Since I was little, I haven't given much thought to my future career or what I wanted to do when I grew up. Many would ask me, but the answer never came. What I did know is that I liked watching cop shows and would be very excited to see police officers in their uniforms. Everywhere I saw them I would ask for a photo, but I would become too shy. So criminal justice has interested me ever since, although I didn't think much about it until the last few years. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay My childhood wasn't that bad, but I never thought I was good enough to do anything. I had really good grades but then everything took a different direction during high school after I got pregnant. I gave up on any goals and dreams I had of going to school and becoming something important. I didn't think I would ever graduate from high school and go to college on my own. My daughters' grandmother kept insisting that I finish my high school diploma, so I finally did. There were still no plans or desire to pursue further education. I got married to my daughters' father and have since become a stay-at-home mom for a couple of years. When we went our separate ways after about 5 years, I moved back in with my parents and was more lost than ever. Work was then my only pastime and of course I added to this bad friends, who I was blind to see how toxic they were for me, regardless of how much my parents and real friends told me they were. Bad friends change your life for the worse as in my case. I started taking drugs and seeing myself going into a very deep black hole that I thought I would never get out of. It was after a year that I finally decided it was time for a change. Since I wasn't interested in anything in my life anymore, I knew I was behaving really badly. I got sober and talked to my mom about going back to school and making better decisions because the ones I was making would one day end up throwing me into a grave. I chose criminal justice because I knew it would completely change my life. Instead of ending up on the streets, I could be someone's guide so they don't fall into that deep, black hole I once was in. I am currently interested in becoming a probation officer so I can help people in their lives. I know what it's like to not care about life and give up everything you once imagined for yourself. People who are in and out of prison don't always have someone to talk to or look up to, so that's where I'll step in. I want my parolees to feel like someone cares about them and they don't. They don't need to keep doing negative things in their life. By helping people, I feel like it also helps me feel like I'm finally worth something and that I can show everyone what I'm capable of. Instead of always feeling sad and depressed, I would feel the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment in achieving my goals. I will no longer need to think that I will never be as good as everyone around me. I will rise up and inspire others too. By doing something in the criminal justice field, I can show my daughters that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. It will definitely be a challenge, but if they see me, then there is a better chance that in the future they will want to be like me and not like the old me who didn't care about anything. If my daughters saw me in any kind of uniform, I think they would definitely brag to their mom. Be a role model for my children