My Father's Criminal Justice System

Since my father was arrested for a crime, I have always wondered about how our criminal justice system works. I am fascinated in what causes people to commit crimes, how societies treat criminals and the way the system is set up for them. After serving his time, my father struggled with being treated as a second-class citizen. Labeled a felon and an outcast, he turned to alcohol as a way to cope with his inability to find success following his re-entry in into the community, which in turn caused turmoil in our household that eventually led to a bitter divorce. His arrest had a profound effect on me because it changed the way I perceived the criminal justice system. Realizing that my father was a criminal, I gained a broader perspective of

There are many things that “criminals” do not qualify for, such as consideration for employment, housing, and food stamps. I always ask myself, “Should we as a society treat criminals as second class citizens after they have served their time?” and, “Does the prison system work?” When I enrolled in college, I knew that I wanted to study criminology because I wanted to understand why my father, and others like him, struggled to transition back to society, and the adverse effects it has on society. In most of the sociology classes I took, I learned about issues associated with crime and punishment. Mental illness, substance abuse, and social opportunity are just a few of the many factors that can cause criminal behavior. I also learned to apply many social theories to understand the behavior of people in

One of the things about my job I struggled with in the beginning was learning to separate my life from my job since I was so immersed in the work that I was doing and the people I was helping. Over time, I quickly learned how to set boundaries and the importance of practicing self-care. Burnout is very common in the field of social work, which is why I prioritized my well-being. My professional experiences have taught me how to become more emphatic. The ability to empathize with a client’s experience is one of the essential core skills a social worker should possess because it is an effective way to understanding client’s, emotions and behaviors. I also believe I possess is the ability to actively listen non-judgmentally. As a counselor, active listening is essential in order to establish a good rapport and validate client's feelings. The simple act of listening will not only establish trust with the client, but it will help the social worker determine which specific intervention is right for the client and teach effective coping