Terrorist and Assassins

For my research project, I plan to study the influence of Terrorist and Assassins and their Motives are Harmful to Society. Many different reasons inspire terrorists and assassins. The characteristics of them are always changing. Terrorists and assassins are classified into three categories: rational, psychological, and cultural. They are people regularly very common in our society and it is too difficult to identify. This is a very complicated issue but I have concentrated on their motives, I would like to get to the reason for their motives.This research will send a message to us in order to help us understand the motives of the terrorist and assassins. I have already commenced my research on a variety of resources. I am working with the organization of the topic. But to understand the motives we have to study and demonstrate the following: A) Define what a terrorist is and assassins? , B) Terrorist and assassins and their motives, C) There are anything that justifies the terrorist s and assassins? D) The effect or damage they cause to society? The main goal for my research is to prove that if there is anything that really justifies the actions of the terrorists and assassins, then they will achieve the motives to harm society. Advertising, as such, is not exactly a goal. Is Indeed half through which expands the cause, accumulate advertising is part of the initial phase in the process of obtaining substantial goals. Their actions have become one of the most powerful influences in our society.I have been searching online and they have several sites that have good information about my topic. Some of the places that described the motives of Terrorist and Murderers are discussed are books, magazines article, newspaper and web sites. A few web sites are: http://www. terrorism. com/,http://projects. wsj. com/murderdata,http://www. timeenoughforlove. org/saved/TerrorismResearchCenterBasics. htm, I will organized all my research notes and work on the final product.

Biological Theories of Crime Essay

What are the central assumptions of biological theories of crime? How do such theories differ from other perspectives that attempt to explain the same phenomena? Biological Theories of Crime These theories are provided by contemporary criminologist who relates the interaction between surrounding social and physical environments with biological influences and how it in turn shapes behavioral propensity and criminal activities too. Many researchers think that it can be passed down to their child to be more risk of committing the crime. The finding in the research is not as accurate as they want it to be based on the individual they conducted the test is not so accurate. There is a belief that will bring down that lower level in neurotransmitter cause a person to be anti-social towards an individual. The biological theories are based on the neurotransmitters, hormone, and central nervous system that may cause an individual to act out in an aggressive and violent way toward victims. What biological factors does this lesson suggest might substantially influence human aggression? The Human Genome Project The use of genetic knowledge developed by the HGP is likely to have momentous implications for both individuals and society. Many of the questions criminologists have raised about the role of genetics in criminal behavior may be answered by the results of research begun by the HGP. 7 In the area of crime-control policy, HGP-related information is expected to support the development of public policy options related to crime pre-vention and the treatment of offenders. Genetics and Heritability Theories The compositions of the human genes is believed to carry out an important role in relations to criminal aggression and it causation. With no explicit indentification of the gene, Crimimologist believe that the influence of social and physical environment is more like to predetermine one to become aggresive of crimimal more than genetical prediposition. Brain Dysfunction Theories Most anomalies to the human brain may trigger a criminal instinct and abnomality in behaviours. Body Chemistry Theories This theory reveals how disruptive behaviour could seldom be reconnected to inadequate nutrition in the body which affects the human body. Hormones and Criminality Theories Quite similar to the body chemistry, however the connection is identified with hormonal influences. Biosocial Criminology Theories This theory observes the interacting conncetion that exist between the social environments and biology which is paramount to perception of the human behavior

Case Analysis: the Bribery Scandal at Siemens AG

The Siemens bribery scandal brought to light a strategic dilemma facing multi-national firms attempting to gain a competitive edge by operating abroad; specifically, how can they balance adherence to their own ethical and legal standards with the customs required to do business efficiently, or perhaps at all, in foreign markets? Germany’s Co-Determination law has since drawn intense criticism as hampering competitiveness and creating untenable situations for management, rife with conflict-of-interest issues, not only because of Siemens, but also because of the number of other German-based companies accused of bribing labor union representatives. The forced resignation of CEO, Klaus Kleinfeld, despite the resulting success during his tenure, illustrates the predicament international managers face with regard to conflicting operational methods, and leads us to larger questions about accountability within an organization. As the case study author states, the Siemens scandal is representative of what many firms believe is the inevitable â€Å"ethical cost of intense competition in global markets†, particularly emerging markets, where payments for contracts are described as common place and perhaps even required. ?Perhaps the most glaringly problematic observation remains that the Siemens AG top management claims that they failed to notice rampant, and arguably conspicuous embezzlement leading to lucrative foreign contracts. Are there flaws in the German System of Corporate Governance? The 2007 scandal resulting in charges against Siemens’ Chief of Information Technology, Johannes Feldmayer, and Chief of Finance, Karl-Hermann Baumann, was rooted in illegal payments designed to work around German corporate governance laws. In this instance, IG Metall complained that Siemens was illegally funding smaller, rival union, AUB, in an attempt to grow and cultivate it as an ally against IG Metall in the bargaining process. This scandal marked the beginning of the unearthing of unethical behaviors in other German-based firms that have since lead to criticism that the Co-Determination law is antiquated and hampers competitiveness. The Co-Determination law was designed to provide a mechanism for worker participation in management decision-making via a two-tiered system with a supervisory board having oversight of the management board. Critics, however, argue that the law, in fact, limits the management board’s ability to make strategic decisions due to the control exerted by labor holding 50% of the seats on the supervisory board. I agree with the author’s statement that this creates, â€Å"a suspicious alliance between the management and the labor representatives†. The end result was often agreements made prior to the official meetings to facilitate outcomes favorable to management. Although the law was meant to bring balance to the corporate governance structure, I would argue that the potential for corruption of the labor representatives, or on the other end of the spectrum, obstruction of the management board, has a destabilizing effect likely to manifest in questionable and dysfunctional partnerships, such as was the case with Siemens. Another component of the Co-Determination law prevents selection of supervisory board members who are non-German, regardless of the expertise or perspective they could bring to the table. Naturally, the result is a limited, often recurring, and potentially like-minded pool of candidates, which the author points out, may have contributed to the ousting of Kleinfeld. The facts presented indicate that the lion’s share of the bribery scandal took place under Heinrich von Pierer, who was the CEO from 1992 until 2005, and the supervisory board chairman from 2005 to 2007. Kleinfeld took over in 2005 and, within a period of only two years, had accomplished a remarkable and profitable restructuring, as evidenced by a 26% increase in the stock price. This was not without growing pains, however, as it is speculated that Kleinfeld’s aggressive management style, often described as â€Å"American†, did not meet with the approval of the more conservative supervisory board. As such, analysts opined that the bribery scandal was used as an opportunity to remove Kleinfeld, citing the need for a â€Å"new beginning†. I agree that this is likely the case. The growth under Kleinfeld was impressive, particularly given the timeframe. Furthermore, the timing of the actual instances of bribery put them squarely during von Pierer’s tenure as CEO; and he had already stepped down from the supervisory board. Nevertheless, under the power granted by the Co-Determination law, the supervisory board opted to bring in a new CEO, Peter Loescher, indicating, in my opinion, that its issue with Kleinfeld was not performance based. Why Such Risky Business? The history of Siemens AG paints a picture of a successful and arguably dominant multi-national firm, with a reputation for a war chest of competencies and innovative products. The obvious question, then, is why would a firm with this resume and list of global achievements become involved with corruption and criminal behavior? The author recounts the opinions of analysts who believe the answer is simple; many firms view the types of payments at the heart of the Siemens scandal to be the necessary cost of doing business in the current global environment. At first glance, the facts of this case may seem to support this theory. There were â‚ ¬420 million of questionable payments made over a seven year period from 1999 to 2006. Official Siemens records showed the payments as having gone to external consultants. It was determined, however, that they were actually paid to foreign purchasing officials and that the expenditures coincided with the procurement of â€Å"fixed line telecommunications business in various international markets†, including Italy, Puerto Rico, Greece, and the United States. By March of 2007, two former Siemens managers were convicted of embezzlement of company funds for the purpose of bribing foreign officials. The employees argued that their actions did not violate any laws, resulted in no personal gain, and were taken solely for the purpose of improving Siemens’ positioning. They argued that they worked, only to secure a lucrative deal in which the payments were required by Enel management as part of the standard bid process. In fact, Siemens AG argued that the court order requiring forfeiture of earnings from the contract, prior to 2002 when the German government instituted a law prohibiting bribes to private officials abroad, specifically, had no basis in law. As previously stated, these events may appear to support the case in favor of questionable payments and loose ethical boundaries as a necessary cost of business. It is my opinion, however, that these events illustrate a flawed management culture and strategy. They are evidence of a system where a focus on true technological innovation has given way to a focus on unfettered expansion, and the unnatural duplication of the monopolistic type control over infrastructure in developing countries that was enjoyed during previous decades in other parts of the now industrialized world. If Siemens had bolstered their technologically competitive strength, they would not need to rely so heavily on their financial strength to gain entry into markets. Is this the New Cost of Doing Business? The fact that Siemens top management continue to take the official position that, despite the scope, depth, and intricacies of the bribery scandal, they had no knowledge of it remains difficult to explain. Further, they take no responsibility, save acknowledgement that they lacked adequate internal compliance systems. I find the truthfulness of this position to be of remote possibility due to the conspicuousness and magnitude of the payments, as well as their direct correlation with the securing of highly lucrative contracts. Moreover, the idea that entire sections of Siemens’ managers were of the character that they would be comfortable blatantly committing criminal acts for the sole benefit of their employer, but not themselves, I find to be quite counter-intuitive. The debate over whether events such as those unearthed at Siemens are part of the usual and customary cost of doing business abroad must be framed in terms of the complete denial of culpability by the top management. A legitimate, above-board expense is accounted for, tracked, and justified; this is the case even when it is outside the norms of the firm’s home country. It is not hidden from shareholders. A buffer of scapegoat-able employees need not lie between it and top management. If a light cannot be readily shown upon it, I believe it is without question, unethical. Whether or not it is illegal, however, depends upon the laws in the countries the firm is operating in. I could conceive of a situation where a firm could distribute cash â€Å"incentive† payments openly, on the books, as well as legally. In addition, firms have other options. They could improve their offerings to increase the competitiveness of the bid, and/or structure them with above-board incentives. They could operate with a clear and unwavering zero-tolerance policy for bribery; recognizing that it will be necessary to educate those conducting bid processes in markets where it is believed to be common to expect questionable payments. A firm could also exercise patience, and restraint, and be willing to walk away from markets requiring participation in corrupt processes. The Kleinfeld Conclusion. The Siemens AG supervisory board did provide adequate justification for the decision not to renew Kleinfeld’s contract, due to the scandals breaking during his time as CEO; yet, I believe that they were wrong in doing so in light of his track record of impressive and expedient accomplishments. Though his termination clearly pleased the board, unless Mr. Loescher is able to maintain the growth trajectory set by Kleinfeld, I believe his departure will not inspire confidence from management or shareholders. This is of concern because confidence has a direct impact on value, which could make it harder to move beyond the bribery scandal. Was it Worth It? One question still remains: was Siemens really at fault, given the apparent prevalence of these sorts of issues among other German companies; or was their only sin gett ing caught? It is my opinion that the magnitude of the â€Å"bribing† which took place at Siemens made it highly unlikely that knowledge of it would stay buried. I believe Siemens had to have anticipated this, hence the buffer between top management and the â€Å"bribers†. I believe they made a calculated business decision that whatever the consequence may ultimately be, it was a greater benefit to get a foot hold in the infrastructure of those markets. In short, yes, Siemens is to blame, and yes, they are okay with it.

Redesign of a Toy Revolver Gun Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Redesign of a Toy Revolver Gun - Assignment Example This assignment aims at redesigning a physical product for assembly and would put forward DFMA as it occurs in real engineering world. The physical product selected for this assignment is toy revolver gun which inherited this name because of its revolving cylinder consisting of multiple chambers .This physical product has various part and they can be describes as below; †¢ Cover of the gun. †¢ Base of the gun. †¢ (Hummer): to strikes the primer to cause ignition. †¢ Ejector †¢ Ejector button †¢ (Left and right grip): to handle of the handgun. †¢ (Trigger): small lever that is squeezed to start firing. †¢ Revolver cylinder †¢ (Muzzle): the end of the barrel (bullet or shot exist). †¢ 3 screws †¢ Compression spring †¢ 2 Torsion spring As a part of redesigning, a table analysis will be done as well the picture of the physical product will be projected.

Justice Rights and The State Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Justice Rights and The State - Essay Example However, whilst Rawls acknowledges that the â€Å"Justice as Fairness† model is rooted in â€Å"Kant’s notion of autonomy†; Rawls argues that â€Å"it is a mistake, I believe to emphasise the place of generality and universality in Kant’s ethics†¦.. it is impossible to construct a moral theory on so slender a basis, and therefore to limit the discussion of Kant’s doctrine to these notions is to reduce it to triviality† (Rawls, 1999, (ed) p.221). â€Å"No one knows his place in society, his class position or social status, nor does anyone know his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence, strength and the like. I shall even assume that the parties do not know their conceptions of the good or their special psychological propensities. The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance† (Rawls, 1999 (ed), p.118). However, whilst Rawls theory of justice supports an element of the Kantian social contract philosophy; Rawls denounces Kant’s ideal of a cosmopolitan constitution under the cosmopolitan theory of justice and the focus of this paper is to critically evaluate Rawls’ theory in relation to the cosmopolitan theory of justice and provide a contextual critique of his philosophical model. To this end, I shall firstly evaluate the core elements of Rawls’ theory of justice and comparatively analyse this with leading proponents of cosmopolitan justice theory. As highlighted above, Rawls’ theory of justice propounds the liberty and difference principle, which alters the classic model of the social contract by justifying social inequality within a distributive â€Å"veil of ignorance† justification. On this basis, Rawls’ veil of ignorance proposition suggests that individuals in a society will inherently demonstrate a propensity towards a system of equality, which mirrors Kant’s social contract theory. In

The Impact of Globalization on Recent Changes to Employment Patterns Assignment

The Impact of Globalization on Recent Changes to Employment Patterns and Structure in either a Country or Industry of Your Choice - Assignment Example More specifically current sources are used for the report to gain knowledge of the pattern of current changes introduced thereof and its due implications on the employment scenario. Findings The findings relate that the era of globalization or liberalization has impacted the pattern of industrial relation policies and thereby the employment structures of the Indian economy. Firstly it is noticed that the system of due protectionism of employees which was the significant feature of Indian industrial relations gradually is subjected to abolition thereby contributing to the reduction of impacts of trade unionism in India. Secondly the system of collective bargaining is also found to be decentralized to render potential to the management in governing trade union activities. Thirdly the findings reflect that how human resource management functions have focused on development of employee productivity through aspects of training and employee development. Fourthly the growth of services and communication sector industries in the country is also noticed side by side with the manufacturing sectors thereby leading to the emergence of new employment structures. Fifthly policy changes to industrial relations in the post liberalization period reflected a rise in both organized and unorganized types of employment structures leading to the growth of casual and self-employed labor market. Sixthly case studies dealt with in relation to manufacturing sectors pertaining to cotton and jute mills are presented where issues relating to modernization and employee participation are presented. The findings reflect the impacts of modernization and participative style management in the specific... The conclusion of the report specifically highlights on drawing a summary of the essential themes related to globalization and its impact on the employee patterns and structures in the Indian employment market. It also draws a summary of the findings of the report relating to the case studies used reflecting the impacts of industrial relation policy changes on the employer-employee relationships. Finally it also focuses on the pattern of recommendations sought in relation to the employment issues relating to the cases underlined. This paper makes a conclusion that the mode of globalization in relation to the world at large has contributed to the development and introduction of new set of operational, trade and employer-employee relationship aspects along different sets of business enterprises. Moreover the emergence of a liberal market has also spurred the growth of different employment sectors both in relation to the developed and developing economies. The project focuses specifically on the Indian economy where the emergence of a liberal market framework has led to the birth of casual forms of employment in sharp contrast to the existence of only organized employment sectors. Moreover the emergence of both public and private sectors in the Indian economy also triggers the development of newer styles of employer-employee relationship patterns. In fact the mode of industrial relations has gained a far flung change in comparison to the period pre and post liberalization in influencing the patterns of employmen t patterns and structures in the industrial and employment scenario of India. It is found that during the pre liberalization period the employment and the industrial structure of India were mainly governed by manufacturing and other large scale industries.

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy - Essay Example Thus a cold war erupted between the U.S. and USSR which eventually came to an end with the help of doctrinal regimes implemented by Reagan (Fischer, 1997). Define presidential doctrine and summarize the regional or global events during the Cold War leading up to the formation of the Reagan doctrine. Presidential doctrine defines the policies, procedures, reforms and initiatives taken by a country’s president which are intended to enhance global position of the nation and to achieve greatest good for citizens of own country as well as those across the globe. Before arrival of President Reagan, communism had become common and superpowers like Soviet Union were suppressing the Third World countries in attempt to invade them. The Soviet and the Vietnamese led various Marxist movements which depressed capitalism and eventually forced the entry of Cuban armies and Soviet troops into different territories including Angola, Cambodia and Afghanistan. These countries did not have suffic ient powers to hold the forces and hence turned to other countries for help. The U.S. which believed itself to be the savior and leader nation for all decided to intervene and rescue these countries through Reagan doctrine. This doctrine created waves of passion across nations and gave boost to conservatism in America (Carpenter, 2012). Describe the Cold War relationship that existed between USSR and the U.S. before Reagan doctrine was announced. Before Reagan, there were only two prevailing superpowers, the U.S. and the USSR, which considered their coexistence to be catastrophic and hence wanted to triumph over the other. The perceived equality of power of both nations had led everyone to believe that the two countries pose threats to each other. The mutual suspicion rose amongst the two parties and past experiences of World Wars led them to believe that dangers exist. Soviet Union was spreading communism which challenged the survival of capitalism in the U.S. Reagan rejected the i dea of control over European nations by the Soviet Union and claimed it to be unfair for USSR to exercise its rights outside its jurisdictional system and boundaries. Thus Cold War broke and Reagan introduced the Reagan Doctrine to stop communism by supporting and providing arms to the rebels and freedom fighters in Third World countries for self-defense (Katz, 1991). Describe the relationship that currently exists between the U.S. and USSR. The relationship between United States and the Soviet Union enhanced eventually after the Reagan doctrine. The leaders of Soviet Union realized soon that they essentially need the support of capitalist countries in order to flourish in the economic and business world. The greatest capitalist power is the U.S. and hence USSR has been keeping stable relationship with it and has signed various pacts to ensure peaceful relationships in field of politics, science and technology (Cox, 1990). The recent patterns of American-Soviet relationships are inc lined towards development in the fields of economic trade growth and mutually collaborative effort in scientific expansion. Describe the effect that the Reagan doctrine has had on regional or global affairs since the time when it was announced during the Cold War. When Reagan doctrine was introduced, the Cold War came to an end and relationships between U.S. and USSR were also improved. The Soviet Union retreated from all the territories and the world moved towards democratic and harmonious terms. Moscow no longer targeted

A Closer Look on the Religious Liberty in the United States Essay

A Closer Look on the Religious Liberty in the United States - Essay Example The primary focus of this discussion is the free exercise clause and the establishment clause of the amendment. Several scholars had provided different positions regarding the amendment of the constitution and its practical and legal ramifications. Some scholars have highlighted the pitfalls of the implementation of the free exercise clause since it has been used by some individuals as shield against the law by using the notion of religious liberty as cover to their practices that is deemed by others as a criminal activity. Other scholars also suggest that religious liberty is an impossible ideal, targeting the lack of a concrete definition of what a religion is. In order to gain a broader knowledge on the concept of religious liberty as well as to develop a more in-depth understanding on the first amendment, the above said positions will be examined through the course of this paper. According to the Religious Liberty in American Law, the relation of religion and law in the United St ates may be summarized as follows; the government cannot establish a religion or church under the law, the people have the freedom of conscience in matters of religious belief and worship, citizens cannot be discriminated or be subjected to any form of legal preference based on different forms of religion (Bates 538). The citizens cannot be compelled to join any religious worship as well as contribute money in support to the religious institution, Public funds of any state may not be used or appropriated for the support of any religious organization, Religious tests cannon be established as a requirement to hold a public position, to have the right to vote, to be a juror or a witness in court proceedings and for any state policies and functions. The civil rights of a person cannot be reduced or altered based on his religious views and beliefs. All forms of religious beliefs are also given equal protection under the law. The law also states that everyone is guaranteed of religious li berty as long as it does not interfere with peace, good order, and the morals of society. Separation of the church and state, in terms of civil and ecclesiastical functions, is also stated in the first amendment (539). With the understanding of the provisions of the law, the first position may be addressed through the use of past court orders made for cases that involved the concept of religious freedom. The limitations of religious liberty can also be addressed through the examples. According to Chester Antinaeu (221), the freedom of religion provides individual a preferred position in the hierarchy of socio-legal values though it is not absolute. Based on the proposition of Justice Black, a well-organized society cannot allow any individual to make a final decision on everything that he will do or not do that is free from his liabilities to the state. Thus individuals that practice their religious freedom are still subjected to conduct themselves to abide obediently to the laws of the state that are designed to protect the welfare of the society from any form of threats to danger. Thus for societies that are politically organized such as the United States, the judiciary department carries the burden of delimiting the fundamental freedoms that are given to its citizens (221). Historical jurisprudence had been a key guide in determining the limits of the religious freedom. On the early years of the law, an accused claimed that by the virtue of his religious freedom, he was exempted from the statute of the state that forbids polygamy. This may be a norm the members of the Jesus of Latter Day Saints in practicing their

Highlights of my study project at CSU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Highlights of my study project at CSU - Essay Example Additionally, the total cost for semester one will amount to $27,288. This will be financed by the Kuwait government, who is my main sponsor as a result of the educational scholarship that they gave to me. Moreover, my parents will also assist me by paying for my monthly rent as well as providing the necessary support during my time in Bathurst. The relevant plan and total cost of the projects assessment relating to this course was facilitated by Microsoft Project 2013. Specifically, Microsoft Project 2013 facilitated the incorporation of a Gantt chart, recourses sheets as well as the relevant cash flow sheets that depict exactly the total costs for this course during semester one. The introduction to the study plan at SCU will mainly assess and discuss the main project goals, assumptions of the project, the main project’s scope as well as an analysis of the relevant stakeholders that are critical in the attainment of the overall goal of the project. There is a need to communi cate the project, for it is critical (Kloppenborg T, 2012). Therefore the management aspect of it is necessary. Stakeholder management is critical to project success (Reeder, 2013). Considering that there is a management aspect of it, the inclusion of goals is necessary. Goals are important to projects (Mashman, 2013). The reason why they are important is because they serve as the point by which the management should achieve. Goals are necessary because they could stand as guiding points to somewhere the management wants to situate itself both in the short and long-term run.

The Keepers of the House Essay Example for Free

The Keepers of the House Essay There is an interesting part of history that goes unnoticed. The treatment of blacks in the South during the time of slavery plays an intricate part of America’s history, which gets frequently overlooked. The Keepers of the House by Shirley Ann Grau sheds light on this time period, following a family, living in rural Alabama in the 1960’s. Grau explains this family: â€Å"All in all the Howland’s thrived. They farmed and hunted; they made whiskey and rum and took it to market down the Providence River to Mobile (Grau 12). The story follows three generations of the Howland family living in a community that ultimately turns on them. Grau takes inspiration from the time period along with having multiple themes to craft an interesting and impactful Pulitzer Prize novel. The Howland’s were a family that lived in the same area for many years. William Howland, the fifth, lost his wife, leaving him to take care of his young daughter Abigail and a son William who dies shortly after. Abigail then marries a man who leaves her with her own daughter Abigail. William’s daughter dies and leaves him with a granddaughter to take care of. Soon after, William hires an African American, Margaret, woman as a housekeeper. Abigail talks of the lasting affects William and Margaret left on her: â€Å"I am caught and tangled around by their doings. It is as if their lives left a weaving of indivisible threads in the air of this house, of this town, of this county. And I stumbled and fell into them† (Grau 6). Around town, she became know as his mistress and mother of his other children. In secret, they marry for the children’s sake. Later, after the children grew up, they were sent up north so they could live as normal white citizens. Abigail later marries a man named John Tolliver who aligns with the Klu Klux Klan during his run for governor. Robert, the eldest of the Howland brothers was outraged by this and released an article hurting Tolliver’s cam paign. Tolliver and Abigail end their marriage near after. Back where the Howland’s live, the town is still outraged about the marriage between William Howland and the African American homemaker Margaret. Even though both of them had died, the town gathered and lit the barn on fire and killed many of their livestock. Grau writes, â€Å"The Howland they wanted was dead. His Negro wife was dead. Their children disappeared. And so they were wrecking the only thing that was left of him, of them. First the barn and then the house† (Grau 285). The novel comes full circle when Abigail gets revenge on the town’s people and ruins the entire local economy along with the town. It seems as though Shirley Ann Grau took inspiration from the history of this time period along with what it may have been like growing up at that time in that place to set a scene of exactly what this time period may have looked and felt like. Showing what the Howland family went through, along with the way they were treated set a scene for not only a family struggle but a national struggle as well. The way she describes the scenery, puts you there in at time. Grau writes, â€Å"November evenings are quiet and still and dry. The frost-stripped trees and the bleached grasses glisten and shine in the small light (Grau 1). As well as the scenery, Grau uses her deep characters in the story to highlight how people were affect by this issue. Abigail is the main character narrating this story. Grau tells the happenings of this time through her eyes as well as through the actions of William Howland, Margaret, John Tolliver and Robert Howland. Each of these characters makes an impact on this story, as well as the main character Abigail. For example, Abigail’s husband John Tolliver shapes her character into a tough skinned woman. He treats her unfairly as a wife but she learns from that and takes it with her. Grau writes, â€Å"I knew what John meant: I was the perfect wife for a candidate. He had chosen and trained me well (Grau 257). This marriage helps toughen up Abigail for the future as she fights for her family. There are two main themes taken from this novel: racism and family. Racism is a clear theme throughout this novel given the time period and scenario that takes place with a secret African American maid, wife and mother. Racism is shown through the scenario when Tolliver bashes blacks during his campaign for governor. Tolliver talks about African Americans in vulgar and horrible ways. When talking about William and Margaret’s children he says, â€Å"He couldn’t let his children be bastards, even if their mother was a Negro† (Grau 271). This is just one example of the way African Americans are talked about at this time. Also, the area where the Howland’s live, do not take the news of William marrying Margaret lightly just because she is African American. Family is another theme portrayed in this novel. The Howland’s go through trials and tribulations that test their family as a whole. For example, like stated before, the town completely turns on the Howland’s when they find that William and Margaret had married. Abigail takes a stand for her family and fights back. She stands up for her family and the house they have lived in for so many years. Grau shows just how much Abigail cares for her family and home. She writes, â€Å"Child, I thought you don’t even know, its possible to love a house and land that much (Grau 274). These two themes play a role in teaching readers about the time period and the struggles it caused. The Keepers of the House by Shirley Ann Grau sheds light on an issue sometimes forgotten about in society today: the treatment of African Americans in the 1960’s. Using things like history from this time and family themes, Grau establishes that this issue was serious and did exist. Abigail Howland ultimately stands up for what she believes in and protects her family but also puts a small dent in this civil rights movement. As her journey comes to an end she says, â€Å"I stood on that cold windy grass and saw what I had done. I saw that it wasn’t bravery or hate. It was, like my grandfather said, necessity. And that’s pretty poor comfort but at times its all you’ve got† (Grau 290). Abigail’s narration of her family’s story along with the use of strong and deep characters, shape for a wonderful Pulitzer Prize novel.

Criminal Justice System as a Deterrence

Criminal Justice System as a Deterrence Deterrence is used on individuals who already have a history of offending, but also it prevents potential offenders from committing similar crime. Deterrence is used very often and everyone is aware of it even if they do not they are. People generally known to not commit a crime whether its a serious or less serious one, because they know they will be consequences, which could be a fine or time in jail, depending on what form of offence it was. There are two types of deterrence; specific and general. Specific deterrence is when an offender decides not to commit any future crimes. General deterrence is when a person makes a decision to not commit a crime, because they are familiar with the consequences by observing offenders get punished and they do not want to deal with the same thing if they are caught. However there has been many arguments about what is expected to deter other. Some suggest that the best solution is to be setting penalties to outweigh the benefit of committing a cr ime, but the reality is that people who commit crime are rational thinkers and are responsible for their action. This causes conflict as to whether or not criminals are rational within their actions or whether crime is an act of impulse. The idea of being caught and the idea od spending time in prison should deter potential offenders, therefore prison in some way does deter crime by simply catching offenders, which shows the consequences to those potential ones. One of the reasons why deterrence is more limited is understood by viewing the dynamics of criminal justice system. When any crime is committed there is not a certainty of arresting the criminal, and that has an impact on how effective deterrence is, if it was well known fact that police always apprehend the offender not many people who still want to or try to commit any crimes. However there are cases where crimes also serious crimes are not solved and are not followed up by any arrest and conviction, which is why the deterrent outcome of the certainty of punishment is significantly reduced. Evidently, any improvements on making sure that offenders are being arrested would have huge impact on people who may think they will not be convicted for the crimes they commit. Overall many studies across nations confirm that improving the certainty of sentence provides better deterrent result rather than increasing the harshness of punishment. The Institute of Criminology at Cambridge Univers ity was ordered by the British Home Office to a write a review of research they have done on big studies of deterrence. They have produced a report in 1999 confirming that the studies reviewed do not provide a basis for inferring that increasing the severity of sentences generally is capable of enhancing deterrent effects. Daniel Nagin and Greg Pogarsky, they research concluded that punishment certainty was found to deter crime more than punishment severity. Micro level studies that studied offense rates of particular population, the evidence shows that higher certainty of punishment was linked with decreasing crime. They also have detected that people who know more about crime and punishment are less likely to commit any crime. Different study compared crime and punishment results in the U.S, England and Sweden, however they have failed to discover a consequence for severity. Records of studies shows that certainty of punishment has shown some connection to decreasing of crime stat istics, however other studies argue that growing levels of possibility of arrest for serious and minor offences may result in viewing prison as less labelling institution. Deterrence does not seem to be working as the prison population in England and Wales has almost doubled since 1993. In addition, there is also evidence that most offenders come out of prison and re-offend, however the rates are lower for offenders with long sentences. Statistics published on the Ministry of Justice websites confirm that the proven reoffending rate for adult offenders released from custody between April 2014 and March 2015 was 44.7% and the rate for those released from short sentences has been consistently higher compared to those released from longer sentences. Adults who served sentences of less than 12 months reoffended at a rate of 59.7%, compared to 32.2% for those who served determinate sentences of 12 months or more. The trends for those released from short and long sentences have both remained broadly flat since 2005 and are consistent with the overall trend. Thats form a question in prison really works. Does prison reduce offending? Are re-offending rates worse for prisoners than those who receive community sentences? Does the prison environment improve or hinder the physical, social and emotional well-being of offenders? Does prison prepare prisoners for life on the outside?