The Criminal Justice System Essay -- Papers crime statistics punishmen

The Criminal Justice System The Criminal Justice System is one of the most important tools available to society for the control of anti-social behavior. The criminal justice system needs to prove a balance between punishing the guilty and protecting the innocent being found guilty; however it is not as easy to convict those who are guilty of committing crimes. There have been many miscarriages to justice where innocent people were sent to prison. Many people have been affected by crime, this is due to statistics, which show the various number of crimes committed in particular areas. Crime statistics are compiled differently by different forces which is notoriously unreliable. There are two ways of measuring crime, through police figures, which reflect recorded crimes and through British Crime Survey (BCS) figures, which questions people in England and Wales about their experiences as victims. Neither system is entirely reliable. The Home Office research, for example, show that out of every 100 crimes, only 50 will be reported and around 33 recorded. The Observer poll (2003) shows that 19% of those mugged and 14% of those violently assaulted failed to report the crime, in comparison to the BCS who offers a more reliable measurement of some crimes, such as theft. A person may not report a theft of an old, cheap car but would talk to a researcher about it. As crime statistics are compiled in two ways, or maybe more, the public do get affected, as they do not know what figures to accept or believe. It is obvious that people would like to believe that the statistics, which show the least amount of crime, is true in comparison... ...ft of an insured mobile phone is not a major crime to be reported, one may believe that it is necessary to report this crime so police can record it, which means that statistics will be more accurate. Official crime statistics may not be entirely reliable however, it does keep the public aware of crime either increasing or decreasing in particular areas. Crime will probably never stop, so it will be very difficult to believe what statistics are true. If the Government change the existing ways of calculating figures, then hopefully statistics will become reliable, however, it also depends on the police, as they need to record all crime. Matters can be improved if more victims have the confidence to report crime and of all crime is recorded by the police; this should hopefully give accurate, reliable statistics.

A Confederate Officer from Pennsylvania, and His Ties to the South :: essays research papers fc

The American Civil War was a very traumatic time for this country. The idea of Americans purposefully killing other Americans in battle just sends chills up most of our spines. This was true for the ordinary combat soldiers, the officers executing battle plans, or for those fortunate officers who were of administrative importance to the war. Everyone involved was fighting for a cause, the South was highly effective at converting this cause into a determination to fight and win the war. It is possible that those individuals involved in the fighting had a much stronger belief in the cause, since they risked life and limb everyday and every battle. This is found not to be true. Even though the non-combat Confederates did not engage the enemy first hand they too had a direct emotional response to the cause and for defense of the South.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Josiah Gorgas was the Chief Ordinance officer for the Confederacy. Josiah Gorgas was born into a Poor Pennsylvania family on July, 1st, 1818. Once of age Josiah Gorgas enrolled at West Point, where he graduated 6th in his class. His focus was on military ordinance and logistics. He was commissioned to the U.S. Army Ordinance department, where he remained until the Civil War broke out. Gorgas married his wife Amelia Gayle Gorgas while he was stationed in Alabama in 1853. Mrs. Gorgas was the daughter of a prominent Alabama politician and ex-governor named John Gayle. This highly influential family that Josiah Gorgas connects himself too casually persuades him to identify with Southerners and the Southern Cause. Josiah Gorgas feels more at home with his wife’s family than with his own. This may have been in part because Josiah was not home much after going to West Point. He felt disenfranchised from his family once the War broke out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is interesting to see how an educated man from the North can just simply change to the Southern vantage point. The transition Josiah Gorgas made from a Northerner to a Southerner is not covered in his journal. He avoids the issue and it is difficult to see why. I believe Josiah Gorgas resented the fact that his family was poor. When Josiah Gorgas was stationed in the South he was a white officer, which put him in the upper class of this highly aristocratic society. I believe Josiah Gorgas enjoyed his social standing in the South as well as the hospitality that came with it.

The Clever and Devious Iago of Othello Essay -- Othello Essays

In Othello, Iago serves as a clever manipulator. He uses his skills on the stupid and naà ¯ve Roderigo to get revenge on Othello. Iago’s main reason for his hatred of Othello is because he is passed over for the lieutenant position given to Michael Cassio. Iago also seems to delight in the manipulation and destruction he is causes. One major way Iago uses his manipulation on Roderigo is by jealousy. At the start of the play, we hear a conversation between Roderigo and Iago. Roderigo is angry because he has been giving money to Iago to help him gain the love of Desdemona, but he learns of Desdemona’s marriage to Othello. Also in Act one Scene one Iago convinces Roderigo to spoil Othello’s marriage by stirring Desdemona’s family against the Moor. At the end of Act one Iago has his first soliloquy. Iago says, â€Å"Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:/ For I mine own gained knowledge should profane/ If I would time expend with such a snipe/ But for my sport and profit† (1.3.384-387). He reveals his plan of cheating Roderigo out of his money and giving him unfulfilled promises. Another exa...

Marxism and Education Essay

The Marxist perspective of education in society can be very questionable because Marxist theorists such as; Louis Althusser, Bowles and Gintis, David Reynolds and Willis all seem to disagree with one another. The first thing I will write about are the strengths. The strengths about the Marxist view are it points out how ideology is transmitted within school via the hidden curriculum, how education legitimises class inequality, it points out the inequalities of both opportunity and outcome on the system and it exposes the myth of meritocracy. From these points I can tell that it tries to believe that teachers are a kind of agent who are trying to wrong the children. Louis Althusser believed that education is an ideological apparatus designed to control children by brainwashing them. Applying this idea allows the hidden curriculum to transmit values which are not intentionally designed to happen. With class inequality it shows that schools are planting a job title on children which will link to their background. For example, a kid from the working class may get a job working at a car manufactures, while a kid from upper class may get a job as a lawyer. But, this really exposes the idea of meritocracy where if you do well at school you will get a good job as a reward. Now, I will write about the weaknesses. The weaknesses are that many working class children do succeed in the education system. It overemphasises class and ignores other structural inequalities: ethnicity and gender, post-modernists would argue that education reproduces diversity not inequality and Marxists can’t seem to agree with each other at all. From these points I can tell that Marxists believe that working class children are a lot less smarter than upper class people but actually this isn’t true because you don’t need to be a higher class to be smarter than anyone else it takes the person to be determined to do it themselves. Also, the teacher could show a lot more favouritism to a specific gender in the class like girls or just as easily be based on the colour of their skin. So, you could be the smartest person in the class but you may be a black girl and I may not pick on you. Post-modernists on the other hand also argue that education reproduces diversity meaning people may not be picked on because of their disability etc. Finally, my last point is that none of the Marxist theorists can’t agree with each other because each theorist believes that their theory is correct and go out trying to criticise everyone else. For example, Bowles and Gintis were criticised by Willis stating that their research wasn’t in depth enough but he could easily be criticised for only researching 12 boys.

How Effective Are Various Methods in Reducing Recidivism Essay

Prison, non-custodial sentences and rehabilitation seem all failed in reducing recidivism; however, there is little and limited evidence to support non-custodial sentences, as well as some people think if rehabilitation could be implemented effectively, it would work. Although the advantage of prison is keeping our society from dangerous people, when it comes to reducing recidivism rate, the effect of prison is disappointing. The public usually think that imprisonment is safer for communities; however, it appears powerless to deter inmates from committing crime again. In the article, â€Å"Study shows building prisons did not prevent repeat crimes†, Fox Butterfield (2002) cites a large-scale study of recidivism from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which investigated up to 272,111 former prisoners in 15 states during the first three years after being released. It found that 67% of inmates broke the law again in three years right after their release in 1994. It is surprised that it does not make any difference to recidivism rate which was studied in 1960’s, and it is even 5% higher than the study done in 1983. In addition, it indicated that the more rearrest records a criminal has, the higher recidivism rate he has. The inmates who have more than 15 prior arrests have 82. 1% of recidivism rate. Nevertheless, according to Emily Kingham’s article (2006), she believes that prison forces offenders to regret and reflect on their behaviour; as for the reason that criminals cannot reject the temptation of committing new crime is because of inadequate provided support. In spite of this, some experts have admitted that prison does not work in terms of reducing recidivism rate (Considering the alternatives 1978; Finckenauer 1988). Some limited evidence has shown that non-custodial sentences may decrease recidivism; regardless of some experts being sceptical about their desired achievements. On the one hand, alternative sentences can help government save money and alleviate over-cramped number of criminals in prison (Considering the alternatives 1978). On the other hand, Kingham(2006) points out that alternative sentences do nothing but return prisoners to their original circumstances, which result in unawareness of their crimes and the onsequences. One study indicated that through one of alternative sentences, intensive probation, recidivism rate is less than 20%; however, the evidence maybe weak as the study has not been completely put into practice (Considering the alternatives 1978). Furthermore, in the Minnesota, alternative sentences have been successfully adopted to keep criminal rate not increasing, but it may not be convinced because of the source not being confirmed (Considering the alternatives 1978) . While some people argue rehabilitation is also failed in reducing recidivism rate, some authors counter that if government could support rehabilitation, recidivism rate would decrease. According to the article, â€Å"Prison†, James O. Finckenauer (1988) cites some studies, which shows that even though the government has already provided with good rehabilitation programmes, they cannot achieve reformatory of inmates. On the other hand, this position is contested by Joan Petersilis (cited in Butterfield 2002), a professor of criminology at the University of California at Irvine and an expert on parole, who says that state governments spent such little money on rehabilitation programs that inmates do not receive sufficient help with drug addition, work skill and preparation for a new life, which may lead increasing recidivism rate. Butterfield (2002) further cites the statement by Mr. Travis, who also argues that criminals return to crime.

Islam Worksheet Essay

When studying Islam, it is important to understand the essential elements of the faith, how they are practiced, and the distinctions among the three branches: Shiite Islam, Sunni Islam, and Sufism. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following directives and note where there are differences among the three branches of Islam. 1. Explain the meaning of the name, Islam. The literal translation of the word Islam is surrender or submission. The name Islam implies a complete surrender to Allah, and those who practice Islam are referred to as Muslims. The word Islam is derived from the Arabic word salam, which means peace or safety. Muslims believe that the reason for human existence is to surrender to the One True God, Allah (Molloy, 2010). 2. Explain the basic concepts of Islam. Islam teaches it followers (Muslims) that the Holy Quran is the literal word of God is an all-encompassing book and includes everything about Islam. One of the most fundamental concepts of Islam is the belief that only one God exists. Islam teaches many aspects about God that are similar to the teachings of Judaism and Christianity. Islam teaches that God has always existed, cannot be destroyed, knows everything, created the universe. Another basic concept of Islam is that God never had a son (Jesus); however, Islam does teach that Jesus was a prophet as was Muhammad, but Muhammad is believed to be the last of a number of profits, and he was sent to Earth by God to confirm the word of God to the world. The most fundamental beliefs or concepts of Islam are: †¢ There is only one True God †¢ No other being or thing is worth of worship, only the True God †¢ Muhammad is God’s messenger and the last prophet †¢ Every human who has ever existed will face God on Judgment day to account for his or her deeds and at this time, God will grant or deny admittance into Heaven. 3. Describe the practices of Islam. The main practices of Islam are concentrated in what are known as the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam, as outlined in the Quran are thought to be mandatory practices that each Muslim must practice. The Five Pillars of Islam are: 1) Shahada (Profession of Faith) – Muslims must verbally acknowledge the existence of only one God and Muhammad is God’s messenger. The creed, â€Å"There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger,† is spoken daily in prayer, and inscribed on and in Mosques (Molloy, 2010). 2) Prayer – Muslims are required to pray five times every day of the week; the prayers are required every day before dawn, at midday, at midafternoon, at sunset, and at nighttime. Muslims typically undergo a ritualistic cleansing of the hands, arms, face, and neck before prayer, and face toward Mecca when praying (Molloy, 2010). 3) Zakat (Charity to the Poor) – Muslims are required to give a percentage of the total of everything they own to the poor each year. In addition to giving to the poor, Muslims are expected to be generous and charitable toward the poor when they encounter an opportunity in their daily lives (Molloy, 2010). 4) Sawm (Fasting during Ramadan) – Ramadan is the ninth month of the year according to the Muslim calendar and the month during which it is believed that Muhammad began receiving revelations from God. As with various other religions, fasting is thought to bring spiritual growth; for Muslims the month-long fast help to form a bond and unite Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, liquids, tobacco, and sexual activity from dawn until dusk. Ramadan ends with a feast to celebrate the Revelations given to Muhammad (Molloy, 2010). 5) Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) – Every Muslim is required to visit Mecca (Hajj) at least once in their lifetime. A pilgrimage, as with other religions, is believed to bring about new understanding and personal transformations based on the spiritual goals of the religion. Only Muslims are permitted to enter the city of Mecca (Molloy, 2010). 4. Describe the goals of Islam. The goals of Islam are similar to the goals of other religions in that the religion is believed to be a moral and ethical authority in a world that is in a constant struggle between good and evil. Framing the world as in constants peril and painting itself as the moral and ethical authority, Islam (like other religions) seeks to regulate human life through rules, rituals, and other dogma (Molloy, 2010). Staying in the realm of regulating human life, Islam attempts to provide guidelines to enable Muslims to life a life as close to perfection (God) as possible. Islam also has developed controls and bans on specific activities, things, actions, etc. as a means of creating and maintaining social order and increase the happiness of Muslims (Molloy, 2010). 5. Describe the view of authority in Islam. The Islamic view of authority began with Muhammad; Muhammad combined political (civil) authority with spiritual authority, which is essentially a theocracy. However, modern Islam has split into two main branches that differ on their view of authority. Sunni’s, which accounts for the largest percentage of the world’s Muslim population, recognize a real difference between religious and civil authority. The Shiite Muslims; however, maintain the belief that both religious and civil authority should be centralized. Shiite Muslims place give all spiritual and religious authority to one person (Flesher, n.d.). The Qur’an serves as the primary source of information and authority for Muslims, much as the Bible does for Christians. With this in mind, evaluate Islam’s historical influences on law, philosophy, and the arts in the Muslim world. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following questions. Provide examples to illustrate your thinking. 1. What is the legal ideal in Islamic law? How does the Qur’an inform and guide Muslims in attaining this ideal? The legal ideal of Islamic law, which is known as Sharia, are laws that continually bring day-to-day life into closer coherence with the rules set forth in the Quran. The Quran provides numerous rules and rituals that must be followed by Muslims and lays the groundwork for Sharia. Muslims believe that the Quran is the literal word of God; they also believe that God cannot be separated from any aspect of human life. Therefore, traditional Islam is theocratic and seeks to impose the laws and rules of God upon everyone to help ensure human spiritual fulfillment (Molloy, 2010). 2. What is the relationship between philosophy and theology within Islam? Is it acceptable for Muslims to hold separate philosophical and theological beliefs? The relationship of philosophy and theology within Islam is as complicated as it is old. Many of the early philosophic questions had to be answered to ensure a uniform understanding of the Quran and its laws. However, these early philosophical questions were not truly philosophical because the question mixed religious revelations with human logic and reasoning. Aside from the philosophical questions that were asked during the emergence of Islam, most of the philosophical and theological questions that have emerged have been the result of the expansion of Islam and its contact with other religions (Molloy, 2010). There is no clear answer to the question of whether or not it is acceptable for Muslims to hold separate philosophical and theological beliefs, because throughout the history of Islam the discussion if philosophy and theology changes from a liberal to a conservative approach, and back again. Generally speaking, Islam has two philosophical schools; a liberal view that values human reasoning and sees it as a gift from God, and a conservative view that believes reason is false pride and favors intellectual submission. Although Islam does have a somewhat liberal faction that values reason and logic, for the vast majority of Muslims it is not acceptable to hold different philosophical and theological views. The majority of Muslims reject rationalism and promotes complete submission to God, which includes intellectual submission (Molly, 2010). 3. What artistic themes are regularly expressed in Islamic art and architecture? How are these themes explored? How has the Qur’an influenced the development of art in the Islamic world? Several themes are apparent in both Islamic art and architecture, such as the serious and simplistic style and the use of negative space to direct an individual’s attention to a specific area. Mosques can be large or small, grandiose or modest, bur regardless of the specific mosque or building, Islamic architects place a high value on space. The shaping of a building and the space symbolizes God, who is invisible but everywhere (Molly, 2010). Islam prohibits images of humans or animals, but despite that restriction, Islam has a vibrant artistic past. As with architecture, negative space is also used in art, but the theme that is most apparent in Islamic art is paradise. Most Muslim art includes some aspect of paradise as it is described in the Quran. One can find images or symbols of paradise on prayer rugs, paintings, and building architecture (Molloy, 2010). References Flesher, P. (n.d.). Exploring Religions. Islam Religious and Political Organization. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/islam/iorg.htm Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the world’s religions: Tradition, challenge, and change (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Travelling Experience

Can you remember your best experince in another country? Last summer (in 2007), I traveled to the United States for working and spending some time with my friends. I stayed two months in that country. I decided to travel because I wanted to do something different. I was bored about all my daily activities, so I decided to take the risk. I traveled alone for getting a job in the same company than a friend of mine. Traveling to the United States was one of the best experiences that I ever had. When I arrived to the United States, a friend of mine went to pick me up.So, I went to his house for leaving my luggage, and for taking a shower. After that, we went to a restaurant and we spent a nice time talking about our lives. At night, we went to a nice night club. I had a very nice day, but I was tired, so we decided to comeback to the house. In the following days, I got a job. I was working for Mc Donald's in the mornings, from 8 am to 3 pm. I really enjoyed my job because I met many peop le from USA and another countries. Sometimes I worked in the Drive-thru window, other times in the kitchen, and also in the front of the store.I had a good schedule because I was busy only in the mornings, so I had much free time in the afternoons. On my free time, I did my daily activities like cleaning the house, washing my clouths and so on. After finishing our activities, we used to have parties in the house. Sometimes we used to go out to different restaurants, and some weekends we traveled to another state named Loussiana. There we had a good time at the Casino, and some other times at a night club too. So, in conclusion, I think it was a nice trip, because I met new people from many places. Besides, I did everything that I wanted, because I had to take my own desicions.