The Return: Nightfall Chapter 33

Damon just sat there. Then he licked his mouth and said nothing, did nothing. â€Å"You bastard!† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You're saying that Stefan didn't really walk out on me?† â€Å"Yes. I mean – correct.† â€Å"Who wrote the letter in my diary, then?† Damon said nothing, but looked away. â€Å"Oh, Damon!† She didn't know whether to kiss him or shake him. â€Å"How could you – do youknow,† she said in a choked and threatening voice, â€Å"what I've gone through since he disappeared? Thinking every minute that he just suddenly decided to up andleave me ? Even if he intended to come back – â€Å" â€Å"I – â€Å" â€Å"Don't try to tell me you'resorry ! Don't try to tell me you know what it feels like feeling that, because you don't.How could you? You don't have feelings like that!† â€Å"I think – I've had some similar experience. But I wasn't going to try to defend myself. Only to say that we have a limited time while I can block Shinichi from seeing us.† Elena heart was shattering into a thousand pieces; she could feel each one pierce her. Nothing mattered anymore. â€Å"You lied, you broke your promise about never harming each other – â€Å" â€Å"I know – and that should have been impossible. But it started that night when the trees closed in on Bonnie and Meredith and†¦Mark†¦.† â€Å"Matt!† â€Å"That night, when Stefan knocked me around and showed me his true Power – it was because of you. He did it so I would stay away from you. Before that he'd just hoped to keep you hidden. And that night I felt†¦betrayed somehow. Don't ask me why that should make sense, when for years before I've knocked him down and made him eat dirt any time I wanted.† Elena tried to make sense of what he was saying in her shattered condition. And she couldn't. But neither could she ignore a feeling that had just dropped down like an angel in chains grabbing hold of her. Try to look with your other eyes. Look inside, not outside for the answer. You know Damon. You've already seen what is inside him. How long has it been there? â€Å"Oh, Damon, I'm sorry! I know the answer. Damon – Damon. Oh, God! I cansee what's wrong with you. You're more possessed than any of those girls.† â€Å"I – have one of those things in me?† Elena kept her eyes shut while she nodded. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and she felt sick even as she made herself do it: gather enough human power to see with her other eyes, see as she had somehow learned to seeinside people. The malach that she had seen before inside Damon, and the one Matt had described had been huge for insects – as long as an arm, maybe. But now in Damon she sensed something†¦huge. Monstrous. Something that inhabited him completely, its transparent head inside his beautiful features, its chitinous body as long as his torso; its backward-twisted legs inside his legs. For a moment she thought she would faint; but then she controlled herself. Staring at the ghostly image, she thought, What Would Meredith Do? Meredith would stay calm. She wouldn't lie, but she would find some way to help. â€Å"Damon, it's bad. But there has to be some way to get it out of you – soon. I'm going to find that way. Because as long as it's in you, Shinichi can make you do anything.† â€Å"Will you listen to why I think it's grown so large? That night, when Stefan dismissed me from his room, everyone else went home like good little girls and boys, but you and Stefan took a walk. A fly. A glide.† For a long time it meant nothing to her, even though it had been the last time she'd seen Stefan. In fact, that was its only significance to her: it was the last time she and Stefan had†¦ She felt herself freeze over inside. â€Å"You went into the Old Wood. You were still the little spirit child who didn't really know what was right and what was wrong. But Stefan should have known better than to do that – on my own territory. Vampires take territory seriously. And in my own resting place – right in front of my eyes.† â€Å"Oh, Damon! No!† â€Å"Oh, Damon, yes! There you were, sharing blood, too absorbed to have noticed me even if I had leaped out and tried to pry you apart. You were wearing a high-necked white nightgown and you looked like an angel. I wanted to kill Stefanright then.† â€Å"Damon – â€Å" â€Å"And it wasright then that Shinichi appeared. He didn't need to be told what I was feeling. And he had a plan, an offer†¦a proposition.† Elena shut her eyes again and shook her head. â€Å"He'd prepared you beforehand. You were already possessed and ready to be full of anger.† â€Å"I don't know why,† Damon went on as if he hadn't heard her, â€Å"but I scarcely thought about what it would mean to Bonnie and Meredith and the rest of the town. All I could think of was you. All I wanted was you, and revenge on Stefan.† â€Å"Damon, will you listen? By then, you had already been deliberately possessed. I couldsee the malach in you. You admit† – as she felt him swelling up to speak out – â€Å"that something was influencing you before that, forcing you to watch Bonnie and the others die at your feet that night. Damon, I think these things are even harder to get rid of than we imagine. For one thing, you wouldn't normally stay and watch people do – private things, would you? Doesn't the fact that you did in itself prove that something was wrong?† â€Å"It's†¦a theory,† Damon granted, not sounding happy. â€Å"But don't you see? That was what made you tell Stefan you only saved Bonnie out of whim, and that was what made you refuse to tell everyone that the malach weremaking you watch the trees' attack, hypnotizing you. That and your stupid, stubborn pride.† â€Å"Watch it on the compliments. I may dry up and blow away.† â€Å"Don't worry,† Elena said flatly, â€Å"whatever happens to the rest of us, I have a feeling your ego will survive. What happened next?† â€Å"I made my deal with Shinichi. He would lure Stefan somewhere out of the way where I could see him alone, then smuggle him out of this place to somewhere Stefan couldn't find you – â€Å" Something bubbled up explosively again inside Elena. It was a tight hard ball of compressed elation. â€Å"Not kill him?† she managed to get out. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Stefan's alive? He's alive? He†¦he's really alive?† â€Å"Steady,† Damon replied coldly. â€Å"Steady on, Elena. We can't have you fainting.† He held her by the shoulders. â€Å"You thought I meant to kill him?† Elena was trembling almost too hard to answer. â€Å"Why didn't you tell me before?† â€Å"I apologize for the omission.† â€Å"He's alive – for sure, Damon? You're absolutely sure?† â€Å"Positive.† Without a thought of herself, without a thought of any kind, Elena did what she did best – gave in to impulse. She threw her arms around Damon's neck and kissed him. For a moment Damon just stood rigid with shock. He had contracted with killers to hijack her lover and decimate her town. But Elena's mind would never see it that way. â€Å"If he were dead – † He stopped and had to try again. â€Å"Shinichi's whole bargain depends on keeping him alive – alive and away from you. I couldn't risk you killing yourself orreally hating me† – again the note of distant coldness. â€Å"With Stefan dead, what hold would I have over you, princess?† Elena ignored all this. â€Å"If he's alive, I can find him.† â€Å"If he remembers you. But what if every memory he had of you were taken away?† â€Å"What?† Elena wanted to explode. â€Å"If every memory of Stefan were taken away fromme ,† she said icily, â€Å"I would still fall in love with him the very moment I saw him. And if every memory of me were taken away from Stefan, he would wander all over the world looking for something without knowing what he was looking for.† â€Å"Very poetic.† â€Å"But, oh, Damon, thank youfor not letting Shinichi kill him!† He shook his head at her, looking bewildered at himself. â€Å"I couldn't – seem to – do that. Something about giving my word. I figured that if he were free and happy and didn't remember, that would satisfy enough†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Of your promise to me? You figured wrong. But it doesn't matter now.† â€Å"It does matter. You've suffered for it.† â€Å"No, Damon. All thatreally matters is that he's not dead – and he didn't leave me. There's still hope.† â€Å"But Elena,† Damon's voice had life now; it was both excited and inflexible: â€Å"Can't you see? Past history aside, you have to admit thatwe're the ones that belong together. You and I are simply better suited to each other by nature. Deep down you know that, because we understand each other. We're on the same intellectual level – â€Å" â€Å"So is Stefan!† â€Å"Well, all I can say is that he does a remarkable job of hiding it, then. But can't you feel it? Don't you feel† – his grip was becoming uncomfortable now – â€Å"that you could be my princess of darkness – that something deep inside you wants to? I can see it, if you can't.† â€Å"I can't beanything to you, Damon. Except a decent sister-in-law.† He shook his head, laughing harshly. â€Å"No, you're only suited for the main role. Well, all I can say is that if we live through the fight with the twins, you'll see things in yourself that you've never seen before. And you'llknow that we're more suited together.† â€Å"And allI can say is that if we live through this fight with the Bobbsey twins from Hell, it sounds as if we're going to need all the spiritual power that we can get afterward. Andthat means getting Stefan back.† â€Å"We may not be able to get him back. Oh, I agree – even if we drive Shinichi and Misao away from Fell's Church, the likelihood that we're going to be able to do away with them completely is about zero. You're no fighter. We're probably not even going to be able to hurt them very much. But even I don't know exactly where Stefan is.† â€Å"Then the twins are the only ones who can help us.† â€Å"If they stillcan help us – oh, all right, I'll admit it. TheShi no Shi are probably complete frauds. They probably take a few memories from vampire chumps – memories are the coin of choice in the realm of the Other Side – and then send them away while the cash register is still jingling. They're frauds. The whole place is a giant slum and freakshow – sort of like a rundown Vegas.† â€Å"But they're not afraid that the vampires they cheat will want revenge?† Damon laughed, this time musically. â€Å"A vampire who doesn't want to be a vampire is about the lowest object on the totem pole on the Other Side. Oh, except for humans. Along with lovers who've fulfilled suicide pacts, kids who jump off the roof because they think their Superman cape can make them fly – â€Å" Elena tried to pull away from him, to reprove him, but he was surprisingly strong. â€Å"It doesn't sound like a very nice place.† â€Å"It isn't.† â€Å"And that's where Stefan is?† â€Å"If we're lucky.† â€Å"So basically,† she said, seeing things, as she always did, in terms of Plans A, B, C, and D, â€Å"first we have to find out where Stefan is from these twins. Second, we have to get the twins to heal the little girls they've possessed. Third, we have to get them to leave Fell's Church alone – for good. But before any of that, we have to find Stefan. He'll be able to help us; I know he will. And then we just hope we're strong enough for the rest.† â€Å"We could use Stefan's help, all right. But you missed the real point – for now, what we have to do is keep the twins from killing us.† â€Å"They still think you're their friend, yes?† Elena's mind was flickering through options. â€Å"Make themsure you are. Wait until a strategic moment comes, and then take the chance. Do we have any weapons against them?† â€Å"Iron. They do badly against iron – they're demons. And dear Shinichi is obsessed with you, although I can't say his sister will approve when she realizes it.† â€Å"Obsessed?† â€Å"Yes. With you and with English folk songs, remember? Although I can't fathom why. The songs, I mean.† â€Å"Well, I don't know what we can make of that – â€Å" â€Å"But I'll bet that his obsession with you will make Misao angry. It's just a hunch, but she's had him to herself for thousands of years.† â€Å"Then we set them against each other, pretend that he's going to get me. Damon – what?† Elena added in tones of alarm as he tightened his grip on her as if concerned. â€Å"He's not going to get you,† Damon said. â€Å"I know that.† â€Å"I don't quite like the idea of anyone else getting you. You were meant to be mine, you know.† â€Å"Damon, don't. I've told you. Please – â€Å" â€Å"Meaning  ¡Ã‚ ®please don't make me hurt you'? The truth is that you can't hurt me unless I let you. You can only hurt yourself against me.† Elena could at least pull their upper bodies farther apart. â€Å"Damon, we just made an agreement, made plans. Now, what are we doing, throwing them all away?† â€Å"No, but I thought of another way to get you a grade-A superhero, right now. You've been saying I should take more of your blood for ages.† â€Å"Oh†¦yes.† It was true, even if that had been before he had admitted to her the terrible things he'd done. And†¦ â€Å"Damon, what happened with Matt in the clearing? We went looking all over for him, but we didn't find him. And you wereglad .† He didn't bother to deny it. â€Å"In the real world I was angry at him, Elena. He seemed to be just another rival. Part of the reason we're here is so I can remember exactly what happened.† â€Å"Did you hurt Matt, Damon? Because now you're hurting me.† â€Å"Yes.† Damon's voice was light and indifferent suddenly, as if he found it amusing. â€Å"I suppose I did hurt him. I used psychic pain on him, and that's stopped a lot of hearts from beating. But your Mutt's tough. I like that. I made him suffer more and more, and yet he still went on living because he was afraid to leave you alone.† â€Å"Damon!† Elena wrenched herself back, only to find that it did no good. He was far, far stronger than she was. â€Å"How could you do that to him?† â€Å"I told you; he was a rival.† Damon laughed suddenly. â€Å"You really don't remember, do you? I made him abase himself for you. I made him eat dirt, literally, for you.† â€Å"Damon – are you crazy?† â€Å"No. I'm just now finding my sanity. I don't need to convince you that you belong to me. I can take you.† â€Å"No, Damon. I won't be your princess of darkness or – or anything else of yours without asking. At the most you'll have a dead body to play with.† â€Å"Maybe I'd like that. But you forget; I can enter your mind. And you still have friends – at home, getting ready for supper or bed, you hope. Don't you? Friends with all their limbs; who've never known real pain.† It took Elena a long time to speak. Then she said quietly, â€Å"I take back every decent thing I ever said about you. You're a monster, do you hear that? You're an abomin – † Her voice wound slowly down. â€Å"They're making you do this, aren't they?† she said finally, flatly. â€Å"Shinichi and Misao. A nice little show for them. Just like they made you hurt Matt and me before.† â€Å"No, I do only what I want to.† Was that a flash of red Elena saw in his eyes? The briefest flaring of a flame†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Do you know how beautiful you are when you're crying? You're more beautiful than ever. The gold in your eyes seems to rise to the surface and spill down in tears of diamond. I would love to have a sculptor carve a bust of you weeping.† â€Å"Damon, I know you're not really saying this. I know that the thing they put inside you is the one saying it.† â€Å"Elena, I assure you, it's all me. I quite enjoyed it when I made him hurt you. I liked to hear the way you cried out. I made him tear your clothes – I had to hurt him a lot to get him to do it. But didn't you notice that your camisole had been torn, and that you were barefooted? That was all Mutt.† Elena forced her mind back to the moment she had come to herself leaping out of the Ferrari. Yes, then, and in the time afterward she had been barefooted and bare-armed, wearing only a camisole. Quite a bit of the fabric of her jeans had been left on the roadside after that, and in the surrounding vegetation. But it had never occurred to her to wonder what had happened to her boots and socks, or how her camisole had been torn in strips at the bottom. She'd simply been so grateful for help†¦to the one who had hurt her in her first place. Oh, Damon must have thought that ironic. She suddenly realized she herself was thinking ofDamon and not ofthe possessor. Not of Shinichi and Misao.But they weren't the same, she told herself. I've got to remember that! â€Å"Yes, I enjoyed making him hurt you, and I enjoyed hurting you. I made him bring me a willow rod, just the right thickness, and then whipped you with it. You enjoyed that, too, I promise you. Don't bother to look for marks because they've all gone like the others. But all three of us enjoyed hearing your cries. You†¦and me†¦and Mutt, too. In fact, of all of us, he may have enjoyed it most.† â€Å"Damon, shut up! I won't listen to you talk about Matt that way!† â€Å"I wouldn't let him see you without your clothes on, though,† Damon confided, as if he hadn't heard a word. â€Å"That was when I had him – dismissed. Put into another snow globe. I wanted to hunt you as you tried to get away from me, in an empty globe that you could never get out of. I wanted to see that special look in your eyes that you get when you fight with everything you have – and I wanted to see it defeated. You're no fighter, Elena.† Damon laughed suddenly, an ugly sound, and to Elena's shock his arm shot out and he punched through the wall of the widow's walk. â€Å"Damon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She was sobbing by now. â€Å"And then I wanted to dothis .† With no warning, Damon's fist forced her chin up, jerking her head back. His other hand tangled in her hair, bringing her neck back to the exact position he wanted her to be in. And then Elena felt him strike, quick as a cobra, and felt the two tearing wounds in the side of her neck, and her own blood spurting out of them. Ages later, Elena woke up sluggishly. Damon was still enjoying himself, clearly lost in the experience of having Elena Gilbert. And there was no time to make different plans. Her body simply took over by itself, startling her almost as much as it startled Damon. Even as he lifted his head, her hand plucked the magical house key off his finger. Then she gripped, twisted, lifted her knees as high as she could, and kicked outward, sending Damon smashing through the splintered, rotted wood that formed the outside railing of the widow's walk.

Philippine Literature During the Japanese Era Essay

During the Japanese Occupation, when Tagalog was favored by the Japanese military authority, writing in English was consigned to limbo. It picked up after the war, however, with a fervor and drive for excellence that continue to this day. Stevan Javellana’s â€Å"Without Seeing the Dawn† (1947), the first postwar novel in English, was published in the United States. In 1946, the Barangay Writers Project was founded to help publish books in English. Against a background marked by political unrest and government battles with Hukbalahap guerrillas, writers in English in the postwar period honed their sense of craft and techniques. Among the writers who came into their own during this time were: Nick Joaquin, NVM Gonzalez, Francisco Arcellana, Carlos Bulosan, F. Sionil Jose, Ricaredo Demetillo, Kerima Polotan Tuvera, Carlos Angeles, Edilberto K. Tiempo, Amador Daguio, Estrella Alfon, Alejandrino Hufana, Gregorio Brillantes, Bienvenido Santos, Dominador Ilio, T.D. Agcaoili, Alejandro R. Roces, Sinai C. Hamada, Linda Ty-Casper, Virginia Moreno, Luis Dato, Gilda Cordero-Fernando, Abelardo and Tarrosa Subido, Manuel A. Viray, Vicente Rivera Jr., and Oscar de Zuà ±iga, among many others. Read more:  The Virgin by Kerima Polotan Fresh from studies in American universities, usually as Fulbright or Rockefeller scholars, a number of these writers introduced New Criticism to the country and applied its tenets in literature classes and writing workshops. In this way were born the Silliman Writers Summer Workshop (started in 1962 by Edilberto K. Tiempo and Edith L. Tiempo) and the U.P. Writers Summer Workshop (started in 1965 by the Department of English at the U.P.). To this day, these workshops help discover writing talents and develop them in their craft. Culture The arrival of the Japanese caused tremendous fear, hardships and suffering among the Filipinos. The Filipino way of life was greatly affected during the Japanese period. The Filipinos lost their freedom of speech and expression. The development of art was also stopped. Filipinos greatly feared the â€Å"zoning†. There were Filipinos spies hired by the Japanese to point those who were suspected of being part of the guerilla movement. The Japanese made some changes in the system of education. Music Despite the terror and uncertainty brought by the Second World War and the Japanese rule in the country, playing and listening to music were among the leisure activities that somehow made life bearable for Filipinos. Under their rule, the Japanese imposed their own music on the country. Japanese music was heard daily in radio broadcasts. Their songs were also taught in public schools. Students, however, never took these songs to heart. The performance of jazz and Western music identified with the allied nations of the war was prohibited. Hence, the Japanese held conferences and lectures on Oriental music in Manila with the hope of diverting the loyalty of the Filipinos away from the Americans. The first was a Japanese Musical Mission to the Philippines held on May 7, 1943, with the support of the New Philippine Musical Federation headed by Kosak Yamada. The Japanese nevertheless encouraged the creation and performance of music with native themes through music contests. Concerts were also a common form of amusement for Filipinos at the time and the Metropolitan Theater became an important venue for cultural events. Classical music, including opera, flourished during the war. For instance, the New Philippine Symphony, the first all-Filipino orchestra, was organized. It performed an all-Philippine symphonic program in July 1942, with Francisco Santiago as conductor. The Philippine Conservatory of Music, an affiliate of the Philippine Women’s University, was one of the few music schools in the country that opened during the war. Music-making remained a popular pastime in homes. Families sang and played musical instruments to entertain themselves. On special occasions, families held special concerts for themselves, as well as their friends. All these prove that even during turbulent times, Filipinos’ love of music could never be suppressed. Poetry Three types of poems emerged during this period. They were: 1. Haiku – a poem of free verse that the Japanese like. It was made up of 17 syllables divided into three lines. The first line had 5 syllables, the second, 7 syllables, and the third, five. The Haiku is allegorical in meaning, is short and covers a wide scope in meaning. 2. Tanaga – like the Haiku, is short but it had measure and rhyme. Each line had 17 syllables and it’s also allegorical in meaning. 3. Karaniwang Anyo (Usual Form) – like those mentioned earlier in the beginning chapters of this book. Drama The drama experienced a lull during the Japanese period because movie houses showing American films were closed. The big movie houses were just made to show stage shows. Many of the plays were reproductions of English plays to Tagalog. The translators were Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Alberto Concio , and Narciso Pimentel. They also founded the organization of Filipino players named Dramatic Philippines. A few of playwriters were: 1. Jose Ma. Hernandez – wrote PANDAY PIRA 2. Francisco Soc Rodrigo – wrote sa PULA, SA PUTI 3. Clodualdo del Mundo – wrote BULAGA (an expression in the game Hide and Seek). 4. Julian Cruz Balmaceda – wrote SINO BA KAYO?, DAHIL SA ANAK, and HIGANTE NG PATAY. C. Short Story The field of the short story widened during the Japanese Occupation. Many wrote short stories. Among them were: Brigido Batungbakal , Macario Pineda, Serafin Guinigindo , Liwayway Arceo , Narciso Ramos, NVM Gonzales, Alicia Lopez Lim, Ligaya Perez, and Gloria Guzman. The best writings in 1945 were selected by a group of judges composed of francisco icasiano , jose esperanza cruz, antonio rosales, clodualdo del mundo and teodoro santos. As a result of this selection, the following got the first three prizes: first prize: narciso reyes with his lupang tinubuan second prize: liwayway arceo’s uhaw ang tigang na lupa third prize: nvm gonzales’ lunsod nayon at dagat-dagatan Noteworthy writer of the period was Carlos P. Romulo who won the Pulitzer Prize for his bestsellers I SAW THE FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES, I SEE THE PHILIPPINES RISE and his MOTHER AMERICA AND MY BROTHER AMERICANS. Journalists include Salvador P. Lopez, Leon Ma. Geurrero, Raul Manglapuz and Carlos Bulosan. Nick Joaquin produced THE WOMAN WHO LOOKED LIKE LAZARUS. Fred Ruiz Castro wrote a few poems. F.B. Icasino wrote essays in The Philippine Review. Literature Because of the strict prohibitions imposed b the Japanese in the writing and publishing of works in English, Philippine literature in English experienced a dark period. The few who dared to write did so for their bread and butter or for propaganda. Writings that came out during this period were journalistic in nature. Writers felt suppressed but slowly, the spirit of nationalism started to seep into their consciousness. While some continued to write, the majority waited for a better climate to publish their works. Carlos Bulosan’s works included THE LAUGHTER OF MY FATHER (1944), THE VOICE OF BATAAN, 1943, SIX FILIPINO POETS, 1942, among others. Alfredo Litiatco published With Harp and Sling and in 1943, Jose P. Laurel published Forces that Make a Nation Great. The Commonwealth Literary Awards gave prizes to meritorious writers. Those who won were: 1. LIKE THE MOLAVE – by Rafael Zulueta da Costa (Poetry) 2. HOW MY BROTHER LEON BROUGTH HOME A WIFE – by Manuel E. Arguilla (Short Story) 3. LITERATURE AND SOCIETY – by Salvador P. Lopez (Essay) 4. HIS NATIVE SOIL – by Juan Laya (Novel) President Manuel L. Quezon’s autobiography THE GOOD FIGHT was published posthumously. Radio broadcasts echoed the mingled fear and doubts in the hearts of the people. Other writers of this period were Juan Collas (19440, Tomas Confesor (1945), Roman A. de la Cruz and Elisa Tabuà ±ar .

Investigation of corporate governance characteristics Essay

Investigation of corporate governance characteristics - Essay Example It is significant to find out whether companies are adhering to or not to such formulated rules and practices in their day-to-day corporate governance practices. There has been a tendency not to follow the stipulated guidelines (Berglà ¶f & Claessens 2004). The two Australian companies listed on the Australian Security Exchange (ASX), namely Aditya Birla Minerals and Adelaide Resources can be a good example to check their corporate governance characteristics, their strategies, policies, and practices. Both the companies are into mining and exploration activities. Aditya Birla Minerals (ABM) is running its operations at the Nifty copper operation in the Pilbara region, northern Western Australia, and the Mt Gordon copper operation in northwest Queensland, Australia. Adelaide Resources is into mineral exploration for Gold, Copper, and Uranium deposits. Both the companies have disclosed their governance strategies, policies, and practices in their annual financial reports available on their company websites. As per the Aditya Birla Minerals’ corporate governance statement given in the final annual report 2007-08, the company board has developed policies and practices relevant with the ASX recommendations as well as changes incorporated according to specific conditions. The board of directors of ABM provides strategic direction and effective governance over the company’s affairs. The board also monitors the implementation of its policies, practices, and strategies. It checks compliance with regulations. Hindalco being its block shareholder, the appointment, evaluation, remuneration, succession, and removal of the chief executive officer is decided on the nomination of Hindalco. Selection and appointment of directors is made by the board in the best interests of the company stakeholders. There are six members in the board, out of which three have to be independent non-executive directors, as per the charter of the board. A director can hold either of

What sort of religious experience should I give my children Research Paper - 1

What sort of religious experience should I give my children - Research Paper Example Jesus proclaimed in John’s Gospel, â€Å"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit† (Jordly 202). Jesus Christ wants us to know that we are at one with Him, and so we must prepare our children to receive Him. The Holy Communion is the leading sacrament because the Lord divinely exists in us. Several Christian faiths commemorate a communion feast with wine and bread as a symbol of our relationship with God, or as a means to celebrate the Last Supper (Cottrell 128). Followers of the Catholic faith consider this communion meal as something beyond a mere commemoration or symbol. When Jesus Christ proclaimed, â€Å"This is my body†¦ This is my blood,† (Wallace 25). Catholics know the meaning of the words faithfully as Jesus uttered them. Jesus also proclaimed (Cottrell 129): Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Hence, at the time of sanctification, Catholics know that the wine and bread are not wine and bread anymore. The wine and bread have become Jesus Christ Himself, his soul, blood, body, and holiness. It is a unique miracle that takes place on Catholic shrines across the globe, each day, from the moment Jesus Christ bestowed upon us this sacrament at the Last Supper (Glavich 12). Nobody, not even adults with tons of knowledge, not even the people of the Church, can wholly grasp how this strong bond with Jesus occurs. It is an unfathomable enigma. This essay is built on the question, â€Å"what sort of religious experience should I give my children?† I already confronted this question a long time ago, and it is only recently that I finally found the answer. I realized that I

Political Corruption in America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Political Corruption in America - Research Paper Example The American government has been observed as corruption free from the viewpoint of other countries. Many of these states have contended that such attribute is the reason why America has become a superpower. However, if one is to critically assess the history of the American government, it can be observed that U.S. before was in truth and in fact struggling to eradicate the prevalent problem of corruption in its local and national level of government. Considerably, there have been many political personalities who have been charged and arrested for violating the anti-corruption law. To cite, U.S. Congressman Duke Cunningham in 2005 was charged with having conspired to commit bribery, wire fraud and tax evasion (Rozen 15; Meyers 14). He then decided to resign and relinquish his post. Later on, he was convicted and sentenced to over eight years of imprisonment and ordered to pay a whopping amount of more than one million dollars in restitution (â€Å"Duke Draws† A01). Notably, thi s type of corruption has been referred to as political corruption which poses danger to democracy and good governance and undermines the legitimacy of the government and its democratic values (Gore). According to Heidenheimer and Johnston, â€Å"political corruption involves a public official who violates the public’s trust in a manner which harms the public interest by knowingly exploiting his or her office for clear personal and private gain in a way which runs contrary to the accepted rules and standards for the conduct of public office so as to benefit a third party† (42). In this sense, there are two ideas which can be derived from this definition, corruption and the culture of corruption. There is a culture of corruption if a public officer does a corrupt act because he or she expects to be given a reward.

Why are Relationships Difficult - English composition Essay

Why are Relationships Difficult - English composition - Essay Example It was argued that men and women are different biologically (or naturally), and it is inherent in them, so to speak, to be different from one another, therefore, it is all but natural for their relationships with each other to have so many problems and/or difficulties. However, with the women liberation movement came the idea that it was not biology but social conditioning that caused men and women to behave and think so differently in any given scenario Now the question arises: which of these theories is valid? Are men and women really different from one another because society demands them to be so, or is it because the differences in them are a manifestation of their in-built differences? Many studies have been conducted in this regard by the scientific community, with the result that, indeed, men and women are geared differently naturally (both mentally and physically, of course) as well as through social conditioning. There is much that has already been said about the role of society in setting certain molds for the sexes, and then expecting men and women to fall in line. Such molds are often quite sexist and detrimental to understanding and mutual respect amongst the sexes. Although the media has perpetuated sexist attitudes, with the woman being only a comforter of man, whether as a wife or mistress, it would be unfair to lay the blame on them, as it is society itself that is reflected through the media. It would be wrong for the society to blame the media for projecting ideas that the society itself holds. However, the social conditioning only fosters the human brain which is geared to be masculine or feminine from the birth of a child. There are quite a number of differences between the brains of the two sexes which causes them to develop differently at first and then later on to behave differently. These differences, scientists argue, were the result of evolution and the different roles these two sexes had to perform.

Brand management, Managing price discounting and its possible impact Assignment

Brand management, Managing price discounting and its possible impact on Brand equity - Assignment Example 11 Kotler, P & Caslione, J.A. (2009). Chaotics: the business of managing and marketing in the age of turbulence. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. 11 Saxena, R. (2005). Marketing Management. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. 11 Schultz, D.E. et.al. (1998). Sales promotion essentials: the 10 basic sales promotion techniques-- and how to use them. McGraw-Hill Professional. 11 Introduction Price promotions are also known as price discounting. Most companies adjust the list price of the products and allow discounts to get early payments, purchase at a high volume and off season buying. Price discounting has become the mode of operation for almost all the companies. Some of the products tend to be always on sale. Companies having overcapacity of products gives more discounts. The manufacturer should stop the discounting rate at which they offer to the retailers. This practice may results in losing the long term profits. Kevin Clancy had found that about 15% to 35% of the buyers are price sensitive . People with higher level of income are willing to pay more for better products, quality customer service and for the brand name. Thus this can prove to be harmful for strong and distinctive brands. On the other hand price discounting can also prove to be useful only if the company gains a concession (Kotler, 1972, p.390). Brand equity is defined as the brands perception in the minds of the consumers. It is about how the employees, customers, the stakeholders and the consumers feel for a particular brand. Brand equity is driven by four factors such as perceived quality, brand awareness, brand association and brand loyalty (Knapp, 2000, p.2). Price discounting Price discounting is used to accomplish different goals. One of the primary reasons for price discounting is to dispose of the remaining inventory from the previous seasons and stocking in with new merchandise in the stores and the warehouse. This practice is usually preferred by those companies who tend to change their select ions of merchandise. Another reason of price discounting is to encourage the consumers to visit the retail outlet. Such strategies are widely used by grocery stores, drug and discount stores where the consumer buys in a bulk. The use of price discounting is known as bait and switch. Price discounting is also done by retailers in order to create price discrimination between different consumers. This is a process which targets both the price sensitive and price insensitive consumers. The other set of consumers prefers buying when products are put up on sale rather than from competitive retailers. Sometimes retailers offers product at a discounting rate so that the company can have an upper hand from new competitors as well as from the existing ones (Schultz, et.al, 1998, p.188). Objectives for Price Discounting Pricing is one of the biggest pitfalls that a management deals during optimal economy. But pricing involves a lot of risk when the economy is not stable. Price discounting does work well to achieve the objectives of the company. A retailer prefers price discounting in order to meet their targets and objectives. Price discounting always involves risk, especially when it is not done correctly. It can hamper the business (Kotler & Caslione, 2009, p.58). Therefore there are certain objectives which are well suited for price discounting whereas other is not preferred. The objectives are set by the retailers, in order to achieve the set goals they offer

Post traumatic Stress Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Post traumatic Stress Disorder - Essay Example This resultant stressed mind negatively affects individuals’ ability to function normally and wrecks their daily life, further causing depression and in extreme cases psychological disorders. That is, in a stressed and depressed state, individuals may not be able to utilize their physical as well as mental parts optimally. When that happens there will be a poor match between the personal, societal expectations and the functional ability of the individuals, which in turn leads to disorientation of individuals’ psychological systems causing disorders like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Background about PTSD and the main claim or theme PTSD, an anxiety and stress related psychological disorder, can develop in individuals, when he/she is exposed to a shocking event or ordeal, during which grave mental torture or physical harm has occurred. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD may include violent personal assaults on the individuals, or when the individuals get cau ght in natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or even military combat. (â€Å"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder†). Individuals affected with PTSD could undergo grave mental ordeals, affecting not only their personal, professional and social lives, but also that of their related and associated lives. This disorder will be visible in persons immediately after a traumatic event and could continue for a shorter or a longer time, according to the severity of the event. When persons are afflicted with PTSD, they exhibit many symptoms like persistent frightening thoughts and memories of their ordeal, feeling emotionally detached as well as numb, especially with people they were once close to, experiencing sleep deprivation or problems, etc. (â€Å"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder†). So, it is a difficult disorder that could afflict all types of individuals, particularly the people who have high chances of facing traumatic events like the soldiers in the battlefield, war ret urnees, etc. The severity of the affliction due to PTSD also depends on the character, thought process, physical ability and mental fortitude of the individuals. Because based on the above mentioned qualities only, the individuals will cope up or given in to PTSD. This being the case, treatment options for the sufferers of PTSD has to be oriented based on their personal as well as social life. Although, various medications as well as psychological therapies are being practiced, it is of crucial importance in any method of treatment to include the partner as well as family members of the affected including that of the war returnees in the treatment process, with this essay focusing on that aspect. Symptoms and its repercussions As pointed out above, PTSD is a condition which is brought about by exposure to a traumatic incident that kind of plays back through flashbacks or in the dreams/nightmares of the affected individuals. (Yehuda 67). The traumatic events could directly involve th e individual, where he/she has been exposed to a threat of death, as well as other physical and psychological assaults, and also when someone else, who are known and close to the individuals, are exposed to the same threats and assaults. When they or ‘others’ are under threat, it is natural for the individuals to get afraid, with that fear only triggering sizable split-second changes in the individual’s body and preparing the body to face it or avoid it, through a response called

Dr. Wakefields Research & Role Played by Media Essay

Dr. Wakefields Research & Role Played by Media - Essay Example Dr. Wakefield’s research employed rigorous tools and methodologies for which no proper ethical approval was obtained for invasive procedures on children. On the other hand, it was found that Dr. Wakefield had exchanged funds with the lawyers of children’s parents that were made part of the research. The research further employed references of other studies that were conducted by either the coauthors of the same research or his friends. Where autism is a disorder for which little information is present regarding its causative agents and cures, a theory supporting the idea that it is caused by MMR vaccination made many parents believe that prevention from vaccination can benefit their child despite having contradictory evidence in the rates of epidemiological increases after this research. The research was later on criticized by other independent studies which raised questions about the effectiveness of Dr. Wakefield’s work. Presence of a reputable medical journal The Lancet and other media bodies providing coverage to this research further aggravated the situation. A medical journal is usually used by medical practitioners, researchers, and educationists in the same field. However, vetting of Dr. Wakefield’s article by a medical journal allowed journalists and other media channels to disseminate information to local people. As a result, parents refused to provide vaccination to their children in large parts of the world with reported epidemics in the UK, US, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland.

Eastern Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Eastern Philosophy - Essay Example The word Buddha refers to ‘the awakened one’ who has been enlightened. The philosophy of the Buddhist is that every on stands a potential of Buddhahood whether aware or unaware. Though this religious believe traces its origin among the Hindus, its fundamental believes are different from that of the Hindu. According to the Hindu, Buddhism is viewed as unorthodox (nastika). The history of this religion can be traced back in the early 566 B.C. through the royalty prince Siddhartha Gautama. Being a son to Indian Warrior-King, Gautama (the founder of Buddhism) led a very extravagant life from childhood to adulthood following the privileges associated with the uppers caste of prince-hood . When prince-hood living proved boring, he went off his way in search of understanding. In his external search, Gautama was finally made to believe that suffering awaits come end time. On believing the old man’s words, Gautama renounced his princely privileges and joined the monkhood, which deprived him of worldly possessions with strong hope of comprehending underlying truth of the surrounding environment. It was a tree that he finally believed that the end to suffering was ultimately salvation. Following his epiphany, Gautama became popular to the people of the same faith as ‘Buddha’, meaning "Enlightened One." Throughout his life, Buddha (Gautama) spent his entire life journeying about India, while preaching and teaching his understanding of the real world. This religion is based on four fundamental noble truths about suffering. These teachings are; the truth of suffering, the truth of causes of suffering, the truth and believe about the end of suffering, and the truth about the paths that leads believers off suffering. In the simple terms, Buddhists believe in the existence of suffering, suffering has its root cause; suffering would come to end via certain path. According to them, sufferings exist and we only need to navigate our ways through to attempt rectifying the situation. The first truth seeks to recognize the existence of suffering, the Second Truth determine the root causes of suffering. According to the Buddhists, ignorance and desire lie deep on the route to suffering. They also strongly believe that craving for material wellbeing, pleasure and immortality are human wants which can never be fulfilled. As a result, desire to have them satisfied would be more detrimental and would cause more suffering than good. With limited capacity for insight and mental concentration, Buddhists believe that development of the mind would be limited, thus unable to fairly grasp the truth about nature. Vices such as envy, greed, anger and greed, are due to ignorance. Though they also believe on the concept of leisure, but to them leisure fleets. They argue that pursuit of pleasure and leisure leads to unquenchable thirst. The same analogy is given on happiness. In the end, aging, death and sickness are inevitable for the entire hum an race. In the third Noble Truth, Buddhists believe that there is an end to suffering either by death or through achieving Nirvana spiritual position. The Fourth Noble Truth highlights methods that are deemed significant in achieving an end to suffering, commonly referred to as Noble Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Noble Paths are; Right Thought, Right Understanding, Right Speech, Right Livelihood, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Concentration, and Right Mindfulness. In addition, the path to overcoming suffering is divided into three themes: good moral conduct (Thought, Understanding and Speech), mediation and mental growth (Action, Effort, and Livelihood), and insight or wisdom (Mindfulness and Concentration)3. Hinduism Beliefs Hinduism is one of the historically old religious beliefs that is said to have originated basically from the Indian subcontinent. Philosophers and other religious scholars have always treated it as being more of a law or eternal path (Santana Dharma) than a

Trajectory of US Foreign Policy Essay Example for Free

Trajectory of US Foreign Policy Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The credo for â€Å"strong America and secured world† re-echoes the vision for retaining global alliances yet draws future challenges to US foreign policy in re-aligning socio-political confidence in the contemporary shift of political power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rise of third forces is critically perceived in the interplay of emerging political powers that may desolate convergence to US foreign policy. The perceptive basis of power shifting may in itself central to the change of US interstate (domestic) leadership and the clamor of the American people to reform the US foreign policies.    In contrast, the US economic, financial and military establishments can possibly absorb the vacillating pressure upon the change of political leadership.   The reconfiguration in the trajectory of US foreign policy may absorb the vacuum of power within the confines of socio-economic-political individualism. This individualism may be depictive to walking down a narrow road that is less traveled, as there goes an excerpt from the song ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (Elton John; in Taupin, B., 1973): â€Å"†¦So goodbye yellow brick road where the dogs of society howl, you cant plant me in your penthouse, Im going back to my plough†¦Ã¢â‚¬  From this pretext, what holds America’s foreign policy is to maintain the yellow brick road of economic and financial convergence ensuring the American people never to go back in the 1890’s US’ experience of great economic depression, in which today the US government controls its economic and political interests in a global landscape. This may be a classical overture leading to the contemporary challenges of US foreign policy, but an annotation to the modern political genre and re-structured geopolitical archetype in US’ shift of power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper will discuss the contemporary interstate (domestic) political interactions and the intrastate (foreign) shifting of political powers relating to the trajectory and future challenge in US foreign policy. Methodology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The review of literature will guide the overall discussions of issues and will be the basis of analyzing the situation. The method will adopt a 2-prong approach in examining the trajectory and challenges of US foreign policy to situate (2) interstate factors, and (2) intrastate responses. Rationale   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This section of the paper will present, review and discuss the January 2008 State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President George Bush in order to situate the interstate factors effecting the character-role of US executive, legislative, judiciary and military branches of government, and the intrastate affairs or foreign policy agenda.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   President Bush’ 2008 SONA emphasizes the credo for â€Å"strong America and secured world†. The credo calls on the critical character-roles of US’ governmental agencies in advancing the socio-economic-political-cultural well-being of the state from domestic to foreign abode. As quoted from the speech of President Bush, he implored â€Å"expanding opportunity to protecting the country, as the US government have made good progress, and yet it has unfinished business in which the American people expect to get it done† (The White House, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The quotation highlights the empowerment of US economy to which has been faced with uncertainties as indicated by job shortage, depleted market in housing, hurdled distribution of healthcare benefits, and reduction of revenues from increased government spending. Basically, President Bush refers both private and public financial incapability and the global economic recession. As further emphasized, the economic agenda is to draw a more empowered financial establishment and labor market, in which Bush stressed out the making of top quality American product as what he calls to be proudly labeled as â€Å"Made in the USA†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Science and technological innovations were also critically addressed by investing on research ingenuity and the unlimited development of scientific inventions and discoveries which aimed to create and provide â€Å"energy security.† Current technologies of adversaries must comply with human and environmental protection. President Bush reiterated the passing of the â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† as encompassing the state immediate domestic need to education and urged US Congress for $300 Million scholarship budget.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On top of the domestic social-economic agenda for labor market, education, healthcare and revenue generation [through tax rebate package], President Bush cited the additional deployment of 3,200 Marines to Afghanistan, as he concluded that   â€Å"homeward bound† soldiers out of the 20,000 troops deployed in the Middle East must be replaced to ensure maintenance of peace and security.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rationale of President Bush 2008 SONA was founded on recouping domestic uncertainties and pursuing the unfinished business in Middle East. Literature review: the shaping of US foreign policy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As presented and discussed in the rationale section of this paper, the literature review will examine the variety of â€Å"actors† and â€Å"factors† that relates the shaping of US foreign policy. The rationale section will also form part of derivatives to the overall discussions. The traditional foreign policy elites As an overview prior to discussing the topic, we may cite a quotation from the Director of Policy Planning Richard Haas of the US Department of State that may similarly define the traditional foreign policy elites: â€Å"Of the many influences on U.S. foreign policy formulation, the role of think tanks is among the most important and least appreciated†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (US Department of State, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the electronic journal, ‘US Foreign Policy Elites in a Post-Cold War Information Age’ published by Mark P. Lagon in 1996, the â€Å"special expertise† inside and outside of government that absorbs academics, quasi-academics, journalists, and polemicists becomes political appoint ­ees and career bureaucrats are referred to as â€Å"elites†. The â€Å"elites† creates the â€Å"inner circle† or sphere inside and outside of government.   Another representation correlated to the definition, the media has a crucial role in binding the â€Å"elite grouping† by providing medium of communication (or forum) for setting agenda (Lagon, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The 21st century â€Å"elites† may be also categorized or defined as a â€Å"political technocrat† because they have the capability to analyze or study a political-economic situation and influence the pre-condition effect or scenario of a situation. The elites may be also representing the â€Å"power brokering† between the governmental affairs and the social groups in a civil society. In domestic and foreign relations, most of business men and affluent academicians are the most likeable appointee or delegate to represent governmental functions. One that may exemplify the â€Å"representation† is by appointing a diplomatic functionary. The diplomatic function works within a â€Å"script† of function effective to carry out the mission at diplomacy level. In other words, the diplomacy level could only be functional in mediation and arbitration, in which the role of a â€Å"middle man† patterns the diplomatic functions. We may also refer the â€Å"at large† elites as belonging from the top social hierarchy [categorized by its family wealth and social academic status], in which may be â€Å"enticed† or drawn by political-economic sentimentalism [merely sympathetic to a cause, social conviction and plain beliefs] that allies with national advocacy and lobbyist groups or political activism. The capability of â€Å"at large† elites may have a â€Å"vacillating tendency† at crucial political standpoint, wherein to â€Å"toss coin† meant knowing both sides (pros and cons) of a national issue. In poor and undeveloped countries, like the Philippines in Asia, it has become a common knowledge that the traditional elites [mostly represented by disgruntled politicians, adventurous soldiers, government retirees, and idealistic academicians] have its own political grouping [even maintaining bureaucracy] inside and outside the government. In this case, the capability to be well-integrated in both â€Å"camps† and political grouping (opposition and government) attributes the ability to situate, adapt and formulate political configuration, in which the prognosis equates to being a â€Å"think tank†. In the US, the traditional elites are those belonging from a confederate political backing [that is also known as interest groups] that carry out a â€Å"national interest† agenda may it be through electoral processes, lobbying and issue advocacy. From that point of view, the capability to create impact could be publicly supported. Moreover, the special scholastic skill to substantiate political issues or able to expand prolific deductions or analogies could influence the policy making initiatives. The affiliation between elites and the gen ­eral public in a democratic processes of policy-mak ­ing is involving mobilization and ratification, wherein the elites configures the outline of a pol ­icy and mobilizes public convergence in which the framing of a policy is set at the dispensation of the legislative, executive and judiciary branches of government [and even the military establishments] for interstate (domestic) or intrastate (foreign) implementation. US political culture and mass public opinion In a joint lecture in year 2006 conducted by Bruce E. Gronbeck, A. Craig Baird from the University of Iowa and John D. Lees from Manchester University in England, they defined the contemporary political culture and mass public opinion under two categories; popularity and populism. Accordingly, popularity is more central to the personalities and characters involving the issues (be it social, economic and political). On the other hand, populism is drawn as an action-oriented response invoking the right to redress grievances and holding of assemblies. Combining both popularity and populism as a public response or action toward an issue is considered a relevantly critical public interest undertaking. The significance of political culture and mass public opinion which compose popularity and populism flows in the typologies of â€Å"information† and constructively appears in the public life. One example is the flow of information of economic uncertainty [as communicated by media] is the indication of depleted housing market, scarcity of healthcare benefits and shortage of labor markets, which was outlined in the political-economic agenda of President Bush’ 2008 SONA.    In contrast, political and economic analysts believe that government indecisiveness draws more â€Å"hostile popularity† of political leadership, in which populism resort to civic action or civil defiance. Like any other countries (poor and rich), the political culture and mass public opinion is focus at the governmental leadership and performance. The civil society [as composing various groupings] is the bulwark of indispensable opinion and perception consistent to the so-called â€Å"participatory or popular democracy†. The political culture and mass public opinion therefore refers to the existence of democratic processes that describes the type, category and classification of framing a public policy. The interest groups and the ‘military-industrial complex’ The interest groups being generally defined and perceived as grouping of individual types and stakeholders for socio-political interest or convictions are not representing the government neither functionaries of a government office. The interest group has varied classifications, such as endorser and financier of political candidates, advocates and lobbyist for legislative policy agenda, social work composing the non-governmental organizations and political activists. These classifications of interest groups are also described as â€Å"pressure groups† in a civil society. The US-based Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) found that the â€Å"pressure groups† are vulnerable to collaborating with â€Å"domestic extremists† being classified as hate groups that allies with â€Å"left-wing† radical activists motivated by religious-racial-cultural conservatism. To cite, the incident on April 1995 truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that accounted 168 deaths and wounded about 500 people has attributed to domestic terrorism, and suspected by the FBI as multi-perpetuated and politically motivated actions linking the â€Å"interest groups† of radical political activists opposing the World Trade Organization (WTO; in Fletcher, H., 2008). On the other hand, the military-industrial complex refers to the established institution of the US Armed Forces. However, a group of stakeholders [that are also classified as interest groups] acts as brokers, traders and suppliers of weaponry and armaments to the US Armed Forces. These stakeholders or interest groups also serve as a â€Å"pressure group† in dealing with the passing or enactment of a policy concerning homeland defense and most especially foreign security policy. The US war on Iraq and the continuing anti-terrorism campaign of the US government favors the stakeholders, in which the demand for supplying weaponry and armaments to the US Armed Forces categorically defines â€Å"profitable business in war†. The traditional and new media Based on the journal, ‘The Interaction of Traditional and New Media’, authored by John D. Leckenby and Everett D. Collier from the Department of Advertising, College of Communication at the University of Texas, the medium of communication has evolved the typologies of media outfit. The type of traditional and new media is classified in terms of technology, in which the information delivery and access through the Internet has typified the â€Å"traditional† and â€Å"new† medium of communication and updating to social developments. However, the classification does not necessarily feature the newest approach to bringing information and accessibility to consumers. As cited, the televisions broadcast and print media although classified as traditional [in the cyber age] still captures and captivates impact to public interest (Leckenby Collier, 2003). It maybe recalled that the coverage of television, broadcast and print media in Iraq has kept abreast the development of war around the world. It may be also a fact that the electronic or cyber media outfit relies from the â€Å"feedback information† of correspondents in Iraq. Otherwise direct satellite connection to the Internet could be most promptly delivered. At hindsight, a significant number of consumers to information are inaccessible or inadequate [and do not have computer facility] to use the Internet. To compare and contrast, the â€Å"new† media is based on the above definition on the use of cyber-technology that differentiates â€Å"traditional†, but not yet totally recognized as a habitual utility in a society. The societal significance of the â€Å"new media† outfit [using the Internet] may only be considered as an added feature to bringing about interactions of affluent group of people, financially supported political campaigns, and the attempt of the government to develop online transactions. In addition, the cyber-technology that pertains to E-commerce may be remotely attributed to â€Å"new media† with regard to journalism. What is then more significant [aside from classification] is the emerging venue or medium of both traditional and new media that bring about and reach out the development and trends of governance and public interest. Examining the White House and executive agencies The â€Å"White House† symbolizes the seat of power of the President of the United States. Political analysts even put satire to the white house as the home of many kitchens and chefs, wherein what is cooking inside the white house might be sourly, distasteful, and spoiled. The parallelism of this political satire may be referring to the consistent, efficient and effective role-modeling of the Chief Executive being the symbolical figure head of the White House. What is then bestowed upon the mandate of the President must be retained to the sovereign will of the people; the vox populi. Therefore, the mandate shall immerse in the life of the Executive Cabinet. Department of State The US Department of State (USDS) emanated from the year 1789 establishment of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Its primary mandate is to protect the global interests of the US government by managing about 250 US embassies and consulates throughout the world. The functionaries of USDS represent the US government to the United Nation (UN), NATO (North American Treaty Organization), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), and the European Union. USDS also manages the issuance of travel advisory to its citizens at home and in abroad. In sum, the USDS may be referred to as a fortress of the US foreign relations, in which it accesses and reach out international boundaries. Through that, it serves as a pipeline and breadth of US’ foreign policies and diplomatic partnership. The USDS plays a vital role in US’ global governmental functions. Thus, the trajectory of US foreign policy can be substantively achieved at intrastate domains. Department of Defense Mandated to secure and protect the domestic abode, the US Department of Defense (USDOD) has expansive role in protecting the foreign interest of the US government. The claim for â€Å"soldier-heroes† has been brought in the US war to Iraq. President Bush addressed the USDOD as â€Å"champions† of restoring democracies from adverse governments around the world. In early 1960’s towards mid-1970, former President Nixon mandated the USDOD in deploying troops to Vietnam as â€Å"mandamus duty† of the President to participate in domestic war. However, it has proven the saying â€Å"not to fight an enemy in his own backyard†, wherein an approximate 58,000 US soldiers died in related combat operations. Today, the war in Iraq has accounted 20,000 US troops deployment, aside from the most recent calling of President Bush [in his 2008 SONA] to deploy 3,200 Marines. The USDOD maintains its â€Å"military-industrial complex† in collaboration with various international governments upon the US foreign policy to â€Å"secure the world† in pursuit of war against domestic and international terrorism. Intelligence Community The intelligence community (commonly called as IC) is described by Military experts as â€Å"eyes and ears† of the US government, wherein it gathers information, process information and package information as a derivative or aid for policy legislation. The labeling of â€Å"spying† has graduated from the post-cold war competition of mice-and-cat espionage activities of CIA to Russian KGB. The contemporary strategic approach is focusing on the open-source information gathering that uses the method of HUMINT (human intelligence). The IC reform has been outlined in the enactment of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004. The creation of the Office of the Director for National Intelligence (ODNI) empowers the strategic and tactical approaches to processing the global information. Upon enactment of IRTPA, the Executive and Congress has accessed the â€Å"transparent undertaking† of the CIA and put the work into a new â€Å"twist† of domestic and foreign intelligence and enforcement that synergize and harmonize working relationship with the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the USDOD. Economic institutions   The Department of Treasury holds the coffer of the State. Just like the â€Å"yellow brick road† [partly discussed in the introductory section] that symbolizes the commercial district in New York, wherein the former seat of monetary transactions happens at Wall Street, it ensure and protect the financial wellbeing of the State and the US government financing of domestic and foreign projects. The role of the Department of Treasury is not limited to revenue generations, printing of receipts, bank notes, federal reserves, debt collections and banking. The versatile character of the Department of Treasury is to determine the financial viability of US foreign investments, in which fiscal management form part in shaping a feasible and optimal policy that protects the US interest. The US Congress and the Courts The legislative and judiciary has commonalities in policy undertaking. The only difference is the characterization of policy in terms of ratification and interpretation of law [with jurisprudential values] effecting and affecting the enforcement. The passing of the IRTPA of 2004 is regarded as a comprehensive policy enactment in US history of law enforcement. First, the reform in IC through establishment of ODNI has carried out significant enforcement in arresting â€Å"domestic terrorist†. Second is the empowerment of the President to enact on Executive Orders [as presidential decision] to harmonize the homeland defense system. And, third, the juridical justification of continuous deployment of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US Public Law endures the pursuit of foreign interest in a â€Å"witch hunting† expedition against the terrorist. The foreign ally governments receives the support to law enforcement, supply of weaponry and economic projects, somehow, the burden of vulnerability from so-called enemies are translated into committing of human errors in enforcement resulting human rights violations and domestic economic disturbance. It may be perceived that while US foreign policy instigates the war on terrorism, the host country or government suffers socio-economic-political derailment. Critical analysis on the character-role of shaping US foreign policy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This critical analysis is pertaining to the Executive branch of government that holds the key actors and factors relating the character-role of shaping US foreign policy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Executive Cabinet generally contains the governmental leadership. It may be said that the â€Å"office† itself is being protected and preserved but the â€Å"personality† (being the President) calibrate and spearhead the role-modeling. This means, the â€Å"political will† emanates from the personal character of a President. In the event of â€Å"changing the guards† as characterized by a governmental revamp, reorganization for new sets of political appointees and the change of leadership itself [through election], the reconfiguration process may take time to re-establish the political will.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within the confines of the White House, the Defense, Treasury and ODNI are the three vital â€Å"guardians† of presidential decision [although Congress and the Courts of law collaborate]. It may be noted from the 2008 SONA of President Bush that the key elemental features of emphasis in delivering immediate governmental actions focuses and addresses selective governmental agencies, such as (1) the Treasury to handle the tax rebates and other fiscal management of economy; (2) the unfinished business in the Middle East as afflicted by political-economic reconstruction in Iraq, maintenance of security in Afghanistan and reconnaissance in Iran and Jordan for a potential stockpile of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), and mediation of conflict in North Korea; and (3) above all is the call for continuous   empowerment of domestic and foreign policies being aligned to contemporary global challenges. Conclusion The trajectory of the US interstate and intrastate policy is may be perceived to be aligning the shift of political powers. One that describes the shifting is the domestic or national political leadership in 2008. From the point of view of election campaign in the US, political groupings and individualism may surface and is carried out upon racial equation. Although it is only a perception, the shifting of leadership [or changing of the guards] is earlier been held to be re-aligned in the overall governmental function contingent to protecting and preserving the US foreign interest. Second that describes the shifting is the emergence of â€Å"third force† political power at the global perspective. The third force may not be categorized likened to US but the proliferation of technologies in advanced weaponry and armaments may interchangeably interact in the global power sharing. The lull of silence in Iran and North Korea is yet unfolding much discoveries of the US.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As what the US being envisioned for â€Å"strong America and secured world† is a perseverance of its hero-in-history model at the global perception, in which recouping gaps and assessing unforeseen factors may supplant political indecisiveness amidst contemporary challenges. It may be therefore concluded that the trajectory of US policy widens the roadmap with symbolical trail as a cornerstone of gaining foreign alliances that shall keep America strong. References Fletcher, H. (2008). ‘Militant Extremist in the United States’. Council on Foreign   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Relations. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www.cfr.org/publication/9236/#10. Gronbeck, B.E., Baird, A.C. and Lees, J.D. (2006). ‘The Twenty-First Century   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reconstitution of American Political Culture’. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www.uiowa.edu/~commstud/faculty/gronbeck/21st_reconstitution.pdf. John, E. and Taupin, B. (1973). ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’. MCA Music. Retrieved 10   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   May 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.eltonography.com/songs/goodbye_yellow_brick_road.html. Lagon, M.P. (1996). ‘US Foreign Policy Elites in a Post-Cold War Information Age’.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Questia Electronic Journal Vol. 158. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=LmRRTn5L9B6QHgvqf161MJQzGmPyt0yV65zLljpZzy4TGkvYDppP!1427019383?docId=95865979. Leckenby, J.D. and Collier, E.D. (2003). ‘The Interaction of Traditional and New Media’. Department of Advertising, College of Communication, University of Texas. http://www.ciadvertising.org/studies/reports/measurement/newmedia_chapter_print.pdf. The White House (2008). ‘Pres. George Bush State of the Nation Address’. Retrieved 10   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   May 2008 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/01/20080128-13.html. US Department of State (2002). ‘US Foreign Policy Agenda’. Electronic Journal Vol.7,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No.3. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from    http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itps/1102/ijpe/ijpe1102.pdf.

Empowerment Paper Essay Example for Free

Empowerment Paper Essay In the wake of many recent tragedies including both those created by nature as well as those caused by man, we have seen the number the human service organizations grow beyond leaps and bounds. However how these agencies interact with their clients can play a valuable role when these clients come in to receive services. In trying to meet the needs of all those in the wake of such tragedies, it is often hard to understand how someone can also empower others within the agency that is offering services. In the light of helping everyone, many agencies are now implementing services now geared or centered on or around the needs of their client. However, this is one thing that leaves many human service managers faced with a pressing question: How can a human service program or agency come together and in doing so in a manner that can provide an adequate means for this kind of work? It is often because in today’s standards we see so many agencies working with â€Å"multimillion-dollar budgets, professional staffs, and expensive facilities that one may find it hard to believe that the underlying philosophy is one that any agency can live on.† However, it is the agency that utilizes an empowerment-focused attitude and the theories that support them that has been an area of centralized research for many organizations for several years. It is the utilization of an empowerment approach within the agency that ensures that if the client can receive services or aid, it will given or done so in a manner that is both respectful as well without bias. At any agency, it should be understood that no matter what we want empowerment to be used not only to lift up the client but also to help to encourage the clients to do better each and every day. It is by using approaches aimed to promote positive energy and strength-based approaches along with client’s strengths can be the basis to build on, as this can help strengthen his or her weaknesses. According to Hardina et al. (2007), social service  management is characterized by 12 fundamental principles in relation to the empowering approach. For the population or consumers addres sed in our dream agency, it is these principles that are of the most importance for them to have a feeling that they belong and that their needs are just as important. For these individuals have already in most cases given up as their cycle of poverty have been occurring generation after generation. For many years many organizations were often quick to use a problem-based approach to helping their clients, and for a long time this was accepted and part of the norm. However, in the past few decades the focus now revolves around that of strength and empowerment (Cowger, 1994). From a social service management point of view, it is this focus that has been to strong an issue to ignore. It is the client, who even with being overwhelmed with other life challenges, when given the opportunity, can play a major role in the organizational decision making process. For they can bring a different view point to the forefront, as most are situations many deal with on a daily basis. It is a known fact that in the social work or the social services arena, decision making is an important task on every level. Understanding that critically, decision regarding the goals of the agency and its interaction within the community as well as how the agency is maintained can and usually made on an administrative level. However, when it relates to the overall continued existence as well as the agency’s effectiveness in addressing the needs and wellness of the client, these are just as important but may be made by other staff within the organization. Providing an answer to or even better finding a means to help in solving their client’s problem is the sole responsibility of service workers and administration alike, but making sure those servicing the client know and understand this as well. It is known that because each client is different so will the challenges one will face in offering them services, so making sure that the staff is properly trained in the area of whatever expertise needed. Having the knowledge as well as the skills is a vision that I can see for the agency that I have in mind. Having an agency in which everyone is treated as an equal and work together in providing encouragement not on to the client but for each fellow co-worker within the agency. Understanding that in the midst of a tragic storm no one situation is more important than  any one else’s, as everyone may have lost some near and dear to them. It is in offering support for those individuals whose situations may have occurred or was c reated by themselves or those in which they may have been a victim. Everyone would like nothing better than to stop the cycle of emotions that often result after a tragedy. Giving clients access to learning about or locating needed resources to find and obtain the services they are in need of can help them begin to heal one principle stated the â€Å"empowerment-oriented organizations acknowledge the limitations of participatory management approaches and take proactive measures to balance inclusion.† For agencies whose consumers are drawn from populations that are marginalized and disempowered these principles are very important. It is also very imperative that to note that in order to meet the urgent needs of people who face multiple sources of oppression and multiple traumas, and again stress that in offering help it is done so in a manner that is in line with respect and dignity. It is my dream agency whose overall commitment is quality service aimed at meeting the needs of the client as well as one in which the staff is well trained in diversity as it relates to the different cultures served. No one will be discriminated against and based on the age, race, national origin, sexual orientation, mental status, or political beliefs. In addressing client diversity, having staff and information available in other languages would be a plus. Also, having a manager that believes whole heartedly the mission statement of the organization. They display even in times of adversity a leadership quality that is in line with what the dream agency is promoting. It is the ability to influence others to follow in approaching the problem head on and in doing so the group can work together to share the knowledge needed to address the problems at hand. Even with one looked upon as a leader any decision made is only one that is looked at as one that they as leader has suggested. Clarifying the role that each will play in helping the client and having a common goal in putting team decisions in priority. It is also in trusting each other that each respects the other as diversity happens not only with the clients served but the tam we may work with, as it is diversity that helps the agency focus and understand the differences of those clients. Find a balance in the team, we emphasize the use of regular in-service meetings as a means to evaluate the effectiveness of open communication. Understanding that together as a team  and with a group effort, the decisions made can be one that when observed together, everyone can gain some satisfaction in knowing that they worked together to get the job done†¦helping the client! In offering the best client care we would need to find and utilize different strategies and implement these strategies inn getting positive feedback from all those involved in the care of the client. These strategies include but are not limited to the following: Adhere to the mission statement and the vision that the agency was created upon. Understand that leadership is agency wide, everyone should be committed to the organizational mission statement. Include everyone that is going to be effected by the decisions made between the agency and the client from the beginning process until they client gain b ack their independence. Respect is agency wide, a supportive network can encourage overall job satisfaction with a better quality output from the employees to pass on to the client. Offer a systematic approach of giving and receiving feedback to monitor if there may be a need for intervention or strategy changes. Technology that offers both the patient and their family a means of gaining much needed information as well as the option to communicate with those involved in their case. It is stated in the text that â€Å"organizational theory is used to explain, and sometimes guide, the way organization work† and whether consciously or not but only when they apply them consciously and based on their own theoretical beliefs will they be more effective. In seeking to put some organization to their program it is understood they still do have other choices. It is this knowledge that the purpose of any agency would be empowerment, but in order for the agency to reach their goal in helping others, the manager must realize their own empowerment. Then and only then can we empower the client to realize their potential so they can return and again become productive in their communities. References Cowger, C. D. (1994). Assessing client strengths: clinical assessment for client empowerment. Social Work. 39(3): 262- 268. Lewis, J. A., Lewis, M. D., Packard, T. R. (2012). Management of human service programs (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Effectiveness Of The Post Sentence Supervision Provisions Criminology Essay

Effectiveness Of The Post Sentence Supervision Provisions Criminology Essay This essay will examine whether the effectiveness of the post sentence supervision provisions for dangerous offenders are adequate. The changing attitude towards the treatment of dangerous offenders will be explored showing that in the twenty first century, the term dangerous offender includes sexual and violent offenders. Most public attention is focused on those who commit sexual and predatory acts against children; hence paedophiles are often associated with such dangerous people. It is a subject which has interested me particularly as the stakes are so high if things do not go to plan. My interest arose due to the adverse publicity surrounding high profile cases where dangerous offenders reoffend and it spurred me into examining whether the post sentence supervision orders worked. The term dangerous offender can also be extended to include potential terrorists, the socially excluded as well as other violent and sexual offenders who carry out offences with a varying degree of seriousness. More controversially dangerousness is also applied to the mentally ill who commit grave offences. At one time the punishment had to fit the crime and although this is still true it has to be looked at in tandem with the risk to society of permitting an offender back into the community. The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) arrangements were introduced to deal with those dangerous offenders who exist in the community, managing them so that they do not pose a threat to society. MAPPA is a multi agency approach consisting of the police, local authorities, schools, probation service and similar entities. What is the main aim of MAPPA; is to reform the conduct of previous offenders so that through their treatment and rehabilitation they no longer wish to re-offend; or is their aim to merely be preventative and reactionary stopping any re-offending by close supervision? The issue of releasing dangerous offenders into the community is highly controversial because the repercussions of re-offending can be horrendous. It only takes one case where another heinous crime is committed for a public outcry to ensue with the press claiming that the MAPPA system is not working. In addition the effects on the victims is acute with claims that the re-offender should not have been released early or at all, as clearly they still pose a great risk to society. Carefully balanced against the publics desire to be protected is the human rights aspect of the offender. In recent years there has been a tendency for home secretaries to get involved in what are perceived as lenient sentences given to dangerous offenders. In a couple of instances the respective home secretary has intervened to increase the recommended minimum sentence before an offender can be considered eligible for parole. The House of Lords, following an earlier decision, has recently ruled that such intervention by the home secretary is incompatible with the offenders human rights. I will use both qualitative sources with a lesser amount of quantitative material, some extracted at primary sources. Proposed chapters at this juncture are: Chapter 1 The concept of dangerousness will be explored to highlight the type of offenders under discussion. We will look at the controversial area of mentally incapable dangerous offenders and their treatment. An analysis of the legislation including relevant guidance and the views of some academic commentators will be undertaken. Chapter 2 The functioning of the multi-agency public protection arrangements will be examined in detail including a look at one particular police force. Their methodology and data will be examined to ascertain if they are successful or adequate and what is meant by adequate. Government and academic commentaries will be considered Chapter 3 Some high profile publicised cases causing concern will be examined which will lead the press and others to condemn the post supervision orders of dangerous offenders. The issue of dangerous foreign offenders committing serious offences in the UK will be examined. Chapter 4 Analysis of MAPPA data will be examined which will highlight the successes and failures of post sentencing initiatives and suggest possible reforms. Dangerous offenders have human rights and the cases of Anderson and more recently, Whiting, will be explored looking at the aspect of political intervention in minimum recommended sentences. Conclusion will tie all material together with my thoughts on the adequacy of post supervision of dangerous offenders. Literature Review A wide range of literature has been examined including secondary sources comprising eminent academic commentators and also primary sources including court judgments and published reports of the managing agencies have been examined. Other original sources under scrutiny include newspaper articles and commentaries of various public sector personnel. There is an inherent bias built into the views of the MAPPA agencies and government ministers who seek to justify the effectiveness of their respective areas of work. Chapter 1 The modern day criminal justice system in Britain is geared at the rehabilitation of offenders so the prison system is not only a means of incarceration to remove the offender from posing any danger to the public, but also a vehicle for preparing the offender for release and re-integration into society. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (which has been amended by the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008) sets out the criteria for dealing with dangerous offenders and is important to the court for sentencing purposes. Dangerous offenders are identified by reference to the commission of specified violent and sexual offences set out in Schedule 15 of the Criminal Justice Act. That Act says that a court must determine whether there is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm by the commission by him of further offences (Criminal Justice Act, S 229). In a recent case the Court of Appeal held that in determining dangerousness the court was not confined to considering only admissible evidence and could consider, as it did in the case, an alleged history of violence although the offender did not have convictions (R v Considine and Davis, 2007). Public protection was enhanced under the Criminal Justice Act by the introduction of a sentence of imprisonment for public protec tion which ensures that certain offenders are not released until the Parole Board determines that it is safe to do so. Problems arise because although the term dangerous offender is used in a general way it is in fact extremely difficult to predict who is dangerous as individuals vary in their behaviour. Not only do individuals vary as between each other so that there are differing degrees and shades of dangerousness but also, on an individual basis, the scope for carrying out dangerous and violent acts may vary on a daily basis. The notion of dangerousness is therefore extremely complex in itself and is capable of shifting on an individual basis whereby assessing and predicting future behaviour can be compared to attempting to mould soft sand into a permanent form. Human nature can be fundamentally and inherently unpredictable even among stable law abiding individuals, so when mentally unstable people are added to the melting pot, the decision as to assessing their dangerousness becomes more complex. In the UK, policies addressing those with dangerous and severe personality disorders (DSPD) has expanded considerably in recent years against a background that people with personality disorders should not be precluded from accessing services available to the rest of society. The DSPD programme deals with patients who have the most severe personality disorders. The DSPD programme offers an intensive multi disciplinary treatment programme based on individual need and comprising a cognitive-behavioural group-based intervention approach with opportunities for social interaction, in ward-based community meetings for example. Specific treatment includes offence-specific groups, such as sex offender group and violence reduction programmes. There has been a shift of policy from placing people with DSPD in prisons into secure hospitals with the National Health Service taking a more active role in providing treatment. A smaller number of medium secure and community places have been programmed, but so far the implementation has fallen behind target and the rehabilitation of DSPD patients back into the community remains extremely challenging. Evaluation of the DSPD programme is a work in progress and the impact of this policy on reoffending rates remains to be deduced. Persons assessed as having DSPD must be detained for treatment and discharge from detention is dependent upon a test of public safety as against favourable responsiveness to treatment. The link between dangerous behaviour and mental illness remains embedded in public opinion despite the attempts of mental health practitioners to highlight the absence of such a connection. A study of public opinion towards schizophrenia found that 70% of respondents view this group as dange rous (Crisp et al, 2001). Regarding treatment in the community following release from prison or hospital, Leung cites the European judgment of W v Sweden 1988, in which compulsory medication on discharge from hospital was not a deprivation of liberty and would not impinge Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Leung, 2002). Prison population has increased dramatically over the last fifteen years from circa 43,000 at the start of the 1990s (Home Office, 2005a) to in excess of 80,000 today. Although there are numerous reasons given to explain this startling increase, the focus of the public on dangerousness is one such explanation. In 2006 a review was conducted which claimed that prison was the best place for dangerous offenders as it stopped them from re-offending (Home Office, 2006a, p. 32). In 2007 with the creation of the Ministry of Justice the preceding approach to detaining dangerous offenders for a long time did not change. On the contrary, the newly formed Ministry reiterated that prison places are available to protect the public from dangerous offenders (Ministry of Justice, 2007, p 4). The 1990s preoccupation with public protection shaped the policies of protecting the public from the risk of serious harm arising from violent offenders and the aim of responding more effectively to the risk of paedophiles and the increase in child sex abuse (Grubin, 1998) Within the UK the population is generally extremely fearful of the level of violent and sexual crime (Ditton Farrell, 2002; Kemshall, 2003). The focus on this type of crime has been exacerbated by the media and even when crime rates are shown to be falling, the public perception is that they are living in a more violent society. Dangerousness has therefore been widely used to describe an increasing amount of offences and has been accompanied with an expectation of more punitive sentences to deal with the increase. Barbara Hudson asserts that there has been a significant shift from doing justice to controlling risks as the goal of law and order and penal strategies (Hudson, 2002; p 101). The modern society is characterised by the increasing scope and influence of the mass media. The far reaching scrutiny of the global mass media means that the negatives of modern society are reported and in terms of criminal justice, its failings can be exposed. Such exposure is accompanied by cynici sm towards expert opinions and the positive effects of legislation (Garland, 2000). Garland (2001, p178) has described the space between the community and prisons as having become more strictly enforced stating that Those offenders who are released into the community are subject to much tighter control than previously and conditions that continue to restrict their freedomà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.the community into which they are released is actually a closely monitored terrain, a supervised space, lacking much of the liberty that one associates with normal life. Commenting on a Panorama programme broadcast in 2006, HM Chief Inspector of Probation said he thought the programme made a fair point when he said that general talk of close supervision and monitoring of offenders can give a misleading impression to the public of the extent of measures taken to prevent them (Bridges, 2007). It is clear in the early stages of this essay that there are different views on the nature and extent of monitoring to which dangerous offenders are subjected on their release from prison. Academics like Garland above consider the measures stringent, tantamount to imprisonment within the community, whereas the enforcers of those measures, probation workers, maintain that it is unhelpful to make it sound as if community service is prison in the community which it plainly is not (Bridges, 2007 p 4). Chapter 2 Violent sex offenders Once prisoners reach the end of their sentence but are still considered dangerous, measures are put in place to manage them in the community. The Violent and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) is managed by the National Policing Improvement Agency of the Home Office. It comprises records stored on a database of those obligated to register with the police in accordance with the Sexual Offences Act 2003; those jailed for more than 12 months for violent offences and people not convicted of any crimes but who are deemed to be at risk of offending. It was rolled out to every probation area and prison establishment in England and Wales in 2008 with police, probation and prison services using the same IT system for the first time. This co-ordination should ensure that the quality and synchronisation of risk assessments are improved leading to effective interventions to prevent re-offending. In 2009 Greater Manchester Police responded to a freedom of information request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In complying with the request the police reported that of 16 people within their jurisdiction who were on the ViSOR since 2007, 4 had not been convicted. So 25% of those on the ViSOR had not yet been convicted of a crime in a court of law yet they were subjected to the reporting and other requirements placed on individuals who are so registered. Sexual Offences Act The notification periods for offenders are also contained within the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Where offenders are subject to imprisonment for life or for more than 30 months; imprisoned for public protection; admitted to hospital under a restriction order or subject to an order for lifelong restriction the notification period is indefinitely. The question of the legitimacy of lifelong registration has been subjected to challenge in recent years. It was successfully challenged in the High Court and the appeal against the decision was dismissed in the Supreme Court which stated that lifelong registration was incompatible with human rights (European Convention on Human Rights, Article 8). Recent Challenge and human rights The ViSOR database holds name and address records, photographs, risk assessment, offenders modus operandi, and an audit trail. The Police National Computer is linked to ViSOR. According to the National Policing Improvement Agency 77,000 records of named individuals are maintained on the database. [7] Sex offenders subject to the register must inform the Police within 3 days [8] of becoming subject to the notification requirements, or within 3 days of various changes occurring [9], including moving home, changing their name, changes of passport details. Offenders must confirm their registration annually [10]. Failure to comply is an offence, subject to a penalty of up to five years imprisonment. The importance of the ViSOR is that providing registered offenders comply with its provisions, then they can be monitored by the appropriate agencies. Although failure to comply has a penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment, this is of little comfort or assistance to people who are subjected to attacks by offenders who have failed to comply with the notification requirements. In this respect the adequacy of the registration provisions are an end in themselves and do not prevent further offending. Generally speaking the public will derive some comfort from the fact that registered offenders are on the radar of the police and are or should be at certain addresses. Problems ensue when the registered offender is not where he should be so that the supervision and monitoring duty on the agencies breaks down. Of course it may be that the offender has forgotten to register a change of address or he cannot be bothered or he has a genuine reason for not complying and that he has no intention of re-offending. The problem is that with the genuine fear of violent crime within the community, the public are alarmed if they should become aware of such failures. Even worse, if a registered offender does re-offend, the public will see this as evidence of the inadequacy of the supervisory arrangements of the ViSOR. If the non compliant registered offender does not reoffend it may be that the public is kept in oblivious ignorance and it does not come to their attention. Multi Agency Partnership Protection Agencies The MAPPA measures were put in place nine years ago in an attempt to improve the effectiveness of the management of offenders who are in the community. MAPPA has statutory force as the arrangements were first set out in the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 and re-enacted and further strengthened in part 13 section 325 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 imposing a legal duty on agencies. The measures mainly comprise information sharing and the views of professionals who come together pooling their expertise in order to ensure the public is protected from future offending of dangerous offenders. There are 3 levels of cases under MAPPA. Level 1 can be managed by one agency (usually probation service); level 2 requires more than 1 agency and level 3 requires co-ordination among various agencies. The legal duties placed on the police, prison and probation services acting jointly as the responsible authority to establish arrangements for assessing and managing the risks posed by relevant sexual and violent offenders or other offenders who may cause serious harm to the public; to review and monitor those arrangements; and as part of the reviewing and monitoring arrangements, to prepare and publish an annual report on their operation. Other agencies also under a legal duty to co-operate with the responsible authority include local authority social services, primary care trusts, jobcentre plus, youth offending teams. Local housing providers, local education authorities and electronic monitoring providers. Thus MAPPA involves a wide range of bodies which in itself is good but the effectiveness of its measures lie in the ability to co-ordinate responses across all spectrums of the agencies by the responsible authority. In most cases the offender will be managed by the agency with supervisory responsibility but several offenders require multi-agency management and their risk management plans will be compiled and monitored at MAPPA meetings in which various agencies are present. MAPPA is primarily concerned with managing risk. David Hanson, Minister for Justice said Putting in place thorough systems to ensure high level vigilance of serious sexual and violent offenders on their release from prison is vital in our work protecting communities from crime and he also acknowledges that the introduction of the MAPPA have been successful in reducing risk (Ministry of Justice, 2008). Offenders released into the community following a period of imprisonment of 12 months or more will be subject to a licence with conditions (under the supervision of the probation service. If the offender does not comply with the set conditions, breach action will be taken whereby the offender may be sent back to prison. Sexual offences prevention orders can be made with a full order lasting for a minimum of 5 years and a requirement that the offender registers as a sexual offender. Conditions can be imposed restricting the offender from frequenting school playgrounds for example. Again if the offender breaches the order he can be taken back to court and may be imprisoned for up to 5 years. Foreign travel orders prevents offenders with convictions for sexual offences against children from travelling abroad so as to prevent children from the risk of sexual harm. In 2008, the Home Office began pilots which increased the amount of information about certain child sex offenders which was available to the public. People were able to ask for information about a person who has contact with their children. The pilots took place throughout 4 police areas and were completed in September 2009. Although the pilots were to be evaluated with a view to being implemented nationwide, regardless of the outcome of that evaluation, there is already an obligation to consider during a case review, whether there is a need to disclose information about the offender as part of the risk management plan. This would appear to be duplication and there does seem to be a necessity for MAPPAS to be seen to be continuously evolving as the offender is always one step ahead. Polygraph tests In October 2009 the Ministry of Justice announced that it was piloting mandatory polygraph tests for sex offenders in the community. The polygraph test is being scrutinised to ascertain whether it might be another useful tool for the effective management of sex offenders. The governing legislation is the Offender Management Act 2007 which authorised the mandatory use of polygraphs on sex offenders who are subject to licence upon their entry into the community following their imprisonment. The polygraph test would be used together with, and not instead of, other management offender tools. Castration Chapter 3 As can be seen there are a wide variety of management tools available under the MAPPA arrangements but their effectiveness and adequacy will now be examined. In October 2009 the Daily Telegraph reported that dangerous foreign criminals are remaining in Britain despite strenuous efforts by the Government to remove them. The paper reports that immigration judges have overturned attempts by the Home Office to remove at least 50 foreign criminals from the country in the past year with their defence lawyers arguing that deporting them would breach their human rights. Examples of such cases are Mark Cadle from Berlize, jailed for having sex with a 14 year old girl who judges said would have his human right to family life infringed if deported because his family lived in Britain. A Somali who had been convicted for manslaughter and robbery was allowed to remain in the country after the court said he would be at serious risk of persecution if deported as he was from a minority clan. Of the 50 cases involved 15 include criminals with convictions for serious violent crimes, 4 sex offenders and 13 with drug convictions. In most of the cases lawyers argued that deporting them would breach their human rights to a family life because many had families in Britain. In some instances like the Somali case, the issues were that the person would be subjected to torture if returned to his homeland in breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. On the 2 November 2009 the bleak headlines of the Guardian newspaper read probation service failing to learn lessons over murder of French students, inquiry finds (Travis, 2009). In 2008 two French students were tortured and murdered in London by Dano Sonnex. He was found guilty of their murder and was a violent drug addict who was meant to be under supervision and should have been in jail as he had earlier breached his conditions for release. The case raised fresh anxiety and concerns over the manner in which dangerous offenders are monitored in the community. The parents of the two students were so infuriate that they were preparing to issue proceedings against the probation service and the police. The massive public outcry prompted the chief inspector of probation, Andrew Bridges to look at 276 cases across 10 London boroughs. The findings did not make palpable reading for the relevant MAPPA responsible bodies. Bridges said that the results were disappointing particularly when com pared to 2008 and he deduced that only 54% of the public protection work examined was of sufficiently high level of quality we were looking for. ( ). In 2008 the figure was 63% for the whole London sample so this heralded a poignant deterioration. Another high profile case was the murder of Naomi Bryant in Winchester by Anthony Rice. Rice had served 16 years in prison and had committed several sexual attacks including rape and attempted rape. At the time of the murder he was on life licence and was under the supervision of Hampshire Probation Area alongside numerous other agencies via MAPPA. Following the murder of Bryant an independent report was undertaken which concluded that there were serious shortcomings in the way Rice had been managed prior and since his release from prison. The report revealed that the failure to properly manage Rices risk of being a danger to the community was not the fault of one particular person or agency but was a collective failure of measures both within the prison and the community. Upon his release there was no clear indication of who took the lead responsibility for Rice and there followed transfers of key responsibilities which made for inconsistencies and lack of co-ordination. The conditions on the Licence were vague; for example one condition stated that Rice should not misuse substances and the hostel staff where he was staying interpreted this as meaning that he could consume alcohol. The report criticised the MAPPA panel for allowing them to be distracted by human rights consideration at the expense of public protection. The report highlighted lack of communication and errors of judgment and reinforced the importance of the three responsible agencies having clarity and consistency in their practices and procedures. The next notorious case concerns the murder of John Monckton and the attempted murder of his wife by 2 young men both under the supervision of London probation. When Hanson was 17 years old he received a sentence of 12 years for attempted murder and conspiracy to commit robbery, and it was during his licence period for this offence that he committed the murder of Monckton. Hanson ought to have been referred to MAPPA but he was not, despite being assessed as a high risk of causing harm. So despite being branded as a high risk he was not treated as such. The parole board failed to appreciate the relevance of Hansons predeliction for using instrumental violence and his recorded included utilising violence for financial advantage. Hanson was placed on a CALM programme which does not address this type of violence. After his release he was to report to an office which was within the exclusion zone from which he was banned; clearly a mistake. His residency was also an issue resulting in him living in a hostel which had not been approved by the parole board because the approved hostel in Essex had refused his application. The interpretation of licence conditions caused problems and the risk of harm posed was not assessed or managed adequately and there was a lack of co-ordination with the partnership arrangements. The inspectorate report concluded there was a collective failure to describe the failure in practices of all those managing Hanson and White and acknowledged the considerable organisational constraints in their management (HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2006) Positive Aspects There are however some positive aspects to the work of MAPPA (HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2006). The report decided that in the vast majority of cases MAPPA had been very effective and produced good work although there was still room for improvement. The report concluded that the risk of harm assessments had been accurate in a high proportion of cases. The probation and prison services worked closely in order to identify appropriate offender programmes and appropriate tools were activated to manage the risk of harm posed by particular offenders. The public protection arrangements which existed in 2001 and found wanting (Maguire et al 2001) had greatly improved by 2005. In 2001 apart from the probation and police few of the other agencies bothered to attend meetings. The introduction of the Criminal Justice Court Services Act 2000 had made real and major improvements to the management of high risk cases. In 2005 most agencies were attending meetings and recording decisions and the evidence used to reach their conclusions with all areas having regular case reviews and information sharing protocols in place. Procedures were in place to manage offenders at all the levels including appropriate risk classification tools and gate keeping through the system. However resources were a problem as were the IT case management systems. But in the 4 years since 2001 a more structured and clear approach to managing high risk offenders was in place throughout England and Wales (Madoc-Jones, 2006) The lifelong restrictions on sex offenders living and travel arrangements were recently judged to be a breach of human rights (R (JF(by his litigation friend OF) ) Anor v SSHD). Section 82 Sexual Offences Act requires all persons sentenced to thirty months imprisonment or more for a sexual offence to tell the police where they reside and if they travel abroad for the rest of their lives. Importantly there is no right to review the operation of the requirement. Both respondents were sex offenders and they challenged the lifelong notification requirement on the basis that it was a disproportionate requirement and breached their human rights under Article 8 CONCLUSION The important precis from which to start is that unless all dangerous offenders are imprisoned with maximum security so that escape is virtually impossible, it is impossible to guarantee that there is no risk to the public of harm from these offenders. As such measures are impractical, too costly and in breach of human rights legislation, then the present system is the one which exists and in which improvements can be made. In fact the present MAPPA system is a way of protecting the public with measures which do not affront human rights legislation. Unfortunately government policy has in the past been influenced by public outcry with the press wielding influence with its sometimes sensational headlines. The fact remains that the MAPPA and other arrangements involve many people who are capable of making errors of judgments which can have tragic consequences for victims should offenders reoffend. Every time one person is subjected to a sexual or violent attack, there is a public outcry and a condemnation of the release into the community of dangerous offenders and that the measures are inadequate. However MAPPA in itself does comply with the requirements of the human rights legislation Bib Garland, D. (2001) The Culture of Control:Crime and Social Order in Contemporary Society, Oxford: Oxford University Press HMPS (2005 b) Public Protection Arrangement: Working Together to Defend Communities, 17 October 2005, available at: http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/resourcecentre/pressreleases/index.asp?id=4193,230,608,242,0,0, (accessed on 21 June 2010) HM Inspectorate of Probation 2006. An Independent Review of a Serious Further Offence Case: Damien Hanson and Elliot White. Retrieved on 2010 from http://inspectorates.homeoffi