2 weeks to go!

I am almost done with the first semester of my MSW program!  It has gone by fast but at the same time... not fast enough.  I cannot wait for holiday break!  I need a BREAK from all the stuff that I've been trying to juggle.  We are going to go back home to see the parents for part of the week but I was adamant about having some down time at home so I can really relax!
I'm still enjoying the program, and I still feel that I've made a good choice for my next career path!  We had to pick our concentration for the second year.  I started off wanting mental health with the goal to do my second year internship at the VA.  I picked forensic social work and more than likely the internship will not be at the VA.  All the concentrations will prepare us to take the licensing exam and work at social workers so it made sense to pick something that interest me.
In my undergrad degree we discussed the legal system and it seems to have gone away from reforming people to just a business.  At my internship now I work with mainly court mandated clients and it frustrates me some of the things that I hear about the system.  Don't get me wrong, these people had done wrong and are accountable for these things but there is no guidance/support/education to where they don't end up back in the system until it's too late.  I have a class mate that works at a different area but the same type of clientele and she feels that helping these people are a waste of time because they don't want to be there and they don't want to change.  I disagree with her.  There is no excuse for their criminal behavior but from what I have gathered so far working with them, they have spent their lives with people not caring for them or not seeing them as humans... just criminals, people that are up to no good and that is all they are going to amount to...criminals.  That type of life would beat anyone down.  The last things these people need is yet another person to see them as less than human, to not see any potential in them, and just write them off.  Everyone deserves better than that.  I'd rather try and help these individuals and attempt to give them the tools to succeed.  If they choose to utilize them great, if not... I can only do so much.
I still want to help veterans, and with this background I feel that I will be better prepared to help veterans.  I will have tools for brief interventions to help people and lately there are increasing numbers of military members being caught up in the judicial system due to their PTSD, substance abuse, etc.  
This concentration will give me a good foundation to understand and navigate the judicial system which will help me guide those that need it.  
I'm looking forward to the second year of classes!