Burial Practices Throughout the Ages

Society has always looked for a way to honor its dead. This has been the case since the earliest of times. There are rituals in all populations that mark the various passages each travel through in life. For instance, we mark an individual’s accomplishments in graduating from college, or getting married. It is no different in death. Death is the final passage that civilizations throughout history have found ways to honor. Burials and the ceremonies that commemorate them, offer the survivors an opportunity to pay homage to the life that has been lost.It gives them a chance to celebrate the deceased for accomplishments, life and family. The burial ceremony allows the survivors a chance to mourn, and express their grief to others. The ceremony helps those left behind to heal from the pain of the loss. From the early civilizations to the present, burial rituals have told us a great deal about the social behavior of the population. In most cases, children and elderly were buried ju st the same as the younger, stronger male. That tells us that the population valued its people and grieved their loss.In the middle and late Iron Age, burial practices reflected a diverse community. In the area that is now Britain, an individual was buried in two separate areas. For instance, there are areas where single bones are buried, as well as locations where the rest of the body is found. During the Iron Age, the breaking down of the human body indicated ritual activities. This was done at death or shortly after with the use of excarnation. Excarnation is allowing the body to be exposed until it reaches the skeleton stage. At that point, the cranium is usually first to separate from the body, followed by the feet and hands.This process will usually involve the chopping of skin, or soft tissue (Redfern, 2008). Once body parts are separated, the secondary burial can be completed. The body processing also included breaking bones to remove joint cartilage. Archeologists have noti ced that the bones found in secondary sites usually have cut marks, and fractures (Redfern, 2008). The Neanderthal was different in its method of dealing with the dead. In fact, the Neanderthal buried its dead in a painstaking ritual that occurred in stages with the consumption of the deceased person’s body parts.Nevertheless, the Neanderthal left gifts on the graves of those who died. Statistics indicate that 40 percent of the graves that archeologists have examined have been of the very old or very young. That fact indicates that the civilization valued both its elderly and children (Friedermann, Muller, Hemm, 2008). The burial practices of the pre-pottery Neolithic civilization found individuals buried in shallow graves. Some graves contained only one person while others contained many. Archeologists discovered 21 artifacts related to 15 graves in Atlit-Yam, on the Northern coast of Israel.Most of the items were tools, axes, and other household items. The graves at this si te were simple. There were a few secondary burial sites, as some skulls were detached from the body. The burial site was covered with lime plaster on its surface (Galili, Eshed, Goher, Hershkovitz, 2005). In the third millennium burial practices in the Oman peninsula feature tombs circular in shape with un-worked stone that had a single ring around it. The tomb had between two and ten chambers within it. One tomb at the site of Unar 1 was large enough to hold the bodies of 438 people.A smaller tomb found at Unn an-Nar Island only held between 34-48 individuals. Inside of the tombs, archeologists found ceramics, soft-stone objects, bronze, beads and shells. These items and burial method indicates a collective manner of living. There were some cremations discovered in this period as well (Blau, 2001). A burial cave found in the Aleutian Islands dated back to 390 BD. gives a glimpse into the function of the society. Inside the cave were found hearths and work places. Human bones had ar ranged stones around them. There was an additional stone arrangement at the back of the cave.In front of the cave, in the habitation area, animal bones and artifacts were found. The bodies were in a sarcophagus in wood or stone coffins. There is some discussion among scholars that cave burials may have been just for the better off (West, Lefevre, Corbett, Crockford, 2003). Burial rites in Sophocles’ Athens featured the use of tombs more than cemeteries. The tombs are found along roads or at passageways or gates. Antigone believed that all people are entitled to burial. The words tumbos and herion mean mounds of the land that cover the deceased and mark where the individual is buried. The word, taphos means the tomb.The grave or tomb generally was located in a public location. The idea that the dead should be separated in some way from those living is not a part of the Greek culture. However, late 5th century walls have been found that divide up tombs from one family to anothe r. Monuments always face the street or public square. The Romans of the same era prohibited the burial of any individual within the city. (Patterson, 2006). Murders in this era were executed for their crime. After execution, they were stoned and thrown out of the city without being buried. Suicide victims were buried but not provided a headstone.People of good standing were given ceremonies that featured songs. Then they were placed in a decorated tomb (Patterson, 2006). Heroes and those killed in battle were given a public funeral with games, oration, and sacrifices. Solon devised the rules for burial in Athens. He said the deceased should be laid out within his home. The next day, he would be carried out of the house on the board he was laying on. When they carry the dead out, men will walk in the front of the procession. Women walk behind. In addition, no woman under age 60 could enter the chamber of the dead, or the tomb.(Patterson, 2006). This is quite different from the days o f Jesus where women were in charge of caring for the dead. In Medieval times there is a diverse burial rite found in the use of boats with regional and temporal variations found. The Sutton Hoo Mound is a large ship-type grave. Most of the boats used were dugout logboats. Some of the civilizations used boat timbers or boat parts to cover the grave area (Brooks, 2007). Scandinavia is well-known for its adoption of burial by boat. The Swedes and Norwegians practiced boat cremations; however, such is rare in Anglo-Saxon areas.The exception to this is the site at Sutton Hoo Mount three. At that site there is a tree-trunk made like a coffin that was used for cremation (Brooks, 2007). By the time the 18th century came around, most people in England were buried in unmarked graves in a churchyard. The ground was consecrated and the service was performed by an Anglican clergyman. He used the book, â€Å"Book of Common Prayers† for the service. In 1689, however, the idea of personalize d funerals and pre-planned ceremonies came into being. The more affluent bought coffins. This lead to the development of the undertaker profession (Gitting, 2007).The very affluent built themselves a mausoleum on their land. The most famous ceremony was for John Knill, the mayor of St. Ives. He established a trust and asked that a ceremony be performed every five years. The ritual featured ten girls, who were under the age of ten. It also featured two widows, the vicar, and mayor and customs officer. All paraded to the mausoleum on top of a hill. The ceremony featured dancing, and singing, â€Å"Old Hundredth, â€Å"All people that on earth do dwell† (Gitting, 2007). Ironically, the ceremony was last completed in 2006. After the American Civil War, the ideal of embalming became popular.Prior to this Americans relied on the European methods establish for the preservation of the body. The use of embalming gave family a chance to look at the person one last time and accept his or her death. Embalming was used after Lincoln’s death to allow him to lie in state for individuals to witness, (Funeral Industry, n. d. ) In conclusion, burial rites of differing civilizations tell us a story of how the people lived, as well as how they died. It explains their values, and speaks to the kind of society they lived within. For example, south of Cairo a 5,000 year old tomb was discovered.Inside of the tomb archeologists found the bones of 10 donkeys. (Burial Site, 2008). This indicates the value this civilization placed on the role of the animals. Therefore, burial rites explain much about ancient civilizations, but also tell us a great deal about ourselves. Although the rituals may have changed, the overall purpose is the same and that is to honor the dead. References Blau, S. (2001). Fragmentary endings: a discussion of 3rd-millennium BC burial practices in the Oman Peninsula. Antiquity, 75, (289), 557 Brooks, S. (2007). Boat-nvets in graves in pre-Viking Kent : Reassessing Anglo-Saxon boat burial traditions.Medieval Archeology, 51, (1), 1-18 Burial site a high honour for a lowly beast. (2008). In Mac lean’s, 121, (16), 55 Friedermann, S. , Muller, S. , Hemm, C. (2008). The Neanderthals. New York, NY: Routledge Publishing Company Funeral Industry. (n. d. ) In Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. Retrieved April 30, 2010, from, http://wwwdeathreference,con/En-Gh/funeral-industry. htm Galili, E. , Eshed, V. , Gopher, A. , Hershkovitz, A. (2005). Burial practices of the submerged pre-pottery Neolithic C site of Atlit-Yam, Northern Coast of Israel. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 339, 1-19Gitting, C. (2007). Eccentric or Enlightened? Unusual burial and commemoration in England, 1689-1823. Mortality, 12, (4), 321-349 Patterson, C. (2006). The place and practice in burial in Sophocles’ Athens. Helios, 33, 9-48 Redfern, R. (2008). New evidence for Iron Age secondary burial practice and bone modification from Guss age, All Saints and Maiden Castle (Dorset, England). Oxford Journal of Archeology, 27, (3), 281-301 West, D. , Leferve, C. , Corbett, D. , Crockford, S. (2003). A burial cave in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Artic Anthropology, 40, (1), 70

Privacy vs. National Security Essay

The scope and nature of the problem is that after September 11, 2001 the government has enhanced its surveillance procedure to a frightening level. With one policy, â€Å"The USA Patriot Act-2001,† the US government has effectively turned the United States of America into a police state. This policy gives the government run agencies the right to spy on its citizens. Agents can gather information by physically watching, or by other covert means such as wire taps. It is no longer a specific phone line but on individuals. It allows service providers to disclose information and protects them from court action when the do. It permits a delay in warrant notification, giving agents the ability to search before they have a warrant in hand. This policy gives the government the right to accuse, intimidate, and imprison its citizens of terrorism, and ignore the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights was created to protect the people from various injustices that the government could commit. The amendments that are affected the most are the 1st, 4th, and the 6th. (Asian Tribune,[Hallstavik],June 5,2012, US Patriot Act has denied Americans their freedom) Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of people peaceably to assemble, and petition the government for a redress of grievances.(Hamilton, A.,1775, The Bill of Rights) The Patriot Act gives the government the freedom to monitor religious and political institutions without just cause. The government also now has the authority to prosecute any type of record keeper if they reveal that the government has subpoenaed information from them for a terrorism Investigation. (Asian Tribune, [Hallstavik], June 5, 2012, US Patriot Act has denied Americans their freedom) Amendment IV: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause. Supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. (Hamilton, A., 1775, Bill of Rights) The Patriot Act of course now gives the US government to do just that. They may search and seize a citizen’s property without probable cause regardless of it pertinence to a terror investigation. (Asian Tribune [Hallstavik], June 5, 2012, US Patriot Act has denied Americans their freedom) Amendment VI: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which d istrict shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed at the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. (Hamilton, A., 1775, Bill of Rights) The Patriot Act has given the government the power to jail US citizens indefinitely without charge or trial, or even to confront the witnesses against them. Once labeled an â€Å"unlawful combatant†, the accused can and have been held without communication and denied their right to an attorney. When they are permitted the attorneys and housed in a federal prison, they lose the right to attorney/client privilege. The government now has the right to monitor those communications as well. (Asian Tribune [Hallstavik], June 5, 2012, US Patriot Act has denied Americans their freedom) Though there is one good point to the policy, which is: providing for victims of terrorism, public officers and their families. That is but a single clause in the policy that is for the people, the rest gives the government an overwhelming and undeniable control over the â€Å"American citizens rights and the means to continue and expand its control. In the summary, The USA Patriot Act: A Sketch, by Charles Doyle, which can be located at; http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RS21203.pdf ,a reader can clearly see that what the Bill of Rights gave us the Patriot Act takes away. Reading numerous articles and summaries of the act it is obvious that the American people should be concerned about just how much power the government is gaining, then giving to the military and agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The power the agencies have, have been a problem in the past as well. In 1975 the senate had selected a committee to oversee these agencies, primarily the FBI, which had been declared a vigilante organization. Focusing on suppressing groups from exercising their First Amendment rights, the FBI went with the theory that preventing the growth of a group would protect national security. The Patriot Act has basically nullified this committee, while granting the government agencies free reign. (Hentoff,N., December 17, 2001, Homeland Defense of the Constitution) Since the bombing in Oklahoma City on April 15, 1995, the government has attempted to do more to prevent another terrorist attack, and it began with the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. This in simplest terms takes the right of Habeus away from those convicted of terrorism. To file for Habeas Corpus is to petition for an early release and can be done repeatedly. The attack on the Twin Towers on 9-11 unfortunately has shaken the countries defense structure to it’s very core allowing for some rather irrational and extreme actions to be taken. Such as the US Patriot Act, this act was adopted as a sunset policy (meaning it would expire in four years). This was to enable the individual agencies to adapt and ascertain the effectiveness (Fritscher, L., November. 5, 2007.USA Patriot Act: Pros and Cons). This policy, which to congress an unprecedented 43 days to sign into law, was essentially formed to treamline communications between the agencies to provide easier means of investigation and surveillance. Other policies that are not so widely impacted have been passed as well. Policies such as, the National Defense Authorization Act, supplying these agencies the funding to continue. Preliminary research indicates a growing concern the government, and the agencies there of, are gaining too much power, and the aggressive use of this power is progressively eroding the individual American citizens’ privacy and civil liberties. How do the people know that the information gathered by various agencies is not being abused? What assurances can the government give that they won’t be? The security of a nation is a major concern to all Americans, but should there be a limit to what the government can do in the name of National Security. Problems with abuse of privilege have been an issue in the past as well. During the cold war the foreign Intelligence Act was introduced and passed requiring agents to obtain a warrant from a judge before they could intercept private conversations. To gain a warrant government lawyers had to have proof that an individual was a threat. In 2008 this act was revised enabling the procedures to be overlooked. In fact, the law was bypassed by the Bush administration in 2001 after the terrorist attack on 9-11. Individuals and organizations alike are attempting to sue the government in regards to the ongoing surveillance program. The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), stated that the, â€Å"people cannot sue unless they can show their calls were monitored.) Alas, the government will not reveal whose messages were intercepted, therefore no proof (Scalliger,C. May 21, 2012). Obviously, the odds are greatly against those who oppose the current policies. Individuals have come forward to attempt to inform the public of the actions of the government but to no avail. In 2007 an ex NSA employee reported that a program, codenamed Stellar Wind was already underway. Gathering information on millions of American citizens, the NSA gained access to more than 2.8 trillion billing records of domestic and international calls. All, without a warrant. At a later date Verizon joined the program multiplying the call rate five times over. Not only is the NSA and other agencies compiling dossiers on US citizens in these massive data bases, they also currently have the ability to eavesdrop in real-time. US citizens overseas are routinely intercepted when calling home to the states. No reason or warrant required (Hentoff, N., October 6, 2011). The reality is that unwarranted wiretaps are only the beginning. Other forms of spying on the average citizen are already being used. The Fourth Amendment was written to protect our rights to privacy, yet our own government officials a sidestepping these laws. Though the word privacy never actually appears in the Constitution, it would be difficult to say the fact that something of the meaning of the word has long been established in legal traditions. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word private as secluded from sight, presence or intrusion of others, to be confined to one person; personal (Mitrano, T., May 2012). A primary responsibility of the United States government is to protect the citizens and its resources against the threat of terrorism, and Americans appreciate the security they have, and at times have sacrificed liberties to protect it (Walker, B. and Rsachke, G., nd). But, in spite of the measures taken to protect its people the government is also harming their basic fundamental rights that this country has always been known for. So are the citizens of the United States to give up democracy for a governmental dictatorship for the sake of this safety. What’s in store for the next generation? References Asian Tribune [Hallstavik], (June 5, 2012), US Patriot Act has denied Americans their freedom, Retrieved from, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1018399742? Doyle, C., (April 19, 2008), Patriot Act: â€Å"A Sketch, Retrieved from, http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RS21203.pdf. Hamilton, A., (1775), Bill of Rights. Retrieved from, http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcripts.htm Hentoff, N., (December 17, 2001), Homeland Defense of the Constitution, The Washington Times, Retrieved from, http://scu.edu/ethics/publication/briefings/privacy.html Hentoff, N., (October 6, 2011), Lack of Privacy, becoming normal? The Fort Morgan Times, Retrieved from, http://search.proquest.com/docview/919661310? Mitrano, T., (December 2008), Civil Privacy and National Security Legislation: A Three- Dimensional View, Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/civil-privacy-and- national-security-legislation-three.htm Scalliger, C. (May 21, 2012), Knowing every bit about you. The New American issue 28, p. 10-16, Retrieved from, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1022039930? Walker, B. & Raschke, G., (nd) Right to Privacy vs. National Security, National Security for the 21st Century, Retrieved from, http://www.library.gatech.edu/security/privacy.htm

Forensic Psychology and Jury Selection Essay

Modern criminal trial practice demands that the law as an academic discipline cannot exist in a vacuum; quite the contrary, the law must be viewed as an overriding set of principles which must be viewed in conjunction with other academic disciplines (Carson & Bull, 2003). This is particularly true in the case of jury selection in criminal trials where the law has been combined with forensic psychology. This essay will discuss the policy underlying the incorporation of forensic psychology into formal criminal proceedings, the precise role of the forensic psychologist in jury selection, and what types of juror risk factors are of particular interests to prosecutors and defense attorneys. Forensic Psychology and the Law If the purpose of the legal process is the discovery of truth, and the guarantee of justice, then it is essential that legal procedures facilitate these objectives. Jury selection, the research has demonstrated, has contributed to many miscarriages of justice in criminal cases; indeed, one scholar has pointed out that In the incidence of capital cases, the U. S. Supreme Court has recognized what research has long shown: Jurors often make sentencing decisions prematurely, and they often base their decisions on their personal reactions to the defendant, their confusion about the rules of law, and their lack of understanding regarding their own role and responsibilities (Schroeder, Guin, Pogue & Bordelan, 2006). As a result of this well-known data, efforts have been made to provide for better jury selection procedures. This has involved a multidisciplinary approach in which lawyers, both prosecutors and defense attorneys, have retained the services of forensic psychologists in order to make better decisions during voir dire. On the one hand, it is hoped as a matter of sound public policy that intelligent jurors will be selected and that truth and justice will prevail. One the other hand, the potential for abuse of the criminal justice system exists because prosecutors and defense attorneys may use the juror profiles prepared by the forensic psychologists in order to win their case rather than to ensure a neutral type of justice. Forensic Psychology and Jury Selection Generally speaking, a forensic psychologist is enlisted in criminal trials in order to make psychological assessments about individuals and a certain set of facts underlying a particular type of criminal case. Jan Mills Saeth, a jury consultant who works with forensic psychologists in order to conduct voir dire on behalf of clients in criminal cases, has stated that â€Å"Jury selection includes helping the trial team eliminate risky jurors, and I help develop a juror profile, voir dire questions, and jury questionnaires. (â€Å"Behavioral Profiling: A Panel of Experts,† 2007). Generally speaking, therefore, the fundamental purpose of the forensic psychologist is to identify potentially risky jurors. What constitutes a risk depends on who the forensic psychologist is representing and whether the nature of the particular criminal allegations. Risk refers to some factor or set of factors which might predispose a potential juror to making certain types of assumptions, to harboring certain types of bias, or to in some way being psychologically disinclined to vote in favor of the forensic psychologist’s client. There are numerous tools employed by forensic psychologists in order to assess a juror’s risk factors during the jury selection process. These tools may include written questions, oral questions posed by an attorney after consultation with the forensic psychologist, and other non-verbal clues. The totality of this information is collected and the forensic psychologist then constructs a series of juror profiles which the attorney can then review in order to decide which jurors to retain and which jurors to challenge or dismiss. One of the difficulties is the fact that, in criminal trials, prosecutors and defense attorneys are zealous adversaries. They are thus required to seek to present their case in the light most favorable to their respective clients; to this end, as is relevant to this paper, the prosecutors and the defense attorneys are interested in jurors whom will be the most receptive to their particular version of the facts, whom are most likely to be swayed by certain facts and witnesses, and whom are most likely to rule in their favor (Tsushima & Anderson, 1996). A prosecutor will seek jurors that possess some psychological tendency to agree with the case in general, to sympathize with law enforcement or a particular type of victim, or some other type of bias that supports their case. Psychological traits favored by many prosecutors include a trust or confidence in authority figures, a generalized conception that the American criminal justice system is fair and reasonable, and a psychological tendency to agree with majority opinions. A defense attorney will be concerned with similar issues; however, the defense will also want to choose jurors whom possess a different set of psychological traits. More specifically, a defense attorney will seek individuals that distrust rather than trust authority figures, that question more than acquiesce to majority opinions, and that demonstrate strong feelings of sympathy or empathy. Conclusion In the final analysis, while forensic psychology can be enormously useful in predicting juror behavior, it can also be misused if prosecutors and defense attorneys do not place professional ethics above the winning of criminal cases. The goal of jury selection ought to be the selection of a jury which will weigh evidence objectively and critically without falling back on extraneous information in order to render a verdict. Forensic psychologists can contribute meaningfully to the criminal justice system, but it is necessary to make sure that their psychological insights are not used by unscrupulous prosecutors and defense lawyers to pervert truth and justice.

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Research Paper Example The results obtained though the articles further revealed that nurses’ attitudes are among the most vital aspects which tend to influence the practice of physical restraint to elderly patients. Research Question or Hypothesis Although the research hypotheses were not mentioned within specific quotations, the research questions considered in the study were observed in a precise form as mentioned below. a. â€Å"Are nursing staff members' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived moral obligation related to their intentions to use physical restraints with older people?† b. â€Å"How are nursing staff members' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, perceived moral obligation, and intentions to use physical restraints related to selected demographic and professional variables?† Research Variables To be noted, in Werner & Mendelsson (2000), the research variables were selected on the basis of the theory of reasoned actions which can be divided as independent variables, dependent variables and extraneous variables as illustrated in the diagram illustrated below. Source: Werner & Mendelsson (2000) Independent Variable The independent variables that were considered in this research included attitudes deciphered by the nurses when practicing physical restraint on elder patients, the various subjective norms that were followed along with the perceived moral obligations which tend to have a direct impact on such practices influencing the intention of the professionals. Dependent Variables There was only one dependent variable identified in the study which included the intention of the nurses to practice physical restraint on elderly patients. Extraneous (Confounding) Variable(s) In this article, the extraneous variables consisted of various attributes such as socio-demographic factors that included age, education, sex, place of birth and marital status which are given at a fixed unit and thus, is impossible to be changed. Werner & Mendelsson (2000) also considered the number of years spent in a particular profession along with the position of the nursing professionals as significant extraneous variables in the study to impose a considerable effect on dependent variables, besides the identified independent variables. Research Design The research design of the study conducted by Werner & Mendelsson (2000) was based on the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). Accordingly, a correlational design was applied in the process. It can be mentioned in this regard that as the intention of the study was to identify the factors influencing the nurses’ intention to practice physical restraint on old patients, this research design was appropriate to conclude if a correlation existed amid the identified variables. Population and Sample Setting The data collection was performed in alliance with the natural setting in an Israeli elder care hospital with a capacity of 800 beds. Target and Accessible Population The populatio n considered in this study comprised nursing staff members from the hospital. The target population was thus quite realistically accessible within a given enclosed setting. Sample and Sampling Plan A sample of 303 nursing staff members was taken into concern to suffice the data requirements of the research. As can be observed from the research technique, a random sampling technique was used in the

BP Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

BP - Article Example Horton applied Bureaucratic leadership style and his major source of influence to get the organization following transformation was the need to increase the profit margins of the oil company. David Simon (1992-1995) was the successor of Horton. His major source of influence was to expand the oil company in continental Europe, Asia and South America. He was to make this possible since he spoke five languages. His main leadership style was control and direction. After Simon becoming the Chairman of the company, he was replaced by John Browne (1995- 2007). His major source of influence was to change the oil company in continuity. He was a charismatic leader (Dumas 2011). The three CEO’s of the company have the desire for the company to expand to other regions and also increase the volumes of sales and profits in the company. The main consequence of these methods of leading is that sometimes it can result to the company operating at losses (Dumas 2011). Simon’s strategy can be referred as market oriented versus resources. This is because he was able to revive the company and also the company was able to pay its debts, which it had incurred during the leadership of Horton (Dumas

Franklin D Roosevelt biography and Presidential Courage Essay

Franklin D Roosevelt biography and Presidential Courage - Essay Example Roosevelt’s presidency and character are marked by a strong sense of morality and courage. Born on January 30, 1882, Roosevelt was born to his father’s second wife, Sara Delano who came from a prominent family as were the Roosevelt’s who were wealthy for multiple generations. His father was 51 at the time of his birth while his mother was only 28. Though prominent families typically left the care of their children to nannies and nurses, Sara preferred to raise Franklin herself. â€Å"Sara was determined to raise Franklin as a Delano, which meant to raise him as she had been raised under the benign discipline of her father.† (Smith, 49). During the earlier part of his life, his education was through the efforts of governesses and tutors as his parents would not send him to public school. â€Å"One of the most gifted tutors was a young Swiss woman names Jeanne Rosat-Sandoz, who, in addition to drilling Franklin in modern languages, attempted to instill a se nse of social responsibility.† (Smith, 50). It was important to her to develop him as both a person and a scholar. She â€Å"believed in social reform and the Social Gospel; she did her utmost to arouse in FDR a social concern for those less fortunate.† (Smith, 50). ... of travel in his childhood and his parents knew the Cleveland family and so FDR grew up having been to the White House and meeting people in Congress and whose. At age 14, he went to the prestigious Groton School where he was educated in the traditional classic style and did average in school but well enough to enter Harvard University where he also spent time working for the Harvard Newspaper and eventually become editor. Though he did not have extensive dating experience, during this time he began dating and against the wishes of especially his mother, he became determined to marry his fifth cousin, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. She was raised in one of the less fortunate branches of the family but he did marry her in 1905 and shortly after he started at Columbia University Law School. Though FDR was a competent enough scholar, school was never a priority for him. He passed the bar exam but never completed his degree. He had difficulty in law school but seemed unconcerned. â€Å"FDRâ₠¬â„¢s attitude toward law school was similar to Ulysses S. Grant’s view of West Point: it was a hurdle but should not be taken too seriously.† (Smith,96). His ability to face these challenges in life was an example of how he would handle challenges later in his presidency as he would not be stressed or overwhelmed by the situations he would face. â€Å"That was a trait he would hone to an art form in public life. ‘If something was unpleasant and he didn’t want to know about it, he just ignored it and never talked about it,’ said Eleanor. ‘I think he always thought that if you ignore a thing long enough it would settle itself.’† (Smith, 101). However, his college experiences did also help develop his leadership skills which would be key in his presidency. Leadership developed early

The Importance Of Play For Childrens Development Essay

The Importance Of Play For Childrens Development - Essay Example The brain development of a child is significantly influenced by the physical exercises the child has and the genetics though many studies do not collaborate this finding. The architecture of a brain of a child depends on different interactions in life and play is a significant factor that every researcher agrees to in reference to its development (Small, 1999). There have been several debates on what exactly contributes to the shaping of a child’s brain whether it’s the genetics only or by experience or they both contribute. Many kinds of research show that both the genetics of a child and experience mainly from play contribute to the development of a child’s brain putting to rest the debate on what really plays the important factors in the brains growth. The child’s early experiences and most have their experiences benchmarked on their plays; have an emotional impact on their brain development whether they were nurtured positively or negatively. The experiences act as the building blocks in the child’s brain meaning that the play a role in determining the brain architecture of the child in reference to their behavioral activities in their future life, their learning approaches and more their well being (Arnold, 2014). Most scientists argue that children must be brought under the right and positive experiences in their tender age to enable their brains architecture to develop for a future better life that is less stressful, more efficient and less expensive to deal with interacting with other people.

Public Defense v. Private Defense Research Paper

Public Defense v. Private Defense - Research Paper Example (Hoffman,2004) The main hurdle in respect of a public defender is the fact that since there would be a huge load of cases, the time spent on individual cases would be lesser. Further, contrary to the private defense there would lesser access to important tools, like private investigators. Even though, this can be curtailed by the funding of the public defender’s office. (Hoffman,2004) Clearly, in respect of the private defender there would significant time as well as resources to spend on a client; since the client would be willing to pay the private defender would be willing to pay for the same. (McDonald, 1983) Another important element which needs to be taken into account is the fact that the amount which would be received by a public defender would be significantly lesser than that paid to the private defense. It is important to point out that it is generally said that such a difference in pay would not affect the quality of service, however, it is important to note that i f the lesser time being given to each client, plus the resources that are available to a public defense are taken in their collectivity, it would mean that there would be an adverse effect on the case which is inevitable. There are public defenders that are more than willing and considerate to take into account the fact that the client is unable to pay and therefore provide him effective services. Another problem in respect of a public defender is the fact that cases cannot be rejected by them and so if a case qualifies it cannot be refused unless there is a good legal reason to it, one of them being conflict of interest. On the contrary private attorney do not have to assign a reason for refusing the case and can do so even if he decides on the basis of chances of success. (Harmon, 2002) It is important to point out to the fact that the monetary element is also to be taken into account in respect of public and private defense. (Hoffman,2004) There have been various surveys which ha ve been conducted in order to evaluate which one is better. On the basis of an evaluation private lawyers have been found to be handling more serious cases that is, cases concerning severe crimes. (Beattie, 1935) The general phenomenon in respect of the pros and cons is the fact that the general act of the people is to secure money and get legal representation if the concerned offence is a serious one and/or the conviction is on the higher side. (McDonald, 1983) As far as a minor offence is concerned the general pros and cons are not taken into account, contrary to when a person who is facing a long prison sentence, who would prefer the time that is given by private defense and therefore arrange for the money. (Hoffman,2004) Another important element of lack of resources is the fact that the public attorney due to the lack of time cannot put adequate amount of research as well as detailed study which can be evaluated and analysed upon by the private defense. (Beattie, 1935) However, an important edge that can be cited to have been attained by general public defense is that of the experience and the repetitive amount of cases in which the general notion and the legal principles remain the same whereby most of the contentions that are to be raised by the defense can be easily prepared for and be presented and the practical experience can be seen as well as cited in respect of the same by the

Satire in Shakespeare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Satire in Shakespeare - Essay Example The true satirist is conscious of the frailty of institutions of man's devising and attempts through laughter not so much to tear them down as to inspire a remodeling" (Thrall, et al 436). There are many examples of satire in literature and media today. In literature, William Shakespeare has maintained a special place in satirical prose. He has satirized almost every folly and superficiality that he came to know of through his observations and interactions with people, yet his plays contain so many other features, that one couldn't label Shakespeare as a satirist. "There is satire, as there is everything else, in Shakespeare. The pseudo-statesman is satirized in Polonius, the courtier in Osric. Both Touchstone and Feste have caustic tongues. Malvolio shows that Shakespeare had no more liking for the Puritans than his fellow-players. Yet for all this, and for all that might be added, it would be absurd to rank Shakespeare among the satirists; and the same is true of the dramatists in general. Except when they fall into feud with one another, or with some class peculiarly obnoxious to them, they rarely make satire the staple of their plays". (Walker 114) "As you like it" is one of Shakespeare best comedies with a very high satirical tone. This play exposes the absurdity of human world, far more than any of Shakespeare's plays. In fact, it was first of its kind where the entire play 's main purpose was to ridicule certain people and situations. Pastoral romance is the focal point of his satire. On 1st July 1599, the government passed an order to suppress satirical work. This led to flaring struggles between the authorities and writers. Shakespeare closely observed this contest and created a satirical comedy on its bases. However, the dismayed and chaotic social conditions of England provided the main inducement for satirical work. In "As you like it", Jacques is the main character that fulfills the duty of a satirist. He belongs to the group of people who are discontent about life in general and are very vocal about their discontentment and dissatisfaction with life. He finds all happy people as foolish and so he finds all people in Arden and their happy temperaments as ridiculous. It includes some very hilarious pieces of prose, which are basically attempts at satirizing romance of country folk. Some of them are scenes such as those of heroine being kidnapped by robbers and saved in a heroic way by the hero and his brother. Some central characters of satire are Orlando who is a perfect lover, Rosalind and Celina who are perfect friends and Adam who is a perfect loyalist of conservative ideas. (Campbell, 44) Shakespeare in his play has tried to mock the romantic dreams of love-stricken couples, which take refuge in the countryside. However, when they reach there, they find that it is not so. In fact, it is far from the image, the people of city have of country. This is what Rosalind and Orlando had on their mind when they ran away from the injustices and atrocities of city, which were keeping them apart. Much to their surprise, they found out that this Forest of Arden was a land of terror. It wasn't where people who could live peacefully with each other in lap of nature. The country presented its own set of problems and challenges, in some cases more challenging than the city. Some characters were pure mockery of country folk, such as Silvius, Phebe, William and Audrey who are far from picture perfect image of their kind. The foolish,

Patton- Fuller Financial Statement Review Essay Example for Free

Patton- Fuller Financial Statement Review Essay The success of any organization is heavily based on its ability to appropriately handle every aspect of its financials. Those aspects include a range of financial activities that include the inflow of cash and the outflow of cash which can be affected by a number of events including the raising of revenue through products or services, investments, purchases, debts and sales to name a few. With the number events that can take place within a particular reporting period, it is important that those transactions be monitored and tracked so that year end reports can reflect the most accurate overview of a the organization’s performance. These events and transactions are recorded and tracked through a number of financial reporting referred to as financial statements. For Patton- Fuller Community Hospital, information regarding its financial activities is included within their Annual Report. This report is compiled from financial statements that include their Balance sheet as December 31 for 2009 and 2008(audited) and the Statement of Revenue and Expense 2009 and 2008 (audited). In addition to the audited balance sheet and the audited statement of revenue and expense, other financial reports were utilized by Patton- Fuller which includes Balance Sheet as December 31 for 2009 unaudited, the Statement of Revenue and Expense 2009 and 2008 (unaudited), the Statement of Retained Earnings and Stockholders’ Equity and the Interim Statement of Income (unaudited) though these reports were not included within the annual report. In comparing the audited and unaudited reports there were differences were observed between the two. For the balance sheets, the unaudited balance sheet reflects $128,867 under total assets whereas the audited sheet reflects $127,867. This difference of $1000.00 is the result of the change in current assets reported under the patient  account receivable whereas the net allowance for bad debts was increased. As a result of this change, the total current assets reported for 2009 changed in addition to the total amount of assets reported. Other differences were observed in the area of total liabilities and equity where the audited balance sheet reflects a decrease of $1000.00 which is a change from the unaudited reporting of $588,767 to $587, 767. In reviewing what the effect was of revenue sources on financial reporting, the facility may have performed determinations based on a contribution margin. Utilizing this would show how the organization has increased or decrease in sales, profits, and assets. Further review of the financial reports indicates that on the Patton Fuller Financial Statement there was a huge negative decrease in the Investment Income. This caused a -123.48% drop. Other sources of revenue showed a positive increase from 2008 to 2009. Further review of the full report reflects that findings that indicate that the sources of revenue and the expenses in 2008 were much lower than 2009. The unaudited expenses show that there was $41,391 difference between the two years. The expenses that increased within the two years were the salaries and benefits of employees, supplies needed, and utilities. Within this time frame from the point where there was a negative impact, the organization was able to increase revenue and turn around what had been a negative into a positive. Patton-Fuller Community Hospital has grouped revenues into one category and expenses into another. All the revenue is what they are making from providing services and the expenses are what they have to pay out to keep the hospital staffed, supplies, and running. Patton-Fuller groups there revenue by care settings and there are only two. Eighty percent of the revenue is from inpatient care and the other twenty percent is from emergency care or outpatient services. This type of grouping allows Patton-Fuller to see exactly what they are making for certain services they provide. All the financial reports generated by Patton- Fuller Community Hospital provide an overview of the company’s activities that will be useful in future planning, controlling, organizing and decision making. In addition, they provide information to internal and external auditors that demonstrate the organization’s ability to properly track funds that are received and dispensed. For other external users such as investors and creditors, these same reports provide financial data that demonstrates how well a company is performing and has performed in  the past. These reports are also important to employees, as the financial health of the organization is used to make determinations regarding raises, expansion and compensation. Overall review of the statements, including the annual report, shows the company’s ability to be transparent to both internal and external users. In doing so their reports serve as valuable tools that allow for improvement and continued growth to occur based on the organization’s mission and goals. References University of Phoenix. (2015). Week Three Learning Team Assignment: Virtual Organizations. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, HCS/405- Health Care Financial Accounting course website. Baker, J. Baker, R.W. (2014). Health Care Finance: Basic Tools for Nonfinancial Managers, Fourth Edition. Jones Bartlett Learning. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, HCS/405- Health Care Financial Accounting course website.

Health Disparities in African Americans

Health Disparities in African Americans Despite the continuous improvement and attention to the entire health of Americans, the African Americans are prone to more chronic health problem as compared to other races. The disparities are multi-variant and are contributed by numerous issues such as the social, economic status and the lifestyle behaviors. The heart and cancer disease are the major leading causes of death among the African Americans aged from 18years as per the 2002 census. In 2009, health expenditure of USA reached $2.5 trillion, but despite the tremendous increase, there exists a disproportionate health condition that is defined according to ethnic and racial lines. Though the causes related to disparities in health are diverse, it remains significant to understand the part played by the social-economic status in the health of an individual. People experiencing low economic status can be characterized by poor sanitation, poor housing, poor working conditions and unbearable social environment (Airhihenbuwa and Liburd 3). Moreover, issues of inadequate health care resources and poor health care system, accessibility that impact the health directly or indirectly are evidenced in communities where economic instability exists. Among the African Americans, the effects of poor economic status are pronounced with mortality and morbidity remaining high in America. The African Americans have the highest level of obesity in America with 58% of the men and 59% of the women being either overweight or obese. An overweight person is a 2-6 time likely to experience high blood pressure as compared to normal weight. This can be substantiated by the continuous increase of African American suffering from health problems related to obesity, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and stroke among other problems. As per the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease ranked as number one in killing the African American as compared to the other races as a result of their lifestyle and the poor economic status that subject them to poor health conditions. It is documented that 36% of the African American deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease which is more than 290000 people who die each year (BRANNON 214). The smoking behavior among the African American is high as compared to other races living in America and is associated with an increase of dis ease manifestation since it raises the blood pressure overworking the heart as it tries to maintain the blood flow. The culture of African American also facilitates to health disparities among the races (Braithwaite, Austin and Taylor ). The tradition of the African American revolves around the family, interacting and sharing, which mainly centered on foods that have high levels of fat, calories and thus these people are less concerned about health consequences. Intervention plan The intervention purpose to reduce the racial and ethnic disparities that exist in health among the Americans. The disparity in America has been extensively documented, and thus an intervention program is needed to reduce it, ranging from quality of care, language difficulties, and accessibility to health care and the insurance cover. The intervention plan revolves around a program designed to enhance equity as well as compelling the government to assess on policies that uphold health equity among the Americans. Equity, according to the Institute of Medicine is one of the major fundamental realms towards high-quality care. The plan purposes to encourage an integrated approach that is evidence based and adopt practices that can reduce the existing disparities. The plan aims to transform the health care in America and can be accomplished through the government focusing on the equitable distribution of healthcare amenities in all regions to ease the accessibility that has resulted to increased disparities. The effectiveness of pay for performance strategy need to be evaluated to ascertain the best mechanism to be adopted to enhance effective services. In terms of increasing the efficiency and accountability, the plan reflects on the well-being of the people. The economic status subject people in different classes and the disadvantaged people economically face the challenge of accessing the best health care services and thus a health insurance that is standardized need to be implemented to ensure the health care professional equality treats the patients. Sensitize the people on the importance of upholding various issues to ensure disparities in health is reduced. For instance, the African American need to understand their culture facilitate to disparities realized in America (Airhihenbuwa and Liburd). Through sensitizing on the importance of creating a culture of equity through ensuring the people understand disparities are problems and that they exist among themselves through their patients and thus a need for responsibility is required to address the issue as a way of accomplishing health equality in America. In advancing the health, safety and the wellbeing of the Americans, the plan reflects on the impact of the lifestyle adopted by the people facilitates the disparities in health care. America has different races with African American culture identified as vulnerable to attract numerous health issues. In this consideration, an awareness initiative to uphold activities towards better health services and low level of diseases need to be put in place. Initiating a system that facilitates a collaboration of all stakeholders to warrant an efficient system that will reduce the gap existing among the people as a result of cultures can be managed with a program focusing on equality among the American people. The importance of radical science and innovation is key considering the diseases that are causing increased mortality, and thus in terms of reducing the disparity, the plan encourage innovative mechanism to be adopted to ensure the treatment is available. This can be accomplished through strengthening the American health human resources and infrastructures. Awareness of the factors that influence the eating style in terms of how much and what an individual eats can assist in making the appropriate eating choices. In America food is adequate and this poses options of something to eat especially unhealthy eating. In my nutrition plan, the issue of routine remains a priority to ensure people, upholds balanced meal while the children learn the cultural and social skills (Braithwaite, Austin and Taylor ). Highlighting of unhealthy food and discouraging them and encouraging the consumptions of fruits and vegetables. Nutrition plan Ensure your daily meal upholds balance diet. On this part avoid pre-packaged, frozen, microwavable and any other unhealthy food. Timing is a key factor that needs to be observed on issues of food to avoid eating many times in a day. Take one breakfast, lunch and supper and a snack in a day and uphold this diet. For breakfast, you need to take a strong one to have the energy for the day and should be nutritious and uphold balanced diet. Lunch should uphold balanced diet and adequate as well as dinner with avoidance of snacks and unhealthy eating prevailing. Benefits of physical activities As reflected above the African American have problems with weight with a big percentage suffering from obesity. Obesity and overweight lead to energy imbalance where people consume more calories as compared to those being burnt. The calories burnt are determined by many factors such as age, gender, and body size among others, but the activities performed is the most variable factor. Activities can assist people to maintain weight, lose weight and keep it lowered the risk of heart diseases, hypertension, stroke, diabetes among others. Adopting this strategy among the African American community the level of health issues and the mortality rate will reduce significantly. To implement the strategy in an effective way can be through sensitizing the people through the available media sources on the importance of physical activities. Through this mechanism, adopting a foundation that aims at enlightening the African American on the importance of checking the weight and assisting them in various ways to activities they can engage into work on their body weight. Though the foundation might not reach every person, but the sensitization remains the key factor to manage body weight and other lifestyle activities that subject them to continuing health problems (Jackson 4). The issue of inadequate knowledge of the measures that can be upheld to enable an individual to overcome issues of obesity, overweight, hypertension and heart diseases that are heavily associated with the mortality of the African American and the entire pop ulation of America. The economic stability of African Americans is way down as compared to other races in the country, and thus the issue, taking precautions remain a vital issue, and a foundation can be in a position to facilitate accomplishment of this issue. The foundation is in a position to raise enough money that is required to enable the mobilization and sensitization of the people on the importance of clean environment. Cleanliness reduces the transmission of diseases, and thus, despite the few health amenities in this area, knowledge remain a substantial among the people to prevent themselves from diseases. The education will also involve the significance of balanced diet and observe the mode of feeding as a way to reduce health problems. The inadequate knowledge on the best diet to control the increasing of calories and cholesterols in the body requires this program to enlighten people on the best way to balance the physical activities and the calories taken. The foundation also understands th e gap that exists on the issue of understanding how insurance works and the importance of being insured either by the government or a private insurance company. Through the foundation that specifically focus on bettering and enlightening the people in the various ways, they can naturally avoid health issue could highly reduce the health problems aiming the African American community as well as the other communities in America. Conclusion Disparities in health care in America are relevant and requires substantial policies to reduce or even equate every person in the country. As reflected in the paper the African American are disadvantaged in various ways subjecting them to poor health care. However, the adoption of the right programs, equality, and health care services that fit all American can be attained. Airhihenbuwa, Collins O., and Leandris Liburd. Eliminating Health Disparities in the African American Population: The Interface of Culture, Gender, and Power. Health Education Behavior (2006): 3-14. Braithwaite, Ronald L, John N Austin and Sandra E Taylor . Health issues in the black community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2013. BRANNON, LINDA. Health Psychology: An Introduction to Behavior and Health. Belmont: CENGAGE LEARNING, 2017. Jackson, Allen W. Physical Activity for Health and Fitness. Leeds : Human Kinetics, 2004.

How Do Eye witness Testimonials Affect Jury Decision Making

How Do Eye witness Testimonials Affect Jury Decision Making A mock-jury scenario was conducted to evaluate the effects that eye-witness testimonies had on 139 participants. In order to study the true affects the testimonies have on decision making process, eye-witness testimonies were manipulated into 3 different categories (credible eye-witness, discredited eye-witness and no eye-witness). Evidence by the prosecution and defence sides were also presented and were consistent across the three independent variable groups. In the past many theorist felt that inconsistencies in eye-witnesses testimonies have been the cause of many wrongful convictions (Neufeld, 2008; Wagstaff et al., 2003). These past beliefs have resulted in the development of this study and the hypothesis that, having any sort of eye-witness present would cause a dramatic influence in generating more guilty verdicts by the participants. However the study results were found to be inconclusive in supporting our hypothesis and possible reasons for this, as well as future studies w ere discussed. How Do Eye-witness Testimonials Affect Jury Decision Making? In a courtroom, jury members are presented with many forms of evidence in order to help manipulate the decision making process. A commonly used form of evidence that is presented by the prosecution side is called an eye-witness testimony. An eye-witness testimony is an observation that a third party had to a crime or incident that took place. The eye-witness will testify as to what they saw and also try to identify who committed the crime. As stated by Bradfield and Wells (2000), in 1972 in the case of Neil vs Biggers the court declared that for an eye-witness testimony to be valid, 5 criterias had to be met. These were (1) certainty of suspects identification, (2) quality of view the witnesses reports having of the suspect, (3) attention paid to suspect, (4) the degree to which the witnesses description of suspect match that of defendant and (5) time that has elapsed between witnessing crime and identification of suspect. These 5 criteria were later known as the 5 Biggers criteria. According to Rutledge (2001), eye-witness testimonies in most cases are amongst the most important forms of evidence that is presented. However it must be contrasted that although testimonies are an aid for decision making, there is a wide acceptance that eye-witness evidence is frequently unreliable and inaccurate (Neuschatz et al., 2007; Rutledge, 2001). Scholars have theorised that the acceptances of unreliable testimonies by jury members are largely the result of the high confidence level displayed by eye-witness at correctly identifying the suspect, when in fact they were incorrect (Luss Wells, 1994; Wells, Ferguson Lindsay, 1981). A possible cause to explain how these high confidence levels develop in an eye-witness has been linked to what theorist call the feedback effect. It was shown that feedback comments by police such as, well done or good, you identified him during interviewing process, had dramatic effects on the eye-witnesses confidence (Luss Wells, 1994; Wells Bradfield, 1998). Koriat, Lichtenstein and Fischhoff (1980, as cited in Wells, Ferguson Lindsay, 1981), went further and stated that this feedback led to eye-witnesses thinking of reasons that further supported the decision they have made regarding who they identified and the circumstances of the crime they felt they had observed. Rattner (1988, as cited in Bradfield Wells, 2000), further states that acceptance of mistaken identification is the largest single cause of wrongful conviction. Rattners statement was further demonstrated by mock-jury studies undertaken where it was shown that although there were inconsistencies in eye-witness testimonies, the majority of jury members delivered a verdict that the defendant was guilty (Lindsay, Wells OConnor, 1989; Wagstaff et al., 2003). Therefore because of the ever-increasing debate as to the reliability and validity of the statements made and the consequences it has in the jury decision making process, research into eye-witness testimonies is a valuable area of study. In the study it was hypothesised that firstly, having any sort of eye-witness will incur more guilty verdicts over non guilty verdicts. Secondly, it is hypothesised that with the presentation of a witness, the probability or confidence level that the suspect is guilty should increase over that of having no witness. Therefore the more credible a witness is, the more probability the participants should show of having a guilty verdict. Method Participants The study comprised a total of 139 PYB 102 students from Queensland University of Technology. Participants were recruited for this study by means of a consented volunteering process held during a tutorial session. The total number of students comprised of 107 females and 32 males whose age range varied between 17 to 51 years of age. This equates to an average age of 21.8 years and a standard deviation of 7.5 years. Design All participants were presented with an identical argument by the prosecution and defence lawyers, however the information regarding the eye-witness testimony were altered for participants to form 3 different points of view regarding the eye-witness testimony. Therefore, the independent variables in this study were the 3 different arguments that were presented regarding eye-witness testimonies (no eye-witness, discredited eye-witness and a credible eye-witness). The 2 dependent variables which were the outcomes of this study were the guilty or not guilty verdicts and the participants probability (confidence level) at the suspect committing the crime. Material Participants were given a sheet stating the crime scenario with relevant facts about the crime, suspect, circumstances of the arrest and evidence presented to jury in court. Other materials used in this study were pen and paper questionnaire. The questionnaire required a choice between a guilty or non guilty verdict along with a probability of guilt ranking from 0% to 100%. Procedure Each participant received information regarding a crime scenario. Information given, stated how the crime took place and how the suspect was arrested. Participants were also advised by the prosecution side of the evidence that was found in the suspects possession or on suspects hands and shoes. The defence team also presented their side, stating a counter-reason behind the evidence and possessions being claimed by the prosecution side. Participants were also given information regarding eye-witness testimonies. The information regarding eye-witness testimonies were used as an independent variable in the study and were altered into 3 scenarios which affected the accuracy of the testimonies. Group 1 was presented with information that had no eye-witness statements while group 2 was presented with an eye-witness who had witnessed the crime but was not wearing his glasses at the time and was legally declared blind. Group 3 was presented with an eye-witness who claimed to have seen the incident and had no issues regarding his sight. After being presented with all the information, participants were asked to do two separate tasks. Task 1 was a categorical task whereby participant had to select whether they felt the suspect was guilty or not guilty. The second task was to numerically state the probability that the suspect was guilty. This confidence level had a possible value which ranged from 0% probability (absolutely not confident that suspect committed the crime) to 100% probability (absolutely confident the crime was committed by suspect). Results Table 1 shows the decisions made by participants of guilty vs not guilty, while table 2 shows how probable the participants felt the suspect was guilty based on the eye-witness testimonies they were presented. Table 1. Decisions Made by Participants Based on Eye Witness Testimony. Experimental Condition Guilty Not Guilty No witness 15 (33%) 30(67%) Eye-witness 21(45%) 26(55%) Discredited eye-witness 7(15%) 40(85%) Table 2. Probability that Participants Felt Suspect was Guilty Based on Eye-Witness Testimony. Experimental Probability suspect Standard Condition Is Guilty Deviation No witness 45.22 22.36 Eye-witness 50.10 21.93 Discredited eye-witness 36.38 19.24 Discussion Results found that the percentage differences in guilty verdicts across all three groups were statistically significant using a chi-square test of independence which concluded that p = 0.007 existed ( x2 (2, N=139) = 9.94). Also the only probability or confidence level that was shown to be significant using independent sample t-test was only apparent between the difference in the eye-witness group and discredited eye-witness group. It was found that participants had a higher percentage of not guilty votes when presented with either a credible witness or a discredited witness and therefore the first hypothesis has been found to be inconclusive. As stated by Hosch, Beck, and McIntyre (1980), a majority of not guilty verdicts may have been chosen by jurors not because they felt that the defendant was innocent, rather they may have felt the evidence and eye witness testimonies had not proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The second hypothesis was also found to be inconclusive in that although we expected having an eye-witness (discredited or credible) would have a higher probability or confidence level than having no eye-witness, our results contradicted this by showing that the no eye-witness group had more guilty verdicts than the discredited eye-witness group. However, in partial support of the second hypothesis, it must be noted that having a credible eye-witness did produce a higher probability of guilt than having no eye-witness. This outcome could be explained by the fact that participants understood the implications of guilty verdicts based on information which do not prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Another point to note is participants have access to internet websites that highlight information regarding suspects who were originally guilty due to evidence such as eye-witness testimonies, but have been exonerated through DNA testing. As supported on their website by Scheck and Neufeld (2008), eye-witness identification is frequently inaccurate and that eye-witness misidentification is the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions that were overturned through DNA testing. Another study which supports the second hypothesis is summarised by Kennedy and Haygood (1992), who states the discrediting of an eye-witness will undermine any influence the witness had on the decision making process. Limitations of this study included factors such as the study was a theoretical case and hadnt truly represented all factors that would be presented in a real courtroom, this included the limited evidence presented. Another point to note is that because of the theoretical example, participants couldnt incorporate true emotions that jurors felt when presented with in-depth evidence in real court situations such as the violent nature of crimes. Secondly participants with prior exposure to jury exposure may have a different outlook to decision making compared to participants who havent had previous exposure. These limitations could help devise future studies by comparing studies with only non-exposed jury participants against exposed participants. In summary, it has been found that this study was inconclusive to determine if the hypothesis could truly be rejected. Therefore it would be advisable to perform further studies in the future in order to further develop a better understanding on how eye-witness testimonials affect jury decision making process.

augustine :: essays research papers

Augustine "I loved the happy life but I feared to find it in Your house and so I ran from it even as I sought after it. I thought that I would be miserable if I were kept from a woman's arms. I did not believe that a cure for this disease lay in Your mercy; I had no experience of such a cure. I believed that continence was within a man's own powers, though I was unaware of such a power within me. I was a fool and did not know - as it is written [in Scripture] - that no man can be continent unless You grant it to him. And this You surely would have given to me if, with inward groanings, I had knocked at your ears and with a firm faith had cast my many cares upon You." (from The Confessions, Book 6, Chapter 11, circa 397-400 A.D.) Augustine was born in A.D. 354 in the town of Thagaste in Algeria. His father was a pagan and his mother was a devout Christian. Augustine was educated as a rhetorician in the former North African cities of Tagaste, Madaura, and Carthage. Augustine died in A.D. 430 identifying himself as the supreme â€Å"doctor of grace.† Augustine is, arguably, the greatest theologian-philosopher of all time. Some elements of Platonism can be seen in Augustine’s teaching. His view of the world is Platonic, there is the outer and the inner world, the lower and the higher, the sensible and the intelligible, and the carnal and the spiritual. To become wise requires a movement of the mind inwards and upwards to God, an opening of the mind to truth which provided the mental vision that has been purified by faith. His theme of the divine in the world and in man is more biblical than Platonic, which allowed him to regard the material world with a reverence that would be impossible for a Platonist. His doctrine of evil as no-thing, a privation, is different from both Platonic thought and Manichaeism. A philosophical question faces Christians, and in fact all theists, that challenges the belief in God. To theists, God is an omnipotent, perfect God. He is good. Theists accept this, and embrace it, for how else can they worship God and give their lives to Him unless He is good? However, in this world, everything is consumed by evil. If God is the author of all things in this world, and he is good, theists must then ask themselves what is evil and where it came from.

The Always Present Mother Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Always Present Mother   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man† (Gen. 2:23). History has shown us that the â€Å"Great Mother† archetype has been with society since the beginning of time. Through stories, songs, poems and thoughts, man has always found the need for the â€Å"Mother† and the women that make this archetype possible. Some are consider myths and legends, while others have been documented in history. Regardless of what they have done or thought to have done, they have made an impact on the way man foresees woman. I will discuss three women characters that play a role in the mother archetype, and explain why these rolls are important to their culture. Demeter will be the first goddess in this examination on the mother archetype, followed by Isis. These women are man made stories, to try and help explain why certain things are the way they are. The last mother archetype I will di scuss was a woman that is still worshipped today, and with the help of man made stories, she has become immortal. This woman is the Virgin Mary. Before this is discussed, I will explain what an archetype is and what traits and similarities one must have to become a â€Å"Mother Archetype†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The mother archetype is a term derived from a man by the name of Carl Gustav Jung. Jung was a predecessor of Sigmund Freud. â€Å"According to Jungian psychology the archetypes of the collective unconscious are manifested in similar mythological motifs which are universal†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Trachy and Hopkins 166). Jung defines a archetype in many ways. Archetypes appear in conscious as a universal and recurring image, pattern or motif representing a typical human experience. Archetypal images come from the collective unconscious and are the basic concepts of religions, mythologies, legends and Arts†¦they emerge through dreams and visions†¦they convey a sense of transpersonal power which transcend the ego. (Jung 46) The ego is the center of the consciousness and the base of the individual’s experience of subjective identity. The mother archetype has definite qualities of her own, such as, life giving, wisdom, and nurturing traits. Not all the traits of the mother archetype are good. There is the evil side of the mother archetype as well, such as, darkness, witchery and death. All these aspect... ...left at the realization that they are thoughts. These goddess or mother archetypes are brought into our societies to teach man and woman the values in each other. To restore balance in one’s lives. Demeter, she helped to explain strange occurrences in Greece as well as reveal the importance of woman’s traits to give life. Isis, she kept the Egyptian nation strong and united during her reign by being everything at once. Mary, she has had mercy brought into the Christian beliefs against the sometimes stern male God. All three characters are important throughout history, and have managed to keep their legends alive. Works Cited Engelsman, Joan C. The Feminine Dimension of the Divine. Pennsylvania: Westminster Press, 1997. Epiphanius, Heresies. In Mary In The Document of the Church. Palmer, P.F. ed. London: Burns Oats, 1953. Holy Bible. New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997. Hopkins, P., & Trachy, C.L. The Study of Story. North Carolina: Hunter Textbooks Inc.,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1996. Jung, C.G. Collected Works, Volume 9, Part1, Archetypes & the Collective Unconscious.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1968 (1933)