Terrorism Study Essay Example for Free

Terrorism Study Essay What do you think of when you hear the word terrorism? Most people will refer to the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Of course, these were horrific attacks especially considering over 3,000 people lost their lives that day. There was no precedent like that before. Unfortunately, though, that is not the only terrorist attack in history. Terrorism has existed in the world for quite a long time. Terrorism hits home for many people who were or shall I say are in some way involved with the effects of terrorist activity. As you continue to read my paper I will talk about what terrorism is, why terrorism matters to me, and why it affects me. What exactly is terrorism? Well, there are many different definitions out there. However, these definitions have certain things in common. Terrorism involves extraordinary violence. It is intended to create massive fear and involves a planned attack for a purpose, often against something or someone. While terrorism is meant to be an act of violence to bring about change, it is usually not committed by those officially in the government. Usually, terrorist groups have fewer members than you would think. They want to be dramatic and attract attention by carrying out a bloody act. They hope to gain power and influence due to their act. Terrorism has become a huge matter in my life. It has caused sadness not only to me but to hundreds of people around the world, but the number one reason it matters so much to me is due to having my dad serving with the United State Marine Corp. My dad just as other dads and mothers has served three tours since this war began. So many families have been broken up and we have also lost so many men and women at war due to terrorism. After seeing so many of our close friends and families lose a loved one at war has not only allowed me to become more educated with the war by also with different changes that have occurred due to the terrorism that happene d since September 11, 2001. For example we have so many people complain about our security policies that we go through at airports. I can understand how going through and x-ray machine, being padded down at times, and people going through your belongings can be somewhat humiliating to some people. But, lets focus on the big picture here. The better security we have here in the US the less chance we have for terrorism attacks. That in the long run will also bring our loved ones back home and eventually stop us from being at war. Having my dad serve three tours had been a huge concern to me and my family. It has made me look at life differently and has allowed me to realize how important or freedom is and how much I have learned to admire and appreciate all our troops. Finally I will share a few reason on why terrorism has affected me. Due to terrorism my dad has had to serve in Afghanistan and Iraq. Ever since his first tour my dad has not been the same dad I was used to having. Traumatic events experienced while at war has caused him to suffer from PTSD ( Post Dramatic Syndrome Disorder). The absence of the military parent, and other stresses are common for military families, but the deployment of a parent to a combat zone represent a challenge of a different magnitude. Since I am the oldest and a male at that I have had to grow up faster than normal kids my age so that I could help my mom with my brother and sister. I have also been there to help my sister and brother understand where our dad was at why he was there. There hardest part of it all was trying to answer them when they would ask me is dad dead or alive. Me being the oldest I knew that was and answer that was out of my control but always found someway and somehow to assure them that he was ok. Till this day our family deals and struggles with challenges my making sure my dad is getting the proper medical care and the challenge of us learning how to cope with his disorder. Terrorism is a horrible act of violence that causes so many changes and challenges in life. The mental health of the returning service member also affects us children as well as family functioning and relationship satisfaction. Therefore, it is important that the needs of the entire family are considered. Now let’s all join together to fight towards making the US a safe place to be at.

New Internationalist Article Critique Essay -- article critiques, maga

With an exuberant title of SIZZZZLE, this article in the September 2006 edition in the issue 393 of the Internationalist Magazine, enunciates on the idea of advertising companies targeting children and young people to produce a higher income. Quoting through a variety of renowned child psychologists and various marketing educators, Jonathan Williams illustrates advertising as exploiting an individual’s insecurities, creating false needs and offering counterfeit solutions; hence fostering dissatisfaction that leads to consumption. Williams states that children are particularly vulnerable to this type of manipulation. Manipulating adolescents into a consumer lifestyle at such a young age has devastating consequences for the environment through its extravagance and wastefulness, as advertisers have been recognizing the purchasing power and significant influence of children on their parent’s purchase. As aforementioned, Williams’s theory is supported through a series of excerpts from advertisers and child psychologists as a source of primary evidence. Containing factual information ...

Waste Management individual coursework

Brief overview The modern day industrial societies are concerned with environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources. A lot of waste is generated by businesses, households and the construction industry globally on daily basis. Engineering has a role in designing ways of effectively managing waste through various means like green technology and exploiting waste to produce alternative sources of energy (Worrell & Vesilind, 2012, p. 71). The management of waste through proper disposal or recycling is important in protecting the environment. Engineering has a great role in ensuring sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection. Mechanical engineers are actively engaged with how the society uses natural resources. It discovers, designs, maintains, improves and repairs machineries like cars, airplanes and industrial equipment which human beings depend on for their daily lives (Wang & Koh 2010, p. 49). In the future, mechanical engineering will deliver solutions that will sustain and protect the existence of man on the planet. There are two major ways in which engineering can help in mitigating the problem of waste management which are preventing waste in engineering and management of waste. The next section will look at the two methods, their advantages, disadvantages and cases where they have been used successfully. Waste prevention (Designing out waste in mechanical engineering) Green manufacturing is an emerging concept in engineering that aims to achieve sustainable development in the manufacturing industry. Dornfeld (2010, p. 56) defines green manufacturing as the creation of manufactured products that use processes that conserve energy and natural resources, are non-polluting and are economically safe and sound for users. There is an increasing need for mechanical engineers and engineering in general to innovate new ways of creating products that minimise waste of resources. Rynn (2010, p. 87) asserts that for mechanical engineering to b e able to design products that are friendly to the environment, issues of sustainability should be part of all the decision making processes in engineering. This covers all the steps from product design to its end life and after that the needed efforts in regaining its value rather than disposal. The main objective for green manufacturing is to produce products that can be remanufactured, recycled or reused. As such green manufacturing process reduces the environmental impact of a manufacturing process than it was in the past. Green manufacturing systems include measures to reduce the volume of hazardous waste produced, change the energy mix to include the use of more renewable resources and cut down the volume of coolant consumed in the manufacturing process. The other measure that reduces waste of resources is lean manufacturing which has been successfully used by Toyota in its manufacturing plants. The lean manufacturing system as used by Toyota managed to reduce seven types of w astes in the company’s manufacturing process. Toyota reduced overproduction, inventory, transportation, motion, over processing, defects and waiting times (International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Green Manufacturing & Li 2010, p. 77). Most of these wastes are related to the desire to minimise the environmental impacts of the manufacturing process. For instance, a reduction in the waiting times saved company resources like lighting and air conditioning. Many machines used in the production process consume a lot of energy even when not processing any products. As such the idle time used for allowing the smooth flow of products wastes a lot of energy. The lean manufacturing processes, initiatives, strategies and techniques are advantageous in terms of reducing operational costs and also aim at boosting, restoring and significantly improving organisational competitiveness. Lean manufacturing reduces the manufacturing time by eliminating the wastes in the manufactur ing process. A reduction in manufacturing time leads to a subsequent reduction in operational costs in the form of labour, energy and other utilities. In so doing, it helps organisations in retaining, maintaining and significantly increasing their revenues, widening their margins and generation of savings from lowering costs. Lean manufacturing helps companies in saving space which raises the levels of efficiency and savings. According to Davim (2013, p.64), lean manufacturing has a potential of increasing the productivity of a company by approximately 75% to 125%. This is because the elimination of wastes and any other unnecessary practices at the workplace assists the employees to work without distractions and in so doing maximise output. The elimination and reduction of waste in the production process helps the companies in increasing earnings and profits by reducing wasteful use of resources. In addition to this, the elimination of unnecessary tasks and job positions helps compa nies in reducing labour expenses and in return increase their earnings (Skrabec 2013, p. 33). Despite the aforementioned benefits that come with lean manufacturing, there are various barriers that prevent organisations from fully implementing it in their manufacturing processes. The capital cost requirements of emission control and waste management are extremely high with long payback period (Worrell & Vesilind, 2012, p. 88). This makes it very difficult for most companies as this translates into higher product prices which would drive away potential customers. In other instances the capital input exceeds the direct economic gains thus frustrating the successful implementation of green manufacturing. The other barrier is that the manufacturing industry relies on certain technologies and processes that may cause undesirable effects but cannot be ignored like the volatile organic compound used in automotive manufacturing. Waste management (use of recycling and reuse) Waste management entails reducing the amount of waste that the manufacturing industry disposes on the environment (Ku?hnle 2010, p. 96). In reusing and recycling of waste products, the manufacturing industry reuses old or waste products to produce new products. Waste management reduces environmental pollution, energy usage, air pollution, water pollution and consumption of fresh raw materials by reducing the reliance on conventional waste disposal (Hesselbach & Herrmann 2011, p. 54). The manufacturing firms should therefore aim at reducing waste at each and every phase of the production process. The first step is to identify the areas where waste is high in the manufacturing process and then find out what needs to be recycled using cost benefit analysis. Nikon has successfully managed to do this and is recycling its wastes to produce new products. Recycling of old products is important because it helps in environmental conservation. Reusing of resources relaxes the strain placed on n atural resources which are increasingly getting depleted. The other advantage of recycling old products is that it reduces energy consumption (Shina 2008, p. 65). The manufacturing process uses large amounts of energy in processing the raw materials into finished products. Recycling helps the manufacturing companies in minimising energy consumption which is important for massive production like refining and mining. In addition to this, it also makes the production process effective in terms of cost which raises the margins for the manufacturers (Association for Manufacturing Excellence 2008, p. 162). Although product recycling is very beneficial to the manufacturers, there are some barriers that hamper the successful implementation of recycling old products in the manufacturing process. The first barrier is that the recycling process is not always cost effective because at times companies are forced to open up new factories thus raising their operational costs (Wang et al 2011, p. 2 2). A new factory by itself may even cause more pollution in terms of transportation, cleaning and storage. Other than operational challenges, the other major limitation of recycling is that the recycled products are not always as durable as the original products. Products made from trashed waste are cheap and less durable and may not generate sustainable revenue for organisations like other products. Key lessons learnt and how these can be used to improve the future Both lean manufacturing and waste reuse are important in reducing wastes that emanate from the manufacturing processes. Lean manufacturing should be used in eliminating wastages in the production process in order to ensure that organisations minimise operational costs. However, the findings reveal that both methods should be implemented in the manufacturing process in order to improve the waste management in mechanical engineering. Key conclusions and recommendations Waste management should be included in all the stages of the manufacturing process in order to ensure sustainability in engineering. Owing to the fact that the quality of recycled products is often lower than the other original products, it is recommendable to embrace lean manufacturing in order to ensure that wastages are eliminated in the production process. References Association for Manufacturing Excellence (U.S.) (2008). Green manufacturing: Case studies in lean and sustainability. New York: Productivity Press. Davim, J. P. (2013). Green manufacturing processes and systems. Heidelberg: Springer. Dornfeld, D. (2010). Green Manufacturing: Fundamentals and Applications. Berlin: Springer US. Hesselbach, J., & Herrmann, C. (2011). Glocalized Solutions for Sustainability in Manufacturing: Proceedings of the 18th CIRP International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering, Technische Universita?t Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany, May 2nd – 4th, 2011. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Green Manufacturing, & Li, S. (2010). Mechanical engineering and green manufacturing: Selected, peer reviewed papers from the International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Green Manufacturing (MEGM) 2010, November 19-22, 2010, in Xiangtan, China. Stafa-Zurich: TTP, Trans Tech Publications. Ku?hnle, H. (2010). Distributed manufacturing: Paradigm, concepts, solutions and examples. London: Springer. Rynn, J. (2010). Manufacturing green prosperity: The power to rebuild the American middle class. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger. Shina, S. G. (2008). Green electronics design and manufacturing: Implementing lead-free and RoHS-compliant global products. New York: McGraw-Hill. Skrabec, Q. R. (2013). The green vision of Henry Ford and George Washington Carver: Two collaborators in the cause of clean industry. New York: Productivity Press. Wang, L., & Koh, S. C. L. (2010). Enterprise networks and logistics for agile manufacturing. London: Springer. Wang, L., Ng, A. H. C., Deb, K., & SpringerLink (2011). Multi-objective evolutionary optimisation for product design and manufacturing. London: Springer. Worrell, W. A., & Vesilind, P. A. (2012). Solid waste engineering. Australia: Cengage Learning.

Police Culture and Corruption - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2023 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Review Level High school Tags: Act Essay Corruption Essay Police Essay Did you like this example? Introduction A string of media investigations during the 1980s uncovered police corruption in Queensland. Persistent media attention and national interest soon led the Acting Premier of Queensland to commission an inquiry into illegal behaviour and related police misconduct. The subsequent inquiry substantiated reports that corruption did exist and that, worryingly, the corruption was wide-spread and high-level. As a consequence of exposing police corruption, society is often left with questions regarding the degree of trust they have with the police, the extent to which corruption runs within the department, and what is being done to prevent corruption from spreading (Lawson, 2011; Loree 2006). A police department with an organisational culture of systemic corruption and questionable ethics, will find itself with officers (exposed to that culture early in their career), soon promoted to leadership roles in which the corruption can bloom and perpetuate. In t his essay I will address the role that the police culture plays in the opportunity for corruption to breed, and identify what can be done in an attempt to stamp it out. Organisational Culture and Corruption Organisational culture is the unwritten rules, shared values and beliefs that guide the attitudes and actions of an organisationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s members in their approach to their work and how they interact with each other (Lawson, 2011; State Services Authority, 2013). For police officers, these rules are shaped by the function of policing itself and create a culture of conformity and camaraderie with cultural elements that include: an inflated belief of purpose concerning the role of policing and a passion for exciting work with a slanting towards crime; revelment in macho activities and deeds; the disposition to utilise force; distrust and suspicion; isolation from friends and family; defensive esprit de corps; a cynical attitude towards the motives of others; and an unwillingness to accept the views of individuals who defy the current state of affairs (Lawson, 2011). These cultural elements lend themselves to a sub-culture typified by a code of silence, undisputed devotion and loyalty to other officers, and pessimism regarding the criminal justice system (Loree, 2006, p. 10) and can lead to a closed police society and corruption (Cox, McCamey and Scaramella, 2013). Loree (2006, p.4 citing Sayed and Bruce, 1998) defines police corruption as any illegal activity or misconduct involving the use of occupational power for personal, group, or organizational gain and can occur internally (as bullying or hazing, or offering payments or favours in return for shift changes or holidays) or externally (by receiving free meals or drinks, accepting bribes or kickbacks, or participating in theft or organised crime). When corruption is uncovered it can have consequences for both the officer involved, other officers who have had no part to play in the corrup tion or for the police department as a whole. For the officer, or officers, involved, the consequences can vary depending on the nature and severity of the corruption or misconduct. At the lesser end of the scale it can include demotion, reduction in pay or limitations in career advancement. At the more serious end of the scale punishment could include dismissal, criminal charges or prison. As severe as some of these consequences are for the individual officers, the effects of corruption on the organisation are even more critical. The embarrassment resulting from misconduct and corruption can be injurious to the publics confidence and trust, demoralize sections and officers, or expose the department to litigation. (Fitch, 2011; Loree, 2006, pp.17-19) As a result of judicial inquiry, departmental review or analysis by external researchers, numerous suggestions have been made that police departments can adopt in an attempt to stamp out, or reduce, misconduct and corruption. Afte r the judicial inquiry into police corruption in Queensland during the 1980s (later becoming known as the Fitzgerald Inquiry), a recommendation was made that the Queensland police should adopt a fundamental doctrine of community policing. The implementation of this recommendation has led to a proactive community policing approach in which crime prevention officers engage with the community through school visits, security and safety audits or homes and business premisies and presentations to various community groups (Lawson, 2011). Equally important to the reduction of corruption and misconduct is the presence of ethical and strong leadership (including organisational management, officers in charge of branches or sections, supervisors of teams, or senior partners). These leaders influence the culture of the organisation and the organisations enthusiasm for change. Leaders should take a zero tolerance approach to dishonesty, misconduct and mediocrity. The dispensement of soft punis hment for dishonesty or misconduct will be seen as tolerating those behaviours, and the acceptance of mediocrity can produce an environment in which misconduct flourishes. By taking a zero tolerance approach to these issues, and perpetuating a high standard of ethics and integrity, leaders can create an organisational culture that is capable of stifling misconduct. (Barry, 1999, pp.81-85; Cox, McCamey and Scaramella, 2013, p.99; Loree, 2006, p.26; Martin, 2011) To the same degree that leaders should have a zero tolerance approach to misconduct and mediocrity, they should also recognise and reward virtuous conduct and exceptional work. Loree (2006, citing Mink et al., 2000) notes that when officers feel valued they are satisfied, positive and productive in their behaviours and efforts towards achieving organizational goals. If the only recognition officers receive is chastisement for mistakes, they quickly learn that the reward for keenness and hard work is the danger of being exp osed to punishment (Cox, McCamey and Scaramella, 2013, p.99). Protection for whistle-blowers, or those officers who are prepared to speak out against the code of silence, is essential to protect the whistle-blower from litigation, civil and criminal liability, and victimisation (OmbudsmanSA, 2013). The code of silence is grounded in those parts of police culture that often make work teams and sections so effective loyalty and group acceptance. However, it is those same parts that also make it problematic for police officers to report the corruptive behaviour of others (Loree, 2006, p. 11). It is crucial then, to ensure that those officers brave enough to speak out are protected from being turned into outcasts and rewarded for their ethical stance. Punishment for misconduct and corruption, and reward for exemplary work and virtuous conduct are reactive measures for reducing corruption and changing police culture. Taking a proactive approach, ethical training regarding the esse ntial part police officers have in the community, and closely tied to the actualities of police work should be both evolving and ongoing. Field tutors and senior partners, particularly, should be educated in ethics so that they are prepared to reinforce the ethics and integrity message that recruits are exposed to during training. When officers are aware of the conduct expected of them, they can be considered responsible for any misconduct or corruption (Barry, 1999, pp.81-85; Loree, 2006, p.22). Of considerable value when attempting to reduce future misconduct is careful recruiting, selection screening and the arduous task of not employing unethical individuals to begin with. Factors which might make an individual at risk of being involved in misconduct or corruption, such as: their associations with criminals; upbringing; or lifestyle choices, should all be considered when screening potential employees. It is vital that departments adequately assess applicants and employ only t he most upstanding and honest ones because they potentially have a superior measure of integrity (Loree, 2006; Martin, 2011). Do police officers need to know this? It is important for all police officers to understand the effects of misconduct and corruption for themselves and the department, for them to take the ethical and moral high-ground in coming forth to report such actions, and to understand what can be done to overcome an organisational culture that lends itself to corruption simply being the way things are done. It is important as every police officer can be the catalyst for change, to foster integrity and be a part of an organisation that the community trusts. South Australia Police Strategic Direction and Service Delivery Charter The South Australia Police (SAPOL) Service Delivery Charter (n.d.) clearly sets out the expectation of a culture of service excellence. To achieve this SAPOL need to be seen to be ethical and devoid of corruption. Through community e ngagement and proactive community policing, as outlined in their Strategic Direction (2012), SAPOL opens itself up to public scrutiny and offer a level of transparency into the way in which results are achieved. It is essential that the results that are expected by both the community and the department are achieved fairly, professionally and ethically. Conclusion Judicial inquiries, whistle-blowers and investigative journalism have shown that police departments are sometimes not absent of corruption and misconduct. At times this corruption and misconduct is borne from a culture characterised by a code of silence, dedication, loyalty and pessimism. However, the existence of such an organisational culture is not necessarily par for the course. By establishing a moral and ethical culture in a police organisation misconduct and corruption can be controlled and prevented. The steps needed to establish a culture of this type includes: a doctrine of community policing; a zero tole rance approach to dishonesty, misconduct and mediocrity; recognition and reward for virtuous conduct and exceptional work; ethical training; and careful recruiting. The adoption of the above recommendations can assist to embolden leadership, propagate an ethical and morally rich organisational culture and craft police departments which are open and approachable to their communities. Key aspects for presentation Some elements of the community believe that all police are corrupt. Whilst this is at the extreme end of the scale, it would be foolish to assume that a large percentage of citizens dont suspect that there are still corrupt elements within SAPOL. Corruption or misconduct occurs for many reasons, and sometimes those reasons are because of the police culture an unspoken rule regarding the code of silence (or looking out for your mates because of some misguided sense of loyalty), or turning a blind eye to catch a crook or ensure a successful prosecution (because the cou rts arent capable of doing their job properly). It is important that the department, and the people in it, do all they can to distance themselves from being the root cause of corruption and misconduct due to an unethical organisational culture. SAPOL can achieve this by continuing its policy of community policing, ensuring that it remains open to public scrutiny, maintain strict recruitment processes and provided ongoing training in relation to the behaviour expected from officers. Police officers can help to ensure a culture free from corruption and misconduct by adopting a zero tolerance approach to dishonesty, misconduct and mediocrity, and speaking out about such behaviour without fear of retribution. Word count: 1765 Bibliography Barry, D. (1999).Handling Police Misconduct in and Ethical Way. Master. University of Nevada. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, (2012).Leading Culture Change Employee Engagement and Public Service Transformation. Policy int o Practice. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Cox, S., McCamey, W. and Scaramella, G. (2014).Introduction to policing. 1st ed. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. Fitch, B. (2011). Understanding the Psychology of Police Misconduct.The Police Chief. [online] Available at: https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_archarticle_id=2290issue_id=12011 [Accessed 1 Jun. 2014]. Fleming, J. and Rhodes, R. (2004). Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s situational: the dilemmas of police governance in the 21st century. In:Australasian Political Studies Association Conference. Adelaide. Gilmartin, K. (n.d.).Ethics Based Policing Undoing Entitlement. [online] Emotionalsurvival.com. Available at: https://emotionalsurvival.com/ethics_based_policing.htm [Accessed 1 Jun. 2014]. Lawson, C. (2011).:: SCAN | journal of media arts culture ::. [online] Scan.net.au. Available at: https://scan.net.au/scan/journal/display.php?journal_id=159 [Accessed 28 M ay. 2014]. Loree, D. (2006).Corruption in Policing: Causes and Consequences A Review of the Literature. Ottawa: Canadian Mounted Police. Martin, R. (2011).Police Corruption An Analytical Look into Police Ethics. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Murray, T. (2000). Police and the challenge of the 21st century: managing change in police organisations.Platypus Magazine. [online] Available at: https://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/publications/platypus/previous-editions/2000/september-2000/2-21century.aspx [Accessed 28 May. 2014]. OmbudsmanSA, (2013). Whistleblower Protection. Adelaide: OmbudsmanSA. [online] Available at: https://www.ombudsman.sa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/policy_part_2_2013.pdf [Accessed 28 May. 2014]. South Australia Police, (2012).South Australia Police Strategic Direction 2012-2015. [report] Adelaide: Government of South Australia. South Australia Police, (n.d.).Service Delivery Charter. [report] Adelaide: Government of South Australia. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Police Culture and Corruption" essay for you Create order