Social Worker Sentencing Project

The Encouraging Innovation: Field-Initiated (FI) Program is funded under the Edward Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation program and a carve out from the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program that is aimed at combating extraordinary or precipitous increases in crime. The FI Program furthers the Department’s mission by trying new approaches, addressing gaps in responses, building or translating research knowledge, or building capacity to address the issues that bring fresh perspectives and ideas to enhance practices and prevent crime in the field.

The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission will utilize grant funds to implement a Social Worker Sentencing Project (SWSP). The objective of SWSP include embedding social workers to act as client advocates in “straddle-cell” cases, in two diverse Michigan indigent defense systems; assessing SWSP implementation and effectiveness through intensive process and impact evaluation activities guided by an action research framework; and developing a program manual to increase practitioners’ knowledge of social workers as a resource for indigent defense, and to guide replication and enhance sustainability. This study will culminate with the design, protocols, procedures, and performance measures for SWSP. A published manual, presented to BJA, will include program design, procedures, and fidelity measure information to guide program replication and sustainability. CA/NCF