Category: critical thinking

Underemployment and Unemployment Essay

Graduating students are foisted with the consequences of a social justice issue inflicted upon them as a result of underemployment and unemployment. These students are restricted from attaining the best quality of life and state of well-being due to a gap in available resources. Underemployment is defined by one of three things: a working individual receiving inadequate hours to sufficiently pay for necessities; are working in a position below their qualifications; or are individuals who quit work and haven’t looked for any in the past four weeks due to an inability of finding a job aligning to their chosen field. Unemployment is when an individual actively seeking work is unable to obtain a job (Chen, 2019). Across the globe, youth unemployment is greater than any other age group, characterizing this as a serious matter. The issues about a lack of employment have the potential to adversely impact all dimensions of health, with literature emphasizing the impact on mental health. Of those unemployed, 28% suffer anxiety, 1 in 4 experience depression, 41.2% are stressed and 1 in 10 have panic attacks (Morgan, 2015). More alarmingly, as all aspects of health are intertwined and interdependent, their state of mental well-being is at substantial risk. Due to the high youth unemployment rates on the Sunshine Coast, graduate students attending Nambour State College (NSC) are at incredible risk of these determinants of health. In response, a resource has been designed to mitigate or prevent the consequences relating to mental health. This evaluation report will articulate the prospective influence of a five-minute video and fridge magnet designed to facilitate and enable students to make proactive decisions regarding their health. Considering the circumstances, it is incontestably crucial health promotion occurs before graduation.

Transitioning to work or further education during adolescence is a significant post-schooling experience. It is characterized by starting partner relationships, metamorphosing from a youth to an adult (Huegaerts, Spruyt & Vanroelen, 2018), biological changes, normative exploration and learning of independence, and social and economic challenges where they are faced with adult obligations and responsibilities (Healthy People, 2019). A report published in March 2019, states 14.7% of youths residing on the Sunshine Coast are unemployed (Brotherhood of St Laurence, 2019). September 2019 data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics illustrate a 23.4% underemployment rate for youths across Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2019, table 22, data 2 DH). Matt Hobson, Solutions 4 Youth Employment Coalition Manager vocalised that,

“Young people account for 40 percent of the world’s population – the largest youth generation in human history – but they are disproportionately affected by unemployment. This is a persistent problem. Approximately 30 percent of young people are not in employment, training, or education, and around the world, young women are worse off. We need to act now, and we need to act together if we are going to realize the significant opportunities presented by this many young people today” (The World Bank, 2015).

The intangible costs to youths are a loss of confidence, hope, and self-esteem. This in turn costs Australia $7.2 billion/annum in mental health expenses (Youth Action, 2018). Other costs include homelessness, poor health, social isolation, loss of potential, and scarring (Brotherhood of St Laurence, 2014). Youth underemployment and unemployment are also a direct burden to the community, undermining its social fabric. 790 million hours of work are lost each year due to youth unemployment, equating to $15.9 billion lost annually in Gross Domestic Product to the Australian economy (Youth Action, 2018). It also weakens productive capacity, reduces national growth, and uses public service money (Brotherhood of St Laurence, 2014). The World Health Organisation (2019), defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. In addressing this issue, it is necessary to consider the social determinants of health, as illustrated in Figure 1, if youths are to be holistically addressed in their well-being.

The designed resource addresses students going through this critical time in life and has the potential to mollify both tangible and intangible costs. It enables youth to take action and make proactive decisions regarding personal and societal health, and it acts as a preventative measure, mitigating potential barriers to mental health literacy, stigma and discrimination, and the health care system. The video goes for five minutes, discusses the importance of NSC student’s health, and also provides five ‘tips’ on how to stay mentally healthy while unemployed. Accompanying this is a fridge magnet designed to remind students of these tips to ensure they are more likely to engage with the resource on a long-term basis. A short survey conducted, encompassing the entire NSC grade 12 cohort, revealed disquieting responses. Firstly, less than 2% believed socio-economic status had a great influence on their health. A clear outcome of unemployment is a loss of income. As studies highlight, this directly provokes poor mental health, often causing feelings of low self-worth, low self-esteem, stress, anxiety, and depression (House of Representative Committee, Unknown). The survey also revealed almost 100% of students agreed “underemployment and unemployment can negatively influence health”. However, only 62.5% of the cohort responded ‘true’ to, “unemployed people have higher mortality and more illness than people who are employed”. This illustrates their lack of understanding of the degree of impact employment status can personally have. Because “work provides a sense of identity and a feeling of self-esteem”, a loss of employment stimulates negative feelings that affect their ability to cope; acting as a barrier to gaining employment and recommencing the cycle (M. Harris, E. Harris, & Shortus, 2010). Because this group demonstrates a clear absence of understanding of the effects of financial status, another concern relates to their naivety of living choices. Graph 1 depicts the living intentions of graduates in 2020. 76% of students plan to live away from home, and most also stated they will be relying on their jobs as a source of income. This covertly illustrates the risk of developing poor mental health.

The video also focuses on mental health as unemployed NSC students are 43% more likely to develop mental health illnesses than their employed peers. The longer these students remain unemployed and without appropriate strategies, their probability of irreversible scarring is increased. It is widely known that many unemployed students who have or haven’t developed mental illness choose to not use mental health services (Staiger, Waldman, Rusch, & Krumm, 2017). This video is subsequently beneficial, as it can promote the maintenance and betterment of mental health as an alternative option.

Health promotion currently fails to equip graduates with the necessary knowledge, skills, and capabilities to transition healthily from school. Having said this, this designed resource has the potential to adequately prepare graduates and is supported through literature and frameworks.

The World Health Organisation (2006) advocates the use of the peer-based aspect, as they declare, “peer-delivered health promotion was found to be effective, compared with teacher-led interventions, and this approach was highly valued by the young people involved”.

The intervention also uses WHO’s Ottawa Charter Action Areas. Through the video’s informative nature, the accumulation of tips develops their skills and knowledge, closing a gap and reducing consequences for all members of society. The resource also creates a supportive environment by encouraging peers to help one another, and by promoting a lifestyle that will create an environment encouraging safe, stimulating, and enjoyable conditions that will enable them to reach their full health potential.

One piece of literature in particular also highlighted the effectiveness of videos about younger generations. For example, they said, “Instead of seeking information through other sources, a simple video posted on social media was more effective” (O’Reilly, Dogra, Hughes, Reilly, George, & et al, 2018). As the designed resource can also be posted on social media, this infers potential positive effects. Of the eight best principles of health practice the resource engages in the following: an evidence-informed practice, considers all social determinants of health, provides equity by removing barriers, and creates supportive environments. One downfall of the resource is its failure to address social stigmas and social justice issues caused by myths surrounding unemployment.

The resource also utilizes aspects of the RE-AIM framework. This framework is designed to encourage program designers and evaluators of essential “elements including external validity that can improve the sustainable adoption and implementation of effective, generalizable, evidence-based interventions” (Re-AIM, 2019). The most potentially successful element utilized by the program is its ability to ‘reach’ the target group. This resource can reach the population in two manners: by uploading it on the school’s Facebook page and by promoting it during the compulsory last week of school in tandem with other elements. This resource acts as a part of an effective health promotion tool, and a multitude of other interventions are required for effective targeting. As the students displayed financial naivety, it would be best if this resource was shown during a discussion on the importance of health and its relation to finances. The potential ‘efficacy’ of this resource is also demonstrated through the students’ responses, indicating it will engender positive effects, quality of life, and economic outcomes. One unemployed youth stated, “The video was informative and has helped me to understand the importance of my health. The tips also make it seem easier for me to take care of my health”. This response implies the student has obtained knowledge and skills that will enable them to make dynamic improvements and action to their health; achieving the objectives of the intervention.

Other promotional tools that could substantiate efficacy include budgeting tips and advice, a free group consultation with a nutritionist or resources on how to eat healthily, support on Centrelink applications, an online resource, and what organizations to approach when struggling. When students are enlightened about the impact of social determinants of health, it can assist in mitigating the associated health concerns to under and unemployment. The construction of future resources intended for use at NSC should encompass humor, be based on the nature and personality of the cohort, and focus more on informing students about the value of their health and its impact on society.

As opposed to resource creation, the school should work in collaboration with external facilities to develop a youth transitioning support group and include educational and participatory classes.

Facilitators for sharing the resource include easy distribution, potential social media use, no monetary costs, easy use and compatibility, minimal use of institutional time, and peer desire to improve their future outcomes. One barrier, on the other hand, is the unmotivated nature of youths to engage in strategies. Another is the resistance to changing social and cultural attitudes surrounding mental health. Due to the short and long-term health concerns of this target group and society, the need to educate graduates is dire.

The sensitive transitioning period for young people is vital in determining future health outcomes and the well-being of the community. Underemployed and unemployed youth are confronted with health concerns about all aspects of health. Poor mental health is a major consequence experienced by the majority during a formative time that dictates the future health of the individual and economy, clearly illustrating its need for addressment. It is pertinent to the economy and well-being of individuals and the broader community that young graduates are equipped with strategies, and empowered to make proactive decisions regarding health concerns they are at risk of in post-high-school life. The educational system presents an exemplary opportunity to target a wide range of students at a low cost and in an effective manner. It is vital schools use this unique circumstance to share health resources to mitigate future ramifications. Health is the major aspect of quality of life, determining the globe’s welfare. Urgent action is required to attenuate consequences of both reversible and irreversible nature.

Inflation Argumentative Essay

Introduction

Inflation is a persistent concern in the field of economics and has a profound impact on individuals, businesses, and governments. While some argue that moderate inflation is essential for economic growth, others contend that high inflation erodes purchasing power and undermines economic stability. This essay presents an argumentative analysis of inflation, exploring its causes, consequences, and the need for a balanced approach to ensure sustained economic prosperity.

The Role of Inflation

Proponents of inflation argue that it can be beneficial for economic growth. They contend that a mild inflation rate encourages spending and investment, as consumers and businesses anticipate future price increases. This stimulates economic activity, fosters innovation, and creates employment opportunities. Inflation can also alleviate the burden of debt by eroding its real value over time.

The Cost of Inflation

However, opponents of inflation emphasize the detrimental effects it can have on individuals and the overall economy. High inflation erodes the purchasing power of individuals, particularly those on fixed incomes. It diminishes the value of savings and disrupts long-term financial planning. Moreover, it can create uncertainty and distort price signals, hindering efficient resource allocation and investment decisions.

Inflation and Income Inequality

One argument against high inflation is its potential to exacerbate income inequality. Inflation affects different segments of society disproportionately. Low-income individuals, who spend a larger proportion of their income on basic necessities, are particularly vulnerable to rising prices. In contrast, individuals with higher incomes may have more resources to protect themselves against inflation. Thus, high inflation can contribute to widening the wealth gap and hinder social progress.

Impact on Businesses

Inflation also poses challenges for businesses. Rising costs of production, including wages and raw materials, can squeeze profit margins, leading to reduced investment and employment. Businesses may be forced to pass on increased costs to consumers, which can dampen demand and negatively impact economic growth. Additionally, inflation can distort financial statements and make financial planning more challenging, affecting business decisions and long-term viability.

The Role of Central Banks

Central banks play a crucial role in managing inflation through monetary policy. They strive to strike a balance between promoting economic growth and maintaining price stability. By adjusting interest rates and controlling the money supply, central banks attempt to influence inflation levels.

However, the effectiveness of monetary policy in controlling inflation is not without challenges. Unforeseen external factors, such as changes in global commodity prices or geopolitical events, can disrupt efforts to maintain price stability. Moreover, the transmission mechanism of monetary policy can vary across economies, making it difficult to achieve desired inflation targets consistently.

Striking a Balance

To mitigate the negative effects of inflation while harnessing its potential benefits, policymakers must adopt a balanced approach. It is crucial to implement measures that promote price stability, such as transparent monetary policy frameworks and effective inflation targeting. Additionally, policies should focus on enhancing productivity, supporting equitable income distribution, and ensuring social safety nets to protect the most vulnerable during inflationary periods.

Furthermore, promoting financial literacy and consumer education can help individuals make informed decisions in an inflationary environment. Encouraging saving and investment in diversified assets can safeguard against the erosion of purchasing power.

Conclusion

Inflation is a complex economic phenomenon that requires careful consideration. While proponents argue for the stimulating effects of moderate inflation on economic growth, opponents highlight its potential adverse consequences, such as reduced purchasing power and increased income inequality. Striking a balance between economic growth and stability is crucial.

Policymakers must prioritize measures that ensure price stability while implementing supportive policies for sustainable economic growth. By adopting transparent monetary policy frameworks, promoting financial literacy, and focusing on income distribution, societies can better navigate the challenges posed by inflation. Only through a balanced approach can we achieve sustainable economic prosperity for all.

Essay on Money Is Better Than Education

On a Thursday afternoon after soccer practice, a couple of the freshmen and I headed to the cafeteria to grab some lunch. When we arrived at the cafeteria, we were upset by the few options given to us. They only had fried foods and unhealthy options at each station. When I reached down for a plate, my hands immediately became sticky and when I looked down, I saw syrup on the bottom of the plate. When the incident happened, I realized changes needed to be made in the cafeteria. Food can play a significant role in your everyday life especially when you’re in college. When you hear about the expensive meal plan, unhealthy options, and ridiculous hours that the cafeteria at Stephen F. Austin has, that can be a reason for you to look for somewhere to eat instead of the cafeteria. If Stephen F. Austin wants the current students to be happy with the food and also have the attention of incoming students, we need to make some changes to the cafeteria that can benefit everyone.

For example, Stephen F. Austin only gives their students four meal plan options that you can choose from and for some students that don’t have the expenses to pay for it, the options that they give you are expensive. With being a college student, you already have to pay for your education and a lot of money for food choices that aren’t too great. Here at Stephen F. Austin, it is required to have a meal plan for your freshman year. For most students, they do not have to get a meal plan once their freshman year is over, because the meals that they have for you aren’t that good. In my survey I conducted, 70 percent of people said they will not or did not get a meal plan after their first year, due to the food. There are two main reasons for this outcome, the first reason is that having a meal plan is too expensive when they could save their money by eating on their own. The second reason is that most upperclassmen will be living off campus with a full-size kitchen and it is more convenient to make their meals and be able to go grocery shopping and just cook their meals that way.

Another inconvenience with the cafeteria is the inconvenient hours that they have during the semesters. The cafeteria is open during different periods throughout the day. Breakfast opens from 7-10 am lunch opens at 12 and closes at 2 pm and dinner goes from 5-7:30 pm during the week. On Saturdays, it is closed all day, and on Sundays, they are open but only for a few hours. When a student has extra-curricular activities, practice, or class it can be difficult to eat at the cafeteria with the hours they have to allow you to eat. Many students have class during the whole lunch period, which means many students are forced to spend money using their dining dollars or have to spend their own money and have to eat off campus.

The third main issue at the cafeteria is the quality and variety. The same meals are being served consecutively each week. Students want some different options to choose from. During my interview with Ryka Shea, she mentioned: “Salads and sandwiches are the only healthy options they provide.” This shows that they have very few options for those who want to eat healthier. Having a university with students and also athletes the college needs to have options that are both healthy for athletes and also students.

Since I have addressed all of the problems that I have regarding the cafeteria at Stephen F. Austin, here are some solutions: Students want more food options, also including healthy options. We need to get rid of the original menu and change it up. The cafeteria has been serving the same thing every week for years. Finding new options and new ideas to cook would help. For every fried option that is served, there should be a grilled or healthier alternative. For example, if they have decided to serve fried fish; they should also have the option of grilled fish as well.

To fix the meal plan issues, I believe there could be some solutions. Either you can lower the cost of the four meal plans or you could create a fifth option that would be more affordable. The fifth option would consist of having fewer dining dollars and fewer meal swipes overall, because a lot of people do not use all of their swipes or dining dollars, because either they forget or they rarely go to the student center to use them, so it becomes a waste of money at the end of each semester. Students who come from off-campus living to campus just for a class will most likely only need one meal each day at the cafeteria or just none at all.

The final solution would be with the cafeteria hours they have. The cafeteria needs to be open on Saturdays for students who live on campus. Also, the hours during the week overall should be longer. Extending lunch hours to 4 pm and dinner to 9 pm would be a small change that would help many students including the athletes that get out of practice late. This will allow students who have class and other activities a better chance to eat at the Cafeteria that will go with their schedule.

Overall, these three issues with the cafeteria are easy to solve but, could create some money issues also. To fix the quality of food, the department that’s over the cafeteria will need to spend a little more money to buy higher quality and healthier food options. The cafeteria should be open on Saturday and also longer on weekdays, but with this change, the staff will need to be paid for those extra hours. However, having a meal plan option that is less expensive than the original options could lose Stephen F. Austin money as well. However, with the food tasting better, the hours at the cafeteria being longer, and the expenses being less, more students will want to have a meal plan after freshman year and maybe the years after that. Eating on campus is much easier for those students who are coming and going to class and don’t have time to go back to their rooms to eat or travel off campus to eat. By fixing these issues students will not have an excuse for not buying a meal plan.

In conclusion, once these issues have been looked at current students will be happier with the better options. Instead of the incoming students coming to campus and seeing the cafeteria as a negative, they’ll see it as a positive with changes being made. It has been a long time since changes have been made and that can end soon or in the upcoming years.    

Inflation Issue Essay

Introduction

Inflation, the general increase in prices over time, is a persistent economic issue that affects individuals, businesses, and governments. While moderate inflation can be a sign of a healthy economy, high or unstable inflation rates can have detrimental effects. This essay will present an argumentative analysis of the inflation issue, highlighting the challenges it poses and proposing potential solutions for achieving a balance between economic growth and stability.

Inflation’s Impact on Purchasing Power

One of the key concerns surrounding inflation is its impact on purchasing power. As prices rise, the value of money decreases, making it more difficult for individuals and households to maintain their standard of living. Inflation erodes the purchasing power of savings and reduces the ability to save for the future. This can disproportionately affect low-income individuals and those on fixed incomes, exacerbating inequality and leading to financial instability for vulnerable populations.

Price Instability and Uncertainty

High inflation rates can lead to price instability and uncertainty in the economy. When prices rise rapidly, businesses and consumers face difficulties in planning and making long-term decisions. Inflation erodes confidence and trust in the economy, hindering investment and economic growth. Moreover, price volatility can lead to distortions in resource allocation and create inefficiencies within markets, which can hinder overall economic development.

Wage-Price Spiral

Inflation can trigger a wage-price spiral, where rising prices lead to demands for higher wages, which in turn lead to higher production costs for businesses. This cycle perpetuates inflationary pressures, causing a continuous increase in prices. The wage-price spiral creates a challenging environment for businesses, making it difficult to manage costs, invest, and remain competitive in the global market. It also exacerbates income inequality and can lead to social unrest.

Monetary Policy and Central Bank Intervention

Central banks play a crucial role in managing inflation through monetary policy. By adjusting interest rates, controlling the money supply, and implementing other measures, central banks aim to keep inflation within a target range. However, the effectiveness of monetary policy in controlling inflation is not always straightforward. Unintended consequences, such as asset price bubbles or limited impact on real economic activity, can occur. Additionally, striking the right balance between promoting economic growth and containing inflation is a complex task that requires careful analysis and decision-making.

Potential Solutions

To address the inflation issue effectively, policymakers must adopt a multi-faceted approach. Firstly, prudent fiscal management is essential to ensure government spending is sustainable and does not contribute to inflationary pressures. Secondly, structural reforms that enhance productivity, competitiveness, and innovation can support sustainable economic growth and mitigate inflationary tendencies. Additionally, maintaining a transparent and independent central bank that is accountable to the public is crucial in implementing effective monetary policies.

Furthermore, promoting financial literacy and consumer education can empower individuals to make informed financial decisions and navigate the impact of inflation. By understanding the factors that drive inflation and its consequences, individuals can better manage their finances and plan for the future.

Conclusion

The inflation issue poses significant challenges to individuals, businesses, and governments. Balancing economic growth with price stability requires careful policy considerations and a comprehensive approach that addresses fiscal responsibility, structural reforms, and effective monetary policies. By managing inflation, policymakers can strive to achieve an environment where individuals’ purchasing power is protected, businesses can operate efficiently, and the overall economy can flourish. Achieving this delicate balance is essential for fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

On Gun Control: Rogerian Argumentative Paper

Introduction

The debate surrounding gun control in society has become increasingly polarized, with passionate arguments on both sides. In order to foster productive dialogue and seek common ground, the Rogerian approach offers a valuable framework. This essay aims to present a Rogerian argument on gun control, emphasizing the importance of finding shared values and understanding opposing viewpoints. By focusing on mutual understanding and compromise, we can move towards effective solutions that prioritize both public safety and individual rights.

Acknowledgment of Concerns

To initiate a productive conversation on gun control, it is crucial to acknowledge the concerns and fears expressed by both sides. Proponents of gun control emphasize the need to reduce gun violence and protect public safety. On the other hand, supporters of gun rights stress the importance of individual freedoms and the right to self-defense. Recognizing these concerns establishes a foundation for meaningful discussion, as it demonstrates respect for diverse perspectives and a willingness to engage in dialogue.

Shared Values

Despite differing views on gun control, both sides generally share a common value: the desire to ensure the safety and well-being of society. While approaches may differ, it is essential to highlight this shared goal as a starting point for finding common ground. By focusing on the shared value of public safety, we can shift the conversation towards exploring mutually agreeable solutions that address concerns on both sides of the debate.

Comprehensive Background Checks

One potential area of compromise in the gun control debate is the implementation of comprehensive background checks. This measure aligns with the shared value of public safety while respecting the rights of responsible gun owners. By ensuring that individuals purchasing firearms undergo thorough background checks, we can prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands without unduly infringing upon the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Responsible Gun Ownership

Promoting responsible gun ownership is another area where agreement can be reached. This involves advocating for comprehensive training programs and safe storage practices. By encouraging responsible behavior among gun owners, we can address concerns about accidental shootings, unauthorized access to firearms, and the misuse of weapons, while still respecting the rights of individuals to possess firearms for self-defense or recreational purposes.

Mental Health Support and Intervention

Addressing mental health concerns is another critical aspect that can bridge the gap between different perspectives on gun control. By prioritizing mental health support and intervention, we can proactively identify and assist individuals who may pose a risk to themselves or others. This approach not only helps reduce the potential for gun violence but also addresses the root causes of such incidents, emphasizing a more holistic approach to public safety.

Conclusion

The Rogerian approach to gun control offers a path towards constructive dialogue and effective solutions. By acknowledging concerns, identifying shared values, and seeking compromise, we can move beyond the current impasse and work towards comprehensive gun control measures that balance public safety with individual rights. Emphasizing comprehensive background checks, responsible gun ownership, and mental health support can help forge a middle ground that respects diverse viewpoints while promoting a safer society. By adopting a collaborative and empathetic approach, we can find common ground and advance meaningful gun control policies that benefit all members of society.

Critical Essay on Racism in Police Enforcement

Over-policing and under-protection have emerged as powerful platforms for institutional racism. Institutional racism is ‘the collective failure of an organization to provide appropriate and professional service to people because of their color, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes, and behavior which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness, and racist stereotyping which disadvantages minority ethnic people.’ (Macpherson, 1999: 6;34). Throughout this essay, it will criticise the central issue of stop and search, the Stephen Lawrence case, and police culture when examining the extent institutional racism explains it. Evidence suggests that stop and search are among the most considerable impacts of racial discrimination since the 1970s. Statistical evidence presents a clear representation of harassment and discrimination against specific ethnic groups and how police use their authority as a power to target black people in particular when stopping them on the street. In the case of Stephen Lawrence, Macpherson 1999 identified institutional racism as the lack of protection and justice for the family. Arguing that the police as a collective is to blame for the racist approach to ethnic minorities and racial attacking them. Alongside the two theories stated above the over-policing and under-protection relates to police culture too. The lack of trust and support minorities feel when associating with the police culture relates to the lack of understanding one another, disadvantaging black and other ethnic groups. The over-policing and under-protection are discussed further throughout the essay relating to stop and searches, The Stephen Lawrence case, and police culture and how institutional racism relates to it and who may critique it.

Stop and searches in Britain are fast becoming a key instrument in the over-policing and under-protection of ethnic minorities. In Britain, the alliance between black young males and crime has received much political, media, and public attention since the 1970s. (Cashmore and McLaughlin, 1991; 6) The police portray both black and minority individuals as being the product of a problematic society, living in neglected inner-city neighborhoods, and having been raised in homes without fathers. All of this, according to commentators, politicians, and the media, causes young black African Caribbean men to adopt a ‘machismo and violent subculture.’ (Smith, 2009; 32) Racially discriminatory treatment circulating stop and searches explains institutional racism, and how over-policing within ethnic minorities had become normalized as a way of catching the ‘usual suspect’ (MaAra and McVie, 2009;9). Official statistics show that black people are 9 and a half times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people in 201718, a clear representation of harassment and discrimination against specific ethnic minority groups. (Gov.UK, Ethnic Facts and Figures 20172018) Police use their power to stop anyone they wish, creating a debate about whether they are targeting specific members of the public and if it has anything to do with racially profiling individuals, due to statistical evidence. FitzGerald et al found that being black was a good predictor for being stopped on foot and in a car, which does not explain why this is the case. (2002; 4) However, the Macpherson report (1999) attributes excessive amounts of stop and search to stereotyping, police racism can be ‘unwitting’, but it is nonetheless an indication of officer subjectivity. The controversy surrounding the over-representation of ethnic and racial minorities has been heated, with some arguing that it assumes the role of discriminatory police behavior, over-policing, and under-protection, and others claiming that it is due to different participation in crime and disorder. Theorists such as Stevens and Willis (1979) and Walker (1987) disagreed, each concluded that ‘disproportionality in arrests was unlikely to be the result of discrimination because the scale of the differences was so enormous that prejudice would need to be so endemic as to become more widely visible.’ (Waddington et al, 2004; 5) One interesting finding was the Scarman Report, in April 1981 hundreds of mostly black youth rioted in Brixton, South London. The Metropolitan Police intended to reduce the amount of street crime occurring, as Brixton underwent deep social and economic problems, mainly in African- Caribbean communities through the use of sus law, a method enabling police to stop and search anyone who looked ‘suspicious’. This created an outburst of anger from the locals and a riot began. Lord Scarman argued that he found ‘loss of confidence and mistrust in the police and their methods of policing, concerning efforts to recruit more ethnic minorities into the police force and changes in training and law enforcement.'(Lord Scarman, 2009). The report demonstrates the concerns with racial discrimination and the failure of policing. Scarman argues ‘institutional racism did not exist, instead of its racial disadvantage and racial discrimination. (2009) Referring to the essay question, the Scarman Report (1981) would argue against institutional racism as he quoted above, but positive discrimination to tackle racial disadvantage was a ‘price worth paying’ (Lord Scarman, 2009) unlike The Macpherson Report (1999). Macpherson focuses on the ‘notion of institutional racism, cultural practices within the police force and the need for policy reform.’ (Sarah Neal,2003;58)

The case of Stephen Lawrence proved an important interest in the concept of institutional racism. In April 1993 in South London, Stephen Lawrence and his friend Duwayne Brooks on their way home were exposed to an unprovoked assault by a gang of white youths. Two police officers arrived at the scene, not offering first aid treatment which led to the death of Stephen Lawrence shortly after. It almost took twenty years for two of Lawrence’s killers to be finally convicted of murder. A poorly executed investigation which was the start of a racist institution criticised by the Macpherson Inquiry 1999. Both Macpherson 1999 and Rowe 2004 identified institutional racism for the lack of protection and justice provided to the Lawrence family, these findings influenced much of what happened to the police in the last ten years. First, it reveals that the official discourse used to describe the conflicts between the police and minority ethnic groups has shifted significantly. Secondly, the Macpherson study indicates the increasing political view of the troubled relationship between the police and minority ethnic groups has, from now on, been portrayed as an issue created by the police itself rather than by particular officers. Third, the state ultimately ended the clear warning that the British police would be forced to endure a period of cultural change and transition by blaming the inadequate experience of police service of minority ethnic groups squarely on the police. The issue of ‘institutional racism’ prompted others to conclude that it wrongly labeled all officers as discriminatory, regardless of the professional orientation and actions of individual officers. Some dismissed the suggestions proposed by Macpherson, arguing that there were, in effect, no issues with racial profiling within the police. Arguably in the Macpherson report, it is not acknowledged that racism was ‘the universal cause of the failure of the investigation’. (Anthias, 1999; 46.27) The lack of organized intervention and lack of evidence were cited in the study as failings in the Stephen Lawrence murder case and are seen as the product of a lack of direction rather than as linked to force bias, whether systemic or not. However, police officers’ racism has always been an issue in the UK, however before it was framed as an individual problem but after the Stephen Lawrence case, the police in Britain were all labeled as a collective group for their notion of institutional racism. For example, several junior officers would not accept that the murder of Stephen Lawrence was ‘racially motivated’ even though it just so happened that they were attacked by a group of white boys. A report quotes David Muir, representing senior Black Church Leaders, saying that ‘the experience of black people over the last 30 years has been that we have been over-policed and to a large extent under-protected.’ (Macpherson, 1999, 45.7. p. 312) Arguing that the police as a collective is to blame for the racist approach to ethnic minorities and racial discrimination against specific groups of people. Its central conclusion was that the investigation into Mr. Lawrence’s killing had been ‘marred by a combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism and a failure of leadership’. (Shaw, 2019) The policing system took action after that and made changes to its policing culture and practice. Sir William’s inquiry included a series of realistic proposals to improve the prosecution of murders and the care of victims of crime, such as first aid courses and committed family liaison officers-fundamental improvements that have made a lasting impact. (Shaw,2019) Indeed, ‘Sir William said a key aim of his proposals was the ‘elimination of racist prejudice and disadvantage and the demonstration of fairness in all aspects of policing’. (Shaw. 2019) The over-policing and under-protection of BAME groups affected by institutional racism were not fully acknowledged nor taken into consideration until the death of 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence, the public outrage of the racial discrimination and institutional racism led to the changes in police culture and ‘prioritized’ to ‘increase trust and confidence in policing amongst minority ethnic communities.’ (Shaw,2019)

The over-policing and the protection of ethnic minority communities relate to institutional racism through police culture. Ethnic minorities experienced social exclusion and lack of support from police, whether it be from institutional racism as described by Macpherson (1999) or the lack of understanding and consultation with ethnic minorities, ‘these practices further alienate and disadvantage people from black and other ethnic minority groups.’ (Sharp and Atherton, 2007; 750) According to recent Home Office reports, 16-24-year-olds have lower levels of trust in the police than older adults, likewise with mixed-race and black ethnic groups ( Pennant 2005 ). The British Crime Survey (200203) showed that victims of Black and Mixed Groups are less likely than those of white or other ethnic minority communities to report offenses to law enforcement ( Salisbury and Upson 2004 ). The lack of protection and trust the black community fears from the police suggests how they hold a stereotype of the police as siding against them and not helping them because of their skin color. Simply put, the lack of confidence and trust in politics contributes directly to the excessive exposure to police scrutiny. The primary critique of the police exposed here was the assumption that more or less racist convictions inspire the majority of police officers. In general, black and other minority groups are discriminated against and segregated from all areas of society, including access to quality schooling and preparation, good health care, fair opportunities, and good quality of life in housing. (Commission for Racial Equality 2004). The stereotype the police hold against specific members of the public tends to associate with the black minority as they are pre-conceived as criminals due to the media representation of them and the way they are portrayed to the world. For example, the coverage of black young men and boys in newspapers and on television covered 72% of daily features, in general heavily focusing on crime stories making up 66.9%. (Cushion, Moore, and Jewell, 2011; 37-42) The institutional racism revolving around the police culture contributes to the over-policing and under-protection they are presenting to black minorities in particular. However, police culture is not as derogatory as it may come across, some would argue it is seen as an unpredictable and alienating occupation for police survival, meaning the bond of solidarity between officers ‘offers its members reassurance that the other officers will ‘pull their weight’ in police work, that they will defend, back up and assist their colleagues when confronted by external threats, and that they will maintain secrecy in the face of external investigations’ (Goldsmith 1990: 93-4). One critique argued by Sparrow et al on police culture would be its perceived insularity in the social, political, legal, and organizational sense of the police force. Claiming that police brutality and wrongdoing could not happen without the implicit support of the community. ‘For the police force to be willing to do the job of ‘shoveling shit,’ they had to be allowed to sleep on the job, be rude, harass defendants, and extort bribes’ (Sparrow et al. 1990: 133-4). The secrecy of crimes being committed would cause a flaw in the criminal justice system if police are not doing their job. There is proof that the culture’s secrecy and unity will break down under the pressure of being described as a racist institution. According to research undertaken in New South Wales, senior police management was not prone to media allegations about racist discrimination after a corrupt investigation (Chan 1995). The police culture is stereotyped as being racist for over-policing, not just ethnic groups but everyone as a whole committing crime. The police dealing with it and doing their job has led to allegations of ‘institutional racism. (Chan, 1995; 111-112)

To summarise, this paper has argued how over-policing and under-protection have caused racial abuse and discrimination towards black and other ethnic groups. It explains how institutional racism relates to specific theories such as stop and searches, the Stephen Lawrence case, and police culture. The most obvious finding to have emerged whilst researching institutional racism has been the over-representation of ethnic groups as a ‘social problem’, causing issues within society and resulting in police taking action upon it. For example, in the first paragraph where stop and searches are discussed, it is transparent that the police are stopping the majority of the black community without a purpose, racially stereotyping them as deviant and criminals, causing police to be viewed as racist for over-policing a particular ethnicity. The study has identified the power which police have and use to target anyone they wish. The Scarman Report 1981 however, argues ‘institutional racism did not exist, instead of its racial disadvantage and racial discrimination(2009). This reflects upon the ideology that institutional racism is not a thing, it’s not the institution that is the problem, rather than it’s the way people perceive it as a racist approach. Moving on to the Stephen Lawrence case, the lack of investigation and failure to bring justice to the family perceives a view that police under-protect and lack interest in the solving cases such as the Stephen Lawrence case because of his skin colour resulting in institutional racism which later on followed with the changes in the police system. Sir William’s inquiry included a series of realistic proposals to improve the prosecution of murders and the care of victims of crime, such as first aid courses and committed family liaison officers-fundamental improvements that have made a lasting impact. (Shaw,2019) Finally, police culture elucidated social exclusion and zero support from police, referring to what Macpherson 1999 described as a lack of understanding and consultation with ethnic minorities. Over-policing and under-protection relating to institutional racism through police culture show the way black ethnic minorities fear the police because of their racist pre-conception and stereotype. However, Sparrow et al argued that police are not being racist they are doing their job, which is stopping crime, just so happens that black ethnic groups are overrepresented in the media leading to the assumption of ‘institutional racism.

Racial Profiling Done by the FBI Essay

The narrative film ‘Spies of Mississippi,’ may be a terrible update of the profundities that Mississippi specialists plumbed in their endeavors to sabotage the civil rights movement. The film chronicles, the part of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, a mystery, state-funded agency established by the Mississippi governing body in 1956. Employing a run of spy strategies, the Commission looked to preserve racial isolation, protect Jim Crow laws, and anticipate ‘government infringement’ in Mississippi.

The film draws on the light of Commission records, which are accessible and searchable online much obliged to a 1994 court arrangement in a claim brought by the ACLU of Mississippi. It turns out that the Commission was nothing in case not fastidious, archiving the total run of its misuses for the benefit of white supremacy. It at first centered on following the exercises of gracious rights organizations in Mississippi, but inside a number of a long time it had mushroomed into a full-scale spy office, utilizing an organize of examiners and operators who surveilled respectful rights activists, tapped their phones, checked their gatherings, stole delicate records, and undermined voter rights efforts.

The Commission was heartless, pursuing an all-out war against alter. Maybe most agonizingly, it amassed a lot of African American sources, a few of them regarded figures from inside the respectful rights community, who detailed to the Commission on the technique and plans of the burgeoning rights development; and sowed fear and doubt among gracious rights pioneers. It annihilated the lives of individuals like Clyde Kennard, a Black Korean War veteran who tried to enlist at what was at that point Mississippi Southern College. The Commission organized the planting of proof utilized to convict Mr. Kennard of taking chicken feed. He served seven a long time in jail. Commission operators too funneled data to nearby law authorization (which was overflowing with KKK individuals) around understudy activists who were slipping on Mississippi, counting James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, who were at that point killed by Klansmen.

It may be enticing to confine these occasions within the past and belittle what happened within the profound South. That would be a misjudgment. For African Americans, the inheritance of isolation and Jim Crow remains a live issue. And whereas race-based separation is not the law of the land and nothing just like the Commission seems to work nowadays. Government and state law authorization offices are still locked in racial profiling. That’s an expansive portion since the Justice Department’s disallowance of racial profiling by government law requirement offices doesn’t amplify to national security and border integrity examinations, two tremendous exemptions that swallow the rule. Moreover, the Lawyer General’s rules for household FBI operations permit specialists to explore anybody, without any real premise for doubt, on the off chance that the operators claim they are looking to anticipate wrongdoing, ensure national security, or collect outside insights. Government law authorization and intelligence agencies have taken full advantage of the permit they’ve been given.

The FBI is mapping racial and ethnic communities within the United States based on unrefined and untrue generalizations around communities’ penchant to commit certain violations. In Georgia, the FBI reported African American populace increments and centered on activists’ challenges against police killings to discover Black separatists.

Ultimately, films such as ‘Spies of Mississippi’ serve two crucial purposes: recognition and update. They progress the long venture of bookkeeping for America’s history of racial oppression, in brutal detail. I also think that racism can be dead but somehow, our country or some sort of higher power won’t let it die so it causes more of an uproar for the country itself to say that there is still oppression within our communities. People nowadays are friends with everybody but in the news, there’s always something with police officers shooting an African American and it only shows half of what happened but never the full proof so the story takes 3 sides, the cop’s side, the victim’s side, and the real story. That’s just one example of how racism still exists in this country when it really shouldn’t. Also, in my opinion, people should watch “Spies of Mississippi” to further knowledge their minds on the civil rights movement.

Jeffrey Dahmer vs. Ted Bundy: Nature vs. Nurture

The nature-nurture debate involves whether human behavior is determined by the environment, either prenatal or during a person’s life, or by a person’s genes. This is an ongoing debate that has been going on for quite a while now. People’s opinions change constantly, and due to this the question can’t be really answered, and recently the nature side of the debate has been gaining more and more attention. Some people relate murders and crimes with nature versus nurture when trying to look for an explanation for criminals’ actions. The question here is whether people are born evil or made evil, which I will try to answer below using the example of two serial killers – Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy.

The coding of genes in each cell in us humans determines the different traits that we have, more dominantly on physical attributes like eye color, hair color, ear size, height, and other traits. However, it is still not known whether such controversial traits like personality, intelligence, sexual orientation, likes, and dislikes are gene-coded in our DNA too. One nature theory is that there may be an existing ‘gay gene’, which explains that gays are actually born that way. An April 1998 article in LIFE magazine titled ‘Were You Born That Way’ by George Howe Colt claimed that “new studies show it’s mostly in your genes”. Another issue is that criminal acts, propensity for divorce, and aggressive behavior causing abuse can be justified by the ‘behavioral genes’ once researchers have proven their existence. Take Jeffrey Dahmer for example. Jeffrey Dahmer was an American serial killer and sex offender who raped, murdered, and dismembered 17 men and boys from 1978 to 1991. His mother was a teletype machine instructor, and his father was a chemist. In Dahmer’s early childhood, he was described as being an ‘energetic and happy child’. At just the age of four Dahmer manifested an interest in animals. Friends later recalled Dahmer initially collected large insects, dragonflies, and butterflies, which he placed inside jars. Later, he collected animal carcasses from the roadside, occasionally accompanied by one or more of his few friends. He dismembered these animals either at home or in an expanse of woodland behind the family home and kept their dismembered body parts in their shed. Later on, his mom would give birth to his younger brother, whom he got to name David, and they moved houses. Later on, his mom would give birth to his younger brother, David, and they moved houses. His dad taught Dahmer to bleach and preserve bones – due to Dahmer’s curiosity, he asked his father and his father believed it was just his kid’s scientific curiosity. Dahmer would later use this practice in his real murders. Dahmer committed his first murder in the summer of 1978 at the age of 18, just three weeks after his graduation. He picked up a hitchhiker whom he took to his house, strangled to death, masturbated on top of the corpse, and dissected to pieces his body. He later failed at his attempt at college at Ohio State University and developed an alcohol problem. So he joined the military, U.S. Army to be specific, and rape two of his fellow soldiers. At the time of his first arrest, he stated: “I trained myself to view people as objects of pleasure, not as people”. He went on to murder 17 men and boys and commit several offensive crimes. This serial killer is believed to be born evil (nature). He had a pretty good upbringing and good parents who cared a lot for him. But even as a young child, he always found murder, torture, and disfigurement of body parts interesting, and as he grew, his passion for it grew bigger. He could have chosen a different path, but he didn’t, maybe because evil was already in his blood or his genes.

Nurture refers to all the environmental variables that impact who we are, including our early childhood experiences, how we were raised, our social relationships, and our surrounding culture. This is the most common, too, when it comes to criminals, and in general, what shapes most people’s character. An example of a nurtured serial killer would be Ted Bundy. Ted Bundy was one of the most popular criminals in the 1970s. He was known for being very handsome and charismatic. He confessed to killing and to 30 homicides that he committed in seven states between 1974 through 1978, although his number of homicides is believed to be much higher than that. Bundy was born Theodore Robert Cowell on November 24, 1946, to Eleanor Louise Cowell at the Elizabeth Lund Home for Unwed Mothers. For the first three years of his life, Bundy lived in the Philadelphia home of his maternal grandparents, Samuel and Eleanor Cowell, who raised him as their son to avoid social shame. Ted was told that his grandparents were his parents and that his mother was his older sister. He eventually discovered the truth, although he had varied recollections of the circumstances. He told a girlfriend that a cousin showed him a copy of his birth certificate after calling him a ‘bastard’. In some interviews, Bundy spoke warmly about his grandparents, and mainly he claimed that he “identified with”, “respected”, and “clung to” his grandfather. In 1987, however, he and other family members told attorneys that Samuel Cowell was a tyrannical bully and bigot who hated blacks, Italians, Catholics, and Jews. Bundy’s grandfather beat his wife and the family dog and swung neighborhood cats by their tails. Bundy described his grandmother as a timid and obedient woman who periodically underwent therapy for depression and feared leaving their house toward the end of her life. In 1950, Louise (Ted Bundy’s mother) left Philadelphia with her son to live with cousins Alan and Jane Scott in Tacoma, Washington. She met and got married to Johnny Culpepper Bundy. Johnny Bundy formally adopted Ted. Johnny and Louise conceived four children of their own, and although Johnny tried to include his adoptive son in camping trips and other family activities, Ted remained distant. In mid-1970, Bundy was now focused and goal-oriented, and he re-enrolled at UW, this time as a psychology major. He became an honor student and was well-regarded by his professors. In 1971, he took a job at Seattle’s Suicide Hotline Crisis Center, where he met and worked alongside Ann Rule. Ann Rule was a former Seattle police officer and aspiring crime writer who would later write one of the definitive Bundy biographies, ‘The Stranger Beside Me’. She saw nothing disturbing in Bundy’s personality at the time and described him as “kind, solicitous, and empathetic”. Later he went on to kill multiple people, no one really knows when he started killing or what triggered it. You can infer that Ted Bundy had a pretty confusing and not-so-great childhood. Starting from having to find out who his real mom was and watching his abusive grandfather. Who knows what happened in that household? In my opinion, Bundy learned his behavior from his grandfather, he probably beat his wife, and Bundy took those actions into his life, but went as far as murdering them. Ted Bundy’s horrible childhood played out in his adulthood. Therefore his nurture was his downfall.

In conclusion, as can be seen in the examples of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy, it is not possible to unequivocally state that it is nature that guides the actions, in this case, so terrible, of people. Both nature and nurture are equivalent because both can lead a person to commit crimes. Accordingly, the nature versus nurture debate will still remain open, unfortunately. On the other hand, it should be remembered that the crime that a person commits is their own choice, and the responsibility for it lies solely with them, not their genes or nurture.

Essay on George Harvey Serial Killer

Themes

Mortality becomes ever-present in the Salmon family ever since Susie’s elbow was found, and she was declared dead. It is because now they can see how ephemeral life is that they start making choices for themselves and their own lives individually, and no longer for the family. Dad engages in a battle for justice, while the mother goes away and tries to get to know herself again. Susie’s death gave them all a key to look deeper into their lives. Still, the murder has touched them in such a way that they can appreciate how finite life is. In The Lovely Bones, Susie Salmon recounts, from the afterlife, her grim and violent death at the hands of her rapist and neighbor, George Harvey. Susie says that the way we die, and the needs, desires, and qualities we possess at the time of death, impact our experiences in the afterworld. This is the story of Susie’s experience in the afterworld, where she watches her family on Earth break down and rebuild. She also stalks her killer and tries to engineer his capture, while learning about his previous crimes and communing with his other dead victims. Eventually, Susie comes to terms with her existence in the new realm. The novel contrasts a hideous death with a lovely and compelling vision of the afterlife.

Even the man who committed the crime continues to lead a normal life without remorse. Yet, he too meets his end. He too is mortal and he too will get to pay for his sins. A moment later, the icicle fell. The heavy coldness of it threw him off balance just enough for him to stumble and pitch forward. It would be weeks before the snow in the ravine melted enough to uncover him. In other words, mortality makes everyone, friend or foe, just as small and helpless in the big scheme of things.

Another reason why mortality ranks as the most influential theme of the novel is because the entire story is told from the perspective of a dead woman looking into the world of the living. The way that she sees the daily dynamics of the living, their reactions, and their struggles contrast greatly with her reality as someone who exists in a realm that nobody knows and most fears for whatever reason. The theme of mortality and death is prevalent in the plot and helps it move forward, and it is when Susie accepts her mortality and the fact that she will remain in the afterlife that the story of Susie finally comes to a cathartic and satisfying (while still very sad) ending.

Susie exemplifies good and innocence. With the act of Susie’s rape and murder committed by Mr. Harvey, it seems as if evil overpowered the force of good. In reality, good remained strong throughout the book because love kept Susie’s spirit alive and well. Susie’s family suffered a terrible loss when Susie died. Their ability to persevere in life and have the ability to move on after experiencing a tragedy, like losing a family member, emphasizes the strength of good can overcome even the obstacles of evil. “I watched my beautiful sister running and I knew she was not running away from me or toward me.”

Like someone who has survived a gut shot, the wound had been closing, closing, braiding into a scar for eight long years. ” (p. 242) This quote describes the battle Susie’s sister has been struggling with for a long period, but it also demonstrates Lindsey as a representation of good conquering the horrific aftermath of a tragedy. In the end, Mr. Harvey is ironically killed by an icicle, which concludes a sad ending for his symbolism of evil. “How to commit the perfect murder was an old game in heaven. I always chose the icicle because the weapon melts away. ” (p. 25) Therefore with the death of George Harvey and the perseverance of the Salmon family, evil most definitely did not conquer. It merely triumphed briefly. “These were the lovely bones that had grown around my absence: the connections – sometimes tenuous, sometimes made at great cost, but often magnificent – that happened after I was gone. And I began to see things in a way that let me hold the world without me in it. The events that my death wrought were merely the bones of a body that would become whole at some unpredictable time in the future. The price of what I came to see as this miraculous body had been my life. (P. 320)

The ending is about as happy as a book about a murdered girl can get. It features the fulfillment of one of Susie’s utmost desires, articulated in Chapter 2 “I could not have what I wanted most. Mr. Harvey dead and me living. Heaven wasn’t perfect. (2.39)”. Mr. Harvey is interrupted from pursuing his latest teen victim and gets plummeted to his death by the most ironic of deaths; death by an icicle. Said icicle might or might not have been dislodged by Susie’s ghostly interference. We like to think she had a hand in things. Notice also that Harvey’s death by icicle is cleverly foreshadowed at a midpoint in the novel. Susie says: “In heaven, ‘How to Commit the Perfect Murder’ was an old game. I always chose the icicle: the weapon melts away. (10.139)” Yes, revenge is sweet, but Susie’s desire for Mr. Harvey’s death is based more on preventing him from hurting others than revenge for her own sake. Even though she’s already in ‘wide wide Heaven’ she can only truly stop her Earth-angst if she doesn’t have to worry about this creep hurting people. Mr. Harvey’s death begs a question: Where does he go when he dies? What do you think?

Creepy thoughts aside, this tragical happy aspect of the ending is followed by the next best thing to the restoration of Susie’s life on Earth: the birth of her niece and namesake, baby Abigail Suzanne, the baby of super-couple Lindsey and Samuel. The birth gives the novel a sense of formal unity. A novel that begins with the death of a young girl, and ends with the birth of another. She won’t replace Susie, of course, but she can help Susie’s loved ones heal.

Literary Lenses

Psychological lense

After Susie is murdered her body is almost completely disposed of, except for that one elbow. The one that led her family to believe that something had happened to her. Her family feels the physical loss of her body and the uncertainty of her death, making it extremely difficult for them to grieve over her loss. Her family members try to hold on to Susie’s belongings as long as possible to physically keep her with them, but towards the end, they realize that Susie will live on in their memories longer than these materialistic objects. During Susie’s wake death, her mother distances herself farther away from the family and is also psychologically distant from her husband and children. She then chooses to eventually physically remove herself from the home altogether. She now becomes the absent mother and the absent wife, and both Buckley and Jack feel the lack of the presence of their mother very strongly. While Buckley stops himself from missing his mother, Jack begins to fall in love with his wife again while she is away.

Feminist Lens

While reading this novel, it is easy for the reader to make connections while looking through the ‘Feminist Lens’. Throughout the novel, it is evident that women are oppressed. Rape and gender-based violence are seemingly accepted by society and excuses are made for the men who do it. Susie- in a way was forced into doing something she doesn’t like by society more than by Mr. Harvey. He kept on telling her to be polite and follow his orders because he was an authority figure that she should look up to and follow his orders because this is how society taught her to be. If this were to happen in today’s society, women would be more alert and have more knowledge of how this society twists rules to the advantage of certain individuals.

Conflicts

Susie felt like she was obligated to come down to the underground hut because Mr. Harvey is older and he is a man and she should respect his wishes even if she knew it would upset her parents.

The conflict of the novel is between Susie and the obstacles that are thrown in her way. It seems that Susie is conflicted about living in the heaven she was forced to be in or the wonderful life she lived on earth with her family and friends and Ray. But the problem is much deeper, as the main antagonist that harms Susie is grief and the harsh acceptance that is forced along with it. The author is trying to point out that losing somebody becomes very crucial for one’s life. In her characters’ examples, she shows how the grieving process affects all members of the victim’s family. The Salmon family finds themselves in very dubious conflict: the battle against the murderer of their daughter, on the one hand, and on the other hand, there are constant misunderstandings between the members of the family who are constantly trying to come to terms with the tragedy. , Still, at the end of her novel, the author speaks of the acceptance and a new lifestyle that is stabilized so that the family starts to live, giving hope for the better to the reader.

Throughout the investigation of his eldest daughter’s death, Jack Salmon had many conflicts, some were person vs person (his wife, Mr. Harvey, and detective Len Fenerman) a while after the case of Susie Salmon’s disappearance was closed, Mr. Salmon was still in conflict, but with himself now, he thought that we should have been there for her- his daughter, he could have saved her and went out to look for her earlier rather than eating dinner without her. He should have had the parental intuition. His guilt was eating him up and he couldn’t do anything about it

Secondary Sources

De Lint, Charles. “The Lovely Bones (Book).” Fantasy & Science Fiction, vol. 104, no. 2, Feb. 2003, p. 29. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=lkh&AN=8788644&site=lrc-plus

After reading the book review of The Lovely Bones I came to realize that when Susie is stuck in that in-between place in her heaven, she is still there because she is trying to protect her family from Mr. Harvey and any other dangers that could come to pass them; but she was still there protecting them specifically form the murderer. As well as the fact that this book was helpful for many women who have suffered the same or a similar misfortune and this helped many of them process and evolve and grow around the world that injured them. This book made many women realize that they are not the only ones who have experienced rape. It is a bittersweet feeling knowing that you’re not alone but also knowing that other women were hurt and felt similar pain and equivalent wounds. The author of the review said “I pretty much fell in love with the book. And then I started to notice all the mainstream interest in her and the novel and realized that I wasn’t alone–not by a long shot. The positive praise lavished on The Lovely Bones is strong and well-deserved. But what I found the most interesting is that this book has about as fantastical a basis as anything in our genre, but that’s…not exactly ignored in the mainstream reviews, but it isn’t dwelled upon either.

They don’t ignore the fact that the book is narrated by a dead girl. Instead, they simply accept it and move on to discussing the characters and story. As do the novel’s growing legion of readers.” this shows that the author of this review is a little upset that the book is narrated by a dead girl. He seems to think that this is important because it reflects on the content and the quality of the writing.

Literary devices

Susie’s jingly hat is a symbol of her mother’s love and care. The fact that the hat is homemade demonstrates the love her mother has for her. Then Mr. Harvey perverts this by using it to gag/ choke Susie while he rapes her. It becomes a symbol of her loss of breath and voice, and most importantly, her innocence. When Len Fenerman finds her hat and shows it to Mr. and Mrs. Salmon, it becomes a symbol that Susie has been greatly harmed.

Lisdnsey recognizes the bright red scarf on the detective lens desk right away she knows that it is her mother’s When Lindsey sees it, and then proceeds to ask Len about it, she realizes that they are having an affair. Although Lindsey and Buckley become jealous of Abigail’s life outside of them, jealousy isn’t a quality that is demonstrated by Jack, and he never finds out about the affair. So, the scarf is transformed in this novel. It becomes a symbol of the fact that Abigail made her own choices about whom to have sex with. This also results in sharp contrast to the fate of her daughter, who didn’t have a choice of who to have sex with. This results in her death because of Mr. Harvey’s jealousy and desire to destroy her and the perfect world.

[Buckley to Jack:] ‘I saved the Monopoly shoe and then it was gone. You took it. You act like she was only yours!’ (18.60)

When Susie dies, Buckley is about four, and, while he never completely understands what happened to her, he has a fair idea. When it seems clear to the family that she’s met an unfortunate end, Jack tries to explain the absence of the beloved sister to Buckley over a game of Monopoly. The Monopoly shoe was always Susie’s piece. When he removes her piece from the game, Mr. Salmon uses the shoe to explain to Buckley how her removal from the game of life is, and he gives it to Buckley as a little souvenir to keep his sister. 

Identity Theft Causes and Effects Essay

Identity theft is a huge problem in today’s world as thirty-three (33) percent of all adults in the United States have been a victim of identity theft. On top of this with the internet being such an important tool on an everyday basis, we often overlook the fact that this information can often be taken by others with relative ease, and due to internet anonymity we can often find ourselves in a situation that is anything but pleasant. The struggles for authorities to connect the use of an IP address to a real person leads right to other illegal responses which aim at more damaging things like identity theft and unauthorized access to information systems such as passwords emails and home addresses.

The objective of this is to demonstrate the damage that can be caused by identity theft. The technological revolution has helped people to simplify their daily lives in recent years. This is almost entirely due to the internet’s creation and economic activity. Also, people had to do a lot of tasks to do a single task. For example, they had to go to the store to purchase clothing, food, or concert tickets, even though the store was open 24 hours a day. However, it is no longer required. Any of our orders can be put online with a single click. Financial transfers are becoming extremely easy with the use of online payment systems. It is mostly used to exploit individuals until the requisite knowledge about the target individual has been collected. In reality, some hackers use their talents for amusement, to deceive others, to demonstrate their capabilities, or to put their abilities to good use without any malice in their hearts.

Any information that can be accessed via the internet can be taken at any given time. These hackers can make money and conduct business transactions simply by using someone else’s money or identification via various online accounts such as emails or Facebook. They can, for example, buy items or, worse, drain a victim’s checking account or credit card which they can now open a new line of credit or loan; and they can also sell or buy a property without the owner’s knowledge. Due to these particular reasons all related to money, the identity theft rate is increasing year by year as people start finding more and more ways to take something that belongs to others. According to the United States Department of Justice in 2019, over 60 million Americans in total had become victims of identity theft. According to the United States Department of Justice in 2017, almost 15 million people had their identities stolen. Identity fraud is a reasonably common felony. As a result, identity theft involves a wide range of practices, including the gathering of personal data, the production of identification cards, and the unauthorized use of another person’s data for personal benefit. Identity theft happens when someone else’s identity is misused and used to achieve an advantage, typically for financial gain through deceit and fraud.

The operation entails a criminal stealing personal details about an individual’s identity, such as their address, date of birth, name, social security number, driver’s license number, insurance card number, and mother’s maiden name, and then impersonating the victim and effectively taking over his or her account. With over 2.5 million Americans reporting cases of identity fraud, it is one of the most prevalent forms of identity theft in the United States. Furthermore, medical identity fraud causes financial damage because the incorrect description of the victim’s medical records makes establishing the right facts for the client in question impossible, for example, if personal medical knowledge was used in the course of dispensing medications and other medicines in a hospital. To completely understand the severity of identity theft, important information to know is why the internet is so important, the different kinds of identity theft, how identity theft occurs, and ways to prevent identity theft.