started my online classes today! I'm glad I registered for criminal justice because I'm liking this subject a lot so far. its going to be one of the easiest courses though.
I submitted this earlier for the introductory assignment:
My Name is William but I go by Will. Generally im not big into going to crowded places, nightclubs, malls, and that kind of thing. I’d rather go hiking , do some photography, read or , watch a documentary. I think a whole lot more can be gained from brainstorming certain world issues than going to a club and drinking all night..but thats just me. I respect other people’s point of view and try to hear people out , even when I don’t initially agree with them. I think its important to speak up for people in society who don’t have a voice or are often just over-looked . The disenfranchised, the outcasts, the ones who just don’t fit into polite society. Directing light onto important issues is something I hope to continue to do well into the future as I learn more about criminal justice.
Not too long ago I began my first experience in the criminal justice field . To be honest, it was ALOT to take in. I was hired at a prison for male inmates **** called ****** Correctional Institution. I quickly realized the difficulties that people who work in criminal justice face on a daily basis and I have the utmost respect for the superiors that I worked under for being able to deal with these young men on a frequent basis. Mainly the day-A shift sergeant of dorms 3 and 4 who went out of her way many times to help me when the inmates were basically walking all over me. When you’re afraid and someone helps you/protects you, you’ll never forget them and the kindness and courage they showed in the face of danger.
Going through orientation you learn a lot about what goes on in prisons , the risks involved , gang culture, weapons used by inmates, how to avoid the deception of inmates, safety procedures, self-defense maneuvers, etc. Although there are some things you don’t learn until you’re on the job for a while. Like workplace politics in prisons. THAT is something that was kind of a rude awakening for me. Most of the other officers I worked with were good people but a small fraction of them I worked with were not. A few of them seemed to have no interest in working together as a team with me and I found myself alone at times. (and a dorm full of crips, bloods, and gangster disciples is NOT a good place to be alone) A correctional institution should be full of officers who work together as a solid unit like a phalanx, figuratively speaking. Regardless of whether or not you personally like another officer or are friends with them you should view them as your team mate. Thank god my superiors helped me out as well as MANY exemplary officers . Overall, the officers there are top notch.
That being said, when the opportunity to go to college came up sooner than I had expected I went ahead and applied at ***. I realized that I was not going to be able to accomplish what I hope to do in the criminal justice field (which is HELP people) with my current credentials and training .
I know what its like to feel disenfranchised and over-looked . I can empathize with many people who have deviated from society and drifted towards places they shouldn't be. Places where drugs as well as other criminal activity are rampant. When it really comes own to it, people are going to go where they feel excepted. Where they feel like people want them around…so where do you go when you’ve been negatively labeled and polite society has rejected you?
Drug use and abuse is a problem that plagues many crime infested areas where gangs have set up shop and are making a living off of selling narcotics to anybody and everybody. Some do it just do get by because they cant find a job and need to support their families. Others do it to get rich, but either way there is NO EXCUSE for such behavior. The ones that are the most dangerous are the ones involved who want all the money AND the power because they’ll do almost anything to bring in mass amounts of drugs to sell. They might even form a co-op with the worst of the worst (MS-13) just out of greed. Iv heard of predominantly african-american gangs even working together with the aryan brotherhood just to sell drugs. does moral code and ethics just go out the window? for many gang members and drug dealers it DOES. ..and when you’re dealing with people like that , collateral damage to communities is a given. …because people like that do NOT care who they hurt. even innocent women and children who just happen to fall into the collateral image of gang culture like quick sand.
The main issue of drug use and abuse are the people who are bringing it in. The greedy people who are getting rich off of the addiction and misery of others. But that brings up the question: who controls access these drugs? a shot-caller in a gang is often just as guilty as a corrupt pharmacist who allows these drugs to be accessed en mass. The blood is on the hands of MANY….so basically when it comes down to it I think its vital to keep an eye on the greediest ones who are involved in selling drugs. I think its very important for social institutions (church, police, schools, neighborhoods, hospitals) to work together to analyze the impact of drug use and abuse on communities in order to prevent collateral damage. Once again , the metaphor of a phalanx comes to mind.