LEXINGTON, Ky. (August 20, 2024) – Leah Wilson, an MSW student at the UK College of Social Work (CoSW), is exploring the intertwined spaces between social work and criminal justice through a unique practicum opportunity with Sara Baldwin, LCSW, a Mitigation Specialist in Jacksonville, FL Sara specializes in forensic social work.
Wilson’s practicum transcends education; it’s a powerful narrative of redemption, not just for the justice-involved individuals she supports, but for herself. As a survivor of intimate partner violence, her work is not only reshaping her clients’ outlooks on their futures but also transforming how she views her own past.
Wilson’s practicum takes her beyond the traditional settings of clinical environments, such as hospitals or schools. Instead, Wilson spends her days meeting one-on-one with clients around Jacksonville, Fla. As a mitigation specialist intern, her responsibilities are diverse, ranging from conducting in-depth life history investigations to teaching practical life skills and providing support in therapeutic environments.
“I currently work with an individual who was released from prison six years ago,” Wilson shared. “He was convicted at 14 and spent 43 years in prison.”
Drawing from her own struggles with addiction, Wilson’s career accelerated in juvenile justice, where she worked in psychiatric facilities for delinquent teenagers. “I stayed in this field because I found that my journey, more often than not, intersected with their own,” she explained. “As a teenager, the adults who impacted my life did so in a way that cannot be compared to any other life stage.”
These impactful experiences propelled her toward pursuing licensure as a practitioner. “In our society, there is something known as the ‘school-to-prison-pipeline’ effect,” Wilson noted. “When early intervention fails, it’s likely that a young adult will become part of the criminal legal system. As a mitigation specialist intern working on adult-only capital cases, I have seen the reality of systemic failure.”
Wilson’s goal is to eventually work as a juvenile mitigation specialist, using the experience she’s gaining now to help prevent criminality through proper early intervention. Her work often involves conducting thorough investigations into her clients’ personal histories, interviewing family and friends, and identifying trauma indicators from childhood.
“As a survivor of domestic violence, this entire opportunity was very intimidating at first,” Wilson admitted. “I’m working with men who hold criminal records that include assault. I have had real ‘trigger’ moments.” With her supervisor’s guidance and personal therapy, Wilson has found her work to be ‘incredibly redemptive’, giving her the tools to truly find and extend forgiveness.
Leah Wilson’s journey is a compelling testament to the transformative power of social work. “In helping others rebuild their lives, I discovered the strength to rebuild my own,” she shared, embodying the resilience that defines her path.
