First, I want to thank all of the mentors for attending the Vera Mentor Coffee. Everyone had great things to say about their interns and the work being done at their respective agencies. Now I would like to express my thoughts after our discussion today.
In this day and age many things are not left to certainty. We live in a time when the economy is still fragile, jobs are still few and help is not always around the corner. Yet it gives me hope to see an institution like Vera and her spin off agencies doing their part to aid those who are less fortunate, people that share more similarities than differences from you and me. People like the veterans, musicians and college graduates who never got their break, and ended up on the streets; but after the creation of such an agency as H.S.I. (Housing Services Incorporated) these people are now living in their own apartment. Often we acknowledge and give publicity to the negatives in life and forget to show or talk about the positives in society.
I think back to where I was just a year ago. Rarely, if ever did I come in contact with someone who was poverty stricken, or living on the streets. I was not aware of a society which there was such a visible gap between poor and rich. I could not understand why some could get a helping hand while others were left to beg. Now the answers are coming clearer to why this happens, but the answer I long for is how to change this pattern.
This is my first internship and first class structured in such an unusual way. I am use to learning in an environment where there is one teacher and thirty students, where there is a test every other week and a final paper at the end of the year. The classes I usually attend are a mixture of A to D students with most falling in between. It was a little unsettling to be in a class in which you are surrounded by A or A+ students, and instead of a test each week for two hours there is a discussion. You intern at an agency which deals with a major social problem. You have a blue collar background and migrated from the “boondocks” in upstate New York. You were living in a community that was predominately composed of your same ethnic, cultural, and social background and now live a community that mainly speaks Spanish, and is composed of people from different ethnic, cultural, and social backgrounds. I was shell-shocked to say the least. In the class and at the internship, I had to deal with preconceived notions I had, identifying with a population that seemed to have different background than mine, and recognize factors and possible solutions to social problems.
I was wondering if any of the fellow Verons relate to my experiences, and if you too have had a dilemma while facing these questions. I also want to know if you would share any other questions or experiences you have faced while interning or attending the seminar. I wanted to also express my support for Christina’s idea about interconnecting the agencies to work together and provide services to clients who will benefit from multiple agencies. Did any of the other Verons wish to express any ideas to better aid their agency’s clients?
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38 comments:
Joseph,
Thank you for your thoughtful post.
I agree that we do tend to focus on the negativity and uncertainty. We all want so much to fix this and mend that and heal the other that we zoom in on the weak areas in an attempt to see where we can create a positive change--this is how I look at the experience of Vera, in the larger context of things.
I also feel the same, that there are things that are coming to light for me. Quite a few of my misconceptions about society and its systems have been shattered, and new conceptions are replacing the old and tested ones. I also long to change some of the patterns that I see emerging (these patterns existed before I realized, but not that I realize the undercurrent that is there, I truly want to be of some help in some way or other).
I think that Christina's idea for more integration between the organizations is a great idea!! Now we all need to find creative and effective ways to bring it to fruition. The ideas that were proposed today about the Vera Fellow swapping/shadowing, as well as the idea to update the website, sounds promising.
I would love to hear what the other Fellows think about the ideas that were proposed today!
First Joseph, I want applaud you in your presentation today; even though you forgot to mention your goal of world peace, you did a good job speaking.
As for your post, it is interesting that you titled it “Focusing on the Positive”, for a few reasons. To begin, we are constantly surrounded by negativity. Negativity is found in everything from everyday conversations to the news. Negativity seems to play a larger role in our lives than it should. When considering those who are in the midst of reentry, their obstacles, negative characteristics, or negative recreational activities are focused on. An earlier article we read, Coming Home: Building on Family Connections, brings a breath of fresh air in La Bodega’s approach; “Instead of holding peoples’ weaknesses paramount, by focusing on issues such as substance abuse, criminal behavior, or child abuse, the strong points are recognized and emphasized.”
Vera and its’ spinoffs not only assist those who the system have left behind, but they also stress positivity. Like you, my first internships and experiences are bringing light to the fact that this world is not perfect and there is much to be fixed. Without my move to NYC, I might not have been able to see things like the “visible gap between poor and rich”. With all of the holes that are in the system, Vera and its’ spinoffs bring hope.
As I stated in previous posts, I have a difficult time empathizing with homeless individuals, however when I heard that there are 40,000 homeless people in NYC, I could not help but have to push my jaw closed. Clearly there is something wrong.
In some senses I feel as though I can relate to you. I too am not from the city, my mother would consider me a “country mouse”, and I experienced that culture shock that you too experienced. Many people who live in the small town that I grew up in, in Rhode Island, could never imagine moving to New York City, never mind moving to NYC not knowing a soul, or how to navigate the city. And yet, moving to NYC was the best decision I have ever made. The day that I arrived I was a blubbering mess, but I would not be who I am today without my move to NYC.
Finally, I would say that I feel extremly blessed to be able to meet with such like minded people, who at the same time hold such different values, ideas, and passions.
I also want to add that, up until my experience with Esperanza, I had faith in the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, I no longer hold this same feeling. I think that this is the biggest thing that has come to light for me. Through discovering this, I have also been able to better understand where my career should be. That place would be along the lines of picking up the pieces, serving justice where I can, and/or reforming policies.
Jamie and Katie thank you both for your comments on the blog and sharing your thoughts.
Jamie, I was wondering if you could specify which patterns you see emerging and which misconceptions you had before starting Vera. I forgot to add the ideas about Vera Fellow swapping/ shadowing and updating the website but I’m glad you remembered.
Katie, what in particular made you lose faith in the criminal justice system? I was also wondering if you or anyone else in class could answer these questions. Why does the news and media tend to show negative events rather than positive events? When we hear these negative events does this create a barrier between the infamous “us and them” (not the Pink Floyd song)?
Joseph,
You ask a good question. The biggest misconception that I had was that the criminal justice system cared about truth versus falsity and true innocence versus true guilt. I did Ethnic Studies 125, and although the plight of minorities was touched on in that course, it did not nearly show the whole truth behind the operation of the American Criminal Justice System.
Also, I can't seem to figure out why the criminal justice system operates like a machine instead of like a body of people who seek justice. As, Thomas said, "the judge doesn't care about whether the person standing before him is innocent or guilty." Furthermore, TV shows like Law & Order also do not make this conception about the lack of justice and fairness go away because in each episode, the directors make it appear as though the truth will be uncovered at any expense, under the system.
So, that's where my head is at right now. Regarding the new conceptions that will be replacing the old ones, that is to be continued because I still have some things to think about before I embrace or try to form any new conceptions just yet.
Jamie, brilliantly said, I feel as though we are very much so on the same page. Being in the courtroom with Thomas Giovanni cause me to have the same feelings regarding, "the judge doesn't care about whether the person standing before him is innocent or guilty." How can we have a system that is said to be run under the idea of innocent until proven guilty, and yet the people who walk through the large structure of the downtown Manhattan Criminal Courts are treated like animals? Every person should be entitled to a fair trial, as we promise those who are facing criminal charges. Not only that, but entrapment is illegal in policing, but when an innocent person is in a gridlock, they will take the guilty plea (as Thomas illustrated to us). Once a person is convicted, they are thrown into a cage. I not only have lost faith in the courts, but also in the corrections aspect. How could did we come to name locking people up, and not really helping them corrections? I find nothing in the corrections system to incorporate a corrective process. If anything it worsens an already bad situation.
While trying to fall asleep, I was woken up by my thoughts. The thoughts were too many to count and too loud to ignore. Jamie and Katie have lost faith in the criminal justice system, my agency can house but a small percent of the 40,000 homeless in New York City, CEO tries to find jobs for people whom society has lost trust in, CASES can recommend alternate sentencing but judges have the final say, Safe Horizon can protect only those who actually know it exists. Why is it that these and many other agencies are needed? What are the causes of these issues that produce a response and the formation of these agencies? The answer that pops into my head is poverty; each agency is linked by this concept. The mentors spoke of this, the professors expressed this and our readings exclaim this idea. While the poor are mistreated, the masses are blind, and the rich benefit. Why is this, why if the majority of the population is middle class or less in their economic standing are the poor mistreated? I do understand that there are gray areas, but if I am incorrect in expressing this theory I wish for someone else to come up with other ideas.
Now for focusing on the positive; if we can identify a cause or causes for the issues our agencies try to amend, does that give hope to those who have lost hope? A doctor must first determine the cause or causes of the illness before proceeding with treatment. Often this involves treating the symptoms before attacking the disease. Once quality of life is restored and the cause of the disease has been identified then the doctor attempts to treat the infection. Could this be the premise of what Vera does, and our agencies work for, giving “quality of life” to the patient? Vera and the spinoffs are the ones who bring attention to the illness, does that leave society to try and cure the disease? If so why hasn’t society fully taken the responsibility for helping the less fortunate? Why are so many people without, and so few have too much?
To focus on the positive in a system with flaws is difficult I agree. However rather than my usual cynicism I actually have a large amount of faith in the system in which I wish to one day be a part of. Granted, this may be due to a hi of bias however I personally hav no lost any amount of faith in the system many have seen from a different angle after the internships at Vera.
Firs to address the innocet until proven guilty dillemma. I understand the concept that our system is built upon and the paradox it may cause: if the defendant is so innocent how in the world did they get to be in front of a judge, accused of a crime and defended by a lawyer? One may say of course the odds are already stacks against them, look at their position: they are standing in the same place that countless guilty people who ended up in jail had begun their journey to conviction an incarceration!
However this is not where "innocent until proven guilty" is fundemental. Our own preconcieved notions of someone's guilt is not what it is meant to prevent; this phrase refers to the fact that the prosecution must prove it's case while the defense attorney must only prove that there may be doubt in what the prosecution is saying. The prosecution must prove guilt, because if not the defendant is guilty.
I am unsure whether the iternship has destroyed any negative out-looks or preconcieved notions that I had however it has enfused me with a more positive outlook that our justice system is much better than I previously thought. We have many organizations entasked with helping out those who face serious trouble and from a civilization and moral prospective this has certainly given me a more positive outlook on our system.
I do understand the fundamental’s of how innocent until proven guilty works. My issue is with this question you pose, “if the defendant is so innocent how in the world did they get to be in front of a judge, accused of a crime and defended by a lawyer?” Although one would believe that if someone is in the said position, then they clearly must have committed the accusations; how could the system be so mistaken as to bring the wrong individual to trial, or to accuse someone of a crime that was never committed? This statement assumes every person who is accused of a criminal crime and sits in front of a judge is guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt. To me there is an issue with this belief. Whether they are guilty or not proven to be guilty, they should be awarded a fair, unbiased trial. It seems that we tend to forget that we are dealing with human beings, their lives.
Alex,
Thank you for the comment. I am surprise that you would have faith in the criminal justice system! It is a welcome shock; just like you I have a faith in the criminal justice system. Yet, I must defend both positions on this matter. Like you, I think the preconceived notions about how the criminal justice system works clouded our thinking. Your right that the burden of proof rests on the prosecution and the defense only has to protect their client’s constitutional rights and shed doubt on the prosecution’s case.
To have the “People of the State of New York versus your name” is an overwhelming thought. I think one of the arguments against the criminal justice system is it is unfair for the poor. I have to say this is true in some ways. The defense is assigned to you, and you have little time to get to know each other or the case. The public defender most likely has many other cases she/ he is working on, and there is little chance a poor person will be let out on bail, because they do not have the means to pay the bail.
This made me think of some questions. Have you seen the issue of poverty affecting justice while working with CJA? Is poverty one of the linking problems between all our agencies? Could this problem be fixed? Do our preconceived notions blind our judgments, especially in the judgment of the criminal justice system or the judgment of people within the criminal justice system?
Katie,
I think you pose an excellent point. We tend to forget we are dealing with human lives. I think the system is not the problem, but the people within the system may be the problem. There are assumptions that every case will be black and white, that the judge will not use her or his emotions or bias while deciding a case, and that the defense attorney will zealously represent his or her client. There are still a million other faults that can be attributed to human error. We forget that these are human beings working within the system, they too are flawed. I’m not trying to excuse the acts or results; to me an innocent person in jail is not excusable. To understand causes for the “failures” may help us to fix the system.
I think the blog’s message has turned into a negative one. I am at fault for that transition. To get us back on course I have a question. What are some solutions to the problems that affect society to need our agencies?
Interesting discussion. I'm happy to help chime in on the positive side of things, Joseph, though I do think your reminding us of the centrality of poverty to the social problems faced by your agencies is so very important. I would just add a nuance to the idea of poverty: it is largely but not limited to money. I had many generations of relatives who had very little money (farmers mostly), but because they found hope, pride, sustenance in their small community and its shared values they did not have the kind of despair or fear that led to making choices that put them on the outside of the law. They did not "feel" poor. I think if we look in impoverished communities even in the city we will find people who have managed to stay "enriched" because they have some other valuable (hope, pride, sustenance). So we have to look, of course, to economics as the inequities in the system are determining and crushing. But in terms of solutions, we also have to address those things that rob people of the intangible wealth of hope, pride and community.
Re. the system: even Thomas said that he thought the system was perfect on paper. This is my view, though I would say that it isn't perfect as is but in its wise capacity to revise itself towards greater equality. My absolute favorite thing about the experiment that is America is its ability to say "my bad." (The clearest example of what I mean is that it was the justice system that prevented women from voting, but also cases within that system that led to greater rights and ultimately the franchise for women. Could say the same thing about Civil Rights and its use of the law to change the law.) What seems wrong about the system, then, is what we have allowed in the practice of it: too heavy case loads, too little support for those things (education, health care, including mental health care, jobs) that might prevent the kinds of deeply-entrenched despair that lead to trouble. The system has the capacity to change and therefore represents the promise of an ever-more just society. That is a positive for me.
https://bbhosted.cuny.edu/courses/1/JOHNJ_CRJ_701_50_201002/content/_3401693_1/Messner%20&%20Rosenfeld%20(2001)%20-%20Chapter%201.pdf?bsession=39392113&bsession_str=session_id=39392113,user_id_pk1=443233,user_id_sos_id_pk2=1,one_time_token=
Professor Stein, I completely agree with your idea that even though a person or group of people may be poor, “[t]hey did not feel poor”. The article that I posted above is an interesting article on the American Dream. The focus of the article is the idea that there is a paradox to the American Dream, there is a focus on material things and monetary gain, and essentially these goals can cause people to turn to crime when they can not achieve them through legitimate means. This last part is beside the point; the point that I am trying to make is that, even though Professor Stein’s family did not always have an unlimited about of material objects or money, they still felt rich. People of live in the Dominican Republic and have near to nothing are happy because they do not take things like family and health for granted.
Katie, first things first: I don’t have any farmer relatives. That was Prof. Reitz. Although, believe it or not, my mother was born in Goosecreek, Texas (her parents were Eastern European Jews who just made the wrong turn out of Ellis Island, I guess!)
As a youngster growing up in New York, I had many close calls with the criminal justice system. Many of my friends ended up in the notorious Spofford juvenile detention center, but I usually was mandated to social services. Looking back, I have often said that I thought race was the single most protective factor in keeping me out of the grasp of correctional institutions; I remember a number of occasions when cops told me to take a walk but went ahead and rounded up my not-so-white friends. And I am convinced that once in the grasp of the criminal justice system, it becomes almost impossible to right yourself.
Although I would call my own background lower middle class rather than poor, I do not think we can ignore the fact that poverty itself has been criminalized over the last three decades. (So has mental illness.) As many of you have observed, poor people are more likely to be surveilled, which means that they are more likely to be arrested (even if they are no more likely to commit certain crimes.) Because the poor have fewer resources it is tougher to defend themselves against charges and, so, they do more time.
There are two Americas and at least two New Yorks. I’m so gratified-but saddened and sobered too-to see you all discover how the other half is living.
In response to your original post, Joseph, I have to thank you for making something clear for me. As a New Yorker, I sometimes forgot that there are communities in which people mostly interact with people 'just like them'. It's odd to me that someone could have lived there entire life without seeing or talking to a homeless person. That gap between poor and rich was something that I saw daily a kid, getting on the subway from my uptown apartment to my downtown middle school. Even between groups of friends I had growing up, there was always a difference in socio-economic standing.
Because I have grown so used to this type of diversity, I never really questioned it. It was just what existed. Some people had more, some people had less, end of story. I think that what I'm enjoying most about this seminar is hearing the opinion of people who did not grow up the way I did. Often times, the things that shock and inspire people who are 'new' to the city, are the same things that I have been conditioned to glaze over. The biggest lesson that I take from these discussions, is some small understanding of how different New York really is from other parts of the country.
I really enjoy seeing how everyone's perceptions of the criminal justice system and society as a whole are transforming with each passing week. This gives me faith that one day change is possible. Hands on experience, a dose of reality, this is what is needed.
Katie, I love that you mention the paradox of the American Dream because this is exactly what I was talking about to a friend of mine today. Our emotions are attacked, we are told that we can feel better by acquiring things, and for those that make them and sell them, life is great! For those that feel it necessary to do whatever it takes to get them, well they are treated as animals. But who are the animals really?
And just to clarify the situation on people of the Dominican Republic, they too are affected by capitalism, media influence, and hopes of acquiring the American Dream. Like most other countries, American television, pop culture, and fashion trends are forced into their way of life. I spent 5 weeks in the Dominican Republic this past summer and I saw nothing but stonewashed skinny jeans, fitted caps with rhinestones, Jordans, and high heels. Although I was taking full advantage of the less modern, more natural, simplicity of life there, all I saw were peoples desperate attempts to make a hit record and become like Omega, become a world class baseball player like Melky Cabrera, or find someone that will take them to America to get married, hence the song "Pa Manga Mi Visa". I felt relieved to escape the hustle and bustle of NYC, and the only thing that everybody there wanted was come to America, the place where you can have anything you want.
continued next entry
Alex, not to seem combative, but I cannot possibly understand how you can still see the criminal justice system as an entity that enforces justice and equal treatment. Between the many articles that we have read, group discussions, and field trips it seems impossible to me that you would not be persuaded to have a different outlook on the United States Criminal Justice System. I learned about something called Belief in a Just World. This is a theory that people have this idea that the world is a place in which we get what we deserve and we deserve what we get. By living a good life, good things should come your way, and if you are sinful you will be punished. To believe otherwise would leave ourselves susceptible to cruel twist of fate, and this causes large amounts of stress. To cope with this stress we turn on the victims, saying that they must deserve what happened to them because to believe that we could have just as easily been a victim is too hard to handle. I find this concept to be a strong motivating factor in the way that privileged people tend to view their less fortunate counterparts.
To even have the notion that for a person to be standing in front of the judge in the first place is already saying something about their guilt is ridiculous. What is to be said for mistaken identity, unreliable witnesses, false evidence, lack of evidence, biased jurors, cops trying to meet a quota, revenge? If we are locking up so many people, why is there still so much crime? Why is it that I was assaulted over 20 times by the same man, have had three cases against him, one he was found not guilty (conditional discharge), and the other two were dropped because of paperwork mishaps? What is to be said about his guilt? Did I deserve those beatings? Is this the criminal justice system you defend so fervently? Can we still use the excuse that not every system is perfect, sometimes people fall through the cracks, or can we say that IT IS working perfectly; large numbers innocent people in prison, isolated, to create the appearance that we are fighting crime, while the perpetrators remain at large to reek more havoc on society. Now cops, lawyers, DA's, PO's, CO's can all keep their jobs. How is that for focusing on the positive?
Sorry guys, I know I always get a little carried away.
Joseph,
Thank you for the entertaining blog! And for Pink Floyd…
I am glad that the visit to the courthouse helped everyone understand the reality of a huge mechanism – the American criminal justice system.
I kept saying it over and over again that I am new to this country. Still, three years of my American life passed, there are moments when I look back and question myself whether I belong here, why I am here 9i never planned to come here), and whether it was a right decision to come all by myself to a foreign country. So, I cannot even describe how weird I usually feel. Every day I discover something that is new and shocking for me. I learned how to adjust to those discoveries.
I loved mentor’s coffee. It was a pleasure to meet the mentors from all the agencies and to compare different ways those agencies work while fighting the common problem – poverty.
I like Prof. Stein’s idea to spend one day interning in a different agency. In this way, we can feel the work set and compare those different approaches.
I keep thinking about the name of the main agency – Vera. Not sure if everyone knows (except Alex), that it means faith in Russian. Faith of their workers in the benefits their efforts could bring might be a reason why all of those agencies are successful.
Katie, even though you lost faith in the criminal justice system, I believe that it could be changed if more people like you become public defenders. Pursue your goal and good luck!
I love this week's blog. Thank you Joseph for your insightful framing of a new set of issues. I'm right with Professor Stein on feeling gratified that your level of awareness of how larger forces shape individual experience. In Professor Stein's words, "I’m so gratified-but saddened and sobered too-to see you all discover how the other half is living." Me too.
I strongly believe that we have to understand all this stuff IF we are ever to make long-lasting, sustainable social and institutional change. These discussions are part and parcel of that, and is what gives ME hope. We need to face what Joseph calls "the negativity" and face up to it before we can feel comfortable that we're on the right course in making change.
There's not much to cheer about structural poverty. It creates social suffering and hardship and so often limits people's options so that individuals don't have the (equal) chance to fulfill their own potential. Understanding and knowing this (and how and why it works that way) does not mean that poor people are not resilient amidst the difficulties they face. Related to this, I hope you guys will check out Matthew’s film “Haitian Hope” that Professor Reitz has posted on the blog (Matthew is my son, a filmmaker who filmed this 9 minute movie in Haiti after being hit by 4 hurricanes in a row in 2009).
In terms of how "the decks are stacked," I keep thinking about the famous quote (Anatole France): "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."
And who has to sleep under the bridge or beg in the streets or steal the bread?
Professor Reitz,
I wanted to thank you for your comment. You know I once heard that a study was performed that prove wealth does not create the sense of happiness, only being the wealthiest person in your social circle actually has an effect. I too think the law can be a “double edged sword.” It can be against justice at one moment and for justice the next moment. I believe it is the times that change the law, not the law that changes the time. For example when the majority of people listen to the marches fighting for suffrage, or civil rights; legislatures tend to want to appease their voters by passing law that will fulfill the wants of voters and keep the legislatures in their offices.
Professor Stein,
Thank you for the comment and for sharing your personal experiences. I was wondering after reading your comment is a system racist or is it the people governing the system which makes the system racist? I was hoping you and the other professors could clarify the questions I posed in other comments.
Lenny,
I always tend to compare “down here” to “up there.” I try not to but my past experiences always bring up this comparison. My elementary school had about ten or twelve people of a different race than the rest of the town. The town lived in considered part of my family to be of another race! Pretty much everyone in the town was of Christian, Western European, and state employed background. Diversity was lacking. Then moving to the city I find almost every culture, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. I can visit places like “Little Italy,” and “Chinatown” and experience opinions and thoughts of people with very different experiences from me. Pericles once said, “All things good on this Earth flow into the City…” I think New York City proved that quote’s truth to me.
Christina,
I’m glad that changing perceptions of the criminal justice system gives you faith in the future of justice. You make a very strong point with your question about people being mistreated; “Who are the animals really?”
I also wanted to bring attention to another point you made. You poke about your personal experiences with the criminal justice system. Honestly I cannot argue against your experiences forming your thoughts about the system. What happened to you were an atrocity and a clear failure of the system to protect and bring justice. Of course you DID NOT deserve those beatings. I think the reason I still defend the system is because I believe that when the right people are in power, then justice will be served. I have faith in people, because my experiences tell me that they change more easily then systems do.
Nadiya,
Thank you for your comment. It feels prophetic that Vera, the name of the mother institute to our agencies means faith.
Professor Waterston,
I think about history when writing these blogs or discussing issues in class. It seems that throughout history, since there have been governments there has always been rich and poor, slaves and masters, criminals and innocents. Does this mean we are battling issues that are because we live in a governed society? Does that mean the social contract forms theses castes in order to keep balance?
Cont.
Does the caste benefit those in “power” by keeping them in “power”? Is that fate of these injustices interwoven with the fate of government?
Joseph: the short answer to your question/s is: No. You can't make global statements about "all of history" and reduce explanations to a single factor or even a few. I am glad you look to history for a deeper understanding of "why" things are the way they are. But looking to history means looking at "histories," appreciating complexity, and understanding the interplay of social dynamics, the social organization of power, social relations of production, distribution and consumption, and more. Here's a book you might find of interest (a history of the past 500 years): "Europe and the People without History" by Eric Wolf (University of California Press).....
Thank you Professor Waterston for responding to my question, I'll definitely check out that book (Hopefully there's a book on tape, I'm not a fan of reading!)
Dear Joseph,
Thank you for your post, it is very interesting and raised a lot of things I want to speak about.
The mentors coffee last Thursday was amazing. Not only did we all hear about each others experience and ideas about bettering the program and or swaping interns, but it made me realize the importance of the agencies (not that I didn't realize this before). Being in that room with everyone was an eye opener, unlike our trip to the Vera Institute I believe the Mentors coffee showed us all how many social problems need help and how we as interns are in the process of trying to help these problems.
On the other hand, unlike all the spin off agencies Vera has, my agency (Job Path) is very unique and different from each agency. Although we help in social problems for those with disabilities, we aren't focusing on individuals who have been arrested nor delinquents, rather, we specialize in creating a second chance for this particular population that has been "rejected by society" to re-integrate through finding them jobs and housing them. Being apart of Job Path showed me that even though Vera specializes in social problems, many aren't aware of the social unfairness/ discrimination that individuals with disabilities face on a daily basis. Therefore, being apart of Job Path helps me understand a sector of society that I am not completely aware of and educates me about the various opportunities we can give to these individuals that will result in them living an individualistic lifestyle.
Additionally, I wanted to add onto Christina's fabulous idea in integrating the spin off agencies. Even though all the agencies left the house (Vera) at different times (as said by Thomas), it doesn't mean that they no longer can't work together and be stranger to each other. Like we have discussed in the mentors coffee, a lot of the various agencies do similar tasks that other agencies do and or other agencies provide certain necessities needed for certain people (rather than sending a teen to jail, send them to CASES and have them get a GRE for example). If anything I believe we should go forward with this idea and integrate the services each agency offers to better Vera as a whole. Working as an individual agency can create success, but imagine agencies working with each other and integrating;now thats a power house.
Once again thank you for your post Joseph, it was a pleasure to read.
I am not sure if you thought that my comment about still believing in the American Criminal Justice System was directed at you, but to clarify, it was not. I know it was your blog, perhaps I should have addressed you first, I apologize. There is just so much to comment on, a limited amount of time and space, and I feel it more necessary to comment on something I oppose, rather than kindly agree. You and I seem to be on the same page, or at least the same book.
Thank you for such a thoughtful post Joseph. Well as before I mentioned my experience of realizing that American allowed some students to fall through the crack by realizing that some people in this country could not read. But more and more my experiences have been indicating that my of the kids at my internship are really smart. I have been having more one on one tutoring time with them and they no longer surprise me with their intellect. They are insightful, open to criticism and willing to learn, some of the skills necessary to succeed and do well in life. The majority of them just need a little direct and some (re)-education about their history and their particular situation. I have been reading with them an excerpt from a text called The Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest in hopes of (re)-teaching them the sorties of the great Columbus and the backward Indians that is still taught in many public schools. Their ability to take the information I give them and come up with their own point of view is what allows me to “Focus on the Positive” despite the somewhat sad circumstances under which these students arrive at CASES.
Chad Out!
Jessica,
Thank you for the comment. It’s true that you are dealing with a “forgotten group” of individuals. That to me is a social problem, when any group regardless of race, class, culture, or disability is discriminated against or treated unfairly; then that is a social problem. I want to further thank you for bringing your internships particular social issue to our attention.
Christina,
Your comment did sound like a general comment; I just thought some feedback would help. I’m glad to hear that you rather stand up for your convictions than to agree for the sake of agreeing.
Joseph,thank you so much for so masterfully spearheading this deeply personal, as well as intellectual, blog go-round.
I am going to expand yor question about systemic racism to include other forms of inequality too. In doing this, I do not wish to de-prioritize racism; in my personal experience that condition spoke more loudly than the others. (For an interesting read, today's NY Times has an article about literacy and numeracy disparities according to race. One of the measures concluded that young African American boys in higher economic classes still fared less well educationally than poor Whites. The reasons are quite complicated-and may have something to do with historical poverty I'd bet-but the conclusion put greater weight on the race factor.)
Anyway, your question was whether the system itself or the people applying it were to blame for racism (or, in my re-jiggering of the question, inequality.) The short answer is that it becomes impossible to separate these things because it is in the nature of people and institutions both to self-perpetuate. It takes either a motivated insider and/or a cadre of committed outsiders to even suggest upending that staus quo.
Political scientist Jeffrey Winters has a compelling term for the way that elites maintain the balance of power: he calls it the "income defense industry". Of course, this could describe the middle class just as well, or the working poor. People often work against their own interest just because they have been made afraid of losing the little that they have. They defend to the death even the few crumbs they have been allowed.They, too, maintain the status quo.
Race often becomes the proxy here: the visible thing that people concentrate on because it is an easy way to "other" a community but I have no doubt that most times, if we pull back the curtain on racism, we will find powerful and wealthy groups manipulating the conversation toward the goal of defending their income and status. The famous example is when Southern land owners worked to turn the poor white sharecroppers against the former slaves-who should have been their natural allies, as both were poor and being taken advantage of by the landowners-in order to keep them from getting together to demand fair treatment and higher wages for working the land.
For lack of reflection and spine, and the "unseen hand of the market" (Alan Greenspan, in a different context), history, of course, repeats.
Well Christina and Joseph, don't think that I don't see th other side of the spectrum.
I agree with you Joseph that when the entire State is what is trying to land you in jail if you are the defendant it is daunting. During my time in CJA I have seen many a non-appointed lawyer in a VERY nice suit stand flabberghasted as his client was led back into the holding cells because money or not they where not released. To be honest I am yet to see a significant correlation or difference between the effectivity of bought lawyers and of public defenders. I do see when a lawyer is having an off day or when personality conflicts betweenthe lawyer and the judge come into play but to be honest after a building of the relationship between a judge ad a public defender who sees him or her every other day leniancy and effectiveness can only increase, while a bought lawyer does not always have such benefits.
And Christina, you must realize that the some of things u listed such as mistaken identity or unreliable witnesses should eventually be used by the defense attorneys to discredit the prosecutions case. It works both ways. And not to be a buzzkill but the Just world theory u described is sadly only applicable in a philosophical utopia or in a fairytale. In our world it is possible that if one lives well and justly that only good things will happen to them but it is more likely that they will face expressions such as "no good deed goes unpunished", "bad things happen to good people" and god forbid "only the good die young".
But it's not all bad, despite my dark brushstrokes. "god helps those who help themselves" and you'll be fine so long as you "hope for the best but prepare for the worst". The theory is nice and all, but such ideals do little until we live in an ideal world. Until then we must learn to accept that UNFORTUNATE EVENTS HAPPEN INDISCRIMINANTLY.
Help however as we have discussed is easier to get for the more fortunate and affluent. No argument there. But we don't have an ideal world where time, money and energy are limited, hence many make a living tending to the rich, because the pay is better, than to the poor. As I stated, it is a non-ideal world we inhabit.
Chad,
Thank you for your comment, and connecting your preconceived notions and how they changed. By teaching the students at CASES you are giving one of the most precious gifts that anyone can give, an education. With education you are opening up possibilities that would be closed off to those students had they not entered CASES doors.
Professor Stein,
Thank you for answering my question. Your answer, I think can be applied to many factors or social issues. Factors such as race, ethnicity, culture, and class and our own standing in society seem to fear us more than advancing our position. There seems to be a mixture of a fear of success, fear of failure, and xenophobia imbedded in our thoughts. Your example of white sharecroppers being turned against former slaves by southern landowners; makes me feel like we still fit these roles. It feels as though being afraid of things foreign and losing our “crumbs” does not serve our interest, but is serving someone else’s interest. This is theme I get from reading the comment, not sure if it’s correct.
Alex,
I’m glad you’re sharing more about your experiences within the court system. You shared your experiences of seeing “bought” lawyers versus public lawyers. I think you wrote that some personal factors come into play between a lawyer and a judge; I have heard this from other people as well. That sometimes a judge is just not fond of a particular lawyer, or that a judge is tough on crime and rarely gives bail. I think your experiences gives support to my idea that the people within the system affect us more than the system itself; but it will take some time before I feel comfortable in that thought.
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