Wurzweiler School of Social Work: Faculty publications
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Item Open Access The narcissist’s dilemma: Balancing power and inadequacy in family law(ALM, 2024-11-19) Pollack, Daniel; Reiter, Elisa; Siegel, Jeffrey C.; 0000-0001-7323-6928Narcissism is often characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance and a deep-seated need for admiration. However, beneath that facade lies a complex interplay of psychodynamics that can lead to tumultuous forces within the mind of the narcissist -- specifically, the tension between their internal sense of power and entitlement versus their pervasive feelings of inadequacy. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for judges, family law practitioners, trial consultants, mental health professionals, and litigants all of whom are charged with navigating the challenges posed by narcissistic individuals in family law cases.Item Open Access Expert testimony regarding sexual grooming(ALM, 2024-11-15) Elliot, Gianna; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928A 2022 article, “Prevalence of Online Sexual Offenses Against Children in the U.S.,” asked the question: “What are the lifetime prevalence and characteristics of online and technology-facilitated sexual abuse against children and youth?” A summary of findings revealed that in “... a national survey study of 2639 individuals, lifetime exposures were as follows: online child sexual abuse, 15.6%; image-based sexual abuse, 11.0%; self-produced child sexual abuse images, 7.2%; nonconsensual sexting, 7.2%; online grooming by adults, 5.4%; revenge pornography, 3.1%; sextortion, 3.5%; and online commercial sexual exploitation, 1.7%.” In truth, statistics cannot provide an accurate, in-depth appreciation of the impact of the present-day in-person and on-line sexual grooming scourge. This is where an expert witness can be of great value: offering knowledge, explanations, and opinions so that a lay person can have a better understanding of this significant impact. (from Introduction)Item Open Access Court of Appeals clarifies parental status(ALM, 2024-11-13) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928The issue of parentage is not often disputed – but sometimes it is. A legal parent is someone who is recognized by law as the mother or father of a child. This may include a biological parent, an adoptive parent, a court-appointed guardian, or a parent of a child conceived through assisted reproduction. These definitions grow complicated and the subject of debate, particularly in legal contexts where definitions impact custody and child welfare decisions.The Court of Appeals’ holding in the recent case of In Re N.A., No. 03-24-00145-CV highlights the complexities surrounding parental identity and rights. Should the definition of who a parent is evolve based on legal precedents, psychological perspectives, and sociocultural influence? How should courts navigate these intricate dynamics?Item Open Access It takes a community to curb child abuse.(ALM, 2024-11-07) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928Every state has had its particularly infamous child abuse case. In New York, it was Elisa Izquierdo. In Georgia, it was Terrell Peterson. The professional and societal reaction to these monstrous events was to immediately put ‘the system’ under a microscope. What went wrong? Who’s to blame? The courts? Child Protective Services? What policies and procedures should be changed? Was there inadequate funding? Some critics were quick to inundate the public with catch phrase answers such as the need for “strategic multi-agency development” and “best practices.”Item Open Access Does videotaping a supervised CPS visitation violate privacy rights?(ALM, 2024-11-06) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928In an era where smartphones and home security cameras make recording everyday interactions commonplace, the question of whether parents can legally videotape Child Protective Services (CPS) workers or court appointed professionals during home visits that include interviews of children has become increasingly relevant. There are legal and ethical considerations to such attempts to record. (from Introduction)Item Open Access The impact of drug and alcohol testing on child custody evaluations(ALM, 2024-10-23) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928Drug and alcohol testing have become common practice in a variety of settings, including child custody evaluations. Parents sometimes accuse each other of not only drug use, but of suffering from addictions that impair parenting ability. Understanding the mechanics of drug testing, dispelling common myths about the (in)ability to circumvent such tests, and recognizing how drug test results can influence custody cases is crucial. Some cases merit monitoring via immediate and/or ongoing random testing, and there are instances where such demands prove unnecessary. In these cases, the accuser’s actions can have significant repercussions regarding custody of minor children. It is essential to examine the role of drug and alcohol testing in custody evaluations, its implications, and the potential consequences on the parties involved.Item Open Access Do children's attorneys give a child a voice?(ALM, 2024-10-16) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; Griffin, Virginia E.; 0000-0001-7323-6928Attorneys for children have taken on a variety of roles, depending on the needs of those being represented. Mark Twain opined: “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years." Does the mere legal incapacity of youth necessitate appointment of an attorney to represent children?Item Open Access From Baby Boomer lawyers to Gen Z lawyers - How do we communicate?(ALM, 2024-10-02) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928Effective communication within a law office is crucial for fostering collaboration and ensuring that all team members –from Baby Boomers to Gen Z employees – can work together efficiently. As highlighted in the new Matlock series, where Kathy Bates’s character reflects on the invisibility that can come with aging, it is essential to recognize and address the communication styles and preferences of different generations within the law firm workplace. Here are some personal observations.Item Metadata only Group work with individuals experiencing first-episode schizophrenia(Oxford UP, 2024) Mason, Susan E.; Miller, Rachel; Knight, C.; Greif, G. L.Miller and Mason (2024) show a reduction in first-episode schizophremia with participation in group work.Item Metadata only Handbook for social work writing(Routledge, 2024) Mason, Susan E.; Zeitlin, W.This concise, accessible, and engaging handbook offers a companion for social work students to acquire professional and competency-based writing skills. Written by experienced educators, the book builds writing proficiency by introducing a social work-based guide to academic writing and professional communication. Each chapter addresses a specific area of social work writing and development, progressing from coursework and beginning fieldwork to practice-based assessments and reports. The authors integrate a series of scaffolded activities throughout for readers to cultivate awareness and further technique; and with sections explaining contemporary communication methods and common writing challenges, readers will be prepared to use technology both to strengthen their writing and to ease the overall process. Excellent for use in courses across the social work curriculum and as a personal guide, the Handbook for Social Work Writing provides students with on-the-spot guidance for any type of academic or professional writing assignment.Item Open Access “Challenge and hold one another accountable:” Social work faculty respond to incivility(Routledge, 2023) Kagotho, N.; McClendon, J.; Lane, Shannon R.; Vanidestine, T.; Bogenschutz, M.; Flowers, T.D.; Wilson, L.; 0000-0002-6337-2712Incivility within social work education reflects patterns seen across higher education and within society. Previous work has found that social work faculty are reluctant to report incivility and have limited confidence in their ability to address it effectively. In order to address potential solutions, this paper uses qualitative data (n = 164) drawn from a larger survey of social work faculty in the United States. The exploratory analysis focuses on strategies social work faculty use when experiencing incivility and bullying themselves, and methods recommended by social work faculty to confront incivility administratively and systemically within the social work academy. Responses were coded into four themes: values-based responses, leadership/ institutional responses, individual and faculty level responses, and faculty disengagement. These themes suggest opportunities and recommendations to move toward a civil social work academy.Item Metadata only The voter engagement model: Preparing the next generation of social workers for political practice.(Taylor & Francis, 2023) Hylton, M.; Lane, Shamnon; Rhodes Smith, T.; Ostrander, J.; Powers, J.; 0000-0002-6337-2712Although voting is a fundamental mechanism through which Americans engage with their democracy, social workers often do not see it as a valid component of practice. Voting is an important source of political power and provides a means to ensure equitable representation. Educating social work students on how they can encourage voter engagement within practice is an important step to rectifying this missed opportunity. This article describes the implementation of a voter engagement model in social work education. Pre- and post-tests from 475 participants demonstrate the efficacy of this model in increasing social work students' perceived importance of voting to their practice, their likelihood of voting in future elections, and their likelihood of engaging others in voting in future elections.Item Metadata only Factors influencing policymaker decision making in the behavioral health-related legislative process: A scoping review(2023) Conley, D. L.; Lane, Shannon R.; https://www.yu.edu/faculty/pages/koller-aaron; 0000-0002-6337-2712Behavioral healthcare treatments are effective, yet access remains limited across the country. Policymakers are in a unique position to close coverage gaps, but most behavioral health-related legislation fails. Past research has examined ways to influence legislator voting, but knowledge is limited regarding factors influencing the behavioral health legislative process. Thus, a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted using 16 databases and Google Scholar. Results indicated that internal characteristics of the policymakers as well as external forces in their environments influenced the behavioral health-related legislative process. These results provide important implications for those who want to improve behavioral health policy.Item Open Access Stalking is a contextual crime: Recent Fla. Case tackles issue(ALM, 2024-09-27) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928According to the Domestic Violence Services Network, (2024): “Unwanted communication and being followed or watched are the most frequently experienced stalking tactics. 75% of victims receive unwanted phone calls and 57% receive unwanted emails, texts, and/or social media or other messages. 57% also experience their stalker showing up and/or approaching them in places where the victim does not want them or expect them, and 52% are followed and/or watched.”Item Open Access When blood is not thicker than water: Long-term foster parents may get preference for adoption(ALM, 2024-09-26) Reiter, E.; Pollack, D.; 0000-0001-7323-6928Each case is unique. The best placement of a child depends on many factors, including each child’s individual needs, the strength of the child’s existing relationships (the child may have long been estranged from extended family members), and the ability of each potential adoptive parent to meet those needs. The decision of whether to place a child with foster parents or with extended family members should be made on a case-by-case basis, considering the child’s best interests. Child welfare professionals must evaluate potential placements carefully, to assure the child’s safety, well-being, and long-term stability. (from Conclusion)Item Open Access Providing autonomy and respect: A primer on patient rights(ALM, 2024-09-25) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928Patient rights are a fundamental aspect of modern health care, encapsulating key ethical principles and legal protections for individuals receiving medical care. These rights have evolved over the past several decades, in part due to changing societal values, landmark legal cases, and policy developments. At their core, patient rights aim to ensure that patients are treated with dignity and respect, have autonomy in medical decision-making, and are protected from discrimination and abuse or within the health care system. (from Introduction)Item Open Access Should nonviolent offenders who earn a college degree in prison have their sentences reduced?(ALM, 2024-09-25) Pollack, Daniel; Morrissey, Mary Beth Quaranta; 0000-0001-7323-6928Prison overcrowding and fair sentencing concerns are continuously prompting criminal justice advocates to find ways to deal with offenders. Sawyer and Wagner point out that “the U.S. doesn’t have one ‘criminal justice system’; instead, we have thousands of federal, state, local, and tribal systems. Together, these systems hold almost two million people in 1,566 state prisons, 98 federal prisons, 3,116 local jails, 1,323 juvenile correctional facilities, 181 immigration detention facilities, and 80 Indian country jails, as well as in military prisons, civil commitment centers, state psychiatric hospitals, and prisons in the U.S. territories.” How many offenders in these facilities are nonviolent? There is no uniform definition of the term “nonviolent” and thus, the term lends itself to different interpretations in various contexts. Notwithstanding such variations, a powerful argument can be made that the expansion of educational opportunities in carceral settings confers benefits upon both nonviolent offenders and the society at large. (from Introduction)Item Open Access Teaming up attorneys and forensic psychologists(ALM, 2024-09-19) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928Lawyers and forensic psychologists have unique skill sets that can complement one another and benefit clients. Such teamwork can apply in child and family law cases, including divorce litigation and modification cases, personal injury cases, products liability cases, and more. Each type of case presents intricate and emotionally intense issues. Forensic psychologists possess specialized knowledge in psychology and mental health, which can be pivotal in resolving disputes. The focus of this article is primarily on child and family law cases. (from Introduction)Item Open Access Hope and healing: The intersection of New York’s Adult Survivors Act, New York City’s protection law, and Battered Woman Syndrome(ALM, 2024-09-19) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; 0000-0001-7323-6928There are many additional ramifications of the ASA and PL—new cases and charges are being filed in various venues seeking to assure that those accused of domestic abuse are finding themselves indicted on criminal charges. As society continues to evolve in its understanding of domestic violence and its effects on victims, laws like the ASA and the PL are essential in creating supportive environments allowing survivors to heal and to thrive. Ultimately, the intersection of legislation that allows survivors of gender-based domestic violence to assert their claims highlights a growing recognition that, for some, recovery from trauma is not just possible—it is essential for rebuilding lives shattered by violence. (from Conclusion).Item Open Access Gun ownership and mental illness: The legal connection(ALM, 2024-09-16) Reiter, Elisa; Pollack, Daniel; Siegel, Jeffrey; 0000-0001-7323-6928According to Statista Research Department (July, 2024), “The share of American households owning at least one firearm has remained relatively steady since 1972, hovering between 37% and 47%. In 2023, about 42% of U.S. households had at least one gun in their possession.” The Pew Research Center reports that “(72%) say protection is a major reason they own a gun. Considerably smaller shares say that a major reason they own a gun is for hunting (32%), for sport shooting (30%), as part of a gun collection (15%) or for their job (7%).” (from Introduction)