Prisoners with Special Needs free essay sample

A special need inmate has a physical or mental disability that limits their capacity to function in the normal inmate population. The United States is made up of individuals of all walks of life. The prisoners held in American prisons are no different. The United States prison system does not discriminated among its prisoners. These prisoners may have physical or mental disabilities however, if they committed a crime and are sentenced to spend time in prison then that is where they go. The fact is these inmates have special needs and are not special. They have been incarcerated for a reason. The most common special needs prisoners are mentally ill inmates. Mental disabilities are subdivided into three general categories, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, and mental illness (Silka Hauser, 1997). Developmental disabilities are referred to as mentally retarded. Intelligence is measured by IQ, someone with developmental disabilities has an According to Silka and Hauser (1997) â€Å"IQ of less than 100. We will write a custom essay sample on Prisoners with Special Needs or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mild mental retardation has an IQ of 51-69, moderate mental retardation is an IQ of 35-50, severe is an IQ 20-35, and profound is 20 and below† (p. Levels of severity, Table 1). Mentally ill inmates are classified into two categories, emotional disturbances, and personality disorders. Some mental disorders commonly found in prison are paranoia, depression, hypochondria, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders. It is the job of corrections officers to get these individuals medical treatment (Silka Hauser, 1997). A lack of family relationships, education, and employment related skills can further criminal activity. Federal and state levels have a hard time finding the funds to treat the mentally ill who have been incarcerated. Many times mentally ill inmates go undiagnosed or their needs are not met because corrections officers do not know how to handle them. If these offenders are not properly cared for their physical and mental state will deteriorate. This causes them to be much more of a burden on society and the prison system financially (National center for biotechnology information, u. s. national library of medicine, 2013). The aging population of inmates accounts for 20% of the entire prison population. Inmates are required to serve 85% of their sentence before they can be released. Life sentences are used for often than before (CJi Interactive, University of Phoenix, 2011). Discretion of the judge has been taken away because of mandatory sentencing. Without mandatory sentencing the judge could his discretion and sentence these aging offenders to another sentence other than incarceration (Seiter, p, 223, 2011). The cost to care for an elderly inmate is three times more than the average inmate or $60,000 a year. Policies are needed specifically geared toward the elderly to help care for them (CJi Interactive, University of Phoenix, 2011). Juveniles 18 and younger are committing more violent crimes. For this reason Legislation is being sought after to try juveniles as adults. These offenders have been sentenced as an adult and are held in adult prisons but, are developmentally immature. An issue to consider is, segregation of the juvenile, staff specifically trained, and educational programs available. Also treatment programs must be available and designed for the youth (CJi Interactive, University of Phoenix, 2011). Drug offenders account for many offenders in prison. These offenders have a history of drug use and abuse. Many of the offenders have a history of drug use and abuse, have physical addictions, or drug related illnesses. The need for drugs and drug use is a contributor of crime and needs to be treated while incarcerated. Issues to consider when moving an offender into a facility is there should be a variety of drug treatment programs available, specialized treatment for drug related illnesses, and mental health treatment (CJi Interactive, University of Phoenix, 2011). The Monroe Correctional Complex offers a Sexual Offender Treatment Program. Of the offenders that complete this program seven percent return to prison. It is estimated that 95 % of sentenced sex offenders in prison return to the community. Treatment for offenders is one element to an all-inclusive attempt to expand community safety. According to Department of Corrections Washington State (2012), â€Å"The Monroe Correctional Complex believes treatment for sex offenders is a key component of its Reentry Initiative. The Reentry Initiative is designed to help offenders begin to receive the treatments, education, and job training they need in prison so they can return to society making choices that will keep them out of prison† (para. 1, 2, 3). According to Department of Corrections Washington State (2012), â€Å"The Monroe Correctional Complex has three main goals: 1. Help offenders learn to reduce and manage risk. 2. Provide information to help the department and its community partners monitor and manage offenders more effectively. â€Å"Group therapy’s goals are to help offenders: Take responsibility for assaultive behavior Learn how to understand their patterns (cycles) of criminal behavior Learn relapse prevention and other management skills to reduce risk of reoffense Learn the attitudes, thinking skills and behaviors needed to safely reside in the community Prepare to learn new skills and knowledge† According to Department of Corrections Washington State (2012), â€Å"Additional classes and sessions address sexual deviancy, life skills and other topics. Offenders vary widely in their motivation and commitment to change. Treatment is likely to be successful to the extent that the offender is able to: Recognize and understand the factors that contributed to his or her offense(s). Monitor themselves and their environment to detect changes indicating that their risk to reoffend is increasing. Develop the skills necessary to intervene, manage and reduce risky behavior Remain willing and able to apply monitoring and intervention skills in a timely and effective manner, including seeking outside assistance when necessary† (para. 9, 10, 11) In conclusion, The Monroe Correctional Complex sex offender program has been successful. Only seven percent of offenders who have completed the program return to prison. There is a waiting list and criteria to qualify for the programming and are taken on a case-by-case basis. More of these types of programs need to be used to reduce the recidivism.

Happy Are Those Who Lose Imagination Essays

Happy Are Those Who Lose Imagination Essays Happy Are Those Who Lose Imagination Essay Happy Are Those Who Lose Imagination Essay They no longer are phased by the bones that they walk all over of their fellow comrades, they fail to show empathy for those around them and they cannot even bring homeless to make Jokes to try and lift the spirits of themselves and their friends. This is all a result of being exposed to the front line for so long. At first, we are baffled at this statement made by Owen, simply because In other poems, he tries to portray a sense of compassion towards those that die at War. The attitude that Is conveyed In Apologia Pro pomade and Dulcet Et Decorum Est In particular Is one of disappointment at the public for not showing enough sympathy. In Apologia, Owen even redefines beauty as the bonds that are formed in confined environments like hose at War. Therefore, in terms of this form of insensitiveness Owen opposes his usual messages in Insensibility. In the middle of the first stanza, Owen makes a bold statement, a lone sentence; The front line withers. , implying that it resembles flowers shrilling and dying. He then brings us back to reality and reminds us that the truth Is not flowers that are dying, but real men. He goes against the poetic click © of the men being compared to flowers, and strongly focuses on actuality. : This could be where Owen first addresses the topic of Imagination In his poem. HIS unwillingness to promote men as metaphoric resemblances to flowers could be an example of how he thought imagination to be pathetic. However, the idea of one being better off without it is not really evident in this stanza because by highlighting the reality of men dying, he is causing no Joy but more upset if anything. The third stanza opens with Happy are those who lose imagination; the same type of opening sentence as the others. Here, Owen creates the image of men who have been weakened to the state where they have been reduced to robot like creatures, only carrying out their duties, having lost the ability to think for themselves. This insensibility Is extended to the point where they do not even feel pain as their wounds can not more ache. Being surrounded by the red of blood has no affect on them any longer as they have become so used to It. Their eyes are rid of all the pain around them and they do not contemplate It to be anything out of the ordinary. I nose men nave Eden Don unearned Ana weakened to ten pilot winner teen can even laugh [at] the dying. With this, Owen is saying that these reduced men and owe numb to their surroundings and happenings; as they are numb, they are able to withstand the pain and not be affected by it. In the environment of war, where happiness ceases to exist, the next best thing to feel, is nothing. When you feel nothing, you do not feel pain or fear and so one could interpret this lack of sadness, as happiness. However, it is only really in the first part of the stanza that Owen conveys this message where imagination is a burden to the soldiers. The idea of men who are emotionless and have no imagination is no more appealing than the image f corpses and so Owens message could be more complex than the one of soldiers being better off without imagination. It could agree that being numb is less damaging than being vulnerable but it also builds up the image of these men acting like zombies. It treats imagination like something that can cause unbearable pain, but something that we all should have as humans. The fourth stanza elaborates on the message that is created in the first three. It mentions the innocent men who would sing along while marching unaware of what lies ahead. In comparison to those are the men who have been trained and have to make decisions rather than to simply follow orders. Their naivety is almost something to new and so in this case, lack of knowledge and imagination is something that is a form of protection against harsh reality. It could be construed that Owen does actually new those who do not suffer from the troubled thoughts that he does but who instead have no imagination. However, in the last stanza, Owen criticizes this same insensitivity to surroundings and War on the home front. He describes these men as stones because of their lack of emotion and feeling for the men suffering. He may even be cursing them with death as stones could be taken as tombstones. Owens greatest condemnation of those on the home front is that unlike the soldiers, it was by choice they made themselves immune and so it was their conscious decision to pay no attention to the countless number of losses at War. In this case, he despises those who do not have, or choose not to have the moral capacity to empathic and use their minds to help. The irregularity of the poem takes the attention away from the structure and sheds more light onto what Owen actually wants to be read. The use of paraphrase works in the same way; words such as shilling and shelling, and rid and red bring the focus more onto the meaning of his words rather than the sound of them. In many of his poems, Owen addresses this criticism of the home front being ignorant by choice to the suffering at War which include Dulcet et Decorum Est and Apologia Pro Pomade Memo.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act

In determining who the Act is for, the definition of ATSI people must be considered. As this Act does not provide a definition, a review of prior Australian legislative and common law definitions is therefore required. The definition of ATSI people has a long and contentious history in Australia. Even today, two very different definitions are concurrently in use. One, commonly found in Australian legislation, defines Aboriginals as a person who is a member of the Aboriginal race of Australia. The second definition, a three-part test proposed in the early 1980’s by the Commonwealth Department of Aboriginal Affairs, identifies ATSI peoples as being ‘of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders and are accepted as such by the community in which they live. ’ The first definition becomes problematic as it fails to establish the sort of evidence required to satisfy it. Advances in the field of human genetics have concluded that there is no meaningful genetic or biological basis for the concept of ‘race’. The second definition presents its own problems, which arise when the Aboriginality of the community doing the accepting is thrown into question. Subsequent case law has further developed the definition of ATSI people, for example in Gibbs v Capewell (1995), Justice Drummond stated that ‘the less the degree of Aboriginal descent, the more important cultural circumstances become in determining whether a person is Aboriginal’. In Eatock v Bolt [2011], Bromberg J considered the extent to which each criteria in the three-part test needed to be deployed, stating that: â€Å"For some legislative purposes and in the understanding of some people, compliance with one or two of the attributes of the three-part test may be regarded as sufficient. † The currently favoured three-part definition may be considered an advancement over earlier colonial definitions of ATSI people, which comprised of derogatory terms such as â€Å"nobel savage† or â€Å"prehistoric beast†. The fact remains however within in Australia, only ATSI people are required to prove their identity. Furthermore, it is Australia’s legislature, comprising of mainly non-ATSI representatives, who are tasked with defining ATSI people, rather than ATSI peoples themselves. Who will benefit The question as to who this Act will benefit requires an examination of what the Act aims to achieve prior to the conclusion of its two year ‘sunset provision’, as well as the longer term aims to which the Act is directed. Parliament has acknowledged that the Act is only an interim step towards recognition of ATSI peoples in the Constitution, and that the Act is not intended to be a substitute for constitutional recognition itself. The Act provides for the recognition of ATSI people as Australia’s first occupants, acknowledges their continuing relationship with their traditional land and waters, and acknowledges ATSI people’s culture, language and heritage. The Act does not create any material or economic benefits for ATSI people. Rather, it aims at building political support for Constitutional reform. As the Australian Founding Fathers paid no attention at all to the position of the Australian aboriginal race, the Act may be of some benefit to the emotional wellbeing of ATSI people as it formally acknowledges their cultural heritage. However, due to the section 5 of the Act, which causes these to cease two years after its commencement, any such benefit will be temporary. Furthermore, as Parliament must hold a successful referendum to effect any Constitutional change, there remains a possibility that Parliament could fail to generate enough support for the amendments it proposes. In that case the Act would have been little, if any, lasting benefit. As Parliament is yet to propose any amendments to the Constitution, it remains unclear who will benefit in the longer term. PART B: Provisions to Bind Future Parliaments The Act provides a process for progressing constitutional recognition of ATSI people into the future. Section 4 (1) of the Act provides that the relevant minister must conduct a review of support for a referendum to recognize ATSI people in the Constitution within 12 months of the commencement of the Act. As the Act commenced in February 2012, and a Federal election is due for the same year, it is likely that this provision will take effect after the election. The question of whether this provision is binding on future Parliaments requires an examination of whether the Parliament has the power do so, and if it does, under what circumstances. Parliamentary Sovereignty Parliamentary sovereignty represents one of the twin pillars of British constitutional law, along with the rule of law, identified by the influential nineteenth century jurist, Alfred Venn Dicey (1835-1922). Dicey defined Parliamentary Sovereignty as essentially being â€Å"the power of lawmaking unrestricted by any legal limit† which gives Parliament â€Å"the right to make or unmake any law; whatever†. However, unlike the United Kingdom, the Australian Parliament is constrained by the Commonwealth Constitution and is therefore not absolutely sovereign In theory, there is a necessary limit to sovereignty. If Parliament were absolutely sovereign to pass any law whatsoever, it could pass laws limiting the power of its successors, and parliamentary sovereignty would be short-lived. In Australia, the general rule is that Parliament is not bound by a previous Parliament. This was supported by the majority in Kartinyeri, who concluded, as Brennan CJ and McHugh J put it, that â€Å"the power to make laws includes the power to unmake them†. Each new Parliament is therefore free to create new laws afresh. The notion that Parliament is not bound by prior legislation is further supported by the doctrines of express repeal and implied repeal. The doctrine of express repeal works on the proposition that a later act of Parliament can be enacted which expressly and clearly repeals an earlier act in its totality. The doctrine of implied repeal states that certain sections of an earlier act maybe accidently or impliedly repealed where the provisions of an earlier act are inconsistent with a later act. The Act in question is not binding of successor Parliaments, and may therefore be amended or repealed as Parliament sees fit. Manner and Form Provisions Australian Parliaments have on occasions sought to affect the power of their successors by imposing special requirements for the passing of some laws. These requirements, known as ‘manner and form’ provisions, are restrictive procedures. They restrict the legislative powers of the Parliament by requiring that laws on certain topics may only be enacted by a special and more difficult procedure. Probably the most common manner and form provision is the referendum requirement whereby, before royal assent is given to the bill, it must be approved by a majority of the electorate. Such a provision reconstitutes Parliament by adding an additional chamber, the electorate. This would provide a difficult hurdle for any future Parliament as only 8 of 44 referendums have been successful in Australia’s history. Although Parliament has not drafted this Act in a way which restricts its amendment or repeal, Parliament could do so by inserting manner and form provisions for this purpose. PART C: The Expert Panel Prior to drafting the Bill, the Federal Labor Government established an Expert Panel on constitutional recognition for ATSI people. Throughout 2011, the Panel engaged with thousands of Australians through submissions, consultations and meetings, to hear the views of a wide cross-section of the Australian community. In January 2012, the Panel published its report where it provided recommendations on the possible forms of constitutional recognition, along with constitutional amendments relating to racial non-discrimination. Constitutional background to this legislation The Australian ‘founding fathers’ paid no attention at all to the position of the ATSI peoples. The Constitution as originally framed in 1901 provided for the exclusion and the discriminatory treatment of the ‘aboriginal race’. There were only two references to ATSI people in the body of the original Australian Constitution: (a) Federal Parliament was denied power to make laws with respect to people of â€Å"the aboriginal race in any State†; and (b) Section 127 provided: â€Å"In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth, or of a State or other part of the Commonwealth, aboriginal natives shall not be counted. † The 1967 referendum, which did away with the discriminatory references in s 127 and amended s 51 (xxvi) to allow Parliament to make laws for ATSI people, was intended to be in the best interests of the Aboriginal people. However, in the case of Kartinyeri v Commonwealth (1998), which was the legal climax of a long political controversy, the majority of justices said that ‘for’ does not require the Parliament to legislate beneficially. The outcome meant that the Australian Parliament were empowered to enact laws that would not only benefit ATSI people, but also discriminate against them. And so, while the 1967 referendum made well-intentioned symbolic changes, the overall legal effect was that the discriminatory attitudes of the Constitution’s founders were retained. One of the principles agreed to by the Panel for its assessment of proposals for constitutional was that a proposal must be of benefit to and accord with the wishes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It could therefore be argued that an Expert Panel, comprised not only of lawyers but prominent ATSI community members, carefully scrutinising the legal ramifications of any proposed constitutional amendments, will make it less likely that constitutional recognition would have unintended outcomes for ATSI people (as in Kartinyeri). Furthermore, Megan Davis, a member of the expert panel, stated that constitutional recognition – whether amendment of a race power or a non-discrimination clause – does not foreclose on the question of sovereignty. The above findings by the Panel, along with its widespread consultation with ASTI people, will undoubtedly play a significant role in addressing the concerns the Australia people may have in relation to the proposed referendum. [ 1 ]. Dr John Gardiner-Garden, Defining Aboriginality in Australia (3 February 2003) Social Policy Group . [ 2 ]. Ibid. [ 3 ]. See, eg, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth). [ 4 ]. Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Report on a Review of the Administration of the Working Definition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (1981), Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, cited in J Gardiner-Garden, The Definition of Aboriginality: Research Note 18, 2000–01 (2000) Parliament of Australia, 2. [ 5 ]. See above n 1. [ 6 ]. J Graves, The Emperor’s New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millennium (2001) Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick. [ 7 ]. See above n 1. [ 8 ]. 54 FCR 503. [ 9 ]. FCA 1103 (28 September 2011). 10 ]. Michael Dodson ‘The End in the Beginning: Re(de)finding Aboriginality’ (Speech delivered at the Wentworth Lecture, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 1994). [ 11 ]. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013 (Cth) s 5. [ 12 ]. Explanatory Memorandum, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Bill 2012 (Cth). [ 13 ]. Above n 11, s 3. [ 14 ]. Geoffrey Sawer, ‘The Australian Constitution and the Australian Aborigine’ (1966) 2 Federal Law Review 17. [ 15 ]. Australia Constitution s 128. [ 16 ]. Ibid. [ 17 ]. Above n 12. [ 18 ]. Sarah Joseph and Melissa Castan, Federal Constitutional Law: A Contemporary View (Thomson Reuters, 3rd ed, 2010) 3. [ 19 ]. A V Dicey, The Introduction to The Study of the Constitution (Macmillan and Co, first published 1885, 1889 ed). [ 20 ]. Ibid. [ 21 ]. Above n 21. [ 22 ]. A Reilly, G Appleby, L Grenfell and W Lacey, Australian Public Law (Oxford University Press, 2011). [ 23 ]. Ibid. [ 24 ]. 152 ALR at [13]. [ 25 ]. See, eg, Vauxhall Estates, Ltd. v. Liverpool Corporation [1932] 1 KB 733. See also Ellen Street Estates Ltd. v. Minister of Health [1934] 1 KB 590 at 597. [ 26 ]. Ibid. [ 27 ]. Above n 24. [ 28 ]. Tony Blackshield and George Williams, Australian Constitutional Law and Theory: Commentary and Materials (The Federation Press, 5th ed, 2010) 440. [ 29 ]. Ibid. [ 30 ]. Gerard Carney, ‘An Overview of Manner and Form in Australia’ (1989) 5 QUT Law Review 1. [ 31 ]. Ibid. [ 32 ]. Above n 32, 1340. [ 33 ]. Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians, Canberra, Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution: Report of the Expert Panel (2012) . [ 34 ]. Geoffrey Sawer, ‘The Australian Constitution and the Australian Aborigine’ (1966) 2 Federal Law Review 17. 35 ]. Asmi Wood, ‘Constitutional Reform 2013: What are we trying to achieve? ’ (2012) 37 (3) Alternative Law Journal 156-160. [ 36 ]. Law Council of Australia, Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians, Discussion Paper (2011) 19. [ 37 ]. Australian Constitution s 51 (xxvi). [ 38 ]. Above n 18, 484. [ 39 ]. 195 CLR 337. [ 40 ]. Pet er Hanks Deborah Cass, Australian Constitution Law: Materials and Commentary (Butterworths, 6th ed, 1999). [ 41 ]. Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 158 CLR 1, 110 (Gibbs CJ). [ 42 ]. Above n 35, 158. [ 43 ]. Above n 33.

Determining HRIS Needs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Determining HRIS Needs - Essay Example Human resource information systems are aimed at enhancing efficient use of information to ensure informed decision-making process. When plans for updating the human resource information are being made, it is prudent to assess a number of parameters that influences the system and its operations in an organization (Torres-Coronas and Arias-Oliva, 2009). Thus, to begin with organizations should the management practices in the organization and the current technology that is implemented in relation to the changes in the business environment. In this regard, the organization should acquire knowledge of new technology that they seek to replace the current one and analyse both its advantages and drawbacks, and them assess its suitability in the organization. The government regulation concerning deployment of new technology as far as human resource information system is concerned should be analysed so as to ensure the new technology or improvements, that are to be rolled out, are in accordance with the law and they meet the minimum requirements as stipulated. The needs of the organization should also be taken into consideration since the new technology or improvements that are to be done are for the sole purpose of ensuring the objectives of the organization are achieved with ease (Torres-Coronas and Arias-Oliva, 2009). That notwithstanding, before rolling out the changes the human resource department should assess their long-term plans incline them with market dynamism and thus ensure viable long term strategy. Also information from market leaders that have successfully implemented the changes or new technology concerning the human resource information system together with records from government agencies should be analysed and aid in making informed decisions as far as the upgrade is concerned. Focus groups are prone to bias since the groups tend to be dominated by few individuals whose ideas will override the general opinion of others thus make the

A topic that shows an understanding of economics conept Term Paper

A topic that shows an understanding of economics conept - Term Paper Example Wal-Mart gets a huge discount for buying the milk in large quantities. Similarly, the suppliers who deliver the ten thousand cartons enjoy the economies of scale. The cost of delivering many cartons is remarkably low. Notably, the average cost of delivering the thousand cartons is less than that of transporting hundred. In effect, the transport cost per unit reduces remarkably. The supplier will need to pay a single driver, and the fuel cost will remain fixed. It is evident that the economies of scale benefit the firms that purchase products in large quantities. The reduction of the cost per output in turn increases the profitability of firms as in the case of Wal-Mart. The Wal-Mart economies of scale is internal. It is specific to the individual enterprise. Boyes and Melvin (2012) contend that the firms that buy products in bulk for resale benefit from the internal economies of scale known as purchasing. Such firms reduce the expenses including the transport costs. Wal-Mart continues to gain the purchasing economies of scale for buying products from the suppliers in large quantities. Similarly, the supermarket chain achieves purchasing discount. In essence, Wal-Mart and suppliers benefit from the economies of scale by purchasing and delivering in bulk respectively. Therefore, firms should capitalize on the economies of scale to maximize profits and reduce the cost of production as exemplified by Wal-Mart. The economies of scale enjoyed by the Wal-Mart can be used expound the patterns of global trade. In effect, the exploitation of the economies of scale can explain the growth of firms such as Wal-Mart in a particular industry. Boyes and Melvin (2012) argue that economists utilize the economies of scale justify free trade policies. Perhaps, the economies of scale, which Wal-Mart enjoys, has facilitated the expansion of the chain supermarket to many parts across the globe. The low cost of

Poverty Porn Essay Example for Free

Poverty Porn Essay Fundraising is a noble and selfless deed. However, an ethical issue has risen concerning the process of raising funds for poverty-stricken communities. Often, visuals of the harsh lives people in poverty face are portrayed when raising funds. The exploitation of such visuals to increase donations or support a cause is known as poverty pornography (Collin, 2009). Poverty pornography is effective in raising funds but it is incorrect due to the unethical way it is carried out that degrades the poverty-stricken communities. Poverty pornography is widely used by charitable organisations because it is an effective method of collecting donations. Research has shown that negative stimuli which evoke emotion can easily capture an individual’s attention (Murphy, Hill, Ramponi, Calder Barnard, 2010). Images of children as well as those which bring about negative emotions also tend to generate more donations (Burt Strongman, 2005). Thus, the disturbing visuals of dying children and women as well as their harsh living conditions portrayed in poverty pornography is effective in grabbing attention and generating feelings of sympathy. These feelings are then converted into actions whereby donations are increased. Therefore, poverty pornography plays a role in helping poverty-stricken communities as it easily grabs people’s attention and encourages them to increase their donations. However, its method of exploiting visuals that degrade the poverty-stricken communities makes poverty pornography unethical. The exploitation of biased visuals depicts poverty-stricken communities in a negative manner. Common examples are severely malnourished African children staring at the camera, waiting to be â€Å"saved† (Osa, 2010). While it is true that there are malnourished children, there are healthier children too. However, poverty pornography is biased as it does not represent this side of poverty-stricken communities. Although taken for a good cause, a distorted image of them is painted (Opoku-Owusu, 2003). This is unethical as the partial representation degrades them, leaving the impression that they are helpless individuals, waiting for their lives to be taken away and unable to do anything. On the other hand, some charitable organisations try to incorporate positive images into their advertisements by showing the after-effects of our donations. For example, they may show visuals of happy, smiling children as a result of our aid. However, such images indirectly degrade the communities as it gives us the impression that without our assistance, they are unable to survive. In 2001, a poll conducted in United Kingdom discovered that 74% thought that â€Å"Developing countries depend on the money and knowledge of the West to progress† (Voluntary Service Overseas, 2002). From this, we can deduce that many have the perception that poverty-stricken communities are weak and vulnerable as they are highly dependent on our help. However, this may not be true because in reality, they are the most â€Å"strongest willed, most tenacious people one could hope to meet† (Cowdroy Evans, 2010). Thus, the misrepresentation creates a false impression that poverty-stricken communities are weak and cannot survive without our aid. This false impression may also create an environment of self-pity which may lead to self-fulfilling prophecies. The self-fulfilling prophecy, introduced by Merton (1948), refers to circumstances whereby an initial false claim later turns into reality. The exploitation of negative visuals pertaining to the lives of poverty-stricken communities has led to a stereotype that they are â€Å"uneducated, incapable of freeing themselves from poverty, lacking in competence, and miserable† (Clark, 2004). This stereotype may cause people to hold negative expectations on the poverty-stricken communities (Madon, Jussim, Eccles, 1997). Although these negative expectations may not be true initially, the poverty-stricken communities might adhere to them thus leading to a self-fulfilled prophecy. Therefore, the use of poverty pornography to assist them may backfire as incorrect claims can become true. Nevertheless, many organizations unremittingly use poverty pornography. Does this make poverty pornography a necessary evil? Poverty pornography is definitely not a necessary evil. It is unethical to degrade or stereotype the poverty-stricken communities, even if it is for a noble cause. Moreover, poverty pornography can instead contribute to the  poverty cycle as the negative assumptions about the poverty-stricken communities may become self-fulfilling prophecies. Thus, instead of eradicating poverty, it may worsen the conditions of poverty-stricken communities. However what other methods can we adopt to increase awareness on the needs of the poverty-stricken communities without degrading them? Instead of exploiting biased images that generate feelings of sympathy, programmes that create feelings of empathy and responsibility can be created. One such event is the inaugural 30 Hour Famine Camp in Singapore held by World Vision. In this camp, youths are given a feel of life in poverty by taking part in activities that simulates lives of children in poverty. The youths also make a stand to end global poverty by fasting for thirty hours. This camp generates empathy which encourages youths to not only donate but also to think of more ways to assist by allowing them to realise that they have the ability and responsibility to help end poverty. To portray full representation of their lives, some have embarked on projects like ‘Perspectives of Poverty’ which â€Å"expose[s] this bias [poverty pornography] and present people in a light of dignity† (McNiholl, n.d). Even though it may not help in raising funds, by presenting poverty-stricken in a better light, it balances off how degrading poverty pornography has been and slowly alters people’s perception on poverty-stricken communities. This can help remove stereotypes on them thus avoid self-fulfilling prophecies. Poverty pornography has proven to be effective. However, its unethical methods have undermined the usefulness of helping poverty-stricken communities. Instead of assisting, it strips them of their dignity, their ability to help themselves and contribute to the poverty cycle. Even though poverty pornography cannot be eradicated in the near future as it is widely used, the two methods presented above are examples of how we can slowly break away from poverty pornography. People in poverty are human beings too. Thus, in the process of assisting them, we must create a full representation of them and treat them as dignified human beings. To achieve this, poverty pornography must be eradicated. REFERENCES Burt, CDB. Strongman, K. Use Of Images In Charity Advertising: Improving Donations and Compliance Rates. International Journal of Organisational Behaviour, 8(8) 1, Retrieved from http://www.usq.edu.au/extrafiles/business/journals/HRMJournal/InternationalArticles/Volume%208/Burt%20Vol%208%20no%208.pdf Clark, D. J. (2004). The production of a contemporary famine image: The image economy, indigenous photographers and the case of Mekanic Philipos. Journal of International Development, 16, 693–704. DOI: 10.1002/jid.112 Collin, M. (2009). What is ‘poverty porn’ and why does it matter for development? Retrieved 16 July 2011 from Aid Thoughts website: http://aidthoughts.org/?p=69 Cowdroy, J. Evans, H. (2005), Poverty Pornography. Retrieved 16 July, 2011 from The Global Poverty Project website: http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/blog/view/238 Madon, S., Jussim, L., Eccles, J. (1997). In search of the powerful self-fulfilling prophecy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72(4), 791-809. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.72.4.791 Merton, R.K. (1948). The self-fulfilling prophecy. The Antioch Review, 8(2), 193-210. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Murphy, F. C., Hill, E. L., Ramponi, C. C., Calder, A. J., Barnard, P. J. (2010). Paying attention to emotional images with impact. Emotion, 10(5), 605-614. DOI: 10.1037/a0019681 Opoku-Owusu, S. A. S. (2003). What can the African diaspora do to challenge distorted media perceptions about Africa? London: AFFORD. Osa, E. (2010). The starving baby syndrome is hurting Africa’s image. New African, (501), 72-73. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Scale E. (2010), WaterAid UK And Poverty Porn. Retrieved 16 July, 2011 from The Global Poverty Project website http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/blogs/view/262 Voluntary Service Overseas, (2002). The Live Aid legacy: The developing world through British eyes – A research report. London, UK: Voluntary Service Overseas.

Illegal Drugs :: essays research papers

Illegal Drugs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The product is illegal drugs. The people who deal these drugs are criminals. That's what makes the drug business different then any other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *Alcohol is a drug, yet adults are allowed to use alcohol products.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *Nicotine is a drug, yet adults are allowed to use many different forms of tobacco products, all   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  which have tobacco in them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *The drug Caffeine can be found in many everyday items, like soda candy bars. Think of how   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  many cops we would need if caffeine products were illegal. Why are drugs like cocaine,marijuana and heroin illegal? Cocaine, marijuana and heroin are illegal because most people think that these controlled substances are simply to dangerous for anyone to use. They the effects of thes substances ruin the body and mind so badly and quickly that no one should try them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We have law aginst drug is so that the people who use dangerous drugs are putting themselves at a very high risk. They risk their health and their lives. Since they are breaking laws they also but themselves at the risk of getting arrested. They risk their freedom and their future all for drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each year drug use is the cause of a large number of accidents at home in the office and on the road. Everybody pays the price of drug abuse: more cops and prisons more hospitols and treatment centers and many lives lost.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But drug users hurt themselves more than anybody because they are supporting violent crimes in the drug world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Just by using drugs they become part of that drug world. They are already commiting acrime. But the relationship between drug use and crime often means that drug users go on to commit crimes like robbery,burglary,assult, and murder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drug addiction means that the brain is saying I need drugs now it must have drugs. This offten means that addicts commit crimes to get money for drugs.Studies show that drug use increases criminal behavior:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *64% of violent crimes involve someone on drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *75% Of prison inmates have a drug use history. *24% of addicts start dealing drugs to support their habit. Studies also show that drugs play a big part in youth and crime:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *more than 83% of youth in prison have used drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *40% of youth in prison for serious crimes were on drugs at the time of the crime.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *More than 40% of youth in prison used drugs befor the age of 12.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Armed patrols Search and destroy missions and helicopter surveillance. Sounds like americans at war, well this goes on every day on our own home soil and the battle fields are our national parks and forests and the enemy is