Journal: Ideals

The judicial system is large, complex, slow to change, influenced by politics, and daunting. You may have direct experience with the systemic issues and problems inherent in the system. By virtue of enrolling in a criminal justice degree, you have learned about the issues confronting criminal justice professionals in this field—contemporary research and learning in the discipline are focused on improving systems to balance safety and rights for all citizens. Given that the system is slow to change, expecting immediate results may foster more frustration than inspiration. In this Journal, you reflect on how you maintain the ideals that prompted you to pursue a criminal justice degree.

By Day 7

Write a 300-word journal response to the following prompts:

• Consider the ideals inherent in the positions of defense, prosecution, or judge.
• Within these roles, how would you maintain a sense of idealism or purpose in the face of systemic social and institutional problems?