State Model United Nations Briefs

State Summit Country Brief

October 2021

Kathryn Stone

Selects and uses a variety of international and domestic sources to identify and weigh the most important evidence that addresses a global issue.

Poses specific researchable questions on a local, regional, and/or global issue, and explains its significance to the global community

Assesses options and plans actions based on evidence that indicates the potential for impact by evaluating previous approaches, varied perspectives, and/or potential consequences.

In Model United Nations, we were assigned to create a brief overview of our county and its positions on drugs and alcohol abuse and the penal systems, rehabilitation, and recidivism. My county was Summit County, Ohio. I loved focusing on topics that are close to us. I felt it was eye-opening to research a nearby county. The issues that were discussed affected me. Living in Ohio, where it has a huge overdose rate and a large drug issue across the whole state, it helped to expand my knowledge of where I live. The city of Akron, located in Summit County, has a large drug issue. Especially with COVID-19, these numbers have escalated. It was important to me to learn how drugs and alcohol are detrimental to society.

Reflecting on this brief, I realized how enlightening it was to research the penal system, rehabilitation, and recidivism. These issues by themselves are so large that I found it difficult to narrow my research down. I found it interesting to look into how unkempt certain prisons or jails were. Not every prison is in poor condition, but reflecting back on how many inspections that the Summit County Glenwood Jail missed was fascinating. This brief taught me how close to home global issues can be. I truly was able to see these issues in a different light after researching.