ENGL 106 Final Blog for my Comp II class

I have found a few blogs on being a victim advocate. Since the field does not have enough of advocates, due to budget cuts and funding, the blogs are dated. What I have come up with is the reason why I want to persue this career and information I have been able to gather from prosecutors and defense attorneys. Their advice has been invaluable along the way.


This term was like the rest in that I had the best of intentions on getting all my work done in a timely manner, all the while the nightmare of the past year continues to play out in my life. Last year my brother was murdered while he was walking out of work to the parking garage next to the refinery he worked at. The man who shot him stole $28.00. Yep this is what a life is worth these days. For months the State of Texas looked for the man and couldn't find him. As the year anniversary of my brother's death approached the police received a tip and subsequently the man was arrested. Yea my family thought! Yea because some justice would happen. We couldn't have an open casket because my brother had no face. So some sort of justice for him would be nice. Three weeks ago the trial ended. The man, who was a MS13 gang member, was let go on a technicality. Apparently there was information that was not shared during the discovery process. Yep I do not understand how a person can blow off someones face for $28.00, admit that they did it, and walk out of court a free person. I have been trying to digest this for three weeks now... The man will not be tried again because of the Double Jeopardy laws, which means that once you are tried and found not guilty, you can not be tried again for the same crime. Sadly, this man will kill someone else and it is a fact! He was caught because he was assaulting another person but that person lived. Go Figure!


From everything I have been told by prosecutor's, victim advocates and defense attorneys, to be an advocate you have to volunteer. This means that you have to volunteer at domestic abuse shelter's, homeless shelters, police departments and/ or live through experience a violent crime. The reasoning behind it is that it is great to have book smarts but it does not compare for actual " street experience." I can not help but wonder if my brother's murder and the injustice that happened at trial counts as " street experience". I do believe that it certainly does! I think I can understand pain and have empathy for others. I do not wish the pain on anyone else. So I have found that I have two choices in life, a) get up and follow my dreams of having this career so I can help someone who will need it, or b) curl up and let anger make me loose focus and direction to it consumes me. I am fighting for option A. Otherwise this man wins and continues to have power and control over me and my family. 


Yes I do think that I need to refocus my energies a tad. I need to focus on getting better grades and completing all that I started. This is another suggestion of all the people I have talked to. It is solid advice. Because there is such a great need for advocates but budget cuts have limited jobs, I need to really work hard so that I stand out. Maybe it is how I am handling or honoring my brother's memory. Follow my dreams because someone is going to need my help one day. The point is to never give up but always get back up when life throws you down , and stand up tall!