Mandatory Sentencing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mandatory Sentencing - Coursework Example This is because mandatory sentencing acts like a standardized method of passing judgment that favor every person. In fact, it eliminates the sympathy factor. Basing on substantial research in the United States, especially in regions like Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, and Florida, mandatory sentencing has a little or no preventative effect because crimes happen even when the masterminds are still in prison. In addition, mandatory sentencing is expensive and labor intensive (Zimring, 2004). This is in relation to housing the offenders, providing them with basic needs, providing security. In the United States, it costs up to $50,000 to take care of a prisoner in a single year, and approximately $300,000 to build a new prison cell. In my opinion, mandatory sentencing provisions are cynical. They can only be substantial in the hands of judges, who have a professional background in dealing with crimes. Politicians use such policies to instill fear in people so that they can gain and retain political power, even when they do not deserve it. The Judiciary arm should be independent as possible. Interference by the Legislature deprives it of its authority to exercise power. All cases should be left for the courts to view and assess the causes, come up with evidence and give a legitimate conclusion. Mandatory sentencing gives rise to personal bias because the verdict is always given by the prosecutor, who may give low-level offenders a high level mandatory sentence due to personal indifferences. Mandatory sentencing is a good weapon in reducing crimes and boosting community well being. This is very effective especially where people illegally use guns or other public threatening weapons without prior permission. However, it deprives people of their human rights since some may receive unfair judgment especially if not listened to or when their cases are not investigated into. Sherman, L., Gottfredson, D.,

Narrative Critical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Narrative Critical Analysis - Essay Example Patricia Hampl has done a brilliant job in explaining how memoir is a picture of reality and imagination and hence, an attempt by a writer to find his hidden ‘self’. Through her essay, Hampl proves that a memoir is not just a life story but also a medium of self discovery as it helps the writer not only in understanding the hidden self, but also in harmonizing the images and emotions stored in the memory, and in attaining the most desired inner peace. Analysis From my experience of writing a memory narrative, I have learnt that the event in the past reveals a lot more than what I have thought it to be. It has made me realize that events that leave an emotional impact on us are the ones that leave more impact on the memory. It has shown me that most of the times, it is not the event but the interpretations we make about them that makes it more or less important. Also, one single event can be seen differently by different people as they see it through their own personal an gle. This fact has been explored in a clear manner in the essay ‘Memory and Imagination,’ by Patricia Hampl. Memoir is an account of true events in life and hence, it is not fiction. Fiction is completely imaginative while memoir is real life story told by people. However, according to Hampl, memoir also has touch of imagination to it. Hence, it has shades of fiction. This is the reason Hampl also says that the first draft of the memoir is important. Hampl says that the first draft is like a fresh look and revelation of the truth. It is written without the barriers of the conscious mind and hence, has a deep meaning to it. The first draft is the real thing as it is not written with careful observation or restrain. When the writing flows without any carefulness, then it brings the hidden feelings, interpretations and emotions of the writer. This brings the deep hidden emotions and thoughts to the surface. This helps the writer in discovering his own self which is usually hidden in the unconscious mind. Hence, Hampl also says that if the first draft is written with careful attitude, then it is a failure. By this she means that carefully written first draft does not bring the hidden feelings in the unconscious and fails to help the writer discover his own self. Hence, Hampl also says that heart is the boss of writing. According to Hampl, the conscious and rational mind takes a back seat while writing. Memoir is written with the aid of memories of past. However, memory is not static or frozen aspects of life. They are molded into shapes and colors which are added to it through person’s eyes and mental opinion. When a person writes, his intuition, his wishes and his dreams are fulfilled. The memoir is written without the pressure of being completely truthful. Hence, a writer tries to fulfill his unfulfilled wishes and desires in the past by showing them as fulfilled in his memoir. Moreover, when a person writes a memoir, his rational mind is ove rpowered by his irrational and imaginative mind. Moreover, the fears, disappointments, weaknesses and sadness, which is guarded by the rational mind, are given an outlet through the memoir. This shows that the mind loses its grip on a writer when he is writing and his heart takes the control. Hence, Hampl says that heart is the boss when writing. Hampl is right when she says that heart is the boss of writing. I have experienced that when I am writing about my life, I tend to be more open, unburdened and relaxed about my experiences and descriptions.

Service Learning Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Service Learning Journal - Essay Example I hoped learn how the elderly folk felt about the situation, how they managed to cope with different people and form new relationships so late in their lives. When I arrived on the first day, I had to go to the administration offices, and they had a vet check out my dog. The dog was healthy, I strolled over to the park/park where many of the senior citizens were resting under shady trees and some playing chess. I had not been in the park for more than 3 minutes when three elderly women beckoned me with charming smiles. One of them was on a wheelchair, and I helped her put the dog on her lap, she seemed immensely pleased and brushed it coat contentedly with a wistful look. She told me that she liked pets because they never judge, besides, her pets did look down on her because of her disability like people used to do before she came here. From this, I surmised that, at some point people had discriminated because of her condition. The fact that she was sitting with her friends now groom ing dog and seemingly enjoying herself brought to mind the ideas of Ruth Benedict on ethical relativism. While her disability made her looked down upon among â€Å"normal† people, here among many elderly and some with worse conditions she was accepted, and no one discriminated her (Benedict 49). I spent most of the afternoon with the woman and her friends she was quite talkative and told me a great deal about her past, I observed that, despite the fact that she was by far the frailest and of the trio, she seemed to have authority, and they seemed to take every word she said very seriously. This juxtaposed her story about being neglected and ignored by her family, she said that her life was much easier here than at home, and nurses and orderlies were exceptionally kind and ensured she took her medication. In my opinion, it embodied action oriented ethics since the nurses were ensuring they give her and the rest of the patients in need of drugs get them since not doing the same would result to absconding their moral and official duty hence(Taylor). The next day I did not go to the park, but walked to the cafeteria with my dog, I sat with two elderly men, but unlike my friends of the previous day, they preferred to talk to me and did not pay the dog much attention. I asked them if they would not rather stay at home and be looked after by their families, one of them told said that he asked his son to take him home because he felt he was being a burden since the young man was starting a family and had his hands full. The other was very happy about the situation and told he would rather have stayed at home, but his children had convinced him to go home and they would visit him frequently, which they rarely did. He realized it was just a ploy to get rid of him, but though it hurts him, he would rather remain with his new friends. I realized that the residents felt differently about being away from their families, and when some felt they were burdening their fa milies, others felt they had been betrayed. However, all who I met well happy living with their peers though some were nostalgic about their homes. I talked for a while with the men, and they bought me a cup of tea and taught me a few clever chess moves. I took Sally who was busy chewing at the buttons in Lewis’s shoes, I had tried to stop her, but the old man said it was quite all right and seemed to enjoy the

Performance Measurement for Public School Teachers Case Study

Performance Measurement for Public School Teachers - Case Study Example According to the paper the purposes may be categorized into three categories as discussed below. The strategic purpose which is concerned with aligning employees performance with the organizational core values, goals and strategies, administrative purpose which clarifies employees roles and expectations, providing basis for human resource decisions and improving communication and developmental purpose which is concerned with developing full employee capabilities and enhancing individual employees development. The case also outlines the strategic purpose of performance management system. The main objective of school’s performance management is to enable schools achieve their core mandate; prepare pupils to become better citizens and employees and rational consumers. From these expectations, it is imperative to have talented and motivated teachers with the required behavior and resources. There is an understanding that there are numerous factors at play that may influence perfor mance management. For this reason, objective performance measurement techniques such as the students’ performance on standardized test in all subject areas, evaluation by supervisors and studying the teachers practical skills have been developed. These techniques are driven by the desired result of the learning process. Administrative purpose of performance management system has been shown in the case by going further to understand into detail the factors that may influence the teachers performance outcome such as; students behavioral problems, learning disabilities, poor preparation. This understanding led to the development of better ways of teaching and measuring performance such as the use of comprehensive testing to enhance administration of teachers duty. Lastly, the developmental purpose of performance management system seeks to understand and facilitate how teachers render their services.

Plant and People Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Plant and People - Term Paper Example Opium poppy has both negative and positive effects of opium poppy upon human society (Chouvy, 2010). The negative effects of opium poppy include terrorism, wars, international politics, crime, addiction and dependence, health problems, and negative economic issues, and the positive effects include the manufacture of drugs and for homeopathy. Negative effects of opium poppy Terrorism Opium poppy is the source of opium, which is a narcotic drug. Narcotic drugs are illegal in most countries across the world (United Nations, 2009). Therefore, many countries consider the trading of narcotics as illegal and take actions against those individuals who take part in drug trafficking. However, violence, corruption, and subversion have increasingly impeded the international narcotics control efforts. Violence increases when efforts begin to have an effect on the trafficking operations (Davids, 2002). Various countries have put more effort towards identifying those groups and individuals who atte mpt to undermine the struggle against trafficking of narcotics. Such groups can include those groups, which finance their terrorist actions through profits they acquire from the narcotics trade; groups that actively engage themselves in narcotics trafficking and use terrorist activities to sustain or enhance their positions; and groups that the narcotics traffickers organize randomly to resort to terrorist activities and violence to enhance and protect their criminal enterprise. Most of the countries that produce narcotics have political insurgents, who quite often use terrorist techniques and have become involved indirectly or directly with production and trafficking of narcotics (Davids, 2002). There are close relationships between narcotics trafficking, terrorist groups, and arms smuggling, especially in the Middle East. According to Davids (2002), there is some evidence of state-sponsored trafficking of narcotics. In a few cases, the further evidence is that some of the communis t nations have engaged to some extent in facilitating the trafficking of narcotics. Terrorism refers to the use of violence or threats to apply violence as a political weapon to attain control, to influence government policy, or to destabilize and overthrow governments (Davids, 2002). The legal definition of terrorism may not be precise in describing narcotics traffickers and their organizations. However, the tactics they employ at times are equal to, or exceed those tactics that terrorist organizations use. Most of the groups involved with narcotics production or trafficking do not meet the traditional or legal definitions of "terrorists" or "insurgents," the fact is that the use of planned, high-threat, sophisticated violence to accomplish their goals, even without a political agenda, is terrorism (Davids, 2002). Furthermore, the increasing use of violence against international narcotics control efforts, irrespective of the source as well as the dealing in narcotics for firearms a nd the financing of political insurgencies and terrorists through illegal narcotics activities, pose grievous threats to the national security of the narcotics producing countries and to the prospects for effective international narcotics control. Prostitution, Robbery, and Thievery The incidents of

Paper 2 Humanities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Paper 2 Humanities - Essay Example Informatively, this essay discusses artists of the impression, a genre used by modern artists more often than the traditional art genre. Additionally, it will analyze an example of a work of art belonging to this genre by a renowned artist, Edgar Degas. History of the impressionists Nobody ever thought that what began as an insult in the year 1874 would grow into an internationally recognized and accepted genre of art. Impressionists were a diverse group of artists rejected by the art establishment, but were so much in love with art to give up. Determined to express themselves and prove their skills, they established their own exhibition, which allowed bright and multicolored paintings, which were different from the traditional exhibition art works. Impressionism, as artists of the French art exhibition described them, were artists too lazy to complete their paintings for gallery exhibition. These artists had no opportunity to stage their work in the French gallery. Most of them felt that the rules of exhibiting paintings in the art gallery were too rigid, allowing them no freedom of personal expression (Gonzales, et. al. 203). They believed that art was fun, but with the gallery defining rules for exhibition, it lost its interesting part, becoming a boring exercise. Characteristics of the impressionists The subject matter and technique of painting are the characterizing features of impressionist artists. Modernity is what the impressionists sought to express in their paintings (Moffett 86). Typically, they painted landscapes and scenes from both modern urban and suburban life, expressed in pure and bright colors. Preferring the use of the outdoor setting rather than a studio, these artists captured the actual setting they were presently in, in their paintings (Gonzales, et. al. 204). This made their work more engaging and interesting, unlike the studio artists, as the audience could relate to it better and more easily. Their work demonstrated the activities of everyday life, especially the middle class. In their paintings, they showed activities such as shopping, working, strolling, leisure, among other activities such as love. However, most of the impressionists painted about nature (Moffett 86). Their paintings were so simple that one did not require the services of an interpreter to know the ideas behind the reasoning of an artist (Gonzales, et. al. 204). Additionally, the simple nature of their artwork identified each artist with their work, an element absent from the traditional art genre. Significance of the impressionists Despite criticisms that the impressionists artists faced, they played a big role in the revolution of the modern art. The determination in which they had in fighting for their voice in art world paid off when the audience started appreciating their work. Although their first few exhibition projects did not pay off, the impressionists held top their dream of making their style known to the people (Salvi et al. 4). Now, modern artwork incorporates many features and characteristics of the impressionists’ artwork features. Modern artists freely use color, and prefer landscaping, urban and suburban lifestyles in their work. Some imaginatively however incorporate culture in their artwork. Salvi et al. (5) point out that the introduction of a new style of painting also did away with interpreters. In the French gallery, there were painting interpreters who guided the audience in

Choose one for me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Choose one for me - Essay Example Regarding my background, I am the youngest child in our family. Since my father died, my eldest brother has made most of the important decisions. At a young age, he had been in charge with a number of responsibilities. Since childhood, I have learned to show respect to my elders. My mother and older siblings have always emphasized the value of politeness. It is always nice to show gratitude to one’s parents and other relatives. I have been taught that being thankful is a way of showing good conduct. In relation to political behaviour, I have realized that my family background has influenced me to be docile to authority. I have found it almost impossible, if not totally unthinkable, to go against leaders. I have also noticed that I tend to be quite conscious of the tone of my voice when I talk to older people. Actually, people who do not display proper behaviour when communicating with authority or the elderly often irk me. It has also been natural for me to follow rules. Most of the time, I become tensed and check if I am obeying standards when a symbol of authority is nearby. In connection with my relatives, I am proud to say that my roots are from the ancient Arab tribe. Our ancestors were the first inhabitants of the Arabian Gulf. They have initiated the civilization that we are enjoying today. With this history, I have become honoured of my origin. It is also one of my values to be loyal to fellow Arabians. I can say that I regard my heritages with high esteem. This is reflected in my choice of songs. The genre I enjoy listening to is Arabian music. Moreover, I honestly think that my culture is rich with colourful rituals and customs. In addition, Arabian arts and crafts portray interesting painting, delicious dishes, and graceful calligraphy. It would be ideal for our country to continually develop and retain its high-income economy status. I believe that our leaders can do their best in governing the different