ONLY FOR MATHGUY18

July 25, 2017

Predominantly black communities are usually characterized by elevated levels of poverty compared to communities that are primarily white. These levels of poverty lead to other vices within these communities. Examples of resultant vices include indulgence in crime and drug abuse. There is also heavy policing in black communities. Police presence increases the chances of people getting arrested in these communities. Once they are arrested, they are likely to get a criminal record which in turn reduces the likelihood that they will get a stable job (Rich, 2009, p.84). The plan is to start a pre-arrest program. This is a project that will involve social service workers intervening and helping people in these communities avoid a criminal record by receiving the necessary social services.

Rationale

Black people have often received the short end of the stick when it comes to the legal system in the country. The chances of a black person being arrested are much higher than the likelihood of a white person being arrested. It is also a fact that blacks are likely to receive harsh sentences for given charges compared to white people. However, some of these black people are often victims of circumstances. They are born in poor communities, and this might limit the chances that they will get a degree of financial stability. The law enforcement officials are also rather harsh in such communities.

It is the responsibilities of social workers working in these communities to help the people. Certain people may be at a high risk of being arrested. These are individuals who live in an environment of extreme poverty and are in danger of engaging in crime (Rich, 2009, p. 87). The case is also the same for people who have a history of drug addiction. The aim of the pre-arrest program is to help these people and ensure that they do not see the inside of a prison cell. The social workers will intervene in the cases of individuals categorized as high risk people and help them forge a better life before law enforcement authorities catch up with them. Thus, the aim of the program is for the social workers to act as a buffer between black people living in these poor communities and law enforcement officials who may be especially harsh on them due to their economic disposition.

Stakeholders

There are three main classes of stakeholders in this plan. The very first, and perhaps the most pertinent are the black people considered by law enforcement as being high risk individuals. These are individuals who are in danger of being arrested just because of their circumstances (Merino, 2009, p. 41). If they get arrested, then this affects their financial and social well being. Most employers in the United States are very weary of hiring people with a criminal record. This is especially the case when the individuals in question are black people. Thus, the plan aims to help black people who may be victims of their environment to avoid prison.

The second class of stakeholders of this plan is law enforcement authorities operating in these black communities. This is a plan that involves cooperation between social workers and law enforcement officials (Merino, 2009, p. 38). When a black person is arrested, the concerned officer may evaluate their circumstance as well as the reason for the arrest. Based on the discretion of the officer he or she may contact the relations manager of the program. The relations manager then communicates with the detainee and evaluates the suitability of the person for the program. If the person qualifies for the program, then they are released to the service relations manager. However, they are the responsibility of the service relations manager about elements such as their housing and food. This is a program that requires extensive cooperation from law enforcement officials.

The third class of shareholders in this plan is the social workers. The social workers are substantial shareholders as they serve as a buffer zone between the high risk people in black communities and law enforcement officials. As a result, the social service workers must be people who have a passion for helping the black people. They must be people who have an intention of helping the black community and ensuring that the number of black people in the prison system reduces. These social service workers must note the vitality of their role and the fact that the degree of passion with which they approach this role will be deterministic of the ultimate success of the program. However, the aim of the program is not to help criminals avoid prison. It is simply to help people who may be victims of circumstance to seek out a better life for themselves as well as their families.

Desired Outcomes

This program aims to reduce the number of black people from poor communities with a criminal record. This is especially the case when some of these people are mere victims of circumstance. The program also aims to help black people in high risk environments overcome the conditions of their surroundings (Fitzgerald, 2010, p. 27). Most of these people are predisposed to encounters with the legal system imply because of where they were born and where they live. The program also aims to help black people in such environments have a sense of self sufficiency. Such people usually have a lot of potential regarding productivity. However, this potential remains unexploited because there are no societal structures aimed at helping the people in question harness this potential. Thus, the program will involve social workers helping the concerned people to discover and by all means exploit the potential they have.

Action Steps

The social service workers employed under the paradigm of this plan will be required to observe certain principles. The very first is the provision of housing. The plan will involve a housing project that will serve the beneficiaries of the plan. When a person is taken into the program because they are at a high risk of being arrested or they have been arrested then it is necessary to ensure that they have a roof over their head. The provision of this temporary housing is meant to keep them in a contained environment where they can receive services such as counseling.

The second principle that will be observed by the social service workers is harm reduction. In the case that the beneficiaries of the program are addicted to certain drugs or substances then there is a high risk that they may cause harm to themselves. Thus, the program aims to reduce the degree of damage that faces these individuals. This harm reduction paradigm also has to do with getting high risk individuals out of the cross hairs of law enforcement officials. The social service workers will also be required to provide trauma-informed care. This care is essential as the state of the beneficiaries of the program may vary. Such care is necessary especially for beneficiaries who have undergone some traumatic events in their life.

Cultural competence is yet another principle of engagement that must be observed in the program. All the beneficiaries of the program will be black people. However, it is essential to ensure that the program presents itself in a way that appeals to black people. There must be an element of cultural sensitivity in the running of the program. The workers employed by the program must be educated on the social and societal norms observed by black people. This will ensure that they remain culturally sensitive and do not in any way offend the beneficiaries of the program. Peer advocacy will also be encouraged among the workers. It is projected that most of the beneficiaries of the program will be between the ages of 18 and 35. It is essential to have workers who are within this age bracket. The aim here is to ensure that the workers can, in fact, relate to the issues that the beneficiaries of the program are going through. This will increase their level of efficiency and heighten the chances that their efforts will, in fact, pay off.

The main action steps will be setting up the program in the relevant predominantly black communities and partnering with law enforcement officials. The latter might be a bit hard. It is incumbent upon the workers of the program to ensure that they convince the relevant authorities that the program is, in fact, necessary for the communities in question. This is a step that involves a demonstration of how the program will help in curbing the crime rate in these communities as well as a reduction in the spending on law enforcement. This is an initiative that is likely to take 90 days. However, setting up in the relevant communities and gaining the appropriate degree of trust from the community will take about six months. This includes the establishment of housing shelters for the beneficiaries of the program.

Responsibility Center

The human relations manager will be responsible for convincing law enforcement officials of the necessity of the program. This might include several pilot runs aimed at demonstrating how effective the program will be for the community in question. The human relations manager will also be in close communication with law enforcement officials. This stems from the fact that when these officials find a potential candidate for the program, they will have to coordinate their efforts with the human relations manager.

The social workers employed by the program will be responsible for mobilization of the communities. Some of the communities may be initially skeptical of this program. This applies in particular in the communities in question may have a history of being exploited by such bodies (Winters, 2014, p. 53). These employees will have to engage in a civic education initiative where they educate the people on the benefits of the program. This will be achieved through community meetings. However, if the meetings prove to be ineffective, then the employees may have to do a door to door mobilization program. This will involve approaching people personally to explain the benefits of the program. The latter measures are necessary because such a program cannot succeed if it is not out rightly endorsed by the target communities.

Resources Needed

The number of employees needed will depend on the size of the community being targeted. However, an ideal scenario would be one in which an employee base of 20 serves a population base of 500. Areas of high expenditure will include the employee salaries and the shelter projects that must be set up for the beneficiaries of the plan. However, the program will cost approximately $1,050,000 to run for a period of one year. Out of this total, $500,000 will go to employee salaries, and $550,000 will go into securing of the shelter projects and getting the necessary provisions for these projects such as beds and blankets. This money will also take care of the food needs of the beneficiaries of the program

Accountability

Community organizing strategies will be used to track the development of the program. The evaluation process will also involve statistics on the number of people who have received help from the program. The first statistic will be the number of people who have been arrested and receive help from the program before they are entered into the system. The second statistic will be the number of people who are intercepted by the program before any arrests. The program will also evaluate the progress that people it has helped make in their lives. The aim is to have a perfect record where people who go through the program never get arrested after the program. The general benefits bestowed on the community by the program will also be a measure of evaluation.

References

Fitzgerald, T. J. (2010). Police in society. New York: H.W. Wilson.

Merino, N. (2009). Racism. Detroit: Greenhaven Press.

Rich, J. A. (2009). Wrong place, wrong time: Trauma and violence in the lives of young black men. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Winters, P. A. (2014). Crime and criminals: Opposing viewpoints. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press.