The Organization 's Structure, Mission Purpose, And Role / Function Within The Cj System

Attentively, I watched a television from a large wooden table, crammed into a small interview room. As the young child on the screen painfully disclosed years of horrific abuse and neglect to a forensic interviewer, I observed in silence. Surrounded by a multi-disciplinary team of police officers, Department of Child Services case managers, advocates and prosecutors, I knew my purpose. I wanted to be a voice for those who were unable to speak and advocate for themselves. My internship with the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office, Special Victims and Family Violence Unit, allowed me the opportunity to explore my interest in the legal system and helped kindle my passion for child welfare.

For this experience, I have visited Wynona’s House Child Advocacy Center, often referred to as Wynona’s House. This was the perfect opportunity to go to such an agency because April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. During my visit, I interviewed two women that worked at this agency: Ashley Pires, and briefly, Karen J. Zambrano. Ashley Pires is the Family Advocate and Karen Zambrano is Wynona House’s Forensic Interview Specialist.

This position will provide me with the skills I need to better assist individuals, while I learn the fundamental skills that I will use in my career. In Diversity Studies, I have learned how systemic barriers have outcasted marginalized groups, specifically youth of color. I have learned how to critically think about the individual and ways to help promote their wellbeing, rather than being quick to judge their situation. These skills are crucial when working with individuals that have past convictions because it is important not to label the individual, but look at them as individuals who have the potential to overcome their circumstances. That is why I will be a vital team member of the Juvenile Division Department team.

Since volunteering I have meet some admirable, nurturing, and complexed group of people who have devoted their careers to helping families in crucial situations. These group of inspiring people have influenced me in so many ways- especially everyone at the Juvenile Detention Center. When I look around in a room at a meeting for a case, I am absolutely amazed by the number of people that really want to actually help these children get back home or find a safe place to live and improve every aspect of that child’s family life. And we did even know these people but we are all here for the same coming good no one is against

While undertaking an internship at a domestic violence clinic, I conducted an intake with a young woman who eventually returned to her abusive partner. Several months later, I was informed she had died at the hands of her abuser. While the vast majority of our experiences will involve successfully helping people overcome obstacles, there will be instances where despite our best efforts, human tragedy unfolds and people succumb to life’s challenges. In my opinion, this is one of the more difficult aspects of social work, but many people who enter the profession, including myself, trust the rewards will balance the tragedy.

Today I begin documentation of my journey to be come a lawyer who specializing in protecting families from the corruption which has taken hold of the very agencies created to protect children and the families who love them. Approximately four (4) years ago, a close female friend of mine was the victim of domestic violence, which not only targeted her but also her daughter and the child’s maternal grandmother. The only way that I knew to help was to open my home to all three of these women and arrange for them to be picked up by another taxi driver as I would not make it back to the bus station in time to meet them myself. This one act began a chain of events that would open my world and my awareness to corruption

Domestic violence and sexual assault is the social issue of focus for Advocates, however, it is a major social issue that needs to be addressed. This is a social issue that social workers are involved in, therefore, it is very applicable to social work. Not only are social workers involved, but others in the community are involved as well. Advocates involves the community by allowing for volunteer opportunities. Those who are not interested in social work, but want to make a difference for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault can do just

My field placement will be at Child protective services in El Paso TX. My Target population for my field placement will be Children who have been maltreated, neglected and abused. Child abuse prevention has grown exponentially in El Paso over the past 31 years. In El Paso alone the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services investigated 4,979 reports of alleged child abuse in 2014 in El Paso County. They confirmed that 1,339 children were indeed victims of abuse; 379 confirmed cases of Physical abuse, 166 confirmed cases of sexual abuse, 56 cases of emotional abuse and 70 cases of medical neglect (Lee & Beulah Moor,2016) A troubling trend has emerged regarding the prevention of child maltreatment in the state of Texas. A tragic loophole contributing to continued abuse and in many cases child fatalities, continues to be exploited to the detriment of one of our most vulnerable populations. From 2009 to 2014, there were 800 child fatalities reported as abuse and neglect deaths by Child Protective Services in all of Texas (Ball, 2015). An analysis of these cases by an independent research group found gross errors by CPS and other agencies during ongoing abuse cases enabled the abuse or neglect to continue, inevitably leading to death. Although the percentage of child fatalities is just a tiny fraction of the exorbitant

My internship took place at an agency called the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office: Victim Assistance Program. There are 11 Victim Assistance Program Offices located throughout the City of Los Angeles and I happen to be doing my internship at the central office # 16 in 201 N. Los Angeles Street, Room 301B. The goal of the program is to provide states mandated services to victims and witnesses of all types of crimes. These types of crime may include robbery/assault, sexual assault, hate crimes, child and elder abuse, domestic violence, drunk driving, and surviving family members of homicide victims. In addition, the program provides services to victims of crime in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Los Angeles. Furthermore,

I completed my service project working alongside Dawn McKee from the Centre County Women’s Resource Center. She, along with the director of the Children’s Advocacy Center, director of the Youth Service Bureau, a representative from Children and Youth Services, and a representative from YMCA of Centre County came together to organize an event for sexual assault and child abuse. They coordinated an event on the courthouse steps in Bellefonte where they recognized members in the community who were dedicated to preventing and spreading awareness of sexual assault and child abuse.

Collaboration between programs and advocates can help ensure that victims are aware of all of the options that are available to them. For example, in the area around Fresno State, Marjaree Mason Center, a shelter for abused women, refers women to the Living Room, a center where community members can get tested for HIV/AIDS, and vise versa. With these two programs working together, victims can get the help that they need. Inclusion policy can also provide a way for organizations to work together for the interest of others as they work together with a set of shared understanding (Muscat, 2015). Many victims are not aware of the vast resources available to them. It is essential that programs, organizations, and other institutions exist to inform victims of the rights that they have so that they can overcome their struggles. In another example, the Coalition of Victim Attorneys and Consultants helps victims that want to pursue civil lawsuits (Muscat, 2015). This nationwide service can help victims find quality attorneys so that they can get the best settlement offer possible. Compensation can lift a large burden off of victim’s financial struggle to

For this experience, I have visited Wynona’s House Child Advocacy Center, often referred to as Wynona’s House. This was the perfect opportunity to go to such an agency because April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. During my visit, I interviewed two women that worked at this agency: Ashley Pires, and briefly, Karen J. Zambrano. Ashley Pires is the Family Advocate and Karen Zambrano is Wynona House’s Forensic Interview Specialist.

In community justice several approaches have been made in order to help members of the community and the justice systems develop a critical understanding of some of the variation in community justice activity. Some of these strategies imposed are the involvement model; the partnership model; the mobilization model and the intermediary model.

The Human Services Organization I analyzed is New Beginnings. New Beginnings is an agency that provides sexual assault support services in Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union, and Webster counties. The clients of this organization have all been affected by sexual assault or child sexual abuse. Issues within clients are best described as acute trauma responses or chronic trauma, such as sexual difficulties or loss of trust. In order to analyze this agency as efficiently as possible, I interviewed Terri Crowe, the Advocacy Coordinator, from New Beginnings. Terri was able to provide very useful information regarding this organization and how it ticks. Although New Beginnings provides services to seven different counties, there are

(Radalet and Carter, 1994). The goal is to strength relations between the community and law