Abstract
This study explored media portrayals of social workers and their role in relation to co-responder policing models. Using qualitative content analysis to analyze 41 articles from the Sacramento Bee spanning six years, we identified whether articles: (1) use professional or non-professional titles or identifiers for social workers, (2) associate social workers with specific social systems, (3) portray them positively, negatively or neutrally, and (4) contain common perceptual themes. In reviewing the data, three themes appeared in relationship to social work and the need for police reform. Articles often referenced a broken system, characterized social workers as optimistic cogs, and indicated the need for social work type professionals to be a part of police reforms. Overall, these articles portrayed social workers as suitable for partnership with law enforcement based on their affiliation with other bureaucratic systems, resourcefulness and optimism, and perceived public trust. However, based on these findings we conclude that these partnerships could have unforeseen consequences that impact future public perception of social workers and that further research on this topic is warranted.