This essay was about the 13th Amendment; in short, this amendment followed the Civil War, and declared slavery to be illegal throughout the United States unless it was being used as a punishment. The 13th Amendment was ratified in 1865; this amendment is so important to me because it was a major step in granting African American men and women the freedom they desired and deserved to live a more fulfilling life. Although there were many obstacles the black community faced after the 13th amendment was ratified, black men and women were free and continued to work at equality. I have so much gratitude because if it weren’t for the brave men who sacrificed their lives, I wouldn't be where I am today.
In this essay, I discussed the importance of mental health for professionals who work in Criminal Justice. Although mental health is equally essential in all aspects of life, Criminal Justice practitioners must have their mental health in shape to perform their job duties ethically at all times. In life, we all have our own personal issues that sometimes take a toll on our thinking process; however, it is vital to separate our personal lives and professional lifes so we come into work with a clear mind ready to serve. When our minds are strong and healthy, we are able to analyze situations quickly and effectively.
This paper gave me the opportunity to interview an old classmate of mine since middle school; Officer Brianna Vierling is a Police Officer who serves the Golden Valley community. Throughout our interview, I was given a deeper insight on what it is like to work inside of a Police Department, and what is expected of these professionals once they leave their departments to into the field with their communities. Interestly enough, I learned that the majority of many Police Departments do practice ethical behaviors; however, there have been a number of incidents where different citizens were hurt at the hands of the law. Additionally, we spoke about how the notion of one furthering their education can help them a ton as a Criminal Justice Professional.
This was one of my favorite papers while being at Concordia! Throughout this essay, I spoke a lot about our broken system and Black men being targeted at a much higher rate than their counterparts over similar crimes. Many would say there is only one truth in life regarding success; that truth is to attain the highest status possible the correct way. In the case of Demetrius and Terry Flenory, the two brothers made a way for themselves the best way they could.
Throughout this essay, I was challenged in terms of how I could make myself useful for our troubled youth here in Minneapolis. Over the years, crimes committed by adolescents and young teenagers have been on a rise. As someone who can relate to these crimes and the structure of the inner city, I feel I have a responsibility to change the narrative for many of these individuals who participate in these crimes. Being an effective change agent is my passion; I want to be there for those in need of a listening ear. It all starts with genuinely showing the youth we care to see them do well.
I enjoyed doing this paper because it demonstrates how ineffective our Criminal Justice System can be at times. Although the overall goal is to hold criminals accountable for their wrongdoings, professionals must be certain they have the right individual. There have been a great deal of cases where an innocent life was ruined because of the lack of evidence, racism/prejudice, and unethical prosecutors. Per the Constitution, it is our government’s job to keep the American people protected from these instances by any means; unfortunately, these occurrences are still taking place every day.
Throughout this essay, I talked about the importance of being an effective change agent in young children's lives. Before becoming a Case Manager, I worked with Pre-Kindergardners as a Lead Teacher as well as a Behavioral Specialist; hence, I have gained a great deal of knowledge regarding children's behavior and how it can affect them as they get older. This essay is important to me because it will always be a great reference when working with juvenile delinquents. I strongly believe that understanding where these children come from can take them a long way in their lives simply because they have someone in their life who cares about their past and well as a supportive leader.