Gay Right and Gay Marriage Essay

The Gays Rights Movement has existed for over 89 years in counting since the development of the Society for Human Rights in Chicago. During the early years of the Gay Rights movement (1924-1973) it was very difficult to identify as a member of the same sex loving community because during this time it was illegal in the United States. Society didn’t accept the concept due to it being against traditional customs and norms. â€Å"The period since the late 1960s has been a time of gay liberation, more accurately, the movement of gay men and lesbian woman to overcame discrimination and gain rights in society.† (Collins & Coltrane, 2001) During the early years the LBGT community was a private and out of sight lifestyle. The history of the movement reports homosexuality was previously identified as a mental disorder of American Psychiatric Association until 1973 when it was removed. (â€Å"The American gay,† 2000-2013) According to World of Sociology (2001), â€Å"Conf lict theory emphasizes the role of coercion and power in producing social order.† (pg.118) (â€Å"Conflict theory,† 2001) â€Å"This perspective is derived from the works of Karl Marx, who saw society as fragmented into groups that compete for social and economic resources. Social order is maintained by domination, with power in the hands of those with the greatest political, economic, and social resources. When consensus exists, it is attributable to people being united around common interests, often in opposition to other groups. According to conflict theory, inequality exists because those in control of a disproportionate share of society’s resources actively defend their advantages. The masses are not bound to society by their shared values, but by coercion at the hands of those in power.† (Crossman, A., 2013) â€Å"There is also an expansion Marx’s idea that the key conflict in society was strictly economic. Today, conflict theorists find soci al conflict between any groups in which the potential for inequality  exists: racial, gender, religious, political, economic, and so on. Conflict theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. The conflict theory ultimately attributes humanitarian efforts, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive aspects of society to capitalistic designs to control the masses, not to inherent interests in preserving society and social order. This perspective emphasizes social control, not consensus and conformity. Groups and individuals advance their own interests, struggling over control of societal resources.† (Crossman, A., 2013) After 1973 it appears that homosexuality became identified as LGBT. Nationwide legal system and religions organization felt the need to challenges and felt these acts was a constitutional violation. Sometime around the 1974, gays and lesbians were becoming present in â€Å"positions of power† like Harvey Milk who was City Commissioner of San Francisco. They were also seeking and granted domestic-partnership benefits by 1984 in California. These obstacles for the LGBT community were met with rejections and oppressions by American governments and its supporters. In 1993, many men and women were discharged from the armed forces due to â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.† By 1996 the issue of homosexuality and lesbianism had reached the Supreme Court with some achieveme nts but mostly â€Å"knock downs†. ABA Journal published an article â€Å"The Stonewall legacy: ABA Commission creates an award commemorating a key moment for LBGT rights â€Å"on February 2013. The article explains how in the late hours of June 27, 1969 in Greenwich Village, New York at the Stonewall Inn a number of patrons fought law enforcement after numerous experiences with polices raids and other forms of harassments by authority. The articles explained how the Stonewall Inn was a â€Å"well-known† gathering spot for gays in the low-profile area of New York. The patrons throw beer cans, bricks and other objects at arresting officers as they interrupted their only opportunity to socialize with other gay individuals. After experiencing countless riots, arrest and beating the patrons developed a protest known as the Stonewall Riots (movement). The individuals involved in the riot were not only gay males but lesbian (same loving females), bisexual (both sex loving) and transgender (opposite sex identifying) individuals. After about one years of the establishment of the movement gay prides were started in Chicago, Los Angles, New York and San Francisco. The progress in the  movement encouraged the LBGT (lesbian, bi, gay and transgender) individuals to begin to assert their civil rights. James J.S. Holmes, chair of the Commission of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identify/ABA reports, â€Å"The riots were a very visible and public display where the LGBT community finally made it clear it wasn’t going to accept any more repression and poor treatment.† (Filisko, 2013) As the gay bar was for many whites a refuge from homophobia, so family and church were refuges from racism for lesbians and gays of color, including racism in the white lesbian and gay community. Rather than â€Å"smashing the church† and turning their back on family, lesbians and gays of color needed to find ways to negotiate or confront homophobia in those places while at the same time negotiating racism within the gay community.† Many couples like Jack Baker and Michael McConnell or Phyllis Marshall and Grace Thornton fought so hard to fight the â€Å"coercion and power† and â€Å"the hands of those with the greatest political, economic, and social resources† specifically the church and other opposing LGBT groups who felt that their movement was either too soon or out of mainstream (outside of box). (Chenier, 2013) The current issues being address now by society and LGBT individuals seeking matrimony rights. (â€Å"The American gay,† 2000-2013) Most recently on June 26, 2013 the Supreme Court ruled that the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. In a 5 to 4 vote, the court rules that DOMA violates the rights of gays and lesbians. The court also rules that the law interferes with the states’ rights to define marriage. It is the first case ever on the issue of gay marriage for the Supreme Court. (Johnson, 2013) Johnson reports that â€Å"the DOMA decision was a huge psychological and legal boost for the gay and lesbian community, but it left same-sex couples in 37 states wit h half a loaf†¦only thirteen states and the District of Columbia allow such marriage.† (Johnson, 2013) In 2000, Vermont becomes the first state in the country to legally recognize civil unions between gay or lesbian couples. It was stated that â€Å"couples would be entitled to the same benefits, privileges, and responsibilities as spouses.† The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide published an essay by author Elise Chenier that reported, â€Å"for the past ten years, same-sex marriage has dominated the American political landscape, but this is not the first time in history this issue has made front-page news. In 1971, The San Francisco Chronicle declared that a â€Å"gay marriage boom† was under way. In the first  few years of that decade, The New York Times, Life magazine, Jet, and other periodicals ran feature articles about a handful of couples who launched America’s first battles for legal recognition of same-sex marriage.† Chenier states â₠¬ ¦liberationists’ critique of marriage and family did not make sense for people of color, who relied on family and church for their everyday survival, even as they battled homophobia within them. Gay marriage is a topic that I have had to experience in my personal life when my two childhood friends of twenty years decided to have a marriage ceremony/party in Washington, DC. This party was held about three year ago and they have been dating for two years. After college both of my friends attended Morris Brown College in Georgia. They sent out invites and made announcements for the gathering of friends and love one. My family and I were not aware that they were a same sex couple let alone seeking marriage equality. When we all arrived in Georgia we thought it was a celebration party because they both are successful defense attorneys in Georgia. I was very surprise to see an altar, ceremony minister, flowers and a detailed tuxedo for me. They pulled me and my wife to the side and asked if I was willing to participate in their special day. We were really good friends in high school so against my strict Christian upbringing I participated in the ceremony. Unfortunately, before the grooms could exchange vows and commit themselves to one another the media busted into the location and started taking pictures and causing issues. I felt this was a private and interment ceremony for my friends and it would not end well. A crowd of protestors and media gathered outside. Law enforcement was contacted and some protestors and ceremony members including one of my friends were arrested. My couple plans to get married in the 2014 after ruling of unconstitutional of DOMA and I plan to be front and center. I was enraged at the disrespect these two successful guys had experience at the hands of inequality. After speaking with my friends about the aftermath, experiencing the inequality first-hand and completing this assignment. It is definitely obvious that the progress the Gay Rights Advocates has made toward demanding equal and I feel obligated to promote equality for all people. Reference Chenier, E. (2013). Gay marriage, 1970s style. The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, 20(2), 19+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA321900004&v=2.1&u=lom_kentdl&it=r&p=GRGM&sw=w Cohen, L. (2013). The federal role in the family. Commentary, 136(2), 7+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA341125184&v=2.1&u=lom_kentdl&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=30b2787a87635f60db13fe9df042a70a Coltrane, S., & Collins, R. (2001). Sociology of marriage & the family, gender, love, and property. (5th ed). Canada: Wadsworth Pub Co. Crossman, A. (2013). Conflict Theory: Overview. About.com online. Retrieved from http://sociology.about.com/od/Sociological-Theory/a/Conflict-Theory.htm. Filisko, G. M. (2013, February). The Stonewall legacy: ABA Commission creates an award commemorating a key moment for LGBT rights. ABA Journal, 99(2), 57+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA318106223&v=2.1&u=lom_kentdl&it=r&p=GRGM&sw=w Johnson, F. (2013). DOMA Didn’t Go Away–It Just Went Local. National Journal. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA344159967&v=2.1&u=lom_kentdl&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=7d18e04c20680c7230095f8f3e1baab5 Palmisano, J. (Eds.). (2001). World of sociology, (vol. 2). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. The American Gay Rights Movement: A Timeline. (n.d.). Infoplease.com online. Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0761909.html.

Code of Ethics Essay

Introduction The organization’s code of ethics serves as a guide to its employees when making difficult decisions. Ethics helps professionals with their actions and practices that are directed to improve the welfare of people in an ethical way (Fremgen, 2009). An organization’s culture and mission statement also help its employees make ethical decisions. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) organization is the national public health organization that is committed to protect the health and safety of our nation. CDC’s mission statement focuses on to protect the health and safety of our communities through prevention strategies and control of disease. The mission statement motivates the employees to do their best to prevent diseases and infection. The code of ethics provides guidance to ensure that CDC employees avoid situations that could violate ethics law (CDC, 2013). The organization’s mission statement and culture reflect its ethical values. Organizat ion’s Goals and how they are tied to its ethical principles. The organization’s goals are to provide protection for our nation’s health and safety. The CDC has pledged to treat all human beings with dignity, honesty, and respect. They have also pledged to provide an environment for positive personal growth and integrity. The CDC provides employment for over 17,000 employees and they work to provide a diverse work environment where everyone is treated equally, respectfully, and with human dignity. The ethical principles tied to the organizational goals are autonomy and integrity. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, and everyone deserves the truth. The CDC works to provide the most truthful information regarding disease, both treatment and prevention. They are using new technology to make access to information easier, as well as research becoming more scientific and in depth. It is important to the CDC that everyone in our  nation is provided with the most up to date information. Organization’s role and importance of the ethical values The CDC organization’s role is paramount to the continued health of this nation. The CDC has responsibilities toward everyone with in this country to provide education and protection about health and disease prevention. From an ethical stand point the CDC uses the theory of utilitarianism which is basically doing the most good for the greatest number of people. With the CDC, a team of nurses, doctors and scientists do their best day in and day out to do oversee the nation’s ongoing health hazards by providing proven research and constant breakthroughs to the public. Also with the CDC being a federally funded agency under the department of health and human services, the healthcare organization must practice ethical behaviors with one which is justice â€Å"Fairness in all our actions with other people. It means that we must carefully analyze how to balance our behavior and be fair to all. Justice implies that the same rules will apply to everyone (Fremgen, 2009).† With their use of technological advancements no single person or persons are given more or less information and or protection from illnesses or disabilities. The other must be responsibility, responsibility is a sense of accountability for one’s actions. Responsibility implies dependability. A sense of responsibility can become weakened when one is faced with peer pressure. Medical professionals must be able to answer or be accountable for their actions (Fremgen, 2009).† Since this organization is federally funded it has a duty to every American to follow through with every part of their mission statement for a healthier and well safeguarded nation. â€Å"Detecting and responding to new and emerging health threats (Centers for Disease Control, 2013).† This means that as healthcare organization workers are working around the clock to prevent new illness while trying to make old illness a thing of the past. Operating on the fact that if one is human and is part of t his country then they have a right to protection from emerging health dangers. Relationship between the organization’s culture and ethical decision-making The Organizational Culture revolves around creating a work environment where employee health and safety is valued, supported and promoted through workplace health programs policies, benefits, and environmental changes (CDC, 2013). In order to achieve this goal the CDC  promotes positive health based programs both in communities and places of employment. If employers create a healthier workplace then not only will it decrease the likelihood that employees will have to miss work due to injury or illness, it will also ensure higher productivity from staff. If companies enact policies and procedures that support health it will make that company more attractive place to work for both existing employees and potential new employees. The five main categories that CDC recommends offering health information and care for employees are behavioral health, health screening, mental health, injury, and adult immunizations (CDC, 2013). Providing services for things like depression, alcohol and substance abuse, smoking cessation, and nutrition courses will help provide overall better lives for employees which will result in having more highly motivated productive workers while they are on the job.. Some ideas for promoting a healthier workplace to lower obesity would be offering lunches to employees to purchase that consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, and salads. Employers can put together exercise groups or offer reimbursement to employees who obtain gym memberships and attend at least four days a week. Importance of the organization’s ethical values supporting your ethical values It is important that the ethical values of an organization support the ethical values of its members/staff. Without the support and understanding of ethics in the workplace, situations can become incredibly hard for not only the staff but also for the patients involved. The principles and values mentioned in oaths and declarations form the basis for ethical practices in health care. â€Å"Despite differences, these works often emphasize several common value orientations or ethical principles, including beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, respect for patient autonomy, and confidentiality.† (Gabel, 2011) As a rebirth of interest in medicinal ethics is not only a positive influence for patients, but is also very crucial to all medical staff members. Research has been collected to suggest that medical professionals, particularly physicians, often have a rising burnout rate when they perceive that the ethics and values they stand by are not the same as the organization they are connected to and work with. Doctors and other medical staff personnel who are faced with overwhelming working conditions, negative influences to their own morals, are most likely attend to these situations in different methods in attempting to save  his/her personal resources. â€Å"However, overwhelming work demands or conflicts involving basic values make increased stress, diminished or depleted resources, and more likely causes burnout. (Gabel, 2011) To not accept low-paying patients because of government insurance, such as Medicaid, could be considered unethical. Even though a code of ethics can form a bas eline for unethical behavior, such behavior should be viewed as unethical in the first place. When employees share the same values they will react the same when such problems arise. It is not farfetched to assume that organizations will run smoother when its workforce agrees on what is moral behavior and what is not, at least with respect to the conduct of business. Social Responsibility for CDC in the community The social responsibilities for this organization in the community are to continually inform and educate the people of the importance in preventing the conditions that may affect them as a whole. According from the Public Health Reports, â€Å"Understanding the multilevel and overlapping nature of these epidemic, and their social and structural determinants, is the key to designing and implementing more effective prevention programs† (Dean & Fenton. 2010). An example of what this organization is socially responsible for is when they are dealing with individuals who are affected by HIV, Viral hepatitis, STIs, and TB. They are responsible for informing an individual with how to properly go about their disease or infections, they are provided the information they need that includes how to overcome being socially impaired due to their conditions, and they are also offered interventions to help them cure or proper treatments of their condition. According to the Report of the National Expert Panel from the CDC website, they have made suggestions like opening both a YMCA and health clinics in housing communities to help promote health. They also suggested that they train more community activists that can serve as advocates in the community for healthy families and also to open book banks and create walking paths. They also suggested that the CDC can help the communities by investigating social determinant of health, help develop community-based systems that help with health disparities and also to use more evidence based programs in the schools. Conclusion CDC is the nation’s leading public health agency that protects the health and safety of the members of our community. The organization uses ethical approach when serving the nation. CDC has a culture that supports and develops ethical practices, raising staff awareness, and tools to analyze ethical issues (CDC, 2013). The organization follows the policy of Code of Federal Regulations provided by U.S. Health and Human Services in any research involving human subjects. CDC has many research centers to conduct prevention research to prevent and control chronic and acute diseases. References Centers for Disease Control. (2013). Mission Statement, Public Health Ethics, Workplace Health Ethics. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov Dean, Hazel D ScD, MPH and Fenton, Kevin A MD, PhD. (2010). Public Health Reports. Addressing Social Determinants of Health in the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles Finegan, J. (1994). The impact of personal values on judgments of ethical behavior in the Workplace. Journal of Business Ethics, 13(9), 747. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview Fremgen, B. F. (2009). Medical law and ethics (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Gabel, S. (2011). Ethics and Values in Clinical Practice: Whom Do They Help? Mayo Clinic proceeding 86(5):421-424. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles Recommendations for future efforts in community health promotion. Report of the National expert Panel on Community Health Promotion. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/pdf/community

Research paper for modern philosophy, The Fable of the Bees by Bernard Essay

Research paper for modern philosophy, The Fable of the Bees by Bernard Mandeville - Essay Example What was also of great import was the style in which the whole work was written. Mandeville’s easy flow of verse sounded both rhetorical as well as downright practical at the same time. Just when the reader was getting used to his signature style, they were trying to find their bearings in a sea of ethical turmoil that Mandeville had cast them into. The kind of speculation that he forced upon his readers is what has made his work not just remembered, but also the subject of many philosophical and ethical discussions. Very often, the reader is left wondering whether they really grasped the meaning of the poem; hence reading and re-reading the poem continues to be a common occurrence. Mandeville’s work forced readers from all walks of life to look at the relativity of life rather than trying to find exhaustive answers to many problems. It became a tool to kindle the thought process of those who had come to accept the words of those in power – political, religious or otherwise. He seemed to enjoy turning upside down the very precepts by which people had lived for a very long time, paying no heed whatsoever to the discord that he had created not just between various groups of people, but within these groups as well. This essay endeavors to present a picture visualized by Mandeville, with special emphasis on the economic angle. Though religion, social and political perspectives are intertwined in this discussion, there is a concerted effort on the part of this writer to present the economics of a world portrayed by Mandeville. Before going into the economic aspects of Mandeville’s work it is essential to get into his mind and ascertain the exact (or near-exact) nature of the picture he tried to paint. A close look at how Mandeville viewed human psyche reveals a few surprising facts: the central element in his scrutiny of the human mind was his unshakeable belief that there was a basal irrationality demonstrated by humans that lead them to behave

The USSR's Voracity for Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The USSR's Voracity for Power - Essay Example The two powers distrusted each other. America resented Joseph Stalin’s dictatorship and communism in the USSR. The USSR, also referred to as the Soviet Union also distrusted America for not accepting them into the international community. They were also unhappy with America’s delay to participate in the World War II, leading to the death of many Russians. Therefore, even though the Soviet Union and the United States fought during the Word War II as allies, they had only joined hands to fight a common enemy, the Nazi Germany. The major cause of the Cold War was the move by the Soviet Union to try and gain power and influence in East European countries. After the World War II ended, the Soviet Union separated itself from the Western allies. The Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin initiated aggressive policies in order to gain influence in east European countries. The United States intervened to stop the Soviet Union’s expansion, and this resulted in the Cold War. Afte r Stalin’s death, the Soviet Union was taken over by Khrushchev and later by Brezhnev. These leaders implemented various foreign policies. This discussion explores the Soviet Union’s voracity for power and influence as the chief cause of the Cold War, and the impact of Khrushchev’s and Brezhnev’s foreign policies. Origination of the Cold War Before World War II began, the United States and the Soviet Union had several differences. Firstly, the two nations supported different types of governments. The United States supported democracy while the Soviet Union favoured communism. There were also economic differences whereby the United States supported world free trade. However, the Soviet Union was against international trade as the Russians felt it would bring in influences from the west that would threaten their dictatorial system. Moreover, when Europe was weakened in World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States were the most influential powers and each of them wanted to control the other. When the World War II ended, the distrust between the Soviet Union and the United States was heightened by the domination of the USSR in Eastern Europe and the confrontational and domineering attitude of the United States to international matters, as well as their possession of an atomic bomb (Painter, 1999: 15). The Soviet Union had gained considerable influence in Eastern Europe even before World War II ended. The Red Army was in control of some parts of Eastern Europe by 1944. The Soviet Union also obtained the control of eastern Germany and obtained a new border line with Poland at the Yalta Conference in 1945. Towards the end of the war in 1945, the Soviet Union actively dominated the eastern European control and influenced the elections to ensure communist domination in their governments. Moreover, communists in these countries took charge of the most significant ministries of Military and Defence. The Soviet Union also influenced Wes tern Europe’s post-war elections in countries like France and Italy in 1946 (Phillips, 2001: 123). Stalin consolidated the Soviet authority in east European countries and used the Soviet Union’

Outer Space and Inner Space Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Outer Space and Inner Space - Essay Example This paper seeks to discuss why Theremin became popular during this period, how it works, its effect on the audience, and the various ways in which it is used in both outer space and inner space movies. Theremin is named after it inventor- a Russian inventor known as Leon Theremin. This is an early electronic music instrument that functioned without the control of the performer. The instrument was patented in 1928 with the sole intention of using it for melodic music in the traditional vein. Several years after its invention, Theremin was widely used in the making of several films. However, its application in film was limited to some types of films such as suspense and science fiction films where the technique of sound manipulation was effective. The1950 time period was the perfect period for this electronic music instrument as it was highly popularized in Hollywood. According to Weird Vibration (2002), during that period, â€Å"Hollywood was hard-pressed both by the court-ordered selling of studio-owned theaters and by competition from the new medium of television from the new medium of television; the financial pressures reminded producers that it was cheaper to build one monste r than a series of planet landscapes and props†. Following the popularity of these types of films in the 1950s, â€Å"Hollywood composers looked to technology for the alien Other’s stereotypical voice† (Weird Vibrations, 2002). As such, music composers and film makers popularized the use of Theremin due to its strong semiotic properties. Science fiction and suspense films that used this electronic instrument stood out as opposed to those that were non-Theremin-flavored. According to Weird Vibration (2002), †Also there is an important difference exists between the Theremin-flavored musical ideas with which composers for the science fiction films limned their extrater-restrial others and Hollywood’s standard musical depiction of outsiders. The difference

Naval Hospital Guam Color Guard Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Naval Hospital Guam Color Guard - Article Example I ask you all to take that on as a true mission in the year ahead." On November 11, 2007 during the Veterans Day ceremony, Hospitalman Stephen Cendana of the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam took part in the Joint Color Guard that presented the flags at the honoring observance rite. Island residents and military dignitaries attended the event held at the Ricardo J. Bordallo Complex in Adelup to pay tribute to the veterans. The military tradition of duty, honor, and freedom resounded at the commemoration celebration. Scott Duenas, a navy veteran and one of the sixteen (16) Veterans of the Year expressed his pride for being part of the tradition of patriotism. Duenas said: "There's a lot of people who went before me. And today we've got other veterans serving on active duty and we also need to honor them." Hospitalman Cendana of the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam spoke of the great honor in taking part of the ceremonial Joint Color Guard that presented the flags because they represented not only the Navy but also the Armed Forces of the United States with many a number of decorated veterans in attendance. The annals of the U.S.

Delegating for Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Delegating for Growth - Essay Example They fear loosing status, hence fail to assign high-profile jobs to their staff, and delegation of work is compromised, as the rookie manager is afraid of being resented by his peers (Walker, 2002, p.4). Secondly, rookie managers tend to depend highly on their bosses; this is usually a sign of disaster, since the new mangers will not learn to do his duties on his own. However, setting up brief meetings with their bosses may be of help to the new managers. In addition, lack of confidence contributes to a manager’s failure to inspire their team. These managers face the challenge of addressing their staff members. Other than addressing the problem faced by their staff, they sit back hoping things will improve, whilst the other staff members become frustrated by their lack of actions. Lack of experience from managers compromises the efforts of addressing a problem that is affecting the organization and the team as well (Walker, 2002, p.7). Therefore, there is need to train the roo kie managers on managerial skills so as to ensure that they understand their new roles, hence delivering effectively. Supporting arguments. Delegation of duties is a function of a manager. Walker (p 4) insists that a rookie manager needs to understand that his new role has nothing to do with personal achievement; instead, it entails building his staff members. However, these rookie managers tend to have insecurities especially when assigning duties to their staff members, as they fear that the employees may outdo them. Therefore, managerial skills are very important, as they enable the new managers to understand their roles; these managers need training and coaching to enable them deliver. The new managers need to be trained on how to delegate tasks effectively, hence enabling them to develop talented staffs that are an advantage to the company. Therefore, the managers will not be insecure about assigning duties effectively without prejudice. Supporting the new managers is necessary . When rookie managers are supported by their bosses, work life becomes easier; however, the kind of support given may be at a disadvantage, for instance, heavy reliance on their bosses could render them reluctant. Walker (p5) insists that managers should only consult their bosses on critical issues, but not on the nitty-gritty ones. Brief meetings between the bosses and the managers are necessary, whereby, the new manager can ask questions and receive feedback on the pressing issues. The new manager is then able to organize his thoughts on how to deal with his staff members. In addition, a manager should be capable of projecting confidence to enable him inspire the team members This is due to the rapid changing technology that requires every manager to be updated and capable of dealing with challenging issues; failure to this leads to stress in the place of work. The ability to deal with arising problems by addressing them other than watching and ignoring the situation is paramount for a manager. Employees gain confidence in a manager who addresses the problems affecting them and certainly puts the matter to rest, thus giving employees the will to perform. Bruch & Ghoshal (p5) add that, managers are not expected to do the inevitable; however, focused managers respond immediately to any arising issue that interferes with the organizational goals. It is however important for the managers to adopt managerial skills before being

Can Sinkers claim demurrage against the cricket clubs Essay

Can Sinkers claim demurrage against the cricket clubs - Essay Example Vessel will be losing her time and the connected payment. In the present case, reaching the berth and unloading the goods took longer time than expected and the vessel has gone onto demurrage. The popular rule is 'once on demurrage, always on demurrage'. As an exception, demurrage would not occur if the delay was purely due to ship owner's fault and as the repercussion of actions taken by him suitable for his convenience and benefit. "The freighter of a ship is bound not to detain it, beyond the stipulated or usual time, to load or deliver the cargo, or to sail. The extra days beyond the lay days (being the days allowed to load and unload the cargo) are called the days of demurrage. The term is likewise applied to the payment for such delay, and it may become due, either by the ship's detention, for the purpose of loading or unloading the cargo, either before, during or after the voyage, or in waiting for convoy2." A shipowner will be entitled to unliquidated damages for being detained while loading or unloading, or delivering a consignment, within the stipulated time, if the delay happens for no fault of his or his representatives. In some transactions, to be safe, there could be an agreement to pay demurrage, which is usually for preventing the shipowner from demanding an enormous sum if an unfortunate delay occurs. As a result of this written understanding and agreement, if the demurrage is fixed at a certain rate per hour, the shipowner would be unable to demand more money as demurrage. According to John Wilson, "Liability for the payment of demurrage accrues immediately on the expiration of the lay days and runs continuously through Sundays, holidays and other periods normally excluded from laytime, e.g. bad weather working days3." Demurrage or the dead freight can occur at any point of affreightment. It is actually a fixed sum per hour or per day that charterer has to pay the vessel owner for the delays while loading and unloading of his consignments, and the time lost (beyond the stipulated time) and these days are called lay days. "If no demurrage is provided for by the charter-party, and the vessel is not loading or discharging beyond the lay days, the shipowner is entitled to claim damages in respect of the loss which he has suffered by the detention of his ship4" This is mainly to force the charterers to load and unload within the time fixed. If the time is not fixed, then it might be difficult for the shipowner to prove that the ship has run onto demurrage. There are difficult circumstances, honouring difficult judgements too. "Where time under a limitation clause runs from completion of discharge of the cargo, but there was no cargo to discharge, the judge held that the limitation clause does not apply. He refused to imply additional words into the clause that would have allowed time to run from when the cargo should have been discharged since, if the parties had wanted to provide for such a circumstance, they could easily have done so. The judge also held that, in addition to damages for repudiation, the shipowners could claim demurrage that had accrued before the charterparty was repudiated5". http://www.onlinedmc.co.uk/odfjell_seachem_v__continentale.htm As both the clubs are named as consignees in the receipts, even though they did not do the transactions personally through

Paper on the Movie Crash Essay Example for Free

Paper on the Movie Crash Essay The movie crash is a combination of many different things including labeling theory. Crash is not just a movie about car crashes, but also of cultures and values. There are several intertwined lives and personal relationships with a common point of prejudice involving ethnic issues. The narrative is circular, as the films message about racial discrimination develops as a snowball, the director Paul Haggis shows us how prejudice is the most central issue. The political crime that is shown on the film gives the audience an understanding of how betrayed a civilian can be by the law enforcers. Racist ideologies are perpetuated through discourse, actions and even of misunderstanding. It is possible to understand the interconnected nature of each core characters and how a certain attitude interferes with a subsequent event among others. The racial profiling is also seen extremely harshly. Being in the 21st century these things are overlooked, but there are still many people who classify people because of their race and what they look like. The characters in Crash are shown in their humanity attitudes sometimes negligible, sometimes admirable. The film is far from a Manichaeism to address the issue that no human being is totally good or totally bad by nature. The cop played by Matt Dillon takes contrasting positions its portrayed both in times of abuse of his position of authority, to take advantage of Christine (Thandie Newton), as in heroics, saving the same girl in a traffic accident. People who condemn the prejudice facing black people can be absolutely phobic about the Arabs or Latinos. Behaviors are variable according to the circumstances and, therefore, can not judge a person independent of them. The different ethnicities also portray minority groups which are barely hanging on by a thread in society, we see this mainly in the Arab family. People with certain ethical values succumb before a higher offer, a personal benefit exactly like status inconsistency. Detective Graham Waters (Don Cheadle) is adamant in his ideals, but when given the opportunity to save his brother delinquent, he gives up his own principles and sells itself in favor of a family gain. That was a perfect example of people’s status changing consistently. Crash deals with ethnic prejudice analyzing multiple variables and deepening both motivations as consequences. The discrimination against any racial group, is present deep within every character in the movie. The nurse Shaniqua Johnson, black, shows anger on receiving the trespasses officer Ryan (Matt Dillon), but on another occasion directs all his hatred of a particular group of immigrants. Even those who at first appears to be incorruptible, as Officer Hansen (Ryan Phillippe), being disgusted by the racist behavior explicit companion Ryan, in the end, ends up having a prejudice outlook. His values may not have changed but his vision of morality changes because of the people he has been surrounded with. Rationally, condemns discrimination of fellow, but when the situation is outside the limits of rationality and asks for a quick response, intuitive, Hansen suspects the black who gives a ride and, a movement that seems suspicious, you know that is under threat and shoots. Even those who fight and seems strongly supported by human values, can not escape an ingrained prejudice, supported by education in a racist society. How could it be, Crash also addresses the role of the media through the character of Cameron (Terrence Howard), director of television. Cameron is forced to redo a scene where a black actor spoke without slang characteristics and therefore fled to their stereotype. By repeating the scene, also repeated a pattern of behavior expected for a black. Cameron, who holds a certain power to work in a vehicle of communication is cut off the possibility of spreading a change in society or at least not condoning what he considers to be wrong. Even when a black occupies a prominent position and has the possibility to intervene, larger forces interfere with his freedom of action and he finds himself with his hands tied. Overall it was a great film to watch. I was completely surprised by how explicit it was and how it showed even in the first 8 minutes of the movie how race and ethnicity sort of control everything. People who don’t want to discriminate are in fact prejudice and surprised by the fact that they are. The characters in the movie change and evolve, which was good to see because it means that with time less and less people can be discriminating, it just all depends on how they are raised and their beliefs; nature vs nurture debate has all of this taken into consideration.

Psychological disorders and physical illness Essay Example for Free

Psychological disorders and physical illness Essay Irrational fear of common things leads to their inability to cope with life because the things that they fear have to be faced everyday. The most common disorders include phobias, In the medical field, many factors are attributed to the various conditions that people experience. Although genetic and biological factors which constitute of the natural causes and the life experiences which are the nurture factors contribute to ones physical wellbeing, it is also possible that a majority of illnesses that people suffer from are brought about by psychological factors. Heart diseases, chronic headaches, insomnia, hypertension, ulcers, eating disorders among others are some of the diseases that can be caused by psychological factors (Stoudemire A. 1995). It has been established that when one’s stress levels are very high, it reduces the activity of the lymphocytes leading to an increased likelihood of illness (Sadock B J. , Kaplan H. I. Sadock V. A. ). A person suffering from a psychological disorder will most likely have feelings of helplessness in any given situation causing them to suffer even from common illnesses more than others will. To aid the patients suffering from these disorders, one can only recommend relaxation techniques while providing anti-depressants to control their response to life’s normal occurrences. A person with a disorder tends to react in a more intense manner than other would in similar situations. This causes an imbalance in their bodily functions leading to their contracting illnesses that would have otherwise been avoided. It also affects their chances of getting better from any other illness that they may be suffering from. The disorders include anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders and panic (Ketterer M. W. , Mahr G`. Goldberg A. D. ). These render a person powerless against their fears and in the process affect their wellbeing.

Impact of Carbon Fees on Mobility of Passengers

Impact of Carbon Fees on Mobility of Passengers Changes in the mobility pattern of air passengers due to the introduction of a CARBON FEE Other titles Estimating air travel demand under the implementation of an emission trading scheme Passenger air travel demand and carbon emission fee impact assessment The effect of environmental policies on consumer’s preferences for air travel How could environmental policies change air travel pattern in US? GMM estimation of a supply-and-demand model for air travel and the effects of the introduction of a carbon fee (for the journal) Incorporating a carbon trading scheme in supply-and-demand model for air travel Titlos TRB: AIR TRAVEL DEMAND IN U.S.: THE EFFECTS OF A CARBON EMISSIONS FEE Ioanna Pagoni Voula Psaraki-Kalouptsidi Aviation environmental policies aim to mitigate emissions generated from air transportation through the use of policy tools. These may include Regulatory Measures, such as aircraft emissions/noise certification standards, Technology/Operational Measures, such as improvements in engine and aircraft technology and Market-based Measures which include emissions trading, emissions charges and taxes and emissions offsetting. A wide range of market-based measures are currently implemented in aviation sector. Within these measures, a price is set on the â€Å"non-priced† emissions in order to account for the negative environmental externality of aviation. The scope is to create incentives for aviation stakeholders to implement fuel-efficient techniques to reduce aircraft emissions. The result is an extra cost to the airlines which may in-turn be reflected in the ticket price in case the airlines decide to pass-through this cost to the passengers. The most known market-based measure for aviation is the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) which was launched in 2012 and initially planned to cover every flight landing in or departing from the EU, regardless of where the operator is incorporated. After serious international opposition, mainly by American and Canadian airlines, and in expectation of a global market-based mechanism, EU proposed that only emissions from the proportion of the flight within EU territory are to be charged until 2016. In this context, several U.S. and Canadian airlines have already taken action. Delta, Air Canada and United have introduced a voluntary carbon offsetting program, where the passengers can offset the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions resulting from their travel by making charitable contributions to several environmental projects, such as forest conservation and renewable energy. Based on the United’s on-line carbon calculator, a passenger travelling from New York (JFK) to San Francisco (SFO) would pay a carbon offset cost of $12.59 to support forest conservation in California. Furthermore, major U.S. airlines, including Delta, United and American Airlines introduced a $3 surcharge per passenger for European flights so as to cope with the EU-ETS. Motivated by these actions, this paper identifies room to research the implementation of a carbon fee on U.S. airlines. Such a policy may influence many aspects of the aviation system, including ticket prices and demand. Various studies have examined the impact of environmental policies on air travel. However, most of these studies use price elasticities of demand based on previous studies. This paper contributes to the existing literature by incorporating the carbon emissions’ cost into a structural model with a discrete choice modeling for consumers’ demand and an airline supply side to investigate the impacts on airlines’ market share and their competition strategies after the introduction of a carbon fee in United States. Airlines offer differentiated products (airline-route specific) in each market (O-D city pairs) and the passengers choose to â€Å"buy† one product or take the outside option of not â€Å"buying† (not flying). In each market, p rices and product shares are determined in Bertrand-Nash equilibrium. The carbon fee is then included in the model as it is believed that it will affect costs, prices and demand. Demand specification plays a critical role when examining policy measures. We estimate a two-level Nested Logit (NL) model for air travel demand using aggregate Origin-Destination data. We incorporate a NL model, instead of a multinomial logit (MNL) in order to capture correlations among airline products and differentiate them from other travel modes (rail, car etc). This feature helps overcome the limitation of the Independence from Irrelevant Alternatives (IIA) property of MNL that may lead to incorrect elasticities and choice probabilities. For the supply side, we establish the airline’s profit function which is equal to the airline’s revenues from ticket sales minus the airline’s costs. We assume that airlines conduct differentiated Nash competition to determine ticket prices. It is noted that after the implementation of the carbon fee, the airline’s costs include the â€Å"carbon cost† which depends on the unit carbon price (per tn CO2) and the amount of emitted CO2. Overall the model is solved in two â€Å"steps†: first, we estimate the model to find the determinants of traveler’s and airline’s behavior. Several variables were included in the demand (such as ticket price, frequency, delays, airline dummies etc ) and cost equations (such as distance, number of connections etc). Other variables that have not been examined by previous papers are also included in the model and are found to be statistically significant. The model is jointly estimated by the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to correct for bias caused by the endogenous variables of ticket price and market shares. Next, we modify the airline’s costs by introducing the carbon cost and simulate changes in the equilibrium behavior of players. To estimate the model we use publicly available data provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation. A variety of databases are merged to construct our sample for estimation: the Airline Origin and Destination Survey (DB1B), the T-100 Domestic Segment for U.S. Carriers and the On-Time Performance database. The analysis is conducted on market level (Origin-Destination city pairs) where routes provided by different airlines (unique combination of Origin-Connecting-Destination airports and airline) compete with each other. One important part of this work is the computation of CO2 emissions. The computation is done flight-by-flight using fuel burn data from ICAO Engine Exhaust Emissions Databank and EUROCONTROL’s Base of Aircraft Data. The results are presented for different markets so as to identify the impact of the various degrees of competitiveness in the marketplace (monopoly, oligopoly etc) on the examined carbon policy. The results indicate that price adjustment is a reactive measure as it is intended to eliminate the impact of the carbon fee on airline costs. Across different markets, the effects vary, depending on the size and number of firms serving the market and the prevailing ticket prices. It is also found that the implementation of a carbon fee will be effective only if the market carbon price reaches a sufficiently high level to create incentives for airlines to invest in abatement measures and thus reduce carbon emissions. Keywords: discrete choice, nested logit, generalized method of moments, carbon fee, Nash equilibrium

Star Wars :: essays papers

Star Wars Star Wars is a great example of excellent sound quality in a movie. There are dozens of different sound effects that make this movie a classic. The most commonly overlooked piece of audio in a movie is the character’s voices. The voices in Star Wars play a large part of the movie. Each character has a distinct voice and a distinct way that they speak. Darth Vader has an extremely deep voice and speakes in long draw out words, to help show how evil he is. Han Solo has a rugged sounding voice and is very direct when he talks. Han is considered to be a tough guy who likes to be a loner, yet he has a sidekick. Luke Skywalker has a soft, young sounding voice to show how inexperienced he is. CP-30 is a robot who has human qualities and has a crackly voice that shows how nervous he is and how much of a wimp he is. Other aliens in the movie in the movie make weird noices that have to be translated at the bottom of the screen. Another common sound effect used in the movie is lasers. Lasers are used in the fight scenes that take place with the space ships. The sound effects of the ships themselves are incredible and the sound when they get hit get hit by a laser really grabs the attention of the viewer. Other sound effects include the sound of the light sabers that Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader use. They make a vibrating sound, which is supposed to help its glowing visual effect. They also make a sound that is similar to the sound a bug zapper makes when a bug hits it. The light saber also makes a nosies when specific noise when it is swung and misses its target The score to the movie is also very important. The entire score is instrumental. It is all orchestral music. The music helps to intensify certain sences with loud interludes and then can be very soft in other parts to create a calm environment. Overall this is movie has excellent sound quality. Casino There are many specific sound effects used in the movie Casino. There is the sound of a crowded room and people gambling in the casino. There are sounds of machines hitting the winning combination and people celebrating the money they just won.

Veterinary Ultrasound Applications Essay -- ultrasound, technology,clin

When someone hears the word â€Å"ultrasound†, they probably immediately think babies, pregnancy, and those fuzzy black and white computer screens displaying the picture of a developing fetus. Modern medicine has now gone much further than those often grainy flat images a mother used to see. Three dimensional and even 4-D imaging is possible, and not only in medical facilities, but in veterinary clinics. Only a few universities were using this technology in the 1970 and 1980s, but today, modern advancements and availability allows clinics to depend on this technology for all kinds of cases. (Epperley, 2012) So how does it work, and is it actually worth all the training and expense to purchase one of these machines? One will see that each clinic may have its own needs as its own budget for this equipment, but only being fully educated on the uses of this technology will help owners decide if a machine is right for them. So what is ultrasound technology and how in the world does it work? The word â€Å"ultrasound† is actually the practice of using sound waves to produce an image called a sonogram. This works by the machine producing sound waves at a frequency higher than humans can hear, and sending them through a targeted area on the body. As these waves travel through the body, they hit objects such as organs, blood, and air, and bounce off of them. The more dense the surface of the object the stronger the waves will bounce, or echo back. A machine then converts these echoes into digital imaging, where a technician known as a sonographer, can view it on a computer screen in real time. For example, if gallstones are present in the gallbladder, sound waves passing through will echo off of these dense stones and they will show... ...ions Continue to Expand. Veterinary Ultrasound Applications Continue to Expand. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-dept/small-animal-dept/veterinary-ultrasound-applications-continue-to-expand.aspx Tremayne, J. (2011, August 18). Veterinary Ultrasound: A Go-to Diagnostic Tool. Veterinary Ultrasound: A Go-to Diagnostic Tool. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-dept/small-animal-dept/ultrasound-a-go-to-diagnostic-tool.aspx Tiffany, L. (2008, October 22). Ultrasound Remains A Sound Investment. Veterinary Practice News. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-dept/equine-large-animal-dept/ultrasound-remains-a-sound-investment.aspxr What is an Ultrasound. (2012, May 16). Medical News Today. Retrieved March 31, 2014, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles

Little Field

After the initial observations of demand for littlefield labs (day 52), one of the first steps we took was to identify the bottleneck in the production chain. This was determined by looking at the rate of utilization of the three machines and the number of jobs in the queue waiting for these machines. It was quickly determined that the machine 1 was our bottleneck, as it was the only machine with 100% utilization and excess number of jobs in the queue. This meant that machine 1 was not able to keep up with the incoming demand and lacked the proper capacity.We knew that we needed to increase capacity and the decision was made to purchase another machine 1. Following the decision to purchase a machine, our focus shifted to the inventory level and the reorder point. It was obvious that the old reorder point was not going to keep up with the incoming demand level, especially considering the four day lead time. Our initial thinking was to set the reorder point to a level where the invento ry would have sufficient level of safety stock to avoid stocking out before the next batch of order came.Also we needed determine the quantity of inventory to order, making sure to take into account the ordering cost of $1000 as well. One of our initial goal for day 52 was to make sure our system was clear of any bottleneck and to have sufficient level of inventory to last us until day 73. This strategy was in part due to the fact that we did not have much time to analyze and properly forecast the future demand (initially meeting took place at midnight due to the long commute), but also to allow us to have more data about the incoming demand.To determine the proper level of order quantity and reorder point, we did a simple forecasting of incoming demand by using a simple linear regression analysis of observed demand for the first 50 days. Using this data we determined that the reorder point must be increased to 45 and the order quantity should be set at 250 kits. When we did meet th e following day, our focus was to forecast the demand out to day 120, since we had the knowledge of demand increasing and leveling out after day 120.Using the excel spreadsheet and looking at the linear regression line, we determined that the approximate level of demand on day 120 would be about 18 kits per day. This number was critical to our overall strategy going forward. Since we knew the demand would average around 18 kits a day, we wanted to have enough capacity in the machines to handle the demand. We figured to calculate the demand capacity of each machines by looking at the level of utilization of each machines on day 1, when the very first order arrived.Using the percentage of utilization and the actual number of job coming in for the first time, we were able to calculate the capacity of each machine with relative accuracy. It was determined that machine 1 had the capacity of 4. 5 jobs per day, machine 2 with capacity of 12. 5 jobs per day, and machine 3 with capacity of 1 2jobs per day. This meant that in order for us to accommodate the expected level of demand, we needed to have five units of Machine 1, two units of Machine 2, and two units of Machine 3.We wanted to have five units of Machine 1 because we did not want to have just 4 and have 100% utilization, causing a bottleneck situation. We also wanted to figure out the optimal reorder point and order quantity using the forecasted average demand of 18 jobs per day. We set the number of reorder point to 95 kits, accounting for the four day lead period and the level of safety stock we wanted to have. Then we determined the order quantity should be set at 500 kits, which would be sufficient level of inventory to last for full day.Finally, with the changes already made to improve our capacity and production lead time, we set out to maximize our profit margin for each job coming in. We agreed that contract three would be most profitable for us since we predicted out lead time to be cut under half a da y, and would not exceed one day with reasonable fluctuation of demand. Also, figuring that we wanted to move out any jobs ready for final processing, we switched the priority of Machine 2 to give priority to step 4.

New Government Accounting Systems Essay

Don’t snoop. Not only does going through your roommates’ belongings violate their privacy, but it can also destroy the trust between the two of you if they find out. Have a place to put your own mail, personal photos and other items that you don’t want your roommate going through to avoid conflict over privacy issues. Personal Items According to Huffington Post, borrowing personal items is a main cause for tension between roommates. Refrain from borrowing anything without your roommates’ permission, and don’t allow your guests to touch or borrow anything of theirs, either. If you do obtain permission, return the item promptly and in the same condition that you borrowed it. If you break it or damage it, replace it. Noise Levels Peace and quiet at home is important whether you are a college student or a working professional. It can be difficult to concentrate in an environment that is constantly loud and boisterous. Agree on set â€Å"quiet times† in your household and respect them. Respect Always respect your roommate. If they aren’t somebody that you already know well, take the time to get acquainted with them. â€Å"Your roommate may or may not be your friend,† says Huffington Post, â€Å"but he or she will be your business partner. Treat that person with tact and consideration at all times. Finances As business partners and house mates, it is important to be up-front with your roommate about finances. If something happens and you are unable to make the rent, let them know. Your financial health can directly impact their living situation. Consider having the rent automatically debited from the account to prevent any mishaps and split all bills in half. Work with your roommate to set up a financial plan in advance to avoid problems from occurring that may jeopardize your living situation. Socializing If you are the type of person to have a lot of company or indulge in social drinking or smoking at home and your roommate is not, this can be a source of contention between the two of you. Discuss this issue in advance. Set some ground rules for social visits, parties and such and follow them.

Meaning of Life and Novel Grendel Essay

In the novel Grendel, John Gardner, through Grendel’s character, portrays the universal struggle all humans face to find meaning in life. Grendel, just like everyone else wants to find his meaning, and purpose. Though he struggles, Grendel is ultimately trying to find himself in all of the things that he does. Concept and Explanation Textual Support #1 People in their teenage years often experience a sense of isolation, and this is what Grendel is representing. He doesn’t understand why everyone else has companionship, while he is alone, which is showing his struggle to find out the meaning of his life. People always complain that â€Å"no one understands them† and in Grendel’s case, it’s literal, no one understands him. #1 â€Å"Why can’t I have someone to talk to? † I said. The stars said nothing, but I pretended to ignore the rudeness. â€Å"The Shaper has people to talk to,† I said. I wrung my fingers. â€Å"Hrothgar has people to talk to. † Pg. 53 #2 This quote shows Grendel asking his mom why they live where they do. He’s looking for answers, for a reason why they live there, and why they live the way they do. He might not be looking for a meaning to life, but he’s looking for a meaning for his way of life. He again, doesn’t understand why other things get to live in nicer ways, and in better places. Grendel is looking for a reason, as always. #2 â€Å"‘Why are we here? ’ I used to ask her. â€Å"Why do we stay in this putrid hole? ’† pg. 11 #3 This quote also shows Grendel trying to find meaning to life, or rather show his negativity towards it. He is stating that where you are a child, everything is good, but then you grow up and you have to realize the truth. Grendel is still trying to figure out his truth, and what his meaning really is. #3 â€Å"So childhood too feels good at first, before one happens to notice the terrible sameness, age after age. † Pg. 9 #4 This quote represents Grendel’s more nihilistic ways. He questions his own actions, and motives, showing that he is unsure. His answer to his own question is not even an answer. He says Hrothgar has not done anything to deserve it, but he also has not done anything to be exempt from him. Grendel, again, is searching for an answer why. #4 â€Å"How, if I know all this, you may ask, could I hound him–shatter him again and again.dive him deeper and deeper into woe? I have no answer, except perhaps this: why should I not? Has he made any move to deserve my kindness? † pg. 122 #5 When people find something they’re good at, they refer to it as their â€Å"calling. † Well, this quote represents Grendel finding his calling. He is finally stating that he has an identity and purpose that is unique. This is the first time Grendel feels he actually has a place, and his life has meaning, which elates him. #5 â€Å"I was Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings! † pg. 80.

Prisoner Education

The education of prisoners is a topic that is riddled with complications. One of the major barriers in the way of prisoner education is public indifference and ignorance. It seems that people are almost happy to simply lock people away rather than actually confront problems such as recidivism and community reintegration. Our paper argues that prisoner education is not only a good thing, but is necessary to fix the underlying problems within the United States prison system.There is definitely a lack of education programs in our prison system today. Furthermore, even in those institutions that have education programs have many different problems such as; courses that are interrupted or terminated on the personal whims of prison administrators; the absence of libraries; waiting lists for programs; limited or no access to training in information technology; vocational courses that are dated paths to nowhere.By looking at effective existing programs, field studies at Massachusetts prisons , and actual prisoner interviews we will attempt to outline a model program and argue that educating prisoners is a means by which to help save out failing prison system. As we have talked about in class, the United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, but we also possess one of the highest crime rates. If the previous statement is true, there is an enormous problem with our system, and we believe that education is the key to solving it.In order to properly critique our prison system it is important to look at existing educational and vocational programs in our area. The Massachusetts Department of Correction’s has a mission statement which reads, â€Å"The Massachusetts Department of Correction’s mission is to promote public safety by managing offenders while providing care and appropriate programming in preparation for successful reentry into the community. † They do this by following their four step program â€Å"Manage – Ca re – Program – Prepare. We found that some of the programs offered may fit this mission, but others need tweaking. The first prison we decided to research was MCI Norfolk. MCI Norfolk utilizes a myriad of different programs, from adult basic education to Welding. However, the sheer number of programs offered does not always indicate a successful educational system. In our research we found that Norfolk, although possessing a wide verity of programs, is one of the worst educational programs in the Massachusetts Department of Corrections.However, MCI-Norfolk does offer a few programs that we thought were very unique and would be helpful in designing a model program. For example, MCI Norfolk offers a program called the â€Å"Responsible Fatherhood Program† which seeks to raise the awareness of male inmates’ parental responsibility. The program tries to emphasize the value and importance that a father’s presence can have on a child. The program lasts e ight weeks and requires a minimum of eight hours of structured curriculum driven activities.The RFP program works in three stages, with the ultimate goal of reunited father’s with their children, and strengthening their bond as father and child. The â€Å"Fatherhood Graduate Maintenance Program† is for graduates of the RFP program, which allows inmates to practice and discuss the skills they were taught in the previous stage. Once they have passed the FGMP stage, the inmate moves onto the Father/Child Visitation Component, which is a structured and staff facilitated visit for inmates who have completed the first two steps of the program.What we liked about this program is not only that it seeks an important goal (preparing inmates to become better fathers), but it is very extensive and requires a lot of dedication from the inmate. Another program that we liked was the â€Å"Employment Readiness Program† which is a 10-day workshop that is designed to assist inmat es in the development of the necessary skills that are needed for successful transition back into the community. The program runs 2. 5 hours per day for inmates who are within one year of their earliest possible release date.Throughout the course the participants are taught; resume building, cover letter writing, job application processes, mock interviews and how to maintain employment. Also includes social support, housing plans, financial awareness and budgeting, education referrals, criminal impact and attainable goals. All of these skills are important to learn in order to find and maintain a job, and some inmates may have never learned these skills. Our biggest critique of the program is that it is far too short.There are a lot of important skills listed in the program description, but 10-days at 2. 5 hours a day is not nearly enough time. Our suggestion is to run the same type of program, but offer it as a yearlong class. This class is offered at all of the Massachusetts Depar tment of Corrections prisons, and we feel with the proper revamping, it could be a very successful program. The third existing program that we looked at was the Boston University Program. The program is designed to meet the needs of the students who have accumulated a minimum of twelve transferable college credits.Students eligible to enter this program have an opportunity to achieve a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies from BU’s Metropolitan College. Although this program requires inmates to have already accumulated college credits (which most have not) we thought it was important to mention because this program is donated in full by Boston University. Many times over the semester we have seen that finding funding for prisoner education is difficult. Most people are hesitant to want to pay any amount of money to fund the education of criminals, and that is why programs like the Boston University program are so important.If we can remove the stigma associated with prisoner education, finding funding will become easier, and more programs will be available. The final prison program we looked at was the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center. As with MCI Norfolk, Souza-Baranowski offered many different programs, including; barber school, computer technology, culinary arts, educational counseling, English as a second language, and many more. However, like Norfolk, we found that Souza-Baranowski had certain programs that were unique to their facility.The program that we thought was most unique and interesting was the â€Å"Relapse Program† which is a vendor facilitated eight week, twenty-four session program designed to assist inmates in identifying high risk situations that may lead to relapse, and teach them skills to address those situations without relapse. We thought this program was essential because using a prison as a detox center and never teaching addicts the skills they need to avoid relapse is ineffective. This program not only helps parti cipants identify high risk situations, but helps them develop the skills they need to avoid or combat those situations.Souza-Baranowski utilizes many different programs in order to educate their inmates, and that is part of the reason why we decided to do part of our field study at this location. Our fieldwork interview conducted by our Crime and Social Justice group focused on the Souza-Baranowski Corrections Center (SBCC) by speaking to their Education Principal. This facility, located in Shirley, MA, is considered a Maximum Security Level Prison. Sitting on top of 18 acres of land, the SBCC is one of Massachusetts’ newest correctional facilities holding close to 1300 inmates. The principal of the school, Mr. Brian Hogan, kindly volunteered his time and answered a few questions regarding the model education program available at the SBCC. Brian Hogan has held the position of principal of Souza-Baranowski Corrections Center since the prison’s founding in 1999. His expe rience as a public school teacher and as a case manager for the Department of Correction made him a qualified candidate for the position. The information he relayed to us about the SBCC education system as well as his opinions on the subject matter was very useful to our group in figuring out what works for prison education and what does not.According to Mr. Hogan, the school in SBCC houses around 200 inmates and offers a variety of different classes for all levels of education. The elementary school classrooms, which ranges in grade levels from 2nd to 6th is in one classroom, while the 6th to 8th grade level students are in the Middle School Classroom. At the high school level, two classrooms exist; one with a pre-GED teacher and another with grades 9-12th. In addition to these basic classrooms, specialty teachers exist for the prisoners who might have more difficulty in the learning process such as literacy, ESL and special education classes.Finally, the highest level of education available for the inmates is a limited amount of college courses available through a distance learning program and videoconferencing. In our interview, Brian Hogan thoroughly described the process necessary to be considered for the education program and the eligibility requirements for the prisoners. The MCI diagnostics department for basic educations tests all the offenders who wish to be considered for the educational program. Through this test, they determine his level based on their scores on language, math and reading exams.Subsequently, the inmate’s name is placed on a waiting list while the education level is sufficiently evaluated and based on whether spots are available or not, this determines if they are enrolled as student in the school. All of the prisoners are eligible for a spot in the program, but certain circumstances create a higher likelihood of actually being chosen. SBCC is more likely to enroll inmates with smaller sentences as well as the ones that are closest to their release date. According to Mr. Hogan, the reason for this is to effectively reach out to the prisoner right before they are released into the community when they need it most. SBCC contains a wide variety of inmates and many who are at different points in their sentences. From men who are about to be released to others who might be doing life in jail, all kinds of inmates do exist in the facility. Although these prisoners doing life do get a shot at attending the prison school, they are definitely the least prioritized in receiving an education.Even as least likely, these men are not completely excluded and one spot by SBCC is reserved in every classroom for a â€Å"lifer†. The education system is focused wholly on a voluntary basis for the inmates. No one officer or teacher exists that goes out and recruits the inmates or encourages them to join the school. The men are given the material: handbooks, outlines and all types of information about the school to a ttract their participation. Whether the inmates decide to apply for a vacancy or not is totally up to them.SBCC does offer an incentive to encourage the prisoners to enroll. The incentive takes two and half days off the inmates’ sentence for every month he attends school. It should also be noted that this is all contingent upon the good behavior of the offender. As soon as he acts up, however, he is taken out of the classroom and not allowed to attend the education program any longer. One of the questions our group was interested in knowing more about concerned the funding and technology available to the prison in order to successfully to teach these prisoner students. As Mr. Hogan remarked, some funds do come from the Massachusetts State budget however, the program also depends on private state grants for a big portion of the money necessary to support the education program. The prison’s technology resources are relatively well-off with two to three computers, with no internet connection, available in each classroom. Additionally, different software programs are also available for these students such as spelling and keyboard software as well as GED preparation software. The ESL learners also have the benefit of Rosetta Stone to aid them in learning English.In Hogan’s opinion, SBCC’s school can be considered as â€Å"cutting edge in education† for prisons. He believes that recent years has brought about a new focus and shift directed towards college classes, where 15 of the 200 men enrolled in education classes are currently capable of taking college-level courses and work towards an Associates’ degree. The school has helpful teachers who are experienced with public school teaching and school counselors who point the students in the right direction and encourage their schooling. The program, to Mr. Hogan, is moving in the right direction and the state and national statistics available suggests that education in prisons does work. Evidence shows that prisoners, who have some college or schooling after leaving prison, do not return. Not only are recidivism rates reduced, but these men usually find decent jobs and overall the public becomes safer because once released these guys do not commit crimes again. Mr. Hogan mentions that just by having these education classes, it goes a long way in changing the norms when it comes to education in prisons.He talked about how years ago such education programs would definitely have been frowned upon by the public. People were incapable of understanding why men, who have committed crimes and are in jail to pay for these offenses, would be rewarded with the opportunity to get an education in prison. People especially turned against such schooling whenever taxpayer’s dollars entered into the picture. As Brian Hogan put it, education systems in prison are not the most politically correct thing and that is why the public often gets in the way of the promotio n of these education programs in facilities. Speaking to Mr. Hogan increased our knowledge base about the specific programs available in Massachusetts for prisoners, and compared to some of our other experiences we counted ourselves lucky that this interview went so smoothly. This was not the case with some of the other contacts that our group tried to reach out to. After submitting multiple proposals to the Suffolk House of Corrections, in the end our request to visit the prison to speak to the inmates was denied. In another attempt to visit a prison, and if that failed, then to speak to the school principal, we contacted MCI Norfolk just as we had reached out to Souza-Baranowski.Unfortunately, Ms. Diane Wiffin was not the most obliging and went back and forth with our group as if trying to avoid the questions and unwilling to give her opinion. When we informed her that the principal of SBCC had given us the description of his education program, she asked to review his answers, and her response was as follows: Hi, Chelsea! Veronica M. Madden, Deputy Commissioner of the Classification, Programs and Reentry Division, and I have reviewed your proposal and the questions and responses from Brian Hogan, Principal at Souza Baranowski Correctional Center. Mr.   Hogan's responses can be applied to MCI Norfolk as there are consistencies in the administration of our education programs throughout our facilities.Deputy Commissioner Madden did want to comment on your question as to why people are refusing to give you information and how hard it is to obtain an interview. We don't know who else you have contacted, but as I indicated to you when we spoke, we get an overwhelming number of student projects and we have limited resources to be responsive to those requests. As much as we would like to be available, we just don't have the resources. In terms of Mr. Hogan's response to that question, Deputy Commissioner Madden wonders if Mr. Hogan was referring to potential publi c reaction to inmates who participate in the Boston University Prison Program, which is donated by BU at no cost to taxpayers. BU also makes several scholarships available to DOC staff. We think the public is supportive of inmates' receiving adult basic education, GED and vocational training. Attached is a copy of our Program Description Booklet. Education information is contained in that. Also as part of that booklet is a listing of programs and education/vocation training listed by facility.In addition, on www. mass. gov/DOC there is research material covering recidivism rates. This is should be exactly what you need for your project†¦ Diane Wiffin, Director of Public Affairs As her response shows, little time is available for the Deputy Commissioner to answer our questions and apparently the program of SBCC can be applied to MCI Norfolk. Our group was lucky that Mr. Hogan did not mind answering our questions but this reluctant behavior made us wonder why prisons were unwilli ng to talk to us about their facilities.Before contacting Ms. Wiffin, we had already experienced certain setbacks with the process and we decided to ask Brian Hogan what his opinion was about why so much disinclination existed to speak to a group of Boston college students. He believed the difficulties we experienced were due to their fear of the public’s reaction to education in prisons. Many times these prison education programs are not advertised for people and either they do not understand or choose to not understand just what affects it could have on the community. Mr.Hogan reflected, the taxpayer does not want to spend their money on something considered to be more of a reward, when they should be punished. In addition, he mentioned that this government funding for programs of college education receives much critique because parents have their own children that they are struggling to put through college. Consequently, seeing men in prisons able to take advantage of this makes them angry. Overall prisons are very skeptical of people’s intentions and fear that something, like education, that they believe to be good, could be misconstrued by the public.This is especially true because as he puts it, what newspapers and the media portray is often negative when it comes to crimes and inmates in prisons. From these negative images, people make their own negative assumptions and believe that all prisoners are bad and should not receive any education. As a result, many do not care that this, overall, would be something better for the community and many take no importance that such education reduces the rate of recidivism. Mr. Hogan also states, that the â€Å"reality does not make for good reading,† and so little things like watching a recently released film to prisoners becomes outrageous for some constituents. These interesting opinions from Mr. Hogan reminded our group of everything that our class had touched upon regarding the image of cr ime in the media. Sara Beale, in the article we read for class â€Å"The News Media’s Influence on Criminal Justice Policy: How Market-Driven News Promotes Punitiveness,† (Beale 2006) claims that the media is manipulated to show a negative image of crime in the public and as a result instills a moral panic.In framing, the media emphasizes a certain crime story, idea or feeling, often negative, resulting in the viewer’s fear in crime and offenders. The more fear they feel, the more the inclination to call for punitive policy and punish the offender. Also, television shows and news reports are used as entertainment for the public to improve ratings. This means that the entertainment sometimes does not accurately reflect the reality. (Beale 2006) This inaccurate reflection of reality encapsulates how people in the public view education for prisons and how it is portrayed to the masses.For this reason, the prisons are scared their education programs might lose fundi ng and resources, and therefore are reluctant to give away too much information to the public and media. In general, our group’s opinion of the SBCC’s is favorable and can be considered a good education model. Other information that we have gathered shows that the only programs some prisons actually have depend upon re-entry programs. These re-entry programs tend to lecture to the inmates on the limitations on their behavior, before they are released into the community.Oftentimes no real engagement occurs with the prisoners, and if no education exists than these former inmates are more likely to commit crimes again. We believe that the college classes available to the inmates of SBCC are a significant asset to their program, and other research we conducted suggests that these classes are the most effective in reducing recidivism. Opponents do arise amongst the public concerning education in prison, but it would be more beneficial if they took into consideration that mo re education equals less crime and less recurring offenders.Another conclusion we arrived at from our interview is the need for other prisons to implement these education programs and to make them more available to inmates. With only 200 prisoners out of 1300 allowed to participate in schooling, there are still many who never get the opportunity to learn. If these classes were available to more of the inmate population, then perhaps recidivism could be addressed more thoroughly through these efforts. We also believe that prisons such as MCI Norfolk should improve their programs if the reason for not giving us information is because the program they have is incompetent.If the reason for not talking to us is due to fear of misrepresentation, we think this has to be addressed in a different manner, perhaps through informational pamphlets or some other form of media to get the message out to the public that education in prisons is a good thing. After many trials and tribulations, trying to break through the barriers of prison security that refuses to share the prison education information, we got creative. Pondville Correctional Center is located in the town of Norfolk, Massachusetts. The facility houses 204 inmates total.The majority of the inmates are Level 3, which means that they are minimum-security inmates, while the others are Level 2, meaning that they are pre-release inmates. Our group decided to go to one of the work placements, which was at an auction house near the facility. About fifteen inmates were present at the auction house, and we had the opportunity to speak directly with all of them during the hour before the auction. This was an incredible and interesting experience, one that none of us had ever had before. It gave us much more insight into the prison system and the people inside of it.As mentioned on the Mass. gov website, â€Å"The primary mission of Pondville Correctional Center is to protect the public’s safety by incarcerating in mates and to provide inmates the opportunity for responsible reintegration and positive behavioral change† (Public Safety, 2011). We believe that in order to fully reintegrate someone into society, inmates need to be educated and also have vocational training so that they can be a meaningful and productive addition to society once they are out of prison. When looking at the programs offered at all of the prisons, the options seem pretty extensive.For example, Pondville requires all inmates to work unless they have a medical waiver and they also give prisoners vocational, educational, and self-help opportunities. The facility boasts that their education programs are â€Å"innovative†. They offer classes including Adult Basic Education, English as a Second language, GED tutoring, and a Life Skills Computer program that focuses on resume writing, job applications, job interviews, and personal finance. If we merely looked at the website, we would conclude that the opportuni ties for inmates are there, they just have to get involved.After speaking with the inmates, we realized that this was not the case at all. The inside perspective from the inmates, that other prisons had so desperately tried to keep from us, made it clear that, although they have some classes, it is almost impossible to get into the programs. The reality is that there is open door access to programs at prisons, but it goes by earliest release date and overall there are not nearly enough programs. One man said that there are only about eighteen men per class, but 400 people want to be in that class.Also, because it is by earliest release date, many people will be in prison for years until they get the chance to be in the program. How we can we, as a society, expect someone to become completely educated if we only let them into the programs 6 months before they are released? We, as a society, are appalled that people are let out of prison and then go back to their old habits, but this is because they do not know how else to act. They fall back into their own uneducated ways and wind back in prison, but if we do not give them an education, what else should we expect?Another issue with the education offered to prisoners is that most of the teachers do not have high expectations for the inmates. As one inmate stated, if we show up, we pass. We do not have to do anything if we do not want to, but if we merely show up, she will pass us. From experience, our group agreed that it is extremely hard to try hard and have a strong work ethic when your teacher expects nothing from you. A lot of the teachers at the prisons, as Brian Hogan, principal at Souza Baranowski told us, have been laid off and, therefore, are relocating to prisons.This means that they are real and qualified teachers, but then why are they not expecting the same from the inmates as they did from their previous students? The teachers need to take responsibility for the success of the inmates. They need t o have expectations for the prisoners and only pass them if they deserve to pass. Having education classes is a start, but they need to have education classes in which the prisoners actually learn things, and that is not going to happen if they are passed just for showing up.Denying prisoners feeds into a theory that we discussed this semester while reading The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison. (Reiman, & Leighton, 2010). The Pyrrhic defeat theory states â€Å"the American criminal justice system – the entire process from law-making to law-enforcing – has failed to eliminate the rates of crime that characterize our society and threaten our citizens† (Reiman, & Leighton, 2010). We discussed this theory as a group and concluded that the criminal justice system fails to liminate the rates of crime because we are sending inmates back into society the same way (or even worse) than they were when they entered the system. Instead of using the years that they are in the system to educate them and teach them better ways, we are letting them sit around watching Jerry Springer, joining gangs, or fighting each other. By denying prisoners a proper education and then just expecting them to change and not come back to prison is absurd. The ignorance of people believing that prisoners are not entitled to an education will just continue to perpetuate the crime cycle.For example, if an offender has served his time and has to face the world again with a lack of academic knowledge on top of an already perceived low morale as they will be judged for being in prison in the first place, it will be a lot easier for them to stray again and end up back in the system. However, with the prospect of being educated and having added knowledge, this will hopefully encourage and give inmates the confidence and ability to make something of their lives and also be provided with the idea that they can do other things in life than turn to crime.We need to be smart on c rime. We need to educate people so that they have the ability to change once they are released. Once a prisoner gets his GED, so many more doors open up for them and more opportunities arise. Because they already have a strike against them for being in prison, inmates need credentials to get their foot into the door, and an education will help them with this. While visiting the auction house, we talked directly with a man named Tom Lyons. Tom has spent the last twenty years in prison for killing a man. When he entered the system, he was illiterate.After spending some time with Tom, we learned that a mixture of religion and education changed his life. His release date was coming up on April 15th, and he could now read and write due to the education that he received in prison. He studied poetry while in the system and his favorite author is Emily Dickinson. Tom says that having an education made him realize that he wanted to help others, and he wants to go around speaking to groups ab out his experiences, etc. He also said that without an education, he never would have been able to have the confidence to want to make something of his life once he gets out.While Tom was lucky enough to get an education, he also has missed out on a lot. Over the past twenty years, so much has changed in our society. Cell phones, Internet, and other technological advances have transformed us. However, Tom has never experienced most of these things. He was getting out in 15 days and they were just teaching him how to use a computer. He said that there were always programs that were interesting to him, but he could not get into them until he was really close to getting out.As Tom said, â€Å"if you’re preparing someone to change their entire life, you need to start right as we get in. Not one year before we are getting out. I was lucky and got into an education program earlier, but millions of people are not. † Tom may have learned to read and write, but he is still so f ar behind in terms of understanding technology, something crucial to succeeding in today’s world. From speaking with Tom, we realized that there is so much that needs to be addressed within the education department within prisons.After speaking with Tom and the other prisoners, we realized that there is an open door access to programs, but this does not mean much because a lot of people cannot get into the programs because eligibility goes by earliest release date. The prisoners gave us some of their main wishes for the education system. These included for people to have higher expectations for them, for there to be more programs and more GED programs, and to have teachers who truly care about their success instead of just showing up to get a pay check.These wishes are all things that we think many would agree with. They are not asking for things that are absurd. They are just asking to be given the chance to get an education, and if we, as a society, want them to stop ending up back in prison, that is exactly what we need to give them; a good education and skills to use outside of prison. Although there are solid arguments why it is unfair for prisoners to be getting these perks while being in prison, one must remember the structural deficits that currently exist in our society.In an ideal world, education in the prison systems would not be a necessity or a topic of discussion. Within an idealistic system, there would be adequate educational programs that created motivation and encouragement in all youth to work hard and stay on the right path. This correct path would lead students to the ample jobs awaiting them. There would be no need to resort to criminal activity in order to support oneself or one’s family. Anyone who did stray from these available opportunities would have no excuse for their irresponsible behaviors, leaving prison as their option of punishment.However, and this is a big however, because the current structural system is not giving everyone equal opportunities to climb the rungs of the social ladder. Understandable then, many individuals feel trapped into a life of crime and violence as a means to escape the grueling effects of an unfair system. This is not an excuse, nor is it justification for the crimes that many people are arrested and imprisoned for. Regardless of the unfair system, acts of violence and criminality should neither be supported nor accepted. Because society does not mirror the ideal that many wish for, there will inevitable be acts that are deemed unlawful.With an unequal system and over two million inmates the question arises, whether as a nation our desire is to rehabilitate these prisoners or just punish them and house them in prison cells for the rest of their lives. There are many sides to every story, and in this case there are those who support educational programs within prisons and there are those who are opposed to it. Some argue against education for those on death row, wh ile others say that no one in prison should be given the opportunity of an education. Knowledge is power, but why should prisoners be given this power?The money that is being spent on prisons should be going to the education of people who are not criminals. Others argue that there is so much money being spent on housing and feeding prisoners already. Why do these prisoners deserve an education when so many children are suffering through poorly funded public school systems? The most popular reason is that people believe their tax dollars are being spent on educating prisoners while many Americans struggle to send their children to college or even good high schools. Also, educating prisoners is seen as a distant reward that benefits them individually rather than benefitting societyUnfortunately America’s individualistic nature creates a shortcoming for their nation. They do not see the benefits of educating prisoners. An educated nation is a better nation. The stance that will be taken is to rehabilitate prisoners and allow them to become working members of society upon their release. Under this perspective, the education system within a prison would not only be necessary but would serve as a vital program to helping prisoners have the slightest chance at emerging into society as skillful and productive members.If inmates receive an education before they are released from prison, if they have help through this system to gain a job and work to support themselves, one can only hope that it would reduce the level of crime and reduce the number of prisoners re-entering prisons. This hope is the reality. Although Studies have clearly shown that â€Å"participants in prison education, vocation and work programs have recidivism rates 20-60 percent lower than those of non-participants† (Granoff, J 2009) many Americans still disagree with the education of prisoners.Despite these negative arguments against educating prisoners, there exist an abundant number of advantages to these programs. After discussing with the Principal and director of the prisons and discussing with the inmates themselves, it is clear that the education system is under a lot of scrutiny by the public. The principle of the Souza-Baranowski maximum-security prison said, â€Å"People don’t understand it. People are struggling to send their kids to college. People are abiding by the laws and doing the right things don’t see the benefit of educating those who have broken law†.Without information on programs and how they work to benefit society, the general population will remain oblivious to the constructive aspects of these programs. The media affects the way we view society and the programs within it. Media programs stress certain points that highlight what people want to hear, what lobbyists want said and what society deems important at the time. In order for people to realize the extent of the positive impacts of the programs available, we nee d to hear more success stories like that of Joan.Joan said, â€Å"I did not realize at the time that I had taken the first step on a journey of lifelong learning. Nor that the process would allow me to accumulate â€Å"human capital† (qualifications skills and abilities), â€Å"identity capital† (self-worth) and â€Å"social capital† (a supportive network of friends and colleagues). † (Erwin, J) She is just one example of the many positively impacted individuals who were transformed from caterpillars to butterflies with a little encouragement and motivation.As said before, we believe that many of the existing programs in the prison systems aim at positively influencing the prisoners. We understand the complexity of the issues at hand and the controversy that surrounds this discussion. Although these troubles exist, we came up with what our model program would consist of, and the recommendations that we have concerning the programs that are currently being utilized. Our model program is based on a rehabilitative method. We would want to prisoners to accumulate â€Å"human capital† â€Å"identity capital† and â€Å"social capital† as Joan described.The programs would be mandatory to ensure that all prisoners were getting involved. There would also be incentives to take part in the programs. Of course the prisoners should want to take advantage of these programs without being pushed to do so, however, we recognize that getting the ball rolling will show these prisoners what they are capable of. For many inmates, no one has ever pushed them to capitalize on their true potentials, which leaves them yearning for self-fulfillment in all the wrong arenas.Our hope is that once they see their capabilities, this will push them to continue to work hard and motivate them to move past their criminal behaviors once they are released from prison. It is very important for there to be vocational classes that give the inmates spec ific skills and talents that will ensure them some job opportunities when they are released from prison. On a higher level, GED classes and college programs need to become common in all prisons instead of being the exception to only a few.We also believe that the number of programs being offered needs to be drastically increased. As the inmate said, there are 400 hundred people who want to be in certain programs but only 18 can be. This disparity is disheartening, as the desire to change exists; however the opportunity to do it is lacking. As prison populations grow into the millions, society must decide how â€Å"tough on crime† they are going to continue to be. The individual states have the power to decide the individual educational systems within their prisons.Education, as a result of negativity towards all prisons, has not only become less of a priority but is seen as prisoners being given a free ride. The problem however, is that the current system that offers harsh pu nishment and little rehabilitation is not working. Harsh punishment does not however mean deliberate cruelty. Prisons should not be a place that purposely creates horrible conditions for inmates. Just having your freedom taken away from you is probably one of the worst things that can happen to an individual. Certainly, no one has the right to injure another person or to take his or er life however, if society does not work at rehabilitating these individuals, then the length of sentences and punitive measures will not only need to be increased but turned up by many notches. The cutting of education budgets within prisons increases the likelihood that upon release these prisoners will only return to prison. People in the general population are already reluctant to hire someone with a criminal record so adding a lack of education will make it virtually impossible for released prisoners to do anything but go back to their old lifestyles of crime.This will only create a never-ending cy cle that will inevitably become hurtful to society as a whole. Of course the ideal education system outside of prison is what we dream of, but until then we support the efforts to protect society by educating those who once harmed it.Work CitedErwin, James. â€Å"In Prison, Education Is Your Best Route to a Better Life | Erwin James | Society | Guardian. co. uk. † Latest News, Comment and Reviews from the Guardian | Guardian. co. uk. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. .Granoff, Gillian. â€Å"Education Update – Prison College Programs Unlock the Keys to Human Potential. † EDUCATION UPDATE – APRIL 2011 – Education News. 2009. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. . Public safety and security, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (2011). Pondville correctional facility Government Printing Office.