personal biases to act as instruments of change. Peer supervision and introspection enhance this process (Mathew, undated).

Collaborative Problem Solving

This involves working with clients to define problems, set achievable goals, and develop clear strategies. Steps include problem survey, ranking, exploration, and contract creation (Trotter, 2006).

Roles of Social Workers in India’s CJS

Social workers in India’s CJS operate across multiple domains, supported by initiatives like TISS’s Field Action Projects (FAPs). Below are key roles:

Social Work with Police

Police handle both criminal and non-criminal issues, with 36.16% of 2015 cases being non-cognizable, requiring socio-legal responses (Crime in India, 2015). Social workers complement police by:

• Mediating domestic disputes and child protection cases.
• Providing referrals for shelter or rehabilitation.
• Facilitating communication between police and clients.

TISS’s Special Cell for Women and Children, started in 1984, supports victims of domestic violence by working within police stations. It emphasizes non-judgmental collaboration, helping women articulate their needs and access socio-legal solutions (Dave & Dharmadhikari, 1987). Similarly, Prayas, a TISS FAP since 1990, prevents case escalation through mediation and advocacy, maintaining open communication with police (Raghavan, 2012).

Social Work in Juvenile Justice

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, governs India’s juvenile justice system, covering children in need of care and protection (CNCP) and children in conflict with law (CCL). Social workers are integral to Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), probation services, and child care institutions. In 2015, 71.6% of apprehended juveniles were aged 16–18, often from poor families (Crime in India, 2015). Social workers:

• Prepare Social Investigation Reports (SIRs) and care plans.
• Facilitate rehabilitation through education and vocational training.
• Support family reintegration and address stigma.

TISS’s Resource Cell for Juvenile Justice (RCJJ), started in 2005, runs help desks, conducts counseling, and trains police to handle juveniles sensitively. RCJJ’s work includes group sessions and family support to reduce institutional trauma (RCJJ Annual Report, 2013-14).

Social Work in Corrections and Aftercare

Prisons in India, governed by the Prisons Act of 1894 and Model Prison Manual (1970), aim for reformation over punishment. Social workers in corrections focus on:

• Legal aid and family liaison for undertrials.
• Psychosocial rehabilitation and vocational training.
• Aftercare to prevent recidivism.

Prayas began prison work in 1990, supporting women and youth with legal services and family reconnection. Koshish, a TISS FAP since 2006, addresses destitution by advocating for the repeal of anti-beggary laws, which criminalize poverty. Koshish provides counseling, life skills, and links clients to government schemes for rehabilitation (TISS Koshish, 2025).

Social Work with Marginalized Communities

Social workers also support communities at risk of criminalization, like Nomadic and De-notified Tribes (NT-DNT). TISS’s TANDA, started in 2011, works with Pardhi and other NT-DNT communities, promoting:

• Women’s leadership through self-help groups.
• Education via Community Learning Centres.
• Advocacy for constitutional rights and entitlements.

TANDA’s research-driven approach empowers 1,200 families in Mumbai and Navi-Mumbai, fostering self-reliance (TISS TANDA, 2025).

Benefits of Social Work in CJS

Social work in CJS yields significant outcomes:

• Rehabilitation: Supports client reintegration into society.
• Rights Protection: Ensures access to legal aid and justice.
• Stigma Reduction: Addresses social biases against offenders and victims.
• Prevention: Mediates to prevent case escalation.
• Empowerment: Enhances client autonomy and dignity.

Challenges in CJS Social Work

Despite its impact, social work in CJS faces hurdles:

• Client Resistance: Involuntary clients may resist intervention.
• Systemic Barriers: Limited resources and police training.
• Stigma: Social biases against CJS clients persist.
• Role Conflicts: Balancing authority and empathy.

Collaboration and training are essential to overcome these challenges.

Strategies for Effective CJS Social Work

Social workers can enhance their impact by:

• Building Trust: Maintain open, non-judgmental communication.
• Collaborating with Systems: Work alongside police and JJBs.
• Advocating Rights: Ensure legal and social entitlements.
• Using Evidence-Based Practices: Leverage research for interventions.
• Supporting Families: Strengthen client support networks.

FAQs About Social Work in Criminal Justice System

What is social work in criminal justice system?

It involves supporting involuntary clients like offenders and victims in police, juvenile justice, and corrections, focusing on rehabilitation and rights.

How do social workers work with police?

They mediate non-cognizable cases, provide socio-legal support, and collaborate on issues like domestic violence, as seen in TISS’s Special Cell.

What role do social workers play in juvenile justice?

They prepare reports, counsel juveniles, and facilitate rehabilitation, as demonstrated by TISS’s Resource Cell for Juvenile Justice.

Conclusion

Social work in criminal justice system in India bridges legal and social gaps, empowering clients through rehabilitation and rights advocacy. Perspectives like social conflict and rights-based approaches, combined with skills like bargaining and empathy, drive impactful interventions. TISS’s FAPs, such as Prayas, Special Cell, and Koshish, showcase innovative models addressing diverse needs. Despite challenges, social workers foster justice and dignity.