All Quiet on the Western Front Essay Example for Free

All Quiet on the Western Front Essay Lost Generation †(young men leaving school and doing battle for their nation) (Page 85) ‘’That’s what set us apart and made our parents’ world somewhat hard for us to comprehend; in light of the fact that by one way or another we were in every case delicately bound up with that world, accommodating to everything, and the littlest thing drove us onwards along the way of forever. Maybe it was only the benefit of our childhood †we were not yet ready to perceive any limitations, and we were unable to admit to ourselves that things could ever reached a conclusion; desire was in our blood, and this implied we were at one with our lives as the days passed by. ’ (Page 85) ‘’Now we would meander around like outsiders in those scenes of our childhood. We have been expended in the flames of the real world, we see contrasts just in the way tradesmen do, and we see necessities like butchers. We are liberated from care no longer †we are alarming unconcerned. We may be available in that world, however would we be alive in it? We resemble youngsters who have been relinquished and we are as experienced as elderly people men, we are coarse, miserable and shallow †I imagine that we are lost. ’’ (Wikipedia) Almost to a man, the youngsters are moved to join the military. The youthful enlistees are appeared in essential preparing, throbbing for activity battling in the war. - Soldiers are alluded to ‘young soldiers’ constantly, on the grounds that youngsters, nearly young men even, are sent to war. They leave school and are sent to battle for their nation. (Web) ‘’Arriving in preparing camp, the little youngsters anticipate that war should be an incredible lark’’ * The young men were so youthful and unconscious, they didn’t comprehend what's in store from the war, however they thought it would have been extraordinary fun and were extremely uninformed of anything that would occur. They were glad to be leaving, battling for their nation, they thought they were turning out to be men by doing this. (Web) ‘’each youthful and naive, are selected and prepared to battle for the magnificence of the mother country. ’’ (- George McGovern) ‘’Im took care of up to the ears with elderly people men conjuring up wars for youngsters to kick the bucket in. ’’ Peer pressure. Some little youngsters don’t need to do battle but since the entirety of their companions are going they get convinced by peer ressure and by instructors, that battling for their nation would be an incredible obligation and on the off chance that they didn’t, they would be viewed as a quitter in their old neighborhood. (Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet On The Western Front, Ch. 1) Indeed, that is the manner in which they think, these hundred thousand Kantoreks! Iron Youth! Youth! We are none of us over twenty years of age. In any case, youthful? That is quite a while in the past. We are old society. (Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet On The Western Front, Ch. 10)I am youthful, I am twenty years of age; yet I remain unaware of life yet despair, demise, dread, and idiotic triviality cast over a chasm of distress. I perceive how people groups are set against each other, and peacefully, unconsciously, absurdly, faithfully, honestly kill each other. (Book)‘’When we went to the District Commandant to enroll, we were a class of twenty youngsters, a large number of whom gladly shaved just because before heading off to the military quarters. We had no unmistakable designs for our future. Our considerations for a profession and occupation were up 'til now of too unconventional a character to outfit any plan of life. We were still packed with obscure thoughts which provided forever, and to the war additionally, a perfect and practically sentimental character. ’’

Mary Dalton A Cause of Biggers Torment - Literature Essay Samples

In Book One of Richard Wrights novel â€Å"Native Son,† Mary Dalton is, to her parents’ disapproval, a member of the Communist movement set in 1930’s Chicago. Mary attempts to achieve her dream of extinguishing the barriers between African-Americans and Caucasians by treating Bigger Thomas in an extremely warm and informal manner. This sparks a sense of bewilderment in Bigger, who is accustomed to being treated inferiorly by the whites, and grows uncertain in how he should behave around her. Mary’s ignorance, naà ¯ve nature, and â€Å"good intentions† ultimately condemn her to a blazing furnace, metaphorically comparable to her form of â€Å"hell,† and her gruesome death proves to haunt Bigger in the form of searing flashbacks throughout the remainder of Book One.Mary Dalton unwittingly induces her own demise in several ways. She brands her first impression on Bigger when she appears in a movie he watches. Her leisure lifestyle is characteri zed by abundant wealth and squandering, which fills Bigger with â€Å"a sense of excitement about his new job.† The fact that she has indirectly persuaded Bigger to accept the job vaguely, yet eventually results in her murder. On a more precise scale, a majority of Mary’s numerous actions also act as tinder that sets alight to her death. For example, she constantly moves within very close proximities of Bigger. He is able to â€Å"smell the odor of her hair† and at one point, Mary even has â€Å"her face some six inches from his.† Although Miss Dalton feels that these actions exude a welcoming feeling, it inevitably evokes an attraction in Bigger, with Mary being the object of interest. In addition, she also allows herself to become heavily intoxicated by drinking large quantities of rum with her Communist beau, Jan Erlone. When Mary arrives home with Bigger, she cannot reach her bedroom without assistance. Bigger escorts her, which leaves him alone with Mary in her room, presenting a troubling situation. As a result, Mary’s recklessness and overtly inviting manner contributes to her unfortunate fate.Although Mary attempts to help African-Americans, she knows little about them. As a result, she immediately attempts to befriend Bigger just because he is black, not for who he is as an individual. She exemplifies this when she asks Jan if he knows any African-Americans, then states â€Å"I want to meet some.† In addition, she attempts to sing their â€Å"spirituals† but Bigger secretly acknowledges that it is the wrong tune. Afterwards, she further demonstrates her lack of knowledge when she states that she wants to see a black home and claims that they â€Å"must live like we live.† She later generalizes African-Americans by praising that they â€Å"have so much emotion.† Although she does not realize it, Mary’s stereotypical view of blacks stems as a form of just what she is trying to combat with Jan-racism. Instead of making Bigger feel equal, she does the opposite, by making him feel more aware of â€Å"his black skin.† As a result, Bigger develops a sense of mild contempt, along with fear and confusion, towards Mary and Jan.Although Mary Dalton’s character only briefly appears in the story, she plays a vital role. Her political affiliation with the Communists provides an outlet for escape for Bigger Thomas. Her murder also eternally changes Bigger’s life, and now he is constantly burdened with his crime. However, this provides him with a sense of satisfaction, and he now feels his life has purpose. Bigger’s character transitions from feeling as if his life as an African-American is â€Å"just like living in jail† to now having the responsibility as well as the thrill of dodging the consequences of his committed atrocity. In addition, Mary Dalton’s character also provides a focal point for comparison to Bigger. Mary is a rebe l who goes against her parents’ wishes by dating a Communist and supporting their cause. However, she feels as if there is little hope in the success of this â€Å"revolution† and expresses that she feels â€Å"helpless and useless. On the other hand, Bigger rebels against society, and its racial standards. He also feels as if he has no hope as an African-American. Their nonconformist and hopeless personalities eventually clash and yields Mary’s death as a result, emphasizing her effect on Bigger, the main character. In conclusion, the incorporation of Mary Dalton’s character in Richard Wrights, â€Å"Native Son,† is essential. Mary’s role in the novel is essential to the development of Bigger Thomas’s character. Her short-comings also shed light upon the difficulty of overcoming racial obstacles in the 1930’s. Although she desperately wanted to help African-Americans, she was simply not educated enough about issues regarding their race and their positions among society. Through Mary Dalton’s character, Richard Wright demonstrates that even if one intends to do well, their attempts are futile where ignorance exists.

The Health Of The Canadian Health System - 1808 Words

Oral health is not considered an integral part of Canada s universal, publicly-funded health care regime. Dental care, outside of a hospital setting, does not constitute a ‘medically necessary’ service for the purpose of maintaining health as per the Canada Health Act (1964). There are three components to the Canadian health system that exist today: universal, publicly-funded coverage for physician and hospital services (known as Medicare); goods and services such as home care, long-term care, and prescription drugs which are funded either privately (through insurance or out-of-pocket), or publicly (through targeted subsidies or direct delivery programs); and finally, private health care services which include dental care.1 Costs for†¦show more content†¦in Finland, where up to 79 per cent of dental care is publicly-funded.3 A report issued by the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences states that six million Canadians per year avoid visiting a dental professional for cost reasons.2 While the private sector provides excellent quality of oral health care for its patients, many vulnerable groups have difficulty with access.2 It is also these vulnerable groups who demonstrate extremely high levels of oral health disease. According to a 2014 report issued by the Canadian Academy of Health Services (CAHS), the following represent Canada’s most vulnerable groups: individuals with low incomes; younger age children living in low-income families; individuals working without dental insurance; elderly populations with low incomes and/or living in institutions; aboriginal people, immigrants/refugees; people with disabilities; and, populations living in rural/remote communities.2 The CAHS authors report that increasingly and in light of challenging economic times, families from lower-middle income strata are also demonstrating difficulty with accessing oral health care (this is partially attributable to an increasing tendency toward part-time employment rather than fu ll-time employment with benefits). Oral health has many

Does Binocular Rivalry Affect Our Conscious Perceptions

Binocular rivalry is the switching of perception between two images seen by the eyes simultaneously. Past research has indicated that some substances can affect binocular rivalry rate. In this study, we looked at the rate of binocular rivalry in undergraduate students when they had consumed either alcohol or caffeine, or were in a control group. We found that caffeine significantly sped up the rate of binocular rivalry, but that alcohol had no significant effect. This implies that substances may have an effect on perceptual switching and provides evidence for the different conditions that may affect our conscious perceptions. Introduction Binocular rivalry is a term used for the switching of perception between two different images that are simultaneously seen by the eyes. When this occurs, you are only conscious of one of these images at a time, with the dominant image switching between the two every few seconds. During binocular rivalry, either all or part of one of the images is suppressed from consciousness. There are three main properties of binocular rivalry; exclusivity, inevitability and stochasticity. Exclusivity means that only one image can be seen at a time, inevitability is that perception will always change at some point, as it is impossible to hold onto one image forever, and stochasticity is that switching will occur at unpredictable times (Fox and Herrmann, 1967). Many factors can influence the dominance of an image, including motion, contrast and salience.Show MoreRelatedThe Mechanics of Consciousness1571 Words   |  6 PagesConsciousness it is a state of awareness on both the external and internal actions and reaction toward different stimulus. Consciousness has greater impacts on our daily life and could influence survival of different organisms that lives on planet earth. The benefits is that it offers protection as it control the self .Consciousness regulate what we think and the reaction that we respond to the different experiences that we undergo on daily basis. Also, it allows us to either allow a thought or respond

Target From “Expect More” to “Pay Less” Essay Sample free essay sample

In this instance we examine Target. a price reduction retail merchant who was ever known for their ‘cheap chic’ . â€Å"Expect More. Pay Less† value proposition. Heavy investing into this value proposition positioned Target in the market in a non excessively distant 2nd place to WalMart with their slogan â€Å"Always Low Prices† . Over clip Target’s success led WalMart to mime certain facets of Target’s value proposition but shortly thenceforth the macroeconomic force of the â€Å"Great Recession† fell upon the market and WalMart seemed to reenforce its place of high quality. In response to this Target rolled out a new selling scheme which involved seting the spirit of its value proposition to entice clients who were seen to hold defected to their major rival. In this instance survey we shall analyze Target’s scheme in the face of these challenges and measure the effectivity of it against best selling patterns. What microenvironm ental factors have affected Target’s public presentation over the past few old ages? Four chief microenvironmental factors have affected Target’s public presentation in a negative manner over the past few old ages. 1. Rivals: Pre-recession. both Target and its chief rival. WalMart had good developed and communicated value propositions. Target’s being â€Å"Expect More. Pay Less† and WalMart taking the industry with â€Å"Always Low Prices† . Just before the recession hit WalMart modified their selling scheme by taking on some dogmas of Target’s manner and spirit by presenting new elements to its shop layout and merchandise lines. Now remember. the recession did non hit wholly without warning. Many people were cognizant of the possibility of a coming storm but it seems that WalMart was prepared with what has been its chief strength in the market†¦ low monetary values. Once the recession was in full swing consumers of course started to reexamine the manner in which their money was spent. hence a retail merchant with a long history of low monetary values and dollar stretching values seemed like a good spouse with which to sit out the economic storm. Target. unlucki ly was non maintaining their ears to the land and the recession found them losing market portion to their biggest rival. This of class was made worse when WalMart advertised monolithic monetary value â€Å"rollbacks† which could hold merely been a screen for taking Target spirit from their selling mix in an ambiance of renewed consumer frugalness. 2. Customers: Worsening grosss and net incomes led a post-recession Target to implement alterations to its selling scheme in order to repossess clients perceived to hold ‘defected’ to WalMart. This would propose that Target had lost sight of who its existent clients were and later launched a run that alienated some of their loyal. profitable client base ( termed. true friends ) . Long-time clients of Target whose positions resonated with their â€Å"Expect More. Pay Less† ethos found themselves confused as Target seemed to abandon them or worse. assumed they had developed the same gustatory sensations as the price reduction hungry frequenters of WalMart. In the face of the economic downswing and the altering positions of the buying public. Target should hold done more to pass on the nucleus portion of their value proposition. â€Å"Expect More† . This attack would non hold disengaged Target’s â€Å"true friend† clients and uninterrupted accent on value being one portion monetary value and two parts quality would hold been sufficient to change over the unpersuaded â€Å"butterflies† still shopping at WalMart. 3. The Company: The instance survey indicates that investors were non efficaciously engaged on the affair of the company’s new scheme in hard currency strapped times. Two points in the instance underscored this averment. In the subdivision titled â€Å" Mounting pressures† Target’s CEO. Gregg Steinhafel responded to debauched financials inquiring investors to be patient as WalMart had several decennaries to polish its cost construction with critical members of their supply concatenation. This is followed shortly by one of their major investors losing assurance in the board’s ability to maneuver the company back into the green. For any company in such an economic clime. inve stor assurance is really of import as such sweeping alterations as those taken by Target requires capital. This state of affairs would farther gnaw Target’s ability to redefine its value proposition to its clients. 4. Suppliers: Based on the fact that consumers were going thriftier as a whole. Target’s providers would hold been negatively affected both by the economic downswing and Target’s new selling scheme. Renewed force per unit area would hold put on these providers to assist carry through the displacement in focal point. In a hard economic environment providers would hold been asked to supply the same quality as earlier but at lower monetary values and in the face of plumping gross revenues. This all would hold been made worse by the renewed accent Target had placed on its shop trade name. What macroenvironmental factors have affected Target’s public presentation during that period? Demographics Target’s client mix chiefly consisted of Generations X’ers and Y’ers whereas WalMart’s client base consisted chiefly of Baby Boomers. Baby boomers were hit hard by the economic crisis when their retirement histories and place equities plummeted. The consequence of this being that the coevals of clients whose gustatory sensation for things immature and hip would hold probably led to Target’s voguish temptingness. had to squeeze pennies more than any member of the other two demographic groups. This would take them to vibrate more profoundly with the â€Å"Always low prices† value offered by WalMart. Coevals X’ers are more likely to analyze the value of merchandises in footings of both monetary value and quality. Target’s displacement in marketing focal point nevertheless would hold disengaged Generation X’ers as it made the two retail merchants far excessively similar in their offerings. This leaves Generation Y’ers. whose preference for 2-Way trade name relationships would necessitate a voguish reseller like Target to hold to court them with a strong web presence and prosecuting societal media runs. EconomicssIn 2008. the universe saw the worst economic downswing since the late thirtiess. This has affected shops similar Target as clients tend more towards economy and providers have a more hard clip supplying quality goods at good monetary values. By concentrating on the â€Å"Pay Less† portion of its motto. has Target pursued the best scheme? Why or why non? Target’s focal point on the â€Å"Pay Less† part of its value proposition is non the best scheme as it erodes the chiseled market place that the company held. As a consequence of this. they disengaged much of their loyal. profitable client base and finally started viing on the sod of their major. more successful rival utilizing similar tactics. What alternate scheme might Target hold followed in reacting to the first marks of worsening grosss and net incomes? Target should hold focused more on the â€Å"Expect More† part of its motto in order to retain its current clients while pass oning stairss taken to better overall value offered to clients by pull offing its supply concatenation spouses in order to cut down monetary values. This would guarantee that the client relationship is managed in a more effectual manner as net income borders could be maintained due to sustained client satisfaction whilst gross revenues are being bolstered by pulling new clients. They besides needed to acquire the investors on board with their schemes so as to guarantee they don’t develop the position that their investing is being wasted. A alteration in selling focal point peculiarly in unsmooth economic times will necessitate rather a spot of capital outgo therefore doing it critical to guarantee that investor assurance remains in tegral.

Race Crime Essay Example

Race Crime Essay There have been many studies conducted by both academics and government organisations to gain further insight into the reasons why, when compared to their representation as members of the population as a whole, people from black minority ethnic backgrounds, widely referred to as BME groups, are massively overrepresented in the criminal justice system in England and Wales (Webster, 2007;111). However, Feilzer and Hood have warned that all research has failed to conclusively prove whether different outcomes for minority ethnic people have been due to discrimination or as a result of other factors (Webster, 2007;112). This essay aims to critically account for the disproportionate presence of BME groups in the criminal justice system, in particular the police, the prison service and the courts, exploring possible reasons for the overrepresentation such as social exclusion and socio-economic disadvantage. The essay will also draw comparisons with other countries such as the United States of America and Australia. Criticism of the police and their relationship with BME groups is nothing new, and tensions within British society were exacerbated with the influx of West Indian immigrants in the 1950s. A study conducted in the 1960s compared urban and rural policing and described the negative stereotype that police officers held of members of the black community (Spalek, 2002;77). More recently, the murder of Stephen Lawrence and the subsequent Lawrence Inquiry produced a startling insight into the degree of, what Lord Macpherson termed, institutional racism within the criminal justice system (Macpherson, 1999). Recent statistics from the Ministry of Justice (MJ) illustrate the overrepresentation of BME groups in the criminal justice system. We will write a custom essay sample on Race Crime specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Race Crime specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Race Crime specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Ministry of Justice report, Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 2008/2009 (MJ, 2010) highlights some of the substantial differences that exist between the experiences of people from BME groups compared with those from a white background (MJ, 2010). The report illustrates that BME groups are disproportionately represented at every stage of the criminal justice system but specifically in stop and search, arrests and the prison population. However, this is not simply an issue in England and Wales, but reflects problems faced by criminal justice systems in other countries around the world (Bhui, 2009;50). It has been well established by many authors and studies that the use of stop and search powers by the police has been the most controversial issue (Bowling and Phillips, 2003;534) when dealing with the topic of policing minority ethnic communities. Stop and search powers are governed by section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984, which requires the police to have reasonable suspicion. It is this concept that gives rise to concerns about discrimination and racial profiling (Davies et al, 2005;170). People from BME backgrounds are also more likely to be stopped under the stop and search powers of section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, and are less likely to be given a reason for being stopped (Davies et al, 2005;171). Black and Asian people are 26. 6 and 6. 3 times more likely to be stopped and searched respectively than white people, under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (Townsend, 2010). This is a higher stop and search ratio than that recorded before the publication in 1999 of the Inquiry report into the murder of the black teenager, Stephen Lawrence. Section 60 powers enabled the police to use such stop and search in exceptional circumstances but has subsequently allowed the abuse of such powers through increased stereotyping, further alienating the most affected communities (Townsend, 2010). The report concluded that the overuse of stop and search had created significant mistrust in minority ethnic communities (Travis, 2010), and contributes to the idea that the system is institutionally racist. The Ministry of Justice report found that there has been a 70 per cent rise in BME being stopped and searched over the past 5 years. In England and Wales as a whole it was recorded that 18 people of a white background and 135 of a BME background per 1000 of the population were subject to the use of Stop and Search by the police under section 1 of PACE 1984 (MJ, 2010). The statistics show that under PACE, Black people were 7. 2 times more likely, and Asian people were 2. 1 times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people (MJ, 2010). It could therefore be argued that stop and searches are disproportionately carried out on people from BME backgrounds, under both PACE and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act. However, there was a large variation in the number of stop and searches throughout England and Wales. In London the number per 1000 of the population was 47 white and 210 black. This variation is a result of several factors. Firstly, 54 percent of the black population of England and Wales live in London, and are therefore more likely to be stopped and searched than any other area. Secondly, 42 percent of all stop and searches are carried out by the Metropolitan Police Service, which only serve 14 percent of the whole population of England and Wales (MJ, 2010). In contrast, there are other areas within England and Wales such as Cumbria and Durham where the rate of stop and searches per 1000 of the population for those from black backgrounds compared to white backgrounds was 0. 7. This means that more white people are stopped and searched per 1000 of the population than black people (MJ, 2010). Findings from the report Offending, Crime and Justice Survey 2003-06 suggested that an individuals ethnic group was not significantly associated with increased or reduced likelihood of offending (MJ, 2010). It is however, believed that BME communities are considered to be suspect populations (Webster, 2010;95) with the tendency for black and Asian communities to receive greatly inferior treatment by the police, leading to their involvement with the criminal justice system. Similar to the stop and search statistics, people from BME groups experienced more arrests per 1000 of the population than people of white backgrounds, and black people were 3. 3 times more likely to get arrested than white people (MJ, 2010). However, Phillips and Browns study in 1998 found that of the cases that went to the Crown Prosecution Service, the proportions that were terminated were 27 per cent for Asians, 20 per cent for black people and 12 per cent for white people (Bhui, 2009;35). This strongly suggests that black and Asian people were more likely to be arrested and charged without sufficient evidence to prosecute. Despite the conviction rates being substantially higher for white people compared to those from BME groups (MJ, 2010) in 2008, the percentage of white adults sentenced to immediate custody for indictable offences was under 29 percent, while BME groups ranged from 42 to 52 percent (MJ, 2010). This higher percentage is not necessarily due to discrimination, but rather a number of other factors, such as the seriousness of the offence committed, mitigating or aggravating factors and whether or not the defendant pleads guilty. Research has shown that people from BME backgrounds are more likely to plead not guilty, and hence be tried in a Crown court (MJ, 2010). In fact 48 per cent of black offenders plead not guilty compared to 30 per cent of white offenders. If offenders are found guilty after pleading not guilty, they are often given heavier and longer sentences (Marsh et al, 2010;178) and this may be a reason why there are more black offenders in prison. Although people from BME backgrounds account for less than 11 per cent of the British population, they account for a much higher proportion of the prison population. On the 30th June 2009, 20 percent of prisoners identified themselves as being from BME groups (MJ, 2010). The total prison population excluding foreign nationals has experienced increased numbers from all ethnic backgrounds since 2005, but most notably from Asian and Mixed groups. Those from a white ethnic background had the smallest increase (MJ, 2010). The result of such overrepresentation of people from BME backgrounds, in particular black people, is that there are some prisons in the south east of England that are now virtually all black (Ramesh, 2010). The disproportionate presence of people from BME groups could mean one of two things. People from BME groups may be discriminated against at the point of entry into the criminal justice system and this subsequently continues to the point of imprisonment. Alternatively, the groups are actually more involved in crime than others for reasons particular to that group (Hale et al, 2009;419). It is of common belief that the true answer lies somewhere between the two theories, yet self report studies have indicated that white people commit just as much or even more crime than those from BME groups (Kalunta-Crumpton, 2010). Evidence from several studies has shown that there are three overarching causes for the overrepresentation of BME groups in the Criminal Justice System, all of which compound each other. Firstly, social exclusion is a longstanding primary cause (House of Commons; Home Affairs Committee (HC), 2007). Secondly, factors specific to the black community such as family patterns and cultures amongst black people, both fuel and compound socio-economic deprivation. Thirdly, the structure and the way the criminal justice system operates mean more young BME people come into contact, and stay in contact, with the system (HC, 2010). There is considerable racial inequality in the criminal justice system with a massive underrepresentation of people from BME backgrounds in judiciary and court positions (Marsh et al, 2010;179). A recent report by the Ministry of Justice found that, as of April 2009 in the courts based judiciary, a mere 4. 5 per cent of judges were from BME backgrounds, and represented just 3 of the 163 High Court judges (MJ, 2010). This is a point that was highlighted in the Lawrence Inquiry, and in particular the failure of the police service to recruit minority ethnic officers. Recommendation 65 of the Lawrence Report stated that the police service ought to develop more initiatives to increase the number of minority ethnic recruits (Bhui, 2009;54). Despite such attempts to recruit more people from BME groups, the police force is still a predominantly white institution with only 4. 4 percent of officers in post coming from a BME background (Hansard, 2010), and this is reflected in the feelings of people from BME groups. A study conducted by Shute et al showed that one fifth of black defendants felt that their treatment had been influenced by racial bias (Marsh et al, 2010). Of the black and Asian defendants who thought that they had been given longer custodial sentences, over half put it down to their ethnicity rather than what they had done or said in court (Marsh et al, 2010), indicating the feeling amongst people from BME groups that institutional racism still exists within the criminal justice system. Such thoughts of institutional racism within the criminal justice system were again identified with the tragic incident in March 2000 when Zahid Mubarek, a 19 year old Asian prisoner at Feltham young offender institution, was murdered by a cell mate with a history of racist and violent behaviour (Nacro, 2003). It is regarded that social exclusion is the key reason for the overrepresentation of ethnic minorities within the criminal justice system. BME groups are socially and economically disadvantaged compared with white people and are more likely to come to police attention (Bhui, 2009;34). This socio-economic disadvantage stretches back to the post-war period when the first settlers from the Caribbean were forced into ghettoes because of racial prejudice and restricted access to accommodation, resulting in them being stacked in deprived areas where schools were substandard, employment opportunities were minimal and long-term prospects to hold the family together were limited (HC, 2010). It is believed that the disproportional presence of ethnic minorities has arisen due to the idea that policing bares down more heavily on those that frequent public spaces more often (Maguire et al, 2007;437). This happens to be black and Asian people as they are still subjected to high rates of unemployment, homelessness and nocturnal shift work. It is noted that 80 per cent of black African and black Caribbean communities live in particularly deprived, high crime urban areas such as Neighbourhood Renewal Fund areas (Bhui, 2009;32). It is the combination of all of these factors that place such individuals at greater risk of being stopped and searched (Maguire et al, 2007;437). The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee found that in 2007, all the minority ethnic groups within the black category are consistently below the national average across all Key Stages, at GCSE and equivalent and Post-16. At GCSE and equivalent, 45 per cent of black Caribbean pupils, and 51 per cent of black African pupils achieved 5 or more A*-C grades compared to 57 per cent nationally (HC, 2007). The committee concluded that the failure of the education system to educate our black boys provides a breeding ground for disaffection that undoubtedly leads many to seek alternative means to obtain a good standard of living or gain respect from their peers (HC, 2007). Conversely, the recent report How Fair is Britain produced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), shows that ethnic differences are narrowing at GCSE level, except for the top two highest performing groups; Chinese and Indian (EHRC, 2010). Educational underachievement is fed by rates of exclusion, which is higher for black young people than any other ethnic group. The 2006 Department for Education Skills (DfES) report shows that 9. 6 per cent of black Caribbean young people had had a fixed period exclusion compared with a national average for all pupils of 5 per cent (DfES, 2006). Excluded young people, regardless of ethnicity, are twice as likely to commit offences as children in mainstream school according to the Youth Justice Boards (YJB) survey completed by MORI. In a recent survey 23 per cent of young people in mainstream school said they had committed an offence in the last 12 months, while 60per cent of excluded young people say they had committed an offence over the same period (YJB, 2009). This is a clear indication that young black people are more likely to be excluded from school, and subsequently more likely to offend. Asian children on the other hand had the lowest exclusion rates, followed by children with one white and one Asian parent (EHRC, 2010). The success of Asian children in education ties in with their low offending rates. Such traits have traditionally been explained as the result of strong informal controls said to inhere in Asian culture and family life (Webster, 2010;97). In 2007, at a time of growing gun and knife crime, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, insisted that we needed to stop pretending it was a problem for the general population (Blair, 2007), but rather an issue for the black community to resolve (Hale et al, 2009). This idea has been reaffirmed in statistics such as the figures from Operation Trident, a Metropolitan Police Service operation intended to deal with shootings among black people living in London in 2006. The operations findings detailed in the Home Affairs Committee report showed that, of all the firearms homicides and shootings in 2006 in London, 75 per cent of victims and 79 per cent of suspects were black (HC, 2010). These statistics reflect the idea that the majority of offending by people from minority ethnic backgrounds is intra-racial. It was also found that the boroughs with the highest firearms offences such as Hackney and Lambeth had the highest density of black population in London, as well as being some of the most deprived (HC, 2010). Furthermore, recent research in the UK suggests that homicide rates are associated with levels of poverty and deprivation (HC, 2010). It is this level of involvement and overrepresentation that is the greatest cause for concern for some sections of black and minority ethnic communities. The Director of Equalities and Policing at the Greater London Authority, Lee Jasper said of the situation we have, quite literally, a crisis in the black community among our young black people (HC, 2010). Self report studies ask some general questions about the respondents social and economic situation and then they are asked to describe any offences that they have committed. This technique relies solely upon the honesty of interviewees to reveal their offending behaviour. Self report surveys have produced controversial findings and in particular have suggested that race differences usually observed in official records are either absent or much reduced (Bowling and Phillips, 2002;99). The 2003 Offending, Crime and Justice Study found that in actual fact, white respondents were more likely than black or Asian respondents to say that they had offended (Bhui, 2009;32). The findings of such studies have indicated that the dark figure of crime is more likely to be committed by white people than those from BME backgrounds (Kalunta-Crumpton, 2010). In Australia, they face a slightly different issue, in that the indigenous population of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander people are massively overrepresented in the justice system, and it is a result of historical discrimination, over-regulation and unfair treatment (Australian Law Reform Commission, 2006). Indigenous people make up 2. 5 per cent of the population in Australia, yet in 2008 they accounted for 29. 3 per cent and 24. 1 per cent of the female and male prisoners respectively (Bartels, 2010); a rate 17 times higher than that for non-indigenous people (Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010). These figures varied throughout the different territories of Australia. For example, in Victoria, Indigenous people accounted for 6 per cent of the prison population, much lower but still overrepresented compared to their presence in the general population. In the Northern Territories however, the situation is much worse, with Indigenous people representing 83 per cent of the prison population. This is a startling illustration of the massive overrepresentation of Indigenous population in the criminal justice system. One explanation considered by some authors such as Bartels, is that the Indigenous population is significantly younger than the non-indigenous population. A census in 2006 found that the median age for both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous populations was 21 and 37 respectively (Australian Government, 2008), and thus a reason for the high number of Indigenous people coming into contact with the criminal justice system. In the United States of America, they face a similar if not more extreme situation than in Britain and most Western European countries. The Washington DC based research group, The Sentencing Project reported that today there are more African American men in prison and jail than in college (Walker et al, 2007;xiii). Despite black people only representing 12 per cent of the United States population, nearly half of all prisoners in the USA are African-American (Webster, 2007), and it is predicted that nearly one third of African-American males born today will go to prison (Ramesh, 2010). The US Justice Department have released statistics that suggest approximately 40 to 45 per cent of the US prison population is black (Ramesh, 2010), and that black people represent 31 per cent of arrests and 37 per cent of all violent arrests. Walker et al concluded in The Color of Justice, that the US criminal justice system is contextually discriminatory, in that discrimination does occur within certain parts of the system but not all parts, all of the time (Walker et al, 2007;419). The recent statistics from the Ministry of Justice paint a very clear picture as to the substantial differences that exist between the experiences of BME groups compared with white people, and in particular the experiences of black people. The central problem with the disproportionate presence of ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system is their under-representation in criminal justice professions coupled with their overrepresentation as suspects, defendants and prisoners (Newburn, 2007). Longstanding tension between the police and ethnic minorities still plays a significant part in the discrimination of ethnic minorities and is demonstrated in such documentaries as The Secret Policeman (Daly, 2003), highlighting that racism within the police force still occurs. Although many positive steps have been taken to eliminate institutional racism within the police force since the Lawrence Inquiry, there is still more that needs to be done. The police are not the only institution criticised of being discriminatory, with the Prison service also displaying such traits. It could be argued that the criminal justice system as a whole is still considered institutionally racist. Minority ethnic communities around the world are suffering from the same issues faced by those in England and Wales. The Australian prison population figures illustrate the startling discrimination the indigenous population of Australia face. The United States of America have a justice system described as contextually discriminatory (Walker et al, 2007;419), with an increasing population of black prisoners, many of which have committed violent or drug related offences. Despite numerous studies by academics and government departments, it has been considered that all research has failed to conclusively prove whether the disproportionate presence of people from minority ethnic backgrounds in the criminal justice system is through discrimination or other factors (Webster, 2007). It would appear however, that BME groups are most definitely overrepresented at every stage of the criminal justice system. From the findings of self report studies it can be inferred that the overrepresentation of ethnic minorities is not a result of disproportionate offending, but rather a combination of different factors. Similarly, the issue is not one solely of institutional racism within the criminal justice system. Unfortunately people from minority ethnic backgrounds live in the most deprived urban areas, with the highest crime rates, and therefore are undoubtedly over-policed. Young people from BME backgrounds are consistently underachieving in education and are almost twice as likely to have a fixed period of exclusion compared to the national average, and subsequently twice as likely to offend. Upon being charged for an offence, people from BME backgrounds are more likely to plead not guilty, and hence tried in the Crown court, where if found guilty, will receive a heavier sentence. It is the compounded effect of these factors that are the major cause of the disproportionate presence of ethnic minorities within the criminal justice system, and without addressing these issues first and foremost, their presence will simply increase.

Allusion vs. Illusion vs. Elusion

Allusion vs. Illusion vs. Elusion Allusion vs. Illusion vs. Elusion Allusion vs. Illusion vs. Elusion By Mark Nichol It’s natural that many writers confuse the similar-looking, sound-alike terms allusion and illusion, as well as the rare elusion, and their verb forms: They’re all related. These words all stem from the Latin root word ludere, meaning â€Å"to play,† which also forms the basis for ludicrous. Meet the other members of this frolicsome family: Allusion: An allusion is a reference to something, but with a special sense: The reference is implied, or indirect. (The verb form is allude.) If you think of an allusion as coy or playful, the etymology makes sense. Illusion: An illusion is something misleading or open to misinterpretation. (The Latin term illusio means â€Å"mockery.†) Again, the root word is apt if, in this case, you think of an illusion as something that occurs when your mind plays tricks on you. Elusion: An elusion (from the Latin word for â€Å"deception†) is an act of eluding, and â€Å"to elude† means â€Å"to avoid or evade.† (This term is not to be confused with elision verb form: elide which means â€Å"to delete or omit,† as in contractions or missing words.) That’s not all: There’s also collusion (verb form: collude), literally meaning â€Å"to play with† and referring to a conspiracy, and delusion (verb form: delude), which means â€Å"to trick.† Three related nouns that lack the -sion suffix and look like the other verb forms are prelude (literally, â€Å"before play†), interlude (â€Å"during play†), and the rare postlude (â€Å"after play†). Prelude refers to a performance or action that precedes a more significant event, an interlude is an intermission, and a postlude is a closing piece of a musical or literary composition. The words include, conclude, exclude, occlude, preclude, and seclude and their noun forms, by the way, are unrelated to the -lude family, stemming from a Latin word meaning â€Å"to close.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Incorrect Pronunciations That You Should Avoid7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewShow, Don't Tell