Social defense refers to a set of preventive, protective, and rehabilitative measures adopted by society and the state to safeguard individuals and communities from crime, delinquency, exploitation, and various forms of social deviance. In the context of social work, social defense emphasizes the protection of vulnerable groups and the reintegration of offenders into society rather than focusing solely on punishment. It is based on the belief that many forms of antisocial behavior arise from adverse social, economic, psychological, and environmental conditions, which can be addressed through professional intervention and social welfare services. The concept of social defense has evolved from the traditional criminal justice approach that relied heavily on punishment. Modern social defense recognizes that crime prevention requires addressing the root causes of deviant behavior such as poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, family disorganization, substance abuse, and social exclusion. It advocates correctional,