Generally, choosing a career path is influenced by several factors or experiences that a person might get on his/her day-to-day activities. Most importantly, these experiences tend to shape the choice one makes. This is vital since completing a career decision influenced by your experiences drives out your passion for a particular field. This paper reflects on me, my career path, the experiences that impacted my decision, my first choice of the job after graduation, and the career paths that I have eliminated.
Criminal justice career paths are generally tasked with delivering tasks to the people who have committed crimes. Notably, several factors have shaped up my decision to want to pursue the career path that I am currently pursuing in criminal justice. Many of the factors are majorly external, and these experiences had a huge influence in my choice of a career path. Having been brought up in a community with rampant crime activities, my dream was to always shape up the community by ensuring that the crime activities reduced, and that community members would live in peace. Some of the crime activities in the community included murder, theft, and terrorism among others. The crime cases that happened each single day drove out the passion in me to want to have a role in structuring of laws, rules, as well as in designation of agencies for the purpose of holding criminal accountable for their misdeeds and wrong doings, and give justice to the affected people in the community. Further, there was need for legal aid to the communities affected, and through pursuing a course in criminal justice; I would be able to play part in giving legal aid to the concerned parties.
Majorly, due to the continued rise in crime rates, several needs influenced my decision to take this career path. First, the major influencing factor was the need to shape the crime policy. There was need for law enforcement in investigating the committed crimes. Additionally, these experiences made me feel the need for administration of justice to the offended parties, which would be a major role for the courts. Additionally, the need for corrections was an essential factor so as to ensure that the criminal justice system would ensure that the criminal get corrected for their wrong activities, with rehabilitation of the criminals where possible.
In addition, in the community affected by the crime activities, there was a need for identifying and explaining the patterns of criminal behavior, as well as analyzing the ability of the society in controlling crime and delinquency. There was need to combine legal studies and public administration to ensure a better society that was free from the threats and dangers provided by crime activities. Besides, I also wanted to learn and gain knowledge on the legal and correctional systems within the country, deterrence of crimes, the philosophy of punishment as well as the ethical codes of behavior. Lastly, due to the childhood experiences, I felt the need to enjoy a career in court administration, corrections, law enforcement and victim services by having a broad social science background.
Specifically, my first choice of job or the type of job after my graduation would be being a probation officer. The job will task me with the role of investigating the personal history of the offenders and also performance of background checks, and then reporting the findings obtained to the court system which would deliver justice. Further, as a probation officer, I will be able to make recommendations that revoke or serve to modify the terms of the offenders’ probation, maintenance of case records, offering assistance in court room procedures, as well as the maintenance and monitoring the payment orders of the court which basically include fines, restitutions, as well as support orders.
Additionally, the job position will also give me the responsibility of making planned visits to the homes and also work places of the offenders. Besides, as a probation officer, another role is working with the neighborhood associations and also religious groups for the purpose of checking up on the offenders’ behavior. Lastly, my other role in the job position would be ensuring that the people that I supervise get to enroll in substance abuse rehabilitation as well as several job training problems that would be as per ordered by the court. Some of the career paths that I have eliminated include being a warden, judge, or being an attorney. This is because my huge interest in the low enforcement system and not necessarily in the court or corrections system.
What makes me qualified and suited for the probation officer job is first due to the broad knowledge I have on social science background as well as the passion that drives me in ensuring deliverance of justice to those who have committed crimes, as well as rehabilitating offenders, preventing other crimes, and also offering moral support to the victims. In the next five years, I want to work in the law enforcement system. My long term plans is to play a vital role in discovering, deterring, rehabilitation, and also punishment of the people who are involved in violation of rules and also norms that govern the society. Further, for the long term plans, I aspire to shape the crime policy in the country and ensure an effective criminal justice system.
