Samiria Martin anticipates expanding her knowledge of the criminal justice system at FAMU

An inspiring speech on leading inmates into a better direction is what brought about Samiria Martin’s interest in criminal justice years ago.

“When I was 14-years-old, I met a warden at my high school and he spoke to us about change,” said Martin, who earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Alcorn State University in May. “In his speech, he said that if someone can change one inmate for the better, then their job has been done. That’s what I want to do.”

Martin, a Monticello, Florida native, looks forward to expanding her knowledge of her desired career field when she starts pursuing a master’s degree in criminal justice from Florida A&M University in the fall. Her mission is to encourage inmates to break the cycle of crime by learning from their mistakes.

“Growing up, I saw a lot of people go to prison and instead of them getting out and changing for the better, they continued the cycle of going back to prison. With the knowledge I acquired from school, I want to become a warden and help inmates learn from their mistakes and grow into a better person.”

Through education, Martin plans to use the skills she’s gained at Alcorn and FAMU to encourage inmates to live a more productive lifestyle after serving prison time.

“When I become a warden, I plan to make it mandatory for inmates to further their education, learn job placement and survival skills and attend therapy sessions. I believe these lessons will help inmates succeed and stay out of trouble once they get out of prison.”

In the future, Martin aspires to open a home for children who come from single parent households.

  • Samaria Martin resized.jpg