Thursday, October 31, 2019

ARTEMIS DESIGNER JEWELLERY AND GIFTS ASPIRATION TO BE FULLY ONLINE Essay

ARTEMIS DESIGNER JEWELLERY AND GIFTS ASPIRATION TO BE FULLY ONLINE - Essay Example The business is family-owned and it is run by a mother and daughter team named Catherine Amesbury and Carrie Mullan. Artemis has a supply of various collections of gifts and jewellery for various occasions. Products available in the shop range from fashion handbags to hand crafted pottery to decorative lights to small token gifts to decorations and stylized soaps. Other supplies available in the business are silver jewellery, which customers choose and can customize to meet their taste. Also known as, the home of Catherine Amesbury Contemporary Jewellery, the business is a mixed model of both the traditional form of business and e-commerce. This means that the customer can either visit the shop physically or access the services of the business online. The customer can browse, request for modifications and buy products through an internet-enabled system on their website or visit their physical store and ask for the same services. Advantages of E-commerce over Traditional Business An E -commerce form of business can offer numerous advantages both to a business and to its customers1. The first advantage is that the costs involved in opening and running a fully online business are lower than the costs involved in starting and managing a traditional business. ... According to Goel (2012), one can sell his/her products at any time of the day with a single click of the mouse. As a result, more customers are likely to visit the website and make their purchases at the convenience of their time without having time constraint2. The other advantage of an online business over a traditional business is that the enterprise will command a larger market share because of being able to have a worldwide market. As Goel (2012) asserts, because of the internet, a business will have global visibility, which makes it network with other businesses and consumers of their products. This will increase its market share, in addition to augmented economies of scale3. A larger market share will mean more sales hence more profits to a business compared to the ones realized in a traditional business set up. According to Botha, Bothma, and Geldenhuys (2004), an online business is not limited by geographic barriers, which characterize brick and mortar businesses. Customers from any part of the world can access the products that a business has unlike in traditional businesses where only the customers at a given geographical zone can access it. Therefore, customers from all over the world will be able to see the company’s products increasing the customer base of the business. This will increase the overall sales made by the enterprise leading to larger profits. All that a customer needs to do is to search for companies that have a given product, and with proper use of Search Engine Optimization, the business will have many visitors adding unto the list of potential buyers from across the globe4. The cost and time used to process orders is significantly reduced with e-commerce because manual

Monday, October 28, 2019

Television and Childhood Obesity Essay Example for Free

Television and Childhood Obesity Essay Childhood obesity has become a national dilemma. Recent studies have shown several causes for this public health epidemic. The evidence between childhood obesity and children’s excessive amount of time in front of the television has done nothing but increase each year. How long do children watch television each day. Does the media target children television? What are the health risks involved with childhood obesity? Childhood obesity continues to increase dramatically as the young viewers are victimized by television. Television Associated With Childhood Obesity During a recent study at UCLA School of Public Health, Sarah Anderson stated â€Å"The association between television viewing and childhood obesity is directly related to children’s exposure to commercials that advertise unhealthy foods. † (Anderson. S 2010) Researchers Frederick J. Zimmerman and Janice F. Bell conducted a study that involved 3,563 children, ages ranged from infants to 12-year-olds. Primary caregivers reported children’s activities and television viewing during the week. Studies had shown that commercial viewing had a significant affect with a higher BMI. According to Zimmerman and Bell, â€Å"steering children away from commercial television may be effective in reducing childhood obesity, given that food is the most commonly advertised product on children’s television and the fact that almost 90 percent of children begin watching television regularly before the age of 2† (Zimmerman, F. and Bell, J. 1997). Nevertheless, researchers have indeed discovered the link between television and childhood obesity as it continues to rise. Since 1980 the percentage of child obesity has more than tripled in the United States. Identifying childhood obesity can be done in various ways. One warning sign is acanthosis nigricans, a skin condition in which the darkening or thickening of the skin folds that can appear on the back of the neck, armpit or groin area. Acanthosis nigricans happens to children of all races. This skin condition is caused by insulin resistance in the body. In addition to visually identifying obesity in children, Pediatricians are measuring the BMI (body mass index) in children of all ges. A Pilot Program to identify obesity in children was performed by Ramona M. Kwapiszewski, DO, and Alex Lee Wallace. During the process Kwapiszewski stated â€Å"Our first challenge was to define obesity. We chose to use the BMI because it has been recognized by the National Institute of Health as a reasonable and accurate tool for detecting obesity in children younger than 18 years. † Kwapiszewski also proceeded to define the BMI as â€Å"the BMI represents the ratio of weight to height squared, and the definition of obesity in children varies based on age and gender. Generally speaking, the television itself does not cause obesity in children; it is how television viewing affects your child. According to the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) children who view more than four hours of television each day are likelier to be overweight. Children who view violence on television tend to be more aggressive and at the same time the child fears the outside world. Characters on television also portray smoking, drinking, risky behaviors, and racial stereotypes as cool. Most of all, too much screen time perpetuates obesity in children as physical activities decrease. Associations of Television Content type and Child Obesity Research has proven that different content types have different affects on obesity. â€Å"Television might lead to obesity through 3 primary pathways: by displacing time that would otherwise be spent in physical activity; by promoting eating while viewing which may foster both lower quality and higher quantity food intake; and by exposing children to food advertising, which adversely affects their diets† stated by Zimmerman PhD, F and Bell PhD, MN, MPH, J.  Studies have shown that as the number of hours children view television increases, so does their body fat. Evidence shows Amy B. Jordan, PhD during one of her investigations â€Å"the causal relationship comes from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which have linked reduction of television and other screen media use to decreased BMI, waist circumference, and triceps skin fold thickness in elementary school-age children. † Jordan PhD, A. On the contrary, the media has found a way to target children. During children programming more 30 second advertisements are viewed. None of which have nutritional value. In 2007 the Kaiser Family Foundation performed a study and found that several of ads kids see 34% for candy and snacks, 28% for cereal, 10% for fast food, 4% for dairy products, and 1% for fruit juices. The number of food ads children view each year is phenomenal. Children from ages 2-7 view more than 4,000 food ads per year. Children between the ages of 8-12 see more than 7,000 food ads per year. Nevertheless, more than 95% of the food ads were high in fat, sugar and sodium. Most of all, the media has found a way to target young viewers. Childhood obesity has a variety of health risks. An article from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) included several consequences of childhood obesity. The CDC stated â€Å"Obese children are more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In one study, 70% of obese children had at least one CVD risk factor, and 39% had two or more. Increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea, and asthma. Joint problems, and musculoskeletal discomfort. Fatty liver disease, gallstones, and gastro-esophageal reflux (i. e. , heartburn). Obese children and adolescents have a greater risk of social and psychological problems, such as discrimination and poor self-esteem, which can continue into adulthood. † (CDC 2011) In this situation, it is important to increase activity and provide children with a well balanced diet. Strategies for Combating Childhood Obesity No doubt it is extremely important to combat childhood obesity. It is equally important to do so in a positive manner. Recently Amy B. Jordan PhD discovered an article written by an expert panel on children, television viewing, and weight. These are the five most promising strategies they believe will combat the negative effects of media use on children’s weight. â€Å"They are: 1. Eliminate TV from children’s bedrooms. Eliminating bedroom media use may reduce overall screen time and may help to limit nighttime media use that may interfere with children’s healthy sleep. 2. Encourage mindful viewing by monitoring screen media, budgeting TV time, and fostering media literacy. The committee encourages parents to collaborate with children on establishing appropriate amounts of screen media use and sharing and discussing the content to which children are exposed. 3. Turn off the TV while eating. Disconnecting food from TV viewing may increase awareness of food consumption, while also increasing family communication, and decreasing total TV watching time. 4. Use school-based curricula to reduce children’s screen time. The panel noted that schools are an excellent forum for efficiently and effectively reaching a large number of youth with a focused curriculum. 5. Provide training for health care professionals to counsel on reducing children’s media use. The panel recommends training and support for pediatricians and others on issues related to reducing children’s use of media. † In addition to implementing those five steps, it is also important to encourage healthy eating habits. To do so, start off by cutting down on fatty foods and start eating foods low in fat or fat free. Also, cut down on sugar and sodium intake and be sure to provide your child with a well balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein, and grains. Teaching children healthy eating habits when they are young will teach them a healthy eating style when they are adults. Conclusion The association between television and childhood obesity is directly related to the amount of television a child watches, television content type, inactivity, and unhealthy eating habits. Monitoring the amount of television a child watches and encouraging healthy eating habits along with plenty of exercise will help in maintaining a healthy weight. Help decrease the number in childhood obesity and do not let children be victimized by television.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Study on Nutritional Status of School Children

Study on Nutritional Status of School Children A STUDY ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN RURAL, SEMI URBAN AND URBAN AREAS OF CHENNAI. INTRODUCTION: The health and nutritional status of children is an index of national investment in the development of its future manpower. According to World Health Organization, protein energy malnutrition refers to â€Å"imbalance between the supply of protein and energy and the body’s demand for them to ensure optimal growth and function. This imbalance includes both inadequate and excessive energy intake; the former leading to malnutrition in the form of wasting, stunting and underweight, and the latter resulting in overweight and obesity†. The consequences of child malnutrition are enormous and are intertwined with the development of society. Malnutrition affects the child’s physical and cognitive growth and increases the susceptibility to infections and severity of diseases while having adverse implications on income and economic growth indirectly. According to UNICEF data, 90% of developing world’s undernourished live in Asia and Africa while 40% of the world’s malnourished live in India. The 2013 Global Hunger Index Report ranked India 16th, which represents the serious hunger situation. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data indicates that 43% of children under 5 years of age are underweight and 2% of them are overweight. In India, we face a double jeopardy of malnutrition i.e., children from urban areas are affected with problems of over-nutrition while those from rural area suffer from effects of under-nutrition. The long term consequences of malnutrition on a child-turned-adult are issues of deep concern. Under-nutrition impairs the child’s immune system and weakens the defenses against other diseases. Whereas over-nutrition contributes to childhood obesity and leads to the early onset of hypertension, Diabetes mellitus, coronary heart diseases, orthopedic disorder and other respiratory diseases. School age is the active phase of childhood growth. Poor nutritional status in children leads to high absenteeism and early school dropouts thereby affecting the literacy rate of the country apart from affecting health status of the children. On the other hand, increasing lifestyle changes in urban areas has led to the emergence of over-nutrition and childhood obesity. To evaluate this changing trend and to determine the burden of malnutrition, we attempted to do a cross sectional study to assess the nutritional status of school children (11-14years old). OBJECTIVES: To determine the nutritional status of children based on their BMI and waist hip ratio and its relation to various factors like gender, area of residence and socio-economic status. METHODOLOGY: After being approved by the Institutional Ethical Committee of Stanley Medical College, a cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in the year 2011 over a period of 3 months from June to September involving 300 children in the age group of 11 to 14 years. Three schools were selected one each in rural area, semi urban area urban area. 100 children from each school were selected as subjects for the study. Data regarding the subjects’ socioeconomic background, religion, dwelling place, three day diet recall and type and duration of physical activities per day. Also their anthropometric measurements including height, weight, circumference of waist and hip were recorded. We have recorded body weight to the nearest 0.1 kg using a standard balance scale with subjects barefoot. Height of the children from the floor to the highest point on the head was recorded when the subject was facing directly ahead, barefoot, feet together, arms by the sides. Heels, buttocks and upper bac k were made to be in contact with the wall when the measurement was made. The height was recorded and rounded off to the nearest 1 cm. BMI (weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in metres) of the children were calculated. The waist circumference was measured at the level of umbilicus. The hip circumference was measured at the widest part of the buttocks. Waist hip ratios were calculated. Data was analyzed at the end of 3 months. RESULTS: Based on the statistical analysis done at the end of the data collection, the following results were obtained. Out of the 300 students assessed in the study, 55% of them were boys and 45% were girls; 39.67% belonged to age 11, 14.67% belonged to age 12, 19.33% belonged to age 13 and 26.33% belonged to age 14. Based on socio-economic status, 1.67% belonged to class 1, 17% belonged to class 2, 38% belonged to class 3, 42.67% belonged to class 4 and 0.67% belonged to class 5. On assessing the 300 children for BMI, 67.33% were found to be underweight, of which 29.67% were from rural areas; 6% were found to be overweight or obese, of which 4.67% were from urban areas. The percentage of under-weight children was 65% in semi urban area and 48% in urban area in contrast to 89% in rural area. TABLE 1. Relation between BMI, Waist Hip Ratio and Area of residence Of the 100 children assessed in rural area, only one was found to be overweight and no one was obese. Among the 100 children assessed in the semi urban area, 3 were overweight. Whereas in urban area, 7 children of the 100 were overweight and another 7 were found to be obese. Thus, in urban area, almost 14% of the children were either obese or overweight. This percentage is significantly higher than the 1% and 3% found in rural and semi urban areas. The percentage of the children who were categorized as normal according to their BMI was only 10% in rural but 32% and 38% in semi-urban and urban areas respectively (Figure 1). Figure 1. According to the data obtained, waist hip ratio of the children was also calculated. It is found that 20% of children in rural area and 32% of children in urban area fall under high-risk category of waist hip ratio. Waist Hip ratio more than 1 in boys and 0.85 in girls indicates an increased risk of metabolic complications. Though the frequency of high risk W:H ratio is higher among children from urban areas than that of rural areas, the difference was not statistically significant. The prevalence of underweight was 69.09% among boys and 65.19% among girls. This difference is not statistically significant indicating that there is no evidence of gender inequality in this study (Table 2). TABLE 2. Relation of gender and socio-economic status over BMI Socio-economic status of each child was assessed based on modified Kuppusamy’s scale. The prevalence of underweight children was 84.62% among socio-economic status class 45 and only 54.12% among socio-economic status class 1,2 3. It is evident that there is a significant statistical difference in the prevalence of underweight children in Class 45 as compared to Class 1, 2 3 ( Table 2). Figure 3. The children were also asked about their choice of games and sports. And it was found that nearly 45% of the boys and girls in rural area were involved in games requiring severe physical activity. The mean playtime of children from rural area was 1.6 hours/day. In semi-urban area, only 25% of the boys and girls were involved in games requiring severe physical activity whereas the percentage was only around 15% in urban area. The mean playtime of children from semi-urban and urban areas were 1.6 hours/day and 1.1 hours/day respectively. The three day diet history obtained from the children was analyzed and the average amount of calorie intake per day was calculated for all. The mean calorie consumption of the children, irrespective of their area of residence, was 1333 kcal. The mean calorie intake of children in rural area was found to be 991.7 kcal. The calorie consumption was found to be lesser when compared to the mean calorie intake in semi urban and rural areas, which were 1461.7 kcal and 1545.7 kcal respectively (Figure 4). It was also found that the irregularity in taking meals was the greatest among the children in urban area. Figure 4. DISCUSSION: A healthy child becomes a healthy adult. Of the various factors which determine the health of the child, nutrition plays the most vital role. Low body weight is unhealthy and harmful in the way it has dire consequences on both physical and psychological well-being of a child. Decreased level of thinking, impaired concentration, irritable mood and heightened obsessiveness, while contributing to the psychological effects of malnutrition, undermines the academic performance of a child and leads to the development of a socially withdrawn child. On the other hand, malnutrition has a profound impact on immune system by weakening the defenses and aggravating the effects of infections. Infections contribute to malnutrition by a variety of mechanisms including anorexia and impaired absorption of nutrients. This shows that enteric infection begets malnutrition and malnutrition begets more infections. According to World Bank statistics, Child malnutrition is responsible for 22 percent of India’s burden of disease and contributes to an estimated adult productivity loss of 1.4% of gross domestic product (GDP). It has been estimated to play a role in about half of all child deaths and more than half of child deaths from major diseases, such as malaria, diarrhea, measles and pneumonia. Recent trends in India suggest that there has been a dramatic fall of severe underweight prevalence in urban areas (by 26%) compared to rural areas though the decline in underweight prevalence was considered inadequate according to UNICEF. Our cross-sectional study shows that boys are more likely to be stunted and underweight than girls though there was no significant gender inequality because of limited sample size. Our study determined the point prevalence of underweight children in relation to various factors like gender, age, area of residence and socio economic status while data from various studies indicated that decline in the prevalence of under-nutrition was lesser in girls compared to boys and lesser in scheduled caste scheduled tribe as compared to other castes. Children with normal BMI constitute only 10% in rural areas while 38% of them had normal BMI in urban area. The collected data signify that under-nutrition is the burning problem in rural areas whereas urban areas suffer from the double jeopardy of malnutrition. It showed that mean height and weight of boys and girls was lower than the CDC 2000 standards in all age groups. The prevalence of underweight and stunting was highest among the age group of 11 to 13 years whereas wasting was more prevalent in the age group of 5 to 7 years. In this study, under-nutrition was found to be significantly more prevalent in girls than in boys. Data from our study says that probability of a child being undernourished is higher in rural area than in urban area. A study found that the prevalence of stunting was observed to be 52.3% and severe stunting was 25.1%. The determinants of this study included father’s occupation and income rather than the educational and occupational status of mother in the patriarchal society. In a multivariate study done in Brazil, stunting was found to be significantly associated with low economic income, inadequate protein intake and polyparasitism, especially Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichura. Evidences suggest that cell mediated immunity is depressed in malnutrition thereby increasing the duration and severity of infections with increasing degrees of malnutrition. The most common infection related deaths due to malnutrition were diarrhea and acute respiratory infections. Infant feeding practices and mother’s education status form the major determinants of Protein Energy Malnutrition. Better feeding practices were found to reduce the prevalence of stunting by 30%. Exclusive breastfeeding and partial breastfeeding were found to be more protective when compared to no breastfeeding. The median relative risk of death from diarrhea fell from 25 in no breastfeeding to 8.6 in exclusive or partial breastfeeding highlighting the paramount importance of breastfe eding in the prevention of malnutrition. Hence, it is necessary to cut down the causal factors of malnutrition before the child attains the age of 3 years. Better feeding practices, health awareness, sanitation, sustained availability of nutritious foods for all sections of people and enhanced access to healthcare services are essential steps to attain the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Failure to invest in combating nutrition can have adverse impacts on potential economic growth. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, launched on 2nd October 1975, is India’s unique programme to improve the nutritional status of children by providing supplementary nutrition, pre-school education, immunization and health education for pregnant and nursing mothers. Though ICDS is successful in many ways, decline in undernutrition in India is slower when compared with other developing countries because ICDS Scheme’s mainly focusses on food supplementation rather than health education and children aged 3-6 yea rs rather than younger children (0-3 years). Our study reiterates the trends of malnutrition in relation to various factors and also highlights the need for differential approach in urban and rural areas to combat malnutrition. CONCLUSION: This cross-sectional study was undertaken to study the nutritional status of children aged 11-14 years and its relation to various factors like gender, area of residence and socio-economic status. This study also attempted to collect data on the amount of calories consumed per day, frequency and regularity of taking meals and level of physical activity in rural, semi-urban and urban areas. According to our study, 67.33% were underweight and 6% were overweight or obese. The prevalence of under-weight was found to be significantly higher in rural area(89%) than in urban area(48%) while urban area takes the upper hand in the prevalence of over-weight children. Our study also estimated that a child from rural area consumes an average of 991.7 kcal while calorie consumption of a child from urban area is much higher, averaging to 1545.7 kcal. Children belonging to socio-economic status Class 45, according to modified Kuppusamy’s scale, were more deprived of nutrients than the children of upper and middle class. Nutritional status was also found to be slightly poorer in boys than that of girls. The data collected also indicated that the mean calorie consumption of children in rural area was 991.7 kcal when compared to 1461.7 kcal in semi-urban and 1565.7 in urban area. However, the mean playtime of children in urban area was 1.1 hours/day with most of the children opting to play video games in their playtime whereas the mean playtime of a child was 1.6 hours/day in rural area. This data highlights a relative increase in calorie consumption in urban area with increase in sedentary lifestyle thereby setting a stage for the development of childhood obesity. Hence, we conclude our study re-emphasizing the various determinants of malnutrition and highlighting the changing trend in the nutritional status of children in urban, semi-urban and rural area.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Holy Bible :: essays research papers

Our Children Children are the offspring born to a husband and wife in marriage relationship. To the Hebrews, children were considered gifts from God, and to be childless was considered a reproach; 'And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men'; (Luke 1:25). Jesus clearly expressed his love and respect for the children; 'And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me'; (Mark 9:36-37). How far have we strayed from the will of God? How many of us can would give anything close to the above definition if asked to define children. The culture is all around us but it should not be all in us. If our children were gifts from God in which we are to have an expressed love and respect, how would we raise our gifts? How many gifts would we ask of the Lord? Would we Plan our lives with as few gifts as possible so that we could spend more time building careers and acquiring worldly gain? Would we say when confronted with the culture's attitude on rejecting God's gifts, I would not reject God's gift but it is a personal choice? Who of us would say to those receiving a gift from God, I would cherish the gift from God but for I respect the rights of others? When the rights of other fly in the face of what God has said we must stand on the word of God and if need be take up our cross. Standing for righteousness will put us at odds with the culture. Being lights of Holiness in the darkness of this culture is exactly what Jesus was revealing when He spoke to the disciples; 'And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me'; (Luke 9:23).

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Hill Reaction and Light Wattage

Wabash College| The Effects of Light Wattage on the Rate of the Hill Reaction| | | Mark Stoops| 11/29/2012| | Introduction: In the Hill Reaction lab we will be measuring the rate of photosynthesis in light dependent reactions. The goal is to measure the change of absorbance of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) and examine the rate of the photosynthetic reactions using this data. The Hill Reaction can be used to study photosynthesis because we can directly measure the rate of the reaction of photosynthesis using DCIP.The Hill Reaction is defined as the photo reduction of an electron acceptor by the hydrogen ions from water, which then produce oxygen. In naturally occurring reactions NADP+ is the final electron acceptor. In the Hill Reaction we will be using 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) as an electron acceptor instead of NADP+. DCIP is blue in its oxidized state and is colorless in its reduced form. This change in color can be utilized. As the photosynthetic reaction proceeds the DCIP will become increasing transparent. This reduction in blue color leads to change in absorbance and can be measured by the spectrophotometer in lab.Using the Hill Reaction, we hypothesized that the amount of light,(change in wattage) affects the rate of change of absorbance of DCIP in solution. In order to test our hypothesis we set up the experiment with three different strengths of light (15W, 60W, 120W), as well as a light free, negative control. Each run was conducted for ten minutes under similar conditions with a difference in wattage being the only variable. The negative control was conducted with no light to see how the reaction would proceed with no external influences. Having a control allows us to have a baseline of comparison for our three lighted runs.Due to the fact that light dependent reactions use light, we can predict that an increase in the amount of light will increase the rate of reaction of photosynthesis, thus lowering the absorbance. We can also predi ct that our control will have no change in absorption after a ten minute period without light. Method: To begin the Hill Reaction we first isolated the chloroplasts. This was done by placing the pieces of leaves into a mortar with 15ml of ice cold NaCl-buffer. The mixture was then ground for two minutes. After grinding the leaves we filtered the solution through 8 layers of cheesecloth.The juice was rung out and the solution put into a 15ml centrifuge tube. The solution was than centrifuged for one minute at 400xg. Then we decanted the supernatant into another clean, chilled centrifuge tube and spun it at 1000xg for 5 minutes. After the centrifuge process, we decanted the supernatant and suspended the pellet in 7ml of ice cold Nacl. This solution was kept on ice the entire time of experiment. To begin our runs we made a warm water bath for our solutions, then prepared the solutions shown in Figure 1 below. | NaCl buffer| DCIP| DI H2O| Chloroplats (on ice)| Blank| 3. 5 ml| -| 1. 0ml| 0. 5 ml|Control | 3. 5 ml| 0. 5ml| 0. 5ml| 0. 5 ml| Reaction 15W| 3. 5 ml| 0. 5ml| 0. 5ml| 0. 5 ml| Reaction 60W| 3. 5 ml| 0. 5ml| 0. 5ml| 0. 5 ml| Reaction 120W| 3. 5 ml| 0. 5ml| 0. 5ml| 0. 5 ml| Figure 1. Experimental solutions to be prepared in lab. The blank solution was used to zero our spectrophotometer. To zero our spectrophotometer, we used the instructions provided at the spectrophotometer. To prepare the control, we added all solutions shown above and then wrapped it in two layers of aluminum foil to completely block any sources of light. After 10 minutes the control absorbance was tested to provide a negative control.We prepared the 15W, 60W, and 120W reaction tubes immediately before each respective run to avoid light pollution. The procedure we used to test each solution was to prepare the tube and place it 25cm from the source of light. Then, turn on the light and leave it on for a minute. Then at the minute mark the light was turned off and the clock stopped. The tub e was placed in the spectrophotometer and a reading was taken. Then the tube was returned to the water bath, the light turned on, and the clock started. We followed this procedure for ten times for a total of 10 minutes for each solution.The only difference between runs was the changing of bulb wattage. Results: How does the amount of light affect the rate of reaction of photosynthesis and therefore absorbance of the DCIP solution? The data shown in Figure 2 is the results of three reaction runs and a negative control run. The time in minutes is shown on the left and the percent absorbance of the 15W, 60W, 120W, and negative control run are provided in the subsequent columns. Time (minutes)| 15W %A| 60W %A| 120W %A| Negative control| 0| 1. 1| 0. 99| 0. 89| | 1| 1. 09| 0. 945| 0. 716| | 2| 1. 08| 0. 9| 0. 55| | 3| 1. 8| 0. 815| 0. 422| | 4| 1. 07| 0. 772| 0. 322| | 5| 1. 06| 0. 702| 0. 237| | 6| 1. 07| 0. 638| 0. 176| | 7| 1. 055| 0. 578| 0. 125| | 8| 1. 05| 0. 53| 0. 088| | 9| 1. 03 5| 0. 464| 0. 064| | 10| 1. 025| 0. 408| 0. 032| 1. 11| Figure 2. Data values for absorbance of DCIP solutions on a one minute basis. Also shown is the negative control with absorbance taken at 10 minutes. Figure 3 shows us a visual of the data in Figure 2. Figure 3. Time in minutes versus % absorbance of 15W, 60W, 120W, and negative control runs. Figure 4. The effect of bulb wattage on rate of absorbance. Discussion:Our results for our data runs show a common theme which is, the amount of light does have an effect on the rate of photosynthetic reaction. We can see by looking at the data in Figure 2 and depicted in Figure 3 that the amount of light has a direct influence on the rate of absorbance. The 15W run has a very small decline ending with a change in absorbance of only 7. 5%. The 60W bulb shows a change in absorbance of 58. 2%, and the 120W shows a change of 85. 8%, with a final absorption of almost 0. As shown in Figure 4, the rates of change of the 15W, 60W, and 120W runs a re 0. 75%, 5. 8%, and 13. 06 % absorbance/minute respectively.These results show that the higher the wattage, the faster DCIP turns clear, and the faster photosynthesis proceeds. Although the total change and rate of change of the 120W bulb are greatest, the reaction slows down towards the end of the run, as shown in Figure 3. This slowing of the reaction means that the amount of DCIP in its reduced state is very high, and can no longer accept electrons. This corresponds to Figure 3 because the absorbance is 3. 2% at the end. Which show a very low level of DCIP in the oxidized state. If the DCIP is no longer oxidized it can’t accept electrons which is a vital step in the light dependent reaction.Therefore we expect to observe a slowing of the reaction, and this is seen in Figure 3. The positive and negative controls give us a reference to compare our results to. In our case the 60W run is our positive control and is used in our data runs as a part of our data. It shows a line ar decline in absorbance providing a solid point of reference for a normally functioning system. The negative control provides a reference to a non-functioning Hill Reaction. The negative control shows a system without light and shows that the system will not react without sunlight. It also provides a base for 100% absorbance for each run.In conclusion our data does support our hypothesis and our prediction. As shown in the results, a change in the amount of light will produce a change in rate of the photosynthetic reaction. We predicted that a higher wattage will increase the rate. This was indeed shown in figure 2, with the 120W bulb showing the highest rate of reaction, and the 15W bulb with the slowest rate of synthetic reaction. Also we predicted that the negative control would show no reaction without light. This was supported as shown in Figure 2 with no change in absorption over the 10 min period.To test if the slowing of the reaction is due to a shortage of oxidized DCIP in solution, and not from high wattage, I would run each experiment again for a longer period of time. By doing this it would allow each run to reach a lower absorption. At this low absorption we would expect the rate to slow down due to the lack of oxidized DCIP. If this were true, each wattage would show the same slowing effect at low absorption. If the slowing of the reaction is not observed, the change would be due to a different reason such as a high wattage reducing DCIP’s functionality over time. References: Biology 111 Lab Manual. 2012

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility Essays

The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility Essays The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility Paper The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility Paper The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility Dr. Karnani shows in this article from the Wall Street Journal, the pros and cons on whether businesses should be required to implement social welfare initiatives. For some companies, this idea is a win-win situation but there are other businesses that in order to promote these initiatives, they would have to lose profits. The idea of people helping people sounds very good but we have to be realistic, we are living in a capitalist country were people’s priority is their own well-being. The majority of the United States businesses are going to think of how to make profits; if a way to make profits is to improve social welfare then they are more likely to do it. But if by improving social welfare their profits are going to go down, then they are not going to care about the social welfare. Which also turns into a lose-lose situation, in where by increasing the profits will also increase social welfare. Dr. Karnani alleges different ways in which we can balance out both, business and social welfare. One way is where civil society creates nonprofit organizations and movements in where the common good is the main goal. These organizations are created to help the community in a variety of aspects. Some organizations can have as a main goal to protect the environment making sure that profitable companies get as close as possible to being environmental friendly while achieving their profit goal. Other organizations can have as a goal to help communities socially or cultural involved. Another way is what he calls â€Å"self control† in where companies would have to create their own regulations to voluntarily act in the public interest. Though in reality this is unlikely to happen, it would be good if someone were to do it. But even if a company were to do it, there were still have to be a third party involved that would have to supervise that the company is actually doing what it says to be doing. The more reasonable way that he mentions in this article, is for government to create a regulation to protect the public good. This is by far the best way to create balance. Government has the responsibility to help and serve people and it can do so by balancing the public interest and the businesses interests. In this article named The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility, Dr Karnani says â€Å"governments are a far more effective protector of the public good than any campaign for corporate social responsibility† (Karnani,  2010,  para. 23). The only way in which government can make sure that people help each other is by somehow punish the unacceptable behavior. Just as it has the power to give a citation to someone that has broken a traffic rule, it can make sure that companies help people and not only look for their own benefit. Even these ideas are great, we cannot expect for the people to apply them in their everyday life. The reality is that people and businesses have become selfish and greedy and it is hard to trust and help people without being cheated out or taken advantage of. In an article called Beyond Selfishness, Henry Mintzberg, Robert Simons and Kunal Basu said â€Å"A syndrome of selfishness, built on a series of half-truths, has taken hold of our corporations and our societies, as well as our minds. This calculus of glorified self-interest and the fabrications upon which it is based must be challenged. †   (Mintzberg, Simons, Basu,  2002,  para. 1). It is in human nature to think of your own well being before other’s people. Most of the rich people only think on making sure they stay that way, and poor people are left trying to survive the lifestyles the rich people have created. Companies hire people imposing rules and trainings to make sure the employees can help them achieve certain profit goal. In order to live up to the lifestyles that have been created, employees are in the necessity to follow this rules and act the way the companies want them to act. A lot of times employees are overworked and exploited by companies, up to the point that we are not even sure if we work to live or we live to work. Conclusion Government has the responsibility to ensure the well being of all the people, but sometimes we forget that the government is also made out of people. It is easy to blame someone for something but we need to start taking responsibility in our own actions and start with ourselves if we want to find balance in life and with each other. Reference Karnani, A. (2010). The case against corporate social responsibility. WALL STREET JOURNAL/MIT SLOAN, (), . Retrieved  from  http://sloanreview. mit. edu/executive-adviser/articles/2010/3/5231/the-case-against-corporate-social-responsibility/ Mintzberg, H. , Simons, R. , Basu, K. (2002). Beyond Selfishness. THE MAGAZINE, (), . Retrieved  from  http://sloanreview. mit. edu/the-magazine/articles/2002/fall/4417/beyond-selfishness/

Monday, October 21, 2019

Thomas Edison, who change the essays

Thomas Edison, who change the essays Thomas Edison was one of the greatest scientists that invented and improved upon things that transformed our world. In his lifetime, Edison patented for more than a thousand inventions, earning him the nickname "The Wizard of Menlo Park." The most famous of his inventions was an incandescent light bulb. Other inventions like the phonograph, the carbon telephone transmitter, and the motion-picture projector are very famous too. In addition, he created the world's first industrial research laboratory which is at the village of Menlo Park, NJ. Some of the inventions, he did not come up with the ideas on his own. He had others help him and work with him and just about all his inventions are things we still use in some form today. Throughout his career, Edison consciously directed his studies to devices that could satisfy real needs and come into popular use. Indeed, it may be said that in applying himself to technology, he was fulfilling the ideals of democracy, for he centered his atte ntion upon projects that would increase the convenience and pleasure of mankind. The reason why I chose Thomas Edison to write about is because light bulb is a very essential invention in our daily life. Back in the 1800s, people have to stop what they were doing when the night arrives and prepare to go to sleep or light up a candle or lantern if their family could afford it. And because of Edisons invention, night is no longer dark and scary to others. He promised people that he would invent a safe, mild, and inexpensive electric light that would replace the gaslight in millions of homes; moreover, he would accomplish this by an entirely different method of current distribution from that used for arc lights. And I personally admired his invention because I cannot live without light and I believe everybody is like that. ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Plagiarism-Free Essay Writing

Plagiarism-Free Essay Writing Plagiarism-Free Essay Writing Plagiarism-Free Essay Writing Today, when the number of sites offering professional essay writing service is steadily increasing, customers pay special attention to the issue of plagiarism. Indeed, it would be unreasonable and rather unfair to spend a lot of money and time on essay writing while instead to get a plagiarized essay. We are proud to be among the top-trusted sites in the industry. Our clients get the best writing services as we guarantee plagiarism-free essay writing. Working with us, you get the following guarantees: Relevant, fully-referenced content 100% original writing from scratch Proper in-text citations Full reference list in a proper format Free bibliography page Footnotes or endnotes upon request Non-plagiarized essay writing services No other site offers copies of all sources used for essay writing. We do because it is not a problem for us. We can provide you with copies of all articles we used to do your assignment. Thus, you can easily check the quality of sources, enhance the paper with additional details, and to check the correctness of referencing. We value your trust and we try our best to provide you with superior service at any time of day and night. Our support, as well as writers, are available 24/7! If you need an essay overnight, we will write the one for you. Despite of urgency, we do not plagiarize. We deliver original essays on time. You will be impressed with the quality of our services, adequate customer support, and professional writers. We are industry leaders and we know how to write original, non-plagiarized essays. Custom written essay: original and non-plagiarized We deliver only original essays. It means that your custom written essay is absolutely authentic. It means that you have us specifics of your assignment, while we conduct the research and write your essay from scratch. The format of your essay is tailored to the specific details of your assignment, format requirements, and content nuances. Original essay has never existed before. In addition, you are the only person who gets an essay. In other words, your custom written essay is never posted online and is never resold to third parties. The professionalism of our writers is undoubted as we hire only experienced, trained, and talented essay writers who are able to impress you with non-plagiarized essays. Give yourself a chance to get custom written essay of the highest academic quality! Interesting posts: 250 Words per Page Term Paper Writing Research Papers Writing a Research Paper Write a Research Paper Topics for a Research Paper

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Favorite Brand Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Favorite Brand - Research Paper Example The brands quality is evidenced by celebrity endorsing it, particularly by the athletes. For instance, Lance Armstrong chose to wear Oakley products in the Winter Olympics in 2006. Also, in 2010, the miners who got trapped in a mine for seventeen days in Chile were offered Oakley sunglasses to protect their retinas after reaching the ground during the saving pursuit. The military, Hollywood stars, and royalties are also among the users of Oakley products. Eldridge (2011) asserts that, Oakley products are not only worn for fashion purposes, but owing to the quality thereof. Indeed the fusion of science with art has enabled athletes redefine what is thought to be impossible physically. The exclusive research and technology as evidenced by the ideal balance 3-point frames, which are calculated at providing the user with optimum optical alignment, comfort and stability makes the Oakley brand stand out. The pressure points inherent in ordinary frames are obviated from Oakley frames while facilitating an accurate and sharp vision. Much emphasis is paid on the clarity and sharpness of the image that the prospective user should acquire, as such; the Oakley products have High Definition Optics (HDO) lenses. Oakley lenses also ensure that no harmful ultraviolet or blue light penetrates to the eyes of the user (Eldridge, 2011). The lenses are designed is such a way that the harmful rays get filtered into the lens as opposed to a mere coating that can run out with the passage of time. Oakley offers a variety of options for the prospective user in terms of color and style. For instance, there are iridium and polarized lenses, whereby iridium refers to a coating with the ability of cutting some light and enhancing others, whereas polarized lenses prevents bouncing light from other surfaces from reaching the eye. The SwitchLock feature enables users to vary the lenses promptly in order to grant optimum visibility in various situations.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Morality in Business Essay Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Analysis of Morality in Business - Literature review Example   For instance, in the present day, the majority of the big businesses sponsor their dedication to non-financial standards under captions such as ethics regulations and social accountability agreements. Individuals of a similar business hardly ever meet together, even for fun and entertainment, although the discussion finishes in a scheme in opposition to the community or in a number of plans to increase costs. Governments employ regulations as well as directives to channel business activities in what they consider to be advantageous ways. Ethics unreservedly control areas and aspects of activities that stay away from governmental power. The materialization of huge businesses with restricted associations as well as understanding to the society within which they function hastened the growth of official ethics administrations. Companies began emphasizing on their ethical standing during the late 1980s and near the beginning 1990s, perhaps tempting to detach themselves from the busine ss humiliations of the day, for instance, the investments and mortgage disaster. The initiative of business ethics got the consideration of intellectuals, media, and business organizations â€Å"by the last part, the Cold War† (Ferrell et al, p. 221).  Ã‚   If a business's intention is to take full advantage of shareholder profits, then forfeiting earnings to other issues is an infringement of its â€Å"fiduciary responsibility†. Business firms are officially regarded as people within the United States of America as well as in the majority of states. The businesspersons are officially allowed to the constitutional rights and legal responsibilities because of citizens as individuals. Ethical concerns take account of the constitutional rights and responsibilities between a business and its human resources, contractors, clientele and fellow citizens, its fiduciary accountability to its stakeholders. Concerns regarding associations between various businesses take account of â€Å"hostile takeovers as well as industrial espionage† (Ferrell et al, p. 285). Associated concerns take account of corporate supremacy; private enterprise; political involvements; officially authorized concerns, for instance, the moral discussion about s etting up an offense of corporate assassination; and the advertising of businesses' ethics guidelines.  Ã‚  

History 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

History 3 - Essay Example America aimed at the reconstitution of society by means of eradicating the existent monarchial society and its basics, which included the robust aspects of kinship, patriarchy, patronage, domination and so on. The eradication was to be accompanied by the substitution of the eradicated aspects with the elements of love, respect, consent, and equality. The dynamic target set by the American Revolution was the establishment of a moral government whose spillover effects would seep around the globe. The primal task of Americans was to introduce the idea of equality with respect to labor. In this respect the statement of Woods bears special significance, and it can be referred to as follows: â€Å"Perhaps nothing separated early-nineteenth-century Americans more from Europeans than their attitude toward labor and their egalitarian sense that everyone must participate in it† (qtd. in Launius). Divergence between these two revolutions can be related to their political extravaganza. The American political elites were highly experienced in their practical political experiences, and the leaders suggested more moral sophistication. In contrast with this, the authority of the then French government trickled down from the court and at the juncture when the French revolutionaries rose to power was driven by their speculations, and in this case the statement of Alexander Hamilton can be mentioned: I dread the reveries of your Philosophic politicians (qtd. in Brookhiser). The value placed on the national unity can be said to have varied, and with rigorous experimentation they built the government divided into the Republicans and Democrats. In this respect the statement of Governor Morris can be mentioned: â€Å"will act as an outward conscience, and prevent the abuse of power† (Brookhiser). In contrast, the French, who were uncertain about themselves, opted for a unitary state and that of a community of feeling. The National

Critically compare and contrast the arguments of classical and modern Essay

Critically compare and contrast the arguments of classical and modern liberals regarding the role of the state - Essay Example Upholding individual rights and ensuring equality of opportunity are considered to be better than theocratic rules, absolutism and totalitarianism. This ideology arose in the Age of Enlightenment; out of dissatisfaction with the interference of the Church and â€Å"the comprehensive political control and regulation of economic affairs† (Balaam, 2007:7) that prevailed. A liberal state neither seeks to resolve the conflicts of people on various matters of faith and life, nor interfere in the market economy. Instead, it â€Å"provides a neutral framework within which citizens can pursue their diverse conceptions of the good life† (Honderich, 1995: 483) and live together. Classical liberals favour religious tolerance over a religious monopoly. All liberals seek â€Å"the best form of government which will permit the individual to pursue life as he or she sees fit† (IEP, 2006). Liberal ideas now dominate many parts of the world. The USA was founded on the very principles of liberty, freedom and equality. Freedom is considered an ideal, which is only possible if people are allowed to be autonomous. The value of freedom â€Å"has its roots not only in Rousseau’s and Kant’s political theory, but also in John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty†¦ [and is still] a dominant strain in liberalism† (SEP, 2007). Liberalism prefers a limited role of the state because the state is perceived to be abusive of individual liberties, which leads to tensions between the individual and the state. Liberals believe that the tasks performed by the government must be limited to â€Å"tasks that individuals cannot perform by themselves, such as establish a basic legal system, assure national defence, and coin money† (Balaam, 2007: 50). Adam Smith, concerned with state interference in the market system, was a proponent of this view when he stated that the government’s role should be restricted to only doing work that private

Thursday, October 17, 2019

A Treatise on Economics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A Treatise on Economics - Term Paper Example While not perfect, a market-based ecomony operates on familiar rules because those rules mimic the choices people are likely to make. In Wheelan’s words, â€Å"a market economy is to economics what democracy is to government: a decent, if flawed, choice among many bad alternatives† (21). Do market incentives always lead us in the right direction? Market incentives are subject to interpretation and application by individuals, groups, and other entities. Incentives exist to encourage desired behavior, and can be successful to the extent that incented people embrace the incentives. Wheelen asserts that â€Å"when we are paid on commission, we work harder; if the price of gasoline goes up, we drive less† (26). People’s responses to incentives allow the market to adjust. If an economy is not reliant on the market, government does not reward good or poor work practices and behaviors; the result is often inefficiency, poor quality, and high cost (27). Alternative ly, incentives can present problems. One of these is the â€Å"principal-agent problem† that presents itself when a business, the principal, hires an employee, the agent, who may be incented not to act in the best interest of the company (31). In these cases, the agent may see personal gain as a greater incentive than the incentives provided by the company and steal or take advantage of the work situation in other ways. The success of incentives in a market-based economy is subject to the decisions of the people who respond to them. Incentives may not always lead us in the right direction. Can government help to guide our incentives? Government can help guide our incentives, but too much of this guidance could spell disaster. Wheelan states that â€Å"the communist governments of the twentieth century controlled their economies by controlling their citizen’s lives† and â€Å"often wrecked both in the process† (21). Other ways the government could guide in centives include taxes and regulations. Incentives tied to taxation add complexity to â€Å"public policy† in an effort to transfer wealth to the poor (38). Businesses and individuals respond by â€Å"avoiding or reducing the activity that is taxed† (38). The result is often that the economy does not realize the anticipated boost to the expected extent, if at all. Regulations, on the other hand, may be unavoidable. Wheelan suggests that â€Å"good government makes a market economy possible† (51). One role the government plays is to â€Å"define and protect property rights† so that individuals and businesses can develop and produce unique products without fear of those products being stolen or misused (52-4). The government can also support business and individuals by â€Å"providing uniform rules and regulations, such as contract law; by rooting out fraud; by circulating a sound currency† (54-5). While government involvement in economics may not be popular, if present at an acceptable level, the government can provide a framework in which a market economy can thrive. In Wheelan’s words, â€Å"government is like a surgeon’s scalpel: It is an intrusive tool that can be used for good or for ill† (80). What is â€Å"human capital† and how does it relate to a country’s economic well-being? Wheelan defines â€Å"human capital† as â€Å"the sum total of skills embodied within an individual: education, intelligence,

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example Recommendations for the enhancement of the reports 3. Conclusion References Appendix Executive Summary The evaluation of the perspectives of modern organizations within the global market is quite difficult. The increasing financial turbulences and social conflicts worldwide have caused delays in the stabilization of firms; moreover concerns often appear in regard to the potentials of a firm to face its competitors and achieve a stable growth. The corporate reports are used as sources for evaluating the current status of organizations but also their potential performance in the future. Particular emphasis is given on the CSR reports, which indicate the efforts of firms for addressing their social and environmental responsibilities. These reports are likely to be used for the development of communication between organizations and their stakeholders. The review of the CSR reports of three organizations operating in different industries in UK proves the value of CSR reports for the impro vement of organizational performance. It is also proved that each organization is likely to use different approaches for addressing its social and environmental obligations, as resulting by the principles and standards set by the relevant international organizations. 1. Introduction The response of organizations to their social and environmental responsibilities has been traditionally considered as a criterion for evaluating the potentials of these organizations to meet the market’s requirements. In this context, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a vital part of organizational activities. The above fact is also highlighted in the literature published in the specific field. It should be noted, though, that theorists and researchers have used different approaches in order to explain the importance of CSR within modern organizations. In accordance with Habisch (2005) the corporate responsibility should be considered as ‘part of the political and social tradi tion’ (Habisch 2005, p.38). Moreover, Boeger et al. (2008) note that CSR reports should take into consideration the local culture and ethics. Also, Mullerat et al. (2010) notes that CSR is commonly used as ‘a tool for enhancing shareholder value’ (Mullerat 2010, p.130), a target that is characterized as of key importance for the success of organizational plans. On the other hand, Idowu et al. (2008) note that the development of credible evaluations regarding the CSR initiatives of modern organizations can be achieved only by using appropriate standards and principles, as set by relevant international organizations. From another point of view, Anderson (1989) supports that the quality and the credibility of CSR reports can be checked effectively through appropriate organizational schemes, for instance the development of a ‘social responsibilities audit’ (Anderson 1989, p.255). It should be also noted that firms are likely to set different priorities i n regard to their CSR plans, as indicated in the graphs presented in Figure 1 & Figure 2 (Appendix section). Current paper focuses on the review of the CSR reports of three firms operating in different industries within the British market: the Wates Group, a well – known construction firm, the BAM Group, a firm operating in the field of international contracting, as part of the Royal BAM Group, a European construction enterprise’ (BAM 2011, About us) and E.on, a key competitor in the power generation industry of UK. The CSR reports

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Critically compare and contrast the arguments of classical and modern Essay

Critically compare and contrast the arguments of classical and modern liberals regarding the role of the state - Essay Example Upholding individual rights and ensuring equality of opportunity are considered to be better than theocratic rules, absolutism and totalitarianism. This ideology arose in the Age of Enlightenment; out of dissatisfaction with the interference of the Church and â€Å"the comprehensive political control and regulation of economic affairs† (Balaam, 2007:7) that prevailed. A liberal state neither seeks to resolve the conflicts of people on various matters of faith and life, nor interfere in the market economy. Instead, it â€Å"provides a neutral framework within which citizens can pursue their diverse conceptions of the good life† (Honderich, 1995: 483) and live together. Classical liberals favour religious tolerance over a religious monopoly. All liberals seek â€Å"the best form of government which will permit the individual to pursue life as he or she sees fit† (IEP, 2006). Liberal ideas now dominate many parts of the world. The USA was founded on the very principles of liberty, freedom and equality. Freedom is considered an ideal, which is only possible if people are allowed to be autonomous. The value of freedom â€Å"has its roots not only in Rousseau’s and Kant’s political theory, but also in John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty†¦ [and is still] a dominant strain in liberalism† (SEP, 2007). Liberalism prefers a limited role of the state because the state is perceived to be abusive of individual liberties, which leads to tensions between the individual and the state. Liberals believe that the tasks performed by the government must be limited to â€Å"tasks that individuals cannot perform by themselves, such as establish a basic legal system, assure national defence, and coin money† (Balaam, 2007: 50). Adam Smith, concerned with state interference in the market system, was a proponent of this view when he stated that the government’s role should be restricted to only doing work that private

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example Recommendations for the enhancement of the reports 3. Conclusion References Appendix Executive Summary The evaluation of the perspectives of modern organizations within the global market is quite difficult. The increasing financial turbulences and social conflicts worldwide have caused delays in the stabilization of firms; moreover concerns often appear in regard to the potentials of a firm to face its competitors and achieve a stable growth. The corporate reports are used as sources for evaluating the current status of organizations but also their potential performance in the future. Particular emphasis is given on the CSR reports, which indicate the efforts of firms for addressing their social and environmental responsibilities. These reports are likely to be used for the development of communication between organizations and their stakeholders. The review of the CSR reports of three organizations operating in different industries in UK proves the value of CSR reports for the impro vement of organizational performance. It is also proved that each organization is likely to use different approaches for addressing its social and environmental obligations, as resulting by the principles and standards set by the relevant international organizations. 1. Introduction The response of organizations to their social and environmental responsibilities has been traditionally considered as a criterion for evaluating the potentials of these organizations to meet the market’s requirements. In this context, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a vital part of organizational activities. The above fact is also highlighted in the literature published in the specific field. It should be noted, though, that theorists and researchers have used different approaches in order to explain the importance of CSR within modern organizations. In accordance with Habisch (2005) the corporate responsibility should be considered as ‘part of the political and social tradi tion’ (Habisch 2005, p.38). Moreover, Boeger et al. (2008) note that CSR reports should take into consideration the local culture and ethics. Also, Mullerat et al. (2010) notes that CSR is commonly used as ‘a tool for enhancing shareholder value’ (Mullerat 2010, p.130), a target that is characterized as of key importance for the success of organizational plans. On the other hand, Idowu et al. (2008) note that the development of credible evaluations regarding the CSR initiatives of modern organizations can be achieved only by using appropriate standards and principles, as set by relevant international organizations. From another point of view, Anderson (1989) supports that the quality and the credibility of CSR reports can be checked effectively through appropriate organizational schemes, for instance the development of a ‘social responsibilities audit’ (Anderson 1989, p.255). It should be also noted that firms are likely to set different priorities i n regard to their CSR plans, as indicated in the graphs presented in Figure 1 & Figure 2 (Appendix section). Current paper focuses on the review of the CSR reports of three firms operating in different industries within the British market: the Wates Group, a well – known construction firm, the BAM Group, a firm operating in the field of international contracting, as part of the Royal BAM Group, a European construction enterprise’ (BAM 2011, About us) and E.on, a key competitor in the power generation industry of UK. The CSR reports

The cause of stress to college students Essay Example for Free

The cause of stress to college students Essay Many people experience stress as they combine busy lives and the demands of study and or work while trying to also save time for friends and family.. For some people,, stress becomes almost a way of life.. We all experience episodic stress – getting ready for a major exam,, completing an important paper,, perhaps getting ready for an important interview.. However,, a continuous â€Å"â€Å"state†Ã¢â‚¬  of stress should not become a way of life.. We know that stress – over a prolonged period of time – can have increase certain health risks,, to say nothing of the wear and tear that happens to relationships and general wellbeing. This simple guide uses materials adapted from several college campuses with active stress reduction programs.. It explores the origins of stress and provides some basic ways to assess the level of stress you may be feeling and then suggests some easytoincorporate ways to decrease the level of stress.. WHAT IS STRESS? Stress is simply the bodys non-specific response to any demand made on it. Stress is not by definition synonymous with nervous tension or anxiety. Stress provides the means to express talents and energies and pursue happiness; it can also cause exhaustion and illness, either physical or psychological; heart attacks and accidents. The important Recognizing Stress The following are indicators that you may be experiencing stress. ^ General irritability ^ Elevated heart rate ^ Increased blood pressure ^ Increased accident proneness ^ Floating anxiety-anxious feeling for no specific reason ^ Trembling ^ Insomnia ^ Headaches ^ Indigestion ^ Pain in neck and/or lower back ^ Changes in appetite or sleep pattern Thing to remember about stress is that certain forms are normal and essential. As the body responds to various forms of physical or psychological stress, certain predictable changes occur. These include increased heart rate, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), and secretions of stimulatory hormones. These responses to stress will occur whether the stress is positive or negative in nature. In lay terms, it is known as the fight or flight mechanism. Continual exposure lowers the bodys ability to cope with additional forms of psychological or physiological stress. The results of continuing stress may cause disruption in one or more of the following areas of health: physical, emotional, spiritual and/or social. Stress is a process that builds. It is more effective to intervene early in the process rather than later. Try to become aware of the signs that suggest the process has begun. COMMON STRESSORS IN COLLEGE LIFE INCLUDE: ? Greater academic demands ? Being on one’s own in a new environment – with new responsibilities ? Changes in family relations and one’s social life ? Financial responsibilities ? Exposure to new people, ideas, and temptations ? Being away from home, often for the first time ? Making decisions, on a higher level than one is used to ? Substance abuse ? Awareness of one’s sexual identity and orientation ? Preparing for life after graduation ? Psychological make-up can also play a role in vulnerability to depression. People who have low self-esteem, who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism, or are readily overwhelmed by stress may be especially prone to depression. TAKING STRESS SERIOUSLY For many young adults, college is the best time of life. These critical years of adjustment can also be undermined by depression, anxiety, substance abuse and eating disorders. Researchers are finding that many mental illnesses are traced to trauma, whose damage surfaces in times of stress and change, such as the college years. The statistics listed below are evidence that stress in ourselves or in someone about whom we care – should be taken and treated seriously. College students are feeling more overwhelmed and stressed than fifteen years ago, according to a recent UCLA survey of college freshman. More than 30% of all college freshman report feeling overwhelmed a great deal of the time. Thirty-eight percent of college women report feeling frequently overwhelmed. Depression affects over 19 million adults in the US annually. At colleges nationwide, large percentages of college students are feeling overwhelmed, sad, hopeless and so depressed that they are unable to function. In a recent national college health survey, 10% of college students had been diagnosed with depression. Women, who tend to be more forthcoming (or are less stigmatized) in seeking treatment for depression, recorded a rate of 13%. Anxiety disorders affect millions of adults every year, and anxiety levels among college students have been rising since the 1950s. In 2000, 7% of college students reported experiencing anxiety disorders within the previous year. Women are five times as likely to have anxiety disorders. Eating disorders affect 5-10 million women and 1 million men, with the highest rates occurring in college-aged women. Advantaged, white women are at the highest risk. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among the US population, the third leading cause of death for all those aged 15-24, and the second leading cause of death in college populations. Individuals who are stressed are more likely to have accidents – including those involving motor vehicles, and, to be more careless with seatbelt use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 7. 8% of men and 12. 3% of women ages 18-24 report frequent mental distress – a key indicator for depression and other mental disorders. Some additional suggestions for reducing stress levels and enhancing your college experience: ? Keep your space and consequently your mind organized. ? Go to class. ? Keep up with course work (the rule of thumb is two hours of study per one hour in class). ? Get involved with campus activities. ? Maintain communication with your family. ? Take advantage of campus resources and choose a career path. ? Form healthy relationships. ? Talk to someone about your problems (family member, friend, college counselor). ? Get to know your professors.

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Rise in Penal Populism | Dissertation

The Rise in Penal Populism | Dissertation Abstract Since the mid-1970s onward, the vast majority of Western countries have experienced a significant plus continual rise in their incarceration rates, leading to the problem of overcrowded prisons. We examine the extent to which the ‘incarceration boom’ of many modern societies can be attributed to the phenomenon of penal populism. Specifically, we argue that some short-lived actual crime waves during the late 1970s and 1980s may have initially generated a small amount of rational penal populist sentiment among the public, it is the strong divisions within the increasingly heterogeneous public (both politically and ethnically), the central government, and the popular media industry of many democratic developed nations which have ultimately sustained the growth of both penal populism and prison population numbers. Furthermore, we focus on the types of crime that are most commonly targeted by strong penal populist sentiments in the public and criminal justice system, and suggest that all such categories of crime can be fundamentally linked to the cultural ‘purification’ of children which has taken place in virtually all Western societies during the latter half of the twentieth century. Finally, we consider the limitations of penal populism, referring to those few post-industrial states where such populist punitiveness has been largely resisted, and postulate what the end-stage consequences of a penal populist movement spanning over the past three decades are likely to be. 1. Introduction The term ‘penal populism’ denotes a punitive phenomenon that has become characteristic of many modern industrial societies, especially within Western liberal democracies since the late twentieth century onward, whereby anti-crime political pressure groups, talk-back radio hosts, victim’s rights activists or lobbyists, and others who claim to represent the ‘ordinary public’ have increasingly demanded of their governments that harsher policies and punishments be enforced by the relevant organs of the criminal justice system (e.g. law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, legislators, etc.) in order to combat the perceived rise in serious crime rates (Pratt, 2006). One direct consequence of the increasingly severe ‘tough on crime’ measures – such as ‘Life means Life’, ‘Three Strikes’, and ‘Zero Tolerance’ policies – exercised in many economically advanced countries from the mid-1970s onward has been an unprecedented rapid rise in the incarceration rates of these respective nations, leading to the problem of overcrowded prisons. The United States epitomises the tempo of the modern change in national imprisonment rates, and currently has the worst problem of prison overcrowding on a global scale. Indeed, ‘American incarceration numbers [have] increased fivefold between 1973 and 1997’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p63). More recently, ‘in 2004 the United States surpassed Russia in incarceration rates to become the world leader. With 2.2 million individuals inside (assuming a U.S. population of 290 million in 2004, that is an incarceration rate of approximately 759 adults in prison per 100,000 residents of the United States) and upwards of 7 million individuals either on parole, probation or awaiting trial, 1 in every 33 people in the U.S. is currently under state control and the number is growing’(State-Wide Harm Reduction Coalition, 2005). Clearly, an interpretation of the widespread incarceration rise must be able to accurately explain its rapidity, extent, and endurance on a global scale. There are two principal explanations for why such a large number of developed countries have experienced an ‘incarceration boom’ over the past three decades. Both theoretical models assert that it is changes in penal policies plus sentencing practices, rather than simply significant increases in crime rates alone, which are the primary factor responsible for driving prison population growth, but there is considerable disparity between the two theories about the causes of penal policy changes. One ‘crime wave’ hypothesis posits that actual rising crime rates in many Western countries, including the vast expansion of drug crime during the late twentieth century, have resulted in a greater rational public demand for the criminal justice system to take more severe punitive measures against convicted dangerous criminals (i.e. those offenders who pose the highest threat to public safety and social order; the criminal offenders most commonly targeted by penal populism in modern societies shall be considered in detail below), such as a more frequent use of incarceration with longer custodial sentences. In contrast, the second ‘political opportunism’ hypothesis suggests that many majority government parties have intentionally overstated the size and severity of the national crime problem in order to heighten public fears or instil ‘moral panic’ over perceived (as opposed to actual) rising crime rates, which are merely a political artefact, and subsequently utilise harsher crime control policies to win electoral favour (Caplow and Simon, 1999). Importantly, irrespective of which mechanism has in actual fact been operating across numerous advanced industrial states, and has led to the observed excessive growth in prison population sizes, both explanatory models can clearly be regarded as strongly related to the presence of penal populism. The critical difference between the two theories is whether the main original source of those penal populist sentiments can be accurately considered to be the public or the state, or both. According to the first model, which may be described as the public-induced penal populism hypothesis, it has been the persistent public demand for the government to impose harsher punitive measures on convicted criminals which has primarily caused the fast-paced escalation of incarceration numbers in many modern nations. In other words, the criminal justice systems in these countries have largely been exercising a regime of penal excess because constant pressure from a large sector of the public (in response to an actual rise in crime rates) has compelled them to do so. In comparison, the second model, which we may refer to as the state-induced penal populism hypothesis, postulates that within many Western countries the government parties in power have often created and sustained an artificial appearance of rising crime rates in order to instil widespread public anxiety. Subsequently, the majority government (and individual politicians) can be observed by the public to be apparently controlling the perceived illusory crime problem, such as through adopting and enforcing ‘tough on crime’ measures, and thereby attain public popularity to secure their party’s (or their own) success in the next general election. The second model further suggests that the government is not the only state institution in developed nations which benefits from overstating the scale of the dangerous crime threat, but that there are also large rewards for popular media outlets or news companies willing to do so. It is argued by many criminologists that within almost all democratic Western countries, the central government and the popular media, which are both fragmented into multiple competing party’s or companies, are highly dependent on addressing and reporting criminal activity that specifically victimises ‘ordinary people’ in order to retain electoral votes and public ratings, respectively. Hence, the state-induced penal populism hypothesis proposes that politicians and media outlets lead rather than merely follow or passively represent the public opinion: the public only supports or appears to ‘demand’ the government’s harsher punitive policy strategies because the same national government and popular media industry (as two powerful state institutions) have manufactured a compelling false image of prevalent serious crime which has instilled strong penal populist sentiments in a large proportion of that public. The central aim of the following examination is to determine which of these two distinctive theoretical positions is most likely to be correct. It is of course possible that the public-induced penal populism mechanism primarily operates in one developed nation, while in another Western country it may be the state-driven penal populism process that is predominant. However, to the extent that the relatively recent phenomenon of globalisation has resulted in many common economic, social, political, and cultural practices being widely adopted by a number of modern industrial states, one may plausibly expect a similar (if not identical) mechanism of generating penal populism to be present in the developed nations affected by prison population growth, especially with regard to the United States and Western Europe. At the outset, we may hypothesise that although some short-lived real increases in Western crime rates during the late 1970s and 1980s may have initially triggered some rational penal populist sentiments among the public of these modern societies, it has been the combined interaction of both political opportunism and media opportunism which has acted as a powerful vehicle in numerous modern societies for distorting the public’s common view of the national crime problem, and ultimately for sustaining the growth of both penal populism plus prison populations, regardless of how those crime rates may have subsequently changed (and in most developed countries they have steadily declined). One fundamental feature of the modern incarceration surge over the past three decades that is observed in virtually all countries affected by rapid prison growth is the significant proportion of these prison populations that has become comprised of racial minorities, including both of resident ethnic groups and of non-citizen illegal immigrants. As one study (O’Donnell, 2004, p262) remarks, ‘one factor that accounts for rising prison populations across Europe is the incarceration of ‘foreigners’. It is likely that prison accommodation in the Republic of Ireland will be used to hold growing numbers of failed asylum seekers, at least pending deportation. It is also inevitable that the composition of the prison population will change as members of minority groups begin to appear before the courts on criminal charges’. In terms of the racial minorities imprisonment trend in the United States, Caplow and Simon (1999, p66) assert that ‘it is undeniable that the incarcerated population is disproportionately composed of minorities (especially African Americans and Hispanics), and that the disproportion has increased during the period of rising imprisonmentThe period of rapid growth in incarceration rates has seen a significant increase in the proportion of minorities in the inmate population, especially among drug offenders, the fastest growing segment of that [prison] population’. As is the case with most Western European countries, the United States prison sector has also experienced a mass round up of illegal immigrants or non-citizens during the last three decades, who in 2003 made up 40% of federal prisoners (State-Wide Harm Reduction Coalition, 2005). Ultimately, therefore, it is apparent that the incarceration boom in many developed countries has primarily affected various racial minority populations present within these nations. It is the cumulative incarceration of racial minorities that is significantly responsible for the prison overcrowding problem commonly observed. Thus, one crucial question that we must address in the following study is what has caused (and continues to cause) the increased imprisonment of racial minority populations, relative to the incarceration rate of the racial majority host population (typically white), within the modern industrial societies affected by prison overcrowding? Specifically, we shall seek to determine whether pervasive ‘penal racism’, indicated by a greater tendency in developed nations for both the law enforcement system to arrest and subsequently for the criminal justice system to imprison ethnic or non-white defendants compared with white ones who have committed the same offence, is sufficient to explain the large racial differentials observed in incarceration rates, or not. The methodology of the following study consists entirely of literature-based research and analysis. 2. The Origins of Penal Populism: Real Crime Waves versus Political and Media Opportunism It is widely acknowledged that the prevalent public sentiment in many developed countries to ‘get tough’ with criminals has played a central role in catalysing the incarceration surge which has occurred in these nations since the mid-1970s onward, an influential social movement that is referred to as penal populism. Furthermore, whether one regards the source of that penal populism as stemming from a rational public response to actual rising crime rates or, conversely, as triggered by public exposure to political and media manipulation, the measured strength of the public’s demand on their respective democratic governments to impose harsher punitive measures on convicted criminals has remained consistently high over the thirty year period of vast growth in incarceration numbers. For example, with regard to the United States, one study notes that the time series of public responses to the survey question of whether courts are too lenient has remained highly stable since 1972 (Caplow and Simon, 1999). The significant temporal correlation in many modern industrial states between the onset of strong public desire since around the mid-1970s for more stringent crime policies and the period of rapid prison population growth is a clear indication of the vital part that penal populist sentiments have played in causing prison overcrowding. One may plausibly argue that the strong growth of penal populist sentiments in most advanced industrial societies over the past three decades has been initially generated by temporary real increases in crime (including the rapid expansion of a drug-crime economy during the 1980s) and sustained by an increased reliance of governments on implementing harsher crime control measures (rather than more effective social welfare policies) to gain public support plus secure electoral favour. Accordingly, we intend to demonstrate that penal populism in developed nations is a product of both short-lived actual crime waves and manipulative political opportunism. Indeed, one would theoretically expect the two factors operating in conjunction to result in a significantly larger escalation in incarceration rates (as is in fact observed) than would occur if only one of these forces was present in isolation. As one study has observed, ‘tough on crime’ policies produce prison population increases only to the degree that offenders are available to be imprisoned (Zimring and Hawkins, 1991). Conversely, an increase in crime rates would also not produce a corresponding increase in imprisonment rates unless some suitably punitive crime control measures were in place. During the last thirty years there has also certainly occurred in many Western countries a greater dependence of competing popular media companies, both television and the press, on selectively reporting dangerous (i.e. worse than normal) crime on an almost daily basis, simply in order to maintain or increase viewer and reader ratings. By portraying the national crime problem as more severe and more prevalent than in reality, individual popular media outlets (e.g. tabloid newspapers) in developed nations have become more appealing to public viewers than their quality media counterparts (e.g. broadsheet newspapers) who often object to distorting or manipulating the reporting of crime news. Since the late twentieth century onward, crime news has become a fundamental component of the public’s staple diet. As Pratt (2007, p68) suggests, ‘the reporting of crime is inherently able to shock [and] entertain, sustaining public appeal and interest, selling newspapers and increasing television audiences. Furthermore, the way in which crime is used to achieve these ends is by selective rather than comprehensive reportingHowever, it is not only that crime reporting has quantitatively increased; there have also been qualitative changes in its reporting: it is prone to focus more extensively on violent and sexual crime than in the pastThese qualitative and quantitative changes in crime reporting can be attributed to the growing diversity of news sources and media outletsAs a consequence, both television and the press have to be much more competitive than used to be the case. Their programmes have to be packaged in such a way that they become more attractive to viewers than those of their rivals and competitors’. Evidently, given that it is typically the most popular newspapers (such as the tabloid press in Britain) which feature the greatest number and severity of crime stories, it means that the most common representations of crime, portrayed in ‘the form of randomised, unpredictable and violent attacks inevitably committed by strangers on ‘ordinary people’, reach the greatest audience’(Pratt, 2007, p70). Thus, it is clear that within modern society the potential benefits to popular media outlets from inaccurately amplifying the danger plus scale of national crime in the public’s perception are equally as large as the rewards for politicians willing to do so. With regard to addressing the (largely fabricated) immediacy of the criminal activity problem, therefore, media opportunism and political opportunism are proximately linked in virtually all post-industrial countries where penal populist currents are strongly established. As well as magnifying the size of the dangerous crime problem, the popular media in many Western countries further continually seeks to undermine the current sentencing practices of the criminal justice system, regardless of how harsh they have become over the past three decades. In the same way that the crime stories reported by the popular media are scarcely representative of the actual nature of everyday crime within developed nations, the court stories followed are rarely illustrative of everyday sentencing practices. According to Pratt (2007), that media misrepresentation then reinforces the common public opinion that courts are too lenient, even though they have become significantly more punitive, in addition to fuelling the widely held public sentiment that the crime rate is constantly escalating when recent statistics indicate that crime is in fact steadily declining in most modern societies. Thus, in its reporting style, crime analysis by the Western popular media has become ‘personalised’ rather than ‘statisticalised’, since: 1) it prioritises the experiences of ordinary people (especially crime victims) over expert opinions 2) News reports are more prone to focus on the occasional failings of criminal justice officials as opposed to their many successes. Indeed, in the vast majority of modern societies, the ‘citation of criminal statistics has become a code for softness on crime and callousness towards its victims’(Pratt, 2007, p88), which simply provides the popular media with further scope to legitimately overstate the scale and severity of everyday crime in developed states. For these reasons, the media outlets in many Western countries have played a significant role in facilitating the continual growth of penal populist sentiments among the public. 3. The Transient Growth of a Drug-Crime Economy in Developed Countries It is highly pertinent that the vast expansion in drug crime within many Western nations during the late 1970s and 1980s coincided precisely with the onset of rapidly escalating incarceration rates in these same countries. As is asserted, ‘the growth in nondrug crime has simply not been sufficient to sustain the rapid growth of imprisonment. By the 1970s there was already an active culture of drug use and networks of drug importation/sales in the United States, but their economic importance increased in the 1980s due to new products and distribution strategies, especially for ‘crack’ cocaine. That transformation in the marketing of illegal drugs coincided with political decisions to intensify the punishments for drug crimes. The result was an enlargement of the population available for criminal justice processing’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p71). It is crucial to acknowledge, therefore, that in any modern industrial society there is not a rudimentary causal link between a greater public desire for severity in criminal sanctions and a sustained growth in incarceration numbers; other conditions must be present. Specifically, ‘a key condition is a large pool of offenders available to be imprisoned’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p93). Although there had also been documented transient increases in the number of offenders committing nondrug crimes such as violent crime, property crime (larceny), and sex crime in modern societies during the 1980s, these numbers tended to fluctuate in cycles over time, and could not account for the continual rise in incarceration rates observed. In contrast, the number of drug crime offences had remained consistently high throughout the 1980s in virtually all developed countries that have experienced an incarceration boom. However, in most Western nations the total drug crime rate then started to steadily decline during the 1990s largely due to the much harsher punishments being imposed on drug crime offenders (both petty and serious) by the criminal justice systems in these states. One valid explanation for the persistently high rate of drug crime during the 1980s is the ‘economic base’ principle. Specifically, while the average monetary yield of larceny, violence and sex offences is very low, drug crime represents one of the only categories of felony where the potential financial returns are extremely high, and that provides a strong economic incentive for individuals living in poverty. Hence, drug smuggling and trafficking are the only illegal activities capable of providing a solid economic base for a large criminal population in modern society. The initial cost of goods is low and law enforcement efforts sustain high retail prices, thereby ensuring large profit margins (Reuter and Kleiman, 1986). Since the 1980s, drug crime has certainly been targeted by penal populist sentiments in many Western countries affected by a public expectation for greater punitiveness, largely irrespective of how the drug crime rate has subsequently changed in these developed nations, but it is evidently not the only category of felony that has become a common target of penal populism. Sex offences (especially against children), violent or abusive crimes (once again, even more so when the victims are children), and youth crime are three other important types of crime that in late modern capitalist states have characteristically become subjected to a public desire for penal excess. We shall examine in detail at a later stage below what these specific four categories of crime have in common and why they are such typical targets of penal populist sentiments in developed liberal societies. 4. The Increased Dependence of Governments on Crime Control as a Source of Popular Credibility The rapid proliferation of drug crime in many Western countries during the late 1970s and 1980s was accompanied by a great loss of public confidence in the social welfare programs implemented in these same nations. As Pratt (2007, p95) asserts, ‘the visible presence of drug addicts in these countries had become a symbol of misplaced welfarism and tolerance, now believed to be corroding their economic and social fabrics’. Furthermore, the short-lived growth of general crime waves in many modern societies during the late twentieth century led to a significant decline of public assurance in the competence of their respective governments to control the state. As one study remarks, ‘the international crime waves of the 1960s and 1970s helped diminish the prestige of national governments all over the industrial world, by calling into question their capacity to maintain social order. The increase of crime rates at a time of increasing government efforts to help the poor undermined many of the traditional arguments for welfare, and helped confirm the view of many conservatives that efforts to help the poor only made circumstances worse by eliminating incentives for self improvement’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p88). It is difficult to determine whether the crime wave was caused by expansions in welfare programs or merely coincided with them. The main point is that in addition to the direct relationship between high rates of crime and demands for punitive governmental responses, the crime wave may have indirectly diminished the prestige of and public demand for welfare-oriented government (Caplow and Simon, 1999). Thus, it is argued that during the 1980s many Western governments shifted the priority of their domestic agendas away from welfare policies toward crime control policies. Initially, it was most often right wing conservative politicians that promoted ‘tough on crime’ punitive measures, making crime a political issue and gaining public support. However, Lappi-Seppà ¤là ¤ (2002, p92) suggests that mainstream opposition (i.e. left wing) parties are then forced into advocating punitive policies as well, because although these left wing parties want to ‘distance themselves from the populist programmes of the right wing movements, there is one area where they do not like to disagree – the requirement of being ‘tough on crime’. No party seems to be willing to accuse another of exaggeration when it comes to measures against criminality. Being ‘soft on crime’ is an accusation that no [governmental party] wants to accept. And it is that fear of being softer than one’s political opponents which tends to drive politicians, in the end, to the extremes of penal excess’. It is plausible to argue, therefore, that constant competition between opposing governmental factions for public favour in liberal democracies has created an ‘punitive arms race’ of political opportunism, whereby each party is compelled to promote plus (when in power) implement increasingly more radical punitive policies – irrespective of the actual level of crime that the country is experiencing – in order to avoid appearing weak on crime and consequently losing valuable electoral votes to their political opponents who are prepared to be more severe on criminals. Clearly, such an opportunistic punitive arms race occurring within the governments of developed nations would lead to an exponential increase in the prison population numbers of these countries, and ultimately to prison overcrowding. That political mechanism may at least partly explain why so many Western countries which have experienced a large decrease in crime rates since the mid-1990s and into the early twenty-first century have still reported a rising prison population. For example, Pratt (2006, p1) observes that since 1999 Labour led coalition governments in New Zealand have strongly adhered to Britain’s New Labour ‘approach to crime and punishment, even using the famous phrase ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’ in its election manifestoes of 2002 and 2005. As a consequence, while [New Zealand’s] recorded crime rate has dropped by 25% in the last ten years, its imprisonment rate has increased to 189 per 100,000, one of the highest of Western countries’. Yet it is not only the divisions (i.e. in terms of competing parties) within Western democratic governments that have catalysed the increased political focus on crime control, but also the growing number of divisions among the public itself. Indeed, modern society in many developed nations (such as the United Kingdom and the United States) has become increasingly heterogeneous since the late twentieth century, and consequently the number of bases of division within these societies has expanded. For example, the members of a diverse post-industrial society are not only partitioned along the traditional parameter of social class, but are also strongly divided by a number of dichotomous value-based issues that are characteristic of ‘post-materialist’ politics such as abortion, gay rights, animal rights (e.g. fox hunting), mass immigration, school prayer, and capital punishment where it still exists (Caplow and Simon, 1999). These value- or identity-based issues are intensely contested over in modern societies by well-organised pressure groups on either side of the bipolar political spectrum. These issues are bipolar or dichotomous in the sense that they are non-negotiable with no ‘middle ground’; one either supports abortion rights or one opposes them. Hence, public division on these post-materialist issues is inevitable. One important consequence of the heterogeneous publics of Western countries becoming divided by such a multitude of value conflicts during the 1970s onward is that government parties had difficulty finding any issues to build successful election campaigns on that would appeal to a vast majority of the public. Harsher crime control appeared to be a clear choice as a singular issue that large sections of the modern public are united in consensus on. As is stated, ‘Unlike most values issues on the left or right, crime control seems to cut across the political spectrumPoliticians seeking to build viable majorities inevitably turn to the few issues that can bring people together in the new political landscapeThat is why election campaigns continue to focus on crime and punishment issues even when opposing candidates agree in their support of punitive anticrime measures. Faced with voters who split on so many issues and who are profoundly sceptical about the ability of government to improve their lives through welfare-oriented interventions, the mode of governing that commands the broadest support – punitiveness toward criminal offenders – is understandably [valued by governments]’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p83). Ultimately, therefore, while short-lived actual increases in crime rates during the late 1970s and 1980s may have initially triggered the rise in imprisonment rates in a number of developed countries, political opportunism (in the sense of governments capitalising on populist punitiveness) has arguably sustained the incarceration boom in virtually all Western nations affected by prison overcrowding, regardless of how those crime rates may have subsequently changed. 5. The Target Crimes of Penal Populism There is a high degree of uniformity across all Western nations that have experienced an incarceration surge over the past three decades in the types of crime that are most commonly subjected to strong public demand for harsh punitive sanctions. Generally, the four most frequent felony targets of penal populism are: Drug crime; Sex offences, especially when the victims are children; Child abuse (physical, sexual, or psychological), and; Youth crime. Correspondingly, these have also been some of the fastest growing segments of prison and boot camp populations in many developed countries during recent years. One fundamental property that the above four categories of crime have in common is that children are extremely vulnerable to the effects of all of them. We may validly question why children have come to occupy such a central place in the penal populist sentiments of modern industrial societies. Pratt (2007, p96) remarks that ‘crime control policy driven by penal populism targets ‘others’, not ordinary, ‘normal’ peopleGiven the nature of populism, we should expect that crime control policy will gravitate towards easy and familiar targets, for whom there is likely to be the least public sympathy, the most social distance and the fewest authoritative voices (if any) to speak on their behalf: tho