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By Josalynn Jones

Guest Columnist

All my life, I’ve wanted to help the troubled. I watched many of my friends and family struggle with drugs and other crimes as I was growing up. Living in a household surrounded by these things, I grew up with many different people in my life. Most would probably avoid them, but they are some of the best people you will meet with the most troubled lives.

I’ve always felt there isn’t enough help for those who commit crimes, whether they be heinous or not. Most people in these situations get put on the back burner because they are deemed unimportant because of their mistakes.

At the same time, I want to help people who are victims of these things. I want to help those who grew up like me or to help victims of more heinous crimes who want justice. I want to be of help to the police and get into the minds of these criminals to find out why they do the things they do.

About three years ago, it clicked in my head that I wanted to help in these matters. I wanted to be behind the scenes helping those with the struggles and disorders they may face that are the root of their crimes. I want to talk to those and provide insight to criminals and law enforcement. My biggest goal in life is to become a forensic psychologist.

Every day of my life, whether on social media or in real life, I hear of all of these addicts and people who have had a hard life being shunned by modern society just for their slip-ups. Criminals are viewed as less than human because they continuously return to bad habits. We’re spending so much time ridiculing them when we need to look at how that plays a part in what makes them so troubled.

When people constantly bash and judge them because of their lifestyle, they’ll see no point in changing because it gives them a “nobody cares about my problems and struggles” mindset. If we show them we care and are here to help them through their problems, then we can see a change in them for the better.

At the same time, these criminals who commit heinous acts, such as murder, have such a messed up way of thinking. Their brain and thought processes are so different from ours, so if we took the time to listen and learn about it from the source, we could have better insight into why they commit these acts.

In life, I want to help these people. I want to give them a second chance and hear them out. I want to get a glimpse inside their mind to understand their actions. I want them to help them better themselves. I want to help educate others on how more serious criminals may think to help with future cases. Most importantly, I want to help those lost — like the people I watched growing up — find themselves again.

Josalyn Jones is a junior at Harlan County High School.