Reflection

Capstone has Been Such an Informative and Amazing Project Because I Learned A Lot about Both Juveniles and Adults. Since the first day where I met with a juvenile probation officer I knew that I wanted to do something that have to do with juveniles because of the way that she spoke to me about her job and the role she plays in that child's life. She really inspired me to want to do the same because just like her she's the one person that has faith in them and believes they will make it. The only sad reality about being a probation officer for either juveniles or adults is seeing that not everyone gets the message of wanting to change their life around But by no means does that mean we shouldn't make the effort to try and help them get back on track try to make them go the right way.

When I got the chance to go to them Maguire County Jail in Redwood City it was eye-opening because it's unfortunate to see grown men trapped in the system and are awaiting to be sentenced, possibly to life. These men will be leaving behind daughters sons mothers fathers family members all because they never thought about the consequences to their action. They were never really informed about the consequences that their actions would have. I believe that if they were given the opportunity like the program, Alternative to Expulsion, they might not have been trapped in the system. Although they were never given the opportunity to go through a program such as the one my mentor runs. It's really difficult to say that if they were given that chance they would change their life's around because having the ability to make smarter decisions really comes with age. Lisa Federiksen, a speaker that comes to the program, help me understand that the development of an adolescence brain isn't complete until they are 21 years old. All the speakers that are a part of Choices at the Maguire County Jail in Redwood City entered as juveniles and eventually their actions escalated to where they are now part of the adult system. Although juveniles and adult have age differences the fact that is the same is that they are still developing that ability to process their actions to know that what they are doing has a consequence. That development is interrupted when juveniles are inside juvenile halls or county jails ; it'll take longer for that part in their brain's to develop because they're in a controlled environment and are around people that might have got them there in the first place. We are taking the chance of having them around people that don't want to rehabilitate themselves; people that are at a point where they do not care.

Many times people do not stop and think about the stage that their brain is and think that they should know better but in reality they really can't they're not capable of doing it because in their brain there's so much gray matter like something that blurs their ability to see things differently than what is around them. A lot of teenagers nowadays are easily influenced, they are not the person to blame.

If our society desires to have children that are active in the community that aren't in gangs, that aren't doing drugs or not drinking alcohol we should take it upon ourselves to provide that information to inform and educate our our youth on their consequences and how harmful they can call themselves. When I met up with the attorney she told me that 40% of all programs were cut in the County of San Mateo cutting the funds for programs is like cutting the chance to have a youth that will prosper and will lead our country in becoming a prosperous educated and overall better country.  More and more we are seeing young kids get involved in games being violent and as a community we aren't doing much to stop that we are letting our young ones Louisdale lives not only physically but emotionally we're losing them to a system in which they do not care for our children. Having juveniles adolescents kids be in juvenile hall is stripping them from their chance to get an education to actually pursue a career many times but dolts other elders people that are in charge of the school board complain about the use because it but yet they don't take the time to understand the reasons Behind their actions. Going back to the program alternative two expulsion I believe is a great start to want to put focus on our youth and want to have something better than we have today. Having gone through that program twice I've noticed different things every single time and have learned new things every single time. This past program I was astonished shocked to see that the group of kids is getting younger there were 12-year-olds in involved with wanting to sell marijuana now I asked myself we see that the age of these kids is getting lower Is frightening to me to see that young children are getting involved in things the shit and I know that the responsibility shouldn't fall upon the government nor the county or the teachers it goes back to the home environment yet so I understand that but something that that we need to understand is that if we do not invest nor put in for in having something they can a place they can go to Where it's a little something better than what they are around having more places they can go after school where they can participate in sports get taught computer lessons it seems like it may cost a lot a lot of money that we don't have but if as a community we come together and write restore our used I believe that we can do it. Even though we have lost adults that are in County in prison if you look at the numbers we still have to work to restoring peoples education educating them and letting that informing them about their consequences being able to have programs even for adults because if they were given it as children or as juveniles there should be at least programs for them as adults we don't want to see. Our entire generations going down the drain it is frightening thought and this project really highlighted the importance of community the importance of unity in a community and family because those are two factors that are vital to the survival of this generation.