My love for law and the legal system developed when I was a young teenager from my infatuation with crime shows, specifically Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. I could spend hours watching Detective Benson, analyzing her techniques, and admiring her strength and humbleness in all the difficult situations she encountered in each episode. I strive to emulate the compassion she showed her victims, the courage she displayed in difficult times, and the great leadership skills she exemplified. Law and Order was where I first developed my interest in the legal system and from this, I was able to connect my interest in the legal system with my abilities in working with children. Over the years I have had the pleasure of babysitting and nannying for several families. There is something truly special in helping young minds grow and instilling important values and skills in little ones. What attracts me most to the juvenile justice system is that it provides us the opportunity to stop children’s unruly behaviors before those behaviors develop into far worse behaviors in adults. The importance childhood plays in adult actions is one that is too commonly overlooked. The juvenile justice system allows youth to make better choices without prison time; it does not, however, change the environment in which they return. Due to the developing minds of young children, we can correct their habits, behaviors, and ways of thinking because children are essentially psychologists, testing their theories on lab rats or us adults. We have to consciously make decisions that will affect the direction of the child’s brain growth and every reaction we have to a particular behavior has the potential to either benefit or hinder that growth. Watching children as young as newborns and as old as twelve years old I have learned about the different stages of development and what to expect for each age. By attacking the issue at the root, I believe we have a far better chance of increasing rehabilitation and reducing recidivism. While I would like to say I have had a big influence on the children I have watched, their influence on me has been far greater. Watching children has given me patience where I used to have none, it has taught me to communicate well and build meaningful relationships, be empathetic towards others, and it has given me the ability to see things from a completely different perspective. Detective Benson was patient in building trust with the victims. I see myself emulating Detective Benson in creating that deeper relationship to help my clients make peace with their situations. I have created behavior management strategies to help children gain control over their feelings, as well as learn the difference between right and wrong which is a challenging yet rewarding experience. I also developed conflict-resolution skills. I have observed that children are unaware of how to handle conflict and may revert to violent acts. My job was to explain why those actions were not beneficial, how to proceed with that situation in the future, and eventually teach them how to resolve the conflicts without my help. In turn, this allowed me to become a better negotiator for myself in my own conflicts. I came to understand that working with children is very personal and requires you to form more than just a surface-level relationship. This understanding is essential to working in the juvenile justice system because I found that children are far more inclined to take your advice when they respect and know you on a deeper level. During the Fall semester of 2022, I interned with two amazing family court judges who showed me a variety of experiences within the courthouse. This internship gave me insight into the legal community and helped not only further my understanding of the workings of a courtroom but also gave me affirmation that I was in the right place. Interning at the courthouse was not like a regular 9-5 job for me, I felt like I was on a field trip every day. I felt motivated to learn more each day, energized and excited about what I was experiencing in the different courtrooms, and most importantly I felt comfortable in my decision to pursue a career in the law. I was invested in the cases I watched and was eager to see how the judges would decide. I have always said that my career will allow me to make a meaningful impact and I feel confident that I have found that career. I envision four or five years from now making an impact on young children just as Detective Benson did. I envision being confident in my decisions and respected by my peers and my clients. Most importantly I envision achieving the career of my dreams by showing grace every day.