Session: At the Crossroads: Bridging Social Work Science, Policy, and Practice for Survivors of Violence (Society for Social Work and Research 30th Annual Conference Anniversary)

Survivors of violence, including those impacted by homicide, police violence, and community-based gun violence, often find themselves at the intersection of trauma, surveillance, and systemic neglect. Despite the growing national recognition of violence as a public health crisis, survivors, especially those who are Black, system-impacted, or living in structurally marginalized communities, are frequently treated with suspicion rather than care. In practice, over-policing replaces healing, and exclusionary policies such as criminal history bans from victim services re-traumatize those most in need of support.

This symposium brings together three research-informed papers that examine how social work can transform its relationship to survivors of violence by documenting harm, uplifting community-rooted strategies, and advancing decarceral, trauma-informed solutions. Drawing from qualitative and mixed-methods research, the first presentation highlights the lived experiences of African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) families of homicide victims in Canada, revealing deep structural inequities in grief support, cultural responsiveness, and interactions with both police and the media. Participants articulated urgent needs for anti-racist training, sustained funding for ACB-led services, and culturally grounded care models that honor survivors' dignity and agency.

The second paper explores the impact of early-life trauma among incarcerated young men who committed violent offenses between ages 18 and 25, analyzing the links between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), mental health symptoms, and criminal legal involvement. Through a mixed-methods approach that includes both survey data and focus groups with participants in restorative justice programming, the study surfaces the healing potential of restorative justice models as alternatives to incarceration. Findings support policies mandating trauma screening and pretrial assessments that prioritize support over punishment.

The final presentation offers a conceptual framework for integrating paraprofessionals, specifically credible messengers, into social work’s vision for violence prevention. These frontline workers, often with lived experience in the justice system, play critical roles in interrupting violence and guiding community members toward safety and healing. Yet they remain undervalued and unsupported. This paper proposes a set of commitments social work must make to train, support, and ethically collaborate with this emerging workforce, including team-based service models, mutual training, and equitable career pathways.

Together, these papers position social work science as a catalyst for reimagining how survivor-centered care can be delivered outside of carceral systems. The symposium will engage attendees in reflecting on how to build trauma-informed, community-embedded, and racially just responses to violence. Presenters will share actionable policy and practice recommendations aimed at shifting the field from punitive intervention to transformative care.