Essay examples --

Health, Safety and Welfare The Safety, Health and Welfare Act of 2005 came into operation on 1st September 2005. The Safety, Health Authority is a state-sponsored body under the Department of Enterprise. The trade and employment would have the overall responsibility for the administrate side of things and enforcing the Health and Safety in the workplace. There are all protected by law. Therefore the employer must ensure a safe work environment. The work place must have a documented specifics regarding buildings for the safety inspectors on request. These places must have signage in place for the employers safety and these regulation must be carried out. Bullying in the workplace is another health and safety issue that can be challenged under the Safety, Health and Welfare at work Act 2005. The Act applies to all employers and employees both temporary, full time and self employed people in their workplace. The Acts sets out the rights and obligation of both employers and employees and as a result heav y fines and penalties for breaches of the Health and safety legislation. Both employer and employee have duties to here by in the Health and Safety Act 2007. Employers is required to carry out a risk assessment which should identify any hazards that present them selfs in the work place. The employer should also carry out an assessment in relation to pregnant employees. The employer is obliged to report any accident that results in an employee missing 3 consecutive days at work which do not include the day of accident. Protective equipment are available on site for all employees. Employment Equality Employers are legally obliged to abide to the existing equality legislation when hiring and employing staff whether full tim... ...ce Industrial, Professional and Technical union. The most common fought problem with wages. Regulations related to pay A system was set up to determine what the minimum wage would be. Each country set their own minimum wages laws as see fit. The current is â‚ ¬8.65 an hour in Ireland on July 2007. There is a minimum rate for the first year of a job is â‚ ¬6.92 per hour. On request employees are entitled to a written statement setting out their reckonable pay, working hours, average hourly rate of pay entitlement under the Act. This wage may only be paid either weekly or monthly with agreement of employer and employee. The National minimum wage act 2000 sets the minimum rate for all experienced adult employees. The payment of wages Act gives every employee in Ireland a right to a payslip showing the employees gross wages and any details of overtime or deductions.

Conflict Resolution and Mediation Essay

be differences in opinions which inevitably lead to disagreements. Conflict exists in families, in the workplace, in churches and schools, in sports, between neighbors and between countries. Conflict is defined as â€Å"an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from others in achieving their goals†. (Wilmot and Hocker, 2001, p. 11). When there are differences in individual values, motivations, ideas and perceptions, conflicts arise. How individuals deal with conflict depends on personal history, family background and other influences over one’s lifetime. Gender as well as culture influence behavior and perceptions and play an important role in conflict resolution. Traditionally, conflict has been viewed as a destructive force which was best handled by avoiding, ignoring, or silencing it. There is a growing body of literature on the benefits of effective conflict management. Healthy conflict is now viewed as a necessary ingredient in organizational success. The ability to deal effectively with conflict is critical to creating productive relationships. Although most people continue to view conflict negatively, it is a necessary ingredient to creativity and results in healthier relationships. There are two kinds of conflict, constructive and destructive. Constructive conflict should be encouraged because it leads to creative thinking and growth. It results in high performing organizations and to enhanced relationships. Destructive conflict should be eliminated or dealt with immediately. It is costly and does not promote positive personal or organizational development. Communication is a key ingredient in conflict resolution. There are various tools available to resolve conflict. They include legal remedies, arbitration as well as mediation. Conflict resolution skills are learned and when applied, result in improved relationships. Defining Conflict There is an element of conflict in almost all relationships. Conflict has also been defined as â€Å"a social problem in which two or more persons, families, parties, communities, or districts are in disagreement with each other† ( Dzurgba, 2006). It occurs on an intrapersonal as well as an interpersonal level. If left unmanaged, conflict can lead to hostility, anger, alienation, war, inefficiency, expensive mistakes, legal battles as well as physical violence. There are five main conflict resolution styles  that individuals use depending on the situation. They are: Avoiding the Conflict – By avoiding the conflict, one or more parties pretend there is no problem. Some examples of avoiding include pretending nothing is wrong, shutting down or stonewalling. Accommodating – One party agrees to accommodate the other’s request usually for the sake of keeping the peace. This can lead to resentment. Competitive – One party stands his/her ground and competes to secure a win. In the short run, one party wins, but can lead to serious issues long term. Compromising – Both parties willingly enter into a negotiation where each gets something out of the other, but neither gets everything they want. Usually the parties negotiate on the larger issues where they have common ground and let go of minor issues. Collaboration – Both parties enter into meaningful negotiations towards a win-win solution. This style takes the most courage and involves listening to the other party and thinking creatively to resolve the problem w ithout compromising. This is the most successful and admired and respected style. Conflict Resolution Conflict resolution and mediation leads to the reduction of the conflict. Effectively addressing conflict leads to an improvement of relationships and to greater organizational and personal effectiveness. Conflict resolution entails managing stress, managing anger and managing face. When managed well, conflict can be a catalyst for innovation and creativity, leading to organizational learning. Conflict provides an opportunity for the best ideas to be shared to improve a situation or a process. Left unmanaged, conflict can have expensive legal consequences as others seek litigation to resolve the conflict. In organizations, it can lead to employee dissatisfaction, expensive turnover, decreased productivity and expensive errors. In families, unmanaged conflict can lead to violence, family dysfunction and divorce. Types of Conflict There are five types of conflicts, namely relationship, data, interest, structural and value. Relationship Conflicts Relationship conflicts are personal and result from misperceptions,  miscommunication, stereotypes, negative behavior and rumors. It affects the relationship between two people, but can impact others within the team. Work environments consist of employees from diverse backgrounds with very different value systems. There are cultural, gender and generational differences which contribute to relationship conflicts. As a result, miscommunication occurs because of differences in meaning, norms of communication and behavioral expectations. What is perceived as an ordinary conversation in one culture may be considered rude and intrusive by another culture. Spouses often have relationship conflicts that lead to divorce if unresolved. Data Conflicts Data conflicts often occur when two or more individuals are interpreting data differently. This can lead to wrong decisions, but can also lead to major disagreements. The budget conflicts which have let to the sequestration are an example of data conflicts. The Republicans and the Democrats are interpreting the budget numbers differently and coming to very different conclusions regarding what the numbers mean. As a result, they cannot agree on a budget. Interest Conflicts Interest conflicts occur when one person is trying to take advantage of another person. This may happen if an employee starts a company that provides the same services as his/her employer. Interest conflicts occur when the boss is dating an employee because that may introduce favoritism and may negatively impact other employees. Structural Conflicts A structural conflict is created by the organization. It is not subjective and is not created by people’s viewpoints or perceptions, but rather by limited resources or changes that the people involved have very little control over. An example of a structural conflict is a company that has customers across the world, but only has a customer service center in Ohio. The sales force would like to have all customers served promptly regardless of location, but the service center has regular hours. The company either  has to create 24 hour shifts to accommodate its customers or open centers in other countries. Value Conflicts Value conflicts are differences in personal beliefs, preferences or priorities. This occurs between two people or within groups of people. Cultural differences usual result in different value systems which can lead to conflict. Examples of value conflicts in interpersonal relations can be a person who likes meat verses someone who is vegetarian, or, a liberal Democrat verses a conservative Republican. Each individual develops a value system based on culture, personality and the society they grow up in. There is no right or wrong in value systems, just a difference in opinion. Value conflicts are subjective because they are based on how people â€Å"feel† about each other or the situation. They are very difficult to effectively resolve. Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Power Power plays a critical role in interpersonal and intrapersonal conflicts and disputes. There are many forms of power. The role of power in a conflict intensifies as the balance of power shifts. In the work environment, the power imbalance often exacerbates a conflict and often leads to resentment or anger. Power imbalance changes the communication styles used by the parties in a conflict. In conflict or dispute, one or more types of power may be used by the parties in the attempt to resolve the conflict. People in a high power position may not use their power to influence a decision out of guilt. In a conflict, one party usually possesses more power than the other. Real or perceived power imbalances make it difficult to resolve a conflict to everyone’s satisfaction. Power can be structural or personal. The extent to which one party can impose their will on another affects how the dispute is resolved. Power currency depends on the value placed on particular resources by the oth er party in the relationship. If one has what others need, they are in a powerful position and have more power currency. As needs change, the power currency may be more of less valuable. Just like actual currency, the value of the currency fluctuates and is situational. Interpersonal power currencies are: 1. Resource control: Often associated with a position within an organization and can include financial, information, equipment and rules and regulations. When a citizen visits the social security office to get disability benefits, the government holds the power for the decision to approve or not approve the benefits. The citizen has very little power and the government has the resources. 2. Interpersonal linkages: This is associated with someone’s position in the larger system. This is highly dependent on â€Å"who you know† and the relationships one has to make things happen. The Secretary of State is in a position to resolve the Mid-east conflict based on the interpersonal linkages he/she has with both Israel and Egypt. 3. Communication skills: Listening skills, leadership skills and the ability to effectively communicate is a power currency. Preachers have the ability to communicate a message to their congregation and get them to rally around a particular issue. They are often called upon to mediate disputes because of their ability to listen, be empathetic to both parties and effectively communicate both viewpoints and negotiate a resolution. 4. Expertise skills: When one has a special skill or knowledge that others find valuable, he is in a position of influence. A pilot, a surgeon or a car mechanic all possess special skills that put them in power positions during certain disputes. Power imbalances disproportionally benefit the powerful party. Power generally falls into three categories, designated power, distributive power and integrative power. Designated power is often referred to as positional power and is as a result of a position or office held. A parent, manager, teacher or policeman has power that comes from their position. Distributive power is the â€Å"power over or against the other party† (Wilmot & Hocker, 2001, p. 103). Integrative or â€Å"both/and† power comes from two parties working together to achieve a mu tually beneficial goal. This power differential has a significant impact on the substance and the process to resolve the conflict. When applied appropriately â€Å"constructive use of power solves problems, enhances relationships, and balances power† (Wilmot & Hocker, 2011, p. 103). Forgiveness and Reconciliation There is a growing body of literature on forgiveness and reconciliation. Disparate fields such as social and developmental psychology, anthropology,  political sciences, religion and legal studies have all been conducting research on forgiveness and reconciliation. There are many definitions of forgiveness. Forgiveness and reconciliation often follow other efforts to resolve a conflict and heal the relationship. As such, forgiveness is highly personal and emotional. Kornfield defined it as follows: â€Å"Forgiveness is the heart’s capacity to release its grasp on the pains of the past and free itself to go on† (Kornfield, 2001, p.236). As shown in Figure 1, there is a flow of events that lead to reconciliation. The Forgiveness & Reconciliation Cycle for Effective Conflict Resolution Figure 1 Forgiveness is a key ingredient essential for reconciliation and conflict resolution. It is recognized in religion and social science literature as an important element in healing conflicts. For healing to occur and normal trusting relationships to be formed, both sides need to stop blaming each other and move past the conflict. An apology is a catalyst and a key ingredient leading to forgiveness and reconciliation, and ultimately to conflict resolution. While conflict resolution is focused on resolving substantive issues in a dispute, reconciliation focuses on addressing personal and relational issues and restoring relationships. William Faulkner was quoted by journalist Bill Moyers as saying â€Å"Forgiveness is giving up the idea of a better past† (Wilmot and Hocker, 2011, p. 297). Forgiveness is concerned with healing the hurt, disappointments and sins of the past, and improving relationships in the future. Mediation and Organizational Conflict Resolution A mediator is defined as â€Å"a neutral third party who has no decision-making power regarding the outcome of the mediation† (Abigail & Cahn, 2011, p. 197). The advantages of mediation are: 1. Cost – Mediation is much less expensive than the alternative of either having the situation go unresolved or resolve legally 2. Flexibility – Mediation can be conducted anywhere as long as it is neutral ground. 3. Informal – It can be adapted to accommodate cultural, personal, structural and other differences. 4. Effectiveness –  Mediated solutions tend to last because the parties come to a mutually agreed solution. 5. Preserves Relationships – Parties tend to have stronger long term relationships because they feel they were heard and have the other’s commitment. Effective organizations have mediation as part of the conflict resolution process. This is an effective way to resolve conflicts while both parties maintain control and ownership of t he issues. Conclusion Effective conflict resolution is important to building productive relationships. The importance of conflict resolution has been reinforced by the disparate fields focused on studying the subject. Organizations must provide the right structure for effective conflict resolution to be effective. Effective conflict resolution requires a health balance of power and promotes a health organizational culture. When all stakeholders have a voice, decision making is enhanced, engagement improves, and innovation increases. Maintaining a balance of power should be a high priority for any organization to be competitive and reach maximum productivity. Diversity is a consideration when creating conflict resolution processes. Gender, ethnicity and culture have to be considered to create an effective process. Although power is complex and maintaining a balance of power is fraught with difficulty, process design, effective communication, and a culture that encourages open dialogue will ensure that all parties effectively negotiate in their own interest to bring about fair outcomes. Archbishop Desmond Tutu who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) said that â€Å"there can be no future without forgiveness†. Forgiveness is an intrapersonal as well as an interpersonal activity. Forgiving someone can be done with or without the other person’s consent, making it a relatively easy process intrapersonal. It is much more complicated interpersonally since it requires another party to either apologize, or accept an apology and forgive. As research is finding, â€Å"Apology and forgiveness have the potential to foster reconciliation and encourage peaceful coexistence among groups and nations† (Asby et al, 2010, p. 25). Conflict should be treated as an essential ingredient for healthy relationships both at home and at work. In health care organizations such as MaineGeneral Health, empowering employees with skills to handle conflict was critical to creating a culture  where employees felt comfortable speaking up (Bullock, 2011, p. 82). By speaking up, the hospital was able to avoid medical errors. References Abigail, R. A.., & Cahn, D. D. (2011). Managing conflict through communication. 4th Ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. ISBN: 9780205685561 Ashy, M., Mercurio, A. E., & Malley-Morrison, K. (2010, March). Apology, forgiveness, and reconciliation: An ecological world view. Individual Differences Research 8 (1), 17-26 http://proxy1.ncu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2010-05622-003&site=ehost-live Bullock, S. (2011, July/August). Empowering staff with communication. Healthcare Executive 26 (4), 80-82 http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/docview/875635837?accountid=28180 Chetkow-Yanoov, B. (1997). Social work approaches to conflict resolution: Making fighting obsolete. Binghampton, NY: Haworth. Deutsch, M., & Coleman, P. T. (Eds). (2006). Handbook of conflict resolution (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Dingwall, R., & Miller, G. (2002). Lessons from brief therapy? Some interactional suggestions for family mediators. Conflict Resolution Quar terly, 19, 269-287. Dubler, N. N., & Liebman, C. B. (2004). Bioethics mediation: A guide to shaping shared solutions. New York: United Hospital Fund. Eddy, W. A. (2003). High conflict personalities: Understanding and resolving their costly disputes. San Diego, CA: William A. Eddy. Eller, J. (2004). Effective group facilitation in education: How to energize meetings and manage difficult groups. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Lee, J. (2010, July). Perceived power imbalance and customer dissatisfaction. Service Industries Journal doi:10.1080/02642060802298384 30 (7), 1113-1137 http://www.tandfonline.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/doi/abs/10.1080/02642060802298384 Maroney, T. A. (2009). Unlearning fear of out-group others. Law and Contemporary Problems Journal. 72(2), 83-88. Sloan, W. M. (2011, March). What did you say? Curtail conflict with effective communication. Education Update 53 (3), 3-5 http://proxy1.ncu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=58834574&site=ehos t-live Wilmot, W., & Hocker, J.

Impact the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Essay

Discuss the impact the Stephen Lawrence inquiry has had on the Criminal Justice System? This essay will screen through the changes made in major areas of Criminal Justice System after the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report published and attempts to address changes that have already implemented, the supposed and actual outcomes, and effectiveness of these changes in tackling institutional racism mainly based on qualitative academic debates. The murder of Stephen Lawrence, a black British teenager, in a racist attack in 1993, resulted in a detailed inquiry published in 1999 outlining the existence of institutional racism and as many as 70 recommended changes in policies regarding how police should communicate with ethnic minority groups such that these people will trust police, as well as the practice of handling hate crime. Adoption of these changes, as well as reaction of criminal justice system towards the crime, seems to be slow. It is not until January 2012, thirteen years after the inquiry led by Sir William Macpherson concluded, that changes in the Criminal Justice System have finally resulted in two of the five perpetuators successfully sentenced to jail. The various problems in adopting such changes will be reviewed in assessing the overall effectiveness of suggestions made by Sir William Macpherson in the inquiry report. Policing practice is the key area in the report. Institutional racism, as defined by Sir William Macpherson in Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report, is â€Å"the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour; culture, or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people† (Macpherson, 1999). It is noted that the Metropolitan Police Force accepted this definition and criticism (House of Commons Home Affair Committee, 2009) despite initial strong reaction from frontline officers (Foster et al, 2005, Foster 2008). In academic setting the acceptance of such definition is disputed, however. While earlier journal articles criticized the definition of institutional racism, and sometimes the whole inquiry report, as flawed and problematic (for example McLaughlin and Murji 1999, Innes 1999, Anthias, 1999), later academic articles and reports focus on monitoring the implementation of suggestions and appreciation of changes suggested in the inquiry report. While the definition of institutional racism is not the focus in assessing the overall effectiveness of Stephen Lawrence Inquiry on criminal justice system, how people react with this definition is crucial, and the initial unwelcoming reaction towards the inquiry report probably explains the significant delay in implementing some of the suggested changes. The other focus area on policing is stop and search power and practices. In the report Macpherson (1999) recommends more detailed records on stop and search incidents, which requires two copy of records detailing the reason for the search, the findings and action taken, and ethnic identity provided by the person being searched. While one copy is retained by police force, the other copy must be given to the person being searched. The record is simplified to a receipt in 2009 only showing ethnicity of the person being searched and the location, and the full record can now only obtain in person at police station or online (Bennetto 2009, Miller 2010). Bennetto (2009) expressed concern in his report, claiming such change â€Å"shift[s] back towards the discredited pre-1995 model†. Such concern is reasonable because it can be seen as tightening of information freedom, which contradicts to what Macpherson hoped to achieve through his suggestion on stop and search records. No changes are suggested in relation to stop and search power, which the reason is not suggested. Changes in stop and search practices are, however, can be observed, as stated in Miller’s (2010) evaluation. Apart from periodically publishing stop and search records, supervisors and managers of police force are now required to closely monitor such statistics and take timely actions if something wrong is being observed. Also stricter rules on stop and search have since been imposed, along with the requirement of police officers writing a detailed report on spot about every single incident which subjects to review seems helpful in improving police conduct (Fyfe 1979; Skogan and Frydl 2004 in Miller 2010). While stop and search practice has been somehow improved, racial discrimination can still be seen in stop and search statistics. The notion of â€Å"Black and minority ethnic groups, particularly black people, have for many years been disproportionately at the receiving end of police stop and search—a fact associated with profound community resentment towards the police† (Bowling and Phillips 2002 in Miller 2010) still largely applies today. Miller’s (2010) analysis indicate that black people are about 6 times more likely to be stopped and searched, while it is about 2 times more likely for Asians. Similar idea is seen in Bennetto’s (2009) report, which draws on police statistics that shows in 2009 â€Å"black people are seven times more likely to be stopped and searched than white†, worse than Miller’s analysis with the most recent figures in 2008. No official explaination is provided by Police, but Bennetto (2009) assumes this may be caused by simply discrimination of police officers against black youths or misunderstanding of black youths as ‘problem seekers’ by police officers that prompts them to carry out stop and search. This can be seen as a weakness in Macpherson report as such issue still exists after related recommendations have been implemented (House of Commons Home Affair Committee, 2009). Another area addressed in policing is the significant underrepresentation of p olice officers with self-claimed minority ethnic identity. Macpherson examined this issue with particular focus on employment practices of police force. Although Black Police Associations have existed well before the inquiry report published, it has been viewed as â€Å"fragile† (Holdaway and O’Neill, 2006), and Macpherson report have actually overseen this as a tool for promoting recruitment of minority ethnic police officers, particularly black. The result is that police force still faces difficulties in recruiting ethnic minority police officers thus unable to achieve their set targets (House of Commons Home Affair Committee 2009, Foster et al 2005). New recruit training scheme has since been launched, however it is the organizational culture, dominated by racism, that creates the ‘glass ceiling’ of ethnic minority and women police officers which fears such potential applicants off regardless of what the police force attempt to promote in recruitment advertisement (Fielding, 1999). Legislation and Adjudication is not a focus area in Macpherson report. Macpherson (1999) only suggested current sentencing practices to remain in place, and the abolishment of double jeopardy rule on murder charges due to seriousness of such crime. The abolishment of double jeopardy rule on murder charges seems to have nothing to do with institutional racism; rather, this change, implemented only in 2005, seems only to pave the path for retrial on the murder of Stephen Lawrence, which the police force admits to have been mishandled (Foster et al, 2005). It is a positive move, however, because such change in legislation allows two of the perpetuators to be sentenced to prison and clearly demonstrate how the criminal justice system accept criticism on past mistakes. There are debates on overall effectiveness of the changes suggested in Macpherson report. One claim, as noted in Rowe’s work (2004) and Waddington’s (1999), is that institutional racism is so deeply rooted in police force in which discrimination has actually become a culture, evidenced by female officers and those of ethnic minorities do not receive equal opportunities in promotion. Innes (1999) also claimed in his work that Macpherson report focus too much on institutional racism and â€Å"fails to understand the complexities and subtleties intrinsic to, and constitutive of this particular aspect of police work†, and at the same time â€Å"displays a tendency to conflate what are in actuality separate problems of racism and systemic management failures†, thus raising doubts in the overall effectiveness of the suggestions. However, official report in 2009 indicates that the recommendations are being implemented with positive feedback (House of Commons Home Affair Committee, 2009). In recent journal articles, although concerns have been raised as well, there are still acknowledgements of changes being implemented and positive outcomes have been observed (Bennetto 2009, Miller 2010, Rowe 2004). It can be seen that if all the changes are implemented, institutional racism can be effectively tackled; one cannot expect it to completely diminish, however. To conclude, it is obvious the Criminal Justice System has positively implemented to almost all of the suggested changes in the Macpherson Report. The time taken to implement these changes, however, is considered too long that hate crimes, similar to the murder of Stephen Lawrence, has not been addressed timely before 2005. The limitation of the Macpherson inquiry in the areas of policing, legislation and adjudication practices only leads to issues in correction institutions not properly addressed. However, as the inquiry itself is based on a single unresolved hate crime that occurred 6 years before the inquiry, one cannot expect the inquiry to address every single issue in the criminal justice system. In fact, the coverage of Macpherson inquiry is so wide that institutional racism has been properly tackled in the past ten years, although still exists today because it has become a culture so deeply rooted in the criminal justice system that complete elimination is virtually impossible. Not all intended effects of the changes can be seen by now, but there is an obvious trend that the criminal justice system has accepted the criticism as institutional racist and moving on the right direction to have things amended. In recent years human right advocacies such as Equality and Human Rights Commission has put an eye on this particular issue and with their consistent lobbying effort, one can expect major progress in eliminating institutional racism from criminal justice system to be successfully achieved in foreseeable future. Bibliography Anthias, F (1999) Institutional Racism, Power and Accountability, Sociological Research Online, vol. 4(1). Available from: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/4/lawrence/ /anthias.htm [Accessed November 30, 2012] Bennetto, J. (2009) Police and racism: what has been achieved 10 years after the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report? London: Equality and Human Rights Commission. Available from: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/raceinbritain/ policeandracism.pdf [Accessed November 30, 2012] Foster, J. (2008) ‘It might have been incompetent, but it wasn’t racist’: murder detectives’ perceptions of the Lawrence Inquiry and its impact on homicide investigation in London, Policing & Society, Vol. 18(2), pp. 89-112 Foster, J. et al (2005) Assessing the impact of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, London: Home Office. Available from: http://library.npia.police.uk/docs/hors/hors294.pdf [Accessed December 1, 2012] Fielding, N. (1999) Policing’s Dark Secret: The Career Paths of Ethnic Minority Officers, Sociological Research Online, vol. 4(1). Available from: http://www.socresonline.org. uk/4/lawrence/fielding.html [Accessed November 30, 2012] Holdaway, S. (1999) Understanding the Police Investigation of the Murder of Stephen Lawrence: A ‘Mundane Sociological Analysis’, Sociological Research Online, vol. 4(1). Available from: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/4/lawrence/holdaway.html [Accessed November 30, 2012] Holdaway, S. and O’Neill, M. (2006) Ethnicity and culture: thinking about ‘police ethnicity’, British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 57(3), pp. 483-502 House of Commons Home Affair Committee. (2009) The Macpherson Report – Ten Years On, London: Stationery Office. Available from: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/ pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmhaff/427/427.pdf [Accessed November 30, 2012] Innes, M. (1999) Beyond the Macpherson Report: Managing Murder Inquiries in Context, Sociological Research Online, v ol. 4(1), available at: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/ 4/lawrence/innes.html [Accessed November 30, 2012] Miller, J. (2010) Stop and Search in England: A Reformed Tactic or Business as Usual?, British Journal of Criminology, 50, pp. 954-974 Macpherson, Sir William. (1999) The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, London: HMSO. McLaughlin, E. and Murji, K. (1999) After the Stephen Lawrence Report, Critical Social Policy, Vol. 19(3): 371-385. Murji, K. (2007) Sociological engagements: Institutional racism and beyond, Sociology-the Journal Of The British Sociological Association, Vol.41(5), pp.843-855 Rowe, M. (2004) Policing, Race and Racism, Cullompton, Willan (Chapter 3) Shiner, M. (2010) Post-Lawrence policing in England and Whales: Guilt Innocence and the Defence of Organizational Ego, British Journal of Criminology, 50, pp. 935-953 Waddington, P (1999) Discretion, ‘Respectability’ and Institutional Police Racism, Sociological Research Online, vol. 4(1), Available from: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/4/ lawrence/waddington.htm [Accessed December 1, 2012]

Free Essays on Goals And Aspirations

It’s unbelievable how each year, since the beginning of high school, my perfectly laid plans for myself have unavoidably deteriorated. When I entered my freshman year, I had aspirations of being a doctor (something I had wanted to be since I was a child). Now, here I am entering my junior year in high school without any idea of what I want to do. Now seems to be the time to start taking life seriously and making responsible, educated choices. Looking back on it now, I realize that I cannot become the doctor I wanted to be. I have come to realize that, that dream was not only my own, but a dream of my family. My parents often talked of me becoming a doctor and although their enthusiasm continued throughout my childhood and early adolescence, until finally I realized I did not want to become a doctor. I remember how hard it seemed to tell my parents of my decision, I felt as if I was letting them down, but I eventually came to realize that they wanted me to do what made me happy. I am not sure of why I changed my mind of becoming a doctor, I had the grades and the willingness, but somewhere I was missing something and I felt that I would not be satisfied in a medical career. So I started thinking about what I wanted to do; I went from electronics to law enforcement, engineering, and numerous other professions. Now I come to a point in my life where I must choose what to do with my future, choose what will make me happy. I have always wanted the typical dream, to have a stable job that pays well, and a house in the suburbs. But now I realize that there are so many other steps I need to take in order to achieve these goals. This includes graduating from high school and college and finding that perfect job. I have begun to realize that I have yet to begin my life, everything up until now has been practice for the real world. My one goal for the future is... Free Essays on Goals And Aspirations Free Essays on Goals And Aspirations It’s unbelievable how each year, since the beginning of high school, my perfectly laid plans for myself have unavoidably deteriorated. When I entered my freshman year, I had aspirations of being a doctor (something I had wanted to be since I was a child). Now, here I am entering my junior year in high school without any idea of what I want to do. Now seems to be the time to start taking life seriously and making responsible, educated choices. Looking back on it now, I realize that I cannot become the doctor I wanted to be. I have come to realize that, that dream was not only my own, but a dream of my family. My parents often talked of me becoming a doctor and although their enthusiasm continued throughout my childhood and early adolescence, until finally I realized I did not want to become a doctor. I remember how hard it seemed to tell my parents of my decision, I felt as if I was letting them down, but I eventually came to realize that they wanted me to do what made me happy. I am not sure of why I changed my mind of becoming a doctor, I had the grades and the willingness, but somewhere I was missing something and I felt that I would not be satisfied in a medical career. So I started thinking about what I wanted to do; I went from electronics to law enforcement, engineering, and numerous other professions. Now I come to a point in my life where I must choose what to do with my future, choose what will make me happy. I have always wanted the typical dream, to have a stable job that pays well, and a house in the suburbs. But now I realize that there are so many other steps I need to take in order to achieve these goals. This includes graduating from high school and college and finding that perfect job. I have begun to realize that I have yet to begin my life, everything up until now has been practice for the real world. My one goal for the future is...

10 Sentences with Muddled Meanings Made Clear

10 Sentences with Muddled Meanings Made Clear 10 Sentences with Muddled Meanings Made Clear 10 Sentences with Muddled Meanings Made Clear By Mark Nichol One of my mottos is â€Å"Mean what you say, and say what you mean.† I try to write by the same standards, but it’s harder than it looks. What appears to be a reasonable sentence often isn’t and â€Å"I understand what the writer meant to write† is a poor excuse for â€Å"I understand what the writer wrote.† Here are some examples of how to make an almost-right statement a right statement: 1. â€Å"The colonists were eager to surround themselves with the gardens of their homeland.† This sentence implies that the colonists excavated the gardens in their homeland and deposited them in their new environs. Here’s the intended meaning: â€Å"The colonists were eager to surround themselves with gardens reminiscent of those in their homeland.† 2. â€Å"The amount of water pumped from the reservoir reached a seemingly impossible peak of half a million acre-feet.† Peak is an awkward analogical term when referring to water volume. A more semantically neutral description is called for: â€Å"The amount of water pumped from the reservoir reached a seemingly impossible maximum output of half a million acre-feet.† 3. â€Å"We visited a Polish concentration camp.† The writer states an impossibility: Poland never established concentration camps. What is true is that Nazi Germany established concentration camps in Poland. Superficially speaking, the difference is subtle, but the insensitivity of the inadvertent error is profound. To be accurate, write, â€Å"We visited a concentration camp in Poland.† 4. â€Å"The opposite pole with respect to availability is represented by Poland.† While we’re in Poland, let’s note the distracting use of pole, which when capitalized refers to a person from Poland, in a sentence about that nation. In addition to omitting the distraction, let’s make the sentence active: â€Å"Poland represents the other extreme on the spectrum of availability.† 5. â€Å"The 275-square-mile tropical island off the southern end of the Malay Peninsula is smaller than New York City and every other country in southeast Asia.† The phrase â€Å"New York City and every other country† implies that the Big Apple is located in southeast Asia. Here’s what the writer meant: â€Å"The 275-square-mile tropical island off the southern end of the Malay Peninsula, dwarfed by every other country in southeast Asia, is smaller than New York City.† 6. â€Å"Another report with thirty-two in-depth interviews has shown that all participants support the procedure.† Unless both reports in question were based on thirty-two in-depth interviews, the sentence should be slightly revised to indicate otherwise: â€Å"Another report, with thirty-two in-depth interviews, has shown that all participants support the procedure.† 7. â€Å"One group of countries (Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Finland, France, Mexico, New Caledonia, and Puerto Rico) does not permit adoption by homosexual couples but does permit single people to adopt.† The phrase â€Å"one group of countries† incorrectly implies that they act in concert to prohibit adoption by homosexual couples. Omit the troublesome phrase and start with the list: â€Å"Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Finland, France, Mexico, New Caledonia, and Puerto Rico do not permit adoption by homosexual couples but do permit single people to adopt.† 8. â€Å"The United States was right in interning the Japanese, and maybe it should happen again.† This sentence, part of a discussion about dealing with terrorism practiced by Islamic extremists, isn’t meant to propose that people of Japanese ancestry in the United States should be interned in response to the terrorist attacks, but that’s what it says. The statement should be revised to convey that the reference to the Japanese is an analogy: â€Å"The United States was right in interning the Japanese, and maybe a similar strategy should be employed again.† 9. â€Å"Many Americans seem resigned to the notion that agriculture and big industries require a ton of water, and there’s not much we can do to change that.† This sentence, out of context, has an almost invisible error. The point is not that altering the notion is seemingly insurmountable; it’s that Big Business’s supposedly insatiable need for water is part of the notion: â€Å"Many Americans seem resigned to the notion that agriculture and big industries require a ton of water and that there’s not much we can do to change that.† 10. â€Å"If you havent been there, it is one of the greatest and most civilized places on Earth.† This subtle error is of a type called a false conditional; when read literally, it implies that if, and only if, you haven’t visited a certain country, it can claim to be what the sentence conveys about it. (Isn’t that faintly insulting to you?) The intended meaning follows: â€Å"If you haven’t been there, you should go, because it is one of the greatest and most civilized places on Earth.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! 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Environmental impact of carbon fuel consumption ( cars, taxis, buses, Essay

Environmental impact of carbon fuel consumption ( cars, taxis, buses, air plane...) - Essay Example The article cites that they only eat organic food which is mostly grown within a 250 mile distance to make it possible to access the food manually. They also do not use paper, they do not produce trash and most important is that they use no carbon-fueled transportation. Implementing these measures according to Beavan can significantly reduce the depletion rate of our environment and see a brighter future for the next generation. In the film â€Å" no impact man† there are similar measures as there is no use of elevators, television, no cars and/or buses, no cleaning products and no garbage. In this movie the food is also organic and he gets it from around Manhattan. There are critics of his families measure as they argue that starting from the mere air they breathe which is made of carbon dioxide to the buildings they live in which were made by machinery to the trucks that bring food in the city they still are accountable for some of the deterioration of the atmosphere. Howeve r it is important to note that with the level of ozone layer depletion at this point it is crucial to take measures to prevent further or slower depletion in order to have a future. This paper looks at some of the benefits and ways of using less fuel consuming cars and buses to the environment. The Beavans are four months into their experiment which involves the use of non-fuel transportation to run their daily activities. This paper advocates for the reduction in the use of cars, taxis, buses or anything that we usually use daily that consumes fuel. In the article Michelle Conlin asserts that she uses her scooter even in the rainy and snow seasons and never uses any other means of transportation. The use of the scooter can help reduce the carbon emissions significantly in the environment and help in living in an environment that is free of any fuel pollution. The wide use of cars, buses and machinery

Critical analysis of the Urbanisation (cause-effect fram work) Essay

Critical analysis of the Urbanisation (cause-effect fram work) - Essay Example This is reflected in the increased importance given to health and environment concerns in the formulation of national plans for sustainable development, by many countries. It is essential that these plans are supported and implemented by all sectors contributing to economic development. It is essential that long-term intervention is directed at reducing the driving forces that generate the environmental health threats. Successful public health interventions concentrate on improving human environments and promote a more holistic perspective on health (Corvalan et al, 1999: 656). New tools are needed to ensure that intersectoral action is implemented in the way that the health sector functions. Improving coordination might be one of the most important ways in which we can help put the planet back on a healthy and sustainable path, states Schimding (2002: 632). forces that generate environmental pressures, creating changes in the state of the environment and eventually contributing to human exposures, states the World Health Organisation Report (1997: 2). Kahlmeier & Braun-Fahrlander (2004: 104) support the use of the frame-work. mediated health hazard may be the immediate cause of ill health, the â€Å"driving force† and â€Å"pressures†leading to environmental degradation may be the most effective points of control of the hazard. The â€Å"network† of connections within the framework can be used to identify cause-effect â€Å"pathways† or â€Å"trees,† depending on whether the framework is used to analyze the multiple health effects of a single driving force (eg, transport policy relying on car transport leading to increased motor vehicle related injuries, effects on the respiratory system, noise disturbance, etc) or to analyze the multiple causes of a single health effect, for example: acute respiratory infections in children resulting from driving forces such as poverty, household energy policies, housing policies, and agricultural policies