Currently I attend New York City College of Technology to pursue my Bachelor’s degree in Human Services. Upon completion of my undergraduate education I want to continue my journey to obtain my MSW. Although I was born in Boston, MA I presently reside in Brooklyn, NY. I work part time but attend school full time.
Helping others has always been my passion. I believe that by becoming a Human Service Professional I can fulfill my mission in life. I want to become a probation officer to help offenders receive appropriate service so that they can avail themselves of the opportunities to have a second chance in life to become responsible and productive citizens of the country. There are many misguided youth who never had the opportunity of reflecting on the tragedies they carried out under the influence of their peer group pressure. They deserve a better tomorrow. The fact that probation officers give the offender a second chance intrigues me the most because I believe that we live in a world where second chances mean everything to many individuals.
I am a very understanding individual. I believe that being understanding is extremely important when I begin working with the criminal population. I am open to different races and willing to accept everyone regardless of their background. I understand that being open will allow me to interact effectively with a number of different clients. I am empathetic. Their problems are my problems but I always keep my distance. I want to relive the help that I have always received from the members of my family, friends, and neighbors when I was growing up. The population that interests me is the criminal population because I know many people who have come in contact with the law and have been in prison. The unique quality that this population has is that they are determined to survive or get what they want. In order to serve this population you need to have patience.
Pursuing my career in the department of Probation is important to me because African-Americans are invariable subject to racial profiling. Often African-Americans males get stopped by the police for no apparent reason as a result of racial profiling. I want to make the world a better place for African-Americans to live in as well as everyone else. I would like to guide confused children into the right direction. Many people are behind bars for no reason at all and I am extremely against that. I know that by collaborating with others I can bring justice to those who are wrongfully accused.
I know that this career will be challenging because working with criminals you have to look past the crime they have committed and help them change even if you are strongly against the crime. This can be very hard but you have to understand that everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has a different way of dealing with the stresses of life. It’s important to understand that we are only human and some people may not know how to cope with the different issues they face so they engage in illegal activities. You are there to help them change and not there to judge them.
My brother and my cousin were engaged in criminal activities. They actually did time in jail and were required to meet with a Parole Officer (which is similar to a Probation Officer) when they came out. The Parole Officer must have worked miracles on them because they are on the right paths now. They take life more seriously and understand that there are appropriate ways of obtaining the things you need. This is why becoming a Probation Officer is extremely important to me! I envision myself working as a probation officer in a few years. I am dedicated to working towards achieving this goal. I see myself helping the youth of tomorrow make the right decisions’ by keep them on the right paths.
