The Rights Of Punishment Essays - Punishments, Criminology

The Rights Of Punishment Wake Up Call Is this a hellish nightmare that I have to awaken from? Caged and confined, thinking and pondering, I wonder what human is this that he should be subjected to imprisonment that neither improves nor corrects his soul? Is there no compassion for restoring a man to contribute to this nation? Or does the dark side of humanity see offenders of the law as utter undesirables unworthy of aid and therapy? Society, I have been tried and sentenced. Serving time for violating the law is not supposed to be a picnic. But demoralizing and dehumanizing a man to the dust of the ground does not correct behavior that got him incarcerated in the first place. This only fuels the fire, a fire which, if not handled properly, will in time burn everything in its path. Now who is the real criminal? Cell 52514 Block 2-229 Crescent City Penitentiary Everyday, the American prison system becomes more crowded and over-burdened. Prison bed space cannot keep up with the prison population. While presidents and governors call for a ?tough stance? on crime, the infrastructure is inadequate to contain all offenders. However, even if there were enough room to fit every individual that commits a criminal act, would this be the best move for the community and the offender? Placing an individual into a prison removes them from the general population, thus making the society they live in safer. But, separating individuals in a community does indirectly injure the community as a whole. These individuals obviously are no longer contributing to the local economy, but on a basic level, their absence places a hole into a community. Offenders have been shaped by the values and practices of their community. So, even though an individual may have acted in a way that is unacceptable to their community, that person is still the product of his community . Therefore, communities must hold some of the burden for making people into who they are. So, prisons must do more then just contain offenders. A responsible society must make the effort to rehabilitate these individuals and make strides to re-connect them with the community. As Bill McKibben says, ?Isn't it time to focus harder on substantive problems, such as how do we build a society that doesn't destroy the planet by its greed, and doesn't ignore the weak and the poor (McKibben, p. 720).? Much attention has been given to issues of big business versus the environment. People can sympathize with this cause. Though it may not be as glamorous, it is just as important that society's addresses the needs of the less fortunate. Even though criminals who commit the most heinous crimes receive the majority of public attention, most offenders are not intrinsically evil or irreversible. Often they are weak individuals who may not have received the best upbringing or have instilled in them a set of values incompatible with the community. McKibben feels that it is important not to ignore these unfortunate individuals, and give them an opportunity to re-engage with society in a mutually acceptable way. Therefore, prisons need to train offenders to exist with the rest of society. In the book, C-Unit, the authors suggest that prisons fulfill a certain role. The modern prison is asked to perform three tasks: (1) to make explicit in action that the community will not tolerate certain destructive behaviors; (2) to protect the community, for at least temporary periods of time; and (3) to prepare such persons to be responsible members of the community when they are released from prison. (Studt, Messinger and Thomas, p. 3) By containing prisoners within the confines of a jail, they are removed from the community at large, thus protecting the community. In addition, by making this prison stay punishment, inmates, for the most part, realize that they acted in a way that was unacceptable. Preparing individuals for re-integration into society is where the role of a prison becomes complex. A prison stay is unlikely to reform any criminal if it only means that they are separated from the community and there is no drive to change. The first change that needs to be addressed is on the value system of an inmate. Without this, it is only superficial to urge

Elizabeth Key and Her History-Changing Lawsuit

Elizabeth Key and Her History-Changing Lawsuit Elizabeth Key (1630 - after 1665) is a key figure in the history of American chattel slavery. She won her freedom in a lawsuit in 17th century colonial Virginia, and her lawsuit may have helped inspire laws making slavery a hereditary condition. Heritage Elizabeth Key was born in 1630, in Warwick County, Virginia. Her mother was a slave from Africa who is unnamed in the record. Her father was an English planter living in Virginia, Thomas Key, who arrived in Virginia before 1616. He served in the Virginia House of Burgesses, the colonial legislature. Accepting Paternity In 1636, a civil case was brought against Thomas Key, alleging that he had fathered Elizabeth. Such suits were common to get a father to accept responsibility to support a child born out of marriage, or to ensure that the father would help to get the child an apprenticeship. Key first denied paternity of the child, claiming that a â€Å"Turk† had fathered the child. (A â€Å"Turk† would have been a non-Christian, which could affect the slave status of the child.) He then accepted paternity and had her baptized as a Christian. Transfer to Higginson At about the same time, he was planning to go to England- perhaps the suit was filed to ensure that he accepted paternity before he left- and he placed the 6-year-old Elizabeth with Humphrey Higginson, who was her godfather. Key specified a term of indenture of nine years, which would bring her to the age of 15, a common time for indenture terms or apprentice terms to expire. In the agreement, he specified that after 9 years, Higginson was to take Elizabeth with him, give her a â€Å"portion,† and then free her to make her own way in the world. Also included in the instructions was that Higginson treat her like a daughter; as later testimony put it, â€Å"user her more Respectfully than a Common servant or slave.† Key then sailed for England, where he died later that year. Colonel Mottram When Elizabeth was about ten years old, Higginson transferred her to a Colonel John Mottram, a justice of the peace- whether it was a transfer or sale is not clear- and he then moved to what is now Northumberland County, Virginia, becoming the first European settler there. He founded a plantation he called Coan Hall. About 1650, Col. Mottram arranged for 20 indentured servants to be brought from England. One of those was William Grinstead, a young lawyer who indentured himself to pay for his passage and work that off during the term of indenture. Grinstead did legal work for Mottram. He also met and fell in love with Elizabeth Key, still held as a bond servant to Mottram, though it was by that time 5 or more years beyond the term of the original agreement between Key and Higginson. Even though Virginia law at that time forbid indentured servants from marrying, having sexual relations or having children, a son, John, was born to Elizabeth Key and William Grinstead. Filing Suit for Freedom In 1655, Mottram died. Those settling the estate assumed that Elizabeth and her son John were slaves for life. Elizabeth and William filed suit in court to recognize both Elizabeth and her son as already free. At the time, the legal situation was ambiguous, with some tradition assuming all â€Å"Negros† were slaves no matter the status of their parents, and other tradition assuming English common law where bondage status followed that of the father. Some other cases held that black Christians could not be slaves for life. The law was especially ambiguous if only one parent was an English subject. The suit was based on two factors: first, that her father was a free Englishman, and under English common law whether one was free or in bondage followed the status of the father; and second, that she had been â€Å"long since Christened† and was a practicing Christian. A number of people testified. One resurrected that old claim that Elizabeth’s father was a â€Å"Turk,† which would have meant neither parent was an English subject. But other witnesses testified that from a very early time, it was common knowledge that Elizabeth’s father was Thomas Key. The key witness was an 80-year-old former servant of Key, Elizabeth Newman. The record also showed that she had been called Black Bess or Black Besse. The court found in her favor and granted her freedom, but an appeal court found that she was not free, because she was a â€Å"Negro.† General Assembly and Retrial Then Grinstead filed a petition for Key with the Virginia General Assembly. The Assembly formed a committee to investigate the facts, and found â€Å"That by the Comon Law the Child of a Woman slave begot by a freeman ought to be free† and also noted that she had been christened and was â€Å"able to give a very good account of her fayth.† The Assembly returned the case to a lower court. There, on July 21, 1656, the court found that Elizabeth Key and her son John were in fact free persons. The court also required that the Mottram estate give her â€Å"Corn Clothes and Satisfaction† for her having served many years beyond the end of her term of service. The court formally â€Å"transferred† to Grinstead â€Å"a maid servant†. That same day, a marriage ceremony was performed and recorded for Elizabeth and William. Life in Freedom Elizabeth had a second son by Grinstead, named William Grinstead II. (Neither son’s birth date is recorded.) Grinstead died in 1661, after only five years of marriage. Elizabeth then married another English settler named John Parse or Pearce. When he died, he left 500 acres to Elizabeth and her sons, which allowed them to live out their lives in peace. There are many descendants of Elizabeth and William Grinstead, including a number of famous people (the actor Johnny Depp is one). Later Laws Before the case, there was, as outlined above, some ambiguity in the legal status of the child of a woman who was in bondage and a free father. The assumption of the Mottram estate that Elizabeth and John were slaves for life was not without precedent. But the idea that all of African descent were permanently in bondage was not universal. Some wills and agreements by owners specified terms of service for African slaves, and also specified land or other goods to be granted at the end of the term of service to aid in their new life as fully free persons. For example, a woman, Jone Johnson, daughter of one Anthony Johnson identified as a Negro, was given 100 acres of land by the Indian ruler Debeada in 1657. Key’s suit won her freedom and established the precedence of the English common law about a child born to a free, English father. In response, Virginia and other states passed laws to override the common law’s assumptions. Slavery in America became more solidly a race-based and hereditary system. Virginia passed these laws: 1660: the term of indentured servitude was limited to five years- for servants from a Christian country1662: a child’s status as free or bond (slave) status was to follow the mother’s status, contrary to English common law1667: being a Christian did not alter status of bondage1670: prohibited Africans from importing any bonded laborers from anywhere (Africa or England included)1681: children of a European mother and African father were to be in bondage to age 30 In Maryland: 1661: a law was passed making all African Americans in the colony slaves, and all African Americans slaves at birth whatever the status of the parents1664: a new law outlawed marriages between European or English women and African (Negro/black) men Note: while the term â€Å"black† or â€Å"Negro† was sometimes used for Africans from the beginning of the presence of people of African descent in colonial America, the term â€Å"white† came into legal usage in Virginia about 1691, with a law referring to â€Å"English or other white women.† Before that, each nationality was described. In 1640, for instance, a court case described a â€Å"Dutchman,† a â€Å"Scotch man† and a â€Å"Negro,† all bond servants who escaped to Maryland. An earlier case, 1625, referred to a â€Å"Negro,† a â€Å"Frenchman,† and â€Å"a Portugall.† More about the early history of black or African women in what is now the United States, including how laws and treatment evolved: Timeline of African American History and Women Also known as: Elizabeth Key Grinstead; due to spelling variations common at the time, last name was variously Key, Keye, Kay and Kaye; married name was variously Grinstead, Greensted, Grimstead, and other spellings; final married name was Parse or Pearce Background, Family: Mother: not namedFather: Thomas Key (or Keye or Kay or Kaye) Marriage, Children: husband: William Grinstead (or Greensted or Grimstead or other spellings) (married July 21, 1656; indentured servant and lawyer)children:John GrinsteadWilliam Grinstead IIhusband: John Parce or Pearce (married about 1661)

Vulnerable Population in the Workplace Project Essay - 1

Vulnerable Population in the Workplace Project - Essay Example 2009). The disadvantages are driven by the social conditions, which a person works, live, play, and learn. This paper provides an overview of the health disparity in work place among the elderly. In the United States, health care disparity manifests itself in a number of ways both major and multiple. In one side, the health disparity is evident articles, which address life expectancy; the shortest and the longest living. On the second side, is the economic burden, in which a joint research by the Joint Centre for Political and Economic Studies, observed that cost of health care provision contributes to premature death. The aforementioned disparities lean on social and economic factors; where one lives, work, grow, and age. Primarily, social determinants such as access to care, poverty, and low socioeconomic status influence health provision in the society (RCEZEC 2009). It is arguable that the disparities in health provision influence health outcome. The health care disparity influen ces the lives of the underprivileged in the society more than the other groups. Health documents categorize the following groups under the underprivileged the disabled, the elderly, low income among others. The society seems to be judging the aforementioned categories before providing them with this vital service. Some critics have observed that the elderly in home health care have been subject to disparity. In a bid to establish the barriers to health care disparity, a study in a home health care for the elderly was paramount. The documentations about barriers to health care have indicated the following. The main barrier that hampers provision of health care among the elderly is the language barrier. Communication is essential tool in discharging healthcare services because of a number of reasons. Firstly, communication enables the healthcare practitioners to establish the right medication for the patients (HHS, 2010). Secondly, communications enables effective services to the pati ents. The second barrier documented to health care provision is the low income. Elderly, persons living in homes for the elderly have to meet the bills for the services they acquire in these facilities. In addition, meeting the expenses would depend on the income level of the individual. Coincidentally, many old people from the low-income families do not demonstrate the ability to meet their own bills because of limited savings. The above barriers have influenced provision of health care in the elderly home. The historic disparities, socially or economically has shaped the elderly that the project has targeted. Most Hispanic elderly, speakers have limited knowledge in English language. This has been a challenge in promoting health care provision in homes that host this group. The language problem has historical root, emanating from the cultural preferences, poverty, and political inclinations that shaped the lives of people in the past. Presently, attending to their social challenge s involves, understanding their culture, social status and bridging between modernity and the ancient tradition. Action Plan to Combat the Barriers Since language barrier influence the provision of health care among the elderly in the elderly homes, this project has established that it can work with bilingual nurses or healthcare professionals. This plan intends to give attention to health disparity cases of elderly persons that fail to communicate their problems effectively to the medical practitioners. The Hispanic

Psychology Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Psychology - Personal Statement Example It seriously mattered what others had on mind about me so I had been cautiously acting and speaking in this regard. I may not be conscious of this issue as it was back then but with my present level of thinking and discernment of situations with youths in general, I manage to assess that my 'self-concept' of identity and recognition at that early age was normally attached with my concern of views beyond myself. The unpleasant scenario with my aunt may not be the most embarrassing yet it was by far sufficiently concrete even to this point, that it left me somewhat speechless and sleepless in a couple of days pondering how I could possibly reconstruct the image of confidence lost. By the time I discovered that this case is not isolated like the treatment I gave it, I gradually learned how to cope emotionally with similar occasions that followed. On witnessing that some acquaintances and neighbors had also undergone times as unfortunate, I could relate and sensed a significant connectio n that my feelings began adjusting to the level where I first acknowledged the type of emotion involved then took control by diverting my attention to other concerns and understanding that time heals in the process. As a child, this development is essential particularly as I aimed to replenish hopes and composed myself due to realization of a chief interest. Because I looked up to someone and wanted something like all the other children had, I could not let distressing emotions blow my drive to yield to such ends. Consequently, I was able to identify an emotional trend or cycle which would often remind me to keep calm and have patience on anticipating subsidence of an upset sentiment. Currently, though I consider varying approach in dealing with circumstances that entail getting embarrassed, learning the basics through my concrete operational stage stays intact. When I turned a sophomore in high school, I had a friend in campus whom I was with constantly and who strongly convinced m e to try part-time jobs for some extra cash in addition to the allowances given on a regular basis by my parents. With loads of school work however, I could not quite manage whenever another task got in the way so I did not fully proceed with the job offer but helped my friend instead in exchange of commissions we had agreed I could be apportioned with on accomplishing my part of the project. At that age, the material or physical drive of earning income all the more urged my sense of independence to grow, thinking that it would be a mature step to prepare myself for a more challenging endeavor later on. Little did I know that the more I thought so ideally of managing my situations of acquiring my own means of financial support, the more I was consumed with impatience in handling other important matters. It did feel emotionally rewarding as it encouraged me to work hard and be proud upon discovery of new potentials at first but as the going got tough, I got exhausted at the expense o f my studies and healthy interactions. I became rebellious toward my parents unconsciously, seeking my way with reasons and pointing out that there was something I could prove.

Muhammad The Prophet Essay Example for Free

Muhammad The Prophet Essay Muhammad is considered in Islam to be a messenger and prophet sent by God to guide humanity to the right way. He is considered as the last in a series of prophets sent by God. The Quran is believed to have been presented to Muhammad by God. Muhammad is know as the greatest of all prophets to the Muslims, and his religion as the only accepted religion of God. He is seen by Muslims as a possessor of all virtues. The scattered verses of the Prophet had been inscribed not only on date leaves and shreds of leather but on â€Å"the hearts of men. † Muller says, â€Å"Now Muhammad had certainly not lived like an angel† referring to how Muhammad had raided one of their caravans in the holy month of pilgrimage. He also says this because in 632 Muhammad confused his followers by dying. In war Muhammad lied to his men promising them that if they were to die in battle that they would marry seventy dark-eyed virgins. Muhammad also had preached gospels that where unholy. I his gospels he encouraged war and had no message of peace. He also had eleven wives making him unholy, but this had to do with the time and place that he lived in. to everyone but strong Muslims Muhammad was a bad person and a mortal. But to the Muslims he was a descendent of God. Yet Muhammad was a great man, superior to his time and place. He not only preached but practiced a morality that was superior to his era. If he could be ruthless, he was more often gentle, kind, generous. He could be Christ like in his sympathy for the weak and poor. Through the fog of tradition one can see an attractive humanity, as in his unfailing courtesy touched by shyness. His humble sharing of the household chores. You can understand why he was so deeply loved by those around him. Muhammad is like Jesus in the sense that he showed complete dedication to his God. He also had a power of personality that had as deep of an impression on his followers as Jesus made on his. His basic teaching is clearer and more nearly uniform than that attributed to Jesus. The theme of more than half of the Koran is about an absolutely pure monotheism. â€Å"There is no god but God.† Allah is the God preached by the prophets, from Abraham and Ishmael through Moses to Jesus, and revealed in the Scriptures of the Jews and the Christians. Abraham was the true founder of the faith, Muhammad the last prophet, and the Koran the final perfect revelation

Thematic Issues in Nine Muses by Wim Coleman Essay -- essays research

Many thematic issues are found in modern plays from classic myths in the book Nine Muses by Wim Coleman. Long ago, when life was full of mysteries, myths, or explanations, helped people make sense of a perplexing world. Myths also explain deeper questions. Such as, how did the world itself come to be? How did life begin? How were human beings created and why? And why is there suffering and death in the world? People of ancient cultures all over the world puzzled over such questions, and they created stories to answer them. One of the main thematic issues in Nine Muses is the tragic effect of engaging in actions which are forbidden. Some plays which express this thematic issue are â€Å"Pandora†, â€Å"Phaeton and the Sun Chariot†, and â€Å"Eros and Psyche†. One of the plays found in Nine Muses is â€Å"Pandora†. This play is about Hesoid, a Greek poet, who describes the creation of the universe of gods and humankind. He shares a story about â€Å"a gift for humankind† (P.22) or in other words, the first woman Pandora. As she enters the mortal world, she becomes the wife of Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus, a titan. Epimetheus’s brother told him he is not to have anything to do with the gods, and when he found out that Pandora was a gift from the gods, he told her he told her that he could not accept her- a gift from the gods. Pandora finds a beautiful clay jar hidden behind a curtain, while searching for the â€Å"wife† of Epimetheus. Pandora reaches to open the jar assuming it has Epimetheus’s wife in it but Epimetheus stops her explaining that there are terrible things in the jar. Being a curious girl, as soon as Epimetheus leaves the room to attend his daily chores, Pandora walks over t o the jar and opens the lid letting the terrible thi... ...s talk and the two sisters become awfully jealous of her. After they try to find out the truth of Psyche and her husband, they leave with some jewels. The night after the two sisters leave, Psyche can’t sleep at night and order her servants to bring her a lamp. She sneaks into her husband’s room, to find a beautiful creature with great, white folded, feathered wings. He is the son of Aphrodite’s, Eros – she says. As she quietly moves away, her oil lamp drops oil on Eros burning him and waking him up. He explains to Psyche that â€Å"mortals and gods are forbidden to marry† (p.137) that’s why she couldn’t see him and now he must go away from her. In this play we see that Pandora should’ve listened to her husband, Eros, and it caused herself bad in not listening to Eros, but we see that things can work out after something terrible occurs, such as the birth of a child.

Deming Concept

W. Edwards Deming was considered to be way ahead of his time. His philosophical ideas were also considered radical in the United States during the 1950’s, but were quickly adopted by Japan. He developed what later became known as Deming’s 14 points, that would later launch the Total Quality Management Movement in the United States, which were not actually accepted until the 1980’s. One of his philosophies that I found interesting was Point #5: â€Å"Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs. This philosophy was foreign in the 1950’s, where managers’ philosophy was focused more on power and control. Deming’s concept leaned more towards a teacher/student relationship, instead of the power and control focus of his time. Humans are very resistant to change however, and that is why I feel this is an important concept that some companies still strugg le with today. My employer for example, Lowe’s Distribution Center, has some managers that don’t like to change processes because â€Å"it is the way they like it to be done†. Deming’s philosophy involved a new focus, which involved management to constantly be looking for improvements that can be made in both their processes, and technology that would reduce cost. Our computer system that controls every function in our facility is about 22 years old, and is outdated to the point where it has employees repeat steps to convince the computer system the task has been completed. Inefficient methods lead to higher cost. Higher costs in turn seem to add to our society’s need for power and control, resulting in increased pressure on team members to make up for the inefficiencies of the system. At this point, team members than reduce quality to meet increased expectations, resulting in decreased customer satisfaction. The long-term result involves lower profit margin and decreased sales, which all could have been avoided if Deming’s points were followed in the first place, by replacing or updating the equipment. Deming’s philosophy also referred to the service industry. If improvements were made to meet the expectations of customers, than overall costs would be decreased. This is commonly still seen today with new technology being put on the market, only to be recalled later when it is tested and announced to be â€Å"unsafe. For example, the recall of the Toyota model Prius, which was found to have quality issues with the clips that hold the floor mats in place. If the clips came loose, the mats could slide and hold down the accelerator, which risked causing an accident. This recall was estimated to cost Toyota around two billion dollars, as well as a loss o f $100,000 in sales in both the U. S. and Europe. Imagine if Toyota had invested more in the quality side of producing the clips, and the savings that would have came with it. Deming’s philosophies triggered the Total Quality Management movement in the 1980’s. Beforehand, factories focused solely on productions numbers, without even taking quality into consideration. I can see why Deming’s ideas weren’t accepted at first, if you think back to how things probably were in the 1950’s. Not to mention the increased costs that comes with higher quality. For example, a shoe factory probably only had two options for shoes, black or white. Now we have a large selection of brands to choose from, each representing a different level of quality. With the focus now being on quality, businesses can provide a higher level of customer satisfaction, bringing different levels of quality to meet their customer’s budget, as well as expectations. Having strict levels of quality guidelines in the service industry, especially in fast food, customers are more reassured that they are consuming food that is safe, and has met requirements set by health inspectors. Deming’s philosophies have also made our business processes more efficient. Businesses today focus on the future, and predict possible changes they would need to adopt to survive. Technology is constantly changing, and is also bringing a higher level of quality to both manufacturing and service industries. In conclusion, I think Deming’s philosophies are vital today to businesses survival. For a business to get ahead of the competition, they need to not only be efficient, but also possess a certain level of accepted quality by consumers. Quality continues to improve as new technology emerges on the market, and processes are continually evaluated. Any business would benefit by following Deming’s 14 points.