It was such a pleasure to sit in front of Sheriff Brian Asbel and hear his thoughts and stories. He shared many interesting things that stuck out to me and really made me respect him as a person (not that I didn’t before but I really didn’t know much about him or what he stood for before today). My favorite thing he said was, “you can’t fix a problem until you acknowledge the problem.” Throughout my life I’ve heard several people say that but out of everyone, Sheriff Asbel plans on taking appropriate action and making changes for the community. He said he’s open minded to new policies and new ideas because of the fact that nothing that has been done in the past has worked. The system is not “broken” he claims, it is working just how it was designed, to incarcerate people and make money. In his opinion, the only broken part of the system is the courts; poor people facing a judge are appointed a public defender but everyone knows thats not necessarily fair for the defendant considering the workload of each public defender. Sheriff Asbel recognizes the mistakes he has made in years past as an officer and wants to change the future of those with treatable mental illnesses, substance abuse addictions, and those in poverty. Something I thought was awesome was the elimination of police evaluations; the cop with the most positive interactions within the community should be “police officer of the year” not the cop who writes the most tickets or has the most arrests and it’s so cool to hear a sheriff say that. Most people in a position of power are afraid to tell the truth or speak about what they truly believe in because of who it might upset or because it could change the way the public views them, but Sheriff Brian Asbel is not concerned with either of those things. He tells it like it is. He stands for integrity and tells nothing but the truth and facts of the matter and I think that alone makes him a very respectable leader in our community. --coffeeplease002
Brian Asbell brought up a lot of amazing things that I thought a lot of people should try to do. I’m glad he wanted to come out and actually talk to the class instead of sending an assistant to send messages for us. I like that fact that he says he doesn't care about what people say about him. He's saving taxpayers money and doing what's best for the inmates. I remember him saying when he went to a meeting with other sheriffs and he sat by himself because they thought what he was doing was wrong. That's sad that people only see a criminal in a jail or prison cell. That male or female is someone's child, parent, and or friend. For a lot of people this system all they see is money. Not how this affects a person. I like how he lowered the jail population. I’m glad to see how he really speaks the truth about every situation. Asbell talked about the crack epidemic and how it only affected mostly blacks. But now a days it is an opioid epidemic and now they call it a health issue. Why are they not called the same thing? I love the idea about working in the jail before before you can work in patrol. It's a lot of officers out there who can’t use there words to defuse a situation. Then there first thought is to pull a gun out which should be there last option. When someone in the class asked what is your main reason for picking someone to work for you. He said honesty and most importantly integrity. We need more people like that, especially in the criminal justice System. Because there are too many stories out there about people being treated like dirt because they have more power over another person. Batman002
We got the honor to be able to have Sheriff Brian Asbell come and speak to us. I always had respect for him from the little things I have heard about him but hearing Brian talk about what he was doing made me respect him even more. I realized that he is trying to make things better in the jail and even make things better for taxpayers due to saving money yet at the same time making it better for the inmates. I was really intrigued by what he had to say about how he is trying to change and make things better. What I also found interesting is that how everyone else is reacting to what he is doing, he mentioned that when we went to this gathering of other sheriffs that he basically had to sit by himself because they did not agree with what he was trying to accomplish within the system. I think that is so sad yet I give him props for not caring and still doing what he thinks is best. To be honest I think that he is really making a change and I feel that maybe other sheriffs should learn from Brian and start making changes in their area as well. From what he said it seemed that he decreased Peoria counties prison population along with decreasing the cost, which I think is pretty great. The next thing that stood out to me was how he explained why he always make you work in the jail first before being put on the streets. I think there is some truth to that, I agree that they should learn how use communication however I do think that maybe not all people really would want to start in the jail first. Some people want to be officer not work in a jail so why would they come to Peoria County to be patrol if they have to work in the jail first. I know many officers who are good communicators and they did not have to work in the jail first to be able to patrol. One last thing I liked was how brutally honest he is about things, I value honesty and I really liked how he showed that. Overall, I learned a lot from him and hearing him gave me more things to think about for the future. -wags002
Having Sheriff Brian Asbell come into our class today and talk was a great learning opportunity for us all. I really enjoyed sitting there listening to him talk about his views on certain topics. Sheriff Abell's biggest concern before giving a new police officer their weapons and sending them on their way is their communication skills. Sheriff Asbell will only high police officers who can effectively talk to people of all ages, races, and sexes. What better way to learn these skills is by starting off in the jail environment. Before listening to his presentation today I’ve never really considered working in a jail to start off my career, but after listening I think it could definitely be a possibility. A lot of times people don’t understand how much giving someone a ticket can actually cost them. Sheriff Asbell gave us a story of when he was newer police officer, and how giving this man under the name of “Johnny” really changed his life. The story goes that “Johnny” was a sixteen year old kid who needed some money. “Johnny” was borrowing a car so he can go to a job application, but ended up getting up to $1200 in fines. After it’s all said and done “johnny” didn’t have this kind of money to pay for the ticket, so he was eventually taken to jail for it. All of this because “johnny” was just trying to get a job so he could help support his family. After getting out of jail “johnny turns to the streets to make money, but keeps ending up back in jail. When Sheriff Asbell sees johnny years later in the jail on sucide watch, “Johnny” blames everything that happened to him on Sheriff Asbell. Sheriff Asbell starts to realize that he was the officer that gave “Johnny” the ticket. “Johnny” had these charges on his background report and this led to many opportunities missed in the workforce. This all ties back into how officers shouldn’t be rewarded for giving out the most tickets or making the most arrests, but rather changing the most lives for the better. The only problem with this is that you can’t measure this. This story made me feel really bad for “Johnny”, because ultimately he was just trying to get a job and make some money to provide for himself and his family. I think that Sheriff Asbell has some amazing views, and that he really is trying to make a difference in this world. Sheriff Asbell does a good job of stating the truth; he gets straight to the point, and doesn’t dance around the bush. I also think Sheriff Bell's expungement plan is a great idea, and in a way inspired through the story of “Johnny”. I have a lot of respect for Sheriff Asbell, and I think we need more police officers with his same ambitions and goals. -CRJB002
Meeting the sheriff was an enjoyable experience, with information that I have learned about. What really got my interest was him breaking down the different parts that goes into the jail system in Peoria. The story about "johnny" and how he was given a ticket and couldn't afford, was an eye opener. It is sad that he was sentence to 15 years in prison, because he couldn't catch a break. There are so many people like him in the streets, that really want to change but do to their backgrounds they are missed. He also share on how there are programs and job opportunities for people who came from prison, but its things like transportation,that fails them. I like how he is really trying to give these former convicts a chance in life, but it seems like life keeps taking them back. When it comes to people actually being in Peoria County jail, he states that most of them have a mental illness. This really breaks my heart do to the fact that there aren't really any hospitals that will take them. I believe he said it was 80% were mentally ill in the jail, and the others aren't. I learned that jail is a business, different counties will pay the sheriff to house their inmates because they don't have a jail. I might miss quote him but I think he stated that its $80 per inmate. I learned the role of the sheriff and the places he is in charge of. Also looking on the website it gives you more detail on the sheriff, different charges for inmates like phone calls,medical and commissary. He really comes off as a man with integrity, and compassion. He is not only there to do his job but goes beyond what he needs to do. With him being the sheriff I feel that he is and will continue to make the corrections system a little better.Even though he knows its broken just having the mind set of a positivist that it will change goes a long way. -zw002
This week, we had the pleasure as having Sheriff Brian Asbell come and speak to us about his career and several other aspects of corrections. Sheriff Asbell definitely gave a very interesting perspective and enlightened me to a lot of different things regarding corrections. He spoke of integrity. It is apparent that he truly cares about the people in his community, including those currently serving time in the jail. He stated that 60% of the people in jail are not bad people. An often ignored fact about people in jail is that 80% of the inmates have mental illness. Many of them suffer from substance abuse and poverty. He spoke of how these aspects are treatable. Sheriff Asbell brings a sense of community to the office of the Sheriff. Through programs to reduce the amount of people coming through the jail system, he is truly making a difference within the community. He also touched on things that can make a difference. I really liked his approach regarding the number of tickets an officer writes does not determine whether or not the officer is a good officer. Sheriff Asbell stated that an officer that displays the most integrity and positive community interactions should be praised accordingly. He definitely looks at each and every inmate as a human being. He is open and willing to change the current system so rather than just housing the offenders, the corrections system is actually helping to correct behaviors that result in people committing crimes. His honesty, integrity and dedication are exactly what are needed in corrections. I also liked the fact that he focused on the things necessary in order to correct the current status of the inmates. He spoke in great detail of how one event can change the course of someone’s life. A person ending up in jail for an assortment of minor offenses can affect their ability to find employment and care for their families. One overlooked aspect of the office of the Sheriff is the court security portion. This is very important to the corrections process as a whole. All of the people deserve to be treated with respect and humanity. This is another aspect that is very important to Sheriff Asbell. Overall I learned a tremendous amount about the human aspect of corrections from Sheriff Asbell and I was able to understand the system that Sheriff Asbell wants to create. -zen002
I was very blessed and happy to have Sheriff Brian Asbel to come and sit and talk with us. It was very interesting to get a personal experience and input on how the system is and jail is. As he started to explain, I had many questions to ask, by the time he was done talking, they were mostly answered and I understood everything and made me want this career more than I had already wanted. He's saving taxpayers money and doing what's best for the inmates. I remember him saying when he went to a meeting with other sheriffs and he sat by himself because they thought what he was doing was wrong. I’m glad to see how he really speaks the truth about every situation. Asbell talked about the crack epidemic and how it only affected mostly blacks. But now a days it is an opioid epidemic and now they call it a health issue. I think that he is really making a change and I feel that maybe other sheriffs should learn from Brian and start making changes in their area as well. From what he said it seemed that he decreased Peoria counties prison population along with decreasing the cost, which I think is pretty great. I think that Sheriff Asbell has some amazing views, and that he really is trying to make a difference in this world. Sheriff Asbell does a good job of stating the truth; he gets straight to the point, and doesn’t dance around the bush. The story about "johnny" and how he was given a ticket and couldn't afford, was an eye opener. It is sad that he was sentence to 15 years in prison, because he couldn't catch a break. There are so many people like him in the streets, that really want to change but due to their backgrounds they are missed. Therefore, I was very pleased to have him come and talk with us and I am very happy he took the time too. I knew I wanted to go into this career, but now I am positive this is what I want to do and I will do anything to get to the point where I want to be. SH002
I didn't know what to expect when Sheriff Asbell came into our classroom to talk. I didn't know what he was going to talk about or really what all he did. After listening to him talk, I learned a lot and it was very interesting. I learned all that a sheriff really does. I learned that they do a lot more than most people think. Sheriffs have 4 pillars they handle, law enforcement, corrections, court security, Civil process. Sheriff Asbell is swimming against the current with most of his views and the way he handles things. I respect him a lot more now knowing what he does and what he goes through to get those things done. He believes in rehabilitation and that you treat everyone with respect. 80% of the people that recidivism have treatable mental illness, some sort of substance abuse disorder, or socially economic poverty. Sheriff Asbell has put in a full time mental illness staff to try to give the prisoners the help they need to succeed in the outside world. He has also put in rehabilitation systems to get people ready for the outside world. Sheriff Asbell's beliefs and views has made others believe in it too, he has open jobs for ex cons for when they get out of jail. While he was talking, I was captivated by the things he was saying. I forgot to write down some things because I was too focused on what he was saying in the moment. It made me consider going in to corrections. I would also love to work for Sheriff Asbell and really make a difference in these peoples lives. He also said that the Criminal Justice system is working exactly how it was created but we are trying to break it, that made a lot of sense to me and I had never thought of it that way. -wb002
When I first met Sheriff Asbel, I really didn’t know what to expect. I will be honest, I’ve never been much of a fun for guest speakers before because the majority of speakers that were in my previous classes were really boring and really didn’t bring any level of substance to take away from. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when Sheriff Asbel started going into detail about who he is and what he was planning on doing in terms of reform. There was plenty to take away from his speech and outlined his motivations very well. I was really intrigued when he pointed out that 80% of all inmates in this country had some sort of mental illness. That really drives home the point of how our messed system needs to be fixed up for the better. His story of Johnny was very touching and really makes you look at our justice system with a different perspective. Sadder still, I would not be surprised if there are many more people in our jails and prisons with the same problem as Johnny. A bunch of morally good people who were trying their best to get by, only to catch one bad break that they probably will never fully recover from. I personally don’t blame Sheriff Asbel for carrying out his duty and ticketing Johnny, he was just doing his job and was following the messed up guidelines put in place by our lawmakers. I can admire the fact the Sheriff Asbel tells the truth, even if it may hurt people. We need more people like him to help fuel change for the better. Sure the truth can hurt, but that is reality and in order to make any change, we must face the hard truth. I also think that putting tickets and arrests over moral character is incredibly despicable and really should be changed. Police officers should be more focused on helping people and protecting the community, instead of writing the most tickets. I'm glad someone like Sheriff Asbel is willing to speak out about these issues and is in a position to make some real change. All in all, I learned a lot from Sheriff Asbel and I would really want to work for him someday to help him with his goals for change for the better. -OUTATIME002
It was an honor and a great learning opportunity for us having Sheriff Brain Asbell come talk to our class. I did not know much about Sheriff Asbell before he came in but I learned a lot from him and have much respect for him. I was very interested in hearing about all the things he is doing to change the way the criminal justice system is and how he wants to make it better. It also surprised me hearing how other people are reacting to what he is doing. I understand that everyone has different views but the way he was talking seemed like most people do not agree with how he is doing things. Another thing that I was interested in was when he was talking about getting hired on. He stated that he likes everyone to start in the jail. I think this is a good thing because you should be able to de-escalate situation by communication before he gives you a gun. This career field deals with every person no matter your race, sex, or age, and you should be able to communicate with everyone. He also talked about in the career field, the most important trait to have is integrity. I agree with this statement. He used the example of all the cop related shootings. He said that some of those videos do look a little suspicious and that’s why it is a good thing to have integrity. You should always follow the rules and where the body camera at all times when on the street. Another thing that I was intrigued by was the story about Johnny. You never really think about how much someone's life can change after being put in the system. I think it's terrible how hard it is for a former prisoner to find a job. This makes life really stressful for them and could lead them to reoffend. I think Sheriff Brian Asbell had many good views and points on things. I really enjoyed listening to everything he had to say. -JU002
Having Brian Asbell come speak to our class was a great opportunity that many people do not get. He was very informative, had a lot to say, and obviously had great experience and knowledge about the topics he spoke to us about. I honestly had no idea that the sheriff had so many responsibilities. He had said there are four pillars of being a sheriff and they are law enforcement, corrections, court security, and civil process. It was interesting to find out all of his different responsibilities. He said evictions were probably the worst part of his job which isn't surprising. I think Asbell has some pretty good ideas on reform and I am impressed that he has been able to bring the jail population down from about 500-600 people to below 300. It's crazy to think that the yearly incarceration rate in Peoria has gone from 17,000 people each year to only 7,000 yearly. Asbell told us there are three main causes of crime which are treatable mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and socioeconomic status. He also brought up how the jail plans to handle these situations with rehabilitation which I think is great. Asbell was very honest with his opinions which he thinks is the most important quality to have. He had brought up the Don't Shoot program in Peoria and mentioned that he didn't like it much, but didn't go into much detail. I don't know much about the program, but would like to know more and why he isn't a fan of it and I wish he would have given us more information on that. Overall, it was a good experience and I learned some new things. -arm002
I was honestly excited to hear Sheriff Brian Asbell come into our class to speak. As a man with his authority and power, he did not have to feel personally obliged to speak to our class. Asbell easily, as many would, and I almost half expected could have sent in someone else to our class to speak. He spoke with ease but focused on some very important topics. I thought it was shocking to hear that many people rejected his view. His end goal is to get people out of jail. Many people waiting and sitting in a jail cell are eating up money and it is almost pointless if they bond out and then wait forever on a trial. We need to cut down on unnecessary costs to save taxpayers money, and keep families together, with the avoidance of harm. I think it is neat and smart that Asbell will only hire those who either come in from somewhere else or if they have worked successfully in the jail. In order to be prepared to handle what the world will throw at you at a fast pace, you first need to be able to know how to defuse situations without turning to a weapon. It is essential to be able to communicate and control people that do not look like you. I also liked that he is aware of, and told us that nearly eighty percent of people locked up suffer from a mental illness. In order to solve these problems we need to make aware of them. Many people get stuck in the system because of poverty, or substance abuse and keep going back for such small things. If we can help these people with programs and centers instead of jails we can hope to make our communities safer and happier. -KF002
I found it not only a pleasure to sit in front of Sheriff Asbell and not only learn, but get insight on how he carries himself. He is a very humble man who holds people accountable to not only maintain his image, but to maintain the image of Peoria law enforcement as a whole. I loved the stories he shared with us and what he told us about his military days. Also about how a lot of his friends from back in the day, and now being able to disagree about points that could possibly affect counties I think that is very cool. I love how he values integrity over all. He shared with us that he would even fire his best friend if he was not honest and showed integrity. So based off of that I can tell he is a family man. After hearing him talk I now know i would rather have no sheriff other than him.-WiseGuy02
I am glad Sheriff Brian Asbel came to my class to talk about his thoughts and tell us about his stories. He told us this profession does not have green grass all of the time. He told us he was appointed Sheriff at the age of 45. He takes care of the jail. He told us 80% budget and employee is in correction. I never thought it was 80%. He makes his workers work in the jail before going out into the public. The reason is if you can’t deal with them in the jail and us your communication skills then you can’t make it out in the society. This is true because we need verbal skills to get the person out of that situation or get yourself out of the situation. He told us 95% of the time is communication. The employee represent him, if they do something bad then it looks bad on him too. He told us he had big ideas to change the system to make it better. He told us poverty is lack of opportunity. He talked about suicidal watch. He said most of the people that are on that watch are showing weakness. He said “ one ticket could change someone's life.” This is so true. He has a full time staff that deals with mental health people. He talked about Re-entry course. The Re-entry course teaches you soft skills, financial literacy, parenting skills, and faith base. He told us that if we want to get hired in the jail, he told us to tell the truth and treat everyone with respect. If we break those rules then he will get rid of us. I asked him what is his most valuable asset to the county. He told me integrity is his most valuable asset to the county. Softball002
I was extremely excited when sheriff Brian Asbell came to our class to speak. Im very new to peoria so this was a very great experience for me. Before he came into the class I researched a few things about him that caught me by surprise. According to the peoria county sheriff website He is a 24 year-old veteran who worked as a correctional officer, sergeant and many more. I also read that Sheriff Asbel has many years of experience, so he can manage and lead all divisions in Peoria's sheriff office. When he spoke to us he explained that if you going into policing you should start inside of a jail. It is important to start in a jail and work your way up to get ready for outside work. I realized that policing in jails, and out on the field are similar yet different. The reason why is because if your not ready in a jail, it'll be extremely hard to make it on the street. You will deal with a diverse mixture of race, age, and gender. I am glad to know that sheriff asbel knows about the high percentage of people with mental illnesses in prison. It is very surprising to know that more than half of people locked up in prison has some sort of mental illness. Another thing sheriff asbel discussed was the workload of public defenders. It could be very overwhelming and asbel even realize that inmates are not getting a fair chance. Overall, I would say that Asbell did a great job talking to the class. His points of views were very similar to mine. I learned a lot from him, even if I decide not to go into policing he opened my eyes. You always have a chance to move up in your department.-Jas002
I thought that the sheriff made a very insightful presentation. It was curious to see his history and it was interesting on what he said he was the youngest sheriff for Peoria country in history. He was talking about the core responsibilities of the sheriff's department which include court security, corrections, and serving civil process. Such as orders from the court, arrest warrants and evictions. He sounded he was not too fond of that. I thought it was interesting when he said how he lowered the number of inmates and one any given time by a few hundred compared to the previous sheriff administration. He also talked about the three causes of why people go to jail. First is people with treatable mental illness such as depression. Second, was substance abuse addictions like marijuana and meth. Third, was mainly poverty or the people living in socioeconomic conditions. He wanted to change the narrative that prisons were not to be turned into warehouses for the inmates. Also to keeping the inmate number down the sheriff instituted programs that could change the inmates thoughts and maybe being a better person when they did get released by not getting back into crime and be a product of society. The annual budget was 1.3 billion dollars a year. He talked about 80% is for the incarceration budget. With a cost of $80 dollars per inmate a day. That includes three meals a day, a bed, and clothing. It was cheaper just to bond them out but he explained it was a good money revenue too for the county. He set some rules for his officers also. he said to always tell the truth because the sheriff was explained that it will show what kind of character you are as an officer. Treat others with respect. People always deserve that right even if they may not show it back. The last thing he stated was working an honest days work was equal to work on an honest days pay. Navy002
It was such a pleasure to sit in front of Sheriff Brian Asbel and hear his thoughts and stories. He shared many interesting things that stuck out to me and really made me respect him as a person (not that I didn’t before but I really didn’t know much about him or what he stood for before today). My favorite thing he said was, “you can’t fix a problem until you acknowledge the problem.” Throughout my life I’ve heard several people say that but out of everyone, Sheriff Asbel plans on taking appropriate action and making changes for the community. He said he’s open minded to new policies and new ideas because of the fact that nothing that has been done in the past has worked. The system is not “broken” he claims, it is working just how it was designed, to incarcerate people and make money. In his opinion, the only broken part of the system is the courts; poor people facing a judge are appointed a public defender but everyone knows thats not necessarily fair for the defendant considering the workload of each public defender. Sheriff Asbel recognizes the mistakes he has made in years past as an officer and wants to change the future of those with treatable mental illnesses, substance abuse addictions, and those in poverty. Something I thought was awesome was the elimination of police evaluations; the cop with the most positive interactions within the community should be “police officer of the year” not the cop who writes the most tickets or has the most arrests and it’s so cool to hear a sheriff say that. Most people in a position of power are afraid to tell the truth or speak about what they truly believe in because of who it might upset or because it could change the way the public views them, but Sheriff Brian Asbel is not concerned with either of those things. He tells it like it is. He stands for integrity and tells nothing but the truth and facts of the matter and I think that alone makes him a very respectable leader in our community.
ReplyDelete--coffeeplease002
Brian Asbell brought up a lot of amazing things that I thought a lot of people should try to do. I’m glad he wanted to come out and actually talk to the class instead of sending an assistant to send messages for us. I like that fact that he says he doesn't care about what people say about him. He's saving taxpayers money and doing what's best for the inmates. I remember him saying when he went to a meeting with other sheriffs and he sat by himself because they thought what he was doing was wrong. That's sad that people only see a criminal in a jail or prison cell. That male or female is someone's child, parent, and or friend. For a lot of people this system all they see is money. Not how this affects a person. I like how he lowered the jail population. I’m glad to see how he really speaks the truth about every situation. Asbell talked about the crack epidemic and how it only affected mostly blacks. But now a days it is an opioid epidemic and now they call it a health issue. Why are they not called the same thing? I love the idea about working in the jail before before you can work in patrol. It's a lot of officers out there who can’t use there words to defuse a situation. Then there first thought is to pull a gun out which should be there last option. When someone in the class asked what is your main reason for picking someone to work for you. He said honesty and most importantly integrity. We need more people like that, especially in the criminal justice System. Because there are too many stories out there about people being treated like dirt because they have more power over another person. Batman002
ReplyDeleteWe got the honor to be able to have Sheriff Brian Asbell come and speak to us. I always had respect for him from the little things I have heard about him but hearing Brian talk about what he was doing made me respect him even more. I realized that he is trying to make things better in the jail and even make things better for taxpayers due to saving money yet at the same time making it better for the inmates. I was really intrigued by what he had to say about how he is trying to change and make things better. What I also found interesting is that how everyone else is reacting to what he is doing, he mentioned that when we went to this gathering of other sheriffs that he basically had to sit by himself because they did not agree with what he was trying to accomplish within the system. I think that is so sad yet I give him props for not caring and still doing what he thinks is best. To be honest I think that he is really making a change and I feel that maybe other sheriffs should learn from Brian and start making changes in their area as well. From what he said it seemed that he decreased Peoria counties prison population along with decreasing the cost, which I think is pretty great. The next thing that stood out to me was how he explained why he always make you work in the jail first before being put on the streets. I think there is some truth to that, I agree that they should learn how use communication however I do think that maybe not all people really would want to start in the jail first. Some people want to be officer not work in a jail so why would they come to Peoria County to be patrol if they have to work in the jail first. I know many officers who are good communicators and they did not have to work in the jail first to be able to patrol. One last thing I liked was how brutally honest he is about things, I value honesty and I really liked how he showed that. Overall, I learned a lot from him and hearing him gave me more things to think about for the future. -wags002
ReplyDeleteHaving Sheriff Brian Asbell come into our class today and talk was a great learning opportunity for us all. I really enjoyed sitting there listening to him talk about his views on certain topics. Sheriff Abell's biggest concern before giving a new police officer their weapons and sending them on their way is their communication skills. Sheriff Asbell will only high police officers who can effectively talk to people of all ages, races, and sexes. What better way to learn these skills is by starting off in the jail environment. Before listening to his presentation today I’ve never really considered working in a jail to start off my career, but after listening I think it could definitely be a possibility. A lot of times people don’t understand how much giving someone a ticket can actually cost them. Sheriff Asbell gave us a story of when he was newer police officer, and how giving this man under the name of “Johnny” really changed his life. The story goes that “Johnny” was a sixteen year old kid who needed some money. “Johnny” was borrowing a car so he can go to a job application, but ended up getting up to $1200 in fines. After it’s all said and done “johnny” didn’t have this kind of money to pay for the ticket, so he was eventually taken to jail for it. All of this because “johnny” was just trying to get a job so he could help support his family. After getting out of jail “johnny turns to the streets to make money, but keeps ending up back in jail. When Sheriff Asbell sees johnny years later in the jail on sucide watch, “Johnny” blames everything that happened to him on Sheriff Asbell. Sheriff Asbell starts to realize that he was the officer that gave “Johnny” the ticket. “Johnny” had these charges on his background report and this led to many opportunities missed in the workforce. This all ties back into how officers shouldn’t be rewarded for giving out the most tickets or making the most arrests, but rather changing the most lives for the better. The only problem with this is that you can’t measure this. This story made me feel really bad for “Johnny”, because ultimately he was just trying to get a job and make some money to provide for himself and his family. I think that Sheriff Asbell has some amazing views, and that he really is trying to make a difference in this world. Sheriff Asbell does a good job of stating the truth; he gets straight to the point, and doesn’t dance around the bush. I also think Sheriff Bell's expungement plan is a great idea, and in a way inspired through the story of “Johnny”. I have a lot of respect for Sheriff Asbell, and I think we need more police officers with his same ambitions and goals. -CRJB002
ReplyDeleteMeeting the sheriff was an enjoyable experience, with information that I have learned about. What really got my interest was him breaking down the different parts that goes into the jail system in Peoria. The story about "johnny" and how he was given a ticket and couldn't afford, was an eye opener. It is sad that he was sentence to 15 years in prison, because he couldn't catch a break. There are so many people like him in the streets, that really want to change but do to their backgrounds they are missed. He also share on how there are programs and job opportunities for people who came from prison, but its things like transportation,that fails them. I like how he is really trying to give these former convicts a chance in life, but it seems like life keeps taking them back. When it comes to people actually being in Peoria County jail, he states that most of them have a mental illness. This really breaks my heart do to the fact that there aren't really any hospitals that will take them. I believe he said it was 80% were mentally ill in the jail, and the others aren't. I learned that jail is a business, different counties will pay the sheriff to house their inmates because they don't have a jail. I might miss quote him but I think he stated that its $80 per inmate. I learned the role of the sheriff and the places he is in charge of. Also looking on the website it gives you more detail on the sheriff, different charges for inmates like phone calls,medical and commissary. He really comes off as a man with integrity, and compassion. He is not only there to do his job but goes beyond what he needs to do. With him being the sheriff I feel that he is and will continue to make the corrections system a little better.Even though he knows its broken just having the mind set of a positivist that it will change goes a long way. -zw002
ReplyDeleteThis week, we had the pleasure as having Sheriff Brian Asbell come and speak to us about his career and several other aspects of corrections. Sheriff Asbell definitely gave a very interesting perspective and enlightened me to a lot of different things regarding corrections. He spoke of integrity. It is apparent that he truly cares about the people in his community, including those currently serving time in the jail. He stated that 60% of the people in jail are not bad people. An often ignored fact about people in jail is that 80% of the inmates have mental illness. Many of them suffer from substance abuse and poverty. He spoke of how these aspects are treatable. Sheriff Asbell brings a sense of community to the office of the Sheriff. Through programs to reduce the amount of people coming through the jail system, he is truly making a difference within the community. He also touched on things that can make a difference. I really liked his approach regarding the number of tickets an officer writes does not determine whether or not the officer is a good officer. Sheriff Asbell stated that an officer that displays the most integrity and positive community interactions should be praised accordingly. He definitely looks at each and every inmate as a human being. He is open and willing to change the current system so rather than just housing the offenders, the corrections system is actually helping to correct behaviors that result in people committing crimes. His honesty, integrity and dedication are exactly what are needed in corrections. I also liked the fact that he focused on the things necessary in order to correct the current status of the inmates. He spoke in great detail of how one event can change the course of someone’s life. A person ending up in jail for an assortment of minor offenses can affect their ability to find employment and care for their families. One overlooked aspect of the office of the Sheriff is the court security portion. This is very important to the corrections process as a whole. All of the people deserve to be treated with respect and humanity. This is another aspect that is very important to Sheriff Asbell. Overall I learned a tremendous amount about the human aspect of corrections from Sheriff Asbell and I was able to understand the system that Sheriff Asbell wants to create.
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I was very blessed and happy to have Sheriff Brian Asbel to come and sit and talk with us. It was very interesting to get a personal experience and input on how the system is and jail is. As he started to explain, I had many questions to ask, by the time he was done talking, they were mostly answered and I understood everything and made me want this career more than I had already wanted. He's saving taxpayers money and doing what's best for the inmates. I remember him saying when he went to a meeting with other sheriffs and he sat by himself because they thought what he was doing was wrong. I’m glad to see how he really speaks the truth about every situation. Asbell talked about the crack epidemic and how it only affected mostly blacks. But now a days it is an opioid epidemic and now they call it a health issue. I think that he is really making a change and I feel that maybe other sheriffs should learn from Brian and start making changes in their area as well. From what he said it seemed that he decreased Peoria counties prison population along with decreasing the cost, which I think is pretty great. I think that Sheriff Asbell has some amazing views, and that he really is trying to make a difference in this world. Sheriff Asbell does a good job of stating the truth; he gets straight to the point, and doesn’t dance around the bush. The story about "johnny" and how he was given a ticket and couldn't afford, was an eye opener. It is sad that he was sentence to 15 years in prison, because he couldn't catch a break. There are so many people like him in the streets, that really want to change but due to their backgrounds they are missed. Therefore, I was very pleased to have him come and talk with us and I am very happy he took the time too. I knew I wanted to go into this career, but now I am positive this is what I want to do and I will do anything to get to the point where I want to be. SH002
ReplyDeleteI didn't know what to expect when Sheriff Asbell came into our classroom to talk. I didn't know what he was going to talk about or really what all he did. After listening to him talk, I learned a lot and it was very interesting. I learned all that a sheriff really does. I learned that they do a lot more than most people think. Sheriffs have 4 pillars they handle, law enforcement, corrections, court security, Civil process. Sheriff Asbell is swimming against the current with most of his views and the way he handles things. I respect him a lot more now knowing what he does and what he goes through to get those things done. He believes in rehabilitation and that you treat everyone with respect. 80% of the people that recidivism have treatable mental illness, some sort of substance abuse disorder, or socially economic poverty. Sheriff Asbell has put in a full time mental illness staff to try to give the prisoners the help they need to succeed in the outside world. He has also put in rehabilitation systems to get people ready for the outside world. Sheriff Asbell's beliefs and views has made others believe in it too, he has open jobs for ex cons for when they get out of jail. While he was talking, I was captivated by the things he was saying. I forgot to write down some things because I was too focused on what he was saying in the moment. It made me consider going in to corrections. I would also love to work for Sheriff Asbell and really make a difference in these peoples lives. He also said that the Criminal Justice system is working exactly how it was created but we are trying to break it, that made a lot of sense to me and I had never thought of it that way. -wb002
ReplyDeleteWhen I first met Sheriff Asbel, I really didn’t know what to expect. I will be honest, I’ve never been much of a fun for guest speakers before because the majority of speakers that were in my previous classes were really boring and really didn’t bring any level of substance to take away from. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when Sheriff Asbel started going into detail about who he is and what he was planning on doing in terms of reform. There was plenty to take away from his speech and outlined his motivations very well. I was really intrigued when he pointed out that 80% of all inmates in this country had some sort of mental illness. That really drives home the point of how our messed system needs to be fixed up for the better. His story of Johnny was very touching and really makes you look at our justice system with a different perspective. Sadder still, I would not be surprised if there are many more people in our jails and prisons with the same problem as Johnny. A bunch of morally good people who were trying their best to get by, only to catch one bad break that they probably will never fully recover from. I personally don’t blame Sheriff Asbel for carrying out his duty and ticketing Johnny, he was just doing his job and was following the messed up guidelines put in place by our lawmakers. I can admire the fact the Sheriff Asbel tells the truth, even if it may hurt people. We need more people like him to help fuel change for the better. Sure the truth can hurt, but that is reality and in order to make any change, we must face the hard truth. I also think that putting tickets and arrests over moral character is incredibly despicable and really should be changed. Police officers should be more focused on helping people and protecting the community, instead of writing the most tickets. I'm glad someone like Sheriff Asbel is willing to speak out about these issues and is in a position to make some real change. All in all, I learned a lot from Sheriff Asbel and I would really want to work for him someday to help him with his goals for change for the better. -OUTATIME002
ReplyDeleteIt was an honor and a great learning opportunity for us having Sheriff Brain Asbell come talk to our class. I did not know much about Sheriff Asbell before he came in but I learned a lot from him and have much respect for him. I was very interested in hearing about all the things he is doing to change the way the criminal justice system is and how he wants to make it better. It also surprised me hearing how other people are reacting to what he is doing. I understand that everyone has different views but the way he was talking seemed like most people do not agree with how he is doing things. Another thing that I was interested in was when he was talking about getting hired on. He stated that he likes everyone to start in the jail. I think this is a good thing because you should be able to de-escalate situation by communication before he gives you a gun. This career field deals with every person no matter your race, sex, or age, and you should be able to communicate with everyone. He also talked about in the career field, the most important trait to have is integrity. I agree with this statement. He used the example of all the cop related shootings. He said that some of those videos do look a little suspicious and that’s why it is a good thing to have integrity. You should always follow the rules and where the body camera at all times when on the street. Another thing that I was intrigued by was the story about Johnny. You never really think about how much someone's life can change after being put in the system. I think it's terrible how hard it is for a former prisoner to find a job. This makes life really stressful for them and could lead them to reoffend. I think Sheriff Brian Asbell had many good views and points on things. I really enjoyed listening to everything he had to say. -JU002
ReplyDeleteHaving Brian Asbell come speak to our class was a great opportunity that many people do not get. He was very informative, had a lot to say, and obviously had great experience and knowledge about the topics he spoke to us about. I honestly had no idea that the sheriff had so many responsibilities. He had said there are four pillars of being a sheriff and they are law enforcement, corrections, court security, and civil process. It was interesting to find out all of his different responsibilities. He said evictions were probably the worst part of his job which isn't surprising. I think Asbell has some pretty good ideas on reform and I am impressed that he has been able to bring the jail population down from about 500-600 people to below 300. It's crazy to think that the yearly incarceration rate in Peoria has gone from 17,000 people each year to only 7,000 yearly. Asbell told us there are three main causes of crime which are treatable mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and socioeconomic status. He also brought up how the jail plans to handle these situations with rehabilitation which I think is great. Asbell was very honest with his opinions which he thinks is the most important quality to have. He had brought up the Don't Shoot program in Peoria and mentioned that he didn't like it much, but didn't go into much detail. I don't know much about the program, but would like to know more and why he isn't a fan of it and I wish he would have given us more information on that. Overall, it was a good experience and I learned some new things. -arm002
ReplyDeleteI was honestly excited to hear Sheriff Brian Asbell come into our class to speak. As a man with his authority and power, he did not have to feel personally obliged to speak to our class. Asbell easily, as many would, and I almost half expected could have sent in someone else to our class to speak. He spoke with ease but focused on some very important topics. I thought it was shocking to hear that many people rejected his view. His end goal is to get people out of jail. Many people waiting and sitting in a jail cell are eating up money and it is almost pointless if they bond out and then wait forever on a trial. We need to cut down on unnecessary costs to save taxpayers money, and keep families together, with the avoidance of harm. I think it is neat and smart that Asbell will only hire those who either come in from somewhere else or if they have worked successfully in the jail. In order to be prepared to handle what the world will throw at you at a fast pace, you first need to be able to know how to defuse situations without turning to a weapon. It is essential to be able to communicate and control people that do not look like you. I also liked that he is aware of, and told us that nearly eighty percent of people locked up suffer from a mental illness. In order to solve these problems we need to make aware of them. Many people get stuck in the system because of poverty, or substance abuse and keep going back for such small things. If we can help these people with programs and centers instead of jails we can hope to make our communities safer and happier.
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I found it not only a pleasure to sit in front of Sheriff Asbell and not only learn, but get insight on how he carries himself. He is a very humble man who holds people accountable to not only maintain his image, but to maintain the image of Peoria law enforcement as a whole. I loved the stories he shared with us and what he told us about his military days. Also about how a lot of his friends from back in the day, and now being able to disagree about points that could possibly affect counties I think that is very cool. I love how he values integrity over all. He shared with us that he would even fire his best friend if he was not honest and showed integrity. So based off of that I can tell he is a family man. After hearing him talk I now know i would rather have no sheriff other than him.-WiseGuy02
ReplyDeleteI am glad Sheriff Brian Asbel came to my class to talk about his thoughts and tell us about his stories. He told us this profession does not have green grass all of the time. He told us he was appointed Sheriff at the age of 45. He takes care of the jail. He told us 80% budget and employee is in correction. I never thought it was 80%. He makes his workers work in the jail before going out into the public. The reason is if you can’t deal with them in the jail and us your communication skills then you can’t make it out in the society. This is true because we need verbal skills to get the person out of that situation or get yourself out of the situation. He told us 95% of the time is communication. The employee represent him, if they do something bad then it looks bad on him too. He told us he had big ideas to change the system to make it better. He told us poverty is lack of opportunity. He talked about suicidal watch. He said most of the people that are on that watch are showing weakness. He said “ one ticket could change someone's life.” This is so true. He has a full time staff that deals with mental health people. He talked about Re-entry course. The Re-entry course teaches you soft skills, financial literacy, parenting skills, and faith base. He told us that if we want to get hired in the jail, he told us to tell the truth and treat everyone with respect. If we break those rules then he will get rid of us. I asked him what is his most valuable asset to the county. He told me integrity is his most valuable asset to the county. Softball002
ReplyDeleteI was extremely excited when sheriff Brian Asbell came to our class to speak. Im very new to peoria so this was a very great experience for me. Before he came into the class I researched a few things about him that caught me by surprise. According to the peoria county sheriff website He is a 24 year-old veteran who worked as a correctional officer, sergeant and many more. I also read that Sheriff Asbel has many years of experience, so he can manage and lead all divisions in Peoria's sheriff office. When he spoke to us he explained that if you going into policing you should start inside of a jail. It is important to start in a jail and work your way up to get ready for outside work. I realized that policing in jails, and out on the field are similar yet different. The reason why is because if your not ready in a jail, it'll be extremely hard to make it on the street. You will deal with a diverse mixture of race, age, and gender. I am glad to know that sheriff asbel knows about the high percentage of people with mental illnesses in prison. It is very surprising to know that more than half of people locked up in prison has some sort of mental illness. Another thing sheriff asbel discussed was the workload of public defenders. It could be very overwhelming and asbel even realize that inmates are not getting a fair chance. Overall, I would say that Asbell did a great job talking to the class. His points of views were very similar to mine. I learned a lot from him, even if I decide not to go into policing he opened my eyes. You always have a chance to move up in your department.-Jas002
ReplyDeleteI thought that the sheriff made a very insightful presentation. It was curious to see his history and it was interesting on what he said he was the youngest sheriff for Peoria country in history. He was talking about the core responsibilities of the sheriff's department which include court security, corrections, and serving civil process. Such as orders from the court, arrest warrants and evictions. He sounded he was not too fond of that. I thought it was interesting when he said how he lowered the number of inmates and one any given time by a few hundred compared to the previous sheriff administration. He also talked about the three causes of why people go to jail. First is people with treatable mental illness such as depression. Second, was substance abuse addictions like marijuana and meth. Third, was mainly poverty or the people living in socioeconomic conditions. He wanted to change the narrative that prisons were not to be turned into warehouses for the inmates. Also to keeping the inmate number down the sheriff instituted programs that could change the inmates thoughts and maybe being a better person when they did get released by not getting back into crime and be a product of society. The annual budget was 1.3 billion dollars a year. He talked about 80% is for the incarceration budget. With a cost of $80 dollars per inmate a day. That includes three meals a day, a bed, and clothing. It was cheaper just to bond them out but he explained it was a good money revenue too for the county. He set some rules for his officers also. he said to always tell the truth because the sheriff was explained that it will show what kind of character you are as an officer. Treat others with respect. People always deserve that right even if they may not show it back. The last thing he stated was working an honest days work was equal to work on an honest days pay. Navy002
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