Capital Punishment - The View of International and National Courts :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Capital Punishment and International and National Courts    Around the world we travel in this paper, which reviews the attitude of courts worldwide regarding the death penalty.    By way of international courts, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC), in a judgement which may have far-reaching consequences on death penalty cases in the English-speaking Caribbean, commuted the death sentences of six convicted prisoners in Jamaica on 12 September. The JCPC which serves as the final appeal court for English-speaking Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and the Bahamas, ruled that it is unlawful to execute prisoners whose appeals are pending before international bodies such as the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Committee.    The JCPC also ruled that the Jamaican Privy Council (Mercy Committee) when considering whether to exercise the prerogative of mercy, must provide prisoners with an effective and adequate opportunity to participate in the mercy process, including notification of the date on which the Mercy Committee will consider the case and the opportunity to make informed representations to the Committee and to challenge any inaccurate information before it. This judgement overrules previous decisions of the JCPC and other Caribbean courts, including the 1996 decision from the Bahamas, in which the JCPC had held that a condemned prisoner had no rights before the Mercy Committee.    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) held public hearings in the LaGrand case (Germany v the USA) from 13 - 17 November in The Hague. For the first time in its history, the ICJ has been asked to determine what remedies are required under international law when arrested foreign nationals are not informed of their consular rights and are then sentenced to death.    German nationals Karl and Walter LaGrand were sentenced to death in Arizona, USA, for killing a bank manager during a robbery in 1982. Although the local authorities were aware of their nationality, the two brothers were arrested, tried and sentenced to death without being advised of their right to consular notification and assistance, as required under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Germany maintains that the treaty violation contributed to the death sentences by preventing consular assistance in the gathering of mitigating evidence for presentation at the sentencing stage of the trial. German consular officers only became aware of the case 10 years after the trial when they were contacted by the LaGrands, who had finally learned of their right to consular assistance, not from the Arizona authorities but from other prison inmates.

Positive changes to the communication environment Essay

There are many positive changes to the communication environment which can be made to support the communication development of children with BSED, and some have already been outlined in Assessment 2.2 and 2.3. Other positive changes may include using visual support in the form of picture cards, makaton signs or even pointing to objects when speaking. This gives further clarification to our speech and helps a child with communication difficulties understand what is being taught or requested of them, which in turn will prevent any confusion and misunderstanding which could lead to undesired behavior being displayed. To assist a child’s understanding of our instructions, we should also speak clearly and slowly, using simple age appropriate language in simple sentence structures. Asking the child to reiterate what is being asked of them can help ensure they understand, although in some children they may not have the vocabulary to do this. With those children, we could demonstrate our request i.e. asking ‘please help tidy up’ can be reinforced by picking up blocks and putting them in the box and indicating for the child to assist. In older children using written and verbal language, we should again ensure they understand by reading through any signs or written documents with them, pointing out and explaining any key words and reiterating any importance. Similarly, storage for toys and equipment could be labeled with words and pictures, so each child knows where items belong when they need to be put away, and also where to find them if they need them. Staff, including volunteers could offer regular one to one direct support to the child for their communication skills whether this is assistance with reading or phonics. This allows the child to learn in a quieter and less pressured environment and gives them extra precious time to potentially develop the skills which their peers already have. All staff should be given extra training and be made more aware of the difficulties that children with  SLCN and BSED experience in order to offer extra support successfully. As already mentioned, creating a calmer and quieter environment with fewer distractions can help most people concentrate better, but will work exceptionally well for a child who is already easily distracted due to their BSED. Minimal distractions allow the adult to spend more quality time supporting the child, making it easier to communicate as the child is more focused and therefore more receptive to learning. In any environment there needs to be clear boundaries and rules, and these need to be made easy to understand and achieve for children of all ages and abilities. A consistent approach to dealing with conflicts regarding rules helps to avoid any misunderstanding for the child. As already mentioned, a child seeking attention will gain this in the way easiest to him or her, and if attention is usually only given following negative behavior, then this how the child is likely to behave. Positive encouragement and praise should be given as often and as emphasized as negative comments as this will help the child acknowledge that good behaviour is just as, if not more so rewarded than undesirable behaviour. Unfortunately in society there is a stigma attached to people with SCLN and/or BSED, and a less than favourable opinion can be formed by a child when witnessing how an adult deals with a child’s behaviour. It is therefore imperative that we show no discrimination towards a child with SLCN or BSED, nor make them feel any different or inferior to their peers. All children can benefit from having information clarified and reiterated especially rules and boundaries, so this doesn’t need to be a direct communication just towards the child with extra needs. If a child is made to feel different than their peers in a classroom, they may react to this in a negative manner as it accentuates their extra needs and draws attention to them which may be unwanted. Their reactions may be to become more withdrawn and show less pro-social skills, or to display disruptive or even aggressive behaviour in order to express their feelings of upset. A child with BSED and communication difficulties may not understand their work or what is required of them and we must encourage ways of the child asking for help, as well as  us pro offering support. One way to do this within a classroom environment could be to use playing cards, with each pupil having a card each, and if they require help they can turn the card over on their desk, so only the teacher can see, avoiding drawing attention to themselves by having to put their hand up and request help and reducing any embarrassment they may feel. Simple reward charts work well with most children but need to be realistic regarding expectations and consistent in recognizing achievements. This could be done as an overall class chart or individual charts for each child aimed at specific development areas. The school my 5 year old daughter attends uses a ‘traffic light’ system to acknowledge good and negative behaviour. All children begin with their name tag on green, however if negative behaviour is witnessed then they move to amber – if the behaviour improves, they move back to green, if it proceeds as negative behaviour then move to red. Each time a child moves to amber, they lose 5 minutes from their playtime, and if on red, they lose their ‘golden’ free play time on a Friday. If the child is on green all week, they receive a treat on a Friday (usually a sweet, lollipop etc) and for those displaying exceptional hard work or efforts, a certificate of merit is given. The children respond well to this as their ‘punishment’ for negative behaviour is immediate (or as near as can be) so they quickly learn to display alternative behaviour. It is important to remember that a child with BSED may not recognize boundaries and the cause and effect of their behaviour or a reward scheme and therefore a tailored approach would be required. Teaching a child with BSED techniques on how to deal with their emotions before they reach a crisis point can help the child manage their behaviour and develop their emotional and social skills at the same time as their communication skills. Ways of doing this could include teaching the child a way in which to communicate to their key worker or teacher that they require help or that they are angry or frustrated. This allows the key worker or teacher to support the child before the feelings escalate. Other ways may include helping the child to use a ‘time out’ facility whereby when the child is feeling anxious or angry, they go to a quiet corner until they feel calmer and someone can support them. Using play or activities which the child has a specific interest in (or even using favourite toys or characters within the activity) will help the child maintain their interest and allow them further opportunities to interact, increasing their communication and social skills. Finally, reiterating the day’s timeline can help children understand what is happening next or when certain activities will take place. Many young children have little concept of time, and for a child who is unsettled and finding it difficult to conform to the boundaries within the setting, it may help them feel more at ease and less anxious if they know what to expect next. The timeline could be repeated verbally or simple pictures could be displayed to show what activity will be happening soon i.e. lunchtime (a picture of a sandwich and drink), outdoor play (picture of trees and a ball) or home time (a picture of a coat). Many different ways can be implemented but they may require a lot of time, and a great deal of extra effort from staff before a child begins to display any positive changes and this should be taken into account before deciding that a specific strategy appears to not be working.

A Probation Officer’s View of Effectiveness

This case study is about what a probation officer’s view of effectiveness is and how it can affect his or her view of the job. The local newspaper ran a 3-part article about the probation office and how it was not living up to the expectations of the citizens. The articles discussed how the recidivism rate for the department was high and the department did not utilize social programs in the community. Whose interests were served in the newspaper’s evaluation of the probation office and whose will be served by the proposed evaluation from the department? What theory or theories of effectiveness are represented in the proposed new evaluation format? And what process and outcome measures are included in the evaluation? What domain of activity do these cover? Is the meaning of the variables clear? The newspaper article served the interest of the probationer’s, citizens of the community, social service agencies, and the probation office. If the article had never been published there is a good chance there would not be a change in the operations of the probation office and the citizens of the community and probation officers would not see a change in the recidivism of probationers. The proposed evaluation will serve the probationers due to the fact that he or she will receive more options to break the cycle of crime. It will serve the citizens of the community by breaking the cycle of crime therefore crime rates will decrease. And, it will serve the probation officer’s as he or she can feel better about the options available for their probationers and the programs he or she can refer to them. The process approach and the system resource model are both prevalent in this case study. According to Steers, â€Å"the process approach consists of three related components: goal optimization, a systems perspective, and an emphasis on behavior within organizations† (Stojkovic, Kalinich and Klofas, 2003). In the case study, the officers and the leader discuss how the organization needs to look at how much time the officers are spending with each client, where they are spending this time, and what the probation officer is doing in this time. This type of study is putting the emphasis on behavior within the organization. In the system resource model the effectiveness is based on â€Å"the extent that it can obtain needed resources from its environment† (Stojkovic, Kalinich and Klofas, 2003). An officer in the case study discusses getting his clients in touch with the social agencies in the community to help break the cycle. This is an example of the system resource model. This evaluation will use the gross malfunction analysis. The probation system in the community is considered a failure. The evaluation in which the leader and officers are proposing will examine the reasons for the failure. Another good analysis is the revelatory analysis. This analysis is reflected in the use of social programs by probation officers and his or her client. It will also show how well the probation officers are utilizing inside and outside resources to help eliminate recidivism? The domain of activity these evaluations cover and the studies the probation office wants to utilize are the effectiveness-for-whom and the tendency for effectiveness criteria to influence behavior within organizations. By using the malfunction and revelatory evaluations the probation office and citizens of the community will have a better understanding of the operations and activities of the probation officers. The newspaper article in this study helped to bring about some positive changes for the probation office. The probation officers received a supervisor who included him or her in planning and implementing the type of evaluation needed to decrease the recidivism of all the probation clients. The effectiveness of the probation office became a propriety project not only for the probation supervisor but for the probation officers. The officers were able to feel as if the evaluation was his or her project and therefore he or she would benefit from it. The supervisor brain-storming with the officers gave the officers a sense of ownership over the evaluation and therefore when the results are returned he or she will be more compelled to help find solutions to the problems.

Community Meeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Community Meeting - Essay Example The youth group holds its meetings every Sunday evening, according to Bob. To start off the meeting, they engage themselves in activities such as flag football, basketball, soccer, and Frisbee. Such playtime activities enable the new group members to intermingle easily with the ‘old guard.’ The members of the group are drawn from various neighborhoods and they range in age from 10-16 years. Such neighborhoods include Germantown, Manayunk, Lafayette Hill, and Mt. Airy. After they have known each other, the group members congregate in the church basement for announcements. These were done by Bob. He also introduced new members to the group, and also led everyone in a group song which is preceded by group worship and prayer. The members were then separated into two groups by the assistant youth group leader. They were separated into middle school and high school. They had snacks, which were provided by the parish, after which they set out for a discussion about contemporary world events and issues. The high school students discussed the Bombings in Boston. Bob announced that arrangements were underway for the church to make a summer trip. The ministry youth group had been slotted for a trip to Central, PA, where a Christian rock festival was going to be held. The festival was dubbed ‘Creation.’ It was explained to the groups, by Bob, that the festival would be like Woodstock, although with daily speakers and all the songs being Christian rock music. The church, as it was announced, would be sponsoring two car-washing events, one to be held in May and the other in June, in a bid to raise adequate finances to fund the trips so as to reduce the amount that each of the members was supposed to contribute.

Managing People For A Competitive Advantage Essay

Managing People For A Competitive Advantage - Essay Example The strategies and the philosophies developed by the HR department drives an organization in the right path. Placing the right person, at the right place, at the right time, is always beneficial to the organization. HRM has two important functions; one with respect to the organizational needs and the other related to the employee needs. In other words, HR department acts as the bridge between the organization and the employees. Since the needs of the organization and the needs of the employees are mostly different, conflicts between the organization and the employees can take place any time. Under such circumstances, the HRM department is responsible for find out amicable solutions without sacrificing the needs of the organization or the employees. â€Å"Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant, they is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks† (Von Herder). Motivation is accepted as the driving force behind every human action and the basic func tion of every first line supervisors or managers is to motivate the workforce properly to accomplish the organizational goals. ... Cooperation between these departments is necessary for achieving the final goal. It is the duty of the first line supervisors to control the functions properly so that the organizational interests will never be sacrificed. Planning is another major function of the first line supervisors. Whatever the schedule given to a particular department should be completed in time and for that purpose the first line supervisors need to plan the work. The HR managers are responsible for ensuring that all the HR policies and practices are implemented within the organization. The HR policies and strategies are normally formulated by the top management team. Once all these policies are formulated it is the responsibility of the HR managers to ensure that these policies were implemented correctly. For example, the top management team normally makes policies with respect to employee annual leave, sick leave, casual leave etc. The top management will decide how many leaves can be given to the employees in a particular year. Once all the norms about the leave were fixed, it the duty of the HR managers to ensure that these norms were implemented successfully. Many parameters can affect the employee performances in an organization. The work culture, motivation, management style, remuneration etc are some of the major factors which may affect the employee performances. However, the mangers and the HR department have major roles in deriving maximum productivity out of the workers. HR department should appoint right people at the right place at the right time. It is difficult to anticipate better performance from an employee, if the HR department ask him to complete a job which is out of his expertise. For example, it is difficult for a software specialist to

Considering Definitions of Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Considering Definitions of Community - Essay Example In my experience, the need to be identified as part of a community because of where you are is at best aimed at preservation of the status quo, and at worst a means for people to tie you into controlling relationships, in which they can be sure that they remain in charge. The sharing of a common cultural or ethnic identity may not necessarily mean that people gravitate to the same places anymore, but the combination of these common characteristics and a closed, inescapable location, even if it is just in the mind, can be deadly. Little villages across the world force their inhabitants to think, to look like, to feel, even to believe the same as everyone else in the village. Cities are often identifiable by the apparently common behaviors of their inhabitants – New Yorkers are businesslike, driven, and high achievers, for example. And we go even further – the Italians are romantic and stylish, or the Canadians are parochial and eco-conscious. On the face of it, this idea of being in the same place seems to lend us a sense of security, and a way to identify with others. Just, for a moment, however, consider the full implications of thinking this way. â€Å"In this neighborhood, we take care of each other† – just another way to indicate that we are all similar here, hold the same values, and are very likely to persecute and eventually get rid of you if you are not exactly like we are. â€Å"Our community is a caring one and we will always reach out to others, to make their lives easier and better† – so, we are better than others morally, our lives are superior to those of others, and we will emphasize the fact that we have more materially than anyone around us. Someone cynical would argue that living in the same place exposes you to the danger of becoming the same as everyone else in that place: and that means taking on the good and the bad, the prejudices and the preconceptions; the loves and the hates. Perhaps this is wh at happened when Nazism engulfed Germany, or genocide destroyed Rwanda. So, I think that we are losing the idea that a common location is needed to define community, and not a moment too soon. Not that we have rid ourselves of the dangers of strictly identifying ourselves as part of a community, however. The community of right-wing white supremacists is now connected across the world, through the Internet. But so is the community of â€Å"green activists† focusing on the planet’s continued healthy existence. â€Å"Place† has been replaced by common ethics, points of view and, of course, prejudices, in forming a sense of community, thanks to globalization and the spread of communications technology. Communities now identify themselves in the same ways as they have throughout history. Individuals who share religious points of view define themselves by that religion no matter where they are in the world. A community of women, opposed to oppression by men exists int ernationally. A community of human rights activists is able to exert pressure in every corner of the globe, with support for causes independent of location. A central European, aware of human rights abuses in Tibet can make his or her voice heard to the government of China, even if it is just by signing one Internet petition. I can form my own community – and the OED supports this definition – by starting a blog, and finding that the people who read my blog in effect from a

Local, regional, or national current event or political issue Essay

Local, regional, or national current event or political issue - Essay Example Fiscal and tax policies impact the way people live directly or indirectly according to the rates they pay for their products and services. An increase in the rate of national insurance or the income tax rate will lead to a rise in direct tax, which effect reduces the net earnings of working individuals since net income is reduced for every hour spent in the workplace. This will lead to individuals working for extra hours in order to maintain their income targets to facilitate their needs. On the contrary, this effect might make people work less since the increased taxation might act as a deterrent to productive employment work due to the high taxes and low net earnings. Changes in the benefit and tax system seek to reduce the risk of eradicating poverty. Tax and benefit reforms can be used to increase the availability of labour, therefore, increasing the economic benefit derived from the economy and ease the general level of redundancy in the country. Changes in indirect taxes can ha ve great effects on demand patterns for goods and services. An example is the rising duty on beverages and cigarettes brands. This inconveniences the users as these products are a part of our daily needs. It’s designed to put grounds for substitution effect among users thus reducing demand for de-merits goods. On the contrary, government subsidies to the producer reduce their production cost, price in the market and encourage demand expansion. In business investments decisions, capital investment in purchasing new machinery, investing in innovation and technology, specialized skills and infrastructures leads to a shortage of funds. This leads to a shortage of monetary value in the country and forces the citizens to dig deeper in their pockets in order to maintain equilibrium in the economy and facilitate the end of the projects. A government spending on transport infrastructure increases real spending on transport though in the long term it will boost the competitiveness and productivity of the country. This leads to government borrowing and debt, which allows super powers to be a part of control in the country thus they invest in foreign land having an advantage as the government favours them. Once external forces control the market, they create monopolies thus controlling the prices of products in the market. This affects the economy and its people as standard prices are not guaranteed. Contrary a budget deficit can react positively in the long-run if used in financing extra capital and spending leading to an increase in national assets stock. For example, investing in infrastructure leads to improvement in the supply-side of the economy capacity. Increased investment in social amenities; health facilities and education institution brings optimistic effects on employment and productivity. Tax systems tend to be weak, the administration handling tax collection and accounts allow unpaid tax through practices like corruption and evasion. Most tax evaders hold businesses that earn large amounts of money and controls the economy and when they evade paying tax small and medium businesses are forced to step up by paying higher taxes. In this case, there is no equal distribution of resources in the country thus no equal income distribution of wealth and yet taxes are paid on a similar scale (Begun, Pointe and Luke, 2006). Re-pricing economic alternatives, taxation is government’