Many people, not closely associated with the criminal justice system, often wonder why a man or woman would choose a career in or study law enforcement. The pay is not the best, and most of the jobs are trying and dangerous. So why would I choose to study criminal justice? It's not so much that I chose to study criminal justice as much as criminal justice chose me.

After graduating from high school knowing I had the rest of my life to be "anything or anyone I wanted to be" was pretty scary. Especially, because I didn't know what that was. Henry David Thoreau once said "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." I can admit after graduating from high school I wasn't very confident in the direction of my dreams.

I attended a community college for two years and decided to take a break to find out who I was and what I wanted out of life. I remember this being a trying time in my life. I witnessed the demise of many friends lives from drugs and alcohol while other friends were being arrested for various other crimes. This all seemed surreal to me. While growing up I was raised in a protected environment. My parents' belief was that they did not want their children bearing witness to the pitfalls of life. As this veil was lifted I began to understand that this was a big part of life. Crime, and being a victim of crime, doesn't happen only on television or in the movies. It happens to real people every minute of every day.

This was the beginning of my desire to pursue a career in the criminal justice field. I wanted to help people through experience and education. This desire has progressed onward, and its roots are now unshakable. After working for a law office, a drug rehabilitation center and an expert witness in criminal cases I was ready to go back to school. This time I was confident in the direction of my dreams.

In this day and age job security is important. With crime being a serious problem facing many countries, including the United States, today careers in criminal justice are steady. This was important to me when I chose the Criminal Justice Program at Texas State University. At first, I wanted to obtain a solid foundation in preparation for employment in the criminal justice system. Now, as an undergraduate major, I can prepare for employment in a more specialized area of study.

With many career paths to choose from I have chosen to pursue a career in the juvenile justice system as a probation officer. I will strive to uphold the law and provide justice. With time and energy invested in this pursuit, I anticipate gaining important knowledge that can be used later in life.

Some people bitterly criticize the criminal justice system and have no meaningful suggestions for improvement. I, however, plan on taking a closer look at the criminal justice system with the hope of retaining the best parts and changing those that need improvement. This will require me to have a strong educational foundation.