The Chemical Engineer Essay Example For Students

The Chemical Engineer Essay What exactly is a chemical engineer? Many would say that it is simply a chemist who builds things or an engineer who makes chemicals. However, neither of these statements is completely true. The term chemical engineer is not meant to actually describe what it is a chemical engineer does, but to describe what sets it apart from the other branches of engineering: civil, mechanical, and electrical. On average, chemical engineers are numerically the smallest but also the highest paid. It is not a profession the must dwell on the past for comfort and support, for its greatest accomplishments are still yet to come. Chemical engineering, a prominent and growing career, requires a detailed understanding of the how and why chemical processes work and also how they can be further improved. To develop new improvised methods for these processes to function more useful and economical, a chemical engineer uses theories and laws of chemistry. They are, however, often referred to as the universal en gineer because they must not only have a broad knowledge of chemistry and physics but also of mechanical and electrical engineering. The Industrial Revolution sparked a new curiosity and need for chemical engineering. In order for certain industries to sustain growth, the production of chemicals became of great importance, especially sulfuric acid. In attempts to improve the process of making this chemical, much time, money and effort was put into it. By this, the slightest savings led to large profits because of the vast quantities of sulfuric acid consumed by industries (Pafko, Setting Stage). To create the much needed sulfuric acid, a long used and little understood method was used, the lead-chamber method. During this process, one of the main ingredients, nitrate, was often mostly lost into the environment. Because nitrate must be imported, and the process used so much of it, it became very costly. Improvement was needed in order for sulfuric acid to be made at a much lower cost , since it was so widely used (Pafko, Setting Stage). We will write a custom essay on The Chemical Engineer specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In the late 1800s, Americans became fascinated with news that was coming over from across the Atlantic. Though it was not the advancements in the chemical engineering field that so interested them, it was the news of a serial killer Jack the Ripper. It seamed as though the surfacing of chemical engineering would just slip by unnoticed. However, the outline for the chemical engineering profession was laid out and fully recognized and appreciated by a select few (Pafko, Setting Stage). Lewis Norton, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) first initiated the first four-year bachelor program in chemical engineering. It was called Course X (ten). Shortly after, Tulane University and the University of Pennsylvania began their own four-year programs. Chemistry departments began to see that there was a need for a profession that could apply all of the knowledge of chemistry gained throughout the last hundred years to fulfilling the needs of the emerging industries. With this in mind they began to teach their students a combination of mechanical engineering and chemical industry, with the emphasis on engineering, resulting in the category of chemical engineering. MIT gained an independent chemical engineering department in 1920 (Pafko, Setting Stage). With more and more competition between major manufacturers arising, chemical plants strived for low costing and mass-producing methods was becoming important. Chemical plants needed to be optimized. This called for things such as: continuously operating reactors, recycling and recovery of non-reacted reactants, and cost effective purification of products. With these new advancements chemical engineers were now called for plumbing systems (for which traditional chemists were unprepared) and detailed chemistry knowledge (unbeknownst to mechanical engineers). These new chemical engineers were capable of designing and operating the increasingly complex chemical operations that were rapidly coming out (Pafko, Setting Stage). .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c , .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c .postImageUrl , .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c , .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c:hover , .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c:visited , .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c:active { border:0!important; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c:active , .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf52ed505cdab0164c30b6b47f8ead47c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot on Modernism EssayIn the late 1800s, George E. Davis, an industrial Alkali inspector from Manchester England, presented a series of twelve lectures on the operation of chemical processes, which later became known as unit operations. It was these twelve lectures that sparked the interest as chemical engineering as a profession. Davis published handbook of Chemical Engineering which later had a second edition. He stresses the value of large-scale experimentation, safety practices, and a unit operation approach.

Learning to Listen

Learning to Listen Free Online Research Papers Listening, the process of taking in what we hear and mentally organizing it to make sense of it, is invaluable component of the communication process. Listening is an essential skill for those who want to be successful in work and in life ( Janasz, 2006, p138 ). Especially for us international students, listening plays an irreplaceable role in our daily life. If our listening is poor, we can not understand what locals are talking about, and we won’t know what is going on, just like we are living in a world with noise, not with language. So the first step is to practice and improve our basic listening skills. Listening to the radio may be an effective way to improve listening. It will provide us information about the local events, local culture, and most importantly the local accent. It is a fact that we Chinese students are much more familiar with American English than British English, because we have been learning American English and American sound since secondary school, and in one time I was a little confused about British sound. Now I am in Australia, the same thing happens again. The very first word I heard from the local was â€Å"Today†, which made me feel like he was saying â€Å"to die†. This astonished me at first, but later on, I felt free to hear that â€Å"die† sound. Another way to improve listening I think is to talk with locals as much as possible. If we only practice listening over the radio, we never talk to it, and the radio never gives a feedback. However, things are different when we make conversations with locals. We learn their ways of expression, their accent, and even their ways of thinking. It is true that we eastern people think differently from the western people, because of the different cultural and educational background. So it is necessary for us to be aware of the western ways of thinking and their customs. Talking with local people will provide us good opportunity to get all the useful information, and our listening is improved meanwhile. When the basic listening skills are improved, we go to the next step, to be a good listener. We need to pay attention to the tone of voice, body language, and other nonverbal messages. These will help us understand what is being said. The final step is active listening, and in active listening, it is common for the listener to be an active participant in the conversation, asking and probing for details in such a way that the speaker feels both supported and encouraged to share more information about a situation. Enhancing both the speaker’s and listener’s understanding of what is taking place ( Janasz, 2006, p139 ). It will be a little hard for me to be an active listener, because English is my second language, but I will try to take part in the conversations and not to be a passive listener. I think by the end of this semester I will make some progress in my listening, and be an active listener by practicing the basic listening skills. Research Papers on Learning to ListenThree Concepts of PsychodynamicStandardized TestingMind TravelAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaHip-Hop is ArtComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Spring and AutumnInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductPETSTEL analysis of India

Introduction to Communications. Major essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Introduction to Communications. Major - Essay Example At start the film industry of Canada was in great slumber and there was no orientation and direction for the establishment of the film industry in the future. All the course of direction was dependent upon the American film industry. The paper will excessively look upon the historical evolution and galvanization of Canadian feature film industry and what were the main problems that were faced by the film makers and how they managed to solve these problems in order to cope up with the emerging trends of the global film and motion arts industry (Pratley, 2003). The early problems of Canadian feature film industry were really immense because there was absolutely no infra structure and the moving showmen always had to buy the film making equipments, pictures and reelers in order to carry on their business. Most of the picture ideas, equipments and production team consultancy were taken from France, America and Britain (Hoskins et al, 1996). The expansion of the single film reelers also started at that time and the monopoly factor was started to take effect because there was no competitive environment in the Canadian film industry. Producers were not able to supply the demanded number of films and that is the sole reason behind the rental film that was the main centric attraction in the Canadian film industry. The revolutionary event took place when a moving show man names John Schuberg was single film Reeler in 1902 at Los Angeles and proposed to establish a permanent electric theatre in Canada in order to promote the performing arts and fil m industry in Canada and deplete the dependency on the American film industry. As a result the electric theatre was established in Vancouver and people were really attracted towards this new entertainment outlet. Mount Peele in eruption and the Great Train Robbery were on the pioneer films that triggered the Canadian film industry Gala at this first electric theatre. The

(Q5.'Traditional' methods of project procurement have no further use Essay

(Q5.'Traditional' methods of project procurement have no further use within modern construction procurement'; is this so Discuss) - Essay Example Traditional methods of procurement have been the source of an enormous debate in regard to their current suitability especially in this modern era. Are they of any use or not? The paper will examine whether the statement that they have no use for the current construction procurement is right. It has been stated by Adenuga (2013) that the traditional technique of project procurement involves a group of specialized consultants entering into a contractual arrangement with the contractor and the client. The group of specialized consultants may constitute quantity surveyors, engineers, and other professionals. Their role is to oversee the contractor, who works on the real construction, and deliver a suitable design. Normally, the specialized consultants ply their trade in different corporations. However, they come together and offer their expertise to the client for a certain amount of money. The agreed amount is made possible by the bills of quantities. The contractor gets the work after going through a competitive bidding process. In addition, the contractor and the design can be conducted at the same time up to a certain point. However, the cost know-how is not estimated accurately. Under this method, there are cost reimbursement, lump sum, and measurement contracts. The t otal cost of the contract can be assessed as per the definite materials, labor, and plant cost; it can be done before the beginning of the construction through an agreement; or after the construction is complete respectively (Davis, et al., 2008). Do the traditional methods of project procurement have no use in the current procurement method? To determine if this is so, the pros and cons of the traditional forms of project procurement are examined. Under the pros, the client regulates the specialized group of consultants working on the design. Many clients may have familiarity with the methods. The

Evaluation of Deterrence Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Evaluation of Deterrence Theory - Research Paper Example In my evaluation, I use the evaluation method proposed by Akers and Seller. In this technique, the theory is evaluated using its scope, logical consistency, parsimony, testability, empirical validity, and its usefulness and policy implication. A major advantage of this method that it can give us the chance to evaluate almost all the aspects of this theory. Theory Discussion This theory uses the idea that fear of punishment or negative consequences resulting from committing a crime can cause individuals to refrain from committing offenses (Maimon, 2012). One of the things this theory uses in explaining criminology is human rationality. It says that human nature is motivated to do something that has more gains than losses. Therefore, if someone sees that he will have more loss than gain from a crime when he is caught, he will be motivated to refrain from the crime. This theory thus proposes that severe punishments should be imposed on crimes and offenses to increase the risks that a pe rson exposes himself to when committing them. The theory also uses the concept of an individual’s free will and the power of a person to make calculated choices in explaining crime. This theory states that people commit crimes due to the drive to do so from their free will without being directed to do so by someone else. However, it indicates that in making a choice to commit a crime individuals to analyze the gains and losses which might result from the choices they want to make. As a result, the choices they make are always calculated to make sure they maximize gains while minimizing risks. If severe punishments are imposed on crimes they will make the crimes to be less attractive and hence make individuals refrain from them. This theory explains individual offending and how people can be deterred from committing crimes. It suggests that imposing formal legal punishments can deter individuals from offending. However, according to Maimone al (2012), the theory explains that the deterrent effect of these formal legal punishments depends on their severity, certainty, and celebrity.

Non Medical Independent And Supplementary Prescribing V300 Nursing Essay

Non Medical Independent And Supplementary Prescribing V300 Nursing Essay This essay discusses the evolution of nurse prescribing in the context of legislation and political element, with the consideration of how this has changed and assisted the clinical nurse specialist role, with particularly emphasis on Heart failure. The pathophysiology of heart failure will be discussed and integrated into the relation of drug actions with particular interest into Diuretics. Alongside this; the importance of effective history taking, assessment and consultation skills to treat the patient accurately and at a high standard and quality is discussed. The decision making process and the importance of a shared approach in relation to heart failure is highlighted incorporating the importance of compliance in the maximising the treatment of heart failure. Sources of information and decision support systems that are available will be highlighted with a discussion on the importance of these in principles. Demonstration of ability to prescribe safely, rationally, cost effectively, and in consideration of the public health issues around medicine use are discussed and finally clinical governance through quality assurance and audit of prescribing practice is considered. For the purpose of the essay the following learning outcomes are discussed: Evaluate understanding and application of the relevant legislation and political context of the practice of non-medical prescribing Critically appraise sources of information/advice and decision support systems in prescribing practice and apply the principles of evidence based practice to decision making. Integrate and apply knowledge of drug actions in relation to pathophysiology of the condition being treated Demonstrate the ability to prescribe safely, rationally, cost effectively, and in consideration of the public health issues around medicines use Integrate a shared approach to decision making taking account of patients/carers wishes, values, religion or culture Evaluate effective history taking, assessment and consultation skills with patients/clients, parents and carers to inform working /differential diagnosis. Contribute to clinical governance through quality assurance and audit of prscribing practice and regular continuing professional development The controls of medicines in the UK has undergone a number of regulatory changes since the end of 1800s, climaxing in the Medicines Act (1968). Prior to 1992, doctors, veterinary surgeons and dentists were the only professions legally permitted to prescribe. This situation made the medical profession gatekeepers for medicines, certainly the case for those medicines considered more likely to cause harm or abuse such as controlled drugs i.e. morphine. Cumberledge Report (1986) identified the need for community nurses to prescribe, The Crown Report (1989) published findings of a review to determine the circumstances in which non-medical health professionals could undertake new roles with regard to prescribing, supply and administration of medicines and led to the development of protocols which we now know as Patient Group Directives (PGDs). The Crown Report (1999) recommended that legal authority to prescribe should be extended to include new groups of healthcare professionals, this also bought about the differentiation between Independent and Supplementary prescribers. This report noted that a doctor often rubber stamps a prescribing decision taken by a nurse, which is demeaning to nurses and doctors. (Cooper et al,2008) The Medicinal Products Act (1992) permitted qualified District Nurses and Health Visitors to independently prescribe, and this was only a limited number of medicines from a Community Practitioners Formulary. Over the next few years legislative changes occurred which involved, non community qualified nurses to train as prescribers, together with an increase in medications added to the Nurses Formulary. In 2003, nurses and Pharmacists were permitted to prescribe from the whole of the British National Formulary (BNF) as supplementary Prescribers, except controlled and unlicensed drugs. Controlled Drugs were prescribable by nurses and pharmacists using supplementary prescribing from 2005. During this time other allied Healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists, Radiographers, Podiatrists and optometrists were also able to become supplementary prescribers. (DOH, 2005) These rapid changes in the development of non medical prescribers in the United Kingdom were a contrast to the gradual introduction to prescribing rights in the United States of America. (Armstrong,1995). The UK now has the most extended non medical prescribing rights in the world. (Armstrong, 1995) In 2006, DOH (2006) permitted trained nurses and pharmacists to independently prescribe all medicines within their clinical competence. The most recent changes have occurred to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (2012) which now means that appropriately qualified nurses and pharmacists will be able to prescribe controlled drugs like morphine, diamorphine and prescription strength co-codamol. Currently there are more than 50,000 Non medical prescribers in the UK, around 19,000 nurses and almost 2,000 pharmacists are qualified as Independent and/or supplementary prescribers (Carey, 2011) The changing legislation of Non medical Prescribers has changed alongside with the environment of the NHS services. This is recognised in the guide produced by NMC (2010) stating that the services delivered by the NHS become more challenging and complex as there is an ever increasing need for improved productivity without the compromising of quality. Coronary Heart disease, puts great pressure and demands on the National Health Service (NHS). Hospital admissions for Chronic heart failure have increased markedly, chronic heart failure accounts for about 5% of all medical admissions and approximately 2% of total health care expenditure. Despite improvements in medical management, under treatment for heart failure is still common. (Mcmurray et al, 2002) In 2002, The British Heart Foundation (BHF) piloted a scheme and funded with the help of Big Lottery Fund ninety two Heart failure nurses throughout the United Kingdom. The results were shown in the final report BHF (2008) showing an average reduction in heart failure admissions of 43% and an average estimated saving, per heart failure patient of  £1, 826. Increasing the role of the Non medical prescribers therefore increasing the skills and knowledge of nurses/pharmacists only enhances the vital role within the field these nurses have in todays current fight to provide the highest quality care possible. It has been shown that registered nurses are extending their roles and responsibilities to work in new ways (Furlong + smith, 2005). Crowther et al (2003), Gattis et al (1999), Paniagua (2011) Lambrinou et al (2012) and Jaarsma (2010) have all shown that Heart failure nurse specialists are optimal providers to assist physicians with Heart failure care for this complex and time-consuming patient population. The management of heart failure is complex involving both pharmacological treatments and strategies to improve patients functional status and quality of life (Palmer et al, 2003) Heart failure can be defined as an abnormality of cardiac structure or function leading to failure of the heart to deliver oxygen at a rate commensurate with the requirements of the metabolizing tissues. (ESC, 2012) Clinically patients present with typical symptoms; breathlessness, ankle swelling and fatigue. And signs; elevated JVP, pulmonary crackles and displaced apex beat. Diagnosis of heart failure relies on a detailed history and accurate physical examination (NICE, 2010). These symptoms can be related to either a reduction of cardiac ourput (fatigue) or to excess fluid retention (dysapnea, orthopnea and cardiac wheezing) fluid retention also results in peripheral oedema and occasionally an increasing abdominal girth secondary to ascites. Symptoms and signs are often non-specific and could be related to other conditions. Knowledge on the use of other diagnostic services is necessary: Echocardiography, Electrograph, Chest Xray, Blood tests all contribute to the confirmation of diagnosis. Case study One demonstrates a typical presentation of a patient presenting with first presentation of heart failure symptoms; typically compromised and in need of expert medical treatment; Pharmacological and non pharmacological therapies. This patient presented with clear signs of congestion and volume retention of which a diuretic therapy plays a central role in the treatment (Felker and Mentz, 2012) As the heart fails, there is a reduction in both blood pressure and cardiac output, in response to this the body conserves water which results in oedema. Diuretics act at different sites of the kidneys, they then eliminate sodium and water through enhanced excretion from the kidneys so are able to relieve the symptoms of fluid congestion. Different classes of diuretics work at different points within the kidney tubules. (Davies et al, 2000) Appendix two shows the diuretics available. This patient was treated with Furosemide intravenously (IV), most patients receive a loop diuretic as first line treatment for heart failure (Faris et al, 2012.) Loop diuretics are the most frequently used diuretic in treatment of Chronic heart failure despite their unproven effect on survival, their indisputable efficacy in relieving congestive symptoms makes them first line therapy for most patients. (Bruyne, 2003) Appendix three shows how loop diuretics work. As already stated first line treatment for acute decompensated heart failure is intravenous diuretic therapy either as a bolus or via continuous infusion. Despite being available for decades, few randomized trials exist to guide dosing and administration of this drug. In 2011, the Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation (DOSE) trial used a prospective, randomized design to compare bolus versus continuous infusion of IV furosemide, as well as high-dose versus low-dose therapy. The study found no difference in the primary end point for continuous versus bolus infusion. High-dose diuretics were more effective than low dose without clinically important negative effects on renal function. Although no difference was found between IV and bolus dose there are benefits to both elements so clinical judgement would be made on the specific patient needs and requirements, for example, immobilization, duration of therapy requirements, haemodynamic status. The aim of using diuretics is to achie ve and maintain euvolaemia (the patients dry weight with the lowest achieveable dose. (ESC, 2012). Case study two identifies a patient whom is another example of heart failure but offers a different presentation; this accentuates the importance of a careful physical examination and valuable accurate history taking. The absent breathe sounds over the right base of lung field along with the history was an indication of pleural effusion and initiated the prescription of a radiograph chest to be performed. Absent or diminished breath sounds strongly suggest an effusion (Kalantri et al, 2007) unfortunately Congestive heart failure is the most common cause of a pleural effusion. (Enrique, 2008) Again, Pleural effusions from heart failure are managed with diuretic therapy, initially with a loop diuretic, intravenously titrated in response to clinical signs, daily weights and renal function to avoid excessive volume depletion. (Light, 2002) Non-compliance in patients with heart failure (HF) contributes to worsening HF symptoms and may lead to hospitalization. (Van der wal, 2006). Using skills that were taught during basic nursing training is imperative in conducting a beneficial and effective clinical examination, these interpersonal skills may dictate how the patient and carers perceive and acknowledge there diagnosis and may have an influence on the approach the patient has on his/her own health. Over the past 3 decades, the biopsychosocial model of health has become increasingly important in the effective practice of medicine. Central to this model is an emphasis on treating the patient as a whole person, including the biological, psychological, behavioral, and social aspects of their health (Engel, 1980). The American Heart Association (AHA) in collaboration with other professional societies has issued a new scientific statement for the management of patients with advanced heart failure. It emphasizes shared decision making and is designed to help physicians and other health professionals align medical treatment options with the wishes of the patients. Allen (2012) recognises the complexity of heart failure and complexity of the treatment options can be a barrier to shared decision making, but this only emphasizes why such a patient-centred approach should be undertaken in Advanced heart failure. Shared decision making has received particular emphasis in relation to the pre scribing of drug treatments. Traditionally, studies have identified 50% of patients with chronic conditions do not take their treatment as prescribed, with major reasons being because they do not share the doctors views, or they are worried about side effects. (REF QUOTE?) Therefore the aim is to explore these issues by adopting a shared decision making approach and reach a concordance between doctor and patients. Therefore getting patients involved in the planning and management of care, being sensitive to the individuals need, spending time figuring out what is important to them, will hopefully reduce some of the confusion and complexities concerning heart failure. Although knowledge alone does not insure compliance, patients can only comply when they possess some minimal level of knowledge about the disease and the health care regimen. (Van der wal, 2006). The National Prescribing Centre (2012) designed a competency framework which can be seen in appendix 3. One of the three domains is the consultation which highlights three areas of importance 1; Knowledge; pharmacological and pharmaceutical. 2; Options; concerning the diagnosis and management 3; Competency; involving shared decision making with parents, patients and carers. The data is clear that for the benefit of the patient and success with the treatment regimen it is vital to consider wishes of the patient/carer, ethical, cultural opinions, lifestyle of the patients. Also contributing factors which may cause non-complicance whether intentional or not for example: polypharmacy, complicated dose regimens, unpleasant side effects, and cognitive problems or physical disability preventing the patient taking the medicines. A large number of factors need to be incorporated into the thought process prior to getting to the point and writing a prescription. Surrounding issues that directly and indirectly support patient orientated prescribing Sources of information are on number of levels. In a hospital ward, for example, immediate sources of information include the British National Formulary (BNF) and ward pharmacist. The role of both is, at least in part, to assist in ensuring that, for any prescription, the correct dose and timing of administration are correct and appropriate for the indication. The BNF is widely available and accessible and can and should be used to assist in prescribing whenever there is any doubt about dose and timing. The Pharmacist provides an additional safety netting, by checking prescriptions before providing the medications. In addition, the pharmacists role includes ensuring that medications prescribed are available for administration. Further afield, but still within the hospital, local policies give guidance on what drugs are available and recommended for a particular indication. These policies may be produced by the hospital or by regional bodies, including SHA, Network PCTs, for example, local arrangement may mean that a particular statin is used for primary prevention of coronary heart disease, due to local procurement agreements or cost effectiveness analyses. Beyond the hospital setting, a number of sources provide guidance on what should actually be prescribed, or considered, for a given condition. Such sources might include national bodies, in particular National institute of clinical excellence (NICE) and specialist societies. The latter may be national and or international. For example, in the field of heart failure, NICE has given guidance on what medications should be administered and at what stage of the disease and symptoms. For all patients ACEI: should be given. There are many different ACE I. The guidelines recommend using only those which have actually been proven to be of benefit in heart failure; these [emailprotected]@@@@@@. For those who are intolerant of ACE; ARB should be used. Again, NICE recommends thoses that have shown efficacy in clinical trials, and these [emailprotected]@@@@@@. Beta-blockers are recommened but not any betablocker. Only those with proven @@@ in heart failure should be used; these are Aldosterone A ntagonists should also be used for patients with advanced heart failure (NYHA III/IV). Guidance recommends spironolactone, or eplernone if not tolerated (most usually due to gynaenomastia in men) From the above, it may be seen that the National guidance indicates which drugs from each class should be considered for each purpose. This leaves room for local policies and prescribers to decide which of the available agents is suitable for a particular individual. Pursuing the example of heart failure further, international guidelines are issued by a number of bodies. The principle of these is the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA). Of these, the ESC guidelines are most applicable to the United Kingdom. Societal guidelines tend to focus more on a particular disease and the available evidence to provide best treatment, whereas NICE guidelines have greater emphasis on appraisal of cost-effectiveness, which is of greater relevance to the local health economy in the UK. Furthermore, ESC guidelines give a strength of recommendation for a particular treatment (Class I, IIa, IIb) and an indication of the level of evidence behind the recommendation. (A, B, C) Ultimately, the source of information which informs societal guidelines comes from research, in the form of clinical trials, performed on the back of pre-clinical research. Therefore, the doses of drugs which are recommended for use usually reflects the dose and frequency of a drug or used in a clinical trial which demonstrated benefit. There are therefore numerous levels of information and advice which support prescribing practice. For many conditions, these are ultimately based on evidence derived from clinical trials, in some areas these will be the gold standard RCT. However, some trials provide softer evidence, such as observations data or even anecdotal. Understanding of these various trials and guidelines is important to understanding how local guidelines and daily prescribing practice come about and are supported by evidence. The trials/guidelines all mentioned above have provided convincing evidence that clinically significant improvements can be achieved in heart failure by appropriate drug treatment. Moynihan et al (2002) recognises that the adoption of more effective and/or safer drugs, new technologies are usually more expensive, aging of the population leads to increased morbidity and drug therapy, all play a role in increasing drug expenditure. Medicines are regarded an expenditure, but can also be an investment, if they are used rationally. Rational prescribing means cost effective use of safe and effective drugs. Specialist clinics for heart failure are a tool for delivering care according to clinical guidelines and providing diagnostic treatment. They provide optimal management of the condition, education of patient and carers about the signs and symptoms of worsening disease and medication compliance. Advances in medication and technology for heart failure are vast, which again strengthens the need and importance of such clinics to enable patient treatment to change accordingly and appropriately. Studies have shown that if patients are treated by Cardiology clinicians or Heart failure specialist nurses, clinical guidelines are more likely to be followed and readmission rates are lower for these patients. (Reis et al, 1997) An example of prescribing within heart failure is an investment for the patient and the NHS is the use of Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE I). These have been shown to improve symptoms, survival and slow progression of heart failure. (Luzier et al, 1998). ACE I are one of the essential therapies for all heart failure patients, if tolerated. Treatment should be maximised and in maximising the dose quite often you can reduce or stop the use of loop diuretics due to improved symptoms and clinical signs. (Hoyt et al, 2001) Therefore patients who are appropriately treated and titrated to maximal therapy therefore benefit clinically, may reduce other medicines and they can overall reduce the chances of hospital admission with decompensated heart failure which is beneficial to the patient and the NHS finances. A recent study by Dharmarajan et al (2013) covering three million hospitalizations showed that more than a third of readmissions (within 30 days of discharge) were for heart failure. Their thought was that many of these could have been preventable, with greater input from pharmacists, physicians, nurse specialists, and greater consideration to social elements; reducing readmission also reduces other risks involved in exposing patients to hospitalization. The National Heart failure Audit (2012) conducted by NICOR is an audit to monitor progress, clinical findings and patient outcomes of patients with heart failure. It is an essential audit for each NHS trust to comply and complete. ++. It provides critical information on management and outcomes which then provides data essential to drive future improvements. Conclusion: CASE STUDY ONE Description of clinical setting: Patient was an inpatient on the Cardiology ward; he was admitted the day before and had been referred to Heart failure clinical nurse specialist for review. Case history: An 84 year old retired postman was admitted from home with progressive worsening shortness of breath over the last 6 weeks. He had been to see the General Practitioner two weeks ago who treated him for a chest infection with a course of oral antibiotics (Amoxycillin). He denies any chest pain, however he complains of palpitations at times of exertion and a productive cough. Patient had not experienced any syncope, dizzy spells; only other complaint was loss of appetite and poor quality sleep. Patient has been sleeping with 4 pillows, waking regularly due to struggling for breathe and resulted to sleeping in the chair downstairs. Exercise tolerance had drastically reduced to 50 metres before having to stop due to breathlessness. On examination the patient was tachypnoeic, pulse was 95 and regular, sitting blood pressure was 110/62 standing 105/55. Weight 97kg. Oxygen Saturations on air 94%. Inspiratory crackles were clearly heard on both lung bases, no heart murmur could be auscultated and apex beat was misplaced to the anterior auxiliary line. JVP was raised +4. Pitting peripheral oedema up to thighs and a large distended abdomen, which was soft and not tender on palpation. ECG confirmed Sinus tachycardia with Q waves in antero lateral leads. Chest x-ray also confirmed cardiomegaly and interstitial oedema. Drug treatment pre admission: Aspirin 75mg once a day (OD) Blood pressure control Past medical history: Anterior lateral Myocardial infarction 7 years ago (2005) followed by Angioplasty to the right coronary artery. No further operations or admission to hospital. Blood results: Chemistry: Sodium 128mmol/l, Potassium 4.8 mmol, Urea 9 mmol/l, Creatinine 145 mmol/l, LFTs, HB and clotting was all unremarkable. Echo: severe left ventricular dysfunction, with minor tricuspid regurgitation. Social background: Patient lives with wife in a two bedroom bungalow, they are both normally well and independant. He has no allergies and takes no over the counter medications or recreational drugs in the past or present. Drug chart to date in hospital: Aspirin 75mg OD Frusemide 80 mg OD Ramipril 2.5 mg OD Discussion: Patient was fortunate enough to have had Echocardiography that morning, which offered me the definitive diagnosis. This gentleman presents with a common clinical presentation of progressive systolic dysfunction of an ischemic cause. The patient was comfortable and stable enough for a steady and methodical examination and history taking. On construction of a management plan for this patient, clearly first line treatment is diuretic therapy, T Effective dieresis and consequent adjustment of the loading conditions of the failing heart is generally regarded as essential (Raftery, 1994) This patient went on to be prescribed Intravenous Diuretics, instructions for Daily weights, Fluid balance, advice and rehabilitation for heart failure. Then longer term plan for titration of Heart failure medications to achieve maximum therapy suitable for this patient. Allen, L.A., Stevenson, L.W., Grady, K.L., Goldstein, N.E., Matlock, D.D., Arnold, R.M., Cook, N.R., Felker, G.M., Francis, G.S., Hauptman, P.J., Havranek, E.P., Krumholz, H.M., Mancini, D., Riegel, B. and Spertus, J.A., for the American Heart Association; Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research; Council on Cardiovascular Nursing; Council on Clinical Cardiology; Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention; Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia, 2012. Decision making in advanced heart failure: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 125(15), pp.1928-1952. Armstrong, P., McCleary, K. J. and Munchus, G., 1995. Nurse practitioners in the USA their past, present and future. Some implications for the health care management delivery system. Health Manpower Management, 21(3), pp.3-10. Avery, A.J. and Pringle, M., 2005. Extended prescribing by UK nurses and pharmacists. British Medical Journal, 331, pp.1154-1155. Bruyne, L.K., 2003. Mechanisms and management of diuretic resistance in congestive heart failure. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 79(931), pp.268-271. Carey, N. and Stenner, K., 2011. Does non-medical prescribing make a difference to patients? Nursing Times, 107(26), pp.14-16. Cooper, R., Guillaume, L., Avery, T., Anderson, C., Bissell, P., Hutchinson, M., Lynn, J., Murphy, E., Ward, P. and Ratcliffe, J., 2008. Non medical prescribing in the United Kingdom: developments and stakeholder interests. Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, 31(3), pp.244-252. Crowther, M., 2003. Optimal management of outpatients with heart failure using advanced practice nurses in a hospital-based heart failure centre. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 15, pp.260-265. Davies, M.K., Gibbs, C.R. and Lip, G.Y., 2000. ABC of heart failure. Management: diuretics, ACE inhibitors and nitrates. British Medical Journal, 320(7232), pp.428-431. Department of Health and Social Security, 1986. Neighbourhood nursing a focus for care (Cumberledge report) London, HMSO. Department of Health, 1989. Report of the Advisory Group on Nurse Prescribing (Crown report) London, HMSO. Department of Health, 2000. National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease. London, HMSO. Department of Health, 2005. Supplementary prescribing by nurses, pharmacists, chiropodists/podiatrists, physiotherapists and radiographers within the NHS in England. A guide for implementation. London, HMSO. Department of Health, 2006. Improving patient access to medicines: A guide to implementing Nurse and Pharmacists independent prescribing within the NHS in England. London, HMSO. Dharmarajan, K., Hsieh, A.F., Lin, Z., Bueno, H., Ross, J.S., Horwitz, L.I., Barreto-Filho, J.A., Kim, N., Bernheim, S.M., Suter, L.G., Drye, E.E. and Krumholz, H.M., 2013. Diagnosis and timing of 30 day readmissions after hospitalization for heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, or pneumonia. Journal of American Medical Association, 309, pp.355-363. Diaz-Guzman, E. and Budev, M., 2008. Accuracy of the physical examination in evaluating pleural effusion. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, 75(4), pp.297-303. Faris, R.F., Flather, M., Purcell, H., Poole-Wilson, P.A. and Coats, A.J., 2012. Diuretics for heart failure. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD003838. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003838.pub3. Felker, G.M., Lee, K.L., Bull, D.A., Redfield, M.M., Stevenson, L.W., Goldsmith, S.R., LeWinter, M.M., Deswal, A., Rouleau, J.L., Ofili, E.O., Anstrom, K.J., Hernandez, A.F., McNulty, S.E., Velazquez, E.J., Kfoury, A.G., Chen, H.H., Givertz, M.M., Semigran, M.J., Bart, B.A., Mascette, A.M., Braunwald, E., OConnor, C.M., for the NHLBI Heart Failure Clinical Research Network, 2011. New England Journal of Medicine, 364(9), pp.797-805. Felker, G.M. and Mentz, R.J., 2012. Diuretics and ultrafiltration in acute decompensated Heart failure. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 59(24), pp.2145-53. Furlong, E. and Smith, R., 2005. Advanced nursing practice. Policy, education and role development. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 14, pp.1059-1066. Gattis, W.S., Hasselbied., V., Whellan, D.J. and OConnor, C.M., 1999. Reduction in heart failure events by the addition of a clinical pharmacist to the heart failure management team. Archives of Internal Medicine, 159, pp.1939-1945. Hawkins, N.M., Petrie, M.C., Jhund, P.S., Chalmers, G.W., Dunn, F.G. and McMurray, J.J., 2009. Heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: diagnostic pitfalls and epidemiology. European Journal of Heart Failure, 11, pp.130-139. Hoyt, R.E. and Bowling, L.S. 2001. Reducing readmission for congestive heart failure American Family Physician, 63(8), pp.1593-1598. Hunt, S.A., Baker, D.W., Chin, M.H., Cinquegrani, M.P., Feldman, A.M., Francis, G.S., Ganiats, T.G., Goldstein, S., Gregoratos, G., Jessup, M.L., Noble, R.J., Packer, M., Silver, M.A., Stevenson, L.W., Gibbons, R.J., Antman, E.M., Alpert, J.S., Faxon, D.P., Fuster, V., Gregoratos, G., Jacobs, A.K., Hiratzka, L.F., Russell, R.O. and Smith, S.C. Jr; American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee to Revise the 1995 Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Heart Failure); International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation; Heart Failure Society of America, 2001. ACC/AHA Guidelines for the evaluation and management of chronic heart failure in the adult: Executive Summary. A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee to Revise the 1995 Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Heart Failure): Developed in collaboration with the International S ociety for Heart and Lung Transplantation; Endorsed by the Heart Failure Society of America. Circulation, 104(24), pp.2996-3007. Jaarsma, T., 2010. Multidisciplinary approach in heart failure: evidence, experiences and challenges. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 16(9), pp.1071-9164. Kalantri, S., Joshi, R. and Lokhande, T., 2007.

what is the sociological perspective (imagination) Essay -- essays res

Question 1: What is the sociological perspective?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the nature of the social sciences? This is the question that began the study of society, first performed by C. Wright Mills in his development of the idea of the sociological imagination. There are many different aspects to the sociological perspective. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines perspective as â€Å"the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance†. Having a sociological perspective means that you view all of societies components and their relationship to the individual. First I will discuss how individuals are socialized. Next I will point out societal structures role in that socialization. Finally I will discuss how the sociological perspective allows us to view different inequalities in the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While growing up we rarely think about why we do things the way that we do, and make the decisions that we make. From infancy we are socialized, meaning that we are trained how to exist within our social environment. By developing a sociological perspective we are able to see that we are socialized, and view how our social environment has an effect on the decisions that we make. Social environments differ across many boundaries including, but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, and class. For example I was raised within a poor, Caucasian, single parent, low class family, which means that the deci...

Providing equal opportunity for employment Essay

RECRUITMENT GUIDE Chern’s will provide equal opportunity for employment to all persons regardless of any discrimination based race, color, sex, religion, origin, age or disability and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout its organization. Steps 1)Identify Job openings through human resource planning/ strategic plan. Any Employee resignations/terminations could be helpful in identifying any internal job openings. 2) Develop position requirement by specifying job description/ job specifications. Identify job duties and responsibilities in it keeping in mind essential functions of the job which are critical for the position (minimum requirement or any preferred qualification). 3) Develop the recruiting plan for posting period and placement goals and implement it. 4) Post the position and build the diverse pool of application. Develop and use application forms- One type of application form that can be used to predict performance is a biographical information blank (BIB) also known as biodata form which is a detailed job application form requesting biographical data found to be predictive of success on the job, about the background, experiences, and preferences. Respond is the score. They are good as they are difficult to fake. 5) Review application material and develop the short list. Recruiting from within the organization ( As Chern’s believes in internal recruiting so they could use different internal recruiting methods like – Job posting( Notifying current employees about Vacant positions. Alternatively, Skills inventories ensure that internal candidates are identified and considered for transfer or promotion when opportunities arise). Some of the outside recruiting sources could be employee referrals as employees get bonuses if they refer someone. Alternatively, contacting former employees someone who already has worked with a company and had better knowledge of its culture and expectations. Educational institutions and online recruiting are best when the budget is low. One of the priority could be to hire a more diverse group. 6) Interview selected applicant- ask the only job-related questions, document selection process. The interview process is crucial. The approaches described below are simple, good practice and are relevant to the majority and minority candidates. * Develop questions based on the required and preferred skills and qualifications listed in the Job Description (JD). Candidates will respond differently based on work history, experience and skill level. * Be sure to ask the same set of core questions, listen carefully and allow candidates to respond adequately. Be prepared for candidates questions. The primary objective of the interview is to determine if the candidate can perform specific duties. * Take good notes during the meeting and immediately after, documenting the responses and job-related criteria. * Review duties and responsibilities of the job using the JD, individual qualifications, work history, relevant experience/training/educational background, career goals, travel requirements, equipment used and facilities, hours required, attendance requirements, performance expectations, any on-the-job training and staff development opportunities. * Identify potential management candidates clearly on interview notes. 7) Select finalist and verify job-related credentials- conducting reference checks 8) Make contingent job offer- request background check and education verification. 9) Close the notice of vacancy. 10) Schedule and conduct new employee processing. B) INCREASE FAIRNESS PERCEPTION When recruitment process is fair, and recruiters treat all applicants honestly and respectfully, it improves the chances of applicants accepting an offer for the job. The recruitment process should be relevant to the job and be consistent across all applicants. Make sure hiring is done to fill a real vacancy. It should be easy for candidates to apply.Also, explain the recruitment process to the applicant and give them the opportunity to show why they should be hired. Clear job description could help avoid discrimination of any sort. All applicants should be treated fairly throughout the selection and hiring process. High levels of fairness maintained throughout the recruitment process give Chern the best chance of recruiting top talent. Keep applicants informed of their progress or lack of progress through the process. Interviews should be conducted using standardized, approved methods with all questions to be predetermined by management. According to Stan M. Gully and Jean M. Phillips, authors of Strategic Staffing, there are three types of perceptions of fairness that applicants can feel related to a company’s recruitment and selection process. These are distributive, procedural and interactional fairness. Distributive is similar to how fair an applicant feels the hiring or promotion system is. Procedural refers to candidates beliefs that a company’s policies and procedures that guide the hiring or promotion decision were fair. It Includes the screening tools, tests, interview process as it relates to personality or integrity tests. Interactional fairness has to do with an applicant’s perception of treatment during the hiring process. If an applicant is no longer considered to be hired, they s hould be informed about is as soon as possible. Candidates feel important and create a positive image for those companies who follow them up on their applications and interview. When these things do not occur, the employer may find that there have been negative spillover effects as a consequence. When someone has a positive experience, he or she tells others and view the organization in a positive light. The same is true with a negative experience. The issue is that when someone does have a negative experience, he or she is much more likely to tell others about the experience and to discontinue association with the company. A good recruiter should be open to giving as well as receiving feedback. When using internal or external recruiters, Chern should ensure that the recruiter possesses characteristics that support candidates having a positive experience. These include being familiar with the position as well as the company. A recruiter who cannot answer questions about the job they are recruiting for or the company appears incompetent to the applicant, and this image is then attached to the company as well. Active listening skills, enthusiasm, intelligence, and trustworthiness all reflect well on the company. C and D) EMPLOYER BRAND Chern’s should define its mission and values that would flow through its employer branding communications. An ideal branding mission would be to inspire and influence others to connect with organizations core values. Like, Creating an environment where everyone feels welcome. Numerous methods could help in branding. Use of technology Digital marketing could attract new applicants as well engage and to retain the old one. Use of social media like facebook, twitter, and other sites helps the company to attract talent and reach masses. Employees who perform well and are there in the company from long can share their experiences through these sites or create their blog to let new candidates know what their experiences and success and failure stories have been so far. It would help talent connect and understand company’s culture. Photographs of any main events or about company’s environment could also be posted to drive traffic and interaction. It provides clear view of the organization. Communicating the brand image to employees from recruitment, into orientation and throughout their time with Chern’s will lead to the stronger brand image in the industry. It creates a positive image in their mind and makes them feel valued. What does company stand for should be listed on career page, known by all staff? Promote the family-oriented image the company holds with current employees and provide benefits that fit their needs will support the brand image. Having this firmly rooted family oriented foundation is the structure that supports employee empowerment and provides evidence of how the company values their people. When employees can understand the direction of their employer, see evidence that the employer cares about their well-being, they provide the best word of mouth advertising.

The Rise of Al Capone and Lucky Luciano

The Rise of Al Capone and Lucky Luciano The Five Points Gang is one of the most infamous and storied gangs in the history of New York City. Five Points was formed in the 1890’s and maintained its’ status until the late 1910’s when America saw the beginning stages of organized crime. Both Al Capone and Lucky Luciano would rise out of this gang to become major gangsters in America.   The Five Points gang was from the lower east side of Manhattan and numbered as many as 1500 members including two of the most recognizable names in â€Å"mob† history – Al Capone and Lucky Luciano – and who would change the way that the Italian crime families would operate. Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 17, 1899, to hardworking immigrant parents. After quitting school after the sixth grade, Capone held several legitimate jobs that included working as a pinboy in a bowling alley, a clerk in a candy store, and a cutter in a book bindery. As a gang member, he worked as a bouncer and bartender for fellow gangster Frankie Yales at the Harvard Inn. While working at the Inn, Capone received his nickname â€Å"Scarface† after he insulted a patron and was attacked by her brother. Growing up, Capone became a member of the Five Points Gang, with his leader being Johnny Torrio. Torrio moved from New York to Chicago to run brothels for James (Big Jim) Colosimo. In 1918, Capone met Mary Mae Coughlin at a dance. Their son, Albert Sonny Francis was born on December 4, 1918, and Al and Mae were wed on December 30th. In 1919, Torrio offered Capone a job to run a brothel in Chicago which Capone quickly accepted and moved his entire family, which included his mother and brother to Chicago. In 1920, Colosimo was assassinated – allegedly by Capone – and Torrio took control of Colosimo’s operations to which he added bootlegging and illegal casinos. Then in 1925, Torrio was wounded during an attempted assassination after which he placed Capone in control and moved back to his home country of Italy. Al Capone was now finally the man who was in charge of the city of Chicago. Lucky Luciano Salvatore Luciana was born on November 24, 1897, in the Lercara Friddi, Sicily. His family immigrated to New York City when he was ten years old, and his name was changed to Charles Luciano. Luciano became known by the nickname â€Å"Lucky† which he claimed he earned by surviving a number of severe beatings while growing up on the Lower East side of Manhattan. By the age of 14, Luciano dropped out of school, had been arrested numerous times, and had become a member of the Five Points Gang where he befriended Al Capone. By 1916 Luciano was also offering protection from the local Irish and Italian gangs to his fellow Jewish teens for five to ten cents a week. It was also around this time that he became associated with Meyer Lansky who would become one of his closest friends and his future business partner in crime. On January 17, 1920, the world would change for Capone and Luciano with the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. â€Å"Prohibition† as it became known provided Capone and Luciano the ability to garner huge profits through bootlegging.   Shortly after the start of Prohibition, Luciano along with future Mafia bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello had started a bootlegging consortium that would become the largest such operation in all of New York and allegedly stretched as far south as Philadelphia. Supposedly, Luciano was personally grossing approximately $12,000,000 a year from bootlegging alone. Capone controlled all alcohol sales in Chicago and was able to set up an elaborate distribution system that consisted of bringing in alcohol from Canada as well as setting up hundreds of small breweries in and around Chicago. Capone had his own delivery trucks and speakeasies. By 1925, Capone was earning $60,000,000 per year from alcohol alone.

Criminal Justice Approaches to Paedophilic Sex Offenders Essays

Criminal Justice Approaches to Paedophilic Sex Offenders Essays Criminal Justice Approaches to Paedophilic Sex Offenders Essay Criminal Justice Approaches to Paedophilic Sex Offenders Essay The article Criminal Justice Approaches to Paedophilic Sex Offenders by Martha Kleinhans (2002) is one of a particularly topical nature at present. Not only does Kleinhans attempt to wrestle with an inherently taboo subject matter, she does so with fastidious ability, drawing conclusions, evaluation and criticism throughout the piece. The article, written in 2002, came just after a great deal of media interest in the trial of Roy Whiting, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Sarah Payne, and thus contains both reference to recent headline news as well as evaluation concerning current legislation and parliamentary acts. Due to this occurrence and topical agenda, articles of this nature and subject matter have flooded the market with reference to all manner of areas concerning paedophilic sex offenders. It would therefore seem probable that this article may have nothing specific to offer in the way of insights into this field. However, this does not prove to be the case, as Kleinhans raises some valuable sociological discourses and covers ground that would not be expected to be standard of this subject matter. Within the opening few lines of the article, Kleinhans states that the main agenda within the piece is addressed to the over reactions of the public towards paedophillic sex offenders, and the impulsiveness of legislation systems to bring about justice and retribution. This initial statement enables Kleinhans to diversify her argument into several different areas within the topic of criminal justice studies, but also to use it as a platform with which other statements can be made in reference. From this, the article firstly attempts to identify the distinctions that have been imposed between childhood and adulthood. This is inherently a difficult task, and as Kleinhans states, it firstly requires exploring two underlying assumptions about the child: first, the innocence of the child and, second, the asexuality of the child (2002 p 234). Yet, the disadvantage of assumption is that it is not necessarily based on truths, and is therefore liable to subjective interpretation and thus can be misleading. Kleinhans accepts this view, and goes on to investigate the extent to which the innocence and asexuality of the child transpire. These two topics are dealt with individually, and Kleinhans concludes that the innocence of the child is not necessarily the case. Although society wishes to perceive the child and childhood as innocent, the pervasiveness of juvenile offenders is enough to allow this area to become deceptive. Thus leading to an ambiguity between childhood and innocence. However, although this may be the case, this ambiguity is not enough to detract from the moral separation of children from adults (Kleinhans 2002, p234). Yet, this view is not necessarily echoed in contemporary legislation. As criminal justice systems categorise offenders in terms of age, with the separation of adult, juvenile and young offenders, it has become increasingly clear that the child is not necessarily innately innocent and the separation between childhood and adulthood, in terms of real world consequences, is becoming ever more entwined. Kleinhans then moves to deal with the second issue concerning child, namely the perceived asexuality that comes with childhood. Kleinhans argues that this is again a social separator of childhood from adulthood, with sexuality conceivably being a defining factor of the end of the childhood stage. As with innocence, asexuality of childhood is likely to misleading, it is unlikely that children remain total naive to sexuality, despite the best attempts of others. This argument is then furthered with the discussion that the emphasis placed on the repression of childhood sexuality is infact constructing sexual beings that need to be regulated. An idea, which again produces inconsistencies and contradictions, thus affecting our notion of childhood sexuality and the separation of the child from the adult. After considering the various issues concerning the child, the article moves on to examine the aspects of punishment inflicted on the paedophilic sex offender. Kleinhans discussion centres around the distinction between corporal and carceral punishment. She argues that modern criminal justice approaches have moved away from corporal punishment systems to more carceral-based systems, but also argues the benefits of a more dualist or holistic approach. This then emphasises the punishment on both the body and the soul, a case of addressing both sides of person in order to rectify the whole. After this initial identification of contemporary justice systems, Kleinhans then considers the logistics surrounding incarceration for paedophilic sex offenders. This takes the form of the virtual and civilised prison. Kleinhans uses these terms to identify the differing facets of imprisonment while not actually incarcerated within the prison, thus transversing the methods used while in prison to the offender upon release. The virtual prison describes the way in which after release, methods have been applied to the offender in order to keep them under surveillance. Methods of electronic tagging and registry systems have all been used in this way, this creates a virtual prison, in which, although not actually incarcerated, the offender is still subjected to the monitoring and surveillance which were afforded while in prison. The civilised prison refers to the civilised nature in which punishment is administered. The nature of imprisonment provides a way of governing punishment away from the public in a civilised manor. Yet, with public attention being paramount when concerned with paedophilia, this civilised manor is almost eradicated as the punishment of the offender becomes an ever more increasingly public spectacle. Kleinhans concludes her argument with a discussion of the offender and the community, in which she comments on the exclusionary tactics employed by the community in order to rid themselves of an offender in their location. This idea echoes the notion of the virtual prison, in which offenders are excluded from society to such a degree that it is almost impossible for them to begin the road away from deviance, and are thus once again in isolation. In order to evaluate the article to a greater degree, it is necessary to look at the work within a wider context. This refers to evaluating the piece within the dimensions of deviance within a sociological perspective, and thus, this area should be looked at in greater detail. The definition of deviance is slightly problematic as there is no set definition or description for this term. However, deviance can be explained as a relative phenomena, in which it can only be related to a standard, which is no means fixed or absolute. Due to this, deviance is socially constructed, and what is seen as deviant in one culture may be considered the norm for another. Perhaps one of the most dominant perspectives within the field of deviance is that of functionalism. This takes the view that deviance occurs due to the nature of society, rather than an individual trait. Merton (1938) argued that deviant behaviour could be explained as a function of the properties of social systems rather than physiological or psychological discrepancies. This description of deviant behaviour fits in with Kleinhans view that the community in which the offender is relocated to provide the right conditions for deviant behaviour to reoccur, thus society is constructing the dimensions in which deviance can facilitate. During 2001, a great deal of media coverage became apparent after the murder of Sarah Payne, from this, a great wave of communal reaction occurred resulting in legislation being passed. Sarahs law called for tighter controls on known paedophilic sex offenders and gave way to a great host of clauses concerning this area. This vast public reaction had several consequences, not only did it bring this paedophilic sex offender into the public eye, but some of the methods and restrictions employed by the law had negative effects. Drury (2002) claimed that the anti-paedophile mobs were pushing these offenders underground and out of a sphere in which they could be controlled. Pank (2001) also suggested that this might be the case, and also added that registration systems may result in some unforeseen circumstances, in particular, making it more accessible for other offenders to contact each other. This view again sits with the idea of socially constructed crime, as society is producing the guidelines for which deviance can take hold. One further view of deviance is that held by the internationalist approach. Becker (1963) states that social groups create deviance by the making of rules whose infraction constitutes deviance, and by applying those rules to particular people and labelling them as outsiders (1963 p9). This view can be applied to paedophilic sex offenders, as the public labelling of these offenders as paedophiles defines this individual and places upon some certain character evaluation. Becker also wields the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy, in that the label applied to the offender becomes the over-riding statute and thus controlling, therefore the label administered to the offender becomes one of a truthful nature as it is accepted by the person. Kleinhans article also shares this view, as Becker argues that the public treatment of a deviently labelled individual denies them an ordinary existence, they are then almost required to develop unlawful practices. This is also echoed in the registry programme employed in certain countries in order to monitor paedophilic sex offenders. This public labelling imposes the character evaluation of a paedophile onto the offender; an example of this is produced by Itzen (2001), where it is argued that paedophilia and child sex abuse have become inextricably linked within the public eye, even though this link may not be true of the majority. Therefore, this labelling process produces those who are thus excluded from society, resulting in the adoption of criminal or deviant routines. It lastly comes to the evaluation of the article. Within the abstract and introduction to the piece, Kleinhans identifies her aims for the article as a whole. She states that the work itself is addressed to the (over) reactions of the public (2002 p233), and that the underlying concepts that seem central to the discussion of paedophilic sex offenders are produced in order to evaluate the contemporary punishment and legal systems for these crimes. Thus, as the title of the article suggests, Kleinhans main argument pivots around the discussion of punishment systems for paedophilia and thus attempts to shed new light on the discourse and practice (2001 p233) of these systems. The article does indeed reflect upon these punishment issues to a great degree, and this argument provides the bulk of material within the piece. It could therefore be said that the article does achieve the initial aims put forward by Kleinhans. She looks at and examines the peripheral aspects to which paedophilia is concerned, such as the moral separation of the child from the adult in both innocence and naivety as well as sexual beings, thus introducing the inconsistencies in our morals and behaviour towards this area of human nature. After dealing with these underlying concepts, she moves on to discuss the punishment systems in place for paedophilic sex offenders and looks beyond the characteristic view of the prison, and applies these inferences to the outside world. By doing so, the article looks at a greater scope of punishment than just the basic corporal or carceral systems, and looks at how the community also employs punishment tactics to offenders. The research used within the article is generally up to date, and employs current legislation to further arguments made. It also seem to be well referenced with every point or argument presented being backed up with empirical studies. However, with the topic being of such current debate, the article, in general, does not produce any new findings on this. Yet, it does prove to be of aid in the clarification of this subject. Thus the article can be criticised in not fully achieving its initial aims, but Kleinhans does provide a compelling argument with sound debate and so the piece is not without its merits. The article itself appears well written and documented, and incorporates a vast scope of features concerning many areas of this subject matter. The work appears objective without being over clinical and employs various approaches and theories of a sociological nature to further the comments made. Kleinhans takes a different view on an intrinsically tender subject, and looks in detail and the punishment systems upon the offender as well as the effect the community has on the deviance. In her own conclusion, she expresses a wish to shed some light on the punishment of sex offenders, and I believe the article has done that. By looking at the system outside of the prison walls, the article does provide a description of this matter that is not generally attenuated to. Although not providing any groundbreaking new views or theories, the articles different take on this subject matter aids in the clarification of the this topic.

Why should we think sociologically about everyday life Discuss by Essay

Why should we think sociologically about everyday life Discuss by drawing on writings by Mills and Bauman - Essay Example According to Bauman (2001), there are characteristics that set sociological thinking apart from other, more commonsense ways of thinking. Sociological thinking questions basic assumptions – it does not take for granted the everyday suppositions that we make; rather, it deconstructs theses assumptions and breaks them down, making them open to debate and differing opinions. Also, such a way of thinking goes beyond just our individual experiences; instead, it tries to explore multiple world views, trying to look at as many different perspectives as possible, respecting and accepting that difference of opinion will always exist. Another difference between sociological thinking and other kinds of thinking are that when trying to explore human behavior, such a way of thinking does not limit itself to individual experience, but instead, looks at societal behavior as a basis for explaining human behavior. Lastly, sociological thinking is structured in such a way that it bases its argu ments by backing it up with evidence, rather than making claims that are unsupported by facts. So what are the reasons that make it important for us to think sociologically? What can such a thinking do for us and why is it important? One of the most important reasons for thinking sociologically, as Bauman & May (2001) make clear for us, is its emphasis on de-familiarizing ourselves with what we have come to take as granted. What this does is that it opens us up to differing perspectives, allowing us to think beyond what we have taken to be our reality. â€Å"To all those who think that living life in a more conscious way is worth the effort, sociology is a welcome guide† (Bauman & May 2001). Sociological thinking is reflective and perceptive; it encourages us to look at the world in new ways, exploring and understanding issues from multiple perspectives, always accepting the fact that people will hold different opinions, depending on their own individual experiences and social

Confucianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Confucianism - Essay Example Thus politeness being a universal communication phenomenon it reflects particular cultural values that come with or rather which are linked to diverse cultures. Being a relatively vital aspect in cross-cultural communication, politeness enables people from different cultures to establish, consolidate or maintain harmonious interpersonal relations that reduce misunderstandings and conflicts in the society. A snapshot on various aspects of politeness in the two cultures, Chinese and English, depicts that the rules of communication differ as they are influenced by the values and beliefs of individuals from these communities. For instance, the English people always address others according to their genders; Mr., Mrs., Miss and Ms, followed with a surname, depending on age and marital status. On the other hand, the Chinese address people using a surname and the title of the occupation; â€Å"Wang yi sheng† to mean Doctor Wang, â€Å"Lee xiao zhang† to mean Principal Lee and â€Å"shi fu† can be used to address strangers. In addition, the Chinese culture, especially for children, â€Å"shushu† and â€Å"a yi† are always used to address uncle and aunty respectively. Another aspect of politeness in the two cultures is farewell and greetings. Whenever the English people meet, they always use phrases like â€Å"Nice to meet you,† â€Å"Good Morning,† â€Å"Good evening† and â€Å"Good afternoon.† For the Chinese, the phrase â€Å"ni hao† is always used whenever people meet. Moreover, when the China people meet their acquaintances, one can say â€Å"qu na li† to ask where one is going or â€Å"chi le ma?† to ask whether one has eaten or not. Thus, whenever an native speaker of English hear the Chinese phrases, he or she might interpret them as invitation lunch or dinner and any other interference in their personal affair. I met one of my colleagues, an English speaker on my way to a restaurant. I was