A Proactive Approach by Hannah

A Proactive Approach by Hannah - December 2023 Scholarship Essay

Question: Explain how your chosen major benefits society
I am studying psychology and criminology. I have chosen a psychology major and criminology minor, so that I can receive a comprehensive education to further my knowledge in Forensic psychology and make a difference not only in my community, but society in general. My education path will begin with undergraduate studies, followed by graduate school, to be a licensed Forensic psychologist. My father works with "at-risk" young adults; all his students at some point in their lives have been involved in the criminal justice system. I have always wondered why his students who are the same age as I, have ended up behind bars or worse dead.
The 2020-2021 quarantine forced the closure of most schools, leaving adolescents free to roam the streets. The abundance of unstructured free time led to a spike in teen involved shootings. In years past, my father would have a student here or there killed, typically on the weekends or during the summer months. The quarantine proved different; he saw three students involved in deadly violence during what should have been classroom time. I believe young adults will end up paying the biggest price with their mental health, the real psychological detriment is years from truly being determined.
Forensic psychology will allow me to learn, study and explore the psyche of an adolescent criminal. With my education I hope to better understand why some of these young adults choose death over life. I want to pursue Forensic psychology with the hope of turning my knowledge into proactive measures. If I could understand why, maybe I could prevent the when and where of teen homicide. Like most things in life reactive measures do not solve issues. I am hoping with my education and experience I can bring a proactive approach to communities across America and ultimately have a positive effect on society in general.