Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: On the Parole Board
WORK NOTES:
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BIRTHDATE: 6/13/1953
WEBSITE:
CITY:
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NATIONALITY:
https://www.ric.edu/socialwork/faculty_Details.php?id=9606 * http://www.naswfoundation.org/recognition/FredericReamerSarnat.asp
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born June 13, 1953.
EDUCATION:University of Maryland, B.A., 1974; University of Chicago, A.M., 1975, Ph.D., 1978.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, educator, social worker, ethicist. University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, instructor, 1978-81; University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Social Work, instructor, 1981-83; Rhode Island College, School of Social Work, professor, 1983–. Has also served as Director of the National Juvenile Justice Assessment Center of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 1979-81; as Senior Policy Adviser to the Governor of Rhode Island, 1987-90; as a Commissioner of the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation, the state housing finance agency, 1987-95; and on the State of Rhode Island Parole Board, 1992-2016. Regular commentator on National Public Radio and other stations; lectures widely on professional ethics and professional malpractice and liability.
AWARDS:Distinguished Contributions to Social Work Education award, Council on Social Work Education; 1995; Presidential Award, National Association of Social Workers, 1997; Richard Lodge Prize, Adelphi University, 2005; Edith Abbott Award,University of Chicago, 2005; and Neil J. Houston, Jr. Memorial Award, 2009.
WRITINGS
Contributor of numerous articles to journals and of chapters to scholarly books.
SIDELIGHTS
Frederic G. Reamer is a professor in the graduate school program of the School of Social Work, Rhode Island College, a member of that faculty since 1983. Educator, social worker, and ethicist , Reamer has also served as a social worker in both mental health and correctional institutions. He is a regular commentator on National Public Radio, speaks widely on issues involving professional ethics and professional malpractice and liability, and is the author or editor of more than two dozen books on these subjects.
AIDS & Ethics and Social Work Malpractice and Liability
Reamer serves as editor and author of the introduction to the 1991 compilation Aids & Ethics, a gathering of ten essays by experts in the field on various aspects of the ethical questions surrounding AIDS. These include questions and issues such as mandatory HIV screening and testing, the ethics of AIDS patients used as research subjects, AIDS and health insurance, AIDS and education, and AIDS and the obligations of health care professionals, among others. Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine Online, Kate H. Brown noted: “This book has relevance for many who work in fields where issues of AIDS and HIV arise. … This is a collection of up-to-date, theoretically sophisticated but accessible commentaries on some of the most important issues vexing researchers, policy makers, caregivers, advocates, and ethicists today.”
In Social Work Malpractice and Liability: Strategies for Prevention, Reamer offers advice to social workers engaged in practice, supervision, or administration with a guide to preventing or dealing with legal issues and lawsuits. The author provides an overview of professional malpractice and liability and then goes on to deal with topics including confidentiality and privacy, improper treatment in service delivery, impaired social workers, deception and fraud, and termination of service, as well as others. “Reamer, although acknowledging that he is not an attorney, has written an easy-to-read and understandable book that any social worker will have no difficulty understanding,” commented Rudolph Alexander, Jr., in Social Work. “His chapters are full of case examples. … All clinical and supervisory classes should include this text.”
Social Work Values and Ethics and Ethical Standards in Social Work
Reamer is also the author of Social Work Values and Ethics, first published in 1994, and since going through four editions. He divides this work into six sections: “Social Work Values and Ethics: An Overview;” “Social Work Values;” “Ethical Dilemmas and Decision Making: A Framework;” “Ethical Dilemmas in Social Work: Clinical Practice;” “Ethical Dilemmas in Social Work: Macro Practice;” and “Malpractice and Unethical Conduct: Strategies for Prevention.” This work offers a comprehensive introduction to both ethical decision making for teachers and practitioners, as well as a guide to deal with professional misconduct. An Internet Bookwatch contributor termed this an “articulate and thoughtful introduction to core ethical principles and common dilemmas in the field of social work.”
Ethical Standards in Social Work: A Review of the NASW Code of Ethics similarly provides an overview of the ethics code established by the National Association of Social Workers. Originally published in 1998, Reamer updated the work in 2006 to deal with technological and legal advances. Included also is an appendix that details various ethics cases and scenarios as well as applications of case examples to the NASW Code of Ethics. “Within the context of social work values and ethics, Frederic Reamer has become a household word,” noted Stephen M. Marson in Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics Online. Marson added: “Reamer is the ideal person for the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to select as the author of Ethical Standards in Social Work.“
A Guide to Essential Human Services and Finding Help for Struggling Teens
Reamer’s A Guide to Essential Human Services was first published in 2005 as Pocket Guide to Essential Human Services and revised and expanded in 2010. The author offers a guide for professionals and volunteers as well for potential clients of human services. He provides an overview of types of human services available and information about researching and locating such services. Reamer organizes the book into sections such as income, housing, food, transportation, health care, addictions, children and adolescents, education and literacy, and numerous others that individuals might need during their lifetimes. Writing in Social Work, Shauna P. Acquavita had praise for this guide, noting: “For many social workers, keeping track of the different resources available at local, state, and federal agencies can be challenging. Reamer has provided a clear, concise guide that is easy to use and has up-to-date listings. As the title suggests, this guide is essential for those individuals learning about or working in human services.”
Reamer collaborated with Deborah H. Siegel on the 2007 work Finding Help for Struggling Teens: A Guide for Parents and the Professionals Who Work with Them. Here the authors provide parents and professionals with a guide to dealing with and helping teens in distress. An overview examines issues that are likely to arise and strategies for coping with a struggling teen, and this is followed by a discussion of the range and types of services and programs that can be accessed and also ways to find the correct one for the youth in question. Reviewing the guide in the online Struggling Teen, Larry Stednitz observed: “The authors, both coming from the field of social work, have succinctly provided a document that can help both parents and professionals navigate the rocky road of raising a difficult teenager.”
On the Parole Board
Reamer served for almost a quarter of a century on the Rhode Island Parole Board, and with his 2016 work, On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Punishment, Redemption, and Justice, he gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at deciding the fate of prisoners seeking parole. He provides stories from his own experiences but also expands the conversation to look at the complexity of the entire process, from criminal behavior to the effect on victims and the basic principles of the criminal justice system. According to a Publishers Weekly reviewer, Reamer “engages moral philosophy, social science research, history, and lived experience in order to come to grips with crime.” He also suggests some basic rules of just punishment that should be adopted by the U.S. prison system.
Writing in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Jessica Pishko had a mixed assessment of On the Parole Board, noting: “According to the author, the book is designed to give a balanced look at the responsibilities of the parole board. But the use of largely anecdotal evidence (most of which is presented in summary form, admittedly altered from its original context to protect the identities of the subjects) puts the book firmly in the category of literature I like to call ‘felons: just like us.’ Part of Reamer’s purpose is to persuade the reader that most parole board members are trying to do the right thing, and most inmates are capable of rehabilitation.” Others had a higher evaluation. Library Journal contributor Frances O. Sandiford noted: “Readers who are unfamiliar with the criminal justice system will find all of this information like the beam of a flashlight in a black hole.” Similarly, an online Pages reviewer noted: “I enjoy nonfiction that introduces me to information I didn’t know about before, but I especially love when it can challenge my way of thinking. It has been a long time since I’ve read a book that made me confront my own thoughts in this way, and all the credit goes to Reamer for his writing style and handling of this subject.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Adolescence, summer, 2007, review of Finding Help for Struggling Teens: A Guide for Parents and the Professionals Who Work with Them, p. 436.
Futurist, May-June, 2009, review of Teens in Crisis: How the Industry Serving Struggling Teens Helps and Hurts Our Kids, p. 52.
Health and Social Work, May, 1995, Marcia Abramson, review of AIDS and Ethics, p. 159.
Internet Bookwatch, August, 2006, review of Social Work Values and Ethics.
Library Journal, October, 15, 2016, Frances O. Sandiford, review of On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Punishment, Redemption, and Justice, p. 99.
Publishers Weekly, September 5, 2016, review of On the Parole Board, p. 68.
Reference & Research Book News, November, 2005, review of Pocket Guide to Essential Human Services.
Social Work, January, 1996, Alexander Rudolph, Jr., review of Social Work Malpractice and Liability: Strategies for Prevention, p. 115; October, 2010, Shauna P. Acquavita, review of A Guide to Essential Human Services, p. 376.
ONLINE
BioMedSearch.com, http://www.biomedsearch.com/ (October 1, 2010), Shauna P. Acquavita, review of A Guide to Essential Human Services.
Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics Online, http://www.jswvearchives.com/ (September 23, 2006), Stephen M. Marson, review of Ethical Standards in Social Work.
Los Angeles Review of Books, https://lareviewofbooks.org/ (January 17, 2017), Jessica Pishko, review of On the Parole Board.
NASW Foundation, http://www.naswfoundation.org/ (June 7, 2017), “Frederic G. Reamer.”
New England Journal of Medicine Online, http://www.nejm.org/ (October 8, 1992), Kate H. Brown, review of AIDS and Ethics.
Pages, http://thepagesreviews.blogspot.com/ (September 15, 2016), review of On the Parole Board.
Rhode Island College Web site, https://www.ric.edu/ (June 7, 2017), “Frederic G. Reamer.”
Struggling Teens, http://www.strugglingteens.com/ (November 14, 2006), Larry Stednitz, review of Finding Help for Struggling Teens.*
Frederic G. Reamer, PhD
International Rhoda G. Sarnat Award
Frederic G. Reamer is Professor in the graduate program of the School of Social Work, Rhode Island College, where he has been on the faculty since 1983. His research and teaching have addressed a wide range of human service issues, including mental health, health care, criminal justice, public welfare, and professional ethics. Dr. Reamer received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1978) and has served as a social worker in correctional and mental health settings. He has also taught at the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration (1978-1981), and the University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Social Work (1981-1983). Dr. Reamer has served as Director of the National Juvenile Justice Assessment Center of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (1979-1981); as Senior Policy Advisor to the Governor of Rhode Island (1987-1990); and as a Commissioner of the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation, the state housing finance agency (1987-1995). Since 1992 Dr. Reamer has served on the State of Rhode Island Parole Board. He also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Social Work Education (1990-1994). He served as Associate Editor of the National Association of Social Workers Encyclopedia of Social Work (20th edition).
Dr. Reamer has conducted extensive research on professional ethics. He has been involved in several national research projects sponsored by The Hastings Center, the Carnegie Corporation, the Haas Foundation, and the Scattergood Program for the Applied Ethics of Behavioral Healthcare at the Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of many books and articles. His books include:
• Boundary and Dual Relationship Issues in the Human Services (Columbia University Press)
• Heinous Crime: Cases, Causes, and Consequences (Columbia University Press)
• The Social Work Ethics Casebook: Cases and Commentary (NASW Press)
• A Guide to Essential Human Services (NASW Press)
• Criminal Lessons: Case Studies and Commentary on Crime and Justice (Columbia University Press)
• Social Work Values and Ethics (Columbia University Press)
• Tangled Relationships: Managing Boundary Issues in the Human Services (Columbia University Press)
• Ethical Standards in Social Work: A Review of the NASW Code of Ethics (NASW Press)
• The Social Work Ethics Audit: A Risk Management Tool (NASW Press)
• Ethics Education in Social Work (Council on Social Work Education)
• The Foundations of Social Work Knowledge (Columbia University Press; editor and contributor)
• Social Work Malpractice and Liability (Columbia University Press)
• Social Work Research and Evaluation Skills (Columbia University Press)
• The Philosophical Foundations of Social Work (Columbia University Press)
• AIDS and Ethics (Columbia University Press; editor and contributor)
• Ethical Dilemmas in Social Service (Columbia University Press)
• Rehabilitating Juvenile Justice (Columbia University Press; co-author, Charles H. Shireman)
• The Teaching of Social Work Ethics (The Hastings Center; co-author, Marcia Abramson).
• Finding Help for Struggling Teens: A Guide for Parents and the Professionals Who Work with Them (NASW Press; co-author, Deborah H. Siegel)
• Teens in Crisis: How the Industry Serving Struggling Teens Helps and Hurts Our Kids (Columbia University Press; co-author, Deborah H. Siegel)
Dr. Reamer is also the author of chapters on professional ethics in the Encyclopedia of Social Work, the Encyclopedia of Bioethics, and the Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics. He has been an essayist on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition (“This I Believe” series), a commentator on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, and a guest on various radio broadcasts (e.g., WVON-Chicago; WNYC—New York, KPCW—Utah, WOL—Washington, D.C., KFCD—Dallas, KVON—San Francisco, WGBH-Boston, WOLB—Baltimore, XM Satellite Radio). Since 2007 Dr. Reamer has served as host and producer of the National Public Radio series, This I Believe—Rhode Island, broadcast weekly by NPR and Rhode Island Public Radio. He is featured as a commentator in the 10-part video documentary, America’s Serial Killers: Portraits in Evil and in the 10-part video documentary, Rampage: Killing without Reason. He is also a featured expert on the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series, This Emotional Life.
Dr. Reamer has lectured extensively nationally and internationally on the subjects of professional ethics and professional malpractice and liability. He chaired the national task force that wrote the current Code of Ethics adopted by the National Association of Social Workers. Dr. Reamer received the "Distinguished Contributions to Social Work Education" award from the Council on Social Work Education (1995); the Presidential Award from the National Association of Social Workers (1997); the Richard Lodge Prize from Adelphi University for “outstanding contributions to the development of social work theory” (2005); the Edith Abbott Award from the University of Chicago for “distinguished service to society and outstanding contributions at the local, national or international levels” (2005); and the Neil J. Houston, Jr. Memorial Award for “dedicated service and citizen contribution toward the criminal justice profession and the public interest” (2009).
Frederic Reamer
Guardo Hall (GH) 108
(401) 456-8042
(401) 456-8248
freamer@ric.edu
Academic Background
Professor - 1983 to present
Ph.D., University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration - May 1978
A.M., University of Chicago, Division of Social Sciences - May 1975
B.A., University of Maryland, Institute of Criminal Justice and Criminology - May 1974
Publications
Books
On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Punishment, Redemption, and Justice
Risk Management in Social Work: Preventing Professional Malpractice, Liability, and Disciplinary Action
Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in the Human Services
Teens in Crisis: How the Industry Serving Struggling Teens Helps and Hurts Our Kids (with Deborah Siegel)
How to Find Help for Struggling Teens: A Guidebook for Parents and the Professionals Who Work with Them (with Deborah Siegel)
Heinous Crime: Cases, Causes, and Consequences
Criminal Lessons: Case Studies and Commentary on Crime and Justice
Social Work Malpractice and Liability
Tangled Relationships: Managing Boundary Issues in the Human Services
The Social Work Ethics Audit – A Risk-management Tool
The Philosophical Foundations of Social Work
Social Work Values and Ethics
Ethical Standards in Social Work
Ethical Dilemmas in Social Service
Ethics Education in Social Work
Social Work Research and Evaluation Skills
Rehabilitating Juvenile Justice (with Charles Shireman)
AIDS and Ethics (editor and contributor)
The Foundations of Social Work Knowledge (editor and contributor)
The Pocket Guide to Essential Human Services
Various journal articles and book chapters on the subjects of professional ethics, social work ethics and values, risk management, criminal justice, affordable housing, and mental health policy.
Areas of Interest
Social welfare policy, social work research and evaluation, human behavior, criminal justice, professional and social work ethics.
Currently Teaching
Social work research and evaluation: I & II; Advanced Professional Development Seminar; Field Seminar
Areas of Expertise
social work ethics, forensic social work, criminal justice,
research/program evaluation
Past Experience
Member, Rhode Island Parole Board; social worker in various correctional settings; director of National Juvenile Justice Assessment Center, U.S. Department of Justice; senior policy advisor, Rhode Island Governor's Office; commissioner, Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation; editor-in-chief, Journal of Social Work Education; chair, NASW Code of Ethics Revision Committee.
Present Service Activities
Chair, Ethics Committee, NASW-RI; editorial board member for several social work journals; series editor, Columbia University Press, Social Work Knowledge Series.
Page last updated: Monday, September 12, 2016
QUOTE:
articulate and thoughtful introduction to core ethical principles and common dilemmas in the field of social work.
Social Work Values And Ethics
Internet Bookwatch. (Aug. 2006):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2006 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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Social Work Values And Ethics
Frederic G. Reamer
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, NY, NY 10023
www.columbiaedu/cu/cup
0231137893 $27.50 1-800-944-8648
Now in an updated third edition, Social Work Values And Ethics by Frederic G. Reamer (Professor of Social Work, Rhode Island College) is an articulate and thoughtful introduction to core ethical principles and common dilemmas in the field of social work. Chapters cover common ethical issues in direct practice and indirect practice, as well as problems in ethical risk management and ethical misconduct. Chapters are followed by "discussion questions" ideal for group study and participation. A valuable educational manual for students and professionals in the complex and changing field.
AIDS and Ethics
Marcia Abramson
Health and Social Work. 20.2 (May 1995): p159.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 1995 Oxford University Press
http://www.naswpress.org/publications/journals/hsw.html
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Frederic G. Reamer, professor of social work at Rhode Island College and author of several seminal texts on ethics in social work, has edited a thoughtful, scholarly work on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and ethics. The book is rich in its application of principles and theories of ethics to some of the most controversial and perplexing issues concerning the epidemic and the resulting myriad social, political, economic, legal, and ethical problems.
After a cogent chapter by Reamer on the relevance of ethical inquiry and especially the formulations of applied ethics to understanding the AIDS crisis, the authors, from such fields as philosophy, medicine, law, political science, and religion, address issues such as the shifting tension between public health and civil rights, mandatory human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, human subjects research, health care insurance, AIDS education, militant AIDS activism, the physician-patient relationship, privacy issues, and legal issues. The chapters are dear and well referenced. Each issue relevant to HIV and AIDS is put into its historical and sociopolitical context. Although the authors tend to have distinct points of view, they also provide the counterarguments to their own perspectives so that the presentations are balanced and fair.
The book will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy analysts, activists, public health officials, and researchers who focus on the "hard choices" or "crisis issues" when rights and duties clash in dramatic ways. The book will be less valuable for social work practitioners and other nonphysician services providers because of its crisis orientation and because in its analytical, rational, deductive approach to ethical issues, it is far from the lived experience of actual practice. Furthermore, the two chapters that deal directly with clinical issues deal almost entirely with issues important to medical practitioners and not to social workers. Because the editor is an eminent social work educator, I wish there could have been more attention to issues more germane to social work practice.
Nonetheless, this is an important and timely book and certainly belongs on the shelf of anyone who is interested in the ethical dimensions of HIV and AIDS.
Marcia Abramson School of Social Work Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey New Brunswick
RELEVANT BOOKS RECEIVED
Self-Help
Copeland, M. (1994). Living without depression and manic depression. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
McCue, K., & Bonn, R. (1994). How to help children through a parent's serious illness: Supportive, practical advice from a leading child life specialist New York: St. Martin's Press.
Rosenfeld, L., & Anderson, B. (1994). Your child and health care: A "dollars and sense" guide for families with special needs. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
Royse, D. (1994). How do I know it's abuse? Identifying and countering emotional mistreatment from friends and family members. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.
Verniero, J. (1995). You can call me Willy: A story for children about AIDS. New York: Magination Press.
QUOTE:
Reamer, although acknowledging that he is not an attorney, has written an easy-to-read and understandable book that any social worker will have no difficulty understanding. His chapters are full of case examples
All clinical and supervisory classes should include this text
Social Work Malpractice and Liability: Strategies for Prevention
Rudolph Jr. Alexander
Social Work. 41.1 (Jan. 1996): p115.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 1996 Oxford University Press
http://www.naswpress.org/publications/journals/sw.html
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In the preface to his book, Frederic G. Reamer states his hope that this book will provide social workers in direct practice, supervision, and administration with an in-depth and practical guide to preventing and addressing legal issues that might evolve into lawsuits. Reamer outlines nine chapters toward this end. He has fully achieved his purpose and has provided the profession with an invaluable book that can reduce lawsuits and help social workers prevail as defendants.
Reamer, although acknowledging that he is not an attorney, has written an easy-to-read and understandable book that any social worker will have no difficulty understanding. His chapters are full of case examples that illuminate his points, and in his first chapter, he defines all the critical legal terms involved in malpractice and liability, including malfeasance, acts of omission, acts of commission, intentional and unintentional torts, and standard of care.
Reamer discusses legal issues as they apply to social workers in both direct practice and supervision. For example, one chapter explains the liability issues for child protection workers. Given recent publicity about children who have died in their parents' care, child protection workers will find Reamer's discussion quite helpful. Reamer does an excellent job of discussing collateral legal issues, such as how social workers may violate parental rights and defame parents. His only shortcoming in this area is neglecting to discuss the immunity that some child protection workers enjoy. Another chapter discusses supervisors who have failed to provide adequate supervision. The author delineates instances in which supervisors may be liable for their supervisees' conduct, an important liability concern.
The chapter on deception and fraud is excellent. The author discusses a variety of situations in which social workers can get into legal difficulty by being too helpful to clients. In particular, Reamer's discussions of underdiagnosis, overdiagnosis, and research fraud are helpful and relevant.
Keeping his promise to provide a practical guide for social workers, Reamer outlines how social workers can avoid liability for improper termination of services. In addition, the final chapter confronts issues that social workers should be sensitive to when facing allegations of improper conduct. For instance, a social worker employed in an agency that is being sued should consider hiring his other own legal counsel, because an agency attorney's first obligation may be to protect the organization.
Lawsuits against professionals have become quite common. In some cases plaintiffs are going to prevail, and in some cases they are not. By adhering to the advice and cautions issued in Social Work Malpractice and Liability, social workers might significantly decrease the probability that plaintiffs will prevail in their lawsuits against them. All clinical and supervisory classes should include this text.
Pocket guide to essential human services
Reference & Research Book News. 20.4 (Nov. 2005):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2005 Ringgold, Inc.
http://www.ringgold.com/
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0871013657
Pocket guide to essential human services.
Reamer, Frederic G.
Natl. Assn./ Social Workers
2005
165 pages
$19.99
Spiral Binding
HV91
Reamer (social work, Rhode Island College) has served as a social worker in correctional and mental health settings, and has lectured and written extensively on a wide range of human service issues. He provides a concise guide for professionals, volunteers, and consumers. Following an overview of human services and ways to think about locating information and resources, the material is organized into sections reflecting major categories of needs that may arise during a person's life: income, housing, food, clothing, energy, transportation, health care, mental health, addictions, sexual orientation, family life education, children and adolescents, abuse and neglect, protective services, military personnel and veterans, immigrants and refugees, education and literacy, employment assistance, aging and retirement, and legal services and dispute resolution. No subject index.
([c] 2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR)
Reamer, Frederic G., & Siegel, Deborah H. Finding Help for Struggling Teens: A Guide for Parents and the Professionals Who Work with Them
Adolescence. 42.166 (Summer 2007): p436.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2007 Libra Publishers, Inc.
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REAMER, Frederic G., & SIEGEL, Deborah H. Finding Help for Struggling Teens: A Guide for Parents and the Professionals Who Work with Them. Washington, DC: NASW Press, 2006. 80pp. $19.99 (p).
Struggling teen, troubled teen, problem child, rebellious one--these terms are all too familiar in coping with or addressing youths who show signs of distress. Social relationships are strained and high-risk behaviors are demonstrated. Trying to provide the care and guidance that is needed is a major challenge for parents and other caregivers whose greatest desires for their teen are good mental and physical health and even more, self-confidence and happiness. This guide is designed to provide parents of struggling teens, along with the professionals who work with them, with a concise overview of issues they are likely to face, the range of available services and programs, practical strategies for finding the right services and programs, and advice about how to cope with a struggling teen.
Teens in Crisis: How the Industry Serving Struggling Teens Helps and Hurts Our Kids
The Futurist. 43.3 (May-June 2009): p52.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 World Future Society
http://www.wfs.org/wfs
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by Frederic G. Reamer and Deborah H. Siegel. Columbia University Press. 2008. 178 pages. Paperback. $22.50.
Hundreds of programs are diagnosing and counseling troubled teenagers suffering from learning or behavioral difficulties. Today, this massive industry is undergoing some growing pains, and not all programs are up to the task. Some operate without adequate training or certification. Others use ineffective--even dangerous--techniques that result in injuries and deaths.
Social-work professors Reamer and Siegel recall the struggling-teen industry's history and map out its present-day landscape: prominent organizations, the services they provide, and some troubling scandals and tragedies. They conclude with an evidence-based blueprint for reform to make sure that society has the best means at hand to address the needs of young people, today and in generations to come.
QUOTE:
For many social workers, keeping track of the different resources available at local, state, and federal agencies can be challenging. Reamer has provided a clear, concise guide that is easy to use and has up-to-date listings. As the title suggests, this guide is essential for those individuals learning about or working in human services.
A Guide to Essential Human Services (2nd ed.)
Shauna P. Acquavita
Social Work. 55.4 (Oct. 2010): p376.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 Oxford University Press
http://www.naswpress.org/publications/journals/sw.html
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A Guide to Essential Human Services (2nd ed.). Frederic G. Reamer. Washington, DC: NA S W Press, 2010, 196 pages. ISBN 978-0-87101-397-2. $25.99 paperback.
This revised edition of Frederic G. Reamer's A Guide to Essential Human Services is an ideal resource for those seeking information on local, state, and government assistance programs. Social workers, social work educators, and agencies providing services to individuals in need will all benefit from the information provided in this book. It includes a large list of programs and resources available for a wide range of populations.
Reamer has divided the book into sections organized by types of programs offered and groups in need of particular services. These range from mental health services to legal and dispute resolution services and from services to military personnel and veterans to those provided for immigrants and refugees. Each chapter begins with an overview of the programs available for specific needs or populations, discusses the services and benefits provided, lists the eligibility criteria to receive these services, and provides contact information. The chapters end with useful tips, providing readers with additional information and resources such as Web site addresses.
This book will be a beneficial tool for social workers in many fields. Interns, beginning social workers, and social workers providing case management in a variety of agencies will all be able to use this guide to determine clients' eligibility for a broad range of programs and services. Social service organizations will benefit from having this volume on hand as a quick reference guide to add to their resource lists. Compact and pleasant to hold, the book can easily be carried from place to place by busy, mobile social work professionals, and it will take up minimal space on a desk or bookshelf.
Social work educators can assign this book in introductory practice and policy courses. Practice classes can use it for assignments, such as community case studies and individual and family psychosocial assessments. Students can use the book to identify which services may be appropriate for different populations. Instructors in policy classes can integrate the book's content into discussions about such policies as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Social Security Disability Insurance, and the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit. This book will also help students in introductory social work classes familiarize themselves with the resources available to assist vulnerable populations. These and other specific programs and policies are outlined in the book, and for more in-depth reading, students can consult the Web sites listed at the end of chapters.
For many social workers, keeping track of the different resources available at local, state, and federal agencies can be challenging. Reamer has provided a clear, concise guide that is easy to use and has up-to-date listings. As the title suggests, this guide is essential for those individuals learning about or working in human services.
Shauna P.. Acquavita
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Acquavita, Shauna P.
QUOTE:
engages moral philosophy, social science research, history, and lived experience in order to come to grips with crime
On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Punishment, Redemption, and Justice
Publishers Weekly. 263.36 (Sept. 5, 2016): p68.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Punishment, Redemption, and Justice
Frederic G. Reamer. Columbia Univ., $90 (288p) ISBN 978-0-231-17732-0
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
After serving for nearly 25 years on the Rhode Island Parole Board, social worker Reamer (Risk Management in Social Work) gives an insider look at his role in deciding the fate of prisoners. In a narrative-driven account that goes beyond his own work, he explores the complexity of criminal behavior, victim trauma, and the parameters of justice and punishment. He engages moral philosophy, social science research, history, and lived experience in order to come to grips with crime--from the gruesome to the mundane--and punishment. He also analyzes common catalysts for crime, including addiction, psychiatric illness, and prior histories of physical abuse and neglect. Delving into firsthand experiences, the book incorporates transcripts from parole hearings and personal testimonies from both prisoners and crime victims. Its in-depth look at criminal justice practices, including the benefits of restorative justice and the harms of solitary confinement, is especially instructive. Reamer combines a comprehensive overview of the criminal justice system with a generous and deeply personal account of crime's human impact, and his work will appeal most strongly to social work practitioners. He ends the book by outlining tenets of just punishment that the U.S. prison system could implement and practice. (Nov.)
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Readers who are unfamiliar with the criminal justice system will find all of this information like the beam of a flashlight in a black hole
Reamer, Frederic G.: On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Punishment, Redemption, and Justice
Frances O. Sandiford
Library Journal. 141.17 (Oct. 15, 2016): p99.
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Reamer, Frederic G. On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Punishment, Redemption, and Justice. Columbia Univ. Nov. 2016.288p. notes. ISBN 9780231177320. $90; pap. ISBN 9780231177337. $30; ebk. ISBN 9780231543323. CRIME
Reamer (social work, Rhode Island Coll. Sch. of Social Work) spent 24 years on the Rhode Island Parole Board, where, according to prison protocol, he sanctioned or denied the release of prisoners eligible for parole. He tells his story as a conscientious member of the board who considered the nature of the crime and extent of an individual's rehabilitation. To support his decisions, Reamer relates in a true crime--like style the accounts of inmates who crossed his path. Occasionally, he goes off track to discuss his personal notions of good, evil, redemption, and justice. Readers who are unfamiliar with the criminal justice system will find all of this information like the beam of a flashlight in a black hole: a light has finally been shed on a process shrouded in mystery. In the final chapter, the author offers his opinion of the complexities of criminal justice and the ways the system can be corrected. Few of his suggestions are original, but coming from a former member of a parole board, they pack an unmistakable punch. VERDICT For students and teachers in the field of criminal justice and general readers who are curious about the parole system.--Frances O. Sandiford, formerly with Green Haven Correctional Facility Lib., Stormville, NY
Sandiford, Frances O.
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According to the author, the book is designed to give a balanced look at the responsibilities of the parole board. But the use of largely anecdotal evidence (most of which is presented in summary form, admittedly altered from its original context to protect the identities of the subjects) puts the book firmly in the category of literature I like to call “felons: just like us.” Part of Reamer’s purpose is to persuade the reader that most parole board members are trying to do the right thing, and most inmates are capable of rehabilitation.
Getting Out: The Paradox of Parole
By Jessica Pishko
7 0 1
JANUARY 17, 2017
SANDRA DAVIS-LAWRENCE was convicted for first-degree murder in 1982 and sentenced to life with parole. On her fourth try before the parole board, in 2005, she was found suitable for parole. During her over 20 years in prison, Davis-Lawrence became a model prisoner. She had no disciplinary infractions (a near-miracle), earned two degrees, mentored other women, accepted responsibility for her crime, and had a realistic plan set up for her release. Despite all of this, then Governor Schwarzenegger denied Davis-Lawrence’s parole, overruling the board, based on the fact that the original crime was “exceptionally callous.”
But Davis-Lawrence was lucky. A group of dedicated lawyers took up her case, bringing it to the California Supreme Court, which reversed Schwarzenegger’s decision and held that simply arguing the underlying crime was heinous was not enough to deny an otherwise reformed person parole. (Aren’t all murders heinous?)
This case, while the exception rather than the rule, presents the problems of the parole system in all of its frustrating and opaque glory. Unlike other aspects of the criminal justice system, the functioning of parole boards has not benefitted from public scrutiny. The hearings are held behind closed doors. And unlike a trial (which is, admittedly, also now quite rare), the process of determining an inmate’s parole relies largely on administrative rules and is not subject to the same rules of evidence or procedure — hearsay, rumors, and all other sorts of evidence are allowed. Potential parolees are not guaranteed a lawyer, nor do they have the right to question evidence used against their suitability. I have observed occasions where individuals before the parole board were told that they had violated a rule without being told what that rule was. (In one example, an individual had “illegally” possessed a guitar pick that was mistaken as a weapon by a non-musical correctional officer.)
Like a lot of agency-based procedures, parole hearings remain somewhat mysterious because the rules governing them involve a large degree of deference. As The Marshall Project has reported, many people accepted sentences assuming that they would be given the meaningful opportunity for parole, only to be denied again and again. The Model Penal Code, a document by lawyers for lawyers, even acknowledges this by saying, “No one has documented an example in contemporary practice, or from any historical era, of a parole-release system that has performed reasonably well in discharging its goals.”
The best way to generalize the common demand of a parole board is to assess whether an inmate poses a risk to the community. This is determined in all sorts of ways — psychological exams, victim testimony, family and friend testimony, certificates for rehabilitative programs, letters from correctional officers, et cetera. Furthermore, because there are almost no Constitutional guarantees when you are a convicted felon seeking parole, the process is ripe for being hijacked by political interests, such as, for example, strong statements by the victims, a powerful prosecutor, or an infamous crime (e.g., Manson family).
From my experiences speaking with men and women in prison, it’s a bit like getting into an Ivy League college. Inmates who just don’t know whether they may get released at their next hearing hedge their bets by attending Alcoholics Anonymous, even if they were alcoholics two decades ago, or by engaging in the theater or writing poetry or sharing insights with a group of veteran inmates. The idea is that the more activities you do, the more useful you seem and the more reason you give the parole board to think that you pose no harm on the outside. You might even be useful.
In his book, On the Parole Board, author Frederic Reamer gives what he casts as an inside look at the mind of a parole board member. Reamer has a lot of experience in this regard — he served as a parole board member from 1992 until January of this year. According to the author, the book is designed to give a balanced look at the responsibilities of the parole board. But the use of largely anecdotal evidence (most of which is presented in summary form, admittedly altered from its original context to protect the identities of the subjects) puts the book firmly in the category of literature I like to call “felons: just like us.” Part of Reamer’s purpose is to persuade the reader that most parole board members are trying to do the right thing, and most inmates are capable of rehabilitation. (Some are not in Reamer’s book — we will get to that later.)
The parole board serves an essential if unsung role in the criminal justice system by hearing the claims of incarcerated people and weighing evidence to determine whether they should be released into society. While parole boards all have some statutory guidance, there’s very little oversight. An inmate’s only appeal is a lawsuit, but prison officials are given such wide discretion that it is almost impossible to win.
Generally, parole hearings are a black box. I have reviewed parole hearing transcripts, and they often involve reviving the circumstances of the original crime — even if it happened 20 years ago — and requiring a certain amount of awareness on the part of the prisoner. The rules are also contradictory — if a person is innocent, for example, the failure to take responsibility can be held against him. On the other hand, the heinousness of the crime is also a factor, so if someone is innocent of the underlying crime, should that be a factor? No one really knows.
Having acquaintances who have sought parole, I see something like the rush of upper-middle-class children to obtain admission to Yale — they know they need to do something, but they aren’t sure what that is. Today, this leads to mass participation in drug treatment, anger management classes, veteran’s counseling, art therapy, creative writing, and mentorship — even when those classes no longer serve a purpose. (For example, an inmate might be asked by the parole board to attend Alcoholics Anonymous even if he hasn’t had a drink since entering prison 10 years ago.)
Reamer seems like a nice man, by which I mean that he tries his best to make decisions without the influence of politics or personal prejudices. He is sad when inmates don’t seem to understand the impact of their crime. He is heartbroken when victims tell their heart-wrenching stories — the worst ones are cases where the victim is a family member who was raped or assaulted by another family member. And, finally, Reamer marvels at the fact that people who do very bad things can seem, well, like the rest of us.
This is best exemplified throughout the book by Reamer’s relationship with Dave Sempsrott, a man sentenced to several life sentences for multiple murders. Sempsrott’s story reoccurs throughout the book and seems to serve as a reminder that some people defy easy categorization. Reamer first meets Sempsrott as part of a group he facilitates; through letters, he discovers that Sempsrott, who was taciturn and unemotional in person, indeed lived a rich inner life, which he could express in writing. As Reamer points out, Sempsrott’s situation presents the major obstacle he would encounter while hearing cases as a parole board member: Why do people commit such horrible crimes? Are some people truly evil?
Reamer basically comes to the conclusion that he isn’t sure — some inmates do seem “evil in the truest sense of the term” (among these he includes people who appear to have plotted their revenge against wives and other loved ones) and others appear to be the victims of mental illness and bad environments.
According to Reamer, parole requires a balancing of public safety, rehabilitation, and good old-fashioned punishment. There are several instances where Reamer denies parole simply because there hasn’t been enough punishment, even when he admits that prison serves no rehabilitative purpose for the inmate. I appreciated his honesty about the role of punishment — it makes more sense, in some ways, to be up-front that certain crimes will deliver certain consequences, regardless of the perpetrator.
A great deal of the book deals with victims. Perhaps some background will be useful: up until the last few decades, victims had few rights when it came to parole. The victims’ rights movement began in the 1970s as researchers began to categorize the responses of victims as something called “victimology.” Not coincidentally, this was contemporaneous with the increase in crime from the 1970s through the 1980s. Law enforcement agencies began to form offices to help victims emotionally and financially; those convicted of crimes became required to pay restitution for the benefit of victims.
One output of the victims’ rights movement was the involvement of victims in parole hearings. Today, we don’t question the role of victim impact statements (think of the letter writer in the Brock Turner case), but they weren’t actually allowed until 1982.
For some, the victims’ rights movement was a huge success, but it also places a burden on the system. Victim impact statements are incredible powerful, as the author attests multiple times. For example, in one horrific case where the inmate in question had endured horrific abuse as a child, manifesting in a crime, Reamer finds himself swayed by “the anguish-filled testimony by his victim,” which he says balances the inmate’s sincere desire to change. He points out repeatedly that meeting with victims undoubtedly influenced his thinking, especially victims of sexual abuse and similar crimes.
Undoubtedly, the victims of crime suffer terrible harm, but how much should this affect the treatment of someone seeking parole? Some victims may never forgive their assailant, and this is their right. But Reamer is honest when he says that listening to victims gave him “a deep-seated wish to punish the offenders who sat across from me at the hearing room table.”
What should be the place of retribution? If someone is sorry after a year, should he be permitted to be released? Maybe not. Reamer argues that part of his role is to consider not just whether the inmate has changed or poses a threat to public safety, but also whether or not the idealistic theme of justice has been served. Have they earned their release, not just through their works, but through the subjugation of their bodies?
Reamer does believe, however, that the bulk of the people he meets yearn for forgiveness and have worked to redeem themselves. They want to feel forgiven, which Reamer tied to several religious faiths. He also takes pains to point out that the word “redeem” literally means “repurchase” — in other words, there’s a transaction taking place. The inmate seeks both deliverance in a religious sense as well as a departure from the slavery that is incarceration. While Reamer never ties this to the great racial disparity that exists in the justice system (his book oddly doesn’t seem to “see color”), I think the analogy is apt. I was never sure whether the enduring whiteness of the book was a feature of Rhode Island or whether Reamer did not want to tackle that particular issue.
On the other hand, Reamer points out that some people may never regret their crime; they may continue to associate with people who would commit crimes in prison or they may just not be very sorry. He is also concerned that there are some incarcerated people who might “fake” their redemption, by pretending to be extremely religious, for example.
One way to deal with long prison sentences, according to some reform measures, is to grant a parole hearing earlier in the process. But is this meaningful release? If the parole board will simply object to the length of time served, what is the point of a hearing?
In California, it presents an odd situation where some inmates are released after their term is served — no strings attached. Others will present themselves before the parole board again and again, trying in vain to jump through the required hoops. Does the second group recidivate less? Evidence does suggest that “lifers” are actually the least likely to reoffend once released. But it’s unclear whether this is due to age and natural maturation or to the rehabilitative effects of prison and the encouragement of parole boards. Parole is, indeed hope, but because it can feel so arbitrary, it is also frustrating to those who are trying to divine what will be the right thing. To that extent, divorcing parole hearings and prison sentences from their context — the vast racial disparity that exists in the system — seems to ignore the systemic influences that make parole all the more infuriating for most people who earnestly seek it. I can’t blame those who give up seeking to repurchase their freedom.
¤
Jessica Pishko graduated with a JD from Harvard Law School and received an MFA from Columbia University. She writes frequently on incarceration and the justice system.
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I enjoy non-fiction that introduces me to information I didn't know about before, but I especially love when it can challenge my way of thinking. It has been a long time since I've read a book that made me confront my own thoughts in this way, and all the credit goes to Reamer for his writing style and handling of this subject.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
On The Parole Board by Frederic G Reamer
On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Punishment, Redemption, and Justice
By Frederic G Reamer
tldr: This review got LONG, so the short of it is GO BUY THIS BOOK! No, seriously, I don't care who you are, you need to read this. It's fascinating and makes you think, and really, isn't that what good non-fiction is all about?
I enjoy non-fiction that introduces me to information I didn't know about before, but I especially love when it can challenge my way of thinking. It has been a long time since I've read a book that made me confront my own thoughts in this way, and all the credit goes to Reamer for his writing style and handling of this subject. I'm still mentally processing this book, but I'm going to give reviewing it a try anyway.
Reamer has made his career in corrections as a social worker, but the bulk of this book centers around his time on the parole board of Rhode Island where he served for several decades. I've never had a friend or family member incarcerated or even charged with a crime, so I don't know anything about this system other than it's existence. Reamer does a great job of breaking down exactly what parole boards are meant do, their daily processes, and the struggles of working on one. He digs into classic philosophy, religious tenants, and modern psychology to grapple with making decisions about whether someone can be released from prison early, or if they need to continue their sentence. The level of understanding and introspection he provides is deeply satisfying to read, and makes me feel hopeful.
I think my ultimate take-aways are going to come from two sections. One was on the very real issue of metal illness among prisoners, and the morality of imprisoning someone who has demonstrable issues. When he spoke about the widespread shut down of public mental health facilities in the mid twentieth century, it really made me ponder the problem those closures are raising today and will continue raising since funding for those programs isn't likely to be forthcoming. The number of inmates who have some kind of mental illness or personality disorder is astounding, and a bit disheartening. This could seriously be a book in itself, and I'm now looking for recommendations on one.
The second story was from his chapter on "Redemption and Hope", which was probably my favorite in the entire book. The story was about a young man he called "Felix Bertaina", an 18-year old kid who was just a few days away from going to college on a basketball scholarship when he accidentally killed a girl at a going-away party. I'm unsure what exactly he was found guilty of (it wasn't specified) but it sounded like manslaughter and he was given a 15 year sentence. At his parole hearing he displayed exactly the emotional thoughtfulness Reamer looks for in inmates, and he worked hard at all of the programs he was put into while in prison. He was also a surprising lover of the stock market and talked about his spreadsheets and how much he wanted to learn and become a part of it when he got out. Due to all of this he greatly impressed the board, but they could not "in good conscience" parole him because he had only served five years of his 15 year sentence. As Reamer says "After all, his victim had died." I was debating this with my husband last night, and he is of the mind that two wrongs cannot make a right; why should this model inmate, a kid with his whole life ahead of him, stay in prison longer regardless of his sentence when it isn't doing him or anyone else any good. If the idea of prison is reform, this kid is doing great. I'm not sure where I land on that argument, but the fact that it has me thinking, rethinking, and then thinking again means it's worth considering.
In the end, I think this is a book I'm going to carry with me in my head for years to come, and I can't express how excited I am to talk about these issues with other people. I am a very black and white kind of person, and have difficulty with shades of grey. It's something I try to work on, and this book helped me see the criminal justice system in a whole new light. I'll be buying my own copy of this for sure when it comes out just so I can reference and reread later.
Copy courtesy of Columbia University Press, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review Publish date: November 8th 2016.
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The authors, both coming from the field of Social Work, have succinctly provided a document that can help both parents and professionals navigate the rocky road of raising a difficult teenager.
FINDING HELP FOR STRUGGLING TEENS
Book Reviews
By: Finding Help For Struggling Teens - Book Reviews
Nov 14, 2006, 20:39
A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND THE PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK WITH THEM
By: Frederic G. Reamer and Deborah H. Siegel
NASW Press, September 10, 2006
ISBN: 0871013738
For Fast Delivery Order Direct from NASW Press ~ Click Here
Book Review By: Larry Stednitz
Dr. Reamer is a professor in the graduate program of the Rhode Island College School of Social Work, and Dr. Siegel is a social work practitioner, researcher and educator. She is a professor in the graduate program of the Rhode Island College School of Social Work.
Drs. Reamer and Siegel have written an easy to read book for parents seeking help with their struggling teen. The book is a practical guide that can be useful to any parent. It also provides a quick read for professionals who need an overview of options available for their clients.
The book covers general warning signs of adolescents who are struggling as well as a comprehensive guideline of the critical issues needed for appropriate assessments that are invaluable for the selection of a school/program. The authors have unique suggestions regarding what questions to ask a program and what common mistakes parents need to avoid in making a decision. I thought these questions were worth the cost of the book.
The book is not limited to out of home placements. The authors believe that it is preferable to treat a child in his/her home or community when possible. To that end, they provide a chapter on both in-home and residential programs and schools. I believe this chapter can help parents expand their thinking regarding home based options.
I thought the chapter on helping parents successfully traverse the challenges of being the parents of a struggling teen was excellent because it would be helpful to any parent who has a child needing special help. This chapter provides ideas and useful thoughts on structure, accountability and coping with guilt and shame as well as offering encouragement and hope for parents.
The authors, both coming from the field of Social Work, have succinctly provided a document that can help both parents and professionals navigate the rocky road of raising a difficult teenager.
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Within the context of social work values and ethics, Frederic Reamer has become a household word.
Reamer is the ideal person for the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to select as the author of EthicalStandards in Social Work
Book Review: Ethical Standards in Social Work: A Review of the NASW Code ofEthics, 2nd Ed.Last Updated Saturday, 23 September 2006A book review of Reamer's Ethical Standards in Social Work: A Review of the NASW Code of Ethics, 2nd Edition. Book ReviewReamer, Frederic G. (2006). Ethical Standards in Social Work: A Review of the NASW Code of Ethics, 2nd Edition.Washington, DC: NASW $40.95 Reviewed by Stephen M. Marson, Ph.D. Within the context of social work values and ethics, Frederic Reamer has become a household word. For example,during six years of committee meetings, we often discussed ethical dilemmas. Often a committee member began thediscussion by saying, “Well, Reamer’s says….” With that in mind, I wanted to quantifyReamer’s influence on the study of social work values and ethic. Since its inception, The Journal of Social WorkValues and Ethics has published 24 refereed articles (this count excludes books reviews, forum articles, editorials, andletters to the editor). Of these, Reamer is cited within 13 articles and not cited within 7. Of the articles that do mention him,Reamer is cited 77 times. He is cited more times than any other single author. Thus, we can conclude that FredericReamer is the ideal person for the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to select as the author of EthicalStandards in Social Work: A Review of the NASW Code of Ethics.Ethical Standards in Social Work: A Review of theNASW Code of Ethics reviewed herein is the second edition. The first edition was published in 1998. After the NASWDelegate Assembly approved major changes within the Code, NASW asked Reamer to compose a volume that wouldaddress the major revisions. It was apparent that the 1996 revisions of the standards were more complex than theprevious standards. In addition, practice in the social work environment was becoming more and more litigious. What is theneed for a second edition? There are three primary reasons for the second edition. First, in 1999, the NASW DelegateAssembly made a modest but critical revision. Standard 1.07c was changed. The following phrase was deleted:“when laws or regulations require disclosure without a client’s consent.” According to Reamer, thischange has brought forth a great deal of confusion regarding disclosure of information affecting undocumentedworkers. The second edition addresses the concerns of practicing social workers regarding Standard 1.07c. Second, litigiousness has increased since the first edition. I doubt that the increase in lawsuits is a reflection ofincreasingly bad social work practice, but rather a change within our social structure.Third, in Reamer’s ownwords (page x):This edition updates the literature and examines a number of emerging issues in more depth (for example,boundary issues, social workers’ use of computer technology, and involvement in end-of-life decisions). It alsoincludes a new appendix that provides readers with an opportunity to apply the Code of Ethics to case scenarios. The second edition includes most of the passages found in the first edition. One way to assess changes in the secondedition is to scrutinize the citations. The first edition includes 280 citations, while the second edition cites 286. Reamerdeleted 23 citations and added 29 in the second edition. A few of the citations were meant to update information from thefirst edition, but most of them include new information that was not addressed or unavailable for the first edition.The bookis like a roadmap for clarifying the standards so often misinterpreted. For example, I heard a social worker note that theCode states that practitioners should never accept gifts from clients. This is not what the Code says, but a cursory readingof the Code could easily be interpreted in this manner. Reamer’s major contribution is his clarity. He demonstratesthat professionals need to understand the Code for the betterment of their clients and as a standard to avoid amalpractice suit. I can identify only two ethical issues that lack clarity within this book. The first is Reamer’s discussion of Tarasoff v.Board of Regents of the University of California. Simply stated, this California decision mandates that a clinician mustbreech confidentiality if a client threatens to kill another person. In particular, the California court demanded that theclinician must warn the potential victim – not merely the police. Some social work textbooks treat Tarasoff asuniversal. It is not. Some state supreme courts and state legislators actually prohibit the clinician from warning thepotential victim. Reamer’s explanation of this is weak. All social workers must check their local jurisdiction fordetermining their legal responsibility. As a side issue, research demonstrates that warning the potential victim does nothave the intended effect. [1] My second concern relates to the ethics of computers and electronic media utilization. Most ofthe issues addressed within this volume are well cited, but not computers and electronic media. Even though a number ofpublications address the ethics of technology and social work practice, Reamer did not cite as he does in other ethicalissues in this volume. With the rapid growth of clinical practice on the Internet, one would expect more. For example, thesimple art of password selection and password change has ethical implications for social work practice. These issues areabsent. Even with the two weaknesses, I strongly recommend the second edition of Ethical Standards in Social Work: A Reviewof the NASW Code of Ethics be adopted at every academic library that has holdings for accredited BSW and MSW/Ph.D.programs. Faculty members need to read this volume and to require their students to do the same. Every social workpractitioner should read it and have it available on the shelf in times of ethical conflicts.Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics-Archiveshttp://www.jswvearchives.comPowered by Joomla!Generated: 12 May, 2017, 16:33
[1]See: Furlong, A. (2003). The why of sharing and not the what: Confidentiality and analytic purpose. In C. Levin, AFurlong and M. K. O’Neil (Eds.), Confidentiality: Ethical Perspectives and Clinical Dilemmas. (pp. 40-49).Hillsdale, NJ: Analytic Press.
QUOTE:
This book has relevance for many who work in fields where issues of AIDS and HIV arise.
This is a collection of up-to-date, theoretically sophisticated but accessible commentaries on some of the most important issues vexing researchers, policy makers, care givers, advocates, and ethicists today.
AIDS and Ethics
N Engl J Med 1992; 327:1104October 8, 1992DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199210083271518
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AIDS and Ethics
ISBN: 0–231–07358–5 Edited by Frederic G. Reamer. 317 pp. New York, Columbia University Press, 1991. $29.50. ISBN .
"Can ethics help us with the problems posed by the AIDS crisis?" The answer to this question, writes Frederic Reamer, depends on the expectations one has of ethics. If illumination of issues and options is what is expected, then the commentaries by the 12 authors in this important and timely collection can help us considerably. The chapters provide thoughtful and thought-provoking analyses of ethical conflicts that arise in response to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the contexts of public health, research, health care, financing, education, activism, and the law.
Do not expect, however, that AIDS and Ethics will provide a definitive answer to the hard questions AIDS and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have brought into our lives, or even consensus about how to rank ethical options. The book's appeal lies in the explicit acknowledgment that our ethical responses to AIDS are dynamic and liable to change as social and medical contexts change.
In addressing such issues as the obligation of health professionals toward people with AIDS or HIV infection or the dilemmas inherent in public health screening and reporting, the book does not limit itself to utilitarian and deontological theories. After his lucid review of these two theoretical workhorses in the first chapter, most of the authors follow Reamer's lead into new territories of ethical analysis where descriptive ethics (what is) is blended with normative ethics (what ought to be). Their analyses reflect a comfortable ability to cope with the complexity and messiness of real-life ethics. Their perspective elucidates the uses and abuses of interpretation, discourse, traditions, and special interests that underlie our behavioral and policy responses to AIDS.
This perspective is particularly striking in Bayer's chapter, in which he details how political, ideologic, and social interests (but not necessarily medical facts) have dictated public health policies regarding HIV testing, case reporting, and contact tracing. He examines the swing from earlier policies supporting the ethics of voluntarism, education, and confidentiality to more recent calls for coercion in the name of the public good. Oppenheimer and Padgug also place their analysis of the ethics of health insurance coverage for persons with AIDS within an examination of larger forces —in this case, those of the market — and special interests that have determined the course of policy. Using the example of the exclusion of persons with AIDS from health insurance coverage, the authors present a robust critique of the industry's rationale for experience rating, and they call for a national system of health insurance that would spread risk more equitably through universal coverage.
AIDS and Ethics includes two chapters for the practicing clinician on the ethical obligation of health professionals to treat patients with AIDS or HIV infection. Zuger's chapter is a careful examination of the historical and contemporary foundations for such an obligation in the face of epidemics of infectious disease. She begins with descriptive ethics, reporting that historically the obligation to treat has not been well supported in the consistently ambivalent language of professional codes of ethics. She then develops a normative argument that appeals instead to a "virtue" model of professional commitment that would support such a duty. Even where risk to oneself is excessive, she states, all obligations to patients with AIDS are not abrogated. Robert Levine's chapter on the same subject is a curious piece of logic. After stating his bias that a "good doctor" serves those in need, he discusses many reasons that a physician may have for deciding not to treat someone with AIDS. The onslaught of terrible feelings, stress, discomfort, and potential annoyance with irritating patients is so well detailed that a "good" physician might well find his or her commitment to help others entirely overwhelmed.
This book has relevance for many who work in fields where issues of AIDS and HIV arise. AIDS activists, if they can get beyond the scolding tone of Campbell's chapter on activism, might well find his advice useful in developing more effective strategies. Hermann's chapter on AIDS and the law is a useful resource for those who want a nontechnical overview of current law regarding discrimination, the duty to treat, civil liability, education, disclosure, and infection in health care personnel. With the exception of Schoeman's rather dense theoretical chapter on privacy and AIDS, the authors present their analyses in clear language, focusing their arguments on practical assessments. Ethicists who teach and consult about AIDS and HIV will also find AIDS and Ethics to be a useful resource.
This is a collection of up-to-date, theoretically sophisticated but accessible commentaries on some of the most important issues vexing researchers, policy makers, care givers, advocates, and ethicists today.
Kate H. Brown, Ph.D.
Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178
A Guide to Essential Human Services (2nd ed.).
Article Type: Book review
Subject: Books (Book reviews)
Author: Acquavita, Shauna P.
Pub Date: 10/01/2010
Publication: Name: Social Work Publisher: National Association of Social Workers Audience: Academic Format: Magazine/Journal Subject: Sociology and social work Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 National Association of Social Workers ISSN: 0037-8046
Issue: Date: Oct, 2010 Source Volume: 55 Source Issue: 4
Topic: NamedWork: A Guide to Essential Human Services, 2d ed. (Nonfiction work)
Persons: Reviewee: Reamer, Frederic G.
Accession Number: 240097059
Full Text: A Guide to Essential Human Services (2nd ed.). Frederic G. Reamer. Washington, DC: NA S W Press, 2010, 196 pages. ISBN 978-0-87101-397-2. $25.99 paperback.
This revised edition of Frederic G. Reamer's A Guide to Essential Human Services is an ideal resource for those seeking information on local, state, and government assistance programs. Social workers, social work educators, and agencies providing services to individuals in need will all benefit from the information provided in this book. It includes a large list of programs and resources available for a wide range of populations.
Reamer has divided the book into sections organized by types of programs offered and groups in need of particular services. These range from mental health services to legal and dispute resolution services and from services to military personnel and veterans to those provided for immigrants and refugees. Each chapter begins with an overview of the programs available for specific needs or populations, discusses the services and benefits provided, lists the eligibility criteria to receive these services, and provides contact information. The chapters end with useful tips, providing readers with additional information and resources such as Web site addresses.
This book will be a beneficial tool for social workers in many fields. Interns, beginning social workers, and social workers providing case management in a variety of agencies will all be able to use this guide to determine clients' eligibility for a broad range of programs and services. Social service organizations will benefit from having this volume on hand as a quick reference guide to add to their resource lists. Compact and pleasant to hold, the book can easily be carried from place to place by busy, mobile social work professionals, and it will take up minimal space on a desk or bookshelf.
Social work educators can assign this book in introductory practice and policy courses. Practice classes can use it for assignments, such as community case studies and individual and family psychosocial assessments. Students can use the book to identify which services may be appropriate for different populations. Instructors in policy classes can integrate the book's content into discussions about such policies as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Social Security Disability Insurance, and the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit. This book will also help students in introductory social work classes familiarize themselves with the resources available to assist vulnerable populations. These and other specific programs and policies are outlined in the book, and for more in-depth reading, students can consult the Web sites listed at the end of chapters.
For many social workers, keeping track of the different resources available at local, state, and federal agencies can be challenging. Reamer has provided a clear, concise guide that is easy to use and has up-to-date listings. As the title suggests, this guide is essential for those individuals learning about or working in human services.
Shauna P.. Acquavita
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
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