Frontline social service as a battlefield: Insights from street‐level bureaucrats' interactions with violent clients

Abstract

How do different types of social service providers experience and respond to violent clients? The street‐level social service environment is a fertile ground for manifestations of violence by dissatisfied clients. This study examines the violence, verbal, and physical, to which street‐level bureaucrats are exposed, and the different coping strategies they adopt. We explore these issues using interviews with 71 Israeli social service providers. Our results indicate that while some street‐level bureaucrats are tolerant of client violence, others refuse to accept it. The former weigh their words, express empathy and seek to satisfy demands. The latter recruit the support of additional players and server relationships.

“I have learned my lesson”: How clients' trust betrayals shape the future ways in which street‐level bureaucrats cope with their clients

“…"5 | DISCUSSIONThis study's main goal was to examine how SLBs experience a trust betrayal by clients and how it shapes their future coping mechanisms, changing the balance of rights and obligations. The literature emphasizes the impact of the nature of SLBs' relationship with their clients on the way they cope with them(Davidovitz & Cohen, 2021c;Keulemans & Van de Walle, 2020). Studies have also noted the importance of trust in the work of frontline workers(Destler, 2017) including the relevance of SLBs' trust in their clients(Davidovitz & Cohen, 2020;Raaphorst & Van de Walle, 2018).…”

Natural born violence? Understanding street‐level bureaucrats' use of violence: Police officers and protests

“…SLBs' use of force against some citizens has a major impact on society. Researchers have discussed the role that race (Gaynor et al, 2021;Headley and Wright II 2020;Wright II andHeadley 2020), institutional logics (Maynard-Moody &Musheno, 2003), and SLBs' intentions (Davidovitz & Cohen, 2022) play in the violence perpetrated by SLBs. We add to this discussion by identifying that no single factor can explain the use of violence.…”

Which Clients Inspire or Reduce the Trust of Street-Level Bureaucrats?

“…They are also frontline employees who often have long-term relationships with their clients, giving them time to determine their level of trust in them. Second, while studies have highlighted the impact of SLBs’ evaluations of their clients on their discretion in implementing policy (Davidovitz & Cohen, 2021c; Sabbe et al, 2020) this research explores the implications of various categories of clients, some of whom increase SLBs’ sense of vulnerability, risk, and hesitation in their work. Our investigation reveals that the expectations they form about their clients create the basis for how they evaluate them.…”

“…Aggressive client behavior has implications for the functioning of frontline workers (Davidovitz & Cohen, 2021c). For example, in their systematic review of literature on nurses, Needham et al (2005) found that clients' aggressive behavior toward them had many non-physical consequences such as fear, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, guilt, and self-blame.…”