Running Head: CULTURAL IMMERSION AND AGENCY ASSESSMENT

Cultural Immersion and Agency Assessment Richard C. Carter, Jr. Wilmington University

CULTURAL IMMERSION AND AGENCY ASSESSMENT Cultural Immersion and Agency Assessment

African American males are the highest population in the State of Delawares prison system. In the United States as of the 2010 census, 38,929,319 or 12.6 percent of the population were African American (factfinder2.census.gov. 2013). In the State of Delaware, 191,141 or 21.4 percent of the states population were African American (factfinder2.census.gov. 2013). Listed below are some historical moments in history of the African American population in the United States (PBS.org, 2013). 1492- A black navigator, Pedro Alonso Nino, travels with Christopher Columbuss first expedition to the new world. 1619- A Dutch ships brings 20 African indentured servants to the English colony of Jamestown, Virginia. 1787- Free blacks in New York City found the African Free School. 1807- Congress bans the importation of slaves into the U.S. The law will be largely ignored in the south. 1863- President Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation legally frees all slaves in the Confederacy. 1964- President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act. 1967- Thurgood Johnson becomes the first African American justice on the Supreme Court. 2009- Barack Obama becomes the first African American President. Film Viewed: 42-The Jackie Robinson Story Director, Company, Year: Brian Helgeland, Warner Bros., 2013 In 1946, Jackie Robinson is a Negro League baseball player who never takes racism lying down. Branch Rickey is a Major League team executive with a bold idea. To that end, Rickey recruits Robinson to break the unspoken color line as the first modern African American Major

CULTURAL IMMERSION AND AGENCY ASSESSMENT League player. Robinson's signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers to become the first AfricanAmerican player to break the baseball color barrier. The story focuses mostly on the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers season and somewhat on Robinson's 1946 season with the Montreal Royals, which emphasize his battles with racism. As both anticipate, this proves a major challenge for Robinson and his family as they endure unrelenting racist hostility on and off the field, from player and fan alike. As Jackie struggles against his nature to endure such abuse without complaint, he finds allies and hope where he least expects it. Personal Interview: Mark I chose to interview someone that I have come to know from the criminal justice system.

My main question for Mark was as an African American, what have been the struggles you have encountered coming from the reentry system while trying to reenter into society after 15 years in prison. Mark told me that one of the biggest struggles he has had is trying to get people on the outside of prison to accept the fact that he has changed. He did his time for his crimes, and wants to get on with his life. He said no one really wants to give him a chance, especially when it comes to finding work. Mark said that he has noticed that the white people coming from prison are getting jobs faster than those that are African American. Another challenge that he faces is getting used to the freedom he now has, that he did not have after 15 years in prison. Since he cannot support himself right now, he is living in the very community that he got in trouble with. He has to fight to not get hooked into the crowd of African American friends he used to have, the one that are still causing trouble. He said it is a known fact that the majority population in prison is African American, and some just look at him and say, youll be back. Mark said that as an African American, he knows that his struggle to gain independence is going to be longer than a white person just because of the history of his race and culture.

CULTURAL IMMERSION AND AGENCY ASSESSMENT ASSESSING THE FIELD WORK AGENCY Community Solutions, Inc. is the location in Wilmington for Delawares first federal halfway residential facility for those coming from federal prison. The facility is brand new, and very clean. Because of housing ex-offenders, the layout and dcor of the environment is clean and fresh, and is not overpowering. Agencys Community

The facility is located in the very poor part of town. It is located right next to the Youngs Correctional facility. This community has an extremely small residential community, warehouses, and a few corner stores. The only thing close to a clothing/variety shop is the Dollar General that will be opening in a few months. It is a depressed area that does not offer much to the community unless you head directly into the city. Access The members of the population that come into the facility are brought in by federal prison guards. After the residents are integrated into the facility, all other transportation is provided by either public transportation, or the van that the facility has. Receptivity If I were a resident in this facility, coming directly from prison, I would definitely feel warm and welcome here. The place is very clean and well organized. The staff also makes you feel welcome, and do their best to help you in this environment. I do see myself reflected in the staff because they are down to earth, and treat you with respect. Administration and Staff Training There are opportunities for training at this facility. Usually, the director is the one that will go to the headquarters of CSI in Connecticut for training then bring that training back to the staff. Other times, trainers come from CSO headquarters and train staff usually every quarter. There is also training provided by the Bureau of Prison at the facility for the staff as well. I am not aware of any training specifically tied to any culture.

CULTURAL IMMERSION AND AGENCY ASSESSMENT Funding

Agency funding for this particular site is strictly used for the day to day operations of the facility and staff wages. No other funding is used for anything to do with cultural sensitive services or outreach. Staff Sensitivity The one thing that I have noticed is that the staff is sensitive to the different cultures in the program. I can only assume they brought this from previous training and life experiences. The major population at the facility is African American, and the major race employed at the facility is African American too. So, this has served well with the staff being cultural sensitive to the staff that they serve. AGENCY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Effort Because the facility is under mandates from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, there is no need to reach out to the populations community. There are no committees the population of the facility is on in regards to cultural sensitive services. Though, if someone felt that the someone was not being sensitive to their culture, they can report that to the Program Director, and report to the Bureau of Prisons. Quality The facility does respect the wishes and abides by cultural sensitive issues as directed by the headquarter facility. For example, if there are certain religious services that are need at the facility, the site arranges for this. If there are certain dietary restrictions for certain cultural differences, they are provided for. As far as services like life skills, employment training, and the like, they have no choice, but to go through these programs regardless of their culture.

CULTURAL IMMERSION AND AGENCY ASSESSMENT Effectiveness Because the majority of the race is African American, they live in a community that is African American. In speaking with a few residents, the main need is for employment readiness skills and job search. Because of funding, that facility does not employ an Employment Specialist to help with these services, so they staff that are currently there help when they can. Efficiency

Community Solutions enjoys strong relationships with other agencies. Henrietta Johnson Agency provides medical treatment, Delaware U.S. Probation Office provides mentoring, The Hope Commission provides employment and reentry services, The Hospitality School provides daily meals, and Culinary Arts Job Training, Delaware Horticulture Society assists with managing the garden they constructed at the facility, Wilmington Police Department provides mentoring and volunteer services, and Seeds for Change provides GED assistance. NASW Standards for Cultural Competence 1.04 Competence (a) Social workers should provide services and represent themselves as competent only within the boundaries of their education, training, license, certification, consultation received, supervised experience, or other relevant professional experience. (b) Social workers should provide services in substantive areas or use intervention techniques or approaches that are new to them only after engaging in appropriate study, training, consultation, and supervision from people who are competent in those interventions or techniques. (c) When generally recognized standards do not exist with respect to an emerging area of practice, social workers should exercise careful judgment and take responsible steps (including appropriate education, research, training, consultation, and supervision) to ensure the competence of their work and to protect clients from harm (NASW, 2013). In the area above, no one at the facility is trained to assist in employment readiness skills. This is a vital component in getting their clients jobs so they can start their journey to reenter society. Nothing is being done for resume building and interviewing techniques.

CULTURAL IMMERSION AND AGENCY ASSESSMENT

STATEMENT 2 Human service professionals respect the integrity and welfare of the client at all times. Each client is treated with respect, acceptance and dignity (NOHS, 2013). I have observed in this facility, that all clients are treated with the utmost of respect, dignity, and are accepted for who they are.

In closing, I do feel, that even thought there is a balance of ethnicity in the staff at the facility to relate to the main African American culture at the facility; I feel that it would be wise to have formal training on this matter so everyone is on the same page. I have been treated, and have treated the residents and staff with the utmost respect. But, I have never heard of any talk of cultural diversity training. As this facility grows, and gets settled, I feel that the training is going to be much needed. Especially, if there is staff turnover, and with the different residents they have coming in and out of that facility.

CULTURAL IMMERSION AND AGENCY ASSESSMENT References National Association of Social Workers. (2013). Code of Ethics. December 14, 2013, from http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp

National Organization for Human Services. (2013). Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals. December 14, 2013, from http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/ethicalstandards-for-hs-professionals#clients Public Broadcasting System. (2013). African American World. Retrieved December 10, 2013, from http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aaworld/timeline/early_01.html United States Census Bureau. (2013). Profile of General Population and Housing Statistics 2010. Retrieved December 10, 2013, from http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_DP_ DPDP1