“I love people and I believe that with a little hope and someone to believe in them, change can be made,” says Cherie Medina, who revealed that her work as a senior probation officer enables her to fulfill a calling from God. For the last 16 years, she has dedicated her life to public safety within Riverside County in California. Rather than simply monitor offenders to ensure they do not commit new crimes, she develops relationships with offenders to help them want to do better for themselves. “Many times it becomes easy for offenders to fall back into old habits — they spend time with the same negative influences that got them into trouble in the first place. I feel it’s my job to remind these individuals that their personal and criminal history does not have to dictate their future,” Ms. Medina says, adding that she often becomes a confidant for offenders who haven’t previously had a support system in their lives. For Ms. Medina, her work hits close to home. Growing up, she faced issues in her family that led to deeply rooted pain that few people around her had experienced. Today, she is able to relate to the offenders with whom she works and acts as an advocate for them.
Worldwide Member Newsletters 