Justice?

I have been involved in law enforcement for almost 3 years now, and am currently working on a class that will improve my ability to investigate crime and interrogate people. As I work through this course I get very uneasy at the thought that what I am doing might be morally wrong, I understand that law enforcement is sometimes helpful for people who have been wronged is some way by others but is it the solution to the problems we face as a nation (United States)? The threat of punishment is obviously not enough for people to be dissuaded from hurting others, so what might be a better solution? Is it social services that help individuals in times of mental health crises? In the past when I was a road cop, there have been many situations where I have felt that my presence was only making things worse, the presence of authority can be uneasy to some, and for an individual who is going through suicidal thoughts, maybe a man with a gun on their hip is the last thing they need in that moment.

I agonize over what might solve this issue, in most cases, the people I have arrested have committed the crime of desperation, they steal or defraud not because they just want a little bit more money, but because they have become a slave to debt and financial burden. These are people that need help, not a pair of handcuffs and another fine.

In short, I don’t think the solutions that I want to participate in helping bring about can be found in the profession I currently am involved in.