Alliant University Forensic Psychology - Personal Statement Example

?Running head: PERSONAL MENT Personal ment for Alliant Forensic Psychology Insert Insert Grade Insert July 9, 2011 Personal Statement for Alliant University Forensic Psychology Autobiography I am John Smith and was named after Michael Smith, a local renowned administrator in our community, who had lived more than a century ago. During his era, Smith was reported to have exercised one of the most influential and powerful rule and had a lot of expertise in settling disputes. I was born of Mr. and Mrs. Johnston on February 11, 1985 in Los Angeles County, California State, U.S.A. This is a very populous county in the state and draws people from different cultures. I am the first born in a family of five boys. As the eldest son, I often assisted parents in taking care of the younger siblings as there was a good age-gap between me and the second-born in the family. I am Spanish-American from the Hollywood community. The region comprises individuals from different cultures. The interaction with these individuals enables one to develop ability to accommodate wide range of diverse cultures. The values and beliefs differ across the cultures and an understanding of such differences is essential in evaluating the behaviors of individuals in the society. A forensic psychologist is at times required to provide psychotherapy to crime victims. The development of an effective psychotherapy program will consist in understanding the cultural values of the victim’s community. Besides, being a metropolitan, there were also cases of crimes that occurred in the city that we witnessed. I was not born with any form of disability and neither have I developed some kind of disability in to this date. My social life has not been interfered with in any way. I have had friends since kindergarten. The various activities that are performed in schools like sports drew me close to different individuals. I had special interest in volleyball and still play for some local club. One of my intimate friends was a long-time schoolmate and classmate called Steve. We attended the same elementary and high school and became close to one. While I was from a very humble background, Steve hailed from a royal family with only one sister and no brother. My parents struggled to keep my younger brother and me in these relatively expensive private schools. Our intimacy with Steve developed because I was academically capable while he was financially equipped. My assistance was evident during class activities like group discussions while I received his financial support during school excursions. However, this student had some weakness that at times drove me away. Steve was well built and throughout the elementary education level to high school, very few naughty students could challenge him physically. He rarely applied the rule of law in solving the disputes with others. As I grew up with the likes of Steve in my vicinity, I began to develop an ambition of becoming a lawyer. I had witnessed an interesting scenario in school at grade K-12 that led to the growth of such ambition. This classmate and a close friend of mine had some mild differences with the class representative and they almost exchanged fists. The class representative could not contain the insults that he received and reported the matter the disciplinary personnel. Steve was summoned to appear before the disciplinary committee where he pleaded not guilt. He denied ever having any differences with the class representatives and quoted me as one of the witnessed. Unfortunately, when I was called to go and give my side of the story, I had no knowledge of the direction of the proceedings. This wrongdoer expected that some direct questions would be posed that I could answer easily in line with the claim he had made in my absence. However, I was asked to explain the reasons that led the two students to insult each other. Thinking that the proceedings had been positive on the side of my friend, I narrated how the whole issue arose while avoiding the initial trespasses that my friend had on the representative. My story ended the case as it was simply concluded that the Steve was not faithful to this “court of law.” My testimony affirmed that they actually had serious wrangles with the class representative, a premise he had denied before. The student was suspended for misconduct in school for one academic year. How this matter was handled, how both of us were tricked, attracted me into the field of law and in criminal investigation. While we were playing with my brothers, we noted that my youngest brother had some unusual behaviors. This minor had problems in socializing with the others. He would find it very difficult if children from other families joined us in the community playground. His teacher who said the boy was ever late in submitting the assignments raised the same issue. In most cases, he could confess that he had misplaced all the work that he had done. This was more of a surprise to my father who always ensured that everyone did his or her homework. It was latter realized that this boy had some problems related to growth and development of the central nervous system. Neither the teacher nor my parents could establish the exact cause of the disorder. Thus, they decided to consult a psychiatrist who advised that the child be taken to a psychotherapist. The psychiatrist explained that some irresponsible behaviors could be witnessed among children that are related to such developmental disorders. Management of such problems required thorough understanding of the psychology of the victim. The boy was admitted to Wilshire Therapy Centers where he could be provided with effective psychotherapy under a close range. We used to visit him every time we were out of school. It was during our visits to the centers that I began to develop interest in psychology. We came across individuals who had had severe psychological problems. Some of the victims had involved in different criminal acts following that abnormal state of mind. However, the psychotherapy services offered at the center had positive effects on their developments and the individuals were gradually developing into responsible and respectable members of the society. When I completed secondary education, I had developed full interest in psychology, with some love for law as well. I secured a chance at Ashford University where I pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management and Organizational Development. This provided a good foundation for understanding the behavior and emotions in different individuals in a given situation like a place of work. While at the college, interest grounded on the psychology in the management of employees and the other stakeholders of an organization as an effective organizational development strategy. I sought for, and read, different trade publications about psychology for work and recreation. Recently, I finished reading, “Man searching for Meaning” by Frankl and is set to embark on another publication. Afterward, I joined Merced Community College where I completed a semester that was entirely devoted to psychology. I received a GPA of 4.0 from this one-semester course. This short course initiated my moves towards forensic psychology. I had identified my areas of weaknesses and the challenges involved in the discipline. As such, I am fully focused on making those reinforcements to ensure that I achieve high level of excellence in the profession. With the above qualifications, I have performed various jobs like training upcoming psychologists in schools and health colleges. I have also worked as a counselor in some private organizations. Currently, I am serving as a psychologist within the criminal justice system. My main areas of operation are crimes that relate to child abuse and provision of psychotherapy to such children. Why apply for the forensic program at California school of forensic studies (CSFS) There are various reasons that made me choose to apply for a chance at California School of Forensic Studies (CSFS) to pursue the Psy.D. One of the attractive features of the school is its mission. The CSFS is ‘dedicated to providing education and training in forensic psychology and related fields to prepare individuals for clinical and private professional practice, teaching, research, and community service I our diverse global society (Alliant International University, 2011, para.1). Various fundamental issues have been touched in the statement of the mission, that are relevant to my ambitions. Firstly, the program is intended to prepare individuals who can apply their expertise in different areas including clinical and private professional practice, my main area of interest. Secondly, the programs are sensitive to the increasing globalization that is experienced across different sectors. It is intended to offer provide expertise that can provide the services both at local and at global levels. It is also interesting to not that the statement of a mission may not suffice to achieve such a mission. The school is also committed to developing programs that are in line with the above mission. In providing its services, the school observes high levels of professional and ethical standards as a tool to realize the mission (Alliant International University, para.1). The school offers a variety of programs that provide the essential clinical skills alongside other skills that are related to forensic psychology like the judicial system and criminal psychology (Alliant International University, para.2). Students can also study other programs that are geared towards development of general knowledge for personal management. The available history also reveals that the graduate from the school often land in various jobs, confirming the job security. There are graduates who have obtained licensure and are currently practicing privately (Alliant International University, para.3). This confirms to me the possibility to achieve my objective. Other attractive in the school include experienced trainers in the faculty, many opportunities to carry out research, and professional field training among others (Alliant International University, para.4). The reasons for choosing the degree and the intended research problem Much of the life and work experiences that I have had, the individual skills, and my further aspirations are very relevant to the profession of forensic psychology. As a profession, forensic psychology applies the psychological principles in the enactment and enforcement of various civil and criminal laws. The profession brings law and psychology together (Alliant International University, para.2). It involves the application of the science of psychology in the criminal justice system of given country. In this respect, there are different aspects that are necessary in a student seeking to pursue the Doctor of Psychology in forensic psychology. Firstly, as it is a combination of two distinct disciplines, it is necessary that such a student should be interested in both psychology and criminal justice/law. My previous experiences and studies have enabled me develop further ambition in pursuing the disciplines. Secondly, the profession involves teamwork in some instances. In several cases, the forensic psychologists spend much of the time attending to their clients like the victims of various crimes. However, the overall provision of the therapy services will involve the inclusion of other professionals like clinical doctors/psychiatrists and even the law enforcers. It is usually my pleasure to work in an environment that calls for teamwork. Another interesting aspect of the profession is that it is challenging and requires an ever-active mindset. The profession requires a lot of dedication with innovative and inventive ideas. In as much as this may sound absurd, I consider it very essential, as it is always my desire to develop such inventive and innovative ideas. It interests me to have a task that does not follow mere known procedures, but those that require irregular approaches. The psychological problems among various individuals take this pattern. The need to cope with the diverse situations enables one to commit his or herself to the given roles. The long duration that is taken in the program is sufficient to help an individual develop the required expertise in managing the dynamics to be encountered. The profession is also lucrative as the knowledge obtained is applicable in different career paths. A forensic psychologist can work in the family, civil or criminal courts, educational centers, mental health centers, government, or establish a consulting (private practicing) firm (The Doctor of Psychology Degree, para.11). For instance, in the family courts, the forensic psychologist is charged with the responsibility of compiling reports on cases of child abuse, providing psychotherapy services to the crime victims, or evaluating the kind of care given to such crime victims especially the minors. In the criminal courts, the psychologists also establish the mental competency of the criminals to testify before the court. In my Dissertation in the Doctor of Psychology studies, I wish to explore the criminal justice as it applies to the abused children. As has been stated earlier, there are various areas that I could apply the expertise that is to be gained from this program. I do not intend to work in government or business organization. Rather my interest is in obtaining a Californian license establishing a private consulting firm to practice psychology. Works Cited Alliant International University. California School of Forensic Studies. 2011. 10 July 2011. http://www.alliant.edu/wps/wcm/connect/website/Home/About+Alliant/Schools+&+Colleges/California+School+of+Forensic+Studies+%28CSFS%29/. The Doctor of Psychology Degree. The Brief yet important history of the Psy.D. 2010. 10 July 2011. http://www.alleydog.com/psychology-psyd-degree.php. Read More