Recruitment and Selection Strategies for Law Enforcement free essay sample

Focus paper Chicago, Illinois October 16, 2012 Table of Contents Chapter l. Abstract Implementation Abstract Page 4 Ill. .. . 15 VI. 17 Introduction Research 12 V. Conclusion References This paper will examine the issues of recruitment and selection that plague many police departments around the country. It seems that when the initial entry exams are offered to the public, the problem arises in the quantity and quality of the applicants that arrive to take them.The reader will have an understanding of the seasons that may be responsible. This paper will examine what some police departments, as well as businesses in the private sector, have done to correct the problem of recruitment and selection. After an exploration of various methods, provided will be educated suggestions in improving the recruitment and selection practices of law enforcement agencies. This paper will thoroughly discuss specific approaches and their objectives. Techniques to inspire management and subordinates with recommendations will also be discussed. We will write a custom essay sample on Recruitment and Selection Strategies for Law Enforcement or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Understandably, these suggestions will come at a cost, however, this paper will describe how these cost may e counter balanced. The reader will be provided with the methods used in evaluating the strategies effectiveness. With any well-ran business or organization, recruitment and selection is pivotal in maintaining its success. However, staffing is no easy task, and this also holds true when it comes to law enforcement agencies. It is not merely sufficient to hire an adequate amount of individuals; it is necessary to hire the right ones that are capable of handling such a demanding Job.Police departments face many obstacles while recruiting and selecting their officers that are going to man their streets. While some struggle with these hurdles, other departments have taken to replenishing with ease. The public sector does not stand alone with hiring issues as private businesses have faced similar challenges. Many strategies may be utilized in the ever-lasting endeavor of recruiting and selecting. Selling these approaches can go a long way in seeing them implemented in ones agency as well as taking into consideration cost factors.Also, one must be prepared to provide a system of evaluation for any presented proposition. Research Filling openings became more difficult as they seem to have currently increased. The U. S Department of Justice [JUDOS] (2009) suggests that vacancies in police departments have risen and give the following explanation for its findings: In recent years, several factors have created an unusually high number of vacancies in police departments, according to anecdotal evidence from the field. Police officers called to active duty with military reserve units and the National Guard left their posts to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan.Some veteran police officers, lured away by higher pay, separated from public service to pursue security work at big corporations or to take Alice trainer positions with contractors overseas. Officers from state and local agencies accepted positions with federal agencies that were ramping up to fight terrorism. Baby boomer officers who Joined the police force in the sass and sass began retiring in high numbers. The general view among police leaders is that recruitment has not kept pace with the changes. (p. ) Therefore, recruiters for several law enforcement agencies already find themselves in an up-hill battle. Not only do they have to deal with the increased amount of vacancies; more importantly, hey must meticulously fill these positions with the right individuals for the Job. Applicants should have an accurate understanding of what they are signing up for. When applying for occupations in the private sector, most people have an idea of what the Job entails. However, the actual details of what a profession in the law enforcement field encompasses may be deceiving. Many of the major cities police departments utilize on their Job hiring website an approach that either emphasizes or exclusively promotes the basic needs of money and benefits, and the appeal of the excitement of a police career Monsoons, 2006, Para. 2). However, compared to many jobs in the private sector, a career in law enforcement simply does not stack up very well against them in terms of salary. As for the excitement aspect, according to Johnson (2006), many who take on the profession of law enforcement officer become deceived by the lackluster nature of police work and discouraged by unwarranted civilian complaints.Not only do most recruiters fail to portray an accurate account of police work, they fail to hire a staff that reflects its community. Police leaders are ally committing an injustice to their departments by not focusing on diversity when it comes to recruiting. White and Cobra (2008) found that there has been supported research that lack of diversity in a departmen t is likely to cause negative community relations and an increase in police misconduct. However, these are not the only areas where not committing to the diversification of an agency can be detrimental.An essential recruitment tool may go neutralized as the underestimations of minority police officers in some departments creates a shortage of role models (JUDOS, 2009, p. 5). Not only should the pool of applicants be multiracial, but vast as well; because there are other organizations selecting from it. The private security industry seems to be growing in strength and numbers. As this takes place, private security firms also have an advantage in recruiting over law enforcement agencies because they usually hire officers as young as 18 years old.They are allowed to do so since these officers do not possess the authority to arrest or carry a firearm (JUDOS, 2009). Just as the private security industries, the armed forces select out of the same labor pool as police departments. The competition that law enforcement agencies receive from the military in recruiting efforts is fierce. Like private security firms, the military can hire officers as young as 18 years old. In the past, the population that was discharged from the military often pursued a career in law enforcement due to similarities in the nature of both professions.However, it is not certain how an all-volunteer military affects police recruitment (JUDOS, 2009). What is certain, the long and burdensome employment process that one must endure in getting hired is working against police recruitment. Usually, after the initial interview for most Jobs in the private sector, the applicant knows shortly after whether employment was obtained or not. This greatly differs from the hiring process for law enforcement agencies as they tend to be drawn out and contain many steps.According to JUDOS (2009), many departments lack the flexibility to expedite the testing process as applicants often have repeat visits to participate in the selection stages. A highly desirable applicant may be lost to another employer that is able to test and assess the candidate and make a firm Job offer in less time (JUDOS, 2009, p. 6). Many obstacles stand in the way of police departments who are determined to implement a successful recruitment and selection program. Therefore, strategies must be utilized with the utmost thoughtfulness.Engaging the exact community in which the department serves can go a long way in a successful recruiting effort. Logically, this will assist in making a department a reflection of its neighborhood. The JUDOS (2009) presented the following examples of two different police departments effectively engaging its community in obtaining members to select from: The city of Hartford, Connecticut, experimented with community management as a means to improve police recruitment of minority officers.Citizen focus groups helped police identify a primary barrier to recruitment, namely, the lengthy period between an applicants expression of initial interest and the offer of a job. In the mid-sass, Lexington, Kentucky, lost some community support in the wake of an officer-involved shooting, two lethal-force incidents, and a charge of biased traffic enforcement. The chief of police supported a move to overhaul the police recruitment, selection, and training program and enlisted the help of a citizen minority recruitment committee. (p. ) The two departments showed that there is an advantage in involving the comm unity in its recruitment and selection process. The need of community support in lowering the obstacles of diversification was displayed in both efforts. In terms of police recruiting, there is also a need to paint an accurate picture of what the Job actually offers. Not too many professions can truly offer the opportunity for one to directly make a difference in ones neighborhood. Law enforcement officers have the potential to create a positive impact on their respective communities.Johnson (2006) recognizes that law enforcement is an honorable profession and that the idea of making a difference should be front and center as a recruitment tool. There can be an exhilarating sense of self-fulfillment in helping others in the community. What a department is offering candidates is an opportunity to make a difference by doing good, easing pain and suffering, saving lives, bringing a calm presence to stressful situations, and helping and serving those in need Monsoons, 2006, Para. 7). An effective method in conveying such an opportunity to aspiring individuals is via the internet.With many people utilizing the internet in search of employment, it makes sense for police departments to have a presence on the web. According to Bins (2010), every law enforcement agency should be prevalent on the internet; an agencys website was described as the most effective strategy for recruitment. Departments can use their websites to market their agency to potential candidates. In turn, candidates may gather information concerning a departments mission, hiring standards, community presence, and possible career tracks.Posting departmental information along with applications on the internet makes it easier to circuit officers from other regions of the country (Bins, 2010, Para. 3). There are several other outlets recruiters can use to share information through. People have their own source of preference in receiving their news. Therefore, it is essential that police recruiters utilize every outlet available in their recruiting effort. JUDOS (2009) suggest involving the news media to increase awareness of recruitment issues and how they affect the department and community.Also suggested was the use of public-access television channels which provide an opportunity to sound off before a community about issues that require community action. Finally, using talk radio may be effective in conveying an agencys message to the entire community or drill down to a specific segment or niche of the population (JUDOS, 2009, p. 12). Furthermore, of those in the community, the youth might be the most important to reach out to. It is no surprise that many children aspire to be firefighters and police officers when they grow up. However, as they get older, some may still want to fight fires as many lose interest in policing.This phenomenon is especially prevalent in high-crime areas where police presence is high and interactions are not always positive. Many young people lose their faith in the police, and it will greatly benefit the police and the community to change that around. Changing the youths perspective of the police will assist in making the future generation understand the significance of the police and fortify a future wave of officers (JUDOS, 2009). Connecting with the youth and others in the community would be made easier if it was an entire group effort.A total- organizational approach to correcting an issue is likely to be very productive. According to Bins (2010), the culture of a department must consist of everyone avian a sense of responsibility when it comes to recruitment. This includes patrol men up to the top of the chain-of-command; since they all possess the opportunity to recruit new candidates. Each member should be aware of the departments recruitment and selection process and be given information on the agency benefits, starting salary, and any testing requirements (Bins, 2010, Para. 11).Once applicants are found, streamlining the recruitment and selection process may prove to be beneficial. It may be discouraging for applicants who are in a state of uncertainty for a long period of time regarding their offer of employment. JUDOS (2009) states that the most effective recruitment and selection processes are those that are completed quickly and allow a candidate to move swiftly from application to employment decision points (p. 9). Agencies that have adopted this philosophy have condensed their recruitment and selection process to a few days from first assessment to conditional offer of employment.The important selection standards should be greatly monitored to ensure applicants meet them. Departments must reconsider the relevance of disqualifying factors, such as credit scores, to assess their necessity in selecting officers (JUDOS, 2009). As different strategies of recruiting and selecting are proposed for the law enforcement agencies, the public sector has developed some of its own. Filling vacancies with quality people is also an objective shared with private businesses throughout the country.Therefore, individuals have devised plans to accomplish this goal with the aspiration of seeing businesses prosper. Male (2010) suggests using a method of self-selection in weeding out applicants who halfheartedly applied for open positions. This involves adding another step, such as an open group event, to the hiring process in between resume- submission and the initial interview. Self-selection will demonstrate which applicants are serious about the position by their mere presence at the event (Male, 2010). Furthermore, the group interaction reveals much more about potential candidates.While in a group, people often display distinct characteristics about themselves. As applicants interact amongst themselves in a group setting, it presents an excellent way to see their character, level of interest, working knowledge, and communication skills (Male, 2010, Para. 8). With this opportunity, recruiters would logically be at an advantage by being more prepared for the one-on-one interview. Searching for a persons attributes without focusing on industry experience is also beneficial. Certain features about people cannot be taught such as being hard-working and passionate.Therefore, recruiters should go out and interact with workers from unrelated industries and offer interviews to those who really stood out (Male, 2010, Para. 17). By doing so, recruiters can select those who meet the characteristic criteria wanted and teach them industry knowledge at a future time (Male, 2010). Current employees can also assist in finding potential candidates, and relieve some of the workload from cruisers. A monetary incentive usually works flawlessly in getting individuals to accomplish certain tasks.For this reason, Male (2010) suggests referrals as an excellent source for great applicants and offering rewards to employees for successful recommendations. A byproduct of an incentive program is referrers possibly mentoring their referrals throughout the hiring process (Male, 2010). Utilizing the various strategies that have been proposed, as a guide, one can develop a specific plan in improving recruitment and selection in a law enforcement agency. It is widely accepted, the notion of having a department being a reflection of its community. That is why it is vital to use patrolmen as part-time recruiters since they spend most of their time in the community. Departments must take time to educate their officers about basic information such as qualifying requirements, starting pay, and benefit packages. Providing squad cars with brochures containing the same information would allow officers to hand them out to citizens during down time. Also, placing a slogan like Join us on squad cars gives community members a welcoming feeling to apply. Another act of embracement would be to actively seek people via the internet.Presence on the internet has already been established as a priority in improving recruitment. In addition to the departments website, agencies must take advantage of the recent craze of social networking. Backbone and Twitter allow agencies to search specific demographics and create a two-way avenue for departments and curious individuals. Agencies can post announcements via these networks and accept and answer questions that people might have. This would establish an early relationship with the department and potential candidates.Constituting and maintaining relationships with young people can go a long way in recruiting as well. As mentioned before, embracing the next generation of police officers would increase the selection pool in the future with desirable people. It is imperative that agencies proactively seek out children within its community and get them on the right track in becoming future officers. Departments must send liaison officers into community elementary and high schools. When at these schools, they must target only the students that are succeeding academically and behaviorally.This will avoid distractions from students that are not yet ready to receive information about career paths and wouldnt present them with an opportunity to ridicule the students that are. Principals and teachers may offer field trips to police stations as an incentive to those students on the honor roll. Minimizing discouragement of the youth would strengthen their rapport with law enforcement. Eradicating the discouragement cause by the lengthy hiring process is also essential. It is no secret that many companies employ applicants much faster than most law enforcement agencies do.Therefore, in order to compete with the private sector, police departments must take a page out of their book. Hiring weekends must be announced using different outlets such as television, radio, and internet. Condensing the process to a few days would keep applicants interested in the position and disallow competitors from hiring them. The first day would begin with background checks which will quickly remove those from contention who do not meet the standard. This can be followed by a drug test and physical agility tests.For those who successfully pass these steps, the next day would include medical and psychological jesting. At this time, both the department and the applicant would have a good idea of whether or not employment is on the horizon. To spread the message of these hiring weekends, departments can utilize its own troops. Two different experts agreed; current employees make great recruiters. As previously stated, agencies must tap in to this resource and supply officers with the information necessary to equip them while in the community.In addition, they must also offer incentives to their officers for recommending an individual who eventually gets employed. One incentive may be a generous bonus that includes extra money. Another incentive may be a considerable amount of time-off hours in which the officer can use when needed. With these rewards available, most officers would make a valiant effort in finding applicants that they believe have the potential to be great officers. Implementing new strategies to better recruiting and selecting can establish the foundation of a successful department. However, their effectiveness might be hindered if department members do not buy into the strategies. Marketing innovative programs to members of the agency, from top to bottom, can really increase the chance of the programs being successful. All members must be made aware of the importance of bettering recruitment and selection. Improvement means better morale amongst colleagues, since hiring the right people who Joined for the right reasons, creates a sense of cohesiveness. Everyone would work together with the same mission. This message can be conveyed to officers via streaming videos played during roll call.The supervisor staff needs to understand that these strategies can rectify the relationship between the department and the community, making their Jobs easier. Although, one concern they might have is the monetary cost of implementing new programs. Putting management at ease concerning the financial aspect is extremely important. It is obvious that putting these recruitment strategies into motion will cost a considerable amount of money; especially for advertisement and manpower. However, agencies must realize that the cost would be eventually recuperated.The most prominent way is through a decrease in civil litigations from citizens. A more qualified and diverse department translates to a more established rapport with the community as well as reducing the likelihood of police misconduct. Also, agencies would not waste money in having to hire placement officers due to poor retention, because the new strategies would ensure the employment of officers who are more suitable for the Job. Displaying how the new strategies would be evaluated after implementation instills confidence in the probability of their successfulness.Evaluating how well recruitment and selection strategies have worked would take a few strategies in itself. A good barometer would be to observe the number of complaints on officers that were classified as sustained since the implementation of the new strategies. A decrease in the amount would indicate that the newly hired officers are more prepared in dealing with the community. In addition, an increase in the retention rate since the employment of the strategies illustrates their prosperity. Recruitment leaders may also want to conduct survey questionnaires of both officers and citizens.Questions concerning their opinion of the departments morale level since the beginning of the new recruitment strategies can provide an accurate portrayal by officers. Citizens may be asked to rate experiences with officers during noncommercial interactions such as traffic accidents and missing person reports. Surely, a good recruitment and selection strategy would withstand any of these evaluation methods. Conclusion Positive changes in a department would not be a product of remaining stagnant in the way an agency looks for and hires its officers.The initiative must be taken in developing strategies in spite of all the obstacles that hinder current recruitment and selection processes. Many plans have been cultivated by other law enforcement agencies as well as individuals from the private sector. Using these plans, one can develop a specific process geared towards improving ones respective department; hill taking into consideration marketing plans, cost measures, and evaluation procedures. Bins, J. (2010, December 16). Recruiting the 21st century police officer.

An Introduction to Queuing Theory

An Introduction to Queuing Theory Queuing theory is the mathematical study of queuing, or waiting in lines. Queues contain customers (or â€Å"items†) such as people, objects, or information. Queues  form when there are limited resources for providing a service. For example, if there are 5 cash registers in a grocery store, queues will form if more than 5 customers wish to pay for their items at the same time. A basic queuing system consists of an arrival process (how customers arrive at the queue, how many customers are present in total), the queue itself, the service process for attending to those customers, and departures from the system. Mathematical queuing models are often used in software and business to determine the best way of using limited resources. Queueing models can answer questions such as: What is the probability that a customer will wait 10 minutes in line? What is the average waiting time per customer?   The following situations are examples of how queueing theory can be applied: Waiting in line at a bank or a storeWaiting for a customer service representative to answer a call after the call has been placed on holdWaiting for a train to comeWaiting for a computer to perform a task or respondWaiting for an automated car wash to clean a line of cars Characterizing a Queuing System Queuing models  analyze how customers (including people, objects, and information) receive a service. A queuing system contains: Arrival process. The arrival process is simply how customers arrive. They may come into a queue alone or in groups, and they may arrive at certain intervals or randomly.Behavior. How  do customers behave when they are in line? Some might be willing to wait for their place in the queue; others may become impatient and leave. Yet others might decide to rejoin the queue later, such as when they are put on hold with customer service and decide to call back in hopes of receiving faster service.  How customers are serviced. This includes the length of time a customer is serviced, the number of servers available to help the customers, whether customers are served one by one or in batches, and the order in which customers are serviced, also called service discipline.Service discipline refers to the rule by which the next customer is selected. Although many retail scenarios  employ the â€Å"first come, first served† rule, other situations may call for other types of service. For example, customers may be served in order of priority, or based on the number of items they need serviced (such as in an express lane in a grocery store). Sometimes, the  last customer to arrive will be served first (such s in the case in a stack of dirty dishes, where the one on top will be the first to be washed). Waiting room. The number of customers allowed to wait in the queue may be limited based on the space available. Mathematics of Queuing Theory Kendall’s notation is a shorthand notation that specifies the parameters of a basic queuing model. Kendall’s notation is written in the form A/S/c/B/N/D, where each of the letters stand for different parameters. The A term describes when customers arrive at the queue – in particular, the time between arrivals, or interarrival times. Mathematically, this parameter specifies the probability distribution that the interarrival times follow. One common probability distribution used for the A term is the Poisson distribution.The S term describes how long it takes for a customer to be serviced after it leaves the queue. Mathematically, this parameter specifies the probability distribution that these service times follow. The Poisson distribution is also commonly used for the S term.The c term specifies the number of servers in the queuing system. The model assumes that all servers in the system are identical, so they can all be described by the S term above.The B term specifies the total number of items that can be in the system, and includes items that are still in the queue and those that are being serviced. Though many systems in the real world have a limited capacity, the model is easier to analyze if this capacity is considered infinite. Consequently, if the capacity of a system is large enough, the system is commonly assumed to be infinite. The N term specifies the total number of potential customers – i.e., the number of customers that could ever enter the queueing system – which may be considered finite or infinite.The D term specifies the service discipline of the queuing system, such as first-come-first-served or last-in-first-out. Little’s law, which was first proven by mathematician John Little, states that the average number of items in a queue can be calculated by multiplying the average rate at which the items arrive in the system by the average amount of time they spend in it. In mathematical notation, the Littles law is: L ÃŽ »WL is the average number of items, ÃŽ » is the average arrival rate of the items in the queuing system, and W is the average amount of time the items spend in the queuing system.Little’s law assumes that the system is in a â€Å"steady state† – the mathematical variables characterizing the system do not change over time. Although Little’s law only needs three inputs, it is quite general and can be applied to many queuing systems, regardless of the types of items in the queue or the way items are processed in the queue. Little’s law can be useful in analyzing how a queue has performed over some time, or to quickly gauge how a queue is currently performing. For example: a shoebox company wants to figure out the average number of shoeboxes that are stored in a warehouse. The company knows that the average arrival rate of the boxes into the warehouse is 1,000 shoeboxes/year, and that the average time they spend in the warehouse is about 3 months, or  ¼ of a year. Thus, the average number of shoeboxes in the warehouse is given by (1000 shoeboxes/year) x ( ¼ year), or 250 shoeboxes. Key Takeaways Queuing theory is the mathematical study of queuing, or waiting in lines.Queues contain â€Å"customers† such as people, objects, or information. Queues form when there are limited resources for providing a service.Queuing theory can be applied to situations ranging from  waiting in line at the grocery store to waiting for a computer to perform a task. It is often used in software and business applications to determine the best way of using limited resources.Kendall’s notation can be used to specify the parameters of a queuing system.Little’s law is a simple but general expression that can provide a quick estimate of the average number of items in a queue. Sources Beasley, J. E. â€Å"Queuing theory.†Boxma, O. J. â€Å"Stochastic performance modelling.† 2008.Lilja, D. Measuring Computer Performance: A Practitioner’s Guide, 2005.Little, J., and Graves, S. â€Å"Chapter 5: Little’s law.† In Building Intuition: Insights from Basic Operations Management Models and Principles. Springer ScienceBusiness Media, 2008.Mulholland, B. â€Å"Little’s law: How to analyze your processes (with stealth bombers).† Process.st, 2017.

Email Newsletters How to Make One That Your Customers Love

Email Newsletters How to Make One That Your Customers Love Did you know email marketing drives a reported 4,400% ROI? Believe it. Email is low-cost and direct. If people are on your email list, it’s because they want to hear from you. So, give them what they want with an irresistible email newsletter. With strategic planning, a consistent schedule, and sharp curatorial and copywriting skills, any marketer can create one that drives results. Follow along with this step-by-step process to get started. in oneplace. Save 20 hrs this week alone and every weekafter. If youve ever kicked the tires on , nows the time to see what its reallylike. Schedule Your Demo Success! Your download should start shortly. Clean up the chaos with your editorial calendar! With , youll Save time with blogging, social, and email think HOURS every week Schedule your social posts in batches and increase your posting frequency super easily Get your sht together and hold yourself accountable to publishing like the boss you are! Now’s the perfect time to start your 14-day free trial to see for yourself! Start Your Free Trial

Coca cola in china market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Coca cola in china market - Essay Example This proved futile as the local media always gave first preference to the local firms’ products during its advertisement in peak hours. This disadvantaged coke as a whole leading to decrease in sales in the markets. To overcome this, company should have launched its own website (Staff, 2012). This would have helped the company to acquire and control a broader market place. Many customers would have followed the launched online hub to get information about the company’s product. This would have increased the sales as consumers would be at ease to get information on new company products and offers thus creating their commitment to the products. Secondly the company incorporated the initial American culture it had early adopted in the US market in other foreign markets. This led to its failure in many external markets like in Germany. People disliked the idea of coca cola using American culture in advertising and developing its products. The foreign customers were angered by this act of coke using American culture to advertise products in their countries. This they viewed as an infusion of foreign culture that competed with their own culture (Chan, 2012). Many consumers boycotted the coca cola company products and instead shifted to locally produced products. ... This led to few people getting to know of the existence and advantages of the coca cola products. This method adopted by coke proved to be too expensive but very ineffective as it failed to achieve its goal of popularizing coke products in China. Instead coca cola could have invested the money it used to finance the road shows in sponsoring the Olympics. Many Chinese involve themselves in Olympics either as participants or viewers. By getting involved in sponsorship of the Olympic games coca cola would have attracted many Chinese who create their time to watch the Olympics thus creating a large pool of customers across China (Chen, 2012). In china coca cola could have used traditional ways of packaging mostly used to integrate Chinese culture in a product. Coca cola would have succeeded more in China if it adopted a new packaging method with unique features like red stars that mostly appeal to Chinese youths this would have enabled the company to segment a market of the young custome rs (Li, 2012). In its advertisement coca cola used American Santa Claus. In it operation in China it could have used a similar photo but with the Chinese costume. This would have attracted a large pool of customers especially children thus helping the company to segment the market. In it worldwide Olympic campaign that went by the name â€Å"move to the beat† coca cola advertising department decided to use the London national anthem beats in their campaign song. This didn’t go well with the Chinise. Many young Chinese didn’t associate London with music. This costed coca cola a lot as many young potential customers opted to consume other products manufactured by their own local companies. Instead of this error of using Britain national anthem beat in to advertise its

The Issue of Remorse on The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Research Paper

The Issue of Remorse on The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - Research Paper Example Various studies were conducted about the novel and they discuss the symbols, imageries, issues and parallelisms prevailing in The Scarlet Letter. The critical analysis of the novel would start with a brief biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne and also the significant issues faced by the United States of America in its early years would be analyzed in connection to the story. The main focus is on the issue of remorse faced by the main characters of the novel. Nathaniel Hawthorne came from a famous family living in Salem, Massachusetts. His relatives took care of him when his father died in a voyage. He studied at Bowdoin College together with some famous personalities in literature and politics like Horatio Bridge who became a writer, Jonathan Ciley who became a senator, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who became a poet, and Franklin Pierce who became a president of the United States. The personalities mentioned helped Hawthorne to get a public sector job. Afterwards he started as a writer when his works imitate the style of Sir Walter Scott and was considered to be his early writing training. The Transcendentalist Movement of Ralph Waldo Emerson influenced Hawthorne by investing in the Utopian community. The Trancendentalist belief rejects formalism as they promote individualism because humans according to them are more than just sensory realm. Individualism and symbolism became prominent in Hawthorne’s later works especially in The S carlet Letter wherein the Transcendentalist ideals clashed against the ideals of the Puritans. The Custom House was written by Hawthorne as a prologue to The Scarlet Letter and also as an autobiographical essay. His published work became possible through the help of his friends. The Scarlet Letter became famous across time since morality, spirituality and identity of the Americans were affected by the Puritans. During the time of Hawthorne, adultery was considered as a taboo because of prevailing rigidity and formality of culture. The novel became popular to people from all ages across time (University of Wisconsin Milwaukee). The Scarlet Letter made its author a famous writer. After seeing the relevance of the novel to the life and time of Hawthorne, going deeper into the summary would link the history to the story. Spirituality, morality and Puritan influence on the early America were reflected in The Scarlet Letter. The novel went against the norms and showed how the dreaded beha vior and beliefs would be turned from weakness into strength. The story started from a prologue that could be considered as a standalone essay. The essay revealed how the novel was written as the narrator mirrored Hawthorne himself. The narrator worked as a surveyor in the customhouse and he found certain documents bundled and contained a piece of cloth shaped into an A. Since the narrator was careless and lost some important documents, he made a story out of the two-hundred-year-old manuscript made by a past surveyor. His creative thinking produced The Scarlet Letter  and the story opened in a Puritan settlement at Boston during the early years of USA. The scarlet letter â€Å"A† labeled on the chest of the protagonist named Hester Prynne symbolized her crime as viewed by the townspeople. She walked out of a prison cell together with her baby named Pearl. She arrived at Boston when her old and scholarly husband sent her there. Her husband was lost in the voyage and was ass umed to be dead. Because of loneliness, Hester engaged in an affair that led to the birth of Pearl. Afterwards the town elders put Hester Prynne to a public confession to reveal the father of Pearl. She did not reveal the name of

Patriotism Essay Example for Free

Patriotism Essay Bader main thesis is that patriotism is neither good nor evil, depending on how its ‘name’ is called upon. Bader asserts that patriotism has numerous forms, and yet the author expresses that all these forms share common psychological underpinnings – that of meeting the needs of safety and connectedness. The author begins by saying that he metaphors of patriotism have been likened to family, that accords individuals with security and attachment. He further expounds on the idea of patriotism is a psychological means to address connectedness and safety needs. On one end, patriotism provides protection and strength which are virtues associated with paternity; on the other, patriotism is also symbolic of caring which are traits linked with motherhood. A second idea would be acknowledging that while patriotism is influenced by a host of factors apart from the unconscious, its potency stems from its being psychological – embedded in the recesses of our unconscious. In this sense, it is a way of addressing the psychological needs of attachment and recognition, and the failure to sufficiently meet such needs lead to psychosis or mental dysfunction. In discussing these psychological needs, he has used the example of an infant who has virtually full dependence on its caregivers – the latter being the embodiment of power and authority. The manner of protection received by children determines their sense of insecurity and developing trust in others. The quest for security is also constant, even as we feel a perennial lack of safety and protection. In his third idea, he says that given these metaphors of family, it is now easier to comprehend the psychological dynamics behind patriotism. One’s affiliation with the United States brings a strong sense of safety and connectedness to its citizens. It is also able to â€Å"bind† and bring together people who share the same sense of safety and connectedness because of a common affiliation of citizenship. A fourth point is that the manner in which patriotism satisfies these psychological needs take on more potency since these are very difficult to find in our daily social lives. Society is depicted as highly individualistic. This social experience further reinforce the insecurity and lack of safety that parents have developed in people as children. These pent up thoughts and feelings are then stored in the unconscious as frustrations. A fifth point of the author is that patriotism seems to address these unconscious frustrations in being an ideal representation of national pride, historical purpose, and collectivism – which are all constructs related to safety and connectedness. Political parties leverage on these frustrations, trying their best to project the image of protector in appealing to people. They take advantage of the ‘parent’ paradigm, presenting themselves as caring, nurturing, and protective. This exploitation of psychic needs are used to advocate both liberal and conservative ends. In his sixth point, he proposes that the Left seem to be more effective at furthering its agenda. A perfect example would be the way in which police and surveillance powers were justified in the name of protecting the nation. Moreover, the author expresses tht conservatives have been more skilled at using prejudice and the concept of an ‘enemy’ in furthering its ends. Educational institutions’ influence may exert impact in addressing these psychological needs, teaching empathy, recognition, and other values that may intend to gratify these needs. Finally, he says that the psychological dynamics that underlie patriotism are global in nature, driven by the needs of safety and connectedness. These needs may be addressed in both healthy and unhealthy means and may be done so towards immoral ends. In itself, it is neither good nor evil, and these value judgments are made depending on the use or purpose for which the name of patriotism is used. Bader’s main strength in this article is the fact that he gave the much needed logic and connection to the ideas he presented – man’s needs, the collective feeling of people, and the rationale behind the use of patriotism as a tool for political motivation. He has also found basis for the conclusion that patriotism is neither good or bad. This moral judgment on the goodness or evilness of patriotism lies in the purpose for which it is used; for example, political parties use them to take control of people’s political choice. However, a weakness that can be seen is that the author also stressed to many points against conservatives. He may be pointing out his opinions but have put the conservatives into a bad light. In trying to be more objective in his assessment of the issue, he may have looked into the liberal side as well, presenting cases similar to what he did for conservatives. This way, he will not be perceived as biased. Another weakness that may be seen is that the resolution just took on a very short note. It just went on a short notice that it hardly qualified as a resolution. Although the author has a point on the matter, he failed to expound on it and define the steps to be taken, why they should be taken and to whom should the action be devoted to. There was also very little pragmatic value based from the recommendations of the author. The only direct action step he has proposed is for schools to leverage on their influence the satisfaction of these psychological needs. The article is very detailed that it is hard at first not to agree with the writer. I agreed with the point that man indeed has the necessity of wanting to feel secured and safe at all times, even wanting to find their necessities amidst the insecurities that they have experienced. I also do agree that the value of patriotism is used in politically motivated ways to achieve the means needed by the parties to gain trust among the people and be recognized as a truth bearing entity. I also agree that although patriotism should be upheld during the times of the 9/11 and the Hurricane Katrina, it should not be a venue for people moving with political agendas and using the â€Å"sacred† value as a means of it. And lastly, I do believe that the educational institutions should have a hand in directing the people, especially the youth towards the ways of non-discriminating, unbiased people. They should also teach people about how they would filter information being fed to them on the grounds of racism, bias and discrimination. The educational system is one of the institutions that a person attends to. It is hard to imagine that one would try to go to school and learn, only to come out and be tainted and blinded by other people’s political agendas – when in fact, they should be helping us in the assimilation stage of our studies, not changing what we learned to what political people would want us to think. That would be driving us away from what patriotism is really about. The kind of patriotism that each citizen has practiced and witnessed during in times of grief and misery, like the times of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Patriotism, at its very core, is about satisfying the psychological needs of people. It becomes a very strong and influential factor specially since its roots are deeply embedded in our psyche – our collective psyche at that. However, care must be taken about how the concept may be taken advantaged of by those who have personal agendas – such as politicians – for meeting their own selfish ends. This prudence and tact may be influenced strongly by schools. They can concretely draft activities that are meant to develop a strong sense of safety and connectedness. In sufficiently addressing these psychological needs, the probability of being exploited – through an appeal to emotion and psyche – is effectively reduced. People can be more critical and discriminating about what to believe. They then do not fall victim into these opportunistic ways of evoking patriotism’s name.

The Randomness of Love and Baseball :: A Kind of Love Sports Athletics Essays

The Randomness of Love and Baseball Generally the terms love, baseball, immigration, and poetry are not mentioned within the same text. However, according to Andrei Codrescu, author of the essay â€Å"A Kind of Love†, all these subjects are related. The only problem is that Codrescu fails to make these connections obvious to his audience. He also fails in making the purpose of his essay known and therefore is unsuccessful in whatever goal he intended. Codrescu’s essay fails because of its misuse of pathos, its overbearing connotative language and, simply, its random nature. â€Å"A Kind of Love† starts off as the title suggests it might. Codrescu talks about how there are many different kinds of love and how his love for baseball fits into one of these categories. He then goes on a sporadic journey discussing several issues that have no logical connection to each other. He talks about his struggle as an immigrant to get his citizenship. Then he jumps to how baseball is extremely literary and can be compared to poetry. Then, to even more random issues such as the history of baseball, the language of the game, and he even goes as far as proclaiming a sense of sexuality in baseball. There is absolutely no flow to Codrescu’s writing and his loose ends do nothing but ensure that there will be no tying together of his random thoughts. Codrescu uses an over bearing amount of connotative language in his essay, which makes knowing exactly what he means hard to understand. He uses several examples of famous writers, philosophers, and even places. Dawson, Malamud, Edgar Allan Poe, and Freud, were just some of these famous people who were mentioned. Codrescu assumes that everyone in his audience is aware and knowledgeable on every subject he mentions, which in most cases is an unrealistic assumption on his behalf. He uses words that relate to a deeper, symbolic meaning from personal emotional associations so much that the reader becomes lost in translation. There is no doubt that Codrescu uses the strategy of pathos to appeal to his audience. He starts this off very well by giving very real and vivid descriptions of what it was like for him to witness his first baseball game. He recalls where the game was played, when it was played and who was playing. He also remembers sitting there, in the stands, knowing nothing about the game and not even being able to tell who was scoring and when.

AD scholarship essay

I had this mindset that I would never be able to survive off of my medicine, and I came to see them as a necessity to function properly in this world. I succeeded in community college by getting into the Honors Program, and was able to graduate as an Honors Scholar. It wasn't until I got into a university that my academic abilities and character as a pre-allied health major was tested. I made the ingenious decision to handle my ADD without any pharmaceutical help, whatsoever.Exercise and dietary choices are my main method f treatment, along with sheer willpower and self-discipline. Not only was I able to lose about twenty-five pounds of fat, I got physically, and mentally stronger as well. I developed a better mindset, which lead to a stronger body. I started to learn a lot about myself, and how the brain actually works on its own. I learned that Is It Indeed possible to channel my â€Å"hyper-focusing† abilities when I need to, and It Is especially easy to hyper-focus when I want to! As a Sinology major, my classes are science- heavy.I learned that when I'm In a class that I am passionate about, the ability to focus seems to get easier. I started reading a lot of books about ADD living, and I started to make my life more ADD friendly, which meant simplifying my life. Working with my ADD, rather than against It, seems to work out better In my favor. I started studying in ways that would make my ADD symptoms seem to go away. I utilized color, mnemonics, and videos to understand concepts that most students would understand through a lecture.Honestly, I wish It were easier living with ADD, and I sis I didn't have the difficulties that come with It, specifically the Inability to naturally filter out extrasensory Information. However, the gifts that come from a hyper-creative brain often outweigh the more annoying aspects of living with the disorder. People with ADD aren't stupid; we Just process things differently. In many careers, that can be a massive asse t! Eventually, I want to go to graduate school to pursue a career as a Physical Therapist. I figure that this would be a good career that utilizes the creative and hyperactive ADD brain.I decided I would never succeed In a monotonous desk Job, and as a physical therapist, my workplace would be a gym– which Is something that I would absolutely love! ADD scholarship essay By Shelby-Piper about myself, and how the brain actually works on its own. I learned that is it indeed possible to channel my â€Å"hyper-focusing† abilities when I need to, and it is especially heavy. I learned that when I'm in a class that I am passionate about, the ability to with my ADD, rather than against it, seems to work out better in my favor.I started understand through a lecture. Honestly, I wish it were easier living with ADD, and I wish I didn't have the difficulties that come with it, specifically the inability to naturally filter out extrasensory information. However, the gifts that come from a pursue a career as a Physical Therapist. I figure that this would be a good career that utilizes the creative and hyperactive ADD brain. I decided I would never succeed in a monotonous desk Job, and as a physical therapist, my workplace would be a gym— which is something that I would absolutely love!

“Death Penalty” Pros and Cons

â€Å"Death Penalty† Pros and Cons Francisco X. Lendor Introduction to Criminal Justice (1102 CCJS100 4021) Due on: Tuesday, March 26, 2011 â€Å"Death Penalty† – Pros and Cons History over the years has taught us of many different ways on how to control or punish people who don’t follow the rules and laws imposed by society and courts. These are adopted by society to establish behavior standards. Whether some of them are effective or not, these must be respected in order to not fall into a severe punishment like the death penalty. Aâ€Å"The enormity of killing one’s fellow man with premeditation is the principal reason for the existence of the death penalty. † Throughout history, death penalty has been debated in many different ways. Groups protesting bring up their point of views with their pros and cons to defend their position in favor or against this punishment. A perfect example of why some groups oppose to this penalty is discussed in articles 1â€Å"Anti-death penalty groups raising money for exonoree Anthony Graves†, by Diane Jennings, and in 2â€Å"Testimony to begin today in death penalty trial of man accused of killing wife, stepdaughter and showing stepsons their bodies†, by Jennifer Emily. In the first article, a group from the Texas Moratorium Network was raising money to help, in this case, Anthony Graves. Graves spent 18 years in jail for murders he never committed, and was finally released from the â€Å"death row† from Texas after prosecutors declared him innocent. On the other hand, on the second article, Gary Green was facing a final decision to be convicted of capital murder in Texas. After stabbing his wife, he killed her 6-year-old daughter and proceeded to show their bodies to his stepsons. Jurors in this case were to decide Bâ€Å"whether to impose a death sentence or send him to prison for life without parole. † Death penalty brings positive and negative contributions to society. Even though, there have been a lot of proven mistakes when imposing it, and it still shows to be unsuccessful on removing evil from society. One of the pros death penalty contributes to society is that it deters some population from committing murder. It also gives peace of mind to the victim and their families and puts an end to the crime. Also, the fear of the highest form of punishment will keep potential victims alive. Sometimes families of the victims begin their healing process once the murderer is put to death. Politically seen, it also gives pride to politicians and some others may even secure their â€Å"positions† by taking a well known murder case to a closing point. Proponents of the death penalty say Câ€Å"it is an important tool for preserving law and order, deters crime, and costs less than life imprisonment. † They also argue that Dâ€Å"retribution helps console grieving families, and ensures that the perpetrators of heinous crimes never have an opportunity to cause future tragedy. † But it comes to the fact that these arguments just help them justify their support to punishment, while it is still not supported by a majority. Society still has a lot of issues against the death penalty. One of the most commonly questions people ask themselves is; what would it accomplish to put someone on death row? If the victim is already dead, you cannot bring him back. It is not true that the opponents feel â€Å"fear of death† will prevent one of committing murder. Statistics show that most of the murders are done on the heat of passion when a person is unable to think rationally. Therefore, how can one think of fear in the â€Å"heat of passion? † Opponents also argue the fact that there have been a lot of cases where the person being convicted was mistakenly accused. Worse than that, many have often been mistakenly killed due to the capital punishment process, and it is often inconsistently and arbitrarily applied. For Christians, a perfect example of a person driven to the death row being â€Å"mistakenly accused† was Jesus. Legitimate murderers, in the bible, were granted freedom and forgiveness, but Jesus was convicted, accused, and finally killed. This argument is mostly used by religious activists and protesters against the death penalty. People with deep-rooted belief to religious viewpoint often defend the right to life above any punishment that will threaten or jeopardize it. Based on the information published in both articles resumed above, and over the internet, I conclude that death penalty is not a deterrent, as violent crime rates show to be consistently higher in death penalty jurisdictions. Whether you are a hardened criminal or a government representing the people, killing another human being is wrong. It is wrong from the eyes of the â€Å"justice†, and so it is wrong viewed from the eyes of God or the â€Å"Supreme Being† in which we believe. Keeping killers off the streets for good through the Life Without Parole (LWOP) also prevents re-offending without having to harm murderers’ life. As Voltaire once wrote; Eâ€Å"let the punishments of criminals be useful. A hanged man is good for nothing; a man condemned to public works still serves the country, and is a good living lesson. † BIBLIOGRAPHY . UMUC Library: Guide to Criminal Justice  Resources—UMUC Article: Anti-death penalty groups raising money for exonoree Anthony Graves, by Diane Jennings – Reporter of Dallas Morning News UMUC Library: Guide to Criminal Justice  Resources—UMUC Article: â€Å"Testimony to begin today in death penalty trial of man accused of killing wife, stepdaughter and showing stepsons their bodies†, by Jennifer Emily – Reporter of Dallas Morning News REFERENCES â€Å"CITED† TIME in Partnership with CNN (online): http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,905684,00. html 2nd paragraph of: UMUC Library: Guide to Criminal Justice  Resources—UMUC Article: â€Å"Testimony to begin today in death penalty trial of man accused of killing wife, stepdaughter and showing stepsons their bodies†, by Jennifer Emily – Reporter of Dallas Morning News 2nd paragraph of: http://deathpenalty. procon. org/ 2nd paragraph of: http://deathpenalty. procon. org/ http://www. deathpenaltyinfo. org/

Free Essays on Human Greed

The Affects of Human Greed Greed means to me; in order to survive humans have developed the inherent desire to acquire as much as possible as quickly as they possibly can. We are born, and look for food. We develop, and seek out shelter. The more food we store up, the better chance we have to survive when outside sources of food grow scarce. The larger and safer the shelter we secure, the more space to store food and the more room we have to rest. Therefore, has our intelligence guided our species for thousands of years and imbedded those instincts into our nature. Now that the world is ours and there is little left to acquire from the earth, people compete with each other for what they think they should attain. What has worked in the past can no longer continue to work for the better. The greatest problem in the world today is that for thousands of years, our goal in life has been to take everything we can, and now, if we are to take anything at all, it will be taking it from someone else. While other species of animals strive for their food just to keep the population stable, our intelligence has allowed us to expand and grow, relatively free from the disease, famine, and predators that plague the other members of the animal kingdom. Through the acquisition of food and shelter, individuals formed families. Through the acquisition of more food and larger shelters, families formed communities. Through the acquisition of food and shelter on a much larger scale, communities formed great nations and civilizations that continued to procreate and increase their vision of how much material possessions each person should attain. Soon, the world was populated with civilizations that had pushed to the edge of their lands in conquest of new food and new places to live. On Thursday October 24, 1929 the headline, â€Å"Prices of Stocks Crash,† boldly lined the front page of the New York Times. Within only hours the country had lost over $4,000,... Free Essays on Human Greed Free Essays on Human Greed The Affects of Human Greed Greed means to me; in order to survive humans have developed the inherent desire to acquire as much as possible as quickly as they possibly can. We are born, and look for food. We develop, and seek out shelter. The more food we store up, the better chance we have to survive when outside sources of food grow scarce. The larger and safer the shelter we secure, the more space to store food and the more room we have to rest. Therefore, has our intelligence guided our species for thousands of years and imbedded those instincts into our nature. Now that the world is ours and there is little left to acquire from the earth, people compete with each other for what they think they should attain. What has worked in the past can no longer continue to work for the better. The greatest problem in the world today is that for thousands of years, our goal in life has been to take everything we can, and now, if we are to take anything at all, it will be taking it from someone else. While other species of animals strive for their food just to keep the population stable, our intelligence has allowed us to expand and grow, relatively free from the disease, famine, and predators that plague the other members of the animal kingdom. Through the acquisition of food and shelter, individuals formed families. Through the acquisition of more food and larger shelters, families formed communities. Through the acquisition of food and shelter on a much larger scale, communities formed great nations and civilizations that continued to procreate and increase their vision of how much material possessions each person should attain. Soon, the world was populated with civilizations that had pushed to the edge of their lands in conquest of new food and new places to live. On Thursday October 24, 1929 the headline, â€Å"Prices of Stocks Crash,† boldly lined the front page of the New York Times. Within only hours the country had lost over $4,000,...

Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum

Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum China has a very rich heritage and history that dates back more than a thousand years. Apart from relics and various artifacts that can tell us about the past, museums are essential gateways in explaining what life was like some thousand years ago. The Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum keeps watch over a lot of China’s history. Many travelers and visitors do not flock the museum because of the notion that it is difficult to find. The trick is simply to plan your visit. You have to expect it might take you a long time to get there but it’s a trip you should not miss. There are two bus stops that can connect you to the museum. The Youanmenwai bus stop is closer. It is at least 500 meters or a 7-minute walk from the bus stop. Bus numbers 19, 48, 72, 88, 377, 454, and 474 can take you there. Another bus stop is the Caihuying or Daguanyuan and you can take any of these buses 19, 49, 59, 122, 361, 716, 717, 744, and 800. From this stop, you will need to walk 800-meters north. The building looks unassuming against the apartment blocks around it. It is made of gray brick with an arched glass window. The museum is built underground so it may be easy to overlook it against the other buildings surrounding it. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 9AM to 4PM. Entrance is free. Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum is divided into two sections: the underground part and the historical displays. The underground part or the Shuiguan site is where the historic original water gate is located. The water gate goes as far back as the 12th century during the Jin dynasty. It is one of the very few gates that have been preserved and survived being burnt by the Mongolian troops. The museum is unique in this sense that it is built on an old aqueduct or water gate. This is why the Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum is a Beijing Cultural relic site. The water gate was primarily used as a means to enter the city walls, which were built to protect the ancient Beijing against invasion. Another part of the museum is the artifacts. Most of the displays are from the Liao and Jin dynasties. The first floor of the museum, though is dedicated to Buddhist artifacts and daily tools from the Han and Qin dynasties. Precious pottery and very detailed calligraphy from the Jin dynasty are also displayed. The museum has also displayed what has been excavated from the site, namely the roof ornaments, tiles, and tablets. One of the museum’s highlights is the gravestone of Lu Hui which is one of the best preserved white marble stones that had been dug up along the Liangshui River. The museum also boasts of solitary exploration since not a lot of tourists find their way there. Make no mistake it houses artifacts that you cannot see in other museums. It is worth your time.

The Incidents at the UCSD Campus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Incidents at the UCSD Campus - Essay Example When looking at the occurrences and seeing the reaction of the perpetrators even after their actions were being denounced by their academic institutions and the public, the perpetrators continued to fan the flames by referring to the offended students as â€Å"ungrateful niggers.† This racially inflammatory rhetoric not only displayed their insensitivity but also was a provocation, which could have easily escalated into a grave situation. The fact that a noose was hung in a public location such as the public library really takes these events to the next level and was inciting some type of reaction on the African American communities behalf. A symbol such as a flag being displayed in a public setting has a very different meaning than that of a noose and therefore these symbols should not be protected under the First Amendment. The history of nooses cannot be ignored. It has long since been a symbol of killing, death and lynching that African Americans were subjected to until only very recently in America. The United States has a history of injustice perpetrated at African Americans and these actions should be condemned because they have led us in a direction that society has worked so hard at putting behind. The United States strives to be a country of equality and acceptance. We have worked hard to pass legislation that protects our citizens; a threat to a person or group of people should be taken very seriously and protected by law. Some could argue that the right to exercise free speech allows people to express themselves without censorship and the right to express themselves without fear of being punished. They would argue that this is exactly what has led to the progress and acceptance of African Americans in society. However, these threats were meant to intimidate a group according to their race and put students that were in an environment to learn into a hostile environment where they were repeatedly being targeted by hateful and racist messages.