The New Social Worker Vol. 19, No. 3, Summer 2012 | Page 28

pronoun to use when, what the transitioning
process is, different implications for trans
people of different ages, legal difficulties,
and discrimination considerations. In addition, Teich’s social work background shines
while discussing the impact of the current
and future inclusion of transgender diagnoses within the DSM. Although the book
could have spent more time acknowledging
the genderqueer and gender variant/gender
non-conforming populations, for a person
who is looking for a more generalized
overview of the transgender population in a
way that is fact-minded, this book is a great
option for comprehensive and approachable learning.
Conversely, The Lives of Transgender
People is essentially a research study of
approximately 3,500 transgender people,
mixed with information obtained from
more than 400 of the subjects. Although
the quotes at the beginning of each chapter
and the photographs of participants help
to make the read a bit more personalized,
there is a much drier feel in the sections
that involve tables and statistics. This is a
very different way to approach learning
about the transgender experience from the
more common personal storytelling, and,
although the reader will not likely walk
away feeling an emotional connection, the
large number of the study’s participants
certainly acknowledges commonalities in
the transgender experience throughout the
spectrum of identifications.

Overall, both books are helpful options to aid in the better understanding of
transgenderism. Having up-to-date options
such as these to become better educated
social workers (and/or to share with clients)
further allows us to maintain the Code of Ethics requirement that we advocate for those
in need while also allowing us each to learn
in the way that is most effective for each
individual reader.
Reviewed by Kristen Marie (Kryss) Shane, LSW,
LMSW.
Social Work Practice and the Law. by Lyn K.
Slater and Kara R. Finck, New York, Springer,
2012, 421 pages, $70.00.

Social Work Practice and the Law presents
the idea that knowledge of the legal system
can be a powerful tool for effective social
work practice. Written by a social worker
and an attorney, rather than focusing on the
often-adversarial relationship between social
workers and the legal system, the authors
invite social workers to become involved in

26

The New Social Worker

the legal process to advocate for and protect
client best interests.

The book begins with an overview of
ethics and social workers’ roles in legal settings. Then it is organized around the different types of legal proceedings, including civil,
criminal, and administrative. The authors
first lead the reader through the process of
the proceedings and identify the roles and
responsibilities of the various players. The
book then focuses on how social work and
the law intersect, and how and where legally
informed social workers can intervene.
The social worker’s role in alternative legal
venues, such as drug courts, mediation, and
conferencing, is also discussed.

The book illustrates each of these types
of legal proceedings using one case example—the case of Michelle Jones. Following
one case through each of the various legal
systems creates some cohesion throughout
the book and illustrates how one client can
be involved in multiple implicit and explicit
legal issues. However, the authors would
have been better served providing a variety
of case examples. This would have allowed
for a more comprehensive look at how the
legal system affects clients with different
types of backgrounds and needs.

Of particular interest is the book’s focus
on client experiences of the legal system and
the racial disparities that exist on every level.
Understanding these disparities and how
social workers can either help clients identify
and advocate for their legal rights or advocate for system change is crucial to the social
worker’s effectiveness in the legal setting.

Providing an exhaustive text on every
law affecting social work practice in every
state would be cumbersome and confusing,
and Social Work Practice and the Law does not
attempt to do so. This book is designed to
be a starting place for social workers as they
begin to navigate within the legal system.
In light of this, perhaps most useful is the
text’s frequent reference to Web sites and
organizations that the social worker can
use to access more specific state-level legal
information.

Social Work Practice and the Law is a
good starting place for those who want to
understand the court system, as well as
for those who are interested in developing
collaborative relationships between social
workers and attorneys. This text can best
be supplemented with information on state
law, but it still has a valuable place on any
social worker’s reference shelf.
Reviewed by Laura Gale, LCSW, adjunct
lecturer for the University of Southern California
School of Social Work Virtual Academic Center.

Be a Book Reviewer

If you are a social work practitioner, educator, or student who loves to read, let us
know your areas of interest and send us a
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