Dealing With Insider Trading In Business Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1366 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? The financial services play a vital role in the UK economy. Banks, pension funds, professional trade bodies, individuals and stockholders are engaged in this complex process. All participants try to raise capital and gain from trading using range of methods. This can be a cause of different types of behaviour of the participants. Seven types of behaviour as defined in section 118 of FSMA are the civil offence and the first of them is an insider dealing. Insider dealing when an insider deals, or tries to deal, on the basis of inside information. (FSMA, section 118). In other words insider dealing is using information which should be confidential in making investment decisions. Knowledge of a piece of confidential information and using any information that is not publicly available can lead to a different outcomes such as destabilising markets, decreasing of market efficiency, damaging companies and their shareholders and undermining investor confidence. From these points it can be seen that insider dealing is the threat to the stable and fair operation of financial markets and is considered as an offence. For this reason, the law and regulatory bodies of the UK stock market play very important role. In the case of insider dealing there are always guilty insiders and victims because any profit accruing to an insider means a loss to other participants i.e. victims (Mervyn and Ailsa, 1993). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Dealing With Insider Trading In Business Finance Essay" essay for you Create order Insider trading was not considered as criminal offence at the beginning of the twentieth century. It became a criminal offence in the UK since 1980 when sections 69-73, Part V of the Companies Act 1980 came into force. Part V of the 1980 Act was re-enacted in the 1985 Company Securities (Insider Dealing) Act 1985 and finally amended by the Financial Services Act 1986 (MAD). The SFO and DTI dealt with insider dealing but serious cases of insider dealing didnt disclose. This was the result of problems in detection, limited resources and high cost of prosecution. (GP Gilligan Regulating the Financial Services Sector 1999, chapter 6, p.186). Further reform came from the European Community in 1989 and as a result implementation of the Directive in the UK resulted in Part V of the Criminal Justice Act 1993. The Criminal Justice Act 1993 (CJA 1993) represented an extension of the basis of liability for the insider dealing offence. The offence of insider dealing is set out in Section 52(1) o f the CJA 1993. The elements of the offence have detailed definitions which are contained both within primary and secondary legislation. There are three ways in which individual can commit an offence under the Section 52: dealing in securities; encouraging another person to deal in securities; disclosing inside information (CJA 1993). Under the Section 57 of CJA 1993 there are two types of insider: a primary insider is a person who has direct knowledge of inside information; secondary insider is a person who knows inside information from the inside source. Overall, Part V of the CJA 1993 presents a wider definition of securities and insider than the Act 1985. Large cases have been prosecuted under the CJA 1993 but it was very difficult to detect and prove an offence under the criminal law because of the high evidentiary requirements to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the guilt of the defendant. Today there is a huge amount of information available for people and hence a wide range o f reasons present to explain their actions. That is why it can be impossible to detect and often cases are built on circumstantial evidence. The CJA 1993 mostly focuses on individuals prosecution and ignore corporations because the term individual excludes corporations (Kern Alexander, Insider dealing and market abuse: the financial services and markets act 2000, Working paper No.222, 2001). UK is a leading interantional financial centre and its position depends on its reputation as clean and fair market. So it became necessary to complement existing criminal law and fill the gap. FSMA reduces this gap and makes the offence applicable to the corporations and individuals. Since 2000 insider dealing became one form of market abuse after the FSA was established and began to consider these as civil offence. FSA was established in 2000 under the FSMA 119 and now it is the single and main UK regulator which is responsible for authorizing and regulating financial services companies in the UK. The main objectives of FSA: market confidence; public awareness; financial stability; consumer protection; the reduction of financial crime. The regulation of insider dealing under these objectives is consistent with the market confidence, financial stability and the reduction of financial crime. FSMA gave the FSA new powers, a wide range of rule making and responsibilities such as to take action to prevent market abuse and to prosecute insider dealing. It can take actions for breaches of the FSAs Principles for Business. The following Principles for Business permits the FSA to impose a wide range of sanctions as penalties, banning individuals from the industry and rem oving authorised activities: integrity principle; skill, care and diligence; management and control; financial prudence; market conduct; customers interests; communications with clients; conflicts of interest; customers: relationships of trust; clients assets; relations with regulators (the official website of FSA). Under FSMA 119, the FSA is required to produce a Code of Market Conduct, indicating behaviour amounting to market abuse. The Market Abuse Directive (MAD) came into force in the UK on 1 July 2005 through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Market Abuse) Regulations 2005 and through changes to FSA rules (MAD). It is a common approach among EU member states. In 2005 it presented a Code of Market Conduct, which contains the standards that should be observed by anyone who uses the UKs financial markets in the UK or overseas. The Code brings transparency to all market users and everyone should be able to understand what standards are required when dealing on UK markets. As a result, insider dealing is one of the seven types of behaviour that constitutes market abuse under the MAD. These legislative changes provided FSA with the gteater flexibility and ability to choose between criminal or civil proceedings in relation to insider dealing. The complex nature of insider dealing cases requires the FSA to work with the agencies such the Serious Organised Crime Agency, City of London Police and other crime detection agencies. Criminal Cases for insider dealing since 1981 to 2010: total Cases number is 26, 15 of them are the cases regarding the offences being a financial adviser or acting on information from an adviser, only two cases considered as a rings. Civil Cases for Market Abuse since 2003 to 2010: total number of Cases is 37, 19 of them are regarding insider dealing. The largest case was the one of Shell. The result of his unprecedented misconduct in relation to misstatements of its proved reserves was the fine of pound;17 million (Barnes, Paul (2010): Insider dealing and market abuse: the UKs record on enforcement). Ethics means a set of moral principles and values which represent the main basis of Ethical behaviour. Ethical behaviour in the financial services industry is critical. Good ethical behaviour or high ethical standards can make the financial services industry credible and attract new investors. So, the public trust is the key element of successful financial services industry. The CFA institute provides the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct which teach market participants how to maintain good ethical behaviour in practise because in this industry where every day people handle other peoples money the opportunities to be unethical arise every day (H.Kent Baker, CFA, Good Ethics: an overview, 1994). 1.Insider Trading sp4, Jan 1988, Ailsa Rouml;ell, Mervyn Allister King 2. Barnes, Paul, Insider dealing and market abuse: the UKs record on enforcement. MPRA Paper No. 25585 (October 2010). Available at https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/25585/ 3. https://www.9bedfordrow.co.uk/92/?form_87.replyids=1 Abbas Lakha QC , Matthew Banham, 1 April 2010 The FSA and insider dealing 4. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1993/36/section/52 CJA 1993 (Abbas Lakha QC, Matthew Banham The FSA and insider dealing April 2010). 5. INSIDER DEALING AND MARKET ABUSE: THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000, ESRC Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge, Working Paper No. 222, Kern Alexander, December 2001. https://ideas.repec.org/p/cbr/cbrwps/wp222.html 6. Good Ethics: An Overview H. Kent Baker, CFA AIMR Conference Proceedings, April 1994, Vol. 1994, No. 4:1-7. Abstract| PDF(489K)| Linked PDF(503K)| Related https://www.cfapubs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.2469/cp.v1994.n4.1

Marketing Analysis Health Marketing Communications Essay

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In this regards, a better understanding on the c haracteristic of Gen Y and their communication preference had guided the researcher more appropriately select content marketing representatives for conducting the primary research. 2.3. Health marketing communications This section has been divided into two dimensions, the former focuses on the strategies that were widely used to support the effective communication within the healthcare industry, but in a different way; Social Marketing and Content Marketing. However,Show MoreRelatedPet Health Insurance For Pet Owners1704 Words   |  7 PagesDuring week four, while doing an analysis on potential or existing competition we found pet health insurance has an increase in the United States where pet owners are starting to purchase health insurance for their dogs and cats. Even though pet insurance has increased in the United States, it still doesn’t compare to the pet insurance that pet owners have for their pets in Europe. 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Impact Public Management Health Social Health And Social Care Essay Free Essays

string(24) " between 1500 and 1800\." ( Question and Undertaking ) What is New Public Management? Critically discuss the impact of New Public Management on the bringing of Health and Social Care in the UK? New Public Management ( NPM ) , as the name indicates is a new planetary phenomenon, which shifts the focal point of public disposal to a more up-to-date public direction. Through NPM, the modern direction techniques holding their beginning in the private sector, is happening application in to the populace sphere besides. Moore et Al. We will write a custom essay sample on Impact Public Management Health Social Health And Social Care Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now ( 1994:13 ) high spots that â€Å" the cardinal feature of NPM is the attempt to originate or imitate, within those subdivisions of the public service that are non privatized, the public presentation inducements and, the ordinance and control that exist in a market environment. † NPM is no more an Anglo-Saxon phenomenon, as it was thought ab initio ; it is a planetary tendency. There are several factors lending to new public direction reforms in a state: societal, economic, political factors to pick the most of import. Technological factors like the rapid growing of information engineering to play a cardinal function as a taking factor towards NPM reforms. In the instance of most developed states, the changeless demand for increased efficiency of bringing of public services through cost cuts has accelerated the thrust for NPM. There was a demand for extremist alterations in the direction of the authorities with the chief aim of increased efficiency, effectivity of the system as a whole and economic system of running it ( Metcalfe and Richards, 1990 ) . In the recent old ages, the construct of public assistance province has undergone considerable alterations and up steps, as per the demand in the society, and this has challenged the traditional construct of province ‘s duties with regard to public services. The increased credence gained by the alleged ‘neoliberal thoughts ‘ in the 1980s and thenceforth has redefined these traditional constructs. Harmonizing to these neoliberal constructs, economic efficiency can be achieved merely through market competition, which offers free market pick to the populace ( Massey, 2005 ) . However, the instance of most developing states is different. There, chiefly external force per unit areas, which were strengthened after financial and economic crises they faced in the 1970s, have driven the NPM reforms. These include loaning conditions and other models imposed by external loaning bureaus like the IMF, World Bank, etc and their changeless accent on structural accommodations in the name of good administration. The increased usage of international advisers for structural reforms has surely added to this tendency, and they act as â€Å" alteration agents † for the reform processes. Decentralization of direction at assorted degrees within public services is the most of import component of NPM. This include the sloughing of governmental duties like the degeneration of fiscal control by the authorities through one-year budgets and the institutional restructuring steps like puting up of independent bureaus. Public services are thrown unfastened to competition by increased usage of markets like undertaking out of cardinal maps. The accent displacement to client orientation through high quality public presentation and better end products. Downsizing of authorities mechanism needed for the specific undertaking, and the spreading civilization of user charges are of import facets associated with NPM. In the instance of a figure of crisis provinces, reform of province owned endeavors have taken the challenge of reforms through undertaking out its cardinal operations associated with bringing of public services. Performance contracts are given in the instance of public public-service corporations like conveyance and electricity where the province retains the answerability for public presentation. Transparency of maps signifiers portion of the nucleus values of NPM. Contestability and value for money are similar of import values of NPM. NPM introduces and puts a type of quasi markets in topographic point. The wellness attention systems in UK can be viewed as an illustration of this. Again, private money is allowed to flux in freely, as in the instance of University fees in UK. In the procedure of coaction between two organisations, as portion of the NPM reforms, their civilizations play a critical function. The integrating of civilizations must non take to tensenesss and misgiving and hence forced integrating is non good for anyone. But at the same clip, culturally different organisations, if merged together, can be able to make a synergism and may be able to organize an advanced entity. Wherever implemented, NPM has been successful in power displacements towards new equilibriums. The strengthening of senior general direction and weakening of trade brotherhoods can be seen in this context. There is a tendency to authorise consumers of services in topographic point of public sector manufacturers ( Powell, 2007 ) . 2.0 New Public Management in UK The new reforms in UK started in the twelvemonth 1979 under the premier curate ship of Mrs. Margaret Thatcher. The mechanism was called â€Å" Prior option reappraisal † and was intended to analyze the activities of assorted authorities sections. For more than a century, UK populace sector was dominated by the old Public Administration original where probity and due procedure was emphasized more than existent results. The NPM original comes as a replacement to this old original and this is an illustration of a successful original alteration ( Greenwood et al, 1993 ) . It had the twin steering rules of directors and markets. Though due to widespread public sentiment, the NHS ( National Health Service ) was non privatized, this was thrown unfastened for competition. Two typical organisations were created: the DHAs ( District Health Authorities ) and hospital trusts. The DHAs were responsible for the wellness attention in a designated geographical country. They were granted specific budgetary support based on the population they were designed to provide. The position of infirmary trusts were modified into independent trusts in topographic point of their earlier â€Å" not-for-profit † position. A fund-holding strategy was besides introduced, through which the DHAs transferred their budget to group patterns depending on the class of patients and their figure. The figure normally varied between 1500 and 1800. You read "Impact Public Management Health Social Health And Social Care Essay" in category "Essay examples" The doctor who holds the fund on behalf of the patients is required to negociate with infirmaries and private clinics straight and take the most cost effectual wellness attention. This passage was non all of a sudden, but took about 20 old ages to make the full-blown province. The alterations were slow and limited in the beginning, as they started with the debut of the general direction. However, the procedure gained impulse later on and the quasi market experiment of 1990s was synoptically restructured. But since 1997 there was few harnessing back of market finding forces, particularly in sectors like primary wellness attention. However, in other sectors, the private finance flow has steadily been increasing. With in wellness attention systems of audit public presentation direction and assessment mechanisms have steadily improved and matured. Managerial functions have been more and more detailed. General direction was introduced and clinical professionals and physicians were bit by bit involved in the direction of wellness attention system. They performed the function of portion clip directors. This had the consequence of a displacement in power focal point within wellness attention systems. The managerial block emerged as the clear victor of the conflict for power equilibriums with in wellness attention organisations. The liberty of clinical professionals was no more absolute and their trade brotherhood dickering power has been well weakened ( Felie et. Al, 2002 ) . Therefore, every bit far as UK wellness attention sector is concerned, it can be boldly said that the NPM original has grown in to a full-blown province. Peoples have started to take the one time fresh ways as taken for granted. Kitchener in 1998 pointed out that the advancement towards a â€Å" Quasi market original † was about complete. However, there was a powerful clinical presence in topographic point of a simply managerial government. The word ‘quasi market ‘ is used because although market mechanisms have been introduced, it has to run with in some major restraints, which are absent in the private sector. The most of import of these restraints is that, the handiness of financess in the market is determined by the authorities each twelvemonth through the budgets. Therefore, no participant in the market can increase the entire size of the market. 3.0 NPM and Performance of UK in Health Care Among the states of the European Union, UK has a relatively low cost wellness system. It spends about 6.7 % of its GDP on wellness, where as it is 10.6 % in Germany, 9.6 % in France, and 8.6 % in Netherlands. But in footings of public presentation, UK has a comparatively better place in malice of such lower disbursement. It is placed 14th on a list of 29 states of the OECD in footings of critical indexs like infant mortality. In the instance of life anticipations besides the image is non that bad. If we take the illustration of USA with mostly private participants in the wellness attention sector, the disbursement is much more in footings of per centum of GDP, but its public presentation is non so attractive in comparing with other industiralised states. This raises echt uncertainties on the premise that public wellness attention system is ever inferior and under executing in comparing to a private system ( Dawson et. Al, 2002 ) . The chief characteristic of the populace sector in UK is its uninterrupted public presentation measuring. This includes marks set antecedently in a centralised mode, the regular coverage of the informations and steps to modulate the system behavior through wagess and punishments. Clarkson ( Clarkson et. Al, 2009 ) point out that the societal attention establishments in UK have improved their public presentation over the old ages after the NPM reforms, whereas the corresponding state of affairs in Northern Ireland is more or less inactive. Different types of evaluations are used for the intent. There are many public presentation arrows, which are clearly mapped on to drumhead studies of a New Performance Management System analysis. But there are unfavorable judgments that direction in action of a heath attention system seek to pull strings inspectors for accomplishing higher evaluations than they deserve ( Ferguson, 2009 ) . In the instance of NPM reforms of wellness attention in UK, some argue that it is dubious whether the competition ushered in as portion of the reforms has lead to improved wellness results in existent footings. The application of NPM has given topographic point for larger suppliers like insurance companies and large infirmaries, but the existent betterment in the wellness attention is still problematic ( Simone, 2008 ) . The most of import unfavorable judgment of NPM is that it has a inclination to concentrate on the procedure instead than the results ( Glasby, 2008 ) . Therefore, it is like seeing the forests and non the forest. The integrating becomes an terminal in itself, instead than going a agency to an terminal, Internet Explorer ; integrating of assorted procedures to hold the consequence of improved service bringing to the users. Most of the researches besides give undue importance to the procedure of integrating without giving equal attending to the jobs originating out of that. For the successful execution of NPM, the context of reforms, i.e. how good the bing system is working and what is the demand for integrating should be clearly borne in head. Then the specific constructions needed to accomplish the coveted results must be carefully designed. The focal point should be on give voicing the possible benefits in positive footings. E.g. in the recent reforms in kids ‘s servicesA in UK, alternatively of ‘preventing the maltreatment on kids ‘ the focal point was on more wide construct of ‘keeping kids safe and good ‘ . Another of import thing is to be unfastened and true, particularly to avoid misgiving and cynicism. The donees of the procedure can be the users of the services, the staff or the organisation itself. It is of import to specifically province that who is chiefly benefited. Sometimes there is a inclination that the confederates may truly be seeking benefits for the spouses, but creates an feeling that it is all done for the benefit of the users of services ( Glasby, 2007 ) . There are besides academic deliberations on the consequence of NPM on the basic moralss and values of public services. It is widely criticized that NPM has eroded the equity, nonpartisanship and probity of public services and has damaged the â€Å" human face † of these cardinal services. If person assumes that the acceptance of NPM reforms is good in all instances, it would be a hapless apprehension of the topic. Though there could be many advantages particularly in developed states, the acceptance of NPM in the instance of crisis provinces can be ( and would be ) debatable to a considerable degree. Therefore, execution of NPM reforms is non a Panacea in such instances. The public sector in such crisis provinces needs a more careful execution of the reforms and the extent of the reforms should be limited to selected sectors. How to cite Impact Public Management Health Social Health And Social Care Essay, Essay examples

Essay on Social Inequality of Health Example For Students

Essay on Social Inequality of Health The United States reportedly spends over $8,000 per person on healthcare annually. This amount is two-and-a-half times greater than any other developed country in the world (Kane, 2012). However, this is not reflected statistically in the morbidity and mortality rates of its citizens. Many may ask why and what are we missing. To answer these questions, one may need to look no further than their own town and community. In 2013, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported health disparities as a causative factor for the unchanging morbidity and mortality rates in the United States. The World Health Organization defines social determinants of health as â€Å"conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age†, and also identify them as the main cause for health inequalities worldwide (WHO, 2013). Health disparities affect people of all ages. The risk of dying before the age of 65 is over three times greater for citizens at the socioeconomic bottom of society than those at the top (Alder Stewart, 2007). The youngest citizens are not immune to these facts. Infants born to mothers with less than 12 years of education are twice as likely to die during their first year of life compared to those born to mothers with 16 or more years of education (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2008). Healthcare is a continually evolving and changing with aims of improving patient care, cost containment, and research that advances medications and procedures beyond expectations. The majority of focus is on disease processes and treatments. Therefore, the effects of lower economic status on personal health may not be receiving the attention it deserves. The nursing profession is in a unique position to assist in providing the advocacy, education, caring, and community involvement required to both look for causative factors and to identify possible solutions of social inequality of health (Lathrop, 2013). Nurses such as Florence Nightingale and Loretta Ford long ago worked tirelessly to lay the groundwork for correlating health and socioeconomic status (Lathrop, 2013). Outline1 Health Reform Goal and Cost Reduction2 Limitations and Barriers3 Role of the Advance Practice Registered Nurse4 Conclusion Health Reform Goal and Cost Reduction The idea of improving social determinants by expanding the role of nurses coincides with one major goal of health care reform, which is preventative care. Addressing social determinants through education provided to the community outside of an acute care setting along with the expansion of preventive care in the health reform policy both have the common goal of increasing the wellbeing of the community. Also, to increase access to healthcare and preventative care, â€Å"The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will bring substantial changes to the U.S Health care system over the next several years including a new emphasis on prevention and expanding coverage to 32 million currently uninsured Americans.† (Lathrop, 2013) The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) will also allow for a federal investment in a variety of preventative services and public health. Specifically, â€Å"A grant program will support community-based prevention services focused on reducing rates of chronic diseases and addressing health disparities† (Baker Institute Policy Report, 2012, p.3). While focusing on social determinants to health status through increased educational programs and community-based programs can decrease the cost of Medicare and Medicaid within the acute care setting, it can also increase the cost of Medicare and Medicaid in the community based setting (Baker Institute Policy Report, 2012, p.3). The ACA increases Medicare and Medicaid with an expansion of preventative services in hope of improving overall health. Improvement of overall health will in turn decrease the need for acute care facilities and therefore decrease the need to utilize Medicare and Medicaid coverage within an acute ca re setting. The expansion of preventative care will increase access to community-based programs and also increase job opportunities for health care workers. Crime and Social Inequality EssayTo alleviate health disparity, APRNs must go beyond traditional patient care and health promotion roles. Expanding scope of practice is essential to discover both where the inequities arise and how also to diminish these disparities (Williams et al., 2014). APRNs must become involved in community outreach and education to discover where services fall short for. This will also allow the APRN to know where to begin to advocate for changes in policies that create inequality among social ranks. According to the Dakota Nurse Connection (2012), collaboration with homeless shelters, social workers, and government benefits experts can also broaden the knowledge base of health care workers and aid in directing care. We must also become experts in local resources to direct our patients to available services. To ensure positive change, APRNs must familiarize themselves with the legal process and lobby for laws that will ease the burdens of lower income familie s in hopes of diminishing life stressors that cause an increase in health problems. We must also advocate for equality in public school quality for all children, and champion legislation that enables lower income students to achieve higher education (Lathrop, 2013). To provide quality care to all patients we must recognize that social status has a direct correlation with health. As APRNs, we will need to evolve and expand our scope beyond direct patient interaction to better advocate for our low income patients to ensure equity in care (Lathrop, 2013). References Adler, N., Stewart, J. (2007). Reaching for a healthier life: Facts on socioeconomic status and health in the U.S. The John D and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Socioeconomic Status and Health. Retrieved from http://www.macses.ucsf.edu/downloads/Reaching_for_a_Healthier_Life.pdf Baker Institute Policy Report. (2012). James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy of Rice University, 51,1-13. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. (2014). Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm on January 15, 2014. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. (November 22, 2013). CDC health disparities and inequalities report – United States, 2013. 62(3) p 3. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/other/su6203.pdf on January 19, 2014. Domrose, C. (2014). Gannett Healthcare Group. Nurse.com. Healthcare reform will make life busier for some NPs. Retrieved from http://news.nurse.com/article/20140113/NATIONAL05/140110003#.Utyo43l6jox on January 15, 2014. Kane, J. (2013). MacNeil Lehrer Productions. PBS Newshour. Health costs: How the U.S. compares with other countries. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/10/health-costs-how-the-us-compares-with-other-countries.html on January 19, 2014. Implementing the IOM Future of Nursing Report-Part II: The Potential of Interprofessional Collaborative Care to Improve Safety and Quality. (2012). Dakota Nurse Connection, 10(1) 1-8. Lathrop, B. (2013). Nursing Leadership in Addressing the Social Determinants of Health. Policy, politics nursing practice, 14(1), 41-47. doi:10.1177/1527154413489887 Mahoney, D., Jones, E. (2013). Social Determinants of Health in Nursing, Research, and Health Policy. Nursing Science Quarterly, 26:280. Mogford, E., Gould, L., DeVoght, A. (2011). Teaching critical health literacy in the US as a means to action on the social determinants of health. Health Promotion International, 26(1), 4-13. doi:10.1093/heapro/daq049 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (RWJF, 2008). Overcoming obstacles to health: Report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the commission to build a healthier America. Retrieved from http://www.commissiononhealth.org/PDF/ObstaclesToHealth-Report.pdf Williams, S. D., Hansen, K., Smithey, M., Burnley, J., Koplitz, M., Koyama, K., Bakos, A. (2014). Using Social Determinants of Health to Link Health Workforce Diversity, Care Quality and Access, and Health Disparities to Achieve Health Equity in Nursing. Public Health Reports, 12932-36. World Health Organization. Social Determinants of Health. (May 7, 2013). What are social determinants of health?. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/social_determinants/sdh_definition/en/index.html on January 16, 2014.

The comparison of My Last Duchess and The Laboratory Essay Example

The comparison of My Last Duchess and The Laboratory Paper Both my last duchess and the laboratory are based on women; therefore it is surprising that the writer of both poems was Sir Robert Browning. However when looked at closely there is evidence of the complexity of women which is viewed in a male perspective. After thorough observation it has become clear that in these two poems Browning emphasises the following feelings; Love, Paranoia , Arrogance and Betrayal. The ominous and menacing atmosphere of these two poems reveal these abstract nouns in negative lights and sinister situations; hidden amongst these is the powerful sense of control, whether it’s the need to control a situation or person. In ‘My last Duchess’ this sense of control is reflected in the Duke and his obsession in power, although him and the Lady in ‘The Laboratory’ share this desire, the woman in the apothecary seems to have a stronger, more manic need for it than the duke. Throughout both poems it is quite clear that Browning and layered his poems with deep emotions causing the reader to explore different meanings to the story, but the more you layers you uncover the darker the meanings get†¦ While reading these two poems the influence of a male perspective is vividly shown which is to be expected as the author of the monologue is Sir Robert Browning. We will write a custom essay sample on The comparison of My Last Duchess and The Laboratory specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The comparison of My Last Duchess and The Laboratory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The comparison of My Last Duchess and The Laboratory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Two types of women are illustrated in the poems, in Browning’s monologue of ‘My Last Duchess’ it seems that the duke enjoys protecting the girl and wrapping her around cotton wool which may explain his jealously when his bride received other gifts. However In ‘The Laboratory’ the angry wife seems to be deranged as a result of being ignored from her husband. Either way the poems both reflect on the dominance of the male in a relationship, indicating the reason of taking advantage of their partner. This may also be why men think they can cheat on their spouse, which drives them towards the deranged state that is portrayed in The Laboratory. Throughout both poems Browning covers four main emotions; love, paranoia, betrayal and arrogance, which act as base for romance; not the stereo-typical type, in fact this may the kind of romance that maybe experienced in everyday life. Both monologues show the narrator in negative light, that is true, but there are two perspectives here to analyse. Lets take My Last Duchess as an example; the duke may as well be portrayed as a jealous, arrogant, controlling murderer who enjoys to abuse his power. Or you can view him as victim who is trapped in his own authority and his 900 year-old name. Hence forth when he sees his bride happy and smiling all the time while he is miserable, the duke may act out of jealousy or maybe even depression. Now if we take the two outlooks of The Laboratory we will recognize the same situations here. If the woman in the apothecary was a villain then readers would see her as an envious, paranoid, vengeful women with a disintegrating marriage; on the other hand she could also be viewed as a victim. A mentally unstable women deranged by betrayal, public humiliation and lack of attention from her husband. Adding on to the victim hypothesis the women may be controlled by her partner, maybe a threat of divorce? To avoid public humiliation she would do his bid? She could have had enough of the commands and decided to take her own actions? It is likely that the victim theory to be the correct one for just by the womens presence in the apothecary symbolizes her lifestyle. Why? Due to the ban and death sentence that comes with it, an apotheosis sells and makes poison at a extremely high price, implying her wealth ,lifestyle and status. That may be why she is so self-conscious, scared what people may think. Thus the woman at the apothecary and the duke are not at all un-a-like. The sharing of dark qualities is very clear in the two monologues because after you read both the room feels trapped in a eerie atmosphere. This may be due to the cleverly picked choice of words which give the poems both a feeling of passion and mystical madness. In The Laboratory Browning incorporated very delicate and feminine nouns whereas in the other verses he demonstrated the use of masculine sounds. In the fourth verse of the poem the women is simply awed at the products in the shops, â€Å"That in the mortar you call it a gum? Ah, the brave tree whence such gold oozings come! And yonder soft phial, the exquisite blue, Sure to taste sweetly, is that poison too? † The soft, feminine sounds let the poem take a lyrical and enchanting twist but when one focus on the words the whole thing becomes maniacal and macabre. When you listen you can her the adrenaline and crazed tone as she watches with wonder on ponders on the beauty of it all. This is what establishes that sinister ambiance. The verse above has the same principle but the masculine sounds of the words some how blunted and make the women’s intentions more direct, increasing the impact of the shudder-some effect that follows. â€Å"Grind away, moisten and mash up thy paste, Pound at thy powder, I am not in haste! Better sit thus, and observe thy strange things, Than go where men wait me and dance at the Kings. † Again by analysing Browning’s choice of words for his My Last Duchess monologue you can tell that in between the lines is the emotion of envy. The Dukes anger and pain are also made clear of, why is this? It seems that the duke feels trapped in his own wealth, power and status. He can-not be free of societys pressure for if he does 1000 great deeds and one mistake surely that one mistake will never be forgotten. Unless, he demands authority through fear. But how can society fear the duke when it seems that his newest wife never takes her role seriously? How can they fear him when all she, his other half, does is smile at everyone and accept foolish gifts such as mules and cherries? How dare she compare his gift, a 900 year-old name, with a four legged animal? It had to stop or the duke would lose his command and supremacy. He had to make an excuse for her death. And he succeeded. Was his love for her true? No. That is clear in the poem, its as if you can picture his smug grin, his satisfied tone when he says; â€Å"Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. † Punctuation can tell us much in poem. How the person is feeling, their tone of voice or intensions. In The Laboratory the poet has cleverly used his knowledge to pinpoint all of the above. For example when he has inputed commas and thus adding pauses it builds up tension and suspense encouraging interest and curiosity from the reader. Dashes are also used for pauses but they have a completely different effect, in fact when a dash is used it is either followed with a question mark or a exclamation mark. This indicates that the woman is excited and full of adrenaline but also impatient as she wants the task to be done with. On the other hand with My Last Duchess Browning cleverly used the same punctuations but caused them to produce different effects. By combining dashes and exclamation marks with the text we get a taste of the dukes bitterness and anger which he is trying hard to conceal. Those are when we see the real duke. In the monologue the duke tends to quote people but hinting sarcasm or making them a victim of ridicule. When using the comma the poet makes sure that the duke sounds composed, but also as if he is trying very hard to keep emotion out of his voice. Surprisingly by using the same technique of punctuation Browning has created to entirely different mind-frames for both narrators. In The Laboratory the women doesnt seem to care about expressing her feelings whereas in My Last Duchess the duke can think of nothing else other than concealing his emotions and thoughts. In conclusion My Last Duchess and The Laboratory are very similar. They both cover the four main emotions (love, paranoia, arrogance and betrayal) which results into the common eerie atmosphere. Their structures are the same but the perspectives of the characters are different ever though they may live the same wealthy lifestyle and last but not least both poems are focused on women. Whether its to do with deranged wives or abused ones, the poems reflect on the dominance of men in the world and the little things womenkind do to break loose from that firm hold. It may be poisoning lovers or refusing to be tamed. Whatever it may be this is a mans world but surely it is time for a change?

Gang violence in Brazil Favelas Case

Gang violence in Brazil Favelas Case This paper involves a description of the situation of gang violence in Brazil Rio de Janeiro Favelas. It also analyzes the growth of Favelas since 1980’s with a link to the debt crisis, economic transition and neo-liberalism reforms which have taken place in Brazil since then. The paper also brings forward the factors that have contributed to the rise of gang violence in Favelas.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Gang violence in Brazil: Favelas Case specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It also involves a research on the response of the government to the gang violence. Additionally, it brings forward the issues that have risen as a result of failure within government institutions. Such failures include instability and lack of democracy in these government institutions. These failures have made it hard to deal with the gang violence in the Favelas. This paper also proposes policies to be put in place to ensure t hat gang violence in Favelas is eradicated as a way of ensuring safe living in the shanty town (Perlman, 2009). Favelas is one of the largest slum areas in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. The slum area has a population of about one million people which is 20% of the Rio de Janeiro population (Vanden Gary, 2011). The inhabitants are mainly low income earners and job seekers who are new migrants into the city. There has been growing violence in the slum area which has largely been contributed by drug dealers. The dealers have turned for refuge in the slums since they see the area as a safer place without government interruptions. The gangs recruit the slum dwellers into the drug business where they use them as sales and delivery men. The violence has risen as these rival drug dealers gangs fight for control over the area. The violence has also resulted from the government forces, mainly the police, as they fight the drug dealers a situation which results into shoot outs between the two groups . Gang violence in Rio Favelas is growing day by day. Since the period of 1980-1990 to today, Favelas has grown to be one of the major insecure places in Rio de Janeiro. This has been on the increase due to the increase in population and lack of employment mainly among the youths. The control of the area has mainly been by the drug cartels that use the area as a centre for business where their shipments are received.Advertising Looking for term paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The rival drug cartels engage in shoot outs where they leave many innocent residents dead and their homes destroyed. The gangs control the police in the area in such a way that, the police have become corrupt because of their low pay and they receive bribes from the drug dealers to let them do their business freely. The other government forces have not solved the violence caused by the drug dealers. When the forces g et into Favelas, they are in a mission to fight with drug dealers, but they end up killing and shooting innocent residents going about their daily businesses. According to Perlman (2009), the reason behind the gang violence can be attributed to what he calls ingredients. The area has been discriminated by government agencies in that, there is no protection offered by the government in form of security. The discrimination is evident in the fact that, it took a series of decades for the Favelas to be included in the city maps. The residents have been subject to police harassment and mistreatment because they are treated as suspects. The topography of the area makes it an ideal hiding place for the gangs and other criminals. Neo-liberalism led to introduction of free trade, which led to, minimized trade restriction. Free trade meant goods would enter and leave Brazil without much hindrance. This led to importation and exportation of drugs by the drug cartels. The neoliberal policies ha ve also led to rural urban migration, which results to high levels of unemployment and leads the youths into the drug business. The presence of the high priced illegal commodity, the cocaine, has turned Favelas into a repackaging place. Favelas is used by the drug cartel for repackaging and redistribution of the drug to other parts of the world. This is due to the region’s proximity to the harbor. The cocaine causes rivalry among drug cartels as they fight to have large shares in the market. The increased volume of cargo transit, which is as a result of liberalization and globalization, makes it easier for drug traffickers to hide materials in all modes of transport during import and export. This makes the Favelas’ residents vulnerable both to the forces and to the drug dealers.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Gang violence in Brazil: Favelas Case specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The gang violence started way back in 1969 when the government placed political prisoners together in Ilha Grande prison. All the prisoners had a poor background and came from Favelas. They united to form a gang group but then government realized and separated them to different prisons where they further spread their gospel. After they left prison, the prisoners formed a group called Commando Vermelho (Red command or CV). These gangs and individuals engage in wars for the control of gangs and the market. The violence is characterized by use of sophisticated weaponry which has resulted from active arms trade. The gangs have gained access to highly rated weapons such as military based automatic and semiautomatic weapons which include AK47, MD2, FN FAL military assault rivals. This has made the drug dealers better equipped than the police a factor that has worsened the fight against drugs and violence. The fight between the police and the gangs has led into the death of many innocent residents who get caught in the ambush (Perlman, 2009). The return of democracy in Brazil led to the introduction of debt crisis management where the government required citizens to pay taxes. This in turn resulted into increased crime as a way of getting an immediate source of income among the poor slum dwellers. The gang’s access to drugs has been enabled by the introduction of neo-liberalism where trade was made free. The countries boarders were opened to foreign traders a move that allowed entrance of harmful goods such as weapons. The violence has been so much in the Favelas that some residents have opted to flee the area for safety. The gangs have continued to harass the residents by forcefully recruiting them into the drug. This has increased fear among the residents who have no one to turn to for protection. There are many factors which have led to the rise of the gang violence. Unemployment is one of the major causes of this violence. The largest numbers of youths who engage in this d rug trafficking business do it because they do not have any other source of employment.Advertising Looking for term paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Discrimination on color basis has a major role to play in this case in such a way that, many of the Favelas residents are blacks, and hence are discriminated when it comes to employment. They are also discriminated because they come from Favelas where there is a lot of poverty. According to Skidmore (2009), many young men do not engage gang violence because they want to, but because they have families to provide for and this seem to be the only source of income and employment. Socioeconomic factors are also attributed to the violence in Rio’s Favelas. The residents see the gangs as saviors because they provide social services such as employment and security which the government fails to provide. The government has discriminated the Favelas when it comes to the provision of basis services. This forces the residents to dig deep into their pockets to ensure they have such services that also include health services. The government also imposes high taxes on the citizens to sustai n its budget and settle its international debt. With this, the unemployed turn to the drug cartels where they seek employment and have high salaries. The social marginalization of the residents is another significant contributor to the violence. The residents are discriminated against because of their status and, therefore, to fight this discrimination they turn to drug business where they feel wanted and useful. Additionally, the residents do not feel as a part of the country and government. As a form of rebellion and away to t back at the government, the residents have been found to engage in criminal acts such as drug trafficking. The government’s efforts to eradicate the criminal acts have in most times failed. Poor access to education is another factor which has contributed to this violence. Many youths do not have access to quality education due to the high charges. This leads to a high number of school drop outs and in turn increases the unemployment level. The drop ou ts as an alternative turn to drug cartels for employment which does not require any education. Others engage in the drug trafficking because education is expensive and they have to provide their children with quality education. The governments response to the violence has not been a success to a certain extent. The Government had implemented a multi-million project to upgrade and eradicate the slums as a response to the violence. This however, received a lot of opposition from residents who could not afford the houses the government was providing. The government also suffered from limited funds, which so the collapse of the project while still in its first phase. The project was too expensive for the government to handle and the residents were not set to move to the new houses provided by the government. This meant the government had to think of a better way to solve the violence problem (Maria, 2003). Over the years, the government has tried now and again to drive the residents out of the Favelas. This has led to a lot of opposition since they have nowhere to go and can not afford better houses. The residents cry for the government to provide security and better social amenities has not been heard. The government has unveiled a project to provide better housing, sewerage system, healthcare and transport. The project also aims at providing security at four violence hotspots in the Favelas slum (Vanden Gary, 2011). The instability of government institutions has majorly contributed to this violence. The police accept bribes from the drug gangs to allow for the smooth operation of the gangs. This is as a result of poor pay meaning that they have o seek alternative means to acquire money. The military instead of providing the required security to the residents extort money from them and further threatens them with death. The government institutions also prove to be ineffective in that, cocaine gains entrance into the country through the country’s borders a nd yet they have forces guarding their territory (Skidmore, 2009). The government itself has failed in proving security in such areas as Favelas by employing few police officers and other armed forces. In most cases, officers are posted to the areas government feel pertinent to them. The government institutions have also discriminated such areas by not providing the required services to the residents. The implication in the government’s service provision is that, it serves only the wealthy and powerful. The government forces in Favelas are poorly equipped as compared to the drug gangs who have money enough to purchase powerful weapons (Foweraker, Landman Harvey, 2003). This implies that the forces are not in capacity to fight with the gangs. The government has failed in monitoring the trade in the region, hence an increased access to powerful weapons from the neighboring countries by the gangs. There is also failure at the ports and other transport terminus as they do not ta ke measures to eradicate drugs and weapons business. The government should strengthen its institutions so as to be able to fight the increased violence as well as drug trafficking (Maria, 1999). The government limits the rights of the residents by failing to provide them with main necessities. This forces the residents to find other alternatives to the problem. The government’s failure to provide residents with the necessary services forces them to engage in illegal activities which will earn them money or provide the necessities. The main threat to the residents is security and frequent harassment and mistreatment by the government forces. The restoration of democracy led to the introduction of liberalism which meant people were free to do trading (Foweraker et al., 2003). This meant that goods would move in and out of the country. This free trade has led to entry of weapons and cocaine in the country, and has limited the government’s power to fight with illegal trade s such as that of weapons and drugs (Maria, 2003). In conclusion, gang violence has been a serious threat to the security of Favelas residents and the country as whole. The violence has mainly affected the innocent residents who are in no way gang members or drug dealers (Vanden Gary, 2011). The violence has mainly increased due to the government’s failure; hence the government should work towards improvement of its policies towards Favelas. It should works towards improvement of employment services. This should be done in such a way that there is fairness in selection when it comes to employment meaning there is no discrimination. This will help the youths from the slum areas to have a fair chance of getting into the job field (Perlman, 2009). The government should also carry out reforms in the forces which will restrict them from harassing and mistreating innocent citizens and extorting money from them. The reforms should also include a pay rise to all forces, and the poli ce to ensure that they have enough. This will in turn help in eradicating bribery and ensuring equal and effective service to all. The government should increase the number of recruits into the forces to ensure that the police are enough in number to cater for the whole country. It should engage in talk with the gangs. The negotiations will reduce on the excessive force by both the gangs and government forces. This will also reduce on the deaths that arise from the shoot outs. The government should also monitor all the goods that gain entry and that exit the country to reduce and eradicate the trade of illegal and harmful goods such as cocaine and weapons (Maria, 2003). Additionally, it should provide better services especially education which will help in dealing with the increased rate of school dropout cases among the youths. This will ensure that no youths are dropping out of school due lack of school fees or lack of schools. It should also provide alternative housing to the res idents of the Favelas. The houses should also be affordable. The government should put all the recommendations in place so as to achieve success in the fight against drug dealers violence. This will ensure that no ill treatment is given innocent citizens (Richards, 2011). The government should revise its neoliberal policies to ensure that, no harmful products enter or leave the country. This will eliminate or reduce both drug trafficking and gang violence. References Foweraker, J. Landman, T., Harvey N. 2003. Governing Latin America. New York: Polity. Maria, C. 1999. Human insecurity. New York: Oxford University Press. Maria, C. 2003. Child of the dark. Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus. USA: Signet classics. Perlman, J. 2009. Favela: Four year of living on the edge in Rio de Janeiro. New York: Oxford University Press. Richards, D. 2011. Capital Class: The political Economy of Neo-Liberal reforms in Latin America: Critical Appraisal. New York: Conference of Socialists. Skidmore, T. 2009. Modern Latin America. New York: Oxford University Press. Vanden, H. Gary, P. 2011. Politics of the Latin America: the game power. New York: Oxford University Press.

The Church, Synagogue, Mosque or Temple Next Door Essay

The Church, Synagogue, Mosque or Temple Next Door - Essay Example The Gothic style has strong vertical features and sharply pointed arches (Passikoff 85). The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception follows a neo-Byzantine style because of its dome that is the main exterior feature (Figure 1), and because of large open spaces (Figure 2) and lavish mosaics inside (Figure 3). The Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery has a neo-Romanesque style because of its round arches (Figure 4) and pointed roofs (Figure 4), as well as barrel vaults (Figure 5). The Washington National Cathedral has Gothic style with its vertical emphasis (Figure 6) and interior columns and narrow windows (Figure 7). One of the oldest and nearest house of worship where I live is the Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery. Architect Aristide Leonori designed this church. The building started in 1898 and finished in 1899. The Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery has both Byzantine and Romanesque influences. It has a neo-Romanesque style because of its round arches and pointed roofs (Figure 1), as well as barrel vaults (Figure 2). There are also round arches outside and as part of the entrance of the church. These round arches are also designed with Christian word and sculptures (Figure 1). It also has several pointed roofs and heavy stonework (Figure 1). The outside facade of the church looks simple and dominated with horizontal lines. Aside from the Romanesque style, the church also has Byzantine influences because of its colorful mosaics and lavish decorations, aside from having large interior open spaces (Figure 2). Figure 3 shows colorful mosaic lavish decorations of the Portico. The arches and ceilings also have numerous colorful designs (Figure 2). Even the altar has a form of tall and ornamental structure around it which shows mixtures of Byzantine and Romanesque influences through having a

Skinny women in the Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Skinny women in the Media - Essay Example Skinny women in the Media It is therefore important to investigate the moral consequences of blind pursuit of dreams based on media images. The images that are actually altered on the media have led to the high rise in mental health problems and physical health deterioration. The reason why these images have gone deep into our minds is the increasing media coverage and forms. Statistical findings like with the bureau of Labor Statistics reports that a significant number of American populations spend more than half their time watching television. This is where the several body and beauty products are features as advertisement with celebrity models. Few people take their time recognize the manipulation of the media in respect of the images displayed on television or on magazine cover pages. Women are the greatest target of media as they seek to be beautiful so that they may identify with members of the society. The media has learnt this social behavior among women and has taken the opportunity to reap in profit s through posting photos of skinny women as the measure of beauty. Although this is a mere Photoshop work, the ordinary womenfolk believe in its existence and go to greater lengths seeking similar appearance. This is not naturally manageable and it is common to find variety of cosmetics and other beauty related diet requirements which the women have to buy in an attempt to achieve their objective. This works to the advantage of the misleading business community while they connive with media.

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES Research Paper

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES - Research Paper Example The whole process is often inefficient due to several documentation procedures that are often involved. The slow procurement processes are often disadvantageous to the government departments like the Department of Defense whose operations can be delayed with significance negative impacts on its mission attainment. In relation to this, the government through the congress intervened to develop procurement procedures that could be more efficient and cost-effective for relatively smaller purchases. The program was initiated in the early 1990s and has hard various improvements since then. The US General Accounting Office (GAO) has provided various reports that focus on the effectiveness of the program. This paper focuses on a 2001 report by GAO on the benefits of these new procurement procedures. The report indicated that the benefits of the procedures were not clearly demonstrated even though the executives believed in their effectiveness. Similar results were provided in another 2003 re port by GAO. 2. Simplified Acquisition by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) The Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAPs) are procurement procedures authorized by the Federal Acquisition Regulations to speed up the procurement process to the benefit of the two or more parties involved. The SAPs allow for quick procurement procedures through accelerating the evaluation and selection of the contracting officers and removing unnecessary documentation procedures that can slow the procurement process (US GAO, 2001, p.2; GAO, 2003, p.2). The use of these procedures was authorized in 1994 by the Congress and at this time, it only applied for the purchases not more than $100,000. Further adjustments were made on the simplified acquisition procedures in the subsequent periods. In 1996, the Congress allowed an extension of these procurement procedures to the purchases up to $5 million worth of products or services (GAO, 2003, p.3). The program removed some of the procedural requirements involved in procurement when purchasing products worth this value in a bid to improve the operations at the business organizations and the federal agencies. The program was instituted to serve the government and the business industry in a number of ways. Firstly, the program aims at reducing the administrative costs at the federal agencies due to the improved procurement process (Straight, 2004, p.1). Various personnel involved in the usual procurement procedures make the agencies incur some huge operations costs. Secondly, the programs are aimed at improving efficiency and economy in contracting. The initiatives enable small business organizations to have a better access to the government contract since the tedious and costly procedures are not involved (Straight, 2004, p.1). The program ensures that the burden on the contracting agencies is reduced. 3. The conditions for use of simplified acquisition procedures according to the FAR It has been stated that the simplified acquisiti on procedures were extended to the purchase of items no not exceeding $5 million in order to improve the efficiency and economy of the procurement process. It is then inappropriate to apply the procedures in the situations that these desired objectives cannot be met. For instance, it will not be economical to apply the procedures for a procurement exceeding the stated value. Section 13.003 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation stipulates the federal agenc

The Development Of Cyber Stalking

The Development Of Cyber Stalking Stalking is a criminal act that occurs when the offender repeatedly imposes unwanted disturbances and communications to victims by using premeditation to the extent of provoking fear for their safety (Pathe Mullen, 1997). Oddly, at first these acts can be seen as kind towards the victim, from an observers point of view. For example, it does not appear to be threatening at all when someone leaves messages, sends gifts and shows up in places where the victim habitually hangs around (Purcell, Pathe Mullen, 2004). However, if a person is trying to build-up a relationship that another person does not want to experience, (such as with a former partner, a famous person, or a professional) this results in intimidation and is considered as stalking (Regehr, n.d.). Stalking varies from harassing and threatening victims by following and tracking them, appearing at their doorstep or workplace, collecting photos and or videos of the target, making unwanted phone calls, sending gifts, letters and e-mails, intercepting any mail, and vandalizing property. Unluckily in the worst of cases stalking includes the threatening of victims families and friends, physical assault, and the kidnapping and holding of hostages (Regehr, n.d.). With the advances in technology and innovative equipment that fills our daily lives, crime is infiltrating into society by using cyberspace. The traditional stalker is now a cyber-stalker and essentially his/her grounds are limitless. In addition, the stalker now has no face because the comfort of using Information Technology enables the criminal to quietly stay indoors and carry-on with ones crimes anonymously and at a low cost. Although cyber stalking still uses the harassment principles as in traditional stalking, their victims are now found online. The cyber stalker now uses emails, internet, and chat rooms as his/her hunting grounds (Thapa, Kumar, 2011) and the growing social networks which many users subscribe to such as Facebook are the sources of feed which stalkers are looking for (Regehr, n.d.). This ease of internet tools at disposal and the belief that cyber stalkers cannot be physically touched in cyberspace (Jaishankar Sankary, 2006) has increased this crime. This is because the internet provides a vast choice of suitable targets, and a low chance of being caught or tracked down due to lack of guardianship online. Thus, the motivated offender is likely to engage in cyber stalking as the routine activity theory explains (Pitarro, 2011). Cyber stalking Bocjj (2002) defines cyber stalking as: A group of behaviours in which an individual, group of individuals or organisation, uses information and communications technology to harass another individual, group of individuals or organisation. Such behaviours may include, but are not limited to, the transmission of threats and false accusations, damage to data or equipment, identity theft, data theft, computer monitoring, the solicitation of minors for sexual purposes and any form of aggression. There are three subcategories of cyber stalking: e-mail stalking, internet stalking, and computer stalking. E-mail stalking is the act of repetitively sending hate, obscene, or threatening mail, or in other cases involves the sending of viruses and electronic junk mail. This results in an unwelcome and intimidating invasion into private space. Internet stalking on the other hand goes rather public, since it consists of using the web in-order to stalk. Computer stalking is the act of using the internet and other software in-order to obtain control of the victims computer. In this type of stalking, the stalker communicates directly as soon as the target computer uses the internet, forcing the victim to disconnect and/or reconnect through a new line if s/he wants to evade the harassment (Ogilvie, 2000). Stalker characteristics, types, and motives The stalker may be on the other side of the earth, a neighbour, or even a relative. In addition, cyber stalkers are usually mature in age, have a good educational level, a stable job, and are usually Caucasian (Bocij McFarlane, 2002). Research literature also suggests that many cyber stalkers have a prior criminal record, a history of substance abuse, or a personality disorder that directly or partly contributes to, and increases the likelihood of, such antisocial behaviours (Pitarro, 2011, in Hutton Haantz, 2003; Reno, 1999). However, this does not mean that all cyber stalkers are like this, in fact the evidence is somewhat inconclusive. Different stalkers, engage in stalking for various reasons like for sexual harassment. Another motive could be the obsession for love. This occurs when one of the partners in a love relation decides to end it, the other does not accept it and thus continues to harass the other partner. One of the main problems with obsessional stalking is that since many times the stalking comes after a real relationship, the stalker has at ones disposal much of the information s/he needs about the victim. Revenge and hate is another major cause for stalking, and many times results after an argument that has gone out of hand. In this case, the stalker does not necessarily need to know the victim but could be just picking on him/her only to let out pent up stress. Finally, a stalker might just want to be able to show-off ones skills for ego boost and show of power (Cyber Crime in India, 2000). Types of stalkers include the rejected stalker, the intimacy seeker, the incompetent suitor, the resentful stalker, and the predatory stalker. Rejected stalkers are characterised by a mix of revenge and desire to reconcile with the victim who is usually a partner or a family member. Intimacy seekers on the other hand try to achieve a relationship with a person that can be a complete stranger and think s/he is reciprocating their affection. Incompetent suitors being socially incompetent try to build a relationship that goes against social courtship rules whilst predatory stalkers gather information in preparation for sexual attachment. Lastly, resentful stalkers specifically harass victims to cause fear and uneasiness as a form of revenge for a supposed humiliation (Mullen, Pathe, Purcell, Stuart, 1999). However, these are not the only types of stalkers. Other types include the delusional stalker, the erotomaniac stalker, the harasser, the love rat, and the trolls. Delusional stalkers many times suffer from a mental illness, usually schizophrenia or manic depression. These due to stoppage of medication may be unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy, and thus their victims are usually also in-danger of losing their sanity as a result of being taken into the stalkers world. This might occur if the stalker knows how to play the part well and appears to be normal. Erotomaniac stalkers are also mentally ill and build up a relationship in their heads. Although not specifically considered as stalkers, harassers are attention-seekers and might victimise anyone who is kind enough to give them attention. Love rats usually come up with a fictitious identity and surf the cyberspace with the intent to start a relationship although having other secret affairs. Trolls like to invent sense less stories/events that are meant to waste the victims time, hurt their feelings, and play victims against each other (Issues related to bullying, 2002). Impact of stalking on victims The victims of stalking are mainly picked because they might be inferior to the stalker, since many stalkers want to be in control (Regehr, n.d.). Victims are many times ex-partners of the stalker (especially if the stalker is a woman) although in cyber stalking 50% of the victims are complete strangers. The preferred victims of a cyber-stalker are women and children, who might be emotionally weak or unstable, but most of all those that are inexperienced with the rules of cyberspace (Thapa, Kumar, 2011). Furthermore, studies show that 83% of stalking victims are females, this mainly is because there are more females online, and many stalkers might seek romance with them. Then if the female ends the relationship, the male stalker may be left with the thirst for revenge. The typical victim is therefore a Caucasian female of between 18 to 32 years. Being part of a minority group such as ethnic/racial minorities, homosexuals, and religious minorities may also cause one to be targeted (T hapa, Kumar, 2011; McFarlane Bocij, 2003). Impacts on stalking victims can be physical, psychological, occupational, and social. It is important to note that although cyber stalking many times consists of the last three, escalation into offline stalking and face-to-face confrontation may cause physical injuries to occur. Victims constantly feel in danger of being attacked. This imposed fear is a result of the tactics that the stalker implements to harass his/her victim (Regehr, n.d.). Fear, anxiety, and apprehension nearing paranoia are the feelings which all victim share. Other victims show symptoms of anger, depression, and helplessness, which might lead to suicidal thoughts (McEwan, Mullen, Purcell, 2007). The victims become hyper vigilant to keep an eye out for the stalker and start to change their habitual routines. When easiness wears away and stress comes into play, the victims anxiety is heightened. S/he will start to be easily startled by minimum movements or noises. Both during the night and during the day, images of the stalker start to engulf the victims thoughts and dreams. The victim will eventually fall into self-reclusion by avoiding communication and by refraining from carrying out activities such as not answering calls or messages, and not venturing outside the house. Long-term stalking will result in further symptoms, this time physical. Sleep disturbances, nausea, upset stomachs, general fatigue, frequent headaches, and the aggravation of pre-existing conditions such as asthma may be also present (Regehr, n.d.). Pathe and Mullen (1997) conducted a study on 100 stalking victims. Damages to property ranging from cars to houses were reported in 36 of the studied cases. In addition to this, 50% of the cases consisted of threats in direct harm to the victims, or their families or friends. However, the victims were assaulted by the stalker in one-third of the cases. Findings also indicated that over 50% of the victims start to drop their attendance records from work or school, some even cease to attend at all. According to the National Violence Against Women Survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice (1998), 30% of female and 20% of male victims end-up seeking psychological counselling due to the trauma suffered during victimization (Tjaden Thoennes, 1998). Socially, the victims status is affected negatively especially due to poor attendance, or focus at work. This will eventually cause family or friends to intervene and accompany the victim, at work or at home. With time, the other persons involved, will show symptoms of anger since they are not able to return to their normal lives. This will cause further uneasiness because the anger that should be projected towards the criminal justice systems for being better equipped to counteract this crime is taken on the victim him/herself for being in their current situation (Regehr, n.d.). Laws, law enforcement and safety strategies There are various safety strategies that one can adopt to avoid being stalked. Choosing gender and age ambiguous usernames, not posting personal information online, not sharing passwords, downloading antispyware programs, locking windows and doors, parking cars in illuminated areas, avoiding habitual travelling patterns, and having meetings with unknown persons in public areas, may all minimise the possibility of becoming a victim (Petrocelli, 2005). If these methods are ineffective, victims should always tell the stalker that the communication is undesirable, keep record of any emails, telephone calls, and letters received, contact law enforcement agencies or victim support groups, and change email addresses and telephone numbers (Jaishankar Sankary, 2006). The most important advice is however to never confront the stalker as this will make matters worse. Unfortunately, incidents of stalking and cyber stalking are underreported. This may be due to various reasons such as not being aware that the acts suffered are illegal, the fear of being blamed, fear that the stalker may turn to other family members and friends, threats by the stalker, and believing that nothing can be done (MacKenzie, McEwan, Pathà ©, James, Ogloff, Mullen, 2011). In addition, according to Reno (1999), victims may not seek help because they feel either that certain behaviours suffered from stalking are not serious enough to be reported to law enforcement agencies, or they think that the police force will not take matters seriously. Furthermore, sometimes law enforcement agencies perceive cyber stalking as relatively harmless unless it involves physical contact or threatening behaviour offline, and thus many times just tell victims to switch off computers or abandon computer use and dismiss the victims preoccupations as nuisance (Reno, 1999). Sometimes however, it is not the police agencies fault since unlike in stalking, the evidence in cyber stalking is many times not enough to trace the perpetrator. In addition, many websites do not authenticate user information, and a number of email servers offer stalkers the opportunity to remove identity data for a small fee, thus making it almost impossible for law enforcement to trace the accounts (Reno, 1999). Nowadays, although many countries have set up law enforcement units to deal with cybercrime such as The Cybercrime Unit of the Malta Police Force, the laws still provide many limitations. Jurisdiction limitations make it difficult for law enforcement to investigate the crime if it involves suspects from other countries (Petrocelli, 2005). Another obstacle for the police force is that stalking in itself is not considered a crime under Maltese law and thus certain behaviour cannot be punished if it does not involve; threat, harassment, trespassing, vandalism, physical violence contact, or computer misuse. In addition for an action to be considered a crime, two elements must be present: actus reus and mens rea. Therefore, prosecutors must prove that the culprit had the intent to cause harm. Except for cases when the stalking is done on an ex-partner, this is difficult to prove (Dennison Thomson, 2002). As the technology continues to develop, so will crime such as cyber stalking. Thus since the Internet is becoming more and more integrated into almost every part of human life, simple solutions such as turning off computers will not solve the problem. Instead, the frequent training of law enforcement agencies and the continuous updating of laws will prove to be better countermeasures to such newly developed crimes. Citizens must also learn to protect themselves from the dangers of such crimes by attending educational talks and seminars, cooperating with criminal justice agencies, or even using the computer itself to keep updated with new trends so as to avoid becoming victims of crime.

The Rise in Youth Homelessness in Canada Essay example -- Sociology, H

Today in Canada, a rise in youth homelessness is being observed across the country. Despite common assumptions, the issue of street youth is not isolated to Toronto or Montreal, but has become pervasive across the country. Although accurate statistics are impossible to come by, the disturbing reality is that both urban centers and rural communities nationwide, are struggling to provide their youth with adequate, affordable housing. Issues surrounding the supply and affordability of housing, combined with personal circumstances characterized by instability, are distancing youth’s access to housing. These causes and their overall consequences, must be faced before lasting solutions can be shaped by society. Housing Canada’s street youth will be impossible without action at every level. Every Canadian citizen has an immense role to play in providing these youth with promising futures. There are numerous causes which have led to the existence of youth homelessness in Canada. As with the wider study of homelessness, it must be stressed that no cause can be viewed exclusively from the others (Layton 2008: 54). The causes of this national crisis are extremely complex, and interconnected. However, despite this complexity, there are many patterns which have been found to exist among homeless youth. They have been found to be primarily social and economic. The social factors contributing to homelessness are unique for each individual however, the majority of homeless youth report having been emotionally abused or neglected. According to the Enhanced Surveillance of Canadian Street Youth (E-SYS), conflict with parents was the principal reason that most street youth reported for having left home. LGBT youth are over-represented among... ...rengthen self-confidence and motivation. Without proper outreach services, the provision of transitional and affordable housing will never reach its full potential in removing Canadian youth from the streets. Canada’s youth do not belong on the streets. They belong in safe, and supportive environments where they are able to succeed as members of an integrated society. The end of youth homelessness will benefit every Canadian. And therefore, the challenge of housing Canada’s street youth must be confronted as a collective society. The federal government must allocate funds towards the provision of affordable and transitional housing, while the provincial government must provide social services to support and motivate youth. There is a way home for Canada’s street youth, and it is through the activism and participation of individuals like you.

Bono

Lashawna Green 09/18/12 Essay #1 Paul David Hewson aka: â€Å"Bono Bono gives other activist and singers a run for their money. Being the lead singer of the pop rock sensation U2 comes with extraordinary responsibilities. I found the acts of Bono extremely generous because I think he is the best singer producing angelic and pure sounds, his willingness to give to others with his time and money, and his international notabilities as an iconic mogul. The music of Bono can stir a blackened heart with fear and hate and implant hope and forgiveness.To me U2 music could lead a worldwide peace seminar. The song â€Å"Beautiful Day†, has to be my favorite because it just puts a smile on my face. Music like this appeals to me a great deal. The smooth sweet melody that makes me feel as though I’m on a cloud of happiness makes this song standout. And some fans of U2 could agree that Bono’s voice blends well with the musical sounds of the band. And their style has spun out so many great artist and musician. Like the band Coldplay’s music has greatly been influenced by Bono’s band. Known for his contribution worldwide Bono is a mogul.There are few people in the music industry who have the presence of Bono. The Irish front man of U2 knows no limitations when it comes to fighting poverty and hunger, and is constantly in direct contact with world leaders and policy makers in his quest to make the world a better place. He raises money to donate to charities and he has held concerts to also raise money to give the proceeds to charities as well. Bono showed the world the pretty side to rock stardom. Not with all the beautiful ladies surrounding him or even a drunken night of trashing the occasional hotel.No he showed us an activist, someone trying to make a difference with his star power and commenting present. He is a powerful person media industry, because he tells other stars to help put and he gets his family involved. Celebrities and famou s musicians could say they’ve given a large sum of money to a charity. But how many of them can honestly say they physically get out there and help with the cause? I know at least one that could definitely say they’ve helped out in such a way. Yeah, you guessed it Oprah. Oh I mean Bono. And even his family helps as well.Like when he developed an education program with his wife, Ali, that used one-act plays and songs to spread information on health, hygiene, and other issues. Bono and his wife had to take time and careful planning to want to inform the natives in Africa of these hardships in their homeland. It shocks me how he is fine with the idea that he could get exposed to the same harmful diseases that the people in the villages have, but he wants to help those who aren’t exposed. This makes him a brave and courageous human being looking out for the well-being of others who aren’t as educated as he has been. â€Å"One love, one blood.One life, you go t to do what you should. One life, with each other. Sisters, brothers†- One by U2. These simple lyrics from their most critically acclaimed song that states where Bono’s inner most thought on how the world should be carried throughout everyday life. His message rings deep within me. We as a nation and as a world shouldn’t focus on our difference and help those in serious need. We are one! Bono shows us that there is still goodness and wholesome hearts in humanity. Helping with local charity organizations could be all that normal citizens can offer but that’s more than nothing right?

Graduated Diplomas for Public School Students Essay

Receiving a high school diploma is a significant right of passage for public school students in the United States. The high school diploma represents the student’s academic accomplishments up to that time. In most cases, students cannot go to college without a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED). The lack of a high school diploma places severe limits on the number of jobs that are available to an individual. However, despite the nearly universal recognition of the importance of obtaining a high school diploma, there is little agreement about what the standard diploma actually means in terms of academic achievement and the accumulation of important skills or knowledge. In order to clarify exactly what students have learned, 33 states have instituted multiple diploma options to high school graduates, including diplomas that indicate honors courses, vocational education, and other distinctions (Johnson, Thurlow, Stout, and Mavis, 63). Some states award different diplomas for students who are enrolled in special education, including honors diplomas, special education diplomas. (Johnson, Thurlow, Cosio, and Bremer 1). Uncertainty of the meaning of a high school diploma is also complicated by the lack of any standardized measurement of academic achievement in many states. In 2007, only 21 states required students to pass a state examination before graduation; 27 states did not have any type of exit exams at all (Johnson, Thurlow, Stout, and Mavis, 63). Consequently, while the standard high school diploma signifies that the student has completed at least the minimum requirements of an academic curriculum, the diploma does gives little indication of what the student has actually learned or any degree of proficiency in the subjects that were taken. States that do not use multiple diplomas could eliminate some of the uncertainty surrounding their graduation requirements by adopting a system of graduated diplomas. When properly constructed, graduated diplomas provide a more accurate reflection of the course work that the student has completed as well as the level of proficiency that the student was able to achieve in those courses. This information could then be used by colleges and employers to determine which applicants are most likely to succeed in their chosen endeavors and which graduates may require additional remediation beyond their high school years. It is true that grades and course work are included in the student’s academic transcript; however, a graduated diploma would convey a greater and more formal recognition of the student’s accomplishments in a way that would not require an employer or university admission’s board to study a detailed transcript and portfolio of student work. Finally, graduated diplomas would encourage those students who are most likely to succeed to push beyond the minimum academic requirements of a standard diploma and to work towards a more challenging academic curriculum for which they would receive appropriate recognition and rewards. Public schools should adopt graduated diplomas which better reflect actual student achievement. Standard high school diplomas are such poor indicators of an applicant’s potential for success that they mean little to many potential employers beyond a confirmation that the applicant was able to complete high school (Hartwig and Sitlington 11). Even this slight distinction, however, is still important to employers. Hartwig and Sitlington (12) found that employers who were considering hiring applicants who were enrolled in special education programs prior to their graduation were more likely to consider applicants who received a standard diploma than they were to consider applicants who received a certificate of attendance or an certificate of completion. These employers were also more likely to consider hiring applicants who had received an occupational diploma, a special diploma for students with special needs which indicated specific occupational training, than they were to hire those who had received certificates of attendance or those who had received a GED. Above all, the employers in this study were most likely to hire applicants who received a high school standard diploma. The research by Hartwig and Sitlington showed that although employers may claim that they do not place a great deal of faith in high school diplomas, they recognize and respond to different educational distinctions among job applicants. Although not designated as such, these academic distinctions – the certificate of attendance, the occupational diploma, and the standard diploma – functioned as a graduated diploma system, with each category indicating a different degree of educational achievement. These employers indicated that they used this information when making hiring decisions. Colleges face similar difficulties when trying to predict which high school graduates will be adequately prepared when they arrive at the university. Standard high school diplomas make no distinction between students who perform poorly and students who exceed their schools’ academic expectations. Consequently, although all college freshmen have a high school diploma or a GED, 30 percent of first year students in 2- and 4-year institutions lack the necessary basic skills and are required to take remedial courses in math, writing, and reading (Cohen 22). Graduated diplomas may not reduce the need for remedial classes for high school graduates; however, graduated diplomas would provide another indication of the type of curriculum that the student studied and the level of success that the student experienced. Colleges could be better prepared to meet the needs of lower-achieving students and to provide greater challenges for students who had already experienced academic success. In addition to providing a way to recognize the accomplishment of high-achieving students, graduated diplomas may also provide a safety net for students who are at risk of dropping out. The standard diploma, with its set requirements for credits, is an all or nothing proposition. Students who do not meet these requirements have nothing to show for their efforts. A graduated plan would provide an alternative that could eliminate some of these obstacles to graduation so they may obtain enough education to find a job or go to a two-year college (Viadero 12). This obviously helps students. Keeping students in school through an alternative diploma program could also help schools meet the attendance requirements of No Child Left Behind, the federal education law (Shannon and Bylsma). Care must be taken, however, to ensure that alternative diplomas do not become an alternative to a receiving a diploma. Erickson, Kleinhammer-Tramill, and Thurlow found that alternative exit strategies such as certificates of attendance and other alternatives to diplomas resulted in fewer special education students completing the requirements for a diploma. Conclusion Graduated diplomas reduce the uncertainty about what the student has actually learned and the level of proficiency he or she has achieved. For high-achieving students, the graduated diploma provides a certification of a higher level curriculum and greater academic accomplishment. Students who have special education requirements or who might otherwise drop out of school benefit from having the opportunity to receive a legitimate diploma that recognizes their efforts. In short, graduated diplomas provide benefits for students, for schools, for colleges, and for employers. States that have not done so should implement graduated diplomas. Works Cited