Withstanding "Friendly Fire": A Frontline Reply to O'Hare.

Clark, Michael D.

The article presents the author's response to an article by Thomas O'Hare entitled "Court-Ordered versus Voluntary Clients: Problem Differences and Readiness for Change," which focused on the court order process in relation to social work. O' Hare reported that court ordered treatment "may undermine the effectiveness and morale of social workers, do little to improve the lot of the offender, and promise unachievable benefits to the general public". He decried offender rehabilitation as an effort that does not deliver. He stopped short of making this a factual claim, a good thing, as it is seriously misleading and if taken as fact is erroneous. He read this statement; in 1974 and sent shock waves through the criminal justice field by reporting offender rehabilitation was a failure with the now infamous line "nothing works." He warned that social work "risks participating in a muddled enterprise" and he get a feeling O'Hare is attempting a call for expulsion, or "practice cleansing," because my field lacks the clinical clarity of work with more voluntary clients.

CONDUCT of court proceedings; O'HARE, Thomas; SOCIAL services; REHABILITATION; PUBLIC welfare; SOCIAL workers; CRIME prevention

Social Work, 1997, Vol 42, Issue 2, p201

0037-8046

Academic Journal

10.1093/sw/42.2.201