Category: Sociology 7256

Introduction

How to Have a Conversation is a masterpiece article by John McDermott, and it appeared in Financial Times on March 10, 2012. The author explores how the art of having a good conversation has evolved with time especially in modern times where people prefer to interact through social media as opposed to having face-to-face talks. People are increasingly looking for ways to improve their conversation skills, and thus they join classes and groups in the quest to gain that elusive skill of becoming accomplished schmoozers. However, McDermott (2012) laments that even learning institutions do not understand the process of becoming an excellent conversationalist. He gives an example where he enrolled in The School of Life, which is a self-help academy co-founded by Alain de Botton. The author specifically signed for a session titled, How to have a conversation, because he wanted to better his skills in this area and perhaps match the eloquence and mastery of poet Samuel Coleridge.

At the end of the session, the author realized that he is wrong to think of conversation primarily as a performance art, mastered by the likes of Coleridge and Hitchens. Indeed, conversation neednt be anything. It neednt have a purpose (McDermott, 2012, para. 24). The conversation is about human connection  the very act of learning, listening and talking. It is about strong and meaningful relationships. It does not require to be dressed in intellectual costumes neither does it demand mastery of literature. This paper discusses how McDermott uses ethos, pathos, and logos as rhetorical devices when writing this compelling article.

Ethos

Ethos is a rhetorical device used by speakers to establish their credibility and authority in the subject matter of their speech or writings (Wróbel, 2015). In the article, McDermott employs ethos to appeal to the audience by choosing an appropriate language, sounding unbiased, and using the right grammar and syntax. Additionally, the author introduces his personal experiences in the quest to understand what it takes to become an outstanding conversationalist.

Throughout the paper, the author highlights his personal experiences, and thus some parts of the article are written in the first person as a way of using ethos. McDermott waits until the fourth paragraph to introduce his experience, he does so masterfully, which is one of the captivating aspects of this story. He says, And so I found myself one cold Tuesday evening in February talking to complete strangers, nibbling on vegetable quiche and sipping blackcurrant cordial (McDermott, 2012, para. 4). He chooses his words carefully, which leaves the audience curious to know what happens thereafter. He immediately asserts his credibility and authority on the matter by stating that he joined a class to study how to have a conversation. The author proceeds to describe his interaction with other classmates and the tutor in detail by deliberately picking on items peripheral to the conversation, such as shelves on the wall, which is a technique for using ethos.

McDermott inserts personal anecdotes throughout the article to show that he identifies with the contemporary challenges of having a fruitful conversation, hence asserting his credibility on the topic. Similarly, he does not simply mention the name of the characters involved. Instead, he describes what they were wearing. He does not only repeat what they said, but he also indicates how they said it. He is also quick to admit that his understanding of being an outstanding schmoozer is twisted. He says, My idea of a good conversationalist was an erudite entertainer. I had ambitions of learning how to host a good table. I had imagined finding out how to emulate Christopher Hitchens, quoting Yeats and quaffing scotch (McDermott, 2012, para. 10). This aspect shows that he is unbiased, and thus he could be trusted to give an objective opinion about the topic. Ultimately, this careful application of ethos compels the reader to continue interacting with the contents of the article.

Pathos

Pathos is a technique used to appeal to the audiences feelings and arouse their emotions towards the desired end. It involves the use of motivational or vivid language by employing literary stylistic devices, such as metaphors and similes among other related techniques (Wróbel, 2015). McDermott uses metaphors throughout the paper to conceptualize his ideas, which makes the article captivating. To describe an excellent conventionalist, he says, None of my new friends said they wanted to be a raconteur in the Coleridge or the Hitchens mold (McDermott, 2012, para. 10). In order to clarify what he meant in that sentence, he uses the Hitchens mold because the audience can understand it better. When describing the classroom, he says, They faced a white wall that had been attacked by black paint, which had left behind a monochromatic mural (McDermott, 2012, para. 11). This augmentation of metaphorical language in his writing creates interest, and the audience is enthralled. In this case, metaphors highlight the speakers experiences by first capturing the readers attention before elucidating the quality and nature of underlying emotions.

Logos

Logos is the logic behind a claim and facts, statistics, or citing of different authorities on the subject matter could be used as part of this rhetorical device. The use of historical and literal analogies is also part of logos. McDermott uses logos by citing prominent figures on the subject of having conversations. For instance, he quotes George Orwell by highlighting his fears concerning how technology would affect personal communication. The author also references Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett, who are the protagonists in the famous Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice. He continues to talk about Dale Carnegies How to Win Friends and Influence People. To assert his knowledge on the topic, he says, I happen to have a copy of Readers Digests How to Write and Speak Better from 1991 (McDermott, 2012, para. 14). The extensive referencing of authoritative historical figures, such as George Orwell, Dale Carnegie, and Jane Austen, convinces the audience of what the speaker is talking about through logic and reason.

Conclusion

McDermott wrote the article How to Have a Conversation to highlight the challenges that people encounter when trying to master this skill. The use of rhetorical devices in this article is not just for aesthetic purposes. He applies ethos to create credibility about his authority to talk about the topic. He also uses metaphors extensively throughout the paper as part of pathos to break the monotony and make the work rich and relatable to the audience. The concept of logos is applied by quoting respectable historical figures, whose works continue to be used as reference points when talking about the topic of conversation. The use of these rhetorical devices establishes McDermott as a versatile writer.

References

McDermott, J. (2012). How to have a conversation. Financial Times. Web.

Wróbel, S. (2015). Logos, ethos, pathos: Classical rhetoric revisited. Polish Sociological Review, 191, 401-421.

Introduction

In modern conditions and the accelerated development of civilization, the role of the individual in society is becoming more significant, in connection with this, the problem of individual freedom and responsibility to society more and more often arises. The first attempt to justify the point of view of explaining the relationship between democracy and the need for its recognition of their organic relationship belongs to Spinoza, who defined liberty as a conscious need. The detailed concept of the dialectical unity of freedom and necessity from idealistic positions was given by Hegel (Miletzki and Broten 44).

The scientific, dialectical-materialistic solution to the problem of freedom and necessity proceeds from the recognition of objective necessity as primary, and the will and consciousness of man as a secondary derivative. In addition, the individual will is mostly free where it can be heard and expressed with positive feedback that manifests itself in a change. However, it should be noted that individuality is vital for having a healthy and functional society due to the fact that groups can be manipulated or controlled. Thus, an individual should have at least equal authority compared to society.

Main body

The first reason is that individuality and personal freedom play a significant role in overall societal satisfaction. This is the difference between the universality of all nature and the universality of that part that has been historically mastered by man. However, Marx and Engels argued differently, because they borrowed from Hegel a formula according to which freedom is a known necessity (Miletzki and Broten 52). This formula made it possible to get along with the doctrine of historical determinism. It was believed that her awareness would lead to an acceleration of historical progress, to a more rapid onset of the communist future.

In addition, individual needs must be placed before social necessities, because the former is a critical determining piece of the latter. Kant could not ignore the freedom of choice in the moral life of people, and he called for help to the so-called practical mind, the competence of which was well-known, in its formulation, moral-categorical imperative (Miletzki and Broten 61). Therefore, an individuals will must be prioritized in order to preserve a functioning State, because suppressing individualism will increase tension among people and its government.

However, the philosopher did not give a clear answer on how to distinguish between both minds in the mental and objective-practical activity of people. In modern conditions, in the era of the development of democracy, the problem of individual freedom is becoming more global (Barnet et al. 87). It is being resolved at the level of international organizations in the form of laws on the rights and freedoms of the individual, which are now becoming the basis of any policy and are carefully protected. For instance, democracy is prevalent in individualistic countries, whereas a number of Asian and collectivistic nations had cases when freedom of expression was suppressed (Wong and Liu 161). The recent case of Hong Kong protest is an excellent demonstration of the State dismissing an individuals will.

Conclusion

In conclusion, not all problems of personal freedom have been solved all over the world, since this is one of the most challenging tasks. Nonetheless, an individual will must be treated as a more important aspect of human governance due to its direct impact on society. Personalities in culture are currently billions, and every minute on earth, their interests, rights, and freedoms clash. Such concepts as freedom and responsibility are inseparable since freedom is not permissiveness; for violation of other peoples rights and freedoms, the person is responsible to society according to the law adopted by the community.

Works Cited

Barnet, Sylvan, et al. Current Issues and Enduring Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking and Argument, with Readings. Bedford, 2016.

Miletzki, Janna, and Nick Broten. Development as Freedom. Macat, 2017. Taylor & Francis Group. Web.

Wong, Hio Tong, and Shih-Diing Liu. Cultural Activism during the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement. Journal of Creative Communications, vol. 13, no. 2, 2018, 157-165.

The notorious Hollywood machine has been adopting blind approaches toward the portrayal of racial stereotypes and the enhancement of sexualization and objectification in movies. The problem of representing women of color and female characters in movies, in general, has not been resolved fully since the conception of the problem, although certain positive tendencies can be observed currently.

In her work, Celine Parreñas Shimizu addresses the issue of objectifying Asian women in Hollywood cinema, pointing to the presence of a deeper and more troubling concern of the contemporary media. Although Shimizu acknowledges the positive shift in the representation of races in the Hollywood cinema, she also makes a legitimate statement concerning the idea of the sexualization of women of color in the Hollywood cinema as an ongoing trend, thus calling for the necessity to introduce change to the current perception of Asian women in media.

The phenomenon of female sexualization coupled with the tendency to dehumanize women of color in Hollywood cinema has been discussed extensively. Nonetheless, adding the perspective of a representative of the specified vulnerable group contributes extensively to the discussion. The significance of Shimizus analysis is very high since she provides her perspective on the problem and outlines possible solutions to it (McLoughlin 62).

Specifically, the qualities that are typically associated with an Asian woman, including being servile and self-sacrificing, as well as a perfect representation of a devoted wife, are predominant in the characters that are created for Asian women to impersonate in movies (Shimizu 59). The lack of diversity in the movies that are geared toward general audiences and, therefore, are likely to gain the greatest number of views is a legitimate source of concern when viewing it from the standpoint of equality and equity in modern culture.

The stereotypes concerning the role of women, in general, and women belonging to racial minorities, in particular, run the gamut from mildly uncomfortable to downright harmful and causing a disturbing effect on the perception of the specified demographic by the rest of the American population. Thus, with modern cinema not only failing to subvert these tropes but also perpetuating them, it is critical to build awareness and encourage change in the contemporary representation of Asian women in movies. The Hollywood standard of character creation and moviemaking needs to be changed, starting from how Asian women are framed, and continuing with the alterations of the roles that they play (Dave et al. 48).

Although several active characters portrayed by Asian actresses have been introduced in the contemporary film industry, the specified instances are not enough to create a new image of an Asian woman in American society. By shifting the focus toward exploring trends in the portrayal of Asian women in the American media, one will be able to make a positive change and promote greater diversity.

By pointing to the succession in the portrayal of Asian women in Hollywood cinema, Shimizu makes a very compelling statement concerning the unceasing process of sexualization as the key trend with Asian actresses in the Hollywood domain. The lack of voice in shaping characters and making them less stereotypical and more dimensional affects the portrayal of Asian women in the American cinema, thus contributing to the reinforcement of racial stereotypes and the enhancement of biases within American society. Thus, it is critical to consider the strategies for introducing changes to American cinema and the approaches toward depicting Asian women in movies.

Works Cited

Dave, Shilpa, et al. Global Asian American Popular Cultures. NYU Press, 2016.

McLoughlin, Linda. A Critical Discourse Analysis of South Asian Womens Magazines: Undercover Beauty. Springer, 2017.

Shimizu, Celine Parreñas. The Hypersexuality of Race. Duke University Press, 2007.

Main Points

• One-dimensional thinking prevents people from recognizing talent.
• Talent and individuality are often complex and multifaceted notions.
• The facets of talent or individuality are frequently independent of each other, and there is a need for emerging criteria to measure or evaluate it.
• It is challenging to produce an objective measure of an individuals intellect as the latter develops in multiple spheres.
• Recognizing the jaggedness of individuality is the key to unlocking the potential of a person, allowing him or her to tend to their weaknesses and reinforce their strengths

Summary

Introduction (p.77-80)

• To measure job applicants in the 2000s, many large-scale firms employed simple rating scales because they were straightforward.
• On-the-job performance was frequently estimated using forced ranking  one-dimensional scale.
• After a decade, pioneers like Microsoft and Google changed their approach towards a more balanced and multicriterial evaluation scores.
• The giant corporations realized that talent could not be measured with one simple criterion because human potential is a complex notion.

The Jaggedness Principle (p.81-85)

• Most human characteristics have different dimensions to them. Something as simple as body size could be evaluated with a set of measurements such as arm, waist, chest, torso and other sizes.
• Thus, to measure ones individuality as something even more complex there is a necessity to apply multiple criteria as well.
• The mid-20th-century tendency to average everything pertaining to a person has now changed for parsing individuality and uniqueness.

The Weakest Links (p.85-90)

• The sole apprehension of multidimensionality in relation to talent is not sufficient for building a correct view of the latter.
• However, uniting all the used measures under the single numeric index is still a standing practice that serves to simplify, quantify, and evaluate potential.
• The flaw of unified scales is that it does not show the value of sub-parameters that are included into it.
• The correlations between different criteria are generally misunderstood and assigned the wrong value due to averagarian science.
• In terms of mathematics, however, the 0.4 correlation between two dimensions is a weak correlation that explains and demonstrates virtually nothing.
• Thus, one may conclude that in relation to individuality it is difficult to find strong correlations among strong music skills, weak puzzle solving and conclude on the average intelligence of such person.

Overcoming Talent Blindness (p. 91-98)

• A study conducted by an analyst at Google revealed that many conventional measures such as SAT and programming contests mere poorly related to job performance.
• A multitude of factors still had to be put forward and reviewed to select a potential candidate, which nonetheless demonstrated good results.
• Small companies who could not outcompete Google and other IT giants switched to reviewing statements of passion and programming skills to determine if the person fits the team.
• Thus, the search for indicators of raw talent continues under the principle of jaggedness which dictates that each person is unique and measuring his talent requires more than standard practice tests.

Tapping into Your Full Potential

• The authors own experience of facing averagarian approach is illustrative of the need for jaggedness recognition.
• Analytical Reasoning as a Part of the GRE test could be solved using a multitude of approaches, yet teacher was able to convey only one that suited him and most of the students.
• The average-based system of learning does not favor talent development.
• Individual approach occasionally has the same potential to solve the issue.
• Allowing for personalized learning is key to discovering ones individuality.
• For a person to recognize his or her jaggedness is also important.
• The reason why jaggedness has to be valued is that it allows for realizing the untapped potential and feeling more secure.

Defining the Community

The given paper is devoted to the detailed community assessment with the primary goal to determine its current state and problems that might affect its further development. The selected community is El Portal, Florida. It is a comparatively small diverse enclave placed between Miami Shores and Miami. By the census, its population is 2,325 people (QuickFacts, n.d.). There are representatives of various races and cultures living there. White individuals comprise 39,8% of the whole population; African-American persons comprise 50,1%; finally, two other significant groups are Hispanics (28,6%) and Asian (1,2%) (QuickFacts, n.d.). Birth rates are high (69,6 per 1000 women) and contribute to the growth of the population (QuickFacts, n.d). The diversity of composition preconditions the unique culture and peculiarities of the discussed community. There are various beliefs, customs, and traditions that can be observed there. There are no distinct boundaries between the described ethnic groups as they live on the whole territory; however, there is some tendency in the distribution of demographics as representatives of the same race prefer to live close to each other forming neighborhoods consisting of these individuals.

Catholicism is the dominant religion in the area as about 24% of people describe them as Christians belonging to this very confession. Another peculiarity is the gradual growth of the village population, which counts 25,4% (Profile of general population, n.d.). The average household income is $39,681, which can be taken as the median, especially if compared with other areas (Profile of general population, n.d.). Education level is similar to the average one in the USA: there are 81.5% of high school graduates (QuickFacts, n.d.). Statistics states that the average age of deaths is 71 (QuickFacts, n.d.). In general, the community seems safe and not dangerous both for residents and for newcomers. The primary goal for the investigation of this society is the attempt to determine the existence of hidden problems that might become a serious barrier to development in the future. The assessment is conducted via observations, interviews with locals, and surveys distributed among the representatives of the population living in the area.

Assessment

Despite the first impression stating that there are no topical problems in the area, the in-depth assessment contributes to the improved understanding of the current state of problematic issues. By the relevant statistics, Miami-Dade County (El Portal belongs to it) has the highest rates of the uninsured population of the USA, as up to 40% of citizens have problems with access to health services (Miami-Dade County forces of change, 2018). Additionally, there is a high percentage of underserved populations that might suffer from other problematic issues such as poor access to education, healthcare, and other services demanded a high quality of life. By the national data, there are also problems with unemployment, low income, poverty, and the development of diseases that might deteriorate the heal of the nation.

In this regard, assessment of the selected community is a key for the improved understanding of what are the relevant problems and areas of improvement that should be changed with the primary goal to achieve significant success and ensure that people will benefit from the creation of a new environment. For instance, about 16.3% of families in El Portal live below the poverty line, which means that there is a need for intervention with the primary goal to eliminate the problem and create a new development paradigm. The situation is also complicated by the fact that adolescents and individuals under age 18 also experience multiple hardships caused by high poverty rates (about 9.3% of this group) (QuickFacts, n.d.). It indicates the existence of some system problems impacting the life and evolution of the community.

Data Gathering

The data needed for the assessment will be gathered from various sources providing relevant and credible statistics about the current state of the population in the USA. Thus, by the provided fact sheet, the appearance, and development of chronic diseases is a significant problem of Miami Dade County, including El Portal (Miami-Dade County forces of change, 2018). The information collected from health facilities located in the area evidence that the number of people with long-term complications and states increases every year (Neighborhood HELP, n.d). For this reason, there is a need for the improvement of the situation with the primary goal to ensure a better quality of life for people (Miami-Dade County forces of change, 2018). Moreover, the development of undesired states is preconditioned by the complicated access to health services peculiar to the area. In many cases, because of the limited access to health facilities and the existence of a high number of uninsured individuals, no appropriate intervention is provided (Neighborhood HELP, n.d.). It becomes a serious factor that should be considered while assessing the state of the community.

Traditionally, the area is associated with a high level of HIV/AIDs incidence. Facts show that these two aspects, along with the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), affect a significant part of the population (HIV surveillance, n.d.). For El Portal, the problem also remains topical as poor sexual literacy and the lack of knowledge related to this sphere preconditions the appearance of new cases every year (Miami-Dade County forces of change, 2018). For this reason, there are multiple attempts to improve the situation by launching various governmental programs aimed at the improvement of the state of health in the area and the provision of needed interventions to all community members. There is also a lack of desire to participate in various social projects because of the inappropriate understanding of their nature.

Data Generation

The official data can be compared to real facts relevant to the selected community at the moment. For this reason, an informant interview is conducted with the primary goal to determine the existing problems and areas that should be given attention. The following questions were asked:

• What are the strengths of the community?
• What are its weaknesses?
• What areas should be improved first of all?
• Is there is limitless access to healthcare facilities?
• What are the opportunities for future development?

Answers to these questions proved the official statements about the existence of problematic access to healthcare. Additionally, the respondent listed high unemployment rates and price for housing as serious reasons deteriorating the quality of peoples lives here. The situation with SDTs and HIV also remains complex, especially for younger populations as they face poverty and the lack of finances to continue education or engage in some other kinds of activity.

Conclusion

Altogether, El Portal is a community located in Miami County Dade and consisting of representatives of various nationalities. The situation is not critical here as there are some positive aspects such as the absence of race tensions, medium level of income, and opportunities for evolution. However, such serious problems as HIV, STDs, poverty, and high unemployment rates can limit people in their development and precondition the deterioration of the situation. In such a way, the proposed community assessment reveals critical problems that exist in the area and prove the need for various programs or interventions to improve the situation and help people.

References

HIV surveillance. (n.d.). 

Miami-Dade County forces of change assessment 2018. (2018). 

Neighborhood HELP engages underserved communities to increase health care access. (n.d.). 

Profile of general population and housing characteristics: 2010 demographic profile data. (n.d.). Web.

QuickFacts. (n.d.). Web.

“

Introduction

I was born in a household that was mostly managed by my father. While my mother occasionally visited, she had a strained relationship with him due to what I would later learn was opioid addiction. My father is an old-fashioned, masculine man who wanted to raise my brother and me in the same manner as that of his upbringing. As a result, I mostly played with dinosaurs and toy soldiers at home without having access to items that may be considered more feminine. With that said, I was aware that they existed and had no particular interest in playing with them. The other part of my early life is responsible for this knowledge and decision.

Essence

My father believes that children need regular physical activity and social interaction to grow up properly. As such, I would spend much time outdoors with other children, both boys and girls. I saw the latter playing around with dolls that they would bring with them but never had any particular interest in the activity. Instead, I embraced sports, which were also taking place in the playground. I remember playing football, baseball, and soccer, which I found myself favoring more and more often. I had some natural talent for legwork and enjoyed developing it and outplaying others. This preference has continued into the present, and currently, I play college soccer for recreation.

My brother, who is four years older than I am, may have been the source of my initial interest in the other sex. He was attractive and popular with girls and would often bring someone home for a sleepover. Our father knew and accepted this activity, and I saw it as usual due to this acceptance. Around the age of 9, I began seeing girls as attractive, though I would not act on these feelings until later on. Like my brother, I had my first intimate physical contact at 12 and first engaged in sex when I was 13. Since then, I have frequently been dating and having sex regularly.

Throughout my teenage years, I have given earnest consideration to the idea of homosexuality and whether I was attracted to other guys in that way. However, I found that I was not particularly interested in men. I neither admired the male body the same way I did the female nor felt anything similar in their proximity. I do not think that homosexuality is anything noteworthy, either positively or negatively, though the topic raises some technical questions out of curiosity. I have gotten used to seeing same-sex couples occasionally and no longer remark on it as anything unusual. Overall, I respect others sexualities and choices, even if I may not understand them or share the same views.

Conclusion

I mentioned above that I am attracted to the female body, but the statement does not mean that it is my sole concern regarding women. I enjoy dating and talking to girls as much as the more physical side of a relationship. I also believe in freedom of choice and do not force my decisions on my partners. They are free to do as they choose, and I will support them as long as I think they will be better off as a result. With that said, I consider physical characteristics significant and prefer looking at someone who I think is attractive. Overall, I am attracted to women both physically and mentally, but, while I do not share the same sentiment for men, I respect those that do.

Abstract

African Americans face a high risk of negative experiences connected to subtle racism, as in the cases of police brutality. It became a pivotal social justice issue in the United States after the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012, and the subsequent rise of the Black Lives Matter. Negative experiences, including police brutality, have spillover effects, meaning they not only affect the physical well-being of actual victims but also impact the psychological well-being of a disproportionally targeted group indirectly. This study aims to establish whether the parents of young black males experience higher levels of mental distress due to the more significant perceived threat faced by their children in everyday interactions with the public, in general, and police brutality, specifically.

Summary

Introduction

Social Significance

African Americans as a community regularly face negative experiences of racism that impact their physical and mental well-being both directly and indirectly. The use of lethal force toward civilians is a telling example. Alang, McAlpine, McCreedy, and Hardeman (2017) point out that the absence of a standard definition and reliable statistics make it difficult to quantify. According to one source, police kills more than 300 blacks every year (Bor, McAlpine, McCreedy, & Hardeman, 2018). According to another one, this number remains between 200 and 300 (Number of people shot to death, 2020).

However, multiple sources agree that African Americans encounter a much greater risk  from two to three times higher than their counterparts  to become a victim of police violence (Bor et al., 2018; Number of people shot to death, 2020). Admittedly, there are also objections stating that a large share of African American casualties in police violence is not necessarily an evidence of bias (Tregle, Nix, & Alpert, 2019). Yet even though the numerical data regarding police brutality against blacks may be misinterpreted, one cannot deny that it constitutes a social issue of current interest.

While the use of lethal force against civilians is only one example of the negative experiences that African Americans encounter, the matter in its current shape has risen to the forefront of national attention due to this particular issue. In 2012, George Zimmerman, a neighborhood crime watch regulator from Sanford, Florida, shot Trayvon Martin, a 17-year old black high-school student coming home from a convenience store (Teasley, Schiele, Adams, & Okilwa, 2018).

The acquittal of Zimmerman in 2013 caused widespread discontent across the country. In 2014, Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York City became victims of police brutality, the former shot down and the latter dying because of a chokehold (Garney, 2016). These three high-profile cases illustrated the higher risks of being victims of excessive force encountered by African Americans and solidified the image of a typical victim as a young black male wearing a hoodie sweatshirt.

As demonstrated above, the rates of police brutality targeting African Americans remain consistently high, meaning that the BLMs case remains valid. However, BLM also faces widespread criticism, as from the proponents of All Lives Matter slogan in social media, who accuse the movement of being exclusive and privileging Black lives over any other lives (Garney, 2016, p. 12). Therefore, while statistics demonstrate higher risks encountered by blacks, society at large still debates the issue.

It is due to this fact that the effects of young black males experiences with the general public  including law enforcement  and the impact of these experiences on the African American community as a whole remains a topic of current interest and acute social significance. Assessing the stigmatization of young black males from the African American perspective will be useful in evaluating the scope of the problem.

Statement of the Problem

While a young black male may be the most frequent target of stigmatization, it is the African American community as a whole that endures the impact. It happens because, apart from the direct effects of the negative experiences on its immediate victims, one should not discount its impact on the disproportionally targeted community as a whole. According to contemporary psychological research, the excessive use of force by law enforcement has spillover effects that impact even those not directly exposed to violence.

Bor, Venkataramani, Williams, and Tsai (2018) demonstrated that this notion applies fully to police brutality and the African American community. Even those who have not been victims of excessive use of force or have not even encountered it personally are still stressed solely by the virtue of belonging to the same racial group that bears the brunt of police violence in the United States.

Purpose of Study

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the experiences of young black males affect the levels of mental distress among their parents in the contemporary United States as compared to young white males and their parents. For the purpose of this study, the following research questions were addressed:

1. Do the experiences of young blacks with the public in general vs. the same experiences of young whites create different levels of mental distress in the parents of both categories, respectively?
2. Do the experiences of young blacks with law enforcement specifically vs. the same experiences of young whites create different levels of mental distress in the parents of both categories, respectively?
3. Does having a young black male child increases the level of mental distress in parents as compared to having a white or black female child?

As a part of this study, the investigation included one research hypothesis:

The negative encounters of young black males with the public and law enforcement resulting in violence and death tend to affect young black males more disproportionally than white males. This effect produces a higher level of mental distress in the parents of young black males as opposed to those of young white males, as the parents of the first category fear for the lives of their family members more.

Literature Review

Introduction

Scholarly interest toward the negative experiences faced by African Americans, has increased sharply during the recent years. Police brutality and racial profiling has been the focus of many works in the field due to the enduring social significance of and the public attention to the issue. While the accusations against the existing law enforcement practices are common and widespread in the public discourse, changing those constitutes a political rather than scholarly issue. Leaving political initiatives to other actors, researchers have generally centered their attention on several areas of interest.

These areas include identifying the most suitable theoretical perspective for a cohesive analysis of contemporary racism encountered by African Americans, establishing the effects of police brutality on the disproportionally targeted populations, and demonstrating the implications of the increased awareness of racial profiling in policing for different professional groups. The works in both these areas contain findings directly relevant for the present study.

This literature review will follow a thematic approach and organize the existing studies depending on the scholars field of interest and research questions posed. First of all, it will briefly cover the application of critical race theory to the experiences of young black males in the contemporary United States and the indirect impact of said experiences on the African American community as a whole.

Secondly, it will examine the current scholarly consensus on the indirect effects of police brutality against young black males on those who do not experience this violence firsthand but still feel targeted and, therefore, affected as a community. After that, the literature review will briefly summarize the implications of police brutality against young black males for professionals insofar as these implications relate directly to the topic of the study.

Literature Review

Critical Race Theory

Critical race theory (CRT) is a theoretical and conceptual framework that approaches and analyzes racial issues from a broader perspective than conventional civil rights groups or ethnic studies. Its primary focus is on studying and transforming the relationship among race, racism, and power that permeates American society on virtually all levels (Delgado & Stefancic, 2017, p. 3). As Delgado and Stefancic (2017) point out, this framework originated in the 1980s, when a group of scholars arrived at a conclusion that the advances of the Civil Rights era were being stalled or even rolled back, thus reinstating inherently racist practices under the guise of equality.

By applying the methods of critical legal studies to the matters of race, racism, and power  and also partially borrowing from radical feminism  the proponents of CRT came to question the liberal approach to race stressing formal legal equality (Delgado & Stefancic, 2017). CRT maintains the principle of legal indeterminacy  the notion that nit every legal case is solved correctly  and supplements it with the concept of socially constructed roles (Delgado & Stefancic, 2017). Consequently, CRT approaches race from a broader angle than traditional legal studies.

Delgado and Stefancic (2017) note that CRT perceives racism not as an exception, but as a part of the everyday cultural landscape of the United States regularly encountered by everyone living in the country. As the authors put it, racism is ordinary, not aberrational, and constitutes a widely accepted set of social practices (Delgado & Stefancic, 2017, p. 8). Another principal tenet of CRT, as outlined by Delgado and Stefancic (2017), is that inherent racism serves an essential social purpose for the dominant racial group  in the case of the United States, the white part of its population.

It follows from the first observation that the dominant racial group may perceive racism as a normal way of conducting professional duties  as when disproportionally targeting young black males over other population groups. The second observation demonstrates that the dominant group has no incentive to challenge or change the existing state of things  as when acquitting Zimmerman. By extension, the psychological pressure put on the family members and, specifically, parents of young black males becomes another subtle manifestation of racism that does not contradict the law directly.

In their work on race and education, Howard and Navarro (2016) outline several basic principles for a CRT scholar to follow. One of these principles is challenging the dominant perspective and representing the perspective of a subordinated or discriminated racial group (Howard and Navarro, 2016). Another principle is the reliance on the experiential knowledge of the individuals of color and their communities as a primary source of information for the studies (Howard and Navarro, 2016).

As Howard and Navarro (2016) put it, CRT research centers the narratives of people of color when attempting to understand social inequality (p. 6). Thus, the existing research on CRT provides a full theoretical foundation for studying police violence targeting African Americans as a manifestation of implicit racism using the experiences of the young black males parents as a primary source.

Indirect Effects of Negative Experiences

Bor, Venkataramani, Williams, and Tsai (2018) demonstrated that the adverse impact of police brutality against young black males affects not only the immediate victims but the African American community in general. According to the authors, police brutality targeting a specific sub-group tends to have spillover effects even on those not directly affected by or exposed to the violence. Bor et al. (2018) substantiated their hypothesis by establishing a correlation between the number of police killings of unarmed African Americans in the state of residence and the number of the days in which the mental state of a black respondent residing in the same state was reported as not good.

Thus, there are studies confirming that police brutality against young black males impacts the African American community as a whole by having an adverse effect on the mental health of even those of its members who have neither been subjected nor witnessed police violence personally.

Alang et al. (2017) classified the impact of police brutality on the health outcomes of the African American population of the United States. Overall, the authors established five different effects of police violence that tends to target young black males disproportionally. These include fatal injuries that contribute to mortality rates, adverse psychological responses that also increase morbidity, and stress caused by the racist public reactions, financial strains caused by incarceration, and systematic disempowerment brought by institutional racism (Alang et al., 2017).

Even if one discounts the latter two as only related to the health outcomes by proxy, it is still evident that a direct increase in morbidity caused by fatal trauma is only a small part of the overall impact of police brutality. Hence, research reveals that the indirect effects of police brutality on mental health not only exist but actually account for most of its impacts.

There are also studies that analyze the specific impact of police brutality against young black males on adult African American parents. Thomas and Blackmon (2015) pointed out that the murder of Trayvon Martin resulted in increased levels of racial socialization among Black parents. As the authors noted, shootings led to the parents stressing the reality of racism in their interactions with the children and trying to provide specific strategies for dealing with is manifestations (Thomas & Blackmon). However, this study centered mainly on the parent-child relationship rather than on the mental distress experienced by the parents themselves. Therefore, existing studies confirm that black parents react to police brutality, but have not yet analyzed its specific effect  of lack thereof  on the level of their mental distress.

The existence of spillover effects is why this research is valid even though the numerical data on the police-involving killings themselves may be inconclusive. Tregle et al. (2019) note that the number of people killed in police-involving accidents by race is an imperfect denominator, as African Americans generally encounter police officers more often than their white counterparts, meaning the risk of being shot per encounter is not as different between the races. However, it is not so much the facts of police brutality themselves but the perception of police violence as a clear threat that contributes to mental distress levels of a community that feels disproportionally targeted. Answering whether police intentionally targets African Americans disproportionally is beyond the scope of this research, but the perception of such disproportionate targeting definitely exists  and as long as it does, it remains one of the factors potentially influencing mental distress levels of parents who think their children are threatened.

Professional Implications of Negative Experiences

Numerous studies analyze the implications of the negative experiences, such as police brutality, faced by African Americans for law enforcement, but the research concentrated on social work and counseling is of more value for this paper. Teasley et al. (2018) maintain that social work with African Americans may only be successful if it resides on a firm understanding of the difference in perspective between black and white Americans. Sackett and Dogan (2019) second this notion by emphasizing that awareness of the clients perspectives and worldviews is a necessary prerequisite of moving forward collaboratively in counseling.

It means that counseling a black client requires at least the general idea of how police brutality and other social experiences affect the African American community. Washington and Henfield (2019) also emphasize the importance of the perspectives of marginalized populations for counseling. To summarize, the existing body of research urges to carefully consider the views and experiences of racism as encountered by African Americans and stresses the importance of doing so in numerous professional areas. This circumstance makes this study one of current interest and adds to its relevance.

Conclusion

The importance of implicit racism as a social issue and of police violence disproportionally targeting African Americans as its evident manifestation prompted a keen scholarly interest in the subject. As of now, there is plentiful research considering different aspects of police brutality against the black population of the United States. Scholars of critical race theory have offered a ready theoretical and conceptual framework for the study of implicit racism as an everyday reality and a widely accepted set of behavioral norms and practices in contemporary American society.

Those studying the specific impacts of police brutality of the disproportionally targeted population have established that actual physical trauma and the resulting increase in morbidity constitute only a small part of its effects. A much broader range of adverse psychological outcomes best covered by an umbrella term mental distress affects the African American community as a whole rather than the individual victims. Finally, recognizing and incorporating the perspectives of marginalized populations becomes increasingly valuable in numerous professional fields, such as counseling and social work.

However, there is still no study that would establish the specific effect  or lack thereof  that the experiences of young black males, including but not limited to police brutality, have on African American parents. There are authors who analyze the impact of police violence on black parents, but they have so far focused on parent-child interactions rather than the mental distress levels of black mothers and fathers. Therefore, a study of the interrelations between the experiences of young black males and the mental distress levels of African American parents is one of current interest and evident social relevance.

Methodology

Introduction

African Americans experience racist social practices regularly, which affect their physical and mental well-being. Police shootings and other police-related deaths of civilians are an evident example, since, statistically speaking, African Americans are targeted disproportionally in such occurrences of police brutality (Number of people shot to death, 2020). Younger African Americans are in particular danger, since the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner solidified the image of a typical victim of police brutality as a young black male in a hoodie (Thomas & Blackmon, 2015).

However, police brutality that disproportionally targets a specific part of the population affects not only those who encounter it directly but also the population group as a whole (Alang et al., 2017; Bor et al., 2018). It is plausible to assume that the negative experiences in children and the increased awareness about these experiences will cause increased levels of mental distress in all parents who fear for their childrens safety. It is also reasonable to presume that African American parents will experience higher levels of mental distress when compared to their white counterparts.

When members of a particular population group encounter negative experiences at significantly higher rates than the others, it crates a social environment where said group feels constantly threatened, which may lead to mental health problems. If a discriminated group is selected based on racial criteria, such a situation constitutes a subtle manifestation of racism that occurs while not being directly supported by any formalized norm of discrimination (Delgado & Stefancic, 2017). Therefore, the spillover effects of negative social experiences of young black males, including but not limited to police brutality, on the mental health of their parents constitute a social justice issue that merits a through scholarly inquiry.

Research Questions and Hypothesis

For the purpose of this study, the following research questions were addressed:

1. Do the experiences of young blacks with the public in general vs. the same experiences of young whites create different levels of mental distress in the parents of both categories, respectively?
2. Do the experiences of young blacks with law enforcement specifically vs. the same experiences of young whites create different levels of mental distress in the parents of both categories, respectively?
3. Does having a young black male child increases the level of mental distress in parents as compared to having a white or black female child?

As a part of this study, the investigation included one research hypothesis:

The negative encounters with the public, in general, and law enforcement, specifically, tend to affect young black males more disproportionally than white males. This effect produces a higher level of mental distress in the parents of young black males as opposed to those of young white males, as the parents of the first category fear for the lives of their family members more.

Participants

The targeted participants for this study will be the parents of young black and white children from across the United States. The geographical scope of the research is chosen in order to evaluate a national-scope issue as well as establish regional variations, should there be any. The targeted participants will include the parents, whose children are old enough to participate in social interactions that may or may not involve racial matters regularly, but not old enough to live separately from their parents. For the purpose of this study, this means that the participants should have either black or white children from 6 to 16 years old. There will be no target number of participants.

The participants will be recruited through mass e-mails inviting participation, information distributed through professional organizations (professional psychology, higher education), and church groups. Participants will also be encouraged to share the survey link with their acquaintances fitting the design of the study. Participants will be ensured of their complete anonymity for general ethical reasons as well as because of the Strong Black Woman (SBW) race-gender schema.

SBW promotes self-reliance as a response to psychological stressors and cautions against seeking outside help (Watson & Hunter, 2015). As a consequence, sharing psychological experiences with an outsider may be seen as a wrong choice, and proper anonymity will likely be especially crucial in attracting some black mothers to participate in the study.

Regardless of a specific initial recruitment material, potential participants will receive a link to a web-page on the study site containing the general information about police brutality as a social issue, as well as the terms and the intent of the study. The information will not be race-specific to avoid influencing the participants answers should they choose to take part in the study. After acquainting themselves with the general information, the participants will have a choice of completing the online consent form. Upon signing the form, the participants will be asked to share demographic information, such as their age, gender, ethnicity, level of income, and residence, as well as the age, gender, and ethnicity of their children.

Procedures

Participants will be expected to remain in the study in the course of three months, counting from the date of the enrollment. New enrollments will continue for three months after the beginning of the study and end with the beginning of the fourth month so that the researcher would be able to conduct the entire study and quantify the results and in six months.

Participants will have to access and fill a total of four online surveys containing questions regarding the topic of the study: one immediately after the enrollment and one at the end of each month of participation. Filling four surveys in the course of three months rather than a single survey on one occasion will serve to eliminate or mitigate potential discrepancies and anomalies in the case of each given participant. The study will not involve personal face to face interactions between the researcher and the participants. All data obtained in the course of the study will be recorded, compiled, and stored electronically to allow swift and efficient processing.

Instrumentation

The study will use quantitative methods to answer the research questions. The primary instrumentation of this study will be online surveys designed by the researcher. These will contain both yes or no questions and open-ended questions. The questions will serve to establish the participants perception of how the everyday realities of life in the United States affect their childrens safety. They will also help to indicate whether the parents are aware of and assign particular importance to police brutality and whether they perceive it as a threat to their childrens well-being. Finally, the questions will also serve to establish the level of mental distress experienced by the parents both by their subjective criteria of psychological well-being and the objective criteria, such as the number of admissions with one or more symptoms of mental distress during the curse of the study as reported by the participants.

Variables

Independent Variables

The independent variables of this study will include:

1. Race of the child or children of the participants
2. Gender of the child or children of the participants
3. Income level of the participants

Dependent Variables

The dependent variables of this study will include:

1. Percentage of the parents who feel their children are threatened in their everyday interactions with the public in general
2. Percentage of the parents who feel their children are under threat of becoming a victim of police brutality
3. Percentage of the parents who report one or more psychological symptoms of mental distress
4. Percentage of admissions with one or more psychological symptoms of mental distress
5. Number of admissions with one or more psychological symptoms of mental distress, per parent

Data Analysis

As mentioned above, all data obtained in the course of the six months if the study will be recorded, compiled, and stored electronically. Independent variable 1 and dependent variables 1, 3, 4, and 5 will serve to establish a correlation or lack thereof between the race of the child, the perceived level of threat from everyday interactions with the public in general, and the level of mental distress, thus answering research question 1.

Independent variable 1 and dependent variables from 2 to 5 will serve to establish a correlation or lack thereof between the race of the child, the perceived level of threat from police brutality, and the level of mental distress, thus answering research question 2. Independent variable 2 and dependent variables from 1 to 5 will serve to evaluate the level of mental distress among the parents of young black makes as opposed to young black females or young whites, thus answering research question 3. Independent variable 3 will serve to account for economic differences as a possible cause behind the reported number of admissions.

Limitations to the Study

A significant limitation of this study will be the subjectivity of the estimated level of mental distress, as it will mainly rely on the participants own interpretation of their symptoms. However, CRT stresses the necessity of representing the perspective of a subordinated or discriminated racial group, subjective as it is, meaning this limitation is inherent in the adopted theoretical approach (Howard and Navarro, 2016). Apart from that, the study may not account for race-gender schemas, such as the SBW, which may make particular groups, such as black mothers, less likely to report on their psychological well-being (Watson & Hunter, 2015). The researcher should be aware of these limitations when conducting data analysis, evaluating results, and making conclusions.

References

Alang, S., McAlpine, D., McCreedy, E., & Hardeman, R. (2017). Police brutality and black health: Setting the agenda for public health scholars. American Journal of Public Health, 107(5), 662665.

Bor, J., Venkataramani, A. S., Williams, D. R., & Tsai, A. C. (2018). Police killings and their spillover effects on the mental health of black Americans: A population-based, quasi-experimental study. The Lancet, 392(10144), 302-310.

Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2017). Critical race theory: An introduction. New York, NY: New York UP.

Garney, N. (2016). All lives matter, but so does race: Black Lives Matter and the evolving role of social media. Humanity & Society, 40(2), 1-20.

Howard, T. C., & Navarro, O. (2016). Critical race theory 20 years later: Where do we go from here? Urban Education, 51(3), 1-21.

Number of people shot to death by the police in the United States from 2017 to 2019, by race. Web.

Sackett, C. R. & Dogan, J. N. (2019). An exploration of black teens experiences of their own racial identity through photovoice: Implications for counselors. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 147(3), 172-189.

Thomas, M. J., & Blackmon, S. M. (2015). The influence of the Trayvon Martin shooting on racial socialization practices of African American parents. Journal of Black Psychology, 41(1), 75-89.

Tisley, M. L., Schiele, J. H., Adams, C., & Okilwa, N. S. (2018). Trayvon Martin: Racial profiling, black male stigma, and social work practice. Social Work, 63(1), 37-46.

Tregle, B., Nix, J., & Alpert, G. P. Disparity does not mean bias: Making sense of observed racial disparities in fatal officer-involved shootings with multiple benchmarks. Journal of Crime and Justice, 42(1), 18-31.

Washington, A. R., & Henfield, M. S. (2019). What do the AMCD multicultural and social justice counseling competencies mean in the context of Black Lives Matter? Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 147(3), 148-160.

Watson, N. N., & Hunter, C. D. (2015). Anxiety and depression among African American women: The costs of strength and negative attitudes toward psychological help-seeking. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 21(4), 604-612.

Introduction

Law-enforcement agencies are those bodies that are fully responsible for protecting the safety of society. However, the cases of police excesses have become frequent recently, and ordinary people question whether it is possible to trust the police. Matray (2015) stipulates that the use of body cameras can be a useful option in this situation. Even though the policy of implementing this technology offers both essential advantages and drawbacks, some people believe that using body cameras is a challenging issue. Thus, the purpose of this synthesis paper is to demonstrate that body cameras do not increase community trust irrespective of their potential benefits.

Synthesis

To begin with, one should comment on the potential advantages and drawbacks of the policy under consideration. On the one hand, many people state that the cameras are wrong because they intervene in the personal lives of both police officers and civilians. Rallis, Rossman, Cobb., Reagan, and Kuntz (2008) mention that it is an example of a nonconsequentialist theory. It refers to the fact that there exist universal standards that guide all behavior, regardless of the consequences in a specific context (Rallis et al., 2008, p. 19).

This information supposes that it is not reasonable to emphasize any positive features of the policy because it has the essential drawback. At the same time, Matray (2015) also addresses this issue and states that police will not need to perform recording in courtrooms, emergency rooms, and bathrooms, where there is an expectation of privacy (para. 10). This information stipulates that a negative phenomenon exists, but responsible persons should solve it adequately.

On the other hand, it is necessary to state that body cameras imply essential benefits for the whole society. It is so because this technology contributes to increased transparency of police work (Matray, 2015). The scientist stipulates that these cameras create materials that can be helpful for possible use in criminal cases (Matray, 2015, para. 6).

For example, a recording can explain whether officers have had justified reasons to use their firearms. Rallis et al. (2008) mention that this situation reflects a consequentialist approach that represents a focus on the results of actions in determining their rightness or wrongness (p. 18). Furthermore, Rallis et al. (2008) state that personal preferences should not be relevant to policy deliberation (p. 16). The information above denotes that the body cameras advantages are more significant than their drawbacks, but this issue does not address community trust.

Reflection

According to the information above, police excesses are crucial issues in the modern world. It happens relatively often that police officers can kill a person, either intentionally or accidentally. The case of Michael Brown from Ferguson, MO, is one of the most famous examples. The main problem concerning such situations refers to the fact that some police officers feel almighty. That is why supporters of body cameras expect that this technology will act as a deterrent power for such unreliable officers.

While the article by Matray (2015) does not indicate whether the body cameras have proved their efficiency, it is only possible to explore this idea. If one wants to assess the potential success of the technology in solving the problem, it is reasonable to identify what has caused this issue. According to the information above, police excesses happen because some officers believe that they can use force to solve any issue.

Consequently, they behave as if they are unpunished, which often escalates conflicts and leads to fatal outcomes. The body cameras fail to solve the problem because everything that they can do is to record how police officer invite aggression. It means that one can improve community trust with the help of other ways, including training officers in psychology to know how to avoid conflicts.

Even though the body cameras offer essential benefits, it does not mean that it is obligatory to implement them. Neither consequentialist nor nonconsequentialist theories are sufficient means to predict the future of the cameras. The information above demonstrates that this technology cannot increase community trust because it does not address the causes of the problem. In this case, the cameras should be a supplementary resource that will demonstrate how police officers manage to apply psychological concepts to avoid conflicts.

Conclusion

The use of police body cameras can positively affect social safety and security, but the question of whether these positive effects will be sufficient to increase community trust remains challenging. There exist various approaches that present arguments for and against the use of this technology, but neither of them considers the fact that community trust does not suffer from the lack of videos. Here, it is necessary to emphasize that citizens do not trust the police because some officers do not abide by the law, invite aggression, and use their firearms to solve conflicts. While the readings do not have any information addressing this phenomenon, one can suppose that the body cameras will fail to improve community trust irrespective of what potential positive outcomes they can bring.

References

Matray, M. (2015). Suffolk police will have body cameras before July. The Virginian-Pilot. Web.

Rallis, S. F., Rossman, G. B., Cobb., C. D., Reagan, T. G., & Kuntz, A. (2008). Leading dynamic schools: How to create and implement ethical policies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Introduction

If I designed my research on how the experiences of young black males affect the level of mental distress in their parents based on qualitative methods, I would have gathered my data differently.

What differences would my work have

To begin with, I would have used interviews, as opposed to questionnaires, as a primary source of information. To ensure a better understanding of the interviewees experiences, as befits a proper qualitative study, I would have to conduct the interviews in person. This requirement would, in turn, impose additional restrictions on the scope of the research in both geographical and numerical terms. Due to the necessity to contact and meet every participant personally, I would not be able to research on a national scale and would have to restrict myself to Charleston, South Carolina, and its surroundings. I would also have to limit the number of participants, ideally creating a sample of twenty to thirty in-depth interviews.

For the interviews to reflect the participants subjective experiences as closely as possible, I would have structured them differently than the questionnaire for a quantitative study. Instead of assessing formal criteria, such as the number of admissions with one or more symptoms of mental distress, I would focus more on the participants descriptions of their feelings and state of mind. Instead of structuring the interview around several topics pre-set by the researcher, such as police brutality, I would focus on what concerns participants the most in the experiences of their children. Such an approach would allow establishing recurring themes in the interviewees perception of their childrens experiences and continuing the analysis of the participants levels of mental distress based on that foundation.

Contemporary society faces a number of problems that deteriorate the quality of peoples lives and result in the emergence of even more complex concerns. Gun violence belongs to this cohort as there is a tendency towards the increase in the number of crimes involving the use of arms. In accordance with the relevant statistics, gun violence is the central cause of premature death in the US (APHA, n.d.b). About 38,000 individuals are killed, and 85,000 are injured (APHA, n.d.a). The problem is complicated by the fact that about 40% of Americans report that they have at least one gun in their house (APHA, n.d.a).

Populations Affected

All populations, regardless of their age, social status, or race face the problem of gun violence; however, there is credible evidence that young adults, males, and ethnic minorities are more subjected to it. In accordance with the statistics, 47 children and teens are shot every day in fights, murders, and other conflicts (Wallace, 2017). At the same time, among non-Hispanic whites aged 15-24, homicide is the fourth leading cause of death (APHA, n.d.b). For non-Hispanic blacks, gun violence and homicide becomes the leading cause (APHA, n.d.b). It is also one of the most commonly used weapons to commit suicide among various groups (Wallace, 2017).

National Breadth

The statistics prove that the problem has acquired the national character. In the recent reports, all states in the USA have an undesirably high level of gun violence (Wallace, 2017). These ratings differ regarding the historical background preconditioning the spread of arms and the tendency towards the use of it (Huff, Barnhart, McAlexander, & McAlexander, 2017). However, there is no use denying the fact that the nationwide breadth of the topic becomes a significant threat to contemporary society and results in a significant decrease in the quality of peoples lives and their safety. At the same time, there is a need for effective intervention to solve the problem in the state.

The majority of modern healthcare agencies and authorities are concerned about the growing rates of gun violence. Numerous cases of multiple shootings, such as in California, trigger public debates regarding the need for an appropriate intervention to improve the situation in the sphere and prevent the emergence of new accidents in the future (Huff et al., 2017). The government also shows its anxiety about the topic by trying to find the best possible way to avoid the further deterioration of the situation and suggest measures that will become an effective intervention.

Problem Statement

In such a way, the main problem regarding gun violence is the introduction of an effective solution to limit the access to arms for populations belonging to the risk group, introduce appropriate regulations that can reduce the incidence, and preserve the health of the nation at the high level. The given issue becomes central to the public health system and should be devoted much attention to ensure that an effective approach is promoted. At the same time, the tradition of gun possession is deeply rooted in the culture of individuals, which means that some opposition to the suggested measures can emerge (Hargarten, Christiansen, & Jentzen, 2013). That is why it is critical to find a compromise satisfying all parties.

Solutions

Solutions to the given problem might include the following steps:

• First, better surveillance should be introduced. It is critical to monitor the use of firearms, all accidents related to this issue, and populations affected, as it will help to create more effective strategies.
• Second, more effective gun policies are demanded. There is a need for clinical and criminal background checks for all purchases of guns to ensure that individuals with the appropriate mental health and status are provided with the lethal weapon (APHA, n.d.b). These regulations should also be applied to online shops.
• Third, community and school prevention programs should be introduced to improve the situation in the sphere and attain better results by reducing the number of people who use firearms to solve their problems or commit some acts of violence.

Stakeholders

The implementation of these measures demands the active participation of the main stakeholders that can help to improve the situation. These include:

The government is the most potent tool to introduce appropriate regulations and policies

Federal and state agencies to implement new strategies, limit access to guns, and improve surveillance practices

Healthcare sector agencies to improve the health of the nation

School officials to work with teens

The engagement of all these stakeholders can be considered a guarantee of the successful implementation of the proposed strategy and positive alterations regarding the outlined problem.

Funding

At the same time, there is a demand for significant funding to implement all possible regulations. Thus, gun violence costs about $229 billion for the USA annually (Wallace, 2017). In such a way, investing a third part of this sum into the proposed policies, a significant reduction of spending along with the improvement of the situation can be achieved.

Impact on the Healthcare Sector

For the healthcare sector, it will mean a significant improvement in the quality of peoples lives because of the reduction in the number of injured people. At the same time, deaths among premature individuals or psychological problems associated with gun violence can also be solved.

References

APHA. (n.d.a). Gun violence. Web.

APHA. (n.d.b). Preventing gun violence. Web.

Hargarten, S. W., Christiansen, A., & Jentzen, J. M. (2013). Addressing the burden of gun violence. Academic Forensic Pathology, 3(2), 260263. Web.

Huff, A. D., Barnhart, M., McAlexander, B., & McAlexander, J. (2017). Addressing the wicked problem of American gun violence: Consumer interest groups as macro-social marketers. Journal of Macromarketing, 37(4), 393408. Web.

Wallace, L. N. (2017). Armed kids, armed adults? Weapon carrying from adolescence to adulthood. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 15(1), 8498. Web.