Treatment or Incarceration Essay - 1879 Words

There is an epidemic of almost epic proportions in this wonderful nation called the United States. However, this epidemic is not only national; it is worldwide. And because of this epidemic there are other problems in society such as an increase in crime and prison overcrowding. The epidemic is that of Substance Abuse and Addiction. The penal systems of each state house more prisoners due to drug related crimes than any other. The statistics do not lie; they only tell the truth. Treatment instead of incarceration would be beneficial to the addict himself and to society as a whole. Evidence shows treatment would lower the amount of criminal activity due to substance abuse and addiction. Logic shows that if a problem is cured then the†¦show more content†¦The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia’s article â€Å"Drug Abuse and Drug Addiction† states that over half of the deaths on America’s highways were by driver’s that were intoxicated. The populatio n of North Carolina’s prison system has grown in each of the past few years (Price). However, if indeed there was a different course of action that could be taken to end the crimes before the criminals even have the opportunity to commit a crime, should not that very course of action be investigated. That course of action is treatment for the convicted offenders. Not to say those who break the law should not have to pay restitution to society, though. Treatment of those who were convicted of drug related offenses could be placed in treatment and returned to society as a productive citizen. The nation’s penal system calls itself rehabilitating the inmates. Statistics prove otherwise. Recidivism has been proven to be low for individuals that have gone through treatment but not for those do not have the opportunity (Cooper). The Federal Bureau of Prisons have found of those inmates who did receive treatment only 3% were rearrested within 6 months, but found over 12% that did not complete treatment were rearrested within 6 month of release (Schmidt). That is a large difference and does not show that the penal system is rehabilitating. Only a few of the number of people that completed treatment went on to continue their criminal career,Show MoreRelatedIncarceration : Balancing Punishment And Treatment988 Words   |  4 Pages4.0 Alternatives to Incarceration Balancing Punishment and Treatment Mass Incarceration In December 2013, President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of eight federal inmates who were convicted of nonviolent crack cocaine offenses, six of whom were serving life sentences (Miles 2014). The surge in the prison population of the United States of America can be attributed to changes in sentencing and policies that created stricter laws and harsher punishments for offenders. For the last half-centuryRead MoreDrug Addiction Treatment Vs. Incarceration966 Words   |  4 PagesDrug Addiction Treatment vs. Incarceration: Gaining Insight Regarding the Facts Drug addiction is most often defined as a chronic progressive relapsing cycle in which an individual experiences excessive compulsions in using a mood altering substance despite the consequences associated with the drug. Drug addiction is also considered a disease that affects the brain; which results in a chemical imbalance caused by the abuse of illegal substances. The effects of drug usage can cause long term brainRead MoreSubstance Abuse Treatment Instead of Incarceration? Essay2239 Words   |  9 Pagesaddicts. There is also the matter of the cost effectiveness of treatment versus incarceration. Of course there are opponents that make valid argument against treatment in lieu of incarceration. The argument against includes the fact that relapse can and often does happen to the addicted individual. In many segments of society providing treatment to stigmatized individuals is frowned upon. To begin discussing the need for treatment of addiction for correctional inmates the first thing that needsRead MoreIncarceration For The Mentally Ill Offenders By Providing Treatment Options778 Words   |  4 PagesMemo to the Mayor Mental health courts are courts specifically dedicated to offering an alternative option to incarceration for the mentally ill offenders by providing treatment options. The idea of mental health courts is noble, one should not view only the benefits but also the possible detrimental impacts they could have on the public before providing funding. One can only make an informed decision on the merits of mental health courts funding when they weigh the benefits recidivism rates, publicRead MoreRestorative Justice And Reducing Prison Population1495 Words   |  6 PagesRestorative Justice to Reduce Prison Population Is long-term incarceration working to resolve issues of criminal conduct? When considering the population of people incarcerated is rising at an alarming rate and crime statistics not dropping by much, it is hard to tell if incarceration is working in these modern times. The United States prison population is the largest in the world. In fact, the United States has 2.3 million persons in institutions which is more than the rest of the world combinedRead MoreThe Incarceration Of The Prison Policy Institute1369 Words   |  6 Pages IV. Inform and persuade you that by utilizing rehab over incarceration for non violent drug offenders we as a nation can combat the wasteful spending, the addiction issue in our nation, and the fact our incarceration system fails these individuals. Main Point Sub-Point Sub-Point BODY I. In our society we are faced with a drug addiction problem that is not being dealt with properly. Our use of incarceration as a means to deal with this problem has not only been costlyRead MoreSubstance Abuse And The United States1210 Words   |  5 Pageshas severe repercussions that may encompass severe dependence and overdose.1 Substance abuse is an epidemic that cannot be ignored. However, the combined forces of over-prescription, addiction and subsequent unemployment may mean that coverage for treatment for opioid addiction is not guaranteed even with increased Medicaid access through the Affordable care Act (ACA). In March of 2010, the ground-breaking healthcare law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law byRead MoreAmerica Should Not Afford For Nonviolent Criminals Essay1741 Words   |  7 Pagescare, and treatment programs at the taxpayers expense? Community supervision programs that require offenders to work to support themselves and their families make better sense. In addition, offenders should pay supervision fees, restitution to victims and court costs. Further, offenders on community supervision could utilize to addiction treatment programs and mental health services to avoid re-offending. Community supervision offers an excellent alternative to the high cost of incarceration whileRead MoreMass Incarceration And Its Effects On Families, Communities, And Society1400 Words   |  6 Pagesa problem and many refuse to believe or even acknowledge that there is one. However, the United States has paved the way to create a cycle of endless incarceration for many people but especially for those of color. Such as the 1994 Violent Crime Control Act and the lack of substance abuse treatment in prisons. Overwhelmingly, mass incarceration has had a great impact on families, communities and society as a whole. As illuminated through the parable by inmate Joe Martinez, this continued cyclingRead MoreThe Effects Of Substance Use And Incarceration894 Words   |  4 PagesState s long and complex history of substance use and incarceration. Some could make a strong argument that our country s battle against substance use has been a misguided, ill conceived, expensive, and discriminatory attempt which produced inauspicious results. The War on Drugs and Deinstitutionalization are two such attempts. This paper will analyze how these policy blunders have formed a strong association between substance use and incarceration, how current practice and research is attempted to

Analysis Of A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner - 949 Words

These stories were interesting reads. It shows the norm of gender roles back then. And they were somewhat accurate. My bosses are both female, and if I would have said that back in the day, it would have been blasphemous. The majority of us, mostly the younger generation, look back on gender roles and see the way women were treated and we think it’s awful. But back then; men didn’t see it as a problem. It was normal to them. The reason why I enjoyed both of these stories was because it opened my eyes on how cruel man can be to his woman counterpart. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† was quite interesting. In the story, Emily was a traditionalist. Before her death, she fought not to have metal numbers on the side of her house when the postal service was introduced in the town. With a growing town, it was as if Emily’s house was the last vestige of a lost era. In my eyes, that shows traditionalist. That’s like how the older generation today refuses to stay away from cell phones or computers. My grandpa before he passed never touched a computer in his life. Because well, he felt like he didn’t need to. It was foreign to him, and there was no need to keep up with the times when the times he lived in were just right for him. Like Emily saw things. â€Å"A Doll’s House† gave us a clearer picture of gender roles back in the day. I’m not saying that â€Å"A Rose for Emily† did no such thing, it did. But the message was clear in this one. Men were property owners and women were the property. This storyShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner And A Rose For Emily1023 Words   |  5 Pagesshort stories are told are essential literary elements to â€Å"likes† by Sarah Shun-lien Bynum and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner. The settings in both story provide the reader with context in order to understand the conflict within both stories. Also the point of view the narrator in each story narrates from gives the reader an understanding between both conflicting sides of the story. A further analysis of the global temporal setting, the global geographic setting and the point of view will explainRead MoreA Rose For Emily- Rhetorical Analysis. William Faulkner802 W ords   |  4 PagesA Rose for Emily- Rhetorical Analysis William Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. He wrote short stories, plays, essays, and screenplays. He is mainly known for his creative imaginary stories that were based on Lafayette County, Mississippi where he spent most of his life. Faulkner is one of the most celebrated writers in American literature and especially Southern literature. He spent majority of his childhood years sitting around listening to his elders and family membersRead MoreAnalysis Of A Rose For Emily, And A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1004 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Faulkner once said, â€Å" We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.† American history has come a long way, comparing present day to the past many can see a drastic difference. In a historicist perspective, a short story that captures this country’s past is William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily written and published in 1930 and was William Faulkners first short story t o be published in a national magazine. The critics and the public view the reading somewhat wellRead MoreAnalysis Of A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1407 Words   |  6 Pagessetting is significant and discuss how the setting contributes to the central meaning of the story. In William Faulkner’s short story, A Rose for Emily, the southern town’s setting is a stark contrast to today’s society, where many elderly people live in poverty, receive little respect, and lose their family homes due to the inability to pay taxes. After the death of her father forty years earlier, Emily Grierson’s social and financial status plunged to the point where she was totally dependent on theRead MoreCharacter Analysis of Emily Grierson in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner757 Words   |  3 Pagesthis was a salute ... to a woman you would hand a rose† (Outà ³n 63), this is how William Faulkner is quoted when explaining the meaning for the title of his short story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† In his short story, Faulkner summarizes the life of a forsaken woman, whom, while heavily respected by her town, is also quite pitied. Faulkner works to give the reader a sense of empathy towards his character while he describes the tragedy t hat is her life. Emily Grierson, is eventually found to not be the onlyRead MoreEssay on Prose Analysis â€Å"a Rose for Emily† William Faulkner1085 Words   |  5 PagesProse Analysis â€Å"A Rose for Emily† William Faulkner The two female cousins came at once. They held the funeral on the second day, with the town coming to look at Miss Emily beneath a mass of bought flowers, with the crayon face of her father musing profoundly above the bier and the ladies sibilant and macabre; and the very old men --some in their brushed Confederate uniforms--on the porch and the lawn, talking of Miss Emily as if she had been a contemporary of theirs, believing that they hadRead MoreAnalysis Of William Faulkner s A Rose For Emily 1099 Words   |  5 PagesNora Del Bosque†¨ Comp II†¨ O’Connell†¨Paper #2 â€Å"Deceiving Looks† In â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, William Faulkner tells the story of an sad and lonely lady, stuck in her time. Because her father died, she never fully recovered from it and was not able to find herself. Emily’s house was in the past was considered elegant and was built on the best street in town in the 1870’s. Now the house is old and an unattractive building to the neighborhood. People in her town begin to bad mouth her because of her lostRead MoreAnalysis Of William Faulkner s A Rose For Emily1526 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Faulkner uses theme, imagery and symbolism to highlight the decline of the South in his short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† William Faulkner is the author of â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† In â€Å"A Rose for Emily† the story starts off at Emily’s funeral, and the whole town is there too. The men went out of respect for losing a person who had been a citizen of Jefferson for a long time, and the women went because th ey wanted to see what her house looked like because only a select few have seen it in the lastRead MoreCharacter Analysis in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner1255 Words   |  6 PagesA Rose for Emily by William Faulkner is located in Jefferson, a small Southern town during the post- Civil War era. The story revolves around the eccentric and catastrophic events of Miss Emily Grierson’s life. At a first look, Miss Emily seems like a lonely woman with little self-confidence and low self-esteem, which is due from her father’s upbringing. There had to be some kind of neglect by her father because he made her lived such a sheltered life. He made her think that nobody was good enoughRead MoreAnalysis Of William Faulkner s Rose For Emily 876 Words   |  4 PagesHassan Abdi ENGL-1302 Mrs. Escamilla Sep/16/2015 Money in Rose for Emily William Faulkner was an amazing writer and at his time was the voice of American literature. He wrote a lots of books, novels, and short stories. Most of his readers loved his writing style so much that they tried to turn it to movies, but it is not an easy job to turn William Faulkner’s writings to a movie. Stories can be turned to movies but it is very important for the producers to be able to cover all the material and

Decaying of Ideology in Modern China Free Essays

Although Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Though (MLM) still serves as the ideology which the People’s Republic of China (PRC) adhere to, these socialist doctrines no longer serve inspirational purposes to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and are viewed as an â€Å"ideological vacuum. † China’s attempt to establish a rapid growing economy to support the authority of the Communist regime has contradicted the Communist ideology and has thus created a reverse effect. It is certain that Chinese citizens have grown increasingly apolitical in the current era due to the exposure to market economy and Western influences. We will write a custom essay sample on Decaying of Ideology in Modern China or any similar topic only for you Order Now This new environment prompts the public to adopt individualism and neglect Communist ideologies such as collectivism. As Deng Xiao Ping and many other scholars blamed the ineffective political education as the major cause of this phenomenon, the assertion remains debatable. CCP now faces a challenge where it has to redefine its political ideology while fitting the socialist regime in the context of â€Å"socialist commodity economy. † The CCP’s attempt to reconcile its capitalist practices with socialist ideal results a dilemma. As uncertainties lay in the future of the Chinese political environment, this paper evaluates the failure of The Communist Party’s normative authority, and distinguishes possible alternatives and solutions. One of the main reasons for the failure of the propaganda scheme is that the value which the Party tries to promote grossly contrasted with the actual social condition. While the Party urges the public to embrace the idea of â€Å"collectivism,† and â€Å"serving the people,† it fails to justify how socialist morality is compatible with market competition. Jurgen Habermans has labeled this dilemma as ‘rationality crisis,’ caused by the disjunction between current practices and the original ideological tenets upon which the regime was founded. † Although CCP recognizes the need for combating moral disorder and launched the â€Å"socialist spiritual civilization† (SSC) campaign in 1997, the accomplishment is diminutive. It is obvious that political education in China is heavily emphasized, where political elements are incorporated in every curriculum, from kindergarten to university. However, the program is ineffective since these principles are not applicable in the social environment. As a result, students see no purpose in these materials except to know them well so they could obtain a decent academic record and remain competitive in the job market. Furthermore, â€Å"even party functionaries no longer take ideological work seriously, and few are interested in this specialty as a career. † The character of legitimation crisis has also surfaced besides the presence of rationality crisis. Legitimation crisis is â€Å"a discrepancy between the need for motives declared by the state and the motivation supplied by socio-cultural system. † As â€Å"harmonious society† (hexie shehui) and scientific development† continues to serve as current watchwords for CCP, they appears to be oxymoronic. The concept of harmonious society is drawn upon Confucius values, whereas the concept of scientific development aroused mainly from Deng Xiao Ping Theory, which is an emphasis on economic stability. The rationality and legitimation crisis which CCP now encounters â€Å"can be explained in terms of the antinomy between rationality and reasonableness, or between scientism and moralism. This antinomy seems to be the most visible obstacle and the most controversial policy of Chinese education. † Another critical argument for CCP’s decaying normative authority is the corruption of government officials and therefore creating a devastating effect on the Party’s goal on rebuilding moral order. Since the 16th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, more than 100 minster- and provincial-level officials were sentenced for corruption, an unprecedented number, according to statistics released by the Supreme Procuratorate. In 2005, 47,206 officials were disciplined-punished by Chinese supervision agencies. † Consequently, the uncontrollable widespread of corruption among government officials brings public to think that education system is hypocritical and therefore, unpersuasive. In a survey conducted in the state enterprises of Shenyang, one of China’s largest industrial cities, 71% of respondents agreed that moral education should be directed primarily at the high- and middle- ranking cadres rather than at ordinary people. † In order to overhaul the Communist Ideology, the Party implemented inspirational projects incorporating patriotic education and Confucianism. China’s patriotic education was design for two purposes. One is to combat Western influences and second is to achieve â€Å"unified thinking† (tongyi sixiang). To a certain extent, the program was successful, particularly in â€Å"unified thinking. † Although the Party is unable to eliminate all Western influences and the exchange of information, the general public has increasingly learnt to praises and adapt to traditional Chinese culture. The party has utilized Confucianism value by describing â€Å"Confucianism as a positive force that could consolidate the Chinese nation and foster socialist spiritual civilization. † Accordingly, most of the Chinese families today follow Confucian’s teachings and the value of Confucianism is already deeply rooted in the society. Through the post-1989 Patriotic Education, the regimen has provided China’s new generations with nationalists. In China’s education system, children are taught â€Å"that China’s misery was imposed by Western countries,† and acknowledged themselves as nationalists and â€Å"bound to become fenqing. † Furthermore, although young generations are no longer interested in the concept of ideology, CCP has little problems finding new members as we can see that during â€Å"the last five years, three-quarters of those who flocked to join were under thirty-five. This is not only a result of patriotism but also joining the Party could provide opportunities and benefits. On the other hand, the increasing population of nationalist does not imply legitimating the government’s policy and authorities. â€Å"By placing the party and the center of the official discourse the state-centered view of nationalism restricts the extent to which the Party-state can mobilize nationalist symbolism in support of its leadership and make the Party vulnerable to criticism from more popular conceptions of nationalism. June 4th crackdown and the emergence of Chinese liberalism are the result of nationalism. Besides from implementing propaganda program to strengthen Communist Ideology, new ideas have also formed in the Chinese political platform. Ideas such as â€Å"new left,† â€Å"new conservative†or evenâ€Å"liberalism† are introduced. The New Leftism is in opposition to capitalism and Chinese economic reforms and in favor of the restoration of the Maoist-style socialism. â€Å"New leftists† appeal to social injustice like corruption and the interest of low class people became particular popular in 2009. Furthermore, it addresses the problem of the disparity between rich and poor. The New leftists â€Å"guarantee the welfare of the country’s 800 million peasants left behind the recent change. † Alternatively, if China is to take on the advice of the New Leftist, it would create an enormous wave of withdraws in the form of foreign investments due to the economic uncertainty, which would inevitably destroy China’s new emerging market. And the collapse of the Chinese economy would make it impossible for the Party to provide welfare for the poor. In that sense, the New Left ideas do not generate common interest between the public and the Party’s ideology. On the contrary, the â€Å"New Conservatives†, or Neo-Conservatives, â€Å"holds that modernization is a gradual process (incrementalism), and that, during this process, traditional values, the existing order and an authoritarian government are necessary to maintain social stability and ensure a successful social transformation. † It also distinguishes itself from traditional conservatism by accentuating modern transformation and accelerates economic development. The Neo-Conservatives tries to develop â€Å"a model characterized by economic growth under an authoritarian political order. † This hybrid Ideology that retained Marxism-Leninism ideals and Deng’s goal to achieve modernization â€Å"enabled Jiang to legitimize the Party and ensure its survival. † Consequently, Jiang has balanced centralism (elements of the â€Å"Mao Era†) and capitalistic-orientated economic policies (which are elements of the â€Å"Deng Era†) and achieve new census. Besides from the ideas that were discussed above, â€Å"liberalism† is another concept which has derived from the June 4th incident of 1989. The collapse of Communism in the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe provided an opportunity for Chinese liberals to deeply reflect on the illusion of ‘socialist democracy. ’† The Chinese liberals advocate the abandon of one Party rule and call for multi-party elections to increase competition and limiting the power of the government. â€Å"Despite hard suppression of democracy and liberal ideas by the Chinese party-state, and partly due to this suppression, liberalism and the quest for human rights have been on the rise and achieved a level of sophistication in China since the late 1990s. Even though the idea of liberalism is not irrelevant to China’s political future, the system would be impossible to impose under a peaceful transition. Ultimately, China would have to construct a new political stance that ensures government power but also provide economic prosperity. China would have to undergo gradual transition from Communism to Authoritarian Capitalism, for instance the People’s Action Party (PAP) in Singapore. Under such political system, there is a large degree of economic freedom but tight control in terms of social freedom. Although there are negative comments on Singapore’s authoritarian capitalism, such as ones that were made by Christopher Lingle, his arguments are debatable. He claimed that â€Å"Singapore’s authoritarian rule has led to the ‘politicization of commerce,’ the distribution of economic and commercial privileges to trusted political supporters, stifling the emergence of home-grown entrepreneurs. † On the other hand, statistics has proven him wrong. Singapore is the second most economically free country according to 2011 Index of Economic Freedom. Furthermore, its government spending in terms of GDP is among the lowest in the world (14. 5%), according to information from The World Factbook. And as we can see, the Chinese government is actually taking such transition, and characters of capitalism can be found in increasingly free trade. Several universities claimed â€Å"that great powers like China and Russian, with authoritarian state capitalist regimes could pose a viable rival model. † How to cite Decaying of Ideology in Modern China, Essay examples

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Stanza 74 Essay Example For Students

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Stanza 74 Essay In stanza 74, fit III, the lady of the castle offers a magical, green girdle to Sir Gawain and explains to him that the wearer of this corset cannot be killed by any cunning on earth. Sir Gawain, amidst an ethical dilemma, accepts the gift and chooses to conceal it from Lord Bertilak. This passage contains three of the main themes of the story the inner and outer conflicts between Sir Gawains ethics and desire to live, and the test of religion. When Sir Gawain is offered the girdle, his knightly principles are questioned. The honorable thing would be to reject the offer or bring it to the lord of the castle, but Gawain places the preservation of his life ahead of chivalry. The knight has withstood the ladys constant barrage of sexual advances, and kept his promise to the lord of the castle, but when the chance to save his life is presented, he snatches it up without a second thought. This point is shown by the way the author puts Outright on a line of its own, emphasizing Gawains quick decision. He is then ecstatic about the thought that he will survive his meeting with the knight the next day, shown by often thanks gave he/ With all his heart and might. Later, Sir Gawain finds three faults in his actions, the first being his cowardice in direct contrast to the main principles of knighthood, the second being his covetousness, his lust for life, and the third being his lack of faith in God. Even when it is shown that God has forgiven him by healing the wound on his neck, Sir Gawain still feels that he has sinned, and is not as willing to forgive himself. He decides that more atonement is in order, so he makes the decision to wear the girdle from then o n, as a sign of his eternal sin, but even then he does not feel that he has been cleansed of his sin. He understands that he will be forced to bear the shame and disgrace of the sin for the rest of his life. The observers opinions of whether Sir Gawain is forgiven are the complete opposite of Sir Gawains. In the passage, it is mentioned that the lady kissed the constant knight. The question arises as to the authors meaning of constant. It is obvious that it does not mean that Gawain is constant in his moral decisions, as he just made an unethical decision. It also wouldnt mean that he is determined or steadfast, for he just caved in to his want for life and threw his morals aside. Another improbable definition would be that of unwavering faith because he just gave up on God. It is possible that the author is being sarcastic, yet this has not been the previous style of writing. So what is the author saying by labeling Gawain the constant knight? A likely possibility is the authors disdain with the current conditions of chivalry and knighthood. He is mocking the misconception of the knights of King Arthurs court and offers the idea that it is more corrupt and conceited than commonly believed. Therefore, being labeled a constant knight is the authors way of accepting Sir Gawains decision, as it would have been standard with the other knights, though not necessarily condoning it. The question as to whether Gawain is right in choosing his life over his morals is mentioned when the Green Knight reveals himself as Lord Bertilak. Dreams, Pride, and Loyalty: A Raisin in the Sun Essay The Green Knight feels that it was excusable for Gawain to accept the girdle, as his decision was well motivated. Sir Gawain did not fall due to lust for a woman or to the offer of a well-wrought thing such as the gold ring, but to his love of life, which Bertilak finds to be less blameworthy. Lord Bertilak perceives Sir Gawain as a noble and honorable knight, and invites him back to his castle to celebrate the New Year. Gawain is let off the hook and sent on his way. When Sir Gawain returns to Camelot, he recalls his story, humiliated and humbled. The members of King Arthurs court, however, feel .