Child Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Child Development - Essay Example Part 2 comprises of chapters three and four. In these two chapters, the beginning of the child’s life is highlighted. Matters to do with parenting, education of the parents, issues to do with psychology of parenting, importance of preparing siblings for the birth, prenatal care and learning, family dynamics, infants with special needs, care for new born etc are discussed. Part three discuses infancy on a broader perspective; three chapters contained in this part will mark the basis of this paper. Chapters five, six, and seven make up part three of the book. This portion of the book discusses aspects of infancy such as physical development of the infant, the relationship of physical and motor development to cognition, emotional and physical development just to name a few. Other topics contained in part three include infant development, emotional and social development of the infant, theories on emotional and social development, social competence and development, factors influen cing social and emotional development in infants, cognitive, language, and literacy development of the infant, cognitive competence and development, factors that influence cognitive, language, and literacy development etc. Chapters eight, nine and ten make up part four. This section of the book highlights the child from ages one to three. Part 5 consists of chapters eleven, twelve and thirteen and highlights an infant from the ages four through five. The last part of the book consists of chapter fourteen through to sixteen. This section of the book highlights an infant’s development from the ages six through eight. This paper will highlight chapters five six seven and eight. Chapter five of this book focuses on Brain, perceptual, motor, and physical development of the infant. The chapter begins with an extensive discussion of the infant’s brain. The unfinished brain of

Proofs for God’s Existence Essay Example for Free

Proofs for God’s Existence Essay God’s existence can be proven in a multitude of ways. However, several introductory caveats are in order. First, by â€Å"God,† we mean the traditional Christian concept of an all-powerful and wise creator. Second, the project of â€Å"proving† anything is logic or science is nearly impossible. Even the best laid logical plans and the most iron clad arguments can be torn to pieces by a skilled logician. Such a state does not invalidate the proofs in question, just merely that the language of the discipline is such that any logical design can be manipulated and refuted by one who ardently desires it be refuted. What is being dealt with here is that faith in the God of the Christians is not an irrational, â€Å"blind faith,† but one that is eminently reasonable and defensible on metaphysical, logical and scientific grounds. 1. The proof of Aristotle, used by Thomas Aquinas later, is the â€Å"hylomorphic† proof and is very important to medieval thoughts about God and the nature of his existence. The theory centers around the distinction between first, form and matter which, second, corresponds to action and passion, or act and potency. The form of an object is it in act, or developing towards its natural telos, or end. The matter is passive, that which has non being, that which still needs to be developed. But the nature of reality is such that as one rises in knowledge, the form dominates over the matter. Mathematics, for example, is almost purely form, with only a minuscule amount of material stuff. But what is the origin of such things? Only the world of pure form, and hence, pure act, that is, God. God is pure act, pure perfection with no more need for development. It is the form of Forms that renders unchanging knowledge possible. The matter within its formal shell is not nly passive, but accidental, in that it is only the generator of sensations, colors, etc. But such things cannot exist without a substratum (there is no red, without it being a red something), and hence, form is the object of knowledge, not the matter, or the â€Å"accident† of the object. But knowledge only sees form, never matter. Matter might present form in the guise of a sensate object, but logical and mathematics does not work this way, these are separated from matter. Hence, the more universal the knowledge, the less matter. Hence, the ultimately form of knowledge is Pure form, hence God (Owens, 1980: 20-25). 2. Similarly, the proof of St. Augustine from the point of view of unchanging truth. Any such unchanging truth must have a cause. The truths of mathematics or logic never change regardless of time or place, and hence, there must be an entity in existence who could have brought such a world into being. Such an entity must never change or alter its being in any way, and hence, must be perfect (the only need for change is to improve, if no need for change, then there is no need for improvement). Therefore, God exists (Augustine, 1996: 19). 3. In terms of scientific proof, there is the entire question of natural law. The world is held together by a series of laws that never seem to change. They are regular and can be seen throughout nature, from its macro to its micro level. The â€Å"sensate† part of nature, logically, is anterior to the laws that allow it to exist. Hence, the laws of nature had to have come first, and are the form within which the sensate part of nature functions. Hence, an entity must exist that is capable of creating natural laws within which all created being can function in a regular and logical manner. Only God can be the cause of such things (Copleston, . 2006, 518). 4. The Russian philosopher Vladimir Solovyev uses the critique of nominalism to prove the existence of God in his Lectures on Godmanhood. First, the idea of empiricism is faulty since no real individuals exist (only God has this quality, but this is putting the cart before the horse). The objects seen in daily experience are themselves not particulars, but universals, ultimately reducible to pulses of energy. Force is the ultimate reality of being in terms of metaphysics. Hence, the empirical approach to the world is arbitrary, since the particulars we take for granted are in fact huge and complex collections of force and energy that appear to the senses as colors, sounds, textures, etc. Hence, energy is the source of being, and hence, retain the ontological status as universals. But this can not be sufficient, since the universal nature of forces must be accounted for. And this accounting can only be an entity powerful enough to have first created these forces that ultimately would register in human senses as objects, seemingly solid and singular, but in truth, complex and made up of universals (and in fact, representing universals in themselves). But this ultimately spiritual reality must have an equally spiritual cause, that is God. In other words, as the empirical qualities of objects exist only in the mind, the ultimate reality of the world is to be found in universals, and hence, the world of spirit. But all spiritual objects must have a cause that is equally creative and powerful (Solovyev, 1948: 60-63). 5. Spinoza’s concept of God is slightly different from the Christian view, but not entirely dissimilar. Spinoza argues for a single entity, Substance, that is the ultimate basis for all sensate objects. Substance is God, the ultimate basis (avoiding the word â€Å"cause† here) for all change and movement. Logically, there is only one ultimate Substance since there is no real reason for positing and more than one entity that, itself, can survive all change, but is not available to the senses. Spinoza’s Substance is not something that can be apprehended by senses, but only by the mind, and hence, is a spiritual being. While many writers have broken their backs trying to hold that nature is God for Spinoza, there is no reason to hold this: God is what is behind nature and is the ultimate basis for all being. Spinoza is not a pantheist, as nearly all commentators hold. Spinoza held that all change needs a basis, something that does not change. That which we see as changing is the modes of existence, the sensate objects in space and time (or mind and body). All of these sensate things can be reduced to that which is extended and that which is mental, ultimately one thing seen from two different points of view. But these two are merely two available modes for human comprehension of an infinite object that never changes, but is at the root of change, its basis, and that is Substance, or God, an infinite being who lies at the root of all change and the laws that govern change. It itself, does not change, but contains infinite attributes that only appear incompletely to human beings under two attributes only. Spinoza does not hold that there needs to be a cause of all things, but he does hold that there needs to be a basis of all things, that this is God (Della Rocca, 2008, 42-48) 6. The last proof or vision of God is to be found in Apostolos Makrakis, the little known 19th century Greek metaphysician. He was a Christian rationalist who held that Descartes butchered his own method. Makrakis holds that one can begin with Descartes ontological doubt. But the conclusion to this doubt, cogito ergo sum, is an arbitrary end point. When I engage in methodological doubt, I come up with several conclusions: first, the doubter exists, second, that the doubter is not the cause of his own existence, and third, that God exists necessarily. All of this derives from the single act of cognition: it is the true unpacking of the cogito. Since if the cogito is true, than the other propositions are equally true at the same time, known intuitively. Since the cogito is not self-created, then the outside world and God must exist necessarily in the same act of cognition as the original cogito. If one must strip away the outside world in order to reach the cogito, than the outside world is real, since in removing it, one reaches the truth of existence. The outside world cannot be a phantom then, if the doubter is not self-created. Something needed to have created and sustained the doubter, and this is as certain as the cogito itself. But since that outside world itself is not self-created (in other words, that the outside world does not know itself through itself, but through another), than God necessarily exists, and again, as true as the cogito itself. Hence, the cogito really says: I exist, the outside world exists, God exists, all at the same time all in the same act of cognition since the cogito itself implies it (Makrakis, 1956, 42-43). Again, none of these proofs are final, but the same can be said for all logic and science. But these do who that reason assents to the existence of God as infinite and all powerful. Spinoza’s approach is the most interesting, since it is compatible with mechanistic science, but holds that such science necessarily needs a basis for action, and this is Substance. The argument #3 above is also very difficult to refute, since one cannot hold to an ordered universe without holding to natural law, and if that, than the cause of natural law itself. If that is denied, then one is in the unenviable position of trying to argue that the material objects of nature can and did exist without a law to govern their actions. Hence, evolution is impossible. Natural laws (and a lawgiver) had to be before the actual sensate part of creation. But this, in an odd way, is very similar to the argument of Spinoza. It seems that science itself cannot function without recognizing natural law and it’s a priori existence with respect to the objects of science themselves. Bibliography: Owens, Joseph (1980) Thomas Aquinas on the Existence of God. SUNY Press Augustine (1996) â€Å"On The Free Choice of the Will† Readings in Medieval Philosophy. Ed. Andrew Schoedinger. Oxford. 3-24 Copleston, Frederick (2006) History of Philosophy: Medieval Philosophy. Continuum International. Solovyev, Vladimir (1948) Lectures on Godmanhood. Lindisfarne Press (this is sometimes called Lectures on Divine Humanity) Della Rocca, Michael (2008) Spinoza. Taylor and Francis Makrakis, Apostolos (1956) â€Å"The Tree of Life. † in Foundations of Philosophy. Chicago, OCES. 1-104

Nestle Infant Formula as cause of child deaths

Nestle Infant Formula as cause of child deaths Company Background Heinrich Nestle and his family members started off producing carbonated water. They later on also combined cows milk with wheat flour and sugar to produce a substitute of mothers milk for those children who couldnt accept breast feeding. In 1866 a milk food formula was developed for infants who were unable to tolerate their mother milk. His product became a success, and it created a demand throughout Europe. By the 1960s Nestle was one of Switzerlands biggest company with over 200 factories around the world (Nestle, 2009). Nestlà ©Ã‚  considers that research can help them make  better food  so that people live a better life.   Good Food is the primary source of Good Health throughout life. In the first months of life, a babys nutrition needs are very specific and different than any other stage of life. Obtaining energy and nutrients is vital for babies healthy growth and development at this critical stage of life. To meet the specialized needs of infants, Nestlà © Nutrition works with the  Nestlà ©Ã‚  Research  Center  and RD centers to provide infant formulas with total nutrition. We strive to bring consumers foods that are safe, of high quality and provide optimal nutrition to meet physiological needs. In addition to Nutrition, Health and Wellness, Nestlà © products bring consumers the vital ingredients of taste and pleasure. Research is a key part of our heritage at Nestlà © and an essential element of our future. Nestlà © believes that the best food for babies is mothers milk. Mission Statement Breast milk nutrients that nourish protect and promote growth and development. However, for different reasons, not all mothers are able to breastfeed their babies or choose to do so, and need a safe, high-quality alternative that provides babies with the precise nutrition they need in the first months of life (Nestle 1990). Infant formula Industry Infant Formula Industry Development and marketing of milk food product for infants begin in 1867. The Creation of the product progressed due to the urgent need of a substitute for infants who could not consume any food Infant formula foods were matured around the 1920s. As an alternative to breast milk the sales boost after WWII and reached its climax in 1957. The Market took a downturn around the 1970s. Nestlà © then decided to market to countries like Africa, South Africa and Far East because of population growth (Boycott, 2007). Nestle and the Infant Formula 1800 was the century when Henry Nestle founded the infant substitute for breast milk for women who could breast feed their children at the time of their birth. Thus, this led to the death of millions of child infant death. Nestle in the early years marketed Infant formula as the best option for infants and also continued to aggressively promote the milk better then breast feeding. The containers had large writing in blocked letters claimimg the best choice for newly born babies which led to an excessive drop of breast feeding and high number of women feeding their children the infant milk. The stats were roughly around 80 % of Singapore three- month-old infants were being breastfed in 1951. By 1971 on 5% of mothers nursed their infants In Mexico around 1966, fewer than 40% mothers nursed their infants Chile experienced three times as many deaths of infants before they became 3 months old in 1973 (Ford, 2008).    There was marked shoot in the rate of gastroenteritis and malnutrition among the babies in the third world countries relating to the improper use of infant formula and the associated feeding equipment, such as bottles and nipples During the 1970s, British Charity Organization circulated a 28 page pamphlet called the Baby Killer which was targeted towards Nestle Switzerland and the poorly advertised marketing efforts in Africa. After the publication was well distributed it raised a concern for the general public and population of the affected countries and other countries. Later, Nestle was alleged as Unethical and immoral behavior.Nestle fought back and the trial lasted for two years therefore nestle was sued for defamation but inevitably Nestle won. But during this time nestle was given a set of code of ethics to follow by World health organization and UNICEF (Birbeck, 2007). The rules were as follows: The key points of the Code as established in 1981 were: Breast milk substitutes should not be advertised. Mothers and health care members are not to be given free supplies and samples. No promotion of products through health care facilities. No the marketing personal is not supposed to be in contact with the mother Information to health workers should be scientific and factual only. All information on artificial feeding, including the labels, should explain the benefits of breastfeeding and the costs and hazards of artificial feeding. Unsuitable products prohibited for babies. Babies should not be depicted on infant formula packaging. Labels should be set out in local native languages. By the end of 1989, The MNC introduced plan of Action for Infant and Young Child feeding where it committed to put a stop to all low priced and free supplies of infant milk formula in developing countries except for the number of children who need it. How Nestle breaks the Rule: Unethical Practises Nido is promoted worldwide. In Bolivia and other countries, Community and health workers are given free samples of Nido which stirs a mixed feeling among the mothers for children above four months although there is no age limits for nido. Neslac is promoted widely for babies for their first birthday although breast feeding is recommended for at least two years of age. Nestle promoted Neslac with the help of posters, gift offer and advertisements in all types of media. In Mexico and in other countries, Nestlà © provides pediatricians and nurses funds for congresses and other professional events Nestle sponsors workers with boxed lunches and vouchers in Taiwan.. In Italy, Nestlà © sponsored meetings and conferences under the brand name Guigoz. Cerelac is promoted in Pakistan on huge posters and roadside banners. Labeled bowls and cups are given out with every purchase of cerelac. The blue bear Logo that is seen almost in every country represents Infant formula and food. In UAE, Nestles distributed Pens with Cerelac logo. Company reps contact mothers though telephone in Hong Kong and Taiwan (Stafford, 1999). Nestlà ©- Baby Milk Ethical Issues Ethical Issues a) Infant Formula. The most important ethical question that arises regarding the use of infant formula is that if it is moral to produce or use the formula as a substitute for breast milk? The point of concern is that, if the infant formula is a bad thing like tobacco smoking or does it lie on the same fronts as consumption of alcohol where misuse leads to harms? The International Baby Food Action Network (IFBAN) suggests that in theory the infant formula might not be a bad thing but, on moral grounds it acts as a substitute for a perfectly good thing that is breast milk. b) Infant Formula cause of Child Deaths? There is no point questioning the fact that hundreds of thousands of young infants die every year in the developing countries mainly because of water-borne disease, malnutrition and some other factors. In case of Nestle it is important to distinguish between the deaths caused by the use and misuse of the infant formula which is the result of improper marketing of the formula as a substitute of breast milk and the deaths caused by other reasons. The use or misuse of the infant formula may lead to child death for various reasons which include negligence to certain important facts regarding the usage or simple ignorance of the mother or the feeder. Non-availability of proper ingredients like pure or clean water, or usage of non-sterilized bottles which are used to feed the infants has proved to be the major health risks. c) Supply of infant formula to regions with inadequate healthcare systems. The supply and promotion of infant formula to areas with weak health care facilities leads to a ethical predicament that, if it is moral on the companys behalf to supply their products in areas like Africa even if they are working within the frame work of the International code? Continue supply to these areas by infant formula companies is not considered an illegal issue as they follow the international code but their product is liked to deaths of young infants which surely make it an ethical issue. In such areas like Africa unsafe water and lack of sanitation are major factors underlying many of the 10 million child deaths every year. Repeated episodes of waterborne diseases like diarrhoea can push children to the brink of survival, leaving them too weak and malnourished to survive even common childhood illnesses (IBFAN, 2008). Illiteracy is another issue that these areas face as they are not able to read the instructions. In some cases, cans of formula were being sold with the inst ructions in the wrong language for the women being targeted which also proved to be an issue to some extent (Moorhead,2007). d) Abiding by the Code Out of all the other ethical issues one of the key issue revolving around the infant formula is the extent to which manufacturers are abiding by the International Code. According to the code article 1, the aim of the Code is to contribute to the provision of safe and adequate nutrition for infants, by the protection and promotion of breastfeeding, and by ensuring the proper use of breast milk substitutes,  when necessary, on the basis of adequate information and through appropriate marketing  and distribution (Ann,2007). Another article from the code states that there should be no advertising or any other form of promotion to the general public of products within the scope of this Code. The code was formed in 1981 reason being the manufacturers of the infant formula products were promoting their products as a replacement for breast milk and breast feeding was declining. Nestle even stated that the infant formula is better than the breast milk that lead to the boycott of Nestle pr oducts. After the boycott Nestle fell in line with the code but every now and then it has been seen that they find a loop hole in the code and take advantage. This is the reason boycott still continues. In Defense of Nestle The key ethical issues to the substitution of the breast-milk feed, there are two main key points to discuss in this part, and to show how the company thinks that the infant formula is not unethical. First point will be the status and the position of the infant formula, Nestlà © has a unique question to ask those whom are considering the infant formula as an ethical formula, and the question is Is the infant formula a bad thing in itself, as bad as the gambling and tobacco? Second point to discuss is child death cases and relating it to the infant formula, where Nastles says that there are many child death cases all over the world, and there are people and organizations known as competitors or IBFAN where they relate some of those child death cases to the infant formula, and ignoring the other real facts which they were the reason behind those cases, for an example, these people or organizations are ignoring the fact of the death cases in some countries in South Africa, and these re ason are, it is really hard and somehow impossible to find pure and clean water, although the UN is trying their best to provide that clean water for the people in South Africa, and those people want the infant formula to be withdrawn from there. Withdrawn the infant formula from that part of Africa can lead to some serious problems, where other competitors can enter South Africa with new non-efficient infant formula and cause more serious problems to those kids or the infant formula can be replaced sugar water or goat milk. Another causing of death cases to those poor kids is the weak health care system, those people or organizations are ignoring the fact of the weak health care system for instant in some countries in South Africa, therefore Nestlà © argument here is that countries in South Africa are having a weak health system, and people there are not well treated medically, therefore death cases should be related to the weak health system there not to the infant formula, there fore it is unfair and unethical to relate the death cases to the infant formula and to Nestlà ©. These countries should have full medical health care, especially for kids to protect them and to make them strong in order to face other illnesses in the future. After providing full and strong medical health care to those kids, then people can start put the blame on Nestles side after considering the other serious causes of death. Based on these two argument points Nestlà © sees itself doing an ethical and right thing by providing that part of the word with the infant formula. In Conclusion Breastfeeding is the best thing for baby because its containing the perfect amount of antibodies, water, carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Also mothers who cant breastfeed there newborn babies they will select formula as the second option for there babies, also many business women who work most of their time They dont have time to feed their babies as a result they always try to choose alternative ways to feed their babies and in the same time it contains every thing the babys needs.   First of all when we talk about the advantages of breastfeeding we will find out a lot of good results that impact the childrens health and their bodies in the future. Breast milk is personalized for babies as a whole meal because this milk contains everything the babies need to protect their bodies from allergy so that they will be less likely to get allergies and protecting them from asthma. Also, breastfeeding may help reduce the chance of becoming over weight, reducing stomach infections, and support babys sensitive digestive system .more over breast feeding is a very comfortable for the mother and its easier than using other artificial milks , in addition to what I mentioned earlier , another advantage of breastfeeding is to save money and its available at anytime and everywhere while artificial milks can be expensive and unaffordable however the breast feeding has a strong relationship between the mother and their babies. Secondly, on the other hand, The disadvantages of the artificial milks as we know that nestle is a leading consumer products companies in the world however it has many ethical issues relating to the breast milk substitutes, first of all , the moral status of the artificial milk or   the infant formula is more like tobacco or gambling where the problem arise from misusing it   such as the role of infant formula in child death , supplying infant formula in areas of weak healthcare systems

Origins of Slaves :: American America History

Origins of Slaves Treating humans as property led to unspeakable cruelties. Discuss in detail the origins and use of slaves in the Americas. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" (Thomas Jefferson). In my opinion the only problem with this passage from the Declaration of Independence is that it does not say, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men including their race, creed, religion, or color are created equal, that they...." Thomas Jefferson's words were hypocritical. Not all men were created equal and these men were slaves. Slavery has existed throughout the United States at the time and by 1760 there were about 325,800 African slaves in North America. This was the most inhumane treatment any man could endure. The following essay shall discuss the state of slavery in North America and its economic and social consequences. Slavery in America started when the New World was first discovered. It started off when the first colonists came to the Americas and in order to survive they needed to farm the land and grow crops. Since they were not accustomed for the hot sun and were too lazy for hard labor. In order to survive they needed a large labor force to farm the lands. They tried to capture the native Indians and failed, for many reasons one of them was from smallpox, and from various diseases, which killed them. Another reason that the Europeans could not capture them was because they had been in America all their lives and they were a majority. Therefore the Europeans set out to seize African slaves. Africans were the perfect choice of slaves to farm in colonial America, because slavery had already existed in Africa. Plus Africans could endure the heat of the raging sun, since Africa and America's weather were similar. Also both African and European colonist's bodies could resist many diseases, unlike native Indians. Africans were shipped from Africa by the Europeans in what was called the Triangular Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. This was an organized route where Europeans would travel to Africa bringing manufactured goods, capture Africans and take them to America. Eventually they would take the crops and goods and bring them back to Europe. However the Europeans had no humanity what so ever.

Police Response to Domestic Violence Essay

In 2005, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that 1,181 females were killed by an intimate partner. That means everyday, 3 women are killed as a result of domestic violence. These overwhelming statistics also state that out of all the women murdered in the United States, one out of three of the murders are the direct result of an intimate partner. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior that includes whether sexual, emotional or physically, that is imposed by a partner in an intimate relationship. This has been a major problem in the United States and for decades domestic violence continues to increase. We acknowledge that domestic violence continues to be an epidemic on the rise. According to Eve S. Buzawa and Carl G. Buzawa, reform of police action in domestic assault cases has been a recurrent theme for twenty years (Dunham & Albert, 2010, pg.137). Unfortunately, the traditional police response involving domestic violence assaults still seems to take precedent. Law enforcement maintains their reactive approach by means of avoiding interventions, screening out calls or sustaining the attitude that domestic violence is not a real crime. Nevertheless, the issue regarding the lack of presence and concern for domestic violence victims goes beyond the stereotypical reasons why law enforcement do not take a more proactive approach. The reasons may include personal attitudes, lack of training or even fear. However, when domestic cases involve minorities, law enforcement has been known to become suspiciously bias. Nonetheless, domestic violence is not only limited to male and female relationships. Homosexuals are also involved in domestic violence disputes as well and officers particularly avoid intervention in these cases even more than heterosexual relationships. In this report, we will explore the different characteristics involving police responses to domestic violence, the reasons why law enforcement hesitate in their response, and the different statistics involving intervention in heterosexual, homosexual and minority households. Avoiding Intervention We have acknowledged through many texts and the experience of our fellow officers that police work is a very mundane profession. The highlights we visualize on television shows are mostly for entertainment purposes. In reality, police work consists of domestic violence interventions, which also includes cases of drug abuse. Unfortunately, police interventions in domestic violence cases still lack a proactive response. Although today Domestic Violence intervention still needs to be revised in making calls of service more productive, it was not until the early 1970’s when making an arrest for felonies without a warrant were not legal (Doak, 2010, pg. 150). Only fourteen of those states allowed the same protocol for misdemeanors and since assault and battery is a misdemeanor, victims were forced to make their own criminal charges, which resulted in lack of arrests and lack of making a report (Doak, 2010, pg. 150). Fortunately since 2006, new legislature has authorized warrant less probable cause for misdemeanor arrests in all states concerning domestic violence cases (Doak, 2010, pg. 150) but law enforcement continues to show a lack of enthusiasm in making arrests. According to authors, Roger G. Dunham and Geoffrey P. Albert, there are several reasons concerning the reluctance to respond to domestic violence calls. The common issues that involve law enforcements lack of intervention include: Organizational impediments, lack of training, fear of injury and most importantly police attitudes. Domestic violence is misdemeanor, so in result police officers don’t think of this assault as a â€Å"real† crime. They avoid making arrest as to conclude that domestic violence is a waste of time. It’s common for police response to a domestic violence situation to lack enthusiasm or prolong making an appearance at all. However, fear is also an imperative reason that causes law enforcement to hesitate in the involvement of domestic violence cases. Until recently, police officers weren’t aware of the proper protocol in handling domestic violence cases. Also, in many cases the victim can also turn out to be the aggressor when an officer attempts to make an arrest. This can be a convincing deterrent in lack of police response. The most important reason I would like to discuss is police attitudes towards domestic violence cases and victims. The reasons I mention above are all characteristics that contribute to the lack of involvement; however the individual attitude of the officer places much emphasis on their actions. Victim Statistics Approximately 1.3 million women are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States. In a 1995–1996 study conducted through the fifty states including the District of Columbia, it was found that nearly 25% of women were raped and/or physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner, or dating/acquaintance at some time in their lifetime (American Bar Association, 2010). According to the U.S. Department of Justice, between 1998 and 2002, of the almost 3.5 million crimes committed against family members, almost half of these were crimes against spouses. Eighty-four of those spouse abuse victims were females. In 2001, intimate partner violence made up 20% of all nonfatal violent crime experience by women. In 2000, 1,247 women were killed by their intimate partner (American Bar Association, 2010). Two years ago my best friend was a part of these overwhelming statistics. For nearly three years she found herself in a very abusive relationship with her then boyfriend who is now the father of her three-year-old child. The late night calls I received kept me on edge because I just continued to worry when I was going to get that fatal call that my best friend was dead. There were numerous attempts of escape but like most of these women, â€Å"love† can sometimes be a curse. Fortunately, my friend was able to break away from her abuser. Unfortunately, turning to the statistics I mentioned above, all are not so lucky. Although going through that experience with my best friend was one of the hardest things in my life, knowing that there were numerous attempts to seek help from law enforcement to only be ignored angered me more. As I discussed before, police officers are not concerned with victims of domestic violence. At least that’s what many victims say including my best friend. Victims are not taken seriously because the misdemeanor crime is not taken seriously. Regardless of your race, being a victim of an intimate partner relationship continues to get the back seat. Studies have shown that certain characteristics do play a significant part of how a police officer will act to an individual call for service. In cases of domestic violence police attitudes towards women, different races, and even sexual preference has played a detailed part between making arrests and telling an abuser to just take a walk and cool off. Victim Characteristics â€Å"One in three women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Kathy Doherty, an executive director of an association named Between Friends (Chaney, K., 2008). It is very disturbing to be aware of these statistics and still lack the support from law enforcement to take the matters seriously. It’s even more unsettling to know that your race will play a significant role in how a police officer will exercise his/her own discretion. In studies I have read, theorists believe that when we evaluate the relationship between domestic violence victims and police response, institutional racism becomes a term widely used to define the relationship. According to the Macpherson Report’s definition: ‘Institutional Racism consists of the collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their color, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behavior which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness, and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people’ (Belur, J., 2008, pg. 428). According to Amanda L. Robinson and Megham S. Chandek, authors of Differential Police Response to Black Battered Women, stated â€Å"not only are colored women . . . handicapped on account of their sex, but they are almost everywhere baffled and mocked because of their race. Not only because they are women, but because they are colored women† (Chandek, M. S., & Robinson, A. L., (2000), pg. 30). Institutionalized racism is the very plague that has made police responses to domestic violence calls for service ineffective. Minority ethic women have not been treated fairly involving many accounts including sexism and racism. Today, gender and ethnic backgrounds are reasons for their complaints to be handled â€Å"differently†. According to reports made by the National Crime Victimization Survey and the FBI (homicide reports), Black females experienced domestic violence at a rate 35% higher than that of white females, and about 22 times the rate of women of other races (Newto n, C.J. 2009). Minority Women are not the only class that suffers from discrimination when evaluating proactive police response. The LGBT community has also been a victim of sexism when seeking assistance from law enforcement in domestic violence cases. Take this example from the article, Stonewalled: Police Abuse and Misconduct Against Lesbian, Gay and Transgender People in the U.S.: A gay Filipino man was reportedly beaten on several occasions by his partner, a white U.S. citizen, who was reportedly addicted to drugs and alcohol. When police responded to one altercation, they reportedly arrested the Filipino man and threatened to report him to immigration authorities, saying: â€Å"You’re not a citizen. We should deport you, you shouldn’t be hitting Americans; you’re not an American.† The Filipino man was sentenced to 52 weeks of batterer’s intervention in court (Amnesty International USA, 2010) This type of injustice is unacceptable especially in a place where our Victims Rights and Human Rights are supposed to protect us. Ethnic backgrounds, gender or sex should never play a significant role in how a police officer addresses a call for service in a domestic violence case or any case. Institutional Racism must be abolished from our practices of handling violent victim’s cases regardless of certain characteristics of the victim. Changes for Reform Luckily, we as a nation have come forward to not only address the problems involving police response in domestic violence cases but to also promote a solution. There have been committees and social groups, such as Battered Women Advocates, who have helped to spread the awareness of domestic violence. Also the Minneapolis Domestic Violence experiment (1981-1982) has also played a significant part in finding a â€Å"far more effective way to deter future violence than merely separation of the parties or officer mediation† (Dunham R. G. & Albert, G. P, (2010), pg. 147). Although assaults and batteries are misdemeanors, provoking public interest in the issue can place unlimited pressures on our criminal justice system. Law enforcement agencies have developed plans and in-service trainings to make officers responding to domestic violence cases more comfortable and aware of their options. Training also leads to a decrease of fear of injury when approaching volatile situations. The most prominent federal response happened in 1994, when the Violence Against Women Act was passed to help the fight to stop violence against women. Conclusion Law enforcement plays a vital role in our criminal justice system. Although police officers are just regular citizens in uniform, we still hold them to a higher standard compared to the general public. We must understand that this country as a hold must work together to stop violence against women (or men) and the assistance of the numerous law enforcement agencies is more than needed. This report was designed to shine a light on the many issues surrounding calls for service in domestic violence cases. It’s not to suggest that all police officers are racist, sexist or homo-phobic. However, we must stay on top of the issue to better achieve in the success of stopping institutional racist attitudes. It will always start with that individual who is behind the uniform that is responding to a call. To continue to generate discussion will only make the issue of domestic violence involving police interaction an issue of the past. References American Bar Association. (2010). Commission of Domestic Violence. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://new.abanet.org/domesticviolence/Pages/Statistics.aspx Amnesty International USA. (2010). Stonewalled: Police Abuse and Misconduct Against Lesbian, Gay and Transgender People in the U.S. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.amnestyusa.org/lgbt-human-rights/stonewalled-a-report/police-response/page.do?id=1106617 Belur, Jyoti. (2008). Is policing domestic violence institutionally racist? A case study of south Asian Women. Policing and Society, Volume 18, Issue 4, pg. 426-444. Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2009). Prison Statistics. Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/prisons.htm Chaney, K. (2008). Domestic Violence hits Black Women Harder. Chicago Defender Online. Doak, M.J. (2007). Domestic Violence, Law Enforcement, and Court Responses to Domestic Violence. Child Abuse and Domestic Violence, 147-165. Dunham, R. G., & Albert, G. P. (2010). Critical Issues in Policing. Illinois. Waveland Press. Newton, C, J. (2009). Domestic Violence: An Overview. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.findcounseling.com/journal/domestic-violence/domestic-violence-statistics.html Robinson, A. L., & Chandek, M. S. (2000). Differential Police

Societal Impact on Fixed Value Systems

Societal Impact on Fixed Value Systems Free Online Research Papers Societal Impact on Fixed Value Systems The dynamic of values subjected through the mind set of individuals directly is a result of the consequences of the environment we are subjected to. Effective relationships with a myriad set of vendors, customers, stakeholders and clients requires applying basic ethical principles when associating and forming linkages with people and organizations that can have an effect on your life and livelihood. I intend to explore how my own personal constitution is the bedrock upon which value judgments are decided. Culture emanates from a set of moral principles that guide and shape our values. Cultural and personal values are shaped in our formative years, providing a guide to the nature of our identity and how we identify with others in a social context. Being responsible, and virtuous or true necessitates adherence to laws and norms that govern aspects of our interactive behavior. Therefore, cultural behavior is shaped by cultural, organizational and personal values. These values then, define the ways in which we interact on a professional scale, whether in the workplace or the community. We are not only creatures of habit- our fundamental principles shape and guide the decisions that we make that are most functional and palatable to us. In part, the rationale for justifying learned, agreed and patterned states of behavior is based on not only obeying the law because we have to, but laws in and of themselves do not constitute ethical behavior. The law and principles that are established could be argued are standards for ethics, but only in a free society where laws are established by the consent of the governed. Societies that have no barriers between church and state apply no official sanction for what is considered wrong or right and justice can be metered out by the state, the community, or the family. Hence, individuals are responsible for their actions, but not their decisions. In this society we are subject to the whims of popular discourse, new regulations, outdated laws that no longer apply and the like. People routinely leave their children in hot cars in the summer, not realizing it is dangerous or against the law now. Others don’t follow township regulations and water their grass on uneven days, for example. The rude fan at the football game who spills a cup of beer on you while cheering or the lady who refuses to take off her hat in church don’t realize that it sometimes is not them, but you who face the consequences of shame and/or disillusionment because a) that is not my team or b) you don’t speak on a lady’s fashion at church. I do not presuppose that laws are made to be broken but some in our society have taken to a fundamentally individual focus on extremism. Without regard to practicality and common sense, ever since I became culturally aware and more socially conscious, I have noticed this subtle shift in attitudes to a more sub strata type of co existence in my society. From Hollywood stereotyping during the exploitative filmmaking era of the 1970s that characterized young African American men and women as hustlers, pimps and hookers; to the gangsta rap era of drive bys, drug sales and casual sex, I have witnessesed and experienced firsthand the novelty of freedom of expression but the despair and distraughtness over the realities of unencumbered free association. For example Gordon from Sesame Street was one of the most stereotypical black Hollywood actors as a pimp and a hustler, yet progressed career wise into a paternal father-uncle figure to children once he received a measure of success. Just last week personally I was going to get beat up by a friend of my brother’s who kept impaling me with ideas like ‘everythi ng in life ain’t all about school’, ‘you act like but you don’t know you(‘re) a ‘God’, a reference by members of the Nation of Gods and Earths that men are gods and women are earths. I had had these issues before, up until about 15 years old in school and until about 25 ‘on the street’. Now that most of my peers have matured, little of this subjugation based on education remains but is often taken for granted to not speak on educational attainment as an unspoken show of mutual respect to those who have learned how to survive in the street or as a form of endearment to elders who may have had to work hard and struggle to provide for us without the benefits an education brings. The focus, instead is material and expressive. It focuses on the ‘bling’ or flashy jewelry, money, cars, fine homes and other aspects that satisfy our basic needs of food, clothing and shelter as espoused by Maslow, but are more of a status symbol of what one is able to get away with, by any means, (but not necessary). According to Nonis, Sarath, Swift, Cathy O. (2001), for example, situational factors may cause different value dimensions to have more or less of an influence in different contexts. Sometimes this manifests itself in many unusual ways of socializing, such as going to work in Grosse Pointe watching customers grab their kids, purses, bags, lock their cars and all that while I have several degrees, 2 jobs, volunteer in the community and seek support and investment. But does it justify the manager who socializes with the line staff, playing video games and chasing women while on the clock, because the most efficient team is on the floor? Or how about the six year veteran of the company who takes a little here and there from donations to a non profit organization, because oh, they’re all millionaires (founders, sponsors or benefactors) and they won’t miss a few grand. Byrd (2005) suggests students so often think of themselves as powerless that they neglect to look at their lives in terms of the decisions they have made. They do not see that one bad decision can transform them from a student with friends, a car and a room of their own to a lonely individual in a ten-by-twelve cell. We must accept that humility and a willingness to listen should form the basis for rational decision making. Filtering out extraneous messages and delineating the best course of action is a consequence of correct behavior. For example, who wouldn’t jaywalk to catch a fleeing bus or to hail a passing taxi? Only by peaceful nonviolent protest for example, can we petiton city hall or picket unfair labor practices. However, jostling in line to get great tickets to the big game or sleeping outside the electronics store to get a free laptop may be fraught with insecurities and uncertainties about what standards we accept as ethical or right. Imagine the dilemma faced by a social worker who won’t tell a young girl’s parents that she is pregnant. Confidentiality agreements and codes of ethics regulate us and hinder the capacity for freedom of thought and action. What if that same worker pressured a physician to perform an abortion to save face, money and attentio n given to the matter all the way around? Some of the principles we learned I felt assumed we always base our relationships with people based on our core cultural values. That is, expectations will be set before you even speak with someone, or form an opinion about their behavior, or characteristics that may or may not have been acquired or acquiesced but on existential traits that cant be truths only hypotheses. I recently got my first 76 in the mystery shop score, a tool our organization (Staples) uses to measure customer satisfaction. The customer complained I had bad karma. But my super had us hustling to clean up and make the store more attractive to ostensibly cover him when the corporate VP came by for a visit. I brought the issue up to my super because I wanted to show that I found out about it and understood that he was held responsible for such a gaffe that I had never had any issue with before. But our organizations core values place the focus on team to the public, but the responsibibility on the individual (i.e. what if this got in the news, what would your mother think). Responsibility carries with it an awesome measure of power that can influence the way people think. The only consequence, therefore is whether or not we can assess how fair in our dealings, tradings, selling and promotion we can be. Acting out of self determination does not relieve us of our words, ways and actions but external variables can make us creatures of habit, making little conscious effort to remain true to ourselves when living, working and playing within the context of an even larger network of presuppositions, expectations and norms. George Fotis (1996) explains that with balanced self discipline, this person listens, and therefore, communicates well. This individual is tactful and highly persuasive, adapts to new situations and is objective, yet sensitive to the feelings and needs of others. I don’t want to become a bitter old man, waxing paradoxically about what could have been, what breaks I didn’t get, or who wasn’t in my corner. I cant bring back the past, no matter how much I can relive an idyllic lifestyle or wish to bring back 1976. But my community, my religion, my company, my country, my school all keep me grounded to the environment that shapes my life. When I decide to run for an office, I know that socially you have to go to the right church, marry the right woman, be raised in the right family and have the right politics, I have no problem with that, nor with stating any differences I have with any subgenre of those issues. But when I feel that I have measured what I have to give I want to follow Tait’s example, †¦the true role of public servants is not just to serve â€Å"customers† but also to balance the interests and preserve the rights of citizens. For this perspective, renewal of the public service does not mean choosing between the â€Å"traditional† and â€Å"new† values. Rather, serving the public interest in some instances, means finding the appropriate balance between them. References and Citations Byrd, Ronald E. (2005). Decision-Making. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, curriculum unit 80.06.03. Retrieved October 11, 2005 from yale.edu./ynhti Colero, Larry. ethics.ubc.ca/papers/invited/colero.html, visited October 14, 2005. Fotis, George W. Management Review. New York: Dec 1996. Volume 85, Issue 12; pg. 46, 2 pages. Nonis, Sarath, Swift, et al., (May/Jun 2001). Personal Value Profiles and Ethical Business Decisions. Journal of Education for Business, 08832323, 8 pages. Tait, J. (1997). A strong foundation: Report of the Task Force on Publis Service Values and Ethics (the summary). Canadian Public Administration/ Administration publique du Canada, 40, 1-22. 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