Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Investment Portfolio Implementation & Management Essay
Investment Portfolio Implementation & Management - Essay Example The following aspects have been considered before formulating the appropriate asset allocation strategy for the investor: An investment portfolio consists of a number of asset classes which have different levels of standard deviations, returns and yields. The assets that are to be included within an asset allocation model depend largely on the kind of return being expected by the investor and the risk that the individual is willing to bear (Market Watch, 2013). Therefore before preparing the asset allocation model, the first thing that needs to be identified over here is the latest investment benchmark figures of the different asset classes. Considering the above mentioned investment benchmarks, 8% of Dr. O’Hara’s investment should be made behind intermediate bonds as the investor wants to invest $30,000 in an asset that is considered safe and is associated with no expense, sales or early withdrawal charges. This will enable Dr. O’Hara that a guaranteed return is realized at the end of maturity thereby enabling the individual to pay for travel expenses without any inconvenience. Now, considering the fact that Dr. O’Hara wants to earmark $60,000 in an account with higher than current certificate of deposit or money market rates but minimal market volatility, 17% of the total investment sum should be invested in short term bonds. They have a standard deviation value of 0.68% indicates that this asset is less volatile. Therefore, keeping $60,000 earmarked for an investment in short term bonds will enable the investor to enjoy a return close to 0.71%, 1.23% and 2.74% respectively in bonds with 1 year, 5 years and 10 years maturity. The remaining 75% of the investment fund should be distributed appropriately between large cap stocks, small cap stocks, mid cap stocks and international stocks. 27% of the investment fund should be invested
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Operation Management Eassy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Operation Management Eassy - Essay Example (Chase, 2001, 5) Buffa discussed that 'OM had progressed from an entirely explanatory foundation through the Management Science/Operations Research (MS/OR) phase, and is currently in the course of finding itself as a practical field of organisation. Amoako-Gyampah, K., Meredith, J., 2004, 251), Many authors, since the beginning, advocated that OM should be an area of knowledge with a 'sense of purpose’, in terms of providing insight into problems of the real word, the ones engineers and managers face in their work. As Chase (2001) observed, when analysing the four journals that historically, at that time, had published most extensively with OM subjects - namely, AIIE Transactions, Decision Sciences, Management Sciences and the International Journal of Production Research - that the orientation (people or equipment) and emphases (from micro to macro) were heavily focused on equipment and micro analyses as, for instance, inventory control and scheduling. This picture was changed , as we will see in this literature review. 2.2 Areas of Operation Management As presented by Buffa, the first call for papers sketched out a list of topics that defined the Operation Management subjects. Since then, relevant studies as Miller and Graham, Voss, Amoako-Gyampah and Meredith, Pannirselvam et al. and Gupta, Verma and Victorino, among others, using different approaches, were carried out looking to identify the content, new topics and trends in the field, and also to establish new research agendas. Nowadays, the scope of the journals focused on OM is considerably broader. (Miller, J., and Graham, M., 2004, 548) Operation Management borrows theories from other areas and that 'this field has changed from its narrow occupation with strategic, disjointed topics toward more premeditated, incorporated and large-scale subjects. For instance, as an alternative of studies in the tactical, stand alone areas of 'Inventory' and 'Process Design’; researchers are now looking at the complete 'Supply Chain' and organisation-wide 'Flexibility', correspondingly (Anderson, 2008, 58). Decision Areas within Operation Management includes Design of products and services Quality Management Development and capacity plan Location strategy Layout strategy Human resources & employment design Supply chain management Inventory, material requirements, progression and JIT (Just-in-time) Intermediate and short-range scheduling Maintenance Description of Layout Strategy of Operation Management The arrangement of equipments, departments and work centers with special concentration on movement of work (consumers or materials) all over the system is called Layout of organization. Selecting an appropriate layout of an organisation requires significant investments of funds and hard work, which involves serious commitment. Appropriate layout of an organisation leaves considerable effect on cost and competence of various operations within the organisation. There are several types of layout, which are as follows. Fixed Position layout In Fixed Position layout manufactured goods and whole project remains motionless. However, employees, materials, and machinery move from their position according
Trajectory of US Foreign Policy Essay Example for Free
Trajectory of US Foreign Policy Essay Introduction            The credo for â€Å"strong America and secured world†re-echoes the vision for retaining global alliances yet draws future challenges to US foreign policy in re-aligning socio-political confidence in the contemporary shift of political power.            The rise of third forces is critically perceived in the interplay of emerging political powers that may desolate convergence to US foreign policy. The perceptive basis of power shifting may in itself central to the change of US interstate (domestic) leadership and the clamor of the American people to reform the US foreign policies.  In contrast, the US economic, financial and military establishments can possibly absorb the vacillating pressure upon the change of political leadership. The reconfiguration in the trajectory of US foreign policy may absorb the vacuum of power within the confines of socio-economic-political individualism. This individualism may be depictive to walking down a narrow road that is less traveled, as there goes an excerpt from the song ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (Elton John; in Taupin, B., 1973): â€Å"†¦So goodbye yellow brick road where the dogs of society howl, you cant plant me in your penthouse, Im going back to my plough†¦Ã¢â‚¬ From this pretext, what holds America’s foreign policy is to maintain the yellow brick road of economic and financial convergence ensuring the American people never to go back in the 1890’s US’ experience of great economic depression, in which today the US government controls its economic and political interests in a global landscape. This may be a classical overture leading to the contemporary challenges of US foreign policy, but an annotation to the modern political genre and re-structured geopolitical archetype in US’ shift of power.            This paper will discuss the contemporary interstate (domestic) political interactions and the intrastate (foreign) shifting of political powers relating to the trajectory and future challenge in US foreign policy. Methodology            The review of literature will guide the overall discussions of issues and will be the basis of analyzing the situation. The method will adopt a 2-prong approach in examining the trajectory and challenges of US foreign policy to situate (2) interstate factors, and (2) intrastate responses. Rationale            This section of the paper will present, review and discuss the January 2008 State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President George Bush in order to situate the interstate factors effecting the character-role of US executive, legislative, judiciary and military branches of government, and the intrastate affairs or foreign policy agenda.            President Bush’ 2008 SONA emphasizes the credo for â€Å"strong America and secured world†. The credo calls on the critical character-roles of US’ governmental agencies in advancing the socio-economic-political-cultural well-being of the state from domestic to foreign abode. As quoted from the speech of President Bush, he implored â€Å"expanding opportunity to protecting the country, as the US government have made good progress, and yet it has unfinished business in which the American people expect to get it done†(The White House, 2008).            The quotation highlights the empowerment of US economy to which has been faced with uncertainties as indicated by job shortage, depleted market in housing, hurdled distribution of healthcare benefits, and reduction of revenues from increased government spending. Basically, President Bush refers both private and public financial incapability and the global economic recession. As further emphasized, the economic agenda is to draw a more empowered financial establishment and labor market, in which Bush stressed out the making of top quality American product as what he calls to be proudly labeled as â€Å"Made in the USA†.            Science and technological innovations were also critically addressed by investing on research ingenuity and the unlimited development of scientific inventions and discoveries which aimed to create and provide â€Å"energy security.†Current technologies of adversaries must comply with human and environmental protection. President Bush reiterated the passing of the â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act†as encompassing the state immediate domestic need to education and urged US Congress for $300 Million scholarship budget.            On top of the domestic social-economic agenda for labor market, education, healthcare and revenue generation [through tax rebate package], President Bush cited the additional deployment of 3,200 Marines to Afghanistan, as he concluded that â€Å"homeward bound†soldiers out of the 20,000 troops deployed in the Middle East must be replaced to ensure maintenance of peace and security.            The rationale of President Bush 2008 SONA was founded on recouping domestic uncertainties and pursuing the unfinished business in Middle East. Literature review: the shaping of US foreign policy            As presented and discussed in the rationale section of this paper, the literature review will examine the variety of â€Å"actors†and â€Å"factors†that relates the shaping of US foreign policy. The rationale section will also form part of derivatives to the overall discussions. The traditional foreign policy elites As an overview prior to discussing the topic, we may cite a quotation from the Director of Policy Planning Richard Haas of the US Department of State that may similarly define the traditional foreign policy elites: â€Å"Of the many influences on U.S. foreign policy formulation, the role of think tanks is among the most important and least appreciated†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (US Department of State, 2002).            According to the electronic journal, ‘US Foreign Policy Elites in a Post-Cold War Information Age’ published by Mark P. Lagon in 1996, the â€Å"special expertise†inside and outside of government that absorbs academics, quasi-academics, journalists, and polemicists becomes political appoint ees and career bureaucrats are referred to as â€Å"elites†. The â€Å"elites†creates the â€Å"inner circle†or sphere inside and outside of government.  Another representation correlated to the definition, the media has a crucial role in binding the â€Å"elite grouping†by providing medium of communication (or forum) for setting agenda (Lagon, 1996).            The 21st century â€Å"elites†may be also categorized or defined as a â€Å"political technocrat†because they have the capability to analyze or study a political-economic situation and influence the pre-condition effect or scenario of a situation. The elites may be also representing the â€Å"power brokering†between the governmental affairs and the social groups in a civil society. In domestic and foreign relations, most of business men and affluent academicians are the most likeable appointee or delegate to represent governmental functions. One that may exemplify the â€Å"representation†is by appointing a diplomatic functionary. The diplomatic function works within a â€Å"script†of function effective to carry out the mission at diplomacy level. In other words, the diplomacy level could only be functional in mediation and arbitration, in which the role of a â€Å"middle man†patterns the diplomatic functions. We may also refer the â€Å"at large†elites as belonging from the top social hierarchy [categorized by its family wealth and social academic status], in which may be â€Å"enticed†or drawn by political-economic sentimentalism [merely sympathetic to a cause, social conviction and plain beliefs] that allies with national advocacy and lobbyist groups or political activism. The capability of â€Å"at large†elites may have a â€Å"vacillating tendency†at crucial political standpoint, wherein to â€Å"toss coin†meant knowing both sides (pros and cons) of a national issue. In poor and undeveloped countries, like the Philippines in Asia, it has become a common knowledge that the traditional elites [mostly represented by disgruntled politicians, adventurous soldiers, government retirees, and idealistic academicians] have its own political grouping [even maintaining bureaucracy] inside and outside the government. In this case, the capability to be well-integrated in both â€Å"camps†and political grouping (opposition and government) attributes the ability to situate, adapt and formulate political configuration, in which the prognosis equates to being a â€Å"think tank†. In the US, the traditional elites are those belonging from a confederate political backing [that is also known as interest groups] that carry out a â€Å"national interest†agenda may it be through electoral processes, lobbying and issue advocacy. From that point of view, the capability to create impact could be publicly supported. Moreover, the special scholastic skill to substantiate political issues or able to expand prolific deductions or analogies could influence the policy making initiatives. The affiliation between elites and the gen eral public in a democratic processes of policy-mak ing is involving mobilization and ratification, wherein the elites configures the outline of a pol icy and mobilizes public convergence in which the framing of a policy is set at the dispensation of the legislative, executive and judiciary branches of government [and even the military establishments] for interstate (domestic) or intrastate (foreign) implementation. US political culture and mass public opinion In a joint lecture in year 2006 conducted by Bruce E. Gronbeck, A. Craig Baird from the University of Iowa and John D. Lees from Manchester University in England, they defined the contemporary political culture and mass public opinion under two categories; popularity and populism. Accordingly, popularity is more central to the personalities and characters involving the issues (be it social, economic and political). On the other hand, populism is drawn as an action-oriented response invoking the right to redress grievances and holding of assemblies. Combining both popularity and populism as a public response or action toward an issue is considered a relevantly critical public interest undertaking. The significance of political culture and mass public opinion which compose popularity and populism flows in the typologies of â€Å"information†and constructively appears in the public life. One example is the flow of information of economic uncertainty [as communicated by media] is the indication of depleted housing market, scarcity of healthcare benefits and shortage of labor markets, which was outlined in the political-economic agenda of President Bush’ 2008 SONA.  In contrast, political and economic analysts believe that government indecisiveness draws more â€Å"hostile popularity†of political leadership, in which populism resort to civic action or civil defiance. Like any other countries (poor and rich), the political culture and mass public opinion is focus at the governmental leadership and performance. The civil society [as composing various groupings] is the bulwark of indispensable opinion and perception consistent to the so-called â€Å"participatory or popular democracy†. The political culture and mass public opinion therefore refers to the existence of democratic processes that describes the type, category and classification of framing a public policy. The interest groups and the ‘military-industrial complex’ The interest groups being generally defined and perceived as grouping of individual types and stakeholders for socio-political interest or convictions are not representing the government neither functionaries of a government office. The interest group has varied classifications, such as endorser and financier of political candidates, advocates and lobbyist for legislative policy agenda, social work composing the non-governmental organizations and political activists. These classifications of interest groups are also described as â€Å"pressure groups†in a civil society. The US-based Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) found that the â€Å"pressure groups†are vulnerable to collaborating with â€Å"domestic extremists†being classified as hate groups that allies with â€Å"left-wing†radical activists motivated by religious-racial-cultural conservatism. To cite, the incident on April 1995 truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that accounted 168 deaths and wounded about 500 people has attributed to domestic terrorism, and suspected by the FBI as multi-perpetuated and politically motivated actions linking the â€Å"interest groups†of radical political activists opposing the World Trade Organization (WTO; in Fletcher, H., 2008). On the other hand, the military-industrial complex refers to the established institution of the US Armed Forces. However, a group of stakeholders [that are also classified as interest groups] acts as brokers, traders and suppliers of weaponry and armaments to the US Armed Forces. These stakeholders or interest groups also serve as a â€Å"pressure group†in dealing with the passing or enactment of a policy concerning homeland defense and most especially foreign security policy. The US war on Iraq and the continuing anti-terrorism campaign of the US government favors the stakeholders, in which the demand for supplying weaponry and armaments to the US Armed Forces categorically defines â€Å"profitable business in war†. The traditional and new media Based on the journal, ‘The Interaction of Traditional and New Media’, authored by John D. Leckenby and Everett D. Collier from the Department of Advertising, College of Communication at the University of Texas, the medium of communication has evolved the typologies of media outfit. The type of traditional and new media is classified in terms of technology, in which the information delivery and access through the Internet has typified the â€Å"traditional†and â€Å"new†medium of communication and updating to social developments. However, the classification does not necessarily feature the newest approach to bringing information and accessibility to consumers. As cited, the televisions broadcast and print media although classified as traditional [in the cyber age] still captures and captivates impact to public interest (Leckenby Collier, 2003). It maybe recalled that the coverage of television, broadcast and print media in Iraq has kept abreast the development of war around the world. It may be also a fact that the electronic or cyber media outfit relies from the â€Å"feedback information†of correspondents in Iraq. Otherwise direct satellite connection to the Internet could be most promptly delivered. At hindsight, a significant number of consumers to information are inaccessible or inadequate [and do not have computer facility] to use the Internet. To compare and contrast, the â€Å"new†media is based on the above definition on the use of cyber-technology that differentiates â€Å"traditional†, but not yet totally recognized as a habitual utility in a society. The societal significance of the â€Å"new media†outfit [using the Internet] may only be considered as an added feature to bringing about interactions of affluent group of people, financially supported political campaigns, and the attempt of the government to develop online transactions. In addition, the cyber-technology that pertains to E-commerce may be remotely attributed to â€Å"new media†with regard to journalism. What is then more significant [aside from classification] is the emerging venue or medium of both traditional and new media that bring about and reach out the development and trends of governance and public interest. Examining the White House and executive agencies The â€Å"White House†symbolizes the seat of power of the President of the United States. Political analysts even put satire to the white house as the home of many kitchens and chefs, wherein what is cooking inside the white house might be sourly, distasteful, and spoiled. The parallelism of this political satire may be referring to the consistent, efficient and effective role-modeling of the Chief Executive being the symbolical figure head of the White House. What is then bestowed upon the mandate of the President must be retained to the sovereign will of the people; the vox populi. Therefore, the mandate shall immerse in the life of the Executive Cabinet. Department of State The US Department of State (USDS) emanated from the year 1789 establishment of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Its primary mandate is to protect the global interests of the US government by managing about 250 US embassies and consulates throughout the world. The functionaries of USDS represent the US government to the United Nation (UN), NATO (North American Treaty Organization), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), and the European Union. USDS also manages the issuance of travel advisory to its citizens at home and in abroad. In sum, the USDS may be referred to as a fortress of the US foreign relations, in which it accesses and reach out international boundaries. Through that, it serves as a pipeline and breadth of US’ foreign policies and diplomatic partnership. The USDS plays a vital role in US’ global governmental functions. Thus, the trajectory of US foreign policy can be substantively achieved at intrastate domains. Department of Defense Mandated to secure and protect the domestic abode, the US Department of Defense (USDOD) has expansive role in protecting the foreign interest of the US government. The claim for â€Å"soldier-heroes†has been brought in the US war to Iraq. President Bush addressed the USDOD as â€Å"champions†of restoring democracies from adverse governments around the world. In early 1960’s towards mid-1970, former President Nixon mandated the USDOD in deploying troops to Vietnam as â€Å"mandamus duty†of the President to participate in domestic war. However, it has proven the saying â€Å"not to fight an enemy in his own backyard†, wherein an approximate 58,000 US soldiers died in related combat operations. Today, the war in Iraq has accounted 20,000 US troops deployment, aside from the most recent calling of President Bush [in his 2008 SONA] to deploy 3,200 Marines. The USDOD maintains its â€Å"military-industrial complex†in collaboration with various international governments upon the US foreign policy to â€Å"secure the world†in pursuit of war against domestic and international terrorism. Intelligence Community The intelligence community (commonly called as IC) is described by Military experts as â€Å"eyes and ears†of the US government, wherein it gathers information, process information and package information as a derivative or aid for policy legislation. The labeling of â€Å"spying†has graduated from the post-cold war competition of mice-and-cat espionage activities of CIA to Russian KGB. The contemporary strategic approach is focusing on the open-source information gathering that uses the method of HUMINT (human intelligence). The IC reform has been outlined in the enactment of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004. The creation of the Office of the Director for National Intelligence (ODNI) empowers the strategic and tactical approaches to processing the global information. Upon enactment of IRTPA, the Executive and Congress has accessed the â€Å"transparent undertaking†of the CIA and put the work into a new â€Å"twist†of domestic and foreign intelligence and enforcement that synergize and harmonize working relationship with the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the USDOD. Economic institutions  The Department of Treasury holds the coffer of the State. Just like the â€Å"yellow brick road†[partly discussed in the introductory section] that symbolizes the commercial district in New York, wherein the former seat of monetary transactions happens at Wall Street, it ensure and protect the financial wellbeing of the State and the US government financing of domestic and foreign projects. The role of the Department of Treasury is not limited to revenue generations, printing of receipts, bank notes, federal reserves, debt collections and banking. The versatile character of the Department of Treasury is to determine the financial viability of US foreign investments, in which fiscal management form part in shaping a feasible and optimal policy that protects the US interest. The US Congress and the Courts The legislative and judiciary has commonalities in policy undertaking. The only difference is the characterization of policy in terms of ratification and interpretation of law [with jurisprudential values] effecting and affecting the enforcement. The passing of the IRTPA of 2004 is regarded as a comprehensive policy enactment in US history of law enforcement. First, the reform in IC through establishment of ODNI has carried out significant enforcement in arresting â€Å"domestic terrorist†. Second is the empowerment of the President to enact on Executive Orders [as presidential decision] to harmonize the homeland defense system. And, third, the juridical justification of continuous deployment of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US Public Law endures the pursuit of foreign interest in a â€Å"witch hunting†expedition against the terrorist. The foreign ally governments receives the support to law enforcement, supply of weaponry and economic projects, somehow, the burden of vulnerability from so-called enemies are translated into committing of human errors in enforcement resulting human rights violations and domestic economic disturbance. It may be perceived that while US foreign policy instigates the war on terrorism, the host country or government suffers socio-economic-political derailment. Critical analysis on the character-role of shaping US foreign policy            This critical analysis is pertaining to the Executive branch of government that holds the key actors and factors relating the character-role of shaping US foreign policy.            The Executive Cabinet generally contains the governmental leadership. It may be said that the â€Å"office†itself is being protected and preserved but the â€Å"personality†(being the President) calibrate and spearhead the role-modeling. This means, the â€Å"political will†emanates from the personal character of a President. In the event of â€Å"changing the guards†as characterized by a governmental revamp, reorganization for new sets of political appointees and the change of leadership itself [through election], the reconfiguration process may take time to re-establish the political will.            Within the confines of the White House, the Defense, Treasury and ODNI are the three vital â€Å"guardians†of presidential decision [although Congress and the Courts of law collaborate]. It may be noted from the 2008 SONA of President Bush that the key elemental features of emphasis in delivering immediate governmental actions focuses and addresses selective governmental agencies, such as (1) the Treasury to handle the tax rebates and other fiscal management of economy; (2) the unfinished business in the Middle East as afflicted by political-economic reconstruction in Iraq, maintenance of security in Afghanistan and reconnaissance in Iran and Jordan for a potential stockpile of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), and mediation of conflict in North Korea; and (3) above all is the call for continuous empowerment of domestic and foreign policies being aligned to contemporary global challenges. Conclusion The trajectory of the US interstate and intrastate policy is may be perceived to be aligning the shift of political powers. One that describes the shifting is the domestic or national political leadership in 2008. From the point of view of election campaign in the US, political groupings and individualism may surface and is carried out upon racial equation. Although it is only a perception, the shifting of leadership [or changing of the guards] is earlier been held to be re-aligned in the overall governmental function contingent to protecting and preserving the US foreign interest. Second that describes the shifting is the emergence of â€Å"third force†political power at the global perspective. The third force may not be categorized likened to US but the proliferation of technologies in advanced weaponry and armaments may interchangeably interact in the global power sharing. The lull of silence in Iran and North Korea is yet unfolding much discoveries of the US.            As what the US being envisioned for â€Å"strong America and secured world†is a perseverance of its hero-in-history model at the global perception, in which recouping gaps and assessing unforeseen factors may supplant political indecisiveness amidst contemporary challenges. It may be therefore concluded that the trajectory of US policy widens the roadmap with symbolical trail as a cornerstone of gaining foreign alliances that shall keep America strong. References Fletcher, H. (2008). ‘Militant Extremist in the United States’. Council on Foreign            Relations. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www.cfr.org/publication/9236/#10. Gronbeck, B.E., Baird, A.C. and Lees, J.D. (2006). ‘The Twenty-First Century            Reconstitution of American Political Culture’. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www.uiowa.edu/~commstud/faculty/gronbeck/21st_reconstitution.pdf. John, E. and Taupin, B. (1973). ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’. MCA Music. Retrieved 10            May 2008 from            http://www.eltonography.com/songs/goodbye_yellow_brick_road.html. Lagon, M.P. (1996). ‘US Foreign Policy Elites in a Post-Cold War Information Age’.            Questia Electronic Journal Vol. 158. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=LmRRTn5L9B6QHgvqf161MJQzGmPyt0yV65zLljpZzy4TGkvYDppP!1427019383?docId=95865979. Leckenby, J.D. and Collier, E.D. (2003). ‘The Interaction of Traditional and New Media’. Department of Advertising, College of Communication, University of Texas. http://www.ciadvertising.org/studies/reports/measurement/newmedia_chapter_print.pdf. The White House (2008). ‘Pres. George Bush State of the Nation Address’. Retrieved 10            May 2008 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/01/20080128-13.html. US Department of State (2002). ‘US Foreign Policy Agenda’. Electronic Journal Vol.7,            No.3. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from  http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itps/1102/ijpe/ijpe1102.pdf.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Why women should choose to reintegrate into a society
Why women should choose to reintegrate into a society This major question raised in 2006 is perhaps one of the foremost concerns of Pat Carlens feminist support. Strongly opposed to women in prison state of affairs, she is widely regarded as one of the worlds leading experts on crime, gender and punishment. [i] Carlen has put through career as a Professor of Sociology at Bath University [ii] and before was an Honorary Professor of Criminology of Keele where she was founded and was Head of the Department of Criminology as well as visiting Professor of Criminology at Westminster University, London. In addition to the above she was a member of both the Commissioning Panel and the Steering Committee of the ESRC Crime and Social Order Programme 1992-1997. Moreover, she is a founder member of the campaigning group Women in Prison created in1983. The group consisted of the first step to a long term and unfinished attempt to reduce number and theorize and balance specific needs of female prisons [iii] . Pat Carlen is a leading scholar in the area of women and punishment. In 1997 she was awarded the Sellin-Glueck Prize by the American Society of Criminology for outstanding international contributions to the domain [iv] . Carlen devoted her life in researching a wide range of criminological issues; however, she compassionately focused on analysing the penal control of women and matters surrounding their imprisonment. She found her inspiration in the unfair and striking features of womens imprisonment determination [v] . True to her beliefs she illustrated the path towards the considerations for the abolition of womens imprisonment. In formulating her ideas she discussed some of prisons abolitions traditional and contemporary enemies after researching and interviewing people in the sector [vi] . Adrion Howe argues that the work of Pat Carlen have commenced a process which will eventually fundamentally transform critical analyses of punishment regimes. However, processes in this direction have been slow and the work of Carlen on insisting that women prisoners be handled as a subject worth of study and change was exemplary [vii] . In 1983 Carlen wrote a book, Womens Imprisonment, about Cornton Vale, Scotlands only prison for women. She did the research and as she said wrote the book as one off without expecting to do any further research on prisons. What really changed her mind was her meeting later in 1983 with an ex-prisoner, Chris Tchaicowsky, who at the time was the founder member of Women in Prison leading campaigns for women still locked up in prisons. She invited Carlen to join after reading her book. The task of the group was to raise public awareness of women in prisons via many ways. Carlen mostly helped in writing books and articles, helping the campaigning group to be born [viii] . Classicists like Emile Durkheim approach the issue believing that the function of punishment is the promotion of social harmony with the exclusion of deviant persons from society and the transfer of moral identity to society. Womens Imprisonment is, nowadays, characterised by discontinuities, contradictions, fragmentation and transformation. Modern approaches rooted to crime reduction. Carlen in Analyzing Womens Imprisonment raised the question as to whether crime reduction will be achieved by increased use of imprisonment. Her approach on that issue was that sending a wrongdoer to prison may aggravate rather than ameliorate the psychological, economic and social factors which purpose woman to criminal activity [ix] . A radical prison critic is that it was never used for punishment of all serious crimes but also to storehouse the poor, unemployed and mentally ill. In 1981, Carlen leaded a survey and questioned Scottish magistrates and judges about womens imprisonment, receiving replies determining the reasons why a woman would go to prison. The answers consisted of whether she was a good mother, how ordered her life was, if she has a husband, if she has any children, whether she has abandoned her husband or her children are already in Care or if she was battered. Women like that are more likely to be sent to prison. However, these myths along with many other stereotypes about women offenders has had bad effects on prison regimes, [x] resulting to prejudice on sentence over women of the above categories [xi] . British Justice is supposed to be not only gender-neutral but also colour blind [xii] . Yet, this is not true when it comes to women imprisonment. People awarding sentence are more likely to convict women from ethnic minorities or young women. Thus, is racism the key to increase of female prison population? Early reformers such as John Howard and Elizabeth Fry attempted to campaign for the segregation of female from male prisoners [xiii] and different prison regimes for women but at the end the results of their efforts were not satisfactory. Pat Carlen continues on the same path in order to ameliorate the conditions that surround womens imprisonment in nowadays. Is it fair to start imprisonment reduction with women? A very small amount of violent crime is committed by women and females commit crime in very different circumstances to men. Carlens investigation showed that women mostly commit crime in relation to drugs, fraud or theft. The majority of British women prisoners have not been goaled because of the seriousness of their crimes but because of their abnormal domestic circumstances or less than conventional life styles. A strong argument over womens imprisonment consist the failure of the non-penal welfare or health institutions to cope with their problems. Prisons are the only places that cannot refuse to take those women for whom neither the health nor the welfare services will take responsibility even if they had committed the most minor crime. As prison officers informed Carlen in her research, prisons are not equipped to cope with the problems from which every other agency is copping out. This leads to the increase of the prison population. Between the years 1993-2001 the population i ncreased by over 145 % [xiv] . In the previous ten years the women population in prisons doubled and male increased by approximately 50%. Additionally, women prisoners tend to be isolated from their families imposing significant pain of imprisonment with the loss of their role as mothers. Furthermore, women generally are badly treated by the officers and the prison staff, when it comes to gynecological requirements (handcuffed in labor and during transfer or treatment to hospital, drug virginal inspections). In addition, one of the prisons roles is to help prisoners to cope with the new life they will come across after release, nevertheless only few rehabilitation regimes exist. An ex-prisoner told Carlen that in order to keep them out (criminals) we should give them something outside. Otherwise, a life of surviving in there seems preferable to life out here where there is just nothing [xv] . Clive Soley agreed with Carlens findings and added that if society actually wants to improve the situation, must set as its priority the preparation for release [xvi] . Pat Carlen admits that womens crime is less serious and not threatening to the public even after their release from prison, as well as the fact that only few prison escapes have occurred involving women and it is not unusual for most of them to voluntarily return to face their punishment [xvii] . After making a lot of research and analysing the circumstances under women get to live with in prisons has come to the conclusion that prison is not only damaging during the course of sentence, but once coming out it has other problems as well. Her research and findings made her develop the idea discovering possible alternatives. Pat Carlen, points out that the main cause of the crime is the relationship between the offender and the community and believes that the only cure also lies in the same relationship [xviii] . Alternatives to imprisonments should include any program of intervention likely to deter someone from future criminal activity. She continues to strongly analyse th e possible future alternatives as her main contribution. Harris, a commentator, came to add to Carlens thought of alternatives by pointing out that part of the problem is that it is unclear what the better treatment of women actually means [xix] . This is true as there are no gender specific sentences. Carlen also considered whether reform or abolition of womens imprisonment would be appropriate. As the main intention of her book Sledgehammer she argues that womens imprisonment in England and Wales at the end of the 20th century is excessively punitive; totally inappropriate to the needs of the women being sent to prison; and is ready for abolition in its present form. However, she came to argue that reform might be impossible to achieve and will always lead to the abandonment of imprisonment as punishment for minor offences. Eventually, is better to do something than nothing. Prison is to punish and within that context all reforms had to be thought [xx] . In 1997, Carlen gave some politico-philosophical justifications for imprisonment in order to clear up the primary aims it should have. However, the following no longer apply. She starts stating that the government has an obligation to wipe state clean making wrongdoers pay for their offences in applying the eye for an eye philosophy. Additionally, she expressed that prisons can be used to improve peoples characters and teach them useful and new skills that could be helpful to lead new lives according to the law after their release. Imprisonment also can be said to prevent criminals to recommit a crime in the future on top of deterring others tempted to commit a crime. In this manner crime rates lower and public is protected [xxi] . Carlen proposes an idea for a more productive reduction of the female population. In her point of view sentencers should be required to justify to a Sentencing Council all custodial sentences and remand of who appropriate the offence was in relation to the offender in addition to any pre existing criteria for the award after their examination. Other requirements are for sentencers to state what they hope to achieve by the custodial sentence awarded and finally to make the calculations of what the total costs are likely to be. The aim behind her proposition is to make courts to think twice before sending someone into prison as they should publicize what they are doing [xxii] . Moreover, there is still the need for gender-tested and ethnicity-tested regimes that will ensure that some groups do not have a greater impact. Other ways that reduction of population can be achieved is if the society took certain measures to battle poverty and inequality as well as diminishing sexism and racism that result in discriminating sentencing [xxiii] . After considering the situation of the day the criminologist saw three possible future scenarios governing womens imprisonment in Britain. Firstly, more of the same circumstances, however, getting worse as the female prison population will rise. The second scenario involves less of the same other than with more experimentation with progressive projects resulting to changeable number on womens population. The last scenario that she encounters is the reduction on womens imprisonment. This scenario contains close regulations for the womens law breaking actions leading to the abolishment of the situation as it was known until then [xxiv] . She supported the view of abolishing womens imprisonment for an experimental period of 5 years. For that period of time imprisonment should not be considered as one of the normal punishment for women and that a maximum of only 100 custodial places should be retained for female offenders convicted of abnormally serious offences. If accused so, the y should only be imprisoned after their case was referred by a trial judge to a Sentencing Council who would make the final adjudication. Moreover, her proposition involved undertaking of fund and far-reaching examination of all sentencing. Her proposal for abolition was greeted with a certain amount of skepticism. One radio interviewer asked if male burglars should retire knowing that their wives or girlfriends could carry on the business with impunity. This is clearly ironical; however, is it entirely a false approach? As a Senior Official in the Home Office added to Carlens proposition; What we want is smaller open prisons in the community and in an urban context. Over this point, the courts support an anti-feminist approach; if you women wanted equality, youve got to take it [xxv] . The criminologists, Deborah Baskin and Ira Sommers, acceptably, point out that Carlen does not explain how womens criminal careers are circumscribed specifically by gender [xxvi] . Furthermore, they add that she does not distinguish the gender specific ways in which women are exploited and controlled by familialism and consumerism. Baskin and Sommers also argue that Carlens repetition of the timeworn and functionalist rhetori c that only women experience dual exploitation in the public and private spheres adds little to the analysis. On the other hand, they furthermore continue to disagree that Carlen fails to see that working class men also have to make class gender deals which include being regulated within family. Briefly, Carlens analysis does not address the precise ways in which social reactions are gender specific and thus affect womens lives differently from mens [xxvii] . Pat Carlen characterise herself as not a prison abolitionist in the sense that she can easily envisage a time when it will not be considered necessary to have prisons and lock up certain offenders as a matter of public safety [xxviii] . Abolition is not a thread to the public. The whole situation leaves the state with the choice to continuingly misuse millions of pounds on prisons or taking daring steps to stop legislators and sentencers seeing prison as being the absolute panacea for all political and social ills and instead consider it as an abnormal and unusual punishement [xxix] . Joe Sim added to the abolition argument that abolitionists ideas should not be dismissed as idealistic and utopian but rather should be understood [xxx] . In the 1990s Carlen thought of some further developments including educational initiatives, personal officer scheme, introduction of sentence planning, opening up prisons. Nonetheless, many of these already exist only in name on pape r or defunct [xxxi] . In 2006 she returned to the argument of abolition and noted that abolitionists have a number of enemies, and populist politicians are the greatest. Women imprisonment should be abolished as an experiment that will later follow in being applied to men as well. It started its test on women as they are considered to have non-threatening criminal profiles [xxxii] . Even if researches have taken place, nowadays, womens imprisonment involves as many inhumanities as ever. This occurs as there is a serious lack of attention from research. Carlen emphasized on the differential experiences of criminal justice and criminality encountered by females in comparison to males [xxxiii] . She is puzzled to know what more can be done to make changes needed in order for womens imprisonment in 21st century to stop being the disgrace that used to be in the 20th century. During most of the 20th century women in prison tended to be invisible prisoners, the women whom nobody wanted and almost everyone had forgotten. At the beginning of the 21st century the prison is as much a set of all kinds of social production as it has ever been. Although, they still represent a very small proportion of the prison population, there is no rational reason why that proportion should not be even smaller. Instead, it is slowly but surely increasing and this is not a problem be ing limited in England and Wales. The criminologist insisted in her diary that there must be an alternative and that the womens system has no management strategy and no structure to hold on [xxxiv] . The best regimes can do is ameliorate the worst effects. Thus, as Worrall also confirmed, crime will be broken by a government honest enough to admit that prison does not work and sufficiently courageous to accept that prison is itself part of crime problem rather than part of the solution [xxxv] . All the above ideas can be dragged from the historical idea that prisons make bad people worse [xxxvi] . In conclusion, Pat Carlens contribution to criminology was enormous in relation to female offenders and their imprisonment. Her main aim in the sector was to ameliorate the present circumstances affecting womens imprisonment. She devoted her work in researching and interviewing people the area considering prisons in order to find the roots of the problem. This would later make her able to combat the obstacles and reach a more compromising situation. Many found her work inspiring. Nonetheless, others found that it lacks focus on certain areas. Her contribution marked the beginning of slow and steady developments in the field. On the other hand, the study of womens imprisonment has still a long way to go.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
We Need Corporal Punishment in the Classroom Essay examples -- Pro Spa
Thesis: Educators should be allowed to use some forms of mild physical discipline in order to ensure that schools remain safe, structured environments where all children can learn effectively. Violent crime in U.S. schools is a real problem despite tough safety measures. As such, it is increasingly important that teachers and administrators are able to take steps to manage student misbehavior and prevent small infractions from escalating into more serious threats. The occasional spanking can be an extremely effective means of reducing disruptions, and many expert psychologists and pediatricians agree that it has not been shown to have any appreciable negative effects on children, nor does it encourage aggressive behavior. Corporal punishment is most effective when policies regarding its use are clearly communicated and strictly followed, when both parents and students are made aware in advance of the consequences of various infractions, and when spanking or paddling is used judiciously and as a last resort when other options have not delivered results. School Violence is All Too Real In an ideal world, schools would be the safest place for children when they are outside their own homes. Schools would function as stimulating, creative havens of education and exploration where all students were equally able to learn in an atmosphere of peaceful study. Although many schools do manage to live up to this vision, the reality is that violent crimes regularly take place on school grounds all across the United States, including over twenty in the 2004-2005 school year alone. Despite ever tougher safety measures, such as the installation of metal detectors, the adoption of zero-tolerance policies, and police officers on campus, our n... ...ailed reviews of the scientific literature on corporal punishment and notes that the body of research on the subject show that the negative effects of spankings are similar to those of other disciplinary tactics. Further, when practiced infrequently, spanking can actually be more effective than other measures of discipline at reducing certain types of behavior. Conclusion Centuries of common sense and many scientific studies indicate that there is nothing intrinsically harmful about corporal punishment if it is used as one out of many possible options for disciplining children when they risk the safety of others. Teachers and school officials should not be criticized for taking steps to maintain the safety and order of the school environment, especially if the occasional spanking helps to prevent more serious and potentially dangerous misconduct down the line.
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Sound on the Web :: Websites Internet Technology Computers Essays
Sound on the Web Transcript Using sound on the internet can greatly benefit and enhance a webpage (Teachernet). Sounds, rather they be background, core content, or music, create mood, theme, and help define the usefulness of the site (Farkas 94). Sounds can serve as core content. Sound can be used to introduce a site; either by music or a narrated welcome (Farkas 95). Narration can also serve as the content, like this site, or to help the viewer navigate the site and help the user make choices once viewing the site (Teachernet). Sounds can also be background noises. Rather these sounds be music, sound effects, or narration, background noise can help the user by reinforcing the website’s content (Teachernet). Narration is a very common way of adding sound to a webpage. As stated before, it can be used to welcome or introduce users to the website and can also give directions about how to use the website or inform or teach (Teachernet). But beware, using narration can be tricky. When using narration, one must be aware of the quality of sound that is being produced. As Farkas and Farkas state, â€Å"There are great differences in voice quality.†Some people may have a good speaking voice, but when recorded, it may not be clear, sound correct, or even be audible. Farkas and Farkas suggest that when using narration find a â€Å"trained†narrator, a drama, or communications student to narrate. Typically, these people have been coached on how to speak clearly and how to use techniques to record content well (Farkas 95). However, in some situations this may not be the case. If you or a certain person is required to do the narration, be sure to practice and work on the content to fit your or their particular speaking and recording style (Farkas 95). Supplemented sounds are typically background noises. These noises can be used to reinforce ideas, reward users, provide context or help explain ideas (Teachernet). By providing sound to accompany graphics, the user is able link a graphic with the context it is presented in. Using sound in this manner would either help explain the graphic or the function of the graphic within the website (Teachernet). If sound is used in a navigational sense, the sound could alert the user as to where to go on the page or what they have already chosen to do. Also, sounds can help explain ideas or teach concepts (Teachernet).
Friday, October 11, 2019
Gilgamesh: Hero or not?
A hero is someone of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his or her bravery. Giglamesh is the king of Uruk who may or may not have existed. Many people question if Giglamesh was a hero or not; what do you think? Stories told that the king slept with all the women and took away children from their families. Does that sound like a hero to you? Enkidu who comes to life in the wilderness, he is covered with shaggy, wild like the wilderness, hair. He eats and drinks with the animals.Enkidu is spotted by trapper realeasing animals in Mesopotamia; the trapper is dumbfounded by Enkidu’s presents and goes to Uruk to find Giglamesh. The harlot seduces Enkidu and the animals reject him and he is lured into civilization. Enkidu hears how Giglamesh is a terrible ruler and he wants to challenge him; Giglamesh throws Enkidu who loses his anger and recognizes Giglamesh as a true king and they embraced and became best friends. Giglamesh is not a hero figure! People cannot sleep with every woman in the town and think that the can be considered a â€Å"hero†.Nowadays if Giglamesh was to sleep with every woman in the town while you had a wife that would be frowned upon in the civilization. Taking people’s children is even worse! How would you feel if someone just deliberately came and took your child from your house without your consent? In my eyes that is far from hero material. Giglamesh is a horrific king, exhausting his people with wall building and womanizing. The gods finally take action and make Enkidu create a balance. Also Giglamesh forces all inhabitants to work for him building walls and temples.Enkidu and Giglamesh upset the world order by destroying sacred monsters of nature; Giglamesh killed humbaba and Enkidu killed the Bull of Heaven. Therefore, one of them must die Enkidu takes full responsibility of dying for both of them. The king is finally left without a friend and only responsible for living well and building walls. The story of Giglamesh survived thousands of years because it was written on clay with a set of symbols we call cuneiform. Clay is the cheapest, and most durable writing material.Also another reason of ancient Mesopotamian texts is very difficult to learn. The story of Giglamesh was written on twelve tablets the story told us about Giglamesh’s life and his strive for immortality are told on eleven of the twelve tablets. The twelfth tablet is about the Nether world in which Giglamesh rules after his death. I think his society viewed him as a hero because they lived in fear. Fear of being his slave for the rest of their lives. Fear of having their children taken away from them.Our society definitely has â€Å"hero’s†such as Giglamesh but we call them rapist and kidnappers. Uruk citizens lived in fear of being overruled by their ruler if they didn’t oblige to the king. After tons of research I have found that Giglamesh may have been a warrior but a hero that is a ficti onal statement. I think Giglamesh was a cruel and horrific man. In my research Giglamesh was a very greedy person and unfit for a king. In conclusion Giglamesh was considered a hero to Uruk’s citizens but that was only because they feared him. Giglamesh is not a hero!
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