Thursday, July 18, 2019
Reflect on yesterday's group activity - 2
Take
a few minutes to reflect on the time you spent yesterday in the Arlington Courthouse and Detention Center. Choose one important
idea, bit of information, fact, or skill you learned. Spend a few
sentences explaining why you chose to comment on it. (You do not need to comment on anyone else's post unless you feel moved to do so.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I found the tour of Detention Center really interesting. I had wondered what the jail cells and common area looked like. It ended up looking very similar to the cells/common area of a jail that was the focus of a docuseries on Netflix called "Jailbirds." I guess I hadn't thought about how jails would have differed in their layout/design.
ReplyDeleteSomething that I learned yesterday at the Courthouse was that it's not uncommon for people to earn their GEDs while spending time in jail. In fact, it's recommended and there are a lot of other programs which help the inmates as much as possible. For example, there are programs to help with anger management and drug addiction. Additionally, people are able to work out, play sports, and watch TV in recreational areas during the night. I didn't realize the days were organized like this. It's important to know what you're getting into when going jail.
ReplyDeleteAt the detention center, it was interesting to see the different floors and their purposes, as well as the different facilities for the severity of one's crime. The captain who gave us our tour was very helpful in answering questions and explaining each area we visited, as well as talking about how they try to promote positive growth while one is in jail.
ReplyDeleteI think the tour of the detention center was super interesting, but I felt like we were intruding. The inmates are real people and this is their real life circumstances and I felt really bad for them. I can't imagine not being able to leave that building for months at a time. The tour made me just really empathic for the inmates.
ReplyDeleteI found the detention center to be quite interesting. I always wondered what it was like to be in jail, especially in arlington. It is amazing to see inmates being productive and working jobs.I never thought much about the design process behind jails so that was really cool.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that the detention center provides inmates many opportunities to make progress in life while incarcerated. I never considered that jails would provide things like jobs and education opportunities. The overall goal of jail should be to help inmates reform their actions and prevent them from committing crimes again, and it's great to see the center running on this philosophy.
ReplyDeleteOur visit to the detention center and the courthouse was very thought-provoking. I learned a lot about how prisoners spend their day-to-day lives, what it is like to work in the jail, and the workload of a prosecutor. It was interesting to learn about all the different cases that judges can hear in a day.
ReplyDeleteI found the tour of the detention center to be very intriguing, as we got to see the working and living environments of the prisoners. I learned that there is a lot more to a functioning detention center than I expected. Also, it was really nice to see the prisoners working and learning new skills to improve their lives outside of jail. Overall, it was a very interesting day.
ReplyDeleteI found the courtroom system really interesting how they were efficient with cases, but took their time in making decisions that were just and balanced with the defense and prosecutors. To be able to see those many cases a day and not loose sight of what the true purpose of your job is (justice to the community) really showed me that when people find a career they love, they'll be dedicated and committed 100% to be the best they can be.
ReplyDeleteI thought being able to see the living conditions in the detention center was very interesting. I found it especially intriguing to hear about how they classified prisoners and how they decided on where to place them as well as how much free time they were allowed.
ReplyDeleteInteresting insights from all of you. I personally find it interesting that most of you were more intrigued with the detention center than with the courtroom. I also appreciate your ability to empathize!
ReplyDeleteI thought the opportunities offered to prisoners, like drug and mental health counseling, and GED courses, were a great idea, because I've heard a lot of bad things about the reoffense rate for prisoners, and this seemed like a great way to combat that.
ReplyDeleteI was interested to learn about the underground network they have to transport people between sections of the courthouse, and between the courthouse and detention center. It was an interesting, and useful, section for the architects to add.
ReplyDeleteThe organization and security of the Detention Center was most intriguing to me. My knowledge of the criminal process, including the Detention Center as well as the courts, is due in part to the media. The media's portrayal of the criminal process is general fabricated and dramatized. It was interesting to compare the media's portrayal to the an actual Detention Center.
ReplyDeleteI found the court process very interesting at the Courthouse. I learned a little about the different courts that operate there and the types of cases they handle, and it was interesting seeing how the judge makes decisions quickly but surely. This had me thinking about the kind of personality and skills that this career demands.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting how the detention center schedule left room for very little free time, and how they had many rehabilitative classes to help the inmates get back to their life. I thought that was a good idea, but the little free time is not great.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting part of our visit to the courthouse for me was that the judge is able to deliver charges to the inmates in the jail through a live feed. I did not know that the court system was this advanced, and I had thought that the people would have to be in the room with her when she was delivering sentences. This shows that technology can help ease tasks in every profession.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that stuck with me the most was the visit to the detention center, specifically seeing the cells the inmates stay in. It got me really depressed, thinking about what they have to live through every day they stay there, and thinking about how their lives even led up to this moment.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the tours. When touring the detention center I found it really interesting how many programs were available for the inmates that would benefit their future. I also thought it was really nice that they had a library where they could go for recreational purposes or to research the laws that can affect their cases.
ReplyDeleteIt was an interesting experience to walk past the people in the holding cells and see the inmates in the common area. Jail does not seem fun. The courthouse was also interesting to watch because I did not know that they video conferenced the inmates when they would talk to the judge. Some were funny but most situations were a little scary because I know they are people just like everyone else, and they ended up in jail.
ReplyDeleteMy internship is at the Arlington Courthouse, so I was already familiar with the courtroom. However, the detention center was a new experience for me. I have watched a couple documentaries and studied America's prison system in my Sociology class, and it was not up to par, to say the least. But I was actually surprised at the fact that the inmates were learning skills that would be useful to life outside of the jail. It was good to see that at least in this detention center, the inmates are viewed as people who the justice system wants to help.
ReplyDeleteI found the Arlington Detention Center to be very interesting. Everything had a specific purpose and many things were seemingly manufactured for jails. I also found the design of the living areas interesting and more productive than the design often shown on TV.
ReplyDeleteThe courtroom was extremely interesting, I loved seeing the live feed from the cameras. It was interesting seeing how the judge makes decisions efficiently and not keep one person there for too long. It surprised me how nice the jails were compared to what i thought they looked like. The inmates are treated better than I thought they would be.
ReplyDeleteIt was very interesting to go to the courthouse and the detention center. I really enjoyed the time we spent in the courtroom with the judge. It was refreshing to see her being so open and honest with us to help our career exploration.
ReplyDeleteIt was very interesting to see the courthouse and detention center. I have never seen an actual prison before. I find it crazy how the prison looks so normal from the outside. Hearing court cases was also fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI found the time we spent in the courtroom very interesting. One interesting fact I learned is that the clerk is the only person in the court room allowed to access the internet unless the judge gives someone else permission. Because of this, the clerk plays a huge role in making sure things run smoothly. Without the clerk, trials could not run.
ReplyDeleteI learned that prisoners got a lot of free time and had a lot of time to do programs. I always thought that they were locked up for most of the day. I also did not know they were able to get an education. I think it is good to give these programs to them to try to get there lives back on track.
ReplyDeleteI definitely came to value everyday freedom, because the prisoners definitely had certain restrictions. It makes me reflect on how I want my life to go, and on certain choices that can lead us into positive or negative directions.
ReplyDeleteIt really opened my eyes to how inmates live, I knew jails weren't the most pleasant, but knowing that some of the prisoners don't get sunlight really hit me hard because it's something you never think you would escape.
ReplyDeleteWhen I visited the Detention Center, I felt really bad for the inmates. I told my self that I would never ever get my self into one of their positions and I would always try to help people. It was a very depressing environment from the cells they played in to the recreational area in which they played in really got me to tear up. From that day forward I have had a different look on life. Ever since that day I have become more humble and grateful.
ReplyDelete