Social Work resources frequently address social issues and research in the Social Work profession.
As always, if you can't find what you're looking for and need a question answered, contact your Social Work content area librarian for any assistance, including virtual and in person reference consulations.
The most important tool to use for social work research is PolicyMap, which is a map-based system that enables one to learn and consult crime statistics, social statistics, and so on.
Among other things you can examine at a glance:
And many more. And all information can be exported into graphs and placed into citations.
The internal resources of the Library can and should be used to assist in research on social science topics.
A key part of social science research is a knowledge of the key publicly available information sources: the Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and FBI Crime Statistics and how to synthesize them effectively.
Though the primary duty of a social worker is not psychology, it touches upon mental health as a key component.
Ones every Social Work student should have at their fingertips.
Encyclopedia of Social Work (20 ed.) by
Co-published by the National Association of Social Workers and Oxford University Press, the 20th edition of the Encyclopedia of Social Work is widely considered the cornerstone of reference in its field. This new edition includes coverage of areas that have come to the fore since the 1995 publication of the 19th edition, including demographic changes from immigration, technology, the implications of managed care, faith-based assistance, evidence-based practice, gerontology, and trauma and disaster.
Encyclopedia of Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery by
Substance abuse is one of the most frequent and serious problems encountered by human service workers, criminal justice professionals, and clinicians. Unfortunately, many professionals in these fields receive little, if any, formal training about this problem. Our planned encyclopedia presents state-of-the-art research and evidence-based applications in A-to-Z format. Rather than create a compendium of specific drugs and drug effects, for which there are any number of fine titles already available, the focus will be upon practical knowledge and skills for pre-service and in-service human service professionals, including substance abuse counselors and prevention specialists.
Modern Homelessness : A Reference Handbook by
Homelessness
Homelessness--Government policy
Homelessness--Prevention.
Encyclopedia of Juvenile Justice by
From boot camps to truancy, the Encyclopedia of Juvenile Justice provides more than 200 up-to-date, concise, and readable entries in a single, authoritative volume. The editors, noted authors of several criminal justice books and editors of the award-winning Encyclopedia of Prisons, cover historical and contemporary theories, concepts, and real-world practices of juvenile justice in the United States. The entries address a broad range of issues and topics, such as alcohol and drug abuse, arson, the death penalty for juveniles, computer and Internet crime, gun violence, gangs, missing children, school violence, teen pregnancy, and delinquency theories. In addition, topics cover society's response to the problems of juvenile justice, punishments meted out to America's juvenile offenders, juvenile rehabilitation programs, and well-known researchers and professionals in the field. Key Features More than 200 articles, written by a stellar collection of academic theorists and real-world practitioners Complete review of the complicated juvenile legal and court system, juvenile punishment, rehabilitation efforts, and legislation Extensive entries on child and adolescent crimes, pathologies, and problems Coverage of psychological, biological, and sociological theories of delinquency, as well as historic "body type" theories Addresses such historical topics as the deinstitutionalization movement, the Chicago Area Project, and the Provo Experiment Profiles historic theorists and policymakers in juvenile justice Includes a special appendix on print and electronic resources on juvenile justice Comprehensive index, including a reader's guide that facilitates browsing and offers easy access to information Recommended Libraries Public, academic, school, law/legal, special, and private/corporate
Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Social Issues by 
Encyclopedia of Gangs by
In light of Los Angeles' gang state of emergency, ethnic and minority gangs are arguably more high profile now than at any other time in our history. News media typically focus on the crime and violence associated with gangs, but not much else. This encyclopedia seeks to illuminate the world of gangs, including gang formations, routine gang activities, aberrations and current developments. One hundred essay entries related to gangs in the United States and worldwide provide a diffuse overview of the gang phenomenon. Each entry defines and explains the term, provides an historical overview, and explains its significance today. As the following entries demonstrate, gangs are part of the fabric of American society. They are not only in our communities but also our schools and other social institutions. Understanding the world of gangs is therefore needed to understand American society. Entries include: Bikers, Bloods, Cholas, Crips, gang mythology, gang warfare, graffiti, Hell's Angels, Hong Kong Triads, Latin Kings, law enforcement, occultic gangs, mafia, media, prison gangs, rites, Skinheads, Streetgang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act, tattoos, trafficking, Wanna-bes, "West Side Story," Witness Protection programs, and youth gangs.
Handbook of Families and Poverty by
"Edited by two well-known family researchers at Brigham Young University, this meticulously researched compendium is a trove of useful information on areas where poverty and family issues intersect. This volume should be the first stop for anyone beginning research on poverty and families." --CHOICE The Handbook of Families and Poverty covers hotly debated issues associated with public policy and funded research as they relate to families and poverty. Contributors, bringing multiple perspectives to bear, aim to show alternatives to welfare in subgroups facing specific challenges that are currently not adequately addressed by the welfare system. Readers will appreciate the insightful summaries of research involving poverty and its relationship to couple, marital, and family dynamics. Key Features: Provides a comprehensive view of the issues surrounding families and poverty so that readers may benefit from the findings and insights of their peers in other relevant fields, with the hope that better understanding will bring better solutions. Includes several chapters on application/intervention and theoretical issues Contains writings by contributing authors who are respected experts from a broad range of disciplines and perspectives, including business; child development; family studies; psychology; public policy; social work; and sociology.
Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods
These volumes comprise an encyclopedia of social science research methods, the first of its kind. Uniqueness explains, at least partly, why we undertook the project. It has never been done before. We also believe that such an encyclopedia is needed. What is an encyclopedia? In ancient Greek, the word signifies ...
SAGE Handbook of Social Work Research by Video Databases come in handy for things like psychological treatment methods and interviewing clients, which have to be seen to be effectively understood.
They also can provide valuable documentaries on social issues that should be seen to be experienced and can even be shown in classes.
