archives@tulane.edu / There is a veil that divides those willing to discuss the construct of race and those participating in racial ambivalence or color blindness. It is because of that veil or divide that discussing race, racism, and the traumatic effects of racism is a task that many are still learning how to do successfully. This study is among the first to question how social workers engage with the construct of racism-based trauma. Furthermore, this study beckons a consideration to racism based stressed experienced by the incarcerated person. By not considering racialized stress and harm, one not only has limitations in the intervention process but runs the risk of perpetuating more harm. The goals for the study were as follows: To identify how justice system social workers define racism-based trauma; to understand whether or not justice system social workers consider the carceral experience to be racially traumatic; to inform practice approaches to racism-based trauma among justice system social workers.
In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve social workers to learn how they conceptualized racism-based trauma in their work with the incarcerated person. Inductive and abductive coding from the transcribed interviews revealed that racism-based stress was considered to be an experience often unbeknownst, long-lasting, and accentuated by locale. Reflections on the incarceration experience also suggest that the experience is racially stressful and that it occurs before, during, and after incarceration. Findings highlight the importance of increasing knowledge in the construct of racism-based trauma to be beneficial in practice while confronting whiteness and allyship were identified challenges.
The findings for this study suggest that an engagement with one’s racial identity before and during a critique of racialized systems is beneficial in social work practice. Some examples of engagement include conceptualizing race and racism-based trauma experienced by the client, considering how to assess and relieve stress from racism, and how to maintain wellness while doing so. In these engagements, a shift from being culturally competent to being racially competent is possible and encouraged for the social worker. The aims of engaging with construct ultimately strengthens and diversifies social work pedagogy, training, and policies. / 1 / Curtis Davis
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TULANE/oai:http://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/:tulane_89690 |
| Date | January 2019 |
| Contributors | Davis, Curtis (author), Figley, Charles (Thesis advisor), School of Liberal Arts School of Social Work (Degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Tulane University |
| Source Sets | Tulane University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | electronic, pages: 214 |
| Rights | No embargo, Copyright is in accordance with U.S. Copyright law. |
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