Sentencing Guidelines For Non Violent Drug Offenders

The United States’ prison population is currently number one in the world. As a nation that proclaims freedom for citizens, the United States houses more than one million more persons than Russian and almost one million more persons than China. Currently, the United States makes up five percent of the world’s population and imprisons twenty-five percent of the world’s inmate population. Drug offenders who committed no act of violence make up a large portion of the inmates in the United States. County, State, and Federal prisons are so over populated that the private sector has opened up corporate facilities to house convicted persons. The cost each year to hold a person rises, placing larger financial demands on the judicial system. The Judicial System of the United States should reevaluate the sentencing guidelines for non-violent drug offenders to alleviate the high number of people in the prison system. Inconsistent punishment currently issued by judges creates an increase in persons sentenced to prison. There is a moral dilemma by incarcerating a person for a non-violent crime based on the type of drug. Crack cocaine holds a much tougher sentencing guideline than powder cocaine. According to Families Against Mandatory Minimums, prior to the enactment of the Fair Sentencing Act, it took one hundred times as much powder cocaine as crack cocaine to receive the same five, ten, or twenty year mandatory minimum prison sentence. After the Fair Sentencing Act, the ratio isShow MoreRelatedThe Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws1613 Words   |  7 PagesCurrent mandatory minimum sentencing laws are in dire need of reform. A mandatory minimum sentence is a court decision where judicial discretion is limited by law. As a result, there are irrevocable prison terms of a specific length for people convicted of particular federal and state crimes. As of January 2014, more than 50 percent of inmates in federal prisons are serving time for drug offenses, and more than 60 percent of people incarcerated are racial and ethnic minorities. The use of safetyRead MoreRape And Burglary As A Post Incarceration Supervision1730 Words   |  7 PagesMandatory minimums take away the discretion of the judge in sentencing. These officials are bound by statute to place offenders behind bars. Because these statutes are put into place, the judge is not allowed to hand down alternative punishments, nor do they give them the opportunity to prescribe treatment or a change to rehabilitate. Such laws also hold racial discriminatory factors (USSC, 2011). Determinate sentences are those in which the offender is given a fixed term that might be reduced based onRead MoreShould We Be Mandatory Sentence Reduction?870 Words   |  4 Pagesshifting the focus or scale of the tough on crime indicator when it comes to drugs. We have criminalized Americans for possessing drugs in the war and drugs while in the more egalitarian Europe society simple possession is not even a crime. This translates to America in terms of a potential reduction in sentence, tests, processing, and incarceration costs for all those people arrested and convicted in the war on drugs and which has acted in practice to disproportionately penalize African-AmericansRead MoreMandatory Minimums712 Words   |  3 Pages18 to distribute drugs, and the adult sale of controlled substances to someone under the age of 21. It also restricts prosecutorial ability to prosecute low-level drug offenses in instances of small drug quantities by requiring the prosecutor to acquire the a pproval of the Attorney General prior to pursuing the case further. The goal of this legislation is to restore judicial discretion in sentencing. Summary: This bill would reduce sentences for specific low-level, non-violent offenses to a yearRead MoreThe Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws1688 Words   |  7 Pagescriticized for its many problems and errors; one in particular that caught my attention was the mandatory minimum sentencing laws. These laws basically set minimum sentences for certain crimes that judges cannot lower, even for extenuating circumstances. The most common of these laws deal with drug offenses and set mandatory minimum sentences for possession of a drug over a certain amount. Sentencing procedures can vary from jurisdiction to Jurisdiction. Most of these laws are ineffective and causes unnecessaryRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws1468 Words   |  6 PagesOrder Why are so many violent criminals walking free while so many non-violent offenders are locked up? Although various aspects have fueled this inequity of justice, the factors that have contributed the most to this development are, undoubtedly, the War on Drugs and mandatory minimum sentencing laws which have led to punishment disproportionate to the offense. 59% of rape cases and 36.2% of murder cases in the United States are never solved. In 2011, less than half of all violent crimes committed foundRead MoreMandatory Minimums And The United States Justice System1007 Words   |  5 Pagesconstitutionality of the federal sentencing guidelines used for nearly two decades† (Kenneth Jost, 2004), despite this, nothing has been done to correct it. And while the idea of mandatory minimums is a good thing, they don’t work in the American justice system or in current American society. Mandatory minimum sentencing is the minimum time for certain crimes, usually drug related crimes. For most of the 19th and 20th centuries, there were no mandatory minimums with sentencing (Evan Bernick and Paul LarkinRead MoreMale And Female Sentencing : A Look Into Alternative Sentencing1274 Words   |  6 PagesFemale V Male Sentencing A Look into Alternative Sentencing Ritchey, Christian American Military University Author Note This paper was prepared for CRMJ201. Abstract With incarceration rates rising and jail and prison populations at an all-time high, alternative sentencing is being used more often with non-violent offenders. This paper looks at male and female incarceration rates, the use of alternative programs for sentencing between the two and the effectiveness of such programs. During the paperRead MoreMandatory Minimum Sentencing Guidelines For The United States853 Words   |  4 Pagesbelieve one of the main reasons prisons are overcrowded is due to mandatory minimum sentencing. The U.S has very strict sentencing guidelines when it comes to sentencing. According to Hooker and Hirsh, â€Å"A felony conviction generally, by law, means a term of mandatory incarceration. An accused faces mandatory sentencing if he/she has any past felony conviction, or if he/she is accused of being a repetitive offender. As to the former, any past conviction counts, no matter how old† (Berlatsky 94-95)Read Moremandatory minimum sentence1364 Words   |à ‚  6 Pagesmay object to the sentence†. These mandatory sentencing laws however vary from state to state, and in other countries. In 1994 California introduced a policy called â€Å"3 strikes you’re out†, which meant after a third criminal conviction the arrested person would be sentenced to life in prison (Friedman 109). Soon after California enacted its policy, other states and countries also adopted similar policies. Since then other forms of mandatory sentencing have been established for example, in Britain

Frida Kalho One of the Best Essay - 1197 Words

There have been countless artists who have had an influence on the world. During a pivotal time in history, many Mexican artists had powerful, influential pieces of work which impacted society. Frida Kahlo was one of those artists. Till this day, Kahlo is revered as one of the best. Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderà ³n was born July 6th, 1907 in Coyoacà ¡n, Mexico, which was located on the outskirts of Mexico City. Frida was the 3rd daughter born out of 4 children. Her father was born in Pforzheim, Germany. He was the son of the painter and had a major influence on Frida’s artistic ability. Frida was close to her father for most of her life. Kahlo alleged that her father was of Jewish and Hungarian ancestry, but a book on Guillermo†¦show more content†¦When Kahlo was 15, she began to attend Preparatoria, which at the time only had thirty-five girls in attendance. While attending, the Mexican Revolution was still in full swing. For the time of, Kahlo witnessed violence in the streets of Mexico City. Later in life, Kahlo professed that she was born in 1910. By saying so, it would allow people to identify her with the revolution. Frida was influenced by her surroundings which allowed her to become who she was. Being Mexican, Frida had a strong connection with her roots. Being part German also resonated in her core of who she was. She often represented both parts of her ethnicities in her artwork. When Nazism began to rise in Germany during the late 1930’s, Frida recognized and professed her German heritage. Instead of spelling her name Frida with the ida, she instead spelled it Frieda which is a reference to Frieden which means peace in German. To represent her Mexican ties, Kahlo often wore traditional tehuana dresses and skirts. The dresses and skirts were symbolisms of Mexican indigenous roots but also the strength of a woman. As an artist, Frida Kahlo impacted her home country of Mexico but also other parts of the world. Kahlo wa s looked up to because of her artwork and her attitude. Her paintings reflected her Mexican-Aztec and German roots. She also painted an underlying truthful grittiness. Kahlo portrayed surrealism in her paintings in an extremely creative

Theme in ‘Shakespeare in Love’ Free Essays

Describe one idea worth learning about in the text. Explain why it was worth learning about. John Madden’s Shakespeare in love is a ‘romantic comedy’ set in sixteenth century England. We will write a custom essay sample on Theme in ‘Shakespeare in Love’ or any similar topic only for you Order Now Through its two unfortunate protagonists, Will Shakespeare ‘a lowly player’ with writer’s block and wealthy Viola De Lesseps who dreams of ‘love as there has never been in a play,’ it explores the idea of ‘the truth and nature of love’ in the Elizabethan era. Madden portrays the harsh realities of the time through filmatic techniques such as dialogue, motifs and costuming to constantly remind the viewer throughout the film that the romance that is shared by Will and Viola cannot last in sixteenth century England. This is worth leaning about because as a 21st century viewer I become more able to appreciate the struggle faced by the two protagonists, especially Viola as a woman, in the name of love. Madden makes it clear to the viewer from the beginning of the film Shakespeare in Love, that the truth of love in sixteenth century England which is based on the idea of marriage as a method of obtaining social or financial gain divides the two protagonists who are separated by the class system. Madden enhances this key idea through the use of dialogue in Will and Viola’s conversations. Viola is quicker to come to terms with the inevitable idea that their love is ‘too flattering sweet to be substantial. The two are living in a brief ‘dream’, which can only last until Viola’s marriage to Wessex. â€Å"Master Will, poet dearest to my heart, I beseech you, banish me from yours –I am to marry Lord Wessex-a daughter’s duty. † However Will and Viola continue to pursue their risky love, getting caught up in the romance and Will boasts to Viola â€Å"for one kiss, I would defy a thousand Wessexes! † As a twenty-first century teenag er, the concept of a class system preventing two people who love each other from being together was new to me. However I admired and appreciated the two protagonists for going against the rules of society and seeing each other in secret trying to convince themselves that â€Å"love knows nothing of rank or riverbank. † Throughout the film we are reminded through the various recurring motifs, that Will and Viola’s love is one that will not last the expectations and realities of Elizabethan England. The river Thames is a constant setting focus in the film, being the large body of water that not only divides Will and Viola, but The Rose Theatre and The Curtain Theatre. The Thames is spoken of and shown in large establishing wide shots throughout the film. This helps to remind the viewers that Will and Viola are separated, not just by the river but the laws of society that forbid one of the lower class masses to love a wealthy upper class woman. â€Å"Oh Will, as Thomas Kent my heart belongs to you but as Viola the river divides us and I must marry Wessex a week from Saturday. † Often when Will and Viola are together they are shown with the river as a background always highlighting the rift that the class system has created between them, they can never openly be together. This is also shown in the extensive use of disguise used throughout the film. Viola dresses as a boy, ‘Thomas Kent,’ so she might act in Will’s plays. Will also disguises himself as a woman so he can go with Viola to Greenwich. This motif is an allusion to the play that Will Shakespeare would later write, Twelfth Night, but its main purpose is to remind us that in order to be together in public they must appear as disguised forms of themselves, they cannot openly declare their love. The only occasion when Will and Viola can express their love for each other in public is in the opening performance of Will’s new play Romeo and Juliet. This shows the viewer that only in the theatrical world can these two really be together, this was interesting to see as the nature of love in sixteenth century England means that the two protagonists will fall in love but the truth of love in this era means that if they are not from the same class in society then they cannot be together. It was worth learning about the risks Will and Viola take in order to try and fit into each other’s worlds as it made me invest much more emotion into their relationship. Shakespeare in Love won an academy award for its use of costuming in the film, which is reflected when we see Viola throughout the film. She is dressed immaculately in elaborate gowns with intricate beading often shown in regal colours such as red and gold which highlight her wealth and status and remind the viewer that she is too above Will for their relationship to be acceptable in Elizabethan society. This is contrasted when we first see Will, he is clearly one of the masses in his worn workman boots, plain white hirt and ink stained hands. He relies on his words for a living. Viola and Will are from separate worlds and are only equals in the opening performance of Romeo and Juliet where Will is dressed in equal amounts of finery as Viola. This shows that only in the make-believe world of the theatre can these two be equal and accepted. The idea that they cannot marry each other even though they are in love is hard to grasp in the modern day and is the reason why many were unsatis fied by the ending of the film. However it is worth learning that â€Å"love can spring between a queen and the poor vagabond who plays the king. † We see Will and Viola defy â€Å"rank and riverbank† in an awe-inspiring way but we learn that despite their risk taking, there is not always a happy ending. An unfortunate life is particularly likely for Viola because as a woman, during this era she had fewer rights. â€Å"Will she breed? †¦Yes, if she does not send her back. † Women also suffered greater consequences if they were to be caught acting in the theatre. This was a foreign idea for me to be learning about because as a twenty first century girl seeing actors regarded as ‘two-a-penny’ in the Elizabethan era was strange and hugely contrasting to the celebrity status actors enjoy today. So it can be seen that the truth of love in Elizabethan England separates the two protagonists who are without control over their own relationships and life choices, a reality for the time that is hardly seen in twenty-first century New Zealand making this theme in the film almost alien to a modern teenage girl like myself. John Madden successfully portrays the constrictions of Elizabethan England and the trials Will and Viola must undergo to be together through his use of dialogue, motifs and costuming. Even the queen ‘cannot part a couple who have been joined before God† and it is worth learning that we don’t always get a happy ending in life. How to cite Theme in ‘Shakespeare in Love’, Essay examples

Hyponsis Essay Example For Students

Hyponsis Essay AbstractThis paper focuses on the history and science of hypnosis. The introduction discusses the origins of hypnosis that date back to pre-historic times and the first people to employ hypnotic-like methods to alter or change human behavior using the power of suggestion. A background and study of Franz Anton Mesmer, the man who most people associate with the beginning of hypnosis, is elaborated on throughout this paper. I will also discuss what hypnosis is, how it is used to explain human experiences, and how research does or does not support the theory of hypnosis. I will also give examples of how hypnosis is applied, why it’s used, and how it has been viewed in the past and present times. The History and Science of HypnosisIntroductionA brief history of the concept of hypnosisThe science of hypnosis, remote from being a practice of modern times, is one that has been studied and pondered over since pre-historic times. The employment of hypnotic-like methods to alter human behavior using the power of suggestion and repetitious incentives to rouse the mind or the spirits were used by numerous ancient civilizations (Baker, 1990, p. 51). These methods were usually associated with a confidence in magic and the occult, and the belief that these procedures were beyond human understanding. According to Baker (1990), priest-physicians of ancient Egypt induced sleep-like states in other people. This practice was also prominent in the sleep temples of classical Greece. In this case, worshippers attempted to conjure Hypnos, the god of sleep, who it was believed brought them prophetic dreams. Another example of the use of hypnotic-like methods dates back to 2600 BC in China, where Wang Tai, the father of Chinese Medicine, wrote of a â€Å"medical procedure that involved using incantations and mysterious passes of the hands over the patient that leaves no doubt about its hypnotic nature (Baker, 1990, p. 51). According to Baker (1990), the use of hypnotic-like techniques and procedures were mentioned in the Hindu Vera, written about 1500 BC, and the Ebers papyrus, which is known to be over 3,000 years old, narrates an expressive method extremely similar to the techniques modern hypnotherapists practice today. Although the practice of hypnosis appears to have begun during these pre-historic times, and there are many more accounts similar to the latter, the fact is that these people of different lands, thousands of years ago, may have known about the strange powers of hypnosis; that it appeared to be magic and it helped cure the sick, but these ancient people knew little about what hypnosis really was (Kennedy, 1979, p. 22)Attempts to provide scientific explanations for the existence and the cure of diseases began in Europe during the 16th century. Up until this time, the causes and cures for diseases were attributed to supernatural or metaphysical causes. Paracelsus (1493-1541), a physician and alchemist, who was born in Switzerland, was among the first theorists to offer such a scientific explanation. He suggested the idea that magnets and the heavenly bodies-the sun, moon, and stars-possessed healing effects that could be used on the human body (Baker, 1990, p. 53). From this time forwar d, a number of similar notions motivated the study of physicians, astronomers, physicists, and healers of the sick. Gul Maxwell, a Scottish physician, proposed the idea that a universal and vital force adversely influenced and affected humans, in 1679. The efforts and studies of Maxwell impacted Richard Mead, an 18th century English physician, and led him to begin studies dealing with the universality of life. Around 1771, Maximillian Hell, who was a Viennese Jesuit, became known for cures that he attained by applying a steel plate to the bodies of people who were sick or diseased. In 1774, Hell met a Viennese physician, Franz Anton Mesmer, and demonstrated to him the healing powers of his magnetized steel poles (Baker, 1990, p. 53). Given all of this information, it is a mystery tome that the history of hypnosis is often associated with Mesmer, and that it is he who is often considered when the beginning of hypnosis is reflected. However, Mesmer did contribute to the further develo pments and understanding of hypnosis. In the late 1700’s, Mesmer began using a new kind of medical treatment in Vienna, Austria. â€Å"With it, Dr. Franz Mesmer was said to be curing patients doctors called ‘incurable’. Using no medicine, Franz Mesmer was curing these people with magnets† (Kennedy, 1979, p. 25). It is true that Mesmer was thought to have cured numerous patients through â€Å"mesmerism† and â€Å"animal magnetism†, but the validity of these claims were uncertain. Mesmer developed the theory â€Å"animal magnetism†, and surmised that a universal magnetic fluid existed in all â€Å"objects that produced disease when it was out of balance in the human body† (Baker, 1990, p. 53). As a result of this theory and the belief Mesmer had in it, he began to cultivate techniques that he thought would re-establish the equilibrium of the magnetic fluid, and as a result, diseases would be cured. Mesmer based his theories and prospects on his belief that perfect health was dependent upon an individual maintaining a right relationship with the heavenly bodies. Mesmer became convinced that the same powers that held the sun and moon and planets in place regulated human health. When a magnet was brought into contact with a patient, the subtle and mysterious fluid exuded by the magnet entered the body of the patient and healed him of his complaint. â€Å"Animal magnetism† was the name Mesmer gave this fluid (Baker, 1990). The execution of Mesmer’s â€Å"animal magnetism† made him famous. He called his way of curing people with this method â€Å"mesmerism† (Kennedy, 1979, p. 28). He passed long iron rods and magnets over the bodies of sick patients to enhance the balance of their fluids. Now that we have a basic understanding of where hypnosis came from and how it transcended into time, I will explain the science of hypnosis. I will talk about how Mesmer applied â€Å"animal magnetism† in specific cases, and why his theories were refuted by many scientific and medical communities. Then, I will discuss what hypnosis really is, and how it is used to explain human experiences and what they mean. How research supports or refutes such theories will also be discussed. The Basic Nature of HypnotismFor a period of about 5 years, animal magnetism was very popular in Paris around 1778. Hundreds of the sick were treated at the clinic that Mesmer and his friend founded in Rue Montmartre, a clinic that was founded with Queen Marie Antoinette’s permission (Baker, 1990, p. 56)In curing his patients, Mesmer walked around them touching each one with a wand, advocating them to yield themselves to the magnetic fluids about. He told them that they could only be cured if they were able to focus on the heavenly powers that existed within their sick bodies. He pressed his clients to â€Å"reach further into your mind,† (cited in Baker, 1990, p. 56). He drove these people to reach what Mesmer called â€Å"a grand crisis†, known today as a grand mal convulsive seizure. Mesmer reported that this grand crisis was the reason many of his clients were cured. According to Thornton (1976), the origin of the behavior that is now attributed to hypnosis r esulted from the misdiagnosis of the ancient malady epilepsy. Trying to relate Mesmer’s convulsing patients with the characteristics of hypnosis; relaxation and calamity perplexed many. Many did not see Mesmers patients as experiencing the same things that hypnosis would evoke from a patient. Importance of Being Earnest Argumentative EssayThe use of hypnosis as an anaesthetic can be traced back to a French surgeon named Cloquet, to John Eliotson at the University College Hospital in London in the 1830’s, and to James Esdaile’s use of mesmeric techniques in India (Baker, 1990, p. 199). However, the pain killing that was reported in those instances was not clear-cut. In Hypnosis, Compliance, and Belief, Wagstaff (1981) states that the work of Eliotson and Esdaille may not have been so pain free. According to Wagstaff, the number of people who undergo surgery without pain under hypnosis is very small. This observation was shared by Baker (1990) as well. â€Å"While the number of people who could undergo painless surgery without anesthetics is quite small, it is important to point out that the number of people selected for surgery with hypnosis is equally small. Those who have studied the problem are in general agreement that the number is much less than the frequently reported ten percent. Two to three percent would be much more accurate.†According to Baker (1990), investigators have also said that cultural factors affect the way people respond to pain. For example, people that live in Third World countries, in poverty, hunger and disease, have a tolerance for pain much unlike people from America and Western Europe. Situations that would seem very painful to Americans may not seem so painful to people of more primitive cultures. It is believed that if one is brought up to think that a surgery will cause little pain, then that is what will happen. In China, for instance, children are conditioned to believe that surgery such as tonsillectomies cause little or no pain (Baker, 1990, p. 200). This kind of conditioning is extremely important in determining what is painful and what the level of pain experienced is. According to Wagstaff (1981), if Esdaille was able to carry out operations without pain on the East Indians, this does not mean that he would have been successful if he had tried this with Americans or Europeans. The way surgery is done under hypnosis varies. One way of suppressing pain during surgery without anesthetics is through the placebo affect. Until recently, it is very possible that many medicines were placebos, i.e., sugar pills. So, it was not the medicine that brought about pain relief but the belief that one had ingested medicine (Baker, 1990, p. 201). According to Baker (1990), an example of the use of placebos was during World War II when two surgeons without any access to anesthetics were forced to use hypnosis as a painkiller. The two surgeons suggested anesthesia from fake morphine pills, and it worked. Distraction also works well. An example of this is one needs to get stitches in his/her leg, the nurse would squeeze the patients hand very hard to try and distract the pain from the leg to the hand. Other distractions may include imaging a fantasyland, or trying to imagine that one’s body is completely numb in the area where the pain is coming from. This may include t aking very deep breaths. â€Å"All of these activities serve well to reduce the amount of felt and reported pain† (Baker, 1990, p. 200). In addition to the placebo effect and suggestion, relaxation is also useful when trying to alleviate pain. Muscle relaxation is clearly related to pain responsiveness. â€Å"Relaxation is very effective in reducing fear and anxiety, which are inextricably liked with the pain response† (Baker, 1990, p. 200). The main difficulty with relaxation techniques to soothe pain is that when you have a person who is suffering from a traumatic would and is in need of relief from fear and anxiety, it could be very hard to persuade this person to take deep breaths and calm down. In today’s world, contrary to the prior situations discussed, our society’s have a very low tolerance for pain, and it is unlike that many would prefer the alternate pain relievers associated with hypnosis as opposed to anesthetics. According to Baker (1990), pain is the single most reason that people see physicians today, and it is the number one reason that people take medication. These are just a few examples of how hypnosis is used to heal and cure, but it is unlikely that these practices are used much today. In a world full of technology and of the medical advances that we have today, it is easy to see why. But, one still has to wonder, if one really could heal himself without putting chemicals and medicines into his/her body, wouldn’t he/she rather heal themselves. I’m not sure I would, even after reading up on many cases that claim people have felt no pain during surgery because of hypnosis. In a world of medicine, I think I would opt for the friendly practitioner to scribble me a prescription that could leave me feeling better in minutes than try to convince myself that my body is numb, or that I’m in a fantasy land. However, the prospect of healing myself is tempting, just not convincing enough for my skepti cal mind. ReferencesBaker, Robert A. 1990. They Call it Hypnosis. New York: Prometheus Books. Estabrooks, George H. 1957. Hypnotism. New York: E.P. Dutton Co. Inc. Hull, C.L. 1933. Hypnosis and Suggestibility: An Experimental Approach. New York: Appleton-Century. Kennedy, Marge M. 1979. The Mystery of Hypnosis. New York: Contemporary Perspectives, Inc. Sheehan, P.W. 1979. â€Å"Hypnosis and the Process of Imagination† in Hypnosis: Developments in Research and New Perspectives. New York: Adline Publishing. Co. Thornton, E.M. 1976. Hypnotism, Hysteria, and Epilepsy: An Historical Synthesis. London: Heinemann. Van der Walde, P.H. 1965. â€Å"Interpretation of hypnosis in terms of ego psychology.† Arch.Gen.Psychiatr. Vol. (12), 438-447. Wagstaff, Graham R. 1981. Hypnosis, Compliance, and Belief. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Weizenhoffer, A. M. 1953. Hypnotism. New York: John Wiley Sons. .1985. â€Å"In search of hypnosis† in Modern Trends in Hypnosis. New York: Plenum Press. Psychology