Program Information This placement is for MSW students.
Butte Defense Equity Project (BDEP) will offer improved and supportive services to the current structure of indigent criminal defense in Chico. Currently, the indigent defense consortium is comprised entirely of attorneys. It is our belief that social work is an essential aspect of representation of an accused. Most, if not all, public defender offices provide strong social work support because the truth is that the clients who are indigent and end up facing criminal accusations are usually experiencing life challenges that extend well beyond their criminal case. This can include housing insecurity, mental illness, substance abuse, ACES, inadequate transportation services, physical health complications, and food insecurity. While these issues cannot always be addressed by a person's criminal layer, we believe they must be considered by the DA and the Court in the analysis of "what happened". To that end, our social work interns will be asked to develop psycho-social reports, assist the clients in navigating the opportunities for healing and growth, organizing reports pertaining to client history, and other valuable assets specific to social work.
The right student will be interested in the criminal justice system and specifically interested in working toward more equitable outcomes for people who cannot typically afford representation. The student should be able to communicate effectively with the population we serve and should have respect for an patience with people struggling with anxiety, bi-polar disorder, and depression. The student should be a "self-starter", as we are a fledgling organization. The internship will also entail reaching out to other public defense social workers to learn about best practices and effective outcomes, so the ability to "network" will be valuable. Questions are always welcome and the right student will be confident and also able to ask for clarification and help.