Final Course Reflection

    As the Spring 2020 semester comes to an end, it is easy to reflect on highs and lows. The COVID-19 pandemic shook most of our worlds. Distance learning was a challenge, especially for me, someone learns better and benefits more from an actual school environment.  I took ENG 101 back in Fall 2018, which was some time ago, so it was hard to remember specifics of the course. However, I was able to sign into my Digication account where some of my ENG 101 work was uploaded. It was interesting to see how in this short amount of time my writing has matured. At the end of this course I feel confident that I am a better writer and researcher then I previously was. This was the first class I felt like really introduced me to what research in my field (psychology) would look like.

            This course challenged me, which I reflected in my 101 that I was not challenged. A lot of the writing was new to me, like the memo and informative report. Others, like the research paper and argumentative essay, were familiar, yet taken to new heights. After completing my research paper, I am much more confident in my skills as a researcher, especially in my field. In my research, I purposely took a psychology approach, so that I got a feel of what it was to research psychology. I am glad I had the opportunity to do this, because not only did I improve my researching skills, I also found that I don’t really enjoy doing research too much, so maybe I should rethink what I see myself doing in the field. Similarly, the memo was challenging, but I was also my favorite assignment. It was something I am proud of; I think it was fairly good for a first-time memo. I feel like the maturity of my writing shows. It also definitely inspired me to be a boss in the future, so I can send out daily memos.

            As well becoming a better researcher, I am a better writer as well. Group assignment are always difficult for me, as I prefer to write alone. Being the Kairos and conclusion role of the argumentative essay was challenging but beneficial. It was challenging because as the conclusion I had to wait until my group members were finished with their ideas; Beneficial because it taught me how to blend writing styles and incorporate others voices and ideas. Even the journal articles were thought-provoking in that they challenged my writing, and ultimately assisted growth as a writer.

Overall, from my 101 writing to now, there has been a great improvement, I have always been good at writing, but looking at my final 201 blog, it is clear that my writing style and vocabulary have matured and improved. I am always grateful for English courses because reading and writing have been passions of mine since a little girl. After I became a mother and took a year away from school, sadly, it felt like I was losing interests in my passions. This course ignited the spark again, and was new and refreshing, despite how the semester was abruptly altered. Thank you Professor Matyakubova for a great semester!

Research Paper

Influences on Behavior: How Situational Factors and Mental Health History have the Power to Improve the Criminal Justice System

Cyntoia Brown. You may have heard her name or story in the news or media recently, as she was released from prison in 2019 after serving 15 years of a life sentence for killing a man when she

Figure 1: Cyntoia Brown months after being released from prison. Holding her memoir "Free Cyntoia". (Source: Google)

was only 16 years old. She, a teenage runaway, found herself in an abusive relationship with a man who forced/sold her into the world of prostitution. She killed a man out of fear for her life.  Cyntoia Brown (pictured left in Figure 1) was convicted of aggravated robbery and first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. It was not for 15 years, until empowering movements such as the #MeToo movement rose up and gained enough support that brought awareness to her case as a victim of sex trafficking who was wrongfully imprisoned. As her story gained publicity all over the world, after 15 years she was finally released on parole, on certain conditions. Some of these conditions included requirement of maintaining employment or educational enrollment, participating in regular counseling sessions, and performing at least 50 hours of community service. It took 15 years for the United States Criminal Justice system to serve Cyntoia Brown the justice she deserved, the justice that the system promises. When she was being tried, the influence of her environment and mental state were factors that should have been considered but were not. The law only saw a murderer. If these factors were considered, they would have saw that she was a child, a victim of sex trafficking, and was only trying to protect herself/ survive on her own. Knowing this and knowing that a main goal of the Criminal Justice system is to rehabilitate offenders, and especially delinquents, she should not have received prison time. If extenuating factors were considered, she could (/and should) have received a similar sentencing to her parole conditions: community service, counseling, proof of productivity/normalcy, etc. – thus avoiding the unnecessary damage that 15 years in prison does, while still promoting healing and proper rehabilitation. Cyntoia Brown’s case is just one example of a verdict that failed to consider the impact of environment and mental health on her behavior, thus failing her. When considering factors such as environment and mental history in a criminal proceeding, some people will say that this takes away from the actual crime and victim in the case. However, it goes beyond speculation, as social psychology and psychological research say that situations indeed do affect behavior, specifically that environmental factors affect behavior, as well as mental health/history. If this is true, and these factors influence an individual’s behavior, then these factors should be regarded when deciding a verdict based on said individual’s behavior – especially since the verdict will decide/shape the individual’s future. Ultimately, Environmental factors and mental background should influence the final verdict in criminal trials. Psychological research will reveal that behavior is affected by several things, environment and mental health being among them.

Behavior, according to Saul Kassin, who is a professor, social psychologist, and co-author of the textbook Social Psychology, “is a product of both the situation (e.g., cultural influences, social roles, and the presence of bystanders) and of the person (e.g., personality characteristics)”. Modern approaches to social psychology take both the situation and the individual into account when studying human behavior. Environmental influences fall into the ‘situation’ category, while mental history is attributed to the person/individual. The environment that one is found in can have a profound impact on behavior. Environmental factors can range from family, peers, communities, socioeconomic status, to media and technology influence, etc. Environmental factors can also be physical environment. These factors can influence a person to act certain ways that they normally would not, therefore affecting individual behavior. An example of this is risk-taking behavior. Let us look at a realistic situation, say there is a man with a wife and 3 kids who has recently been laid off due to the CO-VID19 pandemic. The news and media show him every morning that people are still getting sick, deaths are continuing to rise, and unemployment is increasing. His wife is a stay-at-home mom, so he is considered the ‘breadwinner’ or money-maker. As this pandemic lasts longer than expected, his family approaches their last and there seems to be no better days in sight. By factoring in his family, his employment, his responsibility/role to his family, the current reality of the world, and media influences, we have created a situation that this man is placed in. This situation now holds the power to influence his actions. Whether he decides to go out and rob someone for money to feed his family, or whether he risks his health and wellbeing by going to a job interview are two different risk-taking actions (i.e. behaviors) both caused/ influenced by the situation in play. The environmental factors (i.e. the situation) impacts his character in ways that made him react with risk-taking behaviors. This is just one example of how environment impacts behaviors. Another study, conducted in 2014 by Neal M. Ashkanasy involving workplace environment and

Figure 2: shows an example of what makes a "hostile" work environment. (Source: the balance)

employee behavior, concluded that work environment features, such as office space and relationships with co-workers, “constitute critical workplace variables capable of pacting processes, attitudes, behaviors, and ultimately employee performance and well-being”(Ashkanasy, 2014).  Even an environment like, and situational aspects of the workplace can have an impact on an individual’s behavior. See Figure 2 to see a hostile work environment. How do you think a hostile environment will affect employee performance/ behavior? Not positively. Psychology says that the environment will influence behavior. While this point may seem obvious now, to many people it is not. When attempting to explain the behavior of others, people often overlook the impact of the situation. As evident, the situation matters. That is why the situation/ environmental factors should be considered in a criminal proceeding. Because the situation affected/influenced the defendant’s behavior, it should be seen as such when deciding the verdict that will predict the outcome of their futures. Mental history, or mental aspects related to the Individual, in a similar fashion as the situation, has a profound impact on behavior. 

A mental illness is a health condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling, behavior or mood, and it causes distress and difficulty in functioning. These conditions deeply impact day-to-day living and may also affect the ability to relate to others. Two of the major types of mental illnesses are mood disorders and personality disorders. From their names alone, it should be pretty obvious that they cause disorder in mood and/or personality. These disorders can affect the way you speak, move, act, and interact with yourself and others. Often, these effects will produce negative behaviors. Alterations to mood and personality are bound to have some impact on the behavior of an ill person. Such an effect, in fact, that Functionalist theorist Talcott Parsons (1951) claimed that illness was a form of “deviant behavior” within society. In his book, ‘The Social System’, Parsons illuminated the idea that people who are mentally (or physically) ill are unable to fulfill their normal social roles and thus they deviate, or divert, away from the consensual norm (Angrist, 1996). This theory basically says that illness impacts an individual so profoundly, such that their behaviors should be considered deviant, because the individual is not

                                            Figure 3: Depiction of overview of Parson's theory

 his normal self (in societal view).  Thus, if we apply this theory to our research question, then mental history should absolutely be considered when determining a final verdict – because one could argue that the illness caused the deviant behavior. See figure 3. Parsons devised a number of rights and obligations of the sick person. Among these rights were exemptions from performing ‘normal’ social roles. The more severe the illness, the greater the exemption. Illness is seen as beyond the control of the sick person and not curable by simple willpower and motivation.  Therefore, the sick person should not be blamed for their illness and they should be taken care of by others until they can resume their normal social role. These rights (as according to Parsons) are interesting because they sound a lot like what is supposed to be the rehabilitation aspect of the Criminal Justice System. Talcott Parson’s theory of deviant behavior by illness supports the need for consideration of mental health in a final verdict in a criminal proceeding. Mental history should be accounted in a verdict because illness causes deviance in behavior. If this is true, then mental history should be factored in when making judgements about deviant behavior due to illness. In any case, Parsons was prepared for critics to argue that there would be too many people claiming to have an illness – so he also devised a set list of obligations/solutions for the people who were ill. 

            The situation (environment) and the individual (mental history) are two factors that should be considered when deciding the final verdict in a criminal proceeding. We have examined both the power of the situation and the deviance caused by illness. Both have proven to have an effect on and impact behavior. Because of this fact, these factors should be considered when determining a consequence based on a person’s behavior/actions. But how exactly could this work? Is it possible to serve a victim of crime justice, while also serving a victim of situation and/or illness justice at the same time? In short, the answer is Yes, this is possible. The theorist Talcott Parsons was prepared for criticism similar to this, so when he introduced the rights of the ill to be exempt on responsibility of behaviors, he also introduced obligations for the sick. These obligations include that the person who is ill “ is expected to see being ill as undesirable and so are under the obligation to try and get well” and that after a certain period of time, the ill person “must seek technically competent help and cooperate with the advice of the doctor in order to get better”(Angrist, 1996). Talcott obligated that ill persons want to get better and seek the help to get better. Using this as a foundation, I would suggest that situational and individual factors only be considered when determining a verdict, only under similar obligations as Parsons, defendants must be unhappy with their current state(and/or remorseful) and co-operative with wanting and seeking help/ restoration. With this standard, a future solution for the Criminal Justice system and for the purposes of criminal proceedings would be to factor in the environment of the defendant, as well as the mental history of the defendant when determining a final verdict. No matter the situation or the individual, a law that is broken, is broken. A person should always be held accountable. However, when other factors (situation/ individual) are held to a higher standard, they should influence such that they lessen punishment/imprisonments sentences and increase sentences that are rehabilitative and restorative. (This is assuming that these said other factors have influenced behavior. Just because they can, does not mean they always do). These sentences can mandate including but not limited to community service hours, therapy, counseling, medical treatment, etc. The ultimate verdict would be dependent on the specific individual/ situation and which services would best fit their needs. This will improve many aspects of our Justice system, from less overcrowded prisons, to more people actually rehabilitating and becoming better versions of themselves and of societal members. Most times the prosecution seeks imprisonment, forgetting that our Criminal Justice System is not based on punishment or imprisonment, but on rehabilitation and deterrence, as well as retribution and restoration. Not only will factoring in extenuating circumstances better serve justice, it will also take the Criminal Justice System a step forward in honoring one of its main goals, which is to rehabilitate (the offender). 

    Taking influential factors into consideration when determining a final verdict is imperative, because often influential factors cause the defendant to act/behave the way they do. It is only right for these factors to play a role in determining an outcome for these behaviors. When the situation is taken into thought, many behaviors are explained. For example, In Cyntoia Brown’s case, her situation was that she was a teenage runaway who was sold and forced into sex trafficking, that is why she did what did. When the individual is taken into though, if not explained, then many behaviors are understood. Insanity pleads are an extreme example of this, as it labels an individual as mentally incapable/ incompetent to stand trial and be held responsible for their actions. A milder example would be using a schizophrenic break to explain criminal-like actions. While some people will disagree with this, this is serving up to the main goals of the Criminal Justice system, which is to rehabilitate offenders, to therefore deter them from future crimes and restore them as functioning members of society.  If considering environmental factors and mental history will lead the courts closer to a verdict that honors the goals of the Criminal Justice system, then it is imperative that these factors hold weight in deciding the final verdict. 

Argumentative Essay

Go Green!

What comes to mind when you hear the word Marijuana? Munchies? A small green plant with a very strong smell? Maybe you believe that it is a gateway drug. ​In the United States, the legalization of Marijuana (also known as pot or cannabis) is a very controversial topic. Some might think that it may lead to addiction and car accidents. ​ However, Marijuana is a psychoactive drug from a Cannabis plant that can be used for many different recreational purposes. This plant has many benefits. For example, legalizing this drug can reduce incarceration, crime, and violence rates, along with boosting the economy by creating more jobs and being medicinal for those that are ill. Therefore, Marijuana should be legalized in all 50 states throughout the United States of America. 

(Aaron T.)       Marijuana is a recreational drug that has been perceived to be harmful and dangerous, when that is ultimately not the case. This perception has led to the prohibition of marijuana and its criminalization, which has led to a huge amount of arrests over the years on individuals with just a nonviolent possession of it. “Marijuana prohibition has been a costly failure. In 2013, there were 693,482 marijuana arrests in the U.S.—more than 45 percent of all drug arrests. Nearly 88 percent were for simple possession, not sale or manufacture” (Gale, 2020). These arrests for plain possession of a drug that causes no harm, have led to an unnecessary waste of funds on incarceration of individuals. A lot of these inmates have received harsher sentences in comparison to other criminal offenses just for possession of marijuana. These individuals who have been convicted for non-violent possessions of the plant should be expunged. “Prohibition empowers criminal organizations and contributes to violence, ​crime​ and corruption on a massive scale—from U.S. street corners to places like Mexico, where more than 100,000 people have been killed since 2006 in the country’s drug war.” (Gale, 2020).  The prohibition takes away the attention from police officers on focusing on more significant and violent crimes, which causes an increase in these certain crimes like murder for example. It also allows for underground criminal organizations which control the marijuana market to improve their quality of life with the riches that come from it. The prohibition does not allow legal businesses to intervene in that market, and whenever there are any issues, these criminal organizations respond with violence. The cause of this violence is not individuals who carry possession of it, it is prohibition itself. “In August of 2013, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it will allow states to legally regulate the production, distribution, and sale of marijuana” (Gale, 2020). Being that marijuana is slowly but surely getting legalized nationwide by several states, those inmates who have been unfairly incarcerated for a misdemeanor at this point, should be pardoned for their offenses.

(Abubakar I.)  America's drug laws are not helping our current predicament at the moment. The war on drugs has done nothing but tear the communities apart, use resources which could be more beneficial in other areas, and increase our incarceration rate. The obvious choice is to legalize marijuanna federally. Colorado was one of the first states to legalize marijuana. Doing so it has earned up to more than a billion dollars in just over five years. Colorado's state budget is just about 30 million dollars, so when marijuana starts to bring in more than 21 million dollars a month it becomes hard to ignore what it could do if made legal on a federal level (Bernstien 2019). In addition to this it has created more than 41,000 plus jobs and even contributed to over 125 + million dollars to schooling and education (Bernstien 2019). The legalization of marijuana will only boost the economy. “A mature marijuana industry will generate more than 28 billion dollars in tax revenue for federal state and local governments. Which also includes seven billion in federal revenues. Also more than 5 billion in from businesses taxes and 1.5 billion from income and payrolls (Ekins 2016). Overall legalizing marijuanna will bring a major boost to the economy which we need today. It will keep the people happy while also keeping the government happy.

(Mariol F.)      Research has shown that marijuana can be a form of medicine for certain diseases. In Carter J. G, Chinn K. A. and Steinborn J. J. article “The latest buzz on medicinal marijuana: A legal and medical perspective” addresses the effects of the supreme court case of the United States v. The Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Cooperative. In this case the supreme court ruled that marijuana is not “medical necessity”, that the federal law classifying marijuana as illegal and that it will have no exception for ill patients. This ruling has affected millions of ill Americans who have diseases such as epilepsy, glaucoma, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and even posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD that heavily rely on medical marijuana. Many terribly ill people have had to fight for a long time in the courts to defend why and how medical marijuana helps them. The authors go on to state that an administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young concluded with his studies that, “the evidence clearly shows that marijuana is capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very ill people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision” (Carter,Chinn & steinbron, 2001). In the 1830s a Irish doctor by the name of ​Sir William Brooke O’Shaughnessy was studying in India and discovered that “cannabis extracts could help lessen stomach pain and vomiting in people suffering from cholera”(​History.com Editors, 2017)​. Therefore showing that medical marijuana is a compound that helps ill people and should be legalized in American and should not be frowned upon.

(Danitza L.)     However, many people might say we shouldn’t legalize weed because it will just cause more problems and deaths. People will become more addicted and there will be an increase in car accidents. Addiction isn’t something you can overcome so easily, it takes time, but if someone is already addicted to a drug then they will want to consume other drugs. Robert L. DuPont, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said “​People who are addicted to marijuana are​ ​three times more likely​ to be addicted to heroin” (DuPont 2016). This doesn’t mean that everyone who uses marijuana will become addicted to heroin, but they most likely will in the future. Charles Stimson, manager of the National Security Law Program, said “​One study found that more than 30 percent of adults who used marijuana in the course of a year became dependent on it, exhibiting compulsive behavior and signs of withdrawal” (Stimson 2012). People who are addicted to marijuana struggle with leaving it and their behavior starts to change. As the years go by the percent of adults and teens who use marijuana keeps increasing. According to the CNN “​States that legalized recreational weed see increase in car accidents, studies,” A 20 year old man was under the influence of marijuana and a sedative when his truck crashed into a church bus, killing 12 people. There has been an increase in the number of drug-impaired drivers across the country. Being on drugs while driving is dangerous. You lose control of what you’re doing and the consequence of that in some cases is death.

(Krysteen M.) As evident, marijuana legalization would not only lower incarceration rates all over America, it would also bring more money to the economy as well. We have already seen the medicinal benefits that marijuana has had on people who were/ are ill. The rewards seem to outweigh the risks. In fact, look at the current circumstances New Yorkers have found themselves in – home bound, quarantined indoors under recommendations of the state, no businesses open for any recreational activities. The best (and safest) option is to stay home, where you are not at risk of coming in contact with the virus that has shook the city’s core (COVID-19). This is a hard time for so many people, coping with this unexpected change of daily routine, anxiety/ feelings of distress about being “stuck” at home, and in general, a sense of panic and fear in the unknown. This would be the perfect time for marijuana to ease your worries. Whether you smoke a joint, or eat a yummy edible treat – the Cannabis, proven to mellow out moods and alter perceptions, would be the perfect ease – sure to calm bad nerves. It can be done indoors and it’s recreational, the ideal hobby for times of crisis like the one we are currently experiencing. There is no better time than now to legalize marijuana. In fact, we may even need it now more than ever. Think about it: the way the criminal numbers will go down, the economy will go up, and the wonders it will heal in health, physical and mental. Now is the time to go green!

Journal Entry #2

    In the film The Great Debaters, the educational accomplishments of Dr. James L. Farmer, Sr. are contrasted with the racist realities of 1935. The 1930’s in Jim Crow’s South was a time of hatred, injustice, and extreme division between African Americans and Anglo-Saxons (blacks and whites). Dr. Farmer is a character that I have seen/read about one too many times in black history/ literature. The black man who in the midst of many others who could not afford it, acquired an education, credentials, a steady life and family. Dr. Farmer was a PhD graduate from Boston University, a father, and a man of God. Just like I have heard his story many times, I have also heard/read about the racist realities in the 1930’s, and the dehumanization that it entailed. It’s so unfortunate that I am familiar with the scene: a deserving/educated person treated like trash because of his skin color. Unfortunate, however the harsh reality of the Jim Crow era – where the sole thing that mattered was skin color.

            In the film, there’s a scene where Dr. Farmer mistakenly hits a pig with his car. He doesn’t see it, and the pig belongs to a white man. Dr. Farmer, with his family in the car attempts to apologize and the white men demand for him to “pay up”. When he offers what he has, a lesser amount, the white men pull out a gun. Dr. Farmer is forced to give the men his only check, all the while being taunted and insulted. This is the scene I have seen many times. Minorities, educated minorities, subjugated to verbal abuse from people who think they are better based on skin color. And yes, subjugated, because backtalk from a Black person would be liable for death in this era. If the man wanted to make it back to his family, he had to endure whatever embarrassment and humiliation he was subject to. That was just the reality of it. Although to his family he was the voice that shook the room, a leader, and strong man – racist realities stripped him of all his valid accomplishments and just saw his skin. This is evident when the white man purposely drops the check and demands Dr. Farmer to pick it up. He ridicules the man in front of his family.

 Otherwise, no one would speak to Dr. James L. Farmer, Sr. like that. In his community, a respected man such as himself would be most likely a figure that most would look too. His education, as black man in Jim Crow’s south, would be considered highly today and especially in his day. I keep putting emphasis on Jim Crow’s south and the Jim Crow era because context is everything, and the social norm there and then, while not at all the social norm today – still has vestiges in our interactions and reserves. So, apart from the scene with the pig, I assume that Dr. Farmer is a beloved member of his community, using his higher education to be a voice for him and his neighbors. His education betters his life. He has an education, and therefore instills education in his children, which creates a cycle and eventually generations of educated black men and women. For example, his values and lessons are passed down to his son, James Farmer, Jr. whom we see emerge as a powerful, intelligent, young man, and who would later go on to actively fight for civil rights alongside Martin Luther King, Jr.. As said early in the movie, “Education is the only way out. The only way out of ignorance”. The affect that education could have on Dr. Farmers life is immeasurable. In the face of racism, education means nothing. Otherwise, education is everything.

I think that because interactions like the pig scene were so common, it’s hard to forget about that treatment and who it came from. It was so common in the 1930’s south for a white person to disrespect, belittle, humiliate a black person. So common in fact, that it was basically a White person’s word over a Blacks’. Refer to the case of Emmett Till, a young black boy horrifically killed for allegedly whistling at a women – who later, years after his murder, admitted she had lied. Or Ossian Sweet, the doctor who was imprisoned for protecting his family from a White mob attacking his home. Cases like this are part of the reason why there is still some discomfort in certain situations/ interactions between educated Blacks and Whites. I definitely think that both races are conscious of the past and the way interactions were, which is why sometimes higher educated blacks may feel insecure or not confident about their credibility or their worth in general! Or why whites may sometimes try extra hard to be race-conscious and “colorblind” (which actually does more harm than good).  It’s common for minorities to not feel qualified even when we are, and I think this is largely in part due to our long histories of being belittled by “superior” races. I think that my generation will be the one to stray far from these biases though, as my generation is braver, bolder, and more confident than any generation before us. Vestiges of the racist realities of the 1930’s remain in 2020. However, Blacks have come a long way and will continue to go further. Education will be the way. Education holds values worth more than skin color.

Journal Entry #1

There are two main mistakes that students need to avoid in order to become successful professionals. The first is waiting until last minute to career plan, and the second is choosing the wrong college in terms of finances. Beginning to prepare for your career as early as freshman year and choosing a college that values education over money are two major actions that students will benefit from as professionals. Unfortunately, most students don’t realize the things they should have done until they are post-graduate and wondering how they are not prepared.   Often, upon undergraduate (and in many cases graduate) graduations, students realize they don’t have the necessary tools to thrive in their dream careers. Because they make these mistakes, students have more trouble finding jobs because of things like lack of professional experience and debt.

            In Late to Launch: The Post-Collegiate Struggle, an article by Julie Halpert, she claims that some students are “not using college effectively” and that many don’t immerse “themselves in experiences throughout their college years that prepare them for the job market.” This is mistake number one that students make, they wait until senior year to prep for the “real world”. Career planning should begin as early as freshman year, and this takes the form of internships, community service, volunteer work, connections with professor, etc. When you plan early you give yourself enough time to explore options and have a resume of professional experience under your belt. As opposed to visiting the career center for the first time a few months before graduation, having relatively no time for any internships, fellowships etc. That’s the main benefit of career planning early, this way you know exactly what you need and how you can achieve it and you actually have the time to do so. Career planning early will make students way better professionals’ post-college.

            Another major mistake that students make is going to colleges that don’t have their best interests at heart. For example, In College Inc., it is reported that many “For- profit” schools run more as a “business” than a place for students. While these schools’ programs and missions may appeal to the student’s needs (such as flexible schedules, online classes etc.) and pose as a promising reality, the name kind of says it all. “For-profit” means that these organizations operate to make a profit. Students, especially older and/or graduate, sometimes eager and chasing a dream, some of whom are parents or work long hours at work, some of who can’t afford to have debt jump at schools that fit their needs jump at this false opportunity. What they don’t know, and are often blindsided by later on, is that schools either don’t have credentials to deliver as promised, or something as such that that there are many hidden fees. Some schools, however, are true to their mission. The University of Phoenix for example, according to College Inc. has proven to be a major success in online classes. Affordable and awarding degrees and certificates as said. It’s important for students, no matter what school, always make sure schools have the best interest of the student at heart. This is more than just visiting web pages and campuses (if any). This includes reaching out to staff and professors, calculating all costs and fees and reviews/ testimonies from graduates etc. If more students have the proper information needed to choose the school that best fits their needs and costs, millions in dollars of debt would be saved. Graduating without/ with a relatively small amount of debt is better than the 50k+ debt that most students graduate with in the United States (College Inc.) This will make for better professionals because as Dr. Kefalas in her New York Times article says debt is responsible for a thing known as “post-graduate depression”. While it is already for difficult for students to find jobs because of not career planning early, it doesn’t help that they are drowning in debt of student loans or money owed directly to their schools. It’s a burden over college student’s shoulders and I feel that it is a main cause of students not being successful professionals. How can they be expected to be flourish when they are being held back because of financial troubles? Financial circumstances should never be able to hinder education, but that’s just my opinion. 

While both these mistakes go hand in hand, simultaneously preventing students from being successful professionals, they can be avoided. Avoiding these mistakes begins with early planning and finding the best school for you. When you have the right experiences and a school that truly supports your needs, you will be fostered into a professional ready to tackle the workforce.

Reflection on Informative Report

           My topic was pretty straightforward and simple, regarding the specific roles of juvenile forensic psychologists. It was my first time writing an Informative report, but it felt similar to papers I’ve written in history, like in terms of focusing on the facts -- it was similar to a research paper, (without the hypothesis aspect)  . I’m not sure why, but I struggled with feeling like I was sounding biased – it got kind of hard for me to differentiate between what was opinion and what was fact. For example a sentence like “Forensic psychologists are essential in the courtroom” – I feel like that’s a fact but a big part of it was me second- guessing that "someone can disagree". Overall I enjoyed the research part, but I had trouble making sure it was strictly informative.

Informative Report

Shaping a Better Tomorrow: Juvenile Forensic Psychology

If you’ve ever watched Criminal Minds, you might think forensic psychologists, or “profilers” as they are commonly called in the show, are responsible for assessing criminal behavior, making a “profile” of sorts, and then physically going out to catch the perpetrator. While this is not exactly what forensic psychologists do in real life, the work they do in terms in behavior analysis is similar. Forensic psychology, as per a google search, is defined as the application of psychological knowledge and methods to legal scenarios. Many sources sometimes refer to forensic psychology as “legal psychology” or “law and psychology”, which is not entirely wrong because forensic psychology is a broad study of the interactions of people (“criminals”) with/and the law. In other words, it is a field that combines the practice and study

Figure 1 (Above) depicts an overview of A Day in the Life of a
Forensic Psychologist

of psychology and the law. The main reason there isn’t a clear cut definition, according to author Marina Tolou-Shams in her article The role of the forensic psychologist in child mental health, is because one, forensic psychologists often find themselves adopting many roles (e.g., evaluator versus treater) and two, the differing legal contexts within which they may find themselves working may vary (e.g., within prisons v. private practices). Forensic psychologists can be found working in a number of places, including but not limited to: colleges/universities, prisons/jails, rehabilitation centers, police departments, law firms, private practices, government agencies, and sometimes even directly with attorneys, defendants, offenders, victims, pupils, families, patients, etc., within the state's corrections or rehabilitation centers. In general, forensic psychologists are responsible for conducting screenings and assessments of prisoners/criminals/accused, investigating psychological disorders among civil and criminal defendants, and examining the mental state of criminals to determine whether or not they are capable of standing trial. However, these roles and responsibilities will differ slightly in juvenile cases because of the different goals of the Criminal Justice System and The Juvenile Justice Systems.

            When talking about the roles and responsibilities of juvenile forensic psychologists, first it is important to understand the major differences in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) vs the Juvenile Justice System. A major differences between the two systems is the terminology in itself. Whereas in the CJS a criminal commits a crime, in juvenile justice, the juvenile delinquent commits a delinquent act. A simple change in terminology makes all the difference, since, leading to the next major difference, the juvenile justice system’s main goal is to rehabilitate the delinquent. According to Tolou-Shams in her research, unlike the CJS, the Juvenile Justice system does not seek to punish but rather to rehabilitate those in question.  This way, rehabilitation and the Juvenile Justice system works to deter/prevent delinquents from becoming adult criminals in the future. This creates a sort of empathetic and lenient environment as opposed to the brutality of the CJS.  These differences help understand why forensic psychologists have to adopt various roles and responsibilities, especially when working with juveniles within the juvenile justice system. In the Juvenile Justice System, forensic psychologists have roles/ responsibilities both inside and outside of the courtroom.

           

Figure 2 (Above) shows the harsh reality and comparison of the
amount of juveniles who have a disorder vs. how many of these
juveniles are not given proper treatment. 

The role of juvenile forensic psychologists in the courtroom is pretty clear: to assist judges (and/or lawyers) in making decisions about juveniles involved in the juvenile justice system. Their work provides courts with information about the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive functioning of a minor as it pertains to the delinquent act committed. Most commonly, forensic psychologists are asked to determine whether or not a juvenile should be tried as an adult in court, if they have a psychiatric/psychological diagnosis and/or should they be on medication, and their opinions on their future risk to society. In some cases, they are asked to be an expert witness. Figure 2 ( upper left) shows the urgent need for forensic psychologists in the juvenile justice system. Juvenile forensic psychologists are especially responsible for detecting and determining mental health problems in juveniles. Forensic psychologists can work with cases and individuals for long durations of time but could also be on a case for one day simply to do evaluations. It’s important, says Shams (2010) that juvenile forensic psychologists conducting court-ordered evaluations are not empathetic. The role of the psychologist is to take an objective, neutral stance. They are trained to be aware of and abide by certain and various legal statues, as their evaluations are presented under oath. As evident, juvenile forensic psychologists have many roles and responsibilities in court – they are the experts that judges (and others) look to when concerning the juvenile and their behavior. While in the courtroom they take a neutral stance, in many instances juvenile forensic psychologists are allowed to form more understanding relationships with juveniles and families.

            Outside the courtroom, while still court-appointed, juvenile forensic psychologists conduct and make reports of different aspects of juveniles in many different settings. Some of these include performing evaluations on juveniles who have committed delinquent acts/ have a “ troubled” history, experienced child trauma or problems at home, pediatric health and growth assessments, long-term evaluation and treatments, and last but not least expressive therapies with said juveniles and families. While this may be more personal than court evaluations, authors Birgden, A. and Perlin, L state in their 2009 article Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison that it is important to know that when sessions are court-appointed and are still reported back to the judge, the sense of neutrality remains, even though the settings changes. But, However, while remaining neutral, juvenile forensic psychologists adopt more understanding, empathetic roles when in cases outside the court room. An example of this would be in family cases, where sometimes bonds are formed between parent/child and the forensic psychologists, especially ones they work with for longer periods of time. It may be more difficult once sentiments are involved, but juvenile forensic psychologists must always remember to keep the best interest of the child in mind. Similarly, in therapeutic services and mental health facilities etc., juvenile forensic psychologists have special roles to their clients. Some of these roles/duties include providing proper treatment and/or medication to the clients they are concerned with when they require it. Also, they are to be trusting and a “safe” space of sorts to the minors, so long as emotions aren’t getting in the way of their court ordered obligations as well. Furthermore, juvenile forensic psychologists can be found working in a number of spaces outsides of the court room such as child protective services, schools, and rehabilitation and detention centers. Their roles reflect the goals of the juvenile justice system as well — to provide services that serve to mold youth into functioning individuals and members of society. Whether inside or outside of the courtroom, whether feelings are completely detached or feelings are involved, regardless of the different duties specific to each role, that is the one goal that remains the same for all juvenile forensic psychologists. That goal is to rehabilitate, and thereby “shape a better tomorrow” (Tolou, 2010).

            As evident, juvenile forensic psychologists have and take on many roles and responsibilities. Unlike general clinical psychologists, juvenile forensic psychologists owe duties to the courts. And unlike general legal psychologists, juvenile forensic psychologists owe duties to their clients. Most importantly, unlike general forensic psychology, juvenile forensic psychology centers around the mission of rehabilitation and intervention. This may be why juvenile forensic psychologists have to adapt so many different roles and responsibilities, as well as both inside and outside the courtroom. With juveniles, intervention and rehabilitation are more likely to succeed, which is why juvenile forensic psychologists have such complex roles, differing from other types of forensic psychologists. Because they “shape better tomorrows” (Tolou),  juvenile forensic psychologists have responsibilities and roles both inside and outside of the courtroom.