Social workers comprise one of the leading professions who interact with sex offenders through means of treatment, as well as unexpected life events. The purpose of this study is to evaluate social workers’ knowledge of sex offender laws and how their knowledge impacts their thoughts and feelings about working with sex offenders. Through a survey, social workers registered with the National Association of Social Work (NASW) in Southern California were asked to complete a questionnaire, in which addressed laws and thoughts in regards to sex offenders. One hundred surveys at random were evaluated. The study findings show a relationship between greater knowledge about the sex offender population and lower levels of apprehension a social worker has when working with a sex offender.

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The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the literature focused on the increased utilization of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by low-income workers attempting to become food secure. Poverty measurement will be discussed for its importance to accurately identify individuals and families who are still excluded of social services and programs due to a faulty measurement of poverty. Furthermore, this paper will identify how the limitations of the current minimum wage system in the United States contributes to food insecurity within the population of low-income workers. A concise history of the creation of the SNAP program and the current minimum wage system will be provided. Identifying the increased utilization of the SNAP program, how this intersects with the current minimum wage system and increased food insecurity, will help identify potential areas for advocacy within social work practice and potential areas for policy change

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / GREGORY RESEARCH BELIEFS SCALE: FACTOR STRUCTURE AND PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES The study at hand involves developing the Gregory Research Beliefs Scale (GRBS) to reliably and validly measure social work students’ beliefs about the function of research in social work practice. Research has considerable actual and potential benefits for practice. Social work students’ beliefs about this construct are vital. A description of the advantages of using research to inform practice is given. Additionally, the Council on Social Work Education and National Association of Social Workers’ policies that mandate the merger of research and practice are also provided to further justify the need for adequate psychometric evaluation of the construct. Details of the literature search strategy are described and critical evaluations of the empirical articles are conducted. Based on critical evaluations of instruments which have previously measured the same construct, a number of psychometric shortcomings are outlined to validate the need for further scale development of the construct. The present study’s objectives were to develop a scale which has an empirically and theoretically supported factor structure, acceptable coefficient alpha levels, empirically supported discriminant (divergent) validity, concurrent criterion validity, and known–groups criterion validity. Steps for developing the GRBS’s items, response format, sample, research design, and statistical tests are specified and conducted to determine the factor structure and psychometric properties. Finally, the strengths, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.