Defund the Police: Moving Towards an Anti-Carceral Social Work

Authors

Leah A. Jacobs, University of Pittsburgh
Mimi E. Kim, California State University, Long Beach
Darren L. Whitfield, University of Pittsburgh
Rachel E. Gartner, University of Pittsburgh
Meg Panichelli, West Chester University of PennsylvaniaFollow
Shanna K. Kattari, The University Of Michigan
Margaret Mary Downey, Tulane University
Shante Stuart McQueen, Portland State UniversityFollow
Sarah E. Mountz, University at Albany, State University of New York

Published In

Journal of Progressive Human Services

Document Type

Citation

Publication Date

1-31-2021

Abstract

This article addresses social work’s place in the movement to “defund the police.” We argue that social work’s collaboration with police and use of policing constitutes carceral social work. In defining carceral social work, we specify the ways in which coercive and punitive practices are used to manage Black, Indigenous, other people of color, and poor communities across four social work arenas – gender-based violence, child welfare, schools, and health and mental health. To inform anti-carceral social work, we provide examples of interventions in these arenas that dismantle police collaborations and point to life-affirming, community-centered, and mutual aid alternatives.

Rights

Copyright © 2021 Informa UK Limited

Locate the Document

https://doi.org/10.1080/10428232.2020.1852865

DOI

10.1080/10428232.2020.1852865

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/35054

Citation Details

Jacobs, L. A., Kim, M. E., Whitfield, D. L., Gartner, R. E., Panichelli, M., Kattari, S. K., Downey, M. M., McQueen, S. S., & Mountz, S. E. (2020). Defund the Police: Moving Towards an Anti-Carceral Social Work. Journal of Progressive Human Services, 32(1), 37–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/10428232.2020.1852865