I feel that this is a defining page. All my previous education and training led to my law degree and what I feel is my defining job: as a public defender in Juvenile Court.
Our system has been created and balances ideals and practicalities, goals and reality. I believe in ultimate fairness and know we are far from this ideal. I have tried to pursue this in my career. I know the value of organization, and have created some organization around my life. Confronted by the immense job as the only conflict defender in Fulton County Juvenile Court, I immediately created an organization of my clients and their needs, computerized the process, and set up a calendar. Then it was simply being open to the next child, his circumstances, abilities, aspirations, and limitations. Each case was determined by these variables, and I hope I did some good.
In the process, I became aware of certain trends. First, families at the edge, survival is more important than ethics. Children often face this survival instinct. One child whose mother had not arrived, for example, was happy to stay in detention because at least he got regular meals. It turns out that his case was not a delinquency since the neighbor left that blanket on her porch for the child since his mother often locked him out. Or the most creative 13 year old I know who because at 13 he could not stay with his mother at the women's an children shelter was dropped in a neighborhood He had broken into a crawlspace. redirected the heat, and only broke into the house to take small things to sell to eat.
Children are also part of our culture, and want the things we project as desirable. I had a child who kept a play station from a burglary he was put up to do only because he had never played a game. Or the child who was caught shoplifting right before New Years because he had received no presents at Christmas.
The most gripping stories came from a situation that is dire in Atlanta. Atlanta is the fourth most visited city for people seeking sex with a minor. Although I faced this circumstance on a daily basis, I still found it remarkable since I could think of 4 cities worldwide that I believed were worse. Still, I will never forget my one client who through the normal process and through the remarks of the community and other family members, felt that the best she could do was being a prostitute at age 15. Once this cycle was broken, she became an "A" student with college potential.
I do not regret my law degree. Nor do I regret my work; however, I feel that I need to take this to a new level, follow my muse, and become what I am meant to be.
In the mean time, I still do legal work and you can contact me at tim@timspruell.com. Also, for the interests in social justice, I expect to run a blog under this page for new issues. the blog is actually still in the future, but please stay tuned for the development.
