The authors first describe the role of the social worker in an actual case of a woman who was regularly beaten by her boyfriend. She had reached the point of threatening to kill the boyfriend and herself. The social worker helped her gain admission to the local shelter for abused women, where the social worker and shelter staff provided counseling and supportive services. The women were also assisted in creating and implementing a plan of legal action. Following the presentation of this case study, the authors focus on five roles for social workers in the criminal justice processing of domestic violence cases. The first role is to provide psychosocial information on the victim to the deputy prosecutor. The second role is to provide education and training to police and other criminal justice professionals regarding domestic violence victimization. In the third role, the social worker becomes a supportive and trusting mental health professional in helping the victim through the trauma of testifying in court. The fourth critical role is as client advocate in addressing the judge before the offender is sentenced and also working with family members in providing social support for the victim. The fifth role involves being an expert witness on the nature and effects of domestic violence. 38 references