Creating a capable workforce responsive to justice-involved aging populations: A pilot study

With the United States older adult population facing dramatic growth over the next several decades, a capable workforce trained with geriatric-centered knowledge and skill sets is required to meet the needs of the aging population. While professional social work programs have made great strides in modifying their curriculum content to address the needs of this demographic, other professional disciplines lag in their curriculum adaptations. Disciplines can collaborate to build a capable workforce to work with older adults. One such collaboration involves social work and criminal justice. An exploratory qualitative study highlighted the interviews of 15 criminal justice faculty members about recommended curriculum content changes needed to respond to justice-involved aging populations. Through content analysis, three major themes emerged along with subthemes. Findings suggest that geriatric-based education is necessary across disciplines that work with older adults and there is a need for interdisciplinary practice and educational collaboration.