2012 recipient of the Audrey J. Harris Summer Internship Award
Interned at the Rock County Drug Court – Community RECAP program
Goal: I am pursuing a degree in Social Work with a certificate in Criminal Justice.
Working with the Community RECAP program has enabled me to understand better the need for jail diversion programs. There are some people that have drug dependency issues and need help. Going to jail and not dealing with their addiction just prolongs the problem. Once released, many reoffend and the cycle repeats itself.
A typical week for me includes screening potential clients, completing assessments, case management, doing court reports, being involved with the treatment in AODA, Anger Management, and Cognitive Thinking classes. I am conducting breathalyzer and urinalyses tests. Court meets every week where representatives from the DA’s office, Public Defender’s office, Corrections, the Judge, case managers, and the offenders meet to discuss their individual treatment plans. I have witnessed the positive changes in people, and regrettably, I have seen how some people have struggled. Some have graduated, but there have been those who have been sanctioned, and there have been a few who have been terminated from the program. No two cases are alike, and I have come to better understand how everyone in the system wins when a person is able to turn their life around.
Being awarded the Audrey J Harris award has helped me take advantage of this opportunity and I am so very thankful! I have learned so much from the clients, the case managers, and the representatives of these different agencies. This has helped me understand how the criminal justice system works and how much work goes into helping these individuals.