So, everytime I tell my coworkers I'm in college they ask me "whats you major?" I reply what is, sociology. Many of them ask what is sociology and I tell them what it is and what exactly I'm studying, which is sociology with a law and society option and a concentration of criminology.
Well for some reason they don't seem pleased with my answer. Many people's response has been, that doesn't seem to make money. Or why even study that? Another response I get, well why not just study criminal justice, isn't that what your interested in?
Well NO! I'm not interested in definitions, penal codes, and laws that have been passed by people in power. I do not care about incarcerating people because they are caught with a certain amount of Marijua. I'm concerned about why people resort to crimes. Why underlying factors were involved for someone to commit robberies, assaults, or homicides.
I'm a pro-law enforcement, and even consider becoming a police offircer for Los Angeles. However, I want to be able to help my community not just by incarcerating the "bad guy." Instead I want to understand what social factors were in play for this person to participate in deviance. Because I believe that by knowing that I can help deter youth from juvenile delinquency.
I understand what you mean. I get the same reaction all the time. It is difficult for people to understand that not everyone's goal in life is to get a six or seven digit dollar paying job. To me, money is not an issue when it comes to chosing a career. Don't get me wrong. I grew up in South LA in a very low income family of six. Money was always an issue in our family. But I do not want to end up in a job where I make a lot of money in a cubicle office where I'm just counting time eager for the day to be over and get the hell out. I don't want to be rich and unhappy, but comfortable and happy.
ReplyDeletePeople not always understand that some of us want to help people and understand society other than make money at a boring job.
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ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more, the same mentality is what made me change my major from Computer Science to Sociology. I just couldn't see my self in a cubicle with no human interaction all day, and not making a difference for the better. So I decided to become a counselor and help children in middle school before they get out of control and drop out of high school. And trust me sitting in a cubicle typing programs would have made me a whole lot more money ($90,000+ to start) than being a counselor ($38,000 starting salary). But changing my community for the better would be more rewarding.
ReplyDeleteBy deciding to go into law enforcement, you are getting paid for defining 'criminal' everyday. Is it that it pays well? It's unfortunate that after studying Sociology, people will stil fear you beacuse the law is not for the people. It maintains the positions in power and inequality. If you want to "rehabilitate" people for committing a crime, perhaps you should educate within the walls of prisons, instead of physical force.(Educate them so that they don't come back, or cage them to "rethinking their life")My suggestion to you is to remember why you fell in love with Sociology. To understand society should be in the purpose of changing it, even the way we "rehabilitate" our "criminals".
ReplyDeleterev0lutiontherapy, I respect your point. However, law enforcement is one of my options not my only one. It's not about the pay because it pays well if you work in Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, New Port, and all those places.
ReplyDeleteI come from a law enforcement background, family, friends, loved ones, and I see my uncle a 20yr old veteran patrolling in south LA really being proactive with the community and that's what admire about law enforcement. People like him who put their lives on the line to protect those that are defenseless. I'm from south LA, and everyday there are violent crimes happening.
Furthermore, I do believe that the department (LAPD) needs people that truly care about the community and wants to make a change for the youth growing up in gang & crime infested neighborhoods. LAPD has various resources to help young people but it needs more. And maybe this is a naive mentality but i know that if more sociologist, or just people that cared, would join the department there could be a change that's more effective in reducing crime by stopping it before it begins.
BUT this doesn't mean that i don't believe in bringing justice to the family who has lost someone or is suffering from a violent crime. Closure is needed for those families.
I know why i love sociology but i also know why i love law enforcement. And while those two might seem to contradict, they don't. Policing can be for the people if there are those like me and you that care enough to make that change.
By the way if it wasn't for the LAPD, there would be many things i could have never accomplished. Like being here today, having a firm over my shoulder. When i was in high school, the department served as a motivation to further my studies. I was also awarded a scholarship to pay for my first semester in Jr. College. Up to this point the department is still helping me pay for school. It has served as one of the biggest tool to keep going and that even though i come from a low income immigrant family the sky is the limit. As long as i keep trying.
I get that when i state my major as well. I always wondered why my neighborhood (South L.A) was the way it was. I have seen pictures of years and years ago, yet i always wondered, how was it possible that this beautiful land and city became so ugly so fast?
ReplyDeleteI like the concepts of sociology and that it provides a way to help people, but sometimes I also think its a bunch of BS. It's all just theory and not fact (at least for the most part). But i do know that it does provide compassion and understanding. I can't picture myself working in a cubicle every day, without at least knowing that I'm trying to make a differenve in this world. Isn't that why were here in the first place?