Posted by:
Seth Bursby
on Jul 16, 2024
By Jennifer Crompton
Katie is a trained first responder, working as a corrections officer in St. Louis County for a little over 6 years. She needed a stable job with good benefits to support her family. The job was exceptionally dangerous and exhausting. It was during her time there that Katie saw the worst that people can do to each other, how they are treated. It was difficult for her to reconcile her job to keep people in jail, while recognizing many inmates don’t belong there. She saw individuals who were homeless, mentally ill, and their true crime was a crime of being destitute. Injustice was pervasive. Katie experienced tremendous stress while at the same time dealing with compassion fatigue. During her long shifts Katie knew she had to make a change, so she decided to take the LSAT. She knew she was smart and could make a difference in the world. Katie studied and did well enough to get into law school at St. Louis University the first time she applied.
Read more in the inaugural issue of the St. Louis Law Journal, out now!