Saturday, October 5, 2019
Ethical Theories identified in (bazerman) and the Essay
Ethical Theories identified in (bazerman) and the - Essay Example The Johnson clearly adores teaching, and his work was intended to give learners and educators a wide-ranging overview of issues in ethics and leadership. The metaphor his book adopts, light and dark, claims the point that followership and leadership can be either toxic or beneficial. In the contemporary world, leaders can seriously be unethical. Examples of such unethical practices range from the American legislators who fiddled their own expenses to the ââ¬ËMasters of Universeââ¬â¢ whose monetary creativity almost led to the downfall of banking system but still got rewarded with huge bonuses (Johnson, 2015). However, this unethical behaviour is offset by few remarkable leaders who, in his own words, ââ¬Å"brighten lives of people around themâ⬠. Johnson further gives an inspiring instance of this ethical leadership by citing the effort of Dr P. Farmer, who founded Partners in Health ââ¬â an organization with a mission to combat drug-resistant tuberculosis within priso ns walls and around the globe. According to Johnson (2015), we see analogy of villains and heroes when conversing how leaders try to affect change. Johnson asserts that the power which comes with being a leader may also be utilized for evil and good. When we undertake the merits of leadership, we assume ethical burdens at the same time. In making ethical choices, the leader attempts to cast more ââ¬Å"lightâ⬠not ââ¬Å"shadow.â⬠Even though a graphic and unfriendly comparison, envision of Hitler and Ghandi. If one subscribes to outmoded definitions like influencing persons toward accomplishment of common goals, both Hitler and Ghandi were leaders though their ethics were dissimilar. For many ages, corporate America has always been stained by unethical decision and disreputable behaviour. For instance, one can remember false advertising by Jenny Craig and Nutri-System, fraud and unlawful cash
Friday, October 4, 2019
Managing Oil Price Risk with Derivatives Coursework
Managing Oil Price Risk with Derivatives - Coursework Example VIII. RECOMMENDATIONS 44 Bibliography 46 FIGURES Figure Page 1.0 World Oil Consumption by Region, 1970-2020 13 2.0 Increments in Oil Consumption by Region, 1970-2020 14 3.0 OPEC Oil Production 1973-2007 15 ABBREVIATIONS CFTC Commodities Futures Trading Commission GAO United States Government Accountability Office IEA International Energy Agency ICE International Exchange NYMEX New York Mercantile Exchange OPEC Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries OTC Over-the-Counter WTO World Trade Organization Section I: INTORDUCTION In the 21st century, oil prices are once again exhibiting an increased trend towards volatility since the last noticeable price hikes in the 70s and the 80s. There is no denying the fact that oil prices tend to be more volatile then any other commodity and thus could have a considerable impact on the economy of a nation. Therefore the developed and the developing countries are desperately...It is difficult to say whether this volatility will continue through 2009 or the things will revert back to the placid levels of 1986-2003 periods. The governments and financial institutions around the world are trying hard to come out with the instruments and the devices to control the risks imposed by the oil price volatility in the contemporary scenario. In that context, derivates could play a pivotal role in insulating the economies against oil price fluctuations. This paper intends to elaborate on how the oil price risks can be managed with derivatives. In the 21st century, oil prices are once again exhibiting an increased trend towards volatility since the last noticeable price hikes in the 70s and the 80s. There is no denying the fact that oil prices tend to be more volatile then any other commodity and thus could have a considerable impact on the economy of a nation. Therefore the developed and the developing countries are desperately resorting to all the strategies at their disposal, be it the price smoothing schemes, encouraging diversification, price control or fuel tax manipulations to tame the volatile oil prices (Bacon & Kojimi 2008).
Thursday, October 3, 2019
The Author of Her Book by Anne Bradstreet Essay Example for Free
The Author of Her Book by Anne Bradstreet Essay The debate starts with an argument among two people, DeSean and Sole. Sole was trying to help DeSean through a spiritual crisis and trying to answer the question in such a way that it would have been treated if it were posed before Jesus, hence focusing on what Jesus might have done when found in the same situation. The theological debate for this argument is: ââ¬Å"How do we reconcile the fact that Jesus Christ was fully God with the fact that Jesus was fully human? Christians believe that Jesus was fully man and God at the same time, formalized by the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451. Arianism believed by the Jehovah witness is that Jesus was the first and greatest creation of God. Muslims on the other hand simply believe Jesus is just a prophet of God, but in all most people believe in Jesus Christââ¬â¢s divinity and humanity at the same time. A group holds Kenotic Christology which explains God had to empty himself to become fully human, thus God laid is omniscience and became fully man. Two essays which offered defense of the classical Christological position and defense of the kenotic Christological position The Classical view where some Theologians agreed that Jesus was at and the same time omnipresent yet spatially located omnipotent but limited in power. Some evangelicals believe that Jesus was fully God and fully human, and insist that he laid aside the use of is divine attributes in order to become a human, whiles retaining his divine holiness and love temporarily whiles slowly releasing his divine attributes. While the Paradoxical concluded that Christ God was not only God and human but, but he also exercised his divine and human attributes. The Kenotic View is such that God became a human being. This view holds the point that God the father laid down his heavenly powers and made himself available hence making himself human like us. Thus, Jesus did not cease to be the Second person in the Trinity but put aside his power to be able to serve his purpose on earth. This argument was supported by (2:5-8),explaining that even though Jesus was in the Likeness of God he did not take advantage and make himself equal with him. And as such should be our mindset that even though Jesus came on earth us a human being, we should make ourselves equal with him as his spiritual attributes is still in place. Jesus did not have an idea about what was going to happen as in when he was going to return but still kept his duties on earth. As he left his riches, thus he who once rich became poor so we could become rich, the kenotic View gives believers a logical reason for Jesus being human and God as compared to Christology. It also makes believers take Jesus humanity on a more serious level. Even with tis view there were objection made about the Kenotic view such the undermining of Christââ¬â¢s divinity, how Jesus did his miraculous deeds if itââ¬â¢s said he did not have his divine power and Paulââ¬â¢s interest in metaphysical.
Iodine: Properties, Uses and Dangers
Iodine: Properties, Uses and Dangers Introduction: Iodine is an indispensable micronutrient required in small amounts for the normal physiological function of the human body [1]. Iodine is a critical component of the thyroid hormones, which are necessary for various metabolic and enzymatic processes. These processes include control of the bodyââ¬â¢s metabolic rate, growth and development, neuron function and development. The recommended dietary intake for adult men and non-pregnant women is 150 à µg/d, 220-250 à µg/d for pregnant women and 250-290 à µg/d for breastfeeding women (American thyroid Association) [2]. Seafood, dairy products, and plants grown in iodine-rich soils are decent sources of iodine as food [3]. Most other foods contain low amounts of iodine so individuals require additional sources to meet the recommended amounts. Insufficient intake of iodine results in a variety of disorders referred to as iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). They include mental impairment, goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland), hypoth yroidism, and dwarfism [1-3]. IDD is especially destructive during the early stages of pregnancy and in early childhood. In their most severe form, IDD include cretinism (extreme case of neurological damage from fetal hypothyroidism), stillbirth and miscarriage, and increased infant mortality. IDD is a noteworthy public health problem in more than 50 countries. According, to the World Health Organization (2004) [4] an estimated 2 billion people worldwide (35.2% of the world population) suffer from inadequate iodine intake. Iodide is crucial to thyroid function in vertebrates, with vital implications for human health. It is important to recall that more than 95% of total iodine necessary for humans is accumulated in the thyroid gland. The history of therapeutic use of iodine dates back centuries. It has been described as the most potent antiseptic available. However, its therapeutic uses require careful evaluation because of its narrow range of intake to support optimal thyroid function [5]. One of the most notable features of iodine as an antiseptic is the lack of selection of resistant strains. Only one report of iodine resistance has been published [6]. The behaviour of iodine-based antiseptics on skin was investigated by Gottardi in 1995. Iodine antiseptics have wide scope of antimicrobial activity, killing all principal pathogens and given enough time even spores. Iodine based preparations and iodine salts are widely used as antimicrobial remedies, especially in the form of alcoholic solutions. This is due to the broad antimicrobial activity of iodine and the low cost of iodine components [7]. However, there is considerable controversy about the maximum safe iodine and duration of use. Povidone-iodine prepara tions are widely used as an antiseptic to prepare patientââ¬â¢s skin before surgery and are also used by surgeons and theatre staff as a skin cleaner and antiseptic in preoperative hand scrubs [8]. Many other wound dressing material containing iodine are Inadine, Iodosorb, Iodoflex, Iodozyme, Repithel etc. [9]. The antimicrobial property of iodine has been using for water disinfection since First world war to disinfect drinking water for troops in France and subsequently, US army during second world war used Globalin (tetraglycine hydroperiodide) tablets [10]. Iodine based disinfectant has been in use by NASA in space flights [11]. Today iodine based disinfection materials are mainly available in two forms, as iodine solution and iodine resin [12]. Iodine resins are solid-phase iodine disinfectants. Iodine resins are generally regarded as demand release disinfectants [12]. Starting in the early 1990ââ¬â¢s increasing interest in the chemistry of polyvalent organic reagents is also notable and since then an innumerable of reports on the use of such compounds in organic synthesis have been published [13]. Wijs reagent, a solution of iodine monochloride in acetic acid and can be prepared from a mixture of iodine and iodine trichloride, is used for the estimation of the iodine value of fats and oils [14]. However there are various problems associated with the use of free iodine, like excess iodine ingestion cause thyroid disorders, irritation of tissues and short duration of action when used as antimicrobial remedies and high degree of instability [15]. These problems were overcome by the development of iodophores. Iodophores are complexes between iodine and a solubilising agent or carrier to increase the solubility and endure the release of iodine. In an aqueous iodophore solution, iodine is present in the form of different thermodynamically stable anionic iodine species and diatomic iodine [16]. Anionic species of iodine could interact with cationic groups of various polymers and form polymeric iodophores as ionic complexes. Four types of carriers have been generally used:- i) Polyoxymer iodophores. ii) Cationic surfactant iodophores. iii) Non-ionic surfactant iodophores. iv) Polyvinyl-pyrrolidine iodophores (also known as povidone iodine or PVP-I). In most of these carriers iodine is present in aggregates (or micelles) of surfactants, which act as reservoir of iodine. Polyoxymer iodophore are complexes of non-ionic copolymers with iodine. In case of non-ionic surfactant iodophore the complex formation take place through donor-acceptor mechanism with the surfactant ethereal oxygen (as donor) and iodine (as acceptor) [17]. PVP with iodine forms a stable charge-transfer complex. In PVP-I solutions, free species of iodine are formally controlled by the mass action law including a coupled reversible interaction between iodineââ¬âiodide, triiodideââ¬âpolymer and iodineââ¬âtriiodideââ¬âpolymer complexes [18]. In 1981, Cadexomer iodine was developed as another means of delivering benign iodine. Cadexomer is a derivative of dextrines (containing some number of carboxyl groups) cross-linked with epichlorohydrin and exits in the form of water-insoluble microbeads; 0.9% of molecular iodine is physically (not chemically) tra pped in the core of these microbeads [19]. Solubility of elemental iodine increases in the presence of iodide ions, such as potassium iodide, where iodine reacts to form tri-iodide ions. Aqueous solutions of iodine are not stable and, depending on conditions, many different species may be present. Of these, it is believed that molecular iodine (I2) has the highest antimicrobial potential. Stability is influenced by pH and activity diminishes with increased alkalinity and storage time [20]. The seven principal iodine species found in aqueous solution are I2, HOI, OIà ¢Ã¢â¬ â⠬, H2OI+, I3à ¢Ã¢â¬ â⠬, Ià ¢Ã¢â¬ â⠬, of which only hydrated iodine (I2), hypoiodous acid (HOI) and iodine cation (H2OI+) possess bactericidal activity. At physiologically compatible pH and low concentrations, the only species of importance are Ià ¢Ã¢â¬ â⠬, I2 and I3à ¢Ã¢â¬ â⠬ [21]. The type and nature of the iodine species present in the iodine-polymer complexes depends on t he nature of the polymer. Many iodine- synthetic polymers complexes were known to regulate the release of iodine like povidone-iodine (Betadine), iodine incorporated resins (quaternary ammonium polymers), iodpolycom complex (vinylpyrrolidone and butyl methacrylate) [7, 18, 19] etc. Medical research of the Sklifosovskiy Research Institute and the National Centre for Toxicological and biological Safety of Medical Products (Report No. 5-10, Jan 11. 2012) [7] demonstrated that the complexed iodine exerted no burning effects on surrounding tissues. However there are some disadvantages associated with iodine-artificial polymers like non-biodegradability, toxicity, expensive etc. which can be overcome by using natural gums. References: J. Agarwal, C. S. Pandav, M. G. Karmarkar, S. Nair, Community monitoring of the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme in the National Capital Region of Delhi, Public Heath Nutrition, 14:5 754-757 (2010). American Thyroid Association, news release, June, 5, (2013). S. F. Morell, The Great Iodine Debate- Weston A. Price Foundation, Wise Tradition in food, Farming and the Healing Arts, 13:14 1-35 (2012). World Health Organization. Iodine status worldwide. WHO global database on iodine deficiency. Geneva, Switzerland, Jun 28, (2010). J. Stansbury, P. Saunders, D. Winston, Promoting healthy thyroid function with Iodine, Bladderwrack, Guggul and its Iris, J. Restorative Medicine, 1, 83-89 (2012). G. Mycock, Methicillin/antiseptic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Lancet, 2, 949ââ¬â950 (1985). A. B. Davydov, S. I. Belyh, V. V. Kravets, Iodine-Containing Coating with Prolonged Antimicrobial Activity based on water insoluble Polymer Matrix, Biomedical Engineering, 46, 237-240 (2013). R. G. Sibbald, D. J. Leaper, D. Queen, Iodine Made Easy. Wounds international, 2:2 1-6 (2011). S. Boothman, Iodine White Paper: The Use of Iodine in Wound Therapy, Systagenix, (2010). M. R. Rogers, J. J. Vitaliano, Military Individual and Small Group Water Disinfecting System: An Assessment, Military Medicine, 142:4 268-277 (1977). S. Punyani, P. Narayana, H. Singh, P. Vasudevan, Iodine based water disinfection: A review, J Sci. Ind Res 65 116-120 (2006). E. L. Jarroll, Effect of Disinfectant on Giardia Cysts. CRC Critical Reviews in Environmental Control, 18:1 1-28 (1988). V. V. Zhdankin, P. J. Stang, Chemistry of polyvalent iodine, Chem. Rev, 108, 5299ââ¬â5358 (2008). E. E. Gooch, Determination of the Iodine value of selected Oils: An Experiment combining FTIR Spectroscopy with Iodometric titrations, Chem. Educator, 6, 7ââ¬â9 (2001). G. Selvaggi, S. Monstrey, K. V. Landuyt, M. Hamdi, P. Blondeel, The role of iodine in antisepsis and wound management: A reappraisal, Acta Chirurgica Belgica, 103, 241-247 (2003). W. Gottardi, Iodine and Disinfection: Theoretical Study on mode of action, Efficiency, Stability, and Analytical aspects in aqueous system, Arch. Pharm. Pharm. Med. Chem, 332, 151-157 (1999). S. K. Hait, S. P. Moulik, Determination of Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) of Non-ionic Surfactants by Donorââ¬âAcceptor Interaction with Iodine and Correlation of CMC with Hydrophileââ¬âLipophile Balance and Other Parameters of the Surfactants, J. Surfactants Deterg. 4:30 303-309 (2001). R. Klimaviciute, J. Bendoraitiene, R. Rutkaite, J. Siugzdaite, A. Zemaitaitis, Preparation, stability and antimicrobial activity of cationic cross-linked starch-iodine complex, Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 51, 800-807 (2012). J. Bendoraitiene, E. Mazoniene, J. E. Zemaitaitiene, A. Zemaitaitis, Interaction of Polydiallyldimethyl ammonium Salts with Iodine, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 100, 2710-2716 (2006). W. Gottardi, Iodine and iodine compounds. In: Block SS, editor. Disinfection, sterilization and preservation, 3rd edn. Philadelphia: Lea Febiger, Chapter 8, 183ââ¬â96 (1983). W. Gottardi, The formation of iodate as a reason for the decrease of efficiency of iodine containing disinfectant (author transl), Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg. B. 172, 151ââ¬â157 (1981).
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Walt Whitmans Song of Myself Essay examples -- Song of Myself Essays
In one of the sections from the poem, ââ¬Å"Song of Myselfâ⬠Walt Whitman starts out with a child asking a question, ââ¬Å"What is the grass?â⬠Grass is a symbol of life. God, who created both the heavens and the earth also gave birth to life. When Whitman refers to grass as a ââ¬Å"handkerchief of the Lordâ⬠(7), as a gift. When people look at the grass, they do not think of it as a creation but rather just a plant. Whitman refers to the grass as ââ¬Å"a child, the produced babe of vegetationâ⬠(11, 12). Here, the grass is a metaphor for the birth of a child. In often cases, the birth of anything is celebrated because it symbolizes a new life, a new beginning. Whitman in a way compares grass as a human society. He mentions that grass is ââ¬Å"a uniform hieroglyphicâ⬠(13) and they ââ¬Å"alikeâ⬠(14). In scientific terms, all humans are similar to each other and the only aspect that makes each person different is their personality and race. But even if people are racially different from each other physically, every person is the same internally as Whitman puts it: ââ¬Å"Growing among black folks as among white, ââ¬Å"Knuck, T...
F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers
In his novel The Great Gatsby (1925) F. S. Fitzgerald introduces the reader to a set of characters that stand on the different levels of socioeconomic ladder and by destiny's will share each other's lives. Reading the novel one can see that Fitzgerald puts a huge emphasis on money: its presence or absence is the deciding factor in shaping the lives and personalities of the characters. The novel takes place in New York, in the early 1920s. One might notice that the financial situation with the East and West Eggs bears an uncanny resemblance to the situation with the East and West Sides in the city. The narrator himself introduces the reader to this idea: 'I lived at West Egg, the -- well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them'; (9). In the city families who have been wealthy for several generations occupy the sophisticated East Side; in order to buy an apartment there one must provi de good recommendations. West Side is less sophisticated and therefore less desirable for it is open to the 'new money.'; By creating this setting Fitzgerald is trying to make the reader understand that a character like Gatsby needs a certain environment to exist. Although Gatsby's persona is surrounded by different rumors, and 'contemporary legends such as the 'underground pipe-line to Canada' attached themselves to his name,'; people come to his parties. Money can buy one popularity and friends, at least temporarily. Most likely many of Gatsby's 'friends'; knew where the money came from, yet it did not seem to be a good enough reason for them to stop socializing with him. Money can also buy tolerance for breaking the law. In order for Gatsby to be able to have his lavish parties where 'in the main hall a bar with a real brass rail was set up, and stocked with gins and liquors and with cordials so long forgotten'; (44), he had to have the entire police department on the payroll. Th e 1920s were the years of Prohibition – the sale and purchase of alcohol was forbidden in the United States. Gatsby's money bought him an unspoken permission to have those parties. Gatsby acknowledges his friendly relationship with the commissioner to Nick. He says that he 'was able to do the commissioner a favor once, and he sends me a Christmas card every year. F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers In his novel The Great Gatsby (1925) F. S. Fitzgerald introduces the reader to a set of characters that stand on the different levels of socioeconomic ladder and by destiny's will share each other's lives. Reading the novel one can see that Fitzgerald puts a huge emphasis on money: its presence or absence is the deciding factor in shaping the lives and personalities of the characters. The novel takes place in New York, in the early 1920s. One might notice that the financial situation with the East and West Eggs bears an uncanny resemblance to the situation with the East and West Sides in the city. The narrator himself introduces the reader to this idea: 'I lived at West Egg, the -- well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them'; (9). In the city families who have been wealthy for several generations occupy the sophisticated East Side; in order to buy an apartment there one must provi de good recommendations. West Side is less sophisticated and therefore less desirable for it is open to the 'new money.'; By creating this setting Fitzgerald is trying to make the reader understand that a character like Gatsby needs a certain environment to exist. Although Gatsby's persona is surrounded by different rumors, and 'contemporary legends such as the 'underground pipe-line to Canada' attached themselves to his name,'; people come to his parties. Money can buy one popularity and friends, at least temporarily. Most likely many of Gatsby's 'friends'; knew where the money came from, yet it did not seem to be a good enough reason for them to stop socializing with him. Money can also buy tolerance for breaking the law. In order for Gatsby to be able to have his lavish parties where 'in the main hall a bar with a real brass rail was set up, and stocked with gins and liquors and with cordials so long forgotten'; (44), he had to have the entire police department on the payroll. Th e 1920s were the years of Prohibition – the sale and purchase of alcohol was forbidden in the United States. Gatsby's money bought him an unspoken permission to have those parties. Gatsby acknowledges his friendly relationship with the commissioner to Nick. He says that he 'was able to do the commissioner a favor once, and he sends me a Christmas card every year.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Corrections Trends Evaluation Paper Essay
Corrections have existed throughout society for many years and continued to change and evolve in the United States reflecting societyââ¬â¢s values and ideals throughout the centuries. In the criminal justice system, corrections exist in more than one form. Not only do corrections refer to jails and prison systems but they also pertain to community-based programs, such as probation, parole, halfway houses, and treatment facilities. Past, present, and future trends in regard to the development and operation of institutional and community-based corrections vary between states but corrections have grown immensely since the early 1800s and have continued to expand over time. Corrections are adamant to continue to expand into the future because crime is not slowing down so there will remain a strong need for corrections throughout society. The subject of this paper pertains to research of past, present, and future trends in the development and operation of corrections. In some ways corrections are similar to the operation trends of two decades ago. In other ways the development of corrections has come far compared to corrections in the beginning. Other subjects of the paper include current and future issues for prisons and prison administrators and an explanation for why these issues overwhelm corrections. A last topic for discussion is the roles of alternate corrections as a developing trend. Conditions in the early era were inhumane because of prisoners starving, and trends of punishment were in the form of physical punishment. Examples of this were punishments, such as prisoners hanged, tortured, beheaded, or mutilated. This punishment was popular in England, but it had an effect on its American predecessors. Although the conservative e trend that emerged in the 1970s continued to dominate justice system policy the debate between punishment and treatment brought new questions about (Muraskin & Roberts, 2009, pp. 263). Over the years and into the future many still wonder the dominate method in reducing the number of criminals in the department of corrections. The American colonies used means of a corporal punishment just as the motherlands (Gaines & Miller, 208, pp. 313). The system brutally executed citizens who had violated any law. However, not all colonial administrators adhered to a brutal punishment, such as the death penalty. ââ¬Å"The Great Lawâ⬠ensured any victim a restitution of property or goods, given by the felon (pp. 313). This code, based on Quaker ideals and humanity and rehabilitation, by William Penn was introduced. Although ââ¬Å"The Great Lawâ⬠still allowed the death penalty, most felons who could not pay restitution to their victims were not executed but were sent to prison where they worked. This exceptional code, in William Pennââ¬â¢s case gained attention by other American colonies. After Pennââ¬â¢s death, Pennsylvania, The center of prison reform, opened its very first penitentiary in Philadelphia (Johnston, 2011). This initiated a chain reaction and other states looked to Pennsylvania as an example for reform. They looked to the penitentiary as a hope of rehabilitating the criminal spirit. It helped to treat and discipline prisoners rather than physically harm them. The silence in a penitentiary was meant to force prisoners to think about their crimes, and weigh the benefits against the consequences. Although the silence treatment was successful, many inmates brought into the penitentiaries and had to share rooms as a result of crowded conditions. This happened at the Walnut Street Prison Penitentiary, and it ended with overcrowded conditions and excessive cost. The prison eventually shut down. Although the prison was shut down, many states continued to use the penitentiary system. If overcrowding occurred it just meant building new penitentiaries. The penitentiary system was important because it influenced later concepts. Such as the idea of separate confinement, which kept inmates separated in individual cells (Gaines & Miller. 2008, pp. 314). These prisoners had contact with religious instructors known as clergy or prison officials only. Another concept introduced was the idea of reform and progress. Inmates who behaved well and followed rules climb a ladder and once at the top may qualify for early release from confinement. The history and structure of prisons and prison administrators has changed immensely over the years. Society today faces the increased probability of incarceration for offenders and inmates serve more time for crimes in the present-day compared to the length of incarceration several years ago. This is in part because of the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, which caused the length of time served by federal convicts for their crimes to rise significantly (Gaines & Miller, 2008, pp. 316). With more offenders going to prison for longer stays many prisons face overcrowding conditions. The prison overcrowding problem contributes to several issues currently facing prisons and prison administrators. Prison overcrowding is a current issue that without some extreme solutions will continue to plaque the entire department of corrections well into the future. Over the past decade the prison population continues to rise sharply. Stricter laws, harsher punishment, high rates of recidivism, and higher levels of drug related crimes contribute to the rapid growth of incarcerated offenders. Prison overcrowding almost always has a negative effect on inmates and prison administration or staff. Overcrowding leads to higher rates of illness, so in turn prison administrators see an increase in health care costs. Limited more are resources and the likelihood of recidivism rates is higher when prisons reach a maximum capacity population. Another current and future issue of concern for prisons and prison administrators stemming from overcrowding is prison violence. Prison researcher Stephen C. Light found that when conditions such as overcrowding worsen. Inmate misconduct often increases (Gaines & Miller, 2008, pp. 340). Prisoners often use violence as a way to show power or to control other inmates. Prison violence is a means of surviving for some inmates who think of violence as a deterrent against victimization or violence to acquire money or sexual favors. The correctional officers also have to resort to violence as a form of discipline or controlling prison gangs and riots. Funding is another major issue facing prisons and prison administration currently and will continue into the future. The operational cost to house inmates must stay with the limits of an assigned budget. Currently a majority of prisons operate under state and federal governments, unlike the past when private prisons were more common. Private prisons were often more cost-efficient because of labor costs, competitive bidding, and less red tape involved with private prisons. Prison administration and staff place themselves at risk daily for a paycheck; therefore wages must be in a prison budget. Operating costs for electric and water is essential and rises as the inmate population increases. Prisoners have rights to three meals a day and prison budgets must provide these rights. Another necessity in the budget for prisons and prison administrators is the need to rehabilitate and reform inmates. Counselors, doctors, and teachers are necessary inside prisons to attempt to reduce the number of repeat offenders in the prison system. Several alternate correction systems play a role as developing trends in society today. With many issues facing correctional institutions today the developing trends and roles of community-based corrections are becoming more common. Community corrections are being framed in terms of alternative sanctions but a slow pace (Muraskin & Roberts, 2009, pp. 263). The emphasis of community corrections is on controlling punishment and retribution potential (263). The main reason for community-based program is that the cost to place an offender on probation is less than the cost to house an offender in prison. The goal of probation is to give an offender the opportunity to stay out of trouble as opposed to prison. In a sense probation is a second chance for offenders to stay in the community and maintain freedom under supervision. Day reporting centers, half way houses, and electronic monitoring are other examples of community-based corrections that prevent an offender from incarceration in a prison. The goals of these corrections are to allow offenders to stay in the community and maintain employment with special conditions. Community-based programs save funding and space in correctional facilities while recognizing that offenders do need some supervision and discipline to remain in the general population of the community. Corrections have existed throughout society for many years in one form or another. Several types of corrections exist today from jails and prisons to community-based corrections such as probation, halfway houses, and electronic monitoring. Corrections and trends are much different today than in the past and years from then as society evolves changes in corrections are sure to occur. Issues facing corrections, including funding shortages, prison overcrowding, and violence in correctional facilities have worsened over the years and will continue into the future. Community-based programs will continue to make some progress in the correction institutions by improving alternative programs for offenders, but society will never be crime free and therefore corrections will always be necessary.
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