Juvenile Probation and Community-based Corrections Essay Example for Free

Juvenile Probation and Community-based Corrections Essay This society is much more different than that of yesterday. Today, the country is encountering the biggest economic crisis, the war against Iraq seems to be endless, and the crime rates are increasing to a highly alarming level. As depressing as this current situation appears, the even more devastating part is that the juveniles have been partly responsible for the crime and violence all over the country. Juvenile delinquents are young people. To be more specific, they are individuals below the legal age or under eighteen who have been convicted of a crime. In some states, the legal age for criminal liability has been lowered down to 14 years old (Hill Hill, 2005). Criminal Justice System is a very complicated and diverse field, and the aspect concerning juvenile delinquency has always been on top of controversies and heated debates. These young people are in the early stages of their lives and as such, it is difficult to devise and implement the exact measure that will be necessary and effective for them to learn their lesson. Everybody knows that breaking the law and committing serious crime and violence are unthinkable; however, a more unbearable and heartbreaking thought would be finding out that the law offenders and crime doers are children who, at their very young age, are supposed to be blissfully unaware of the devastating aspect of being a grown-up. They should be in school studying, playing and enjoying their innocence (McCurley Snyder, 2004). Examining all the different angles of juvenile delinquency can be a very complex process, and as such, different measures and approaches are necessary. The observation made by many was that the plans and programs enacted focus too much in the offense, and they may have lost their perspective on the treatment. Some states lowered the age of accountability from juveniles to adults. The courts, on the other hand, created minimum sentences depending on the offense. The problem created in these situations lie in the application. These are offense-based strategies. They create an assumption that the youth who committed a crime should be dealt with no matter what. These laws completely disregard the age, level of maturity, individual differences, and the competence of the person in making judgments. For instance, in Virginia, New York, and other states, laws relating to juveniles have been adjusted to include young children who committed serious crimes to be tried as adults and not as juveniles (University of Pittsburgh, n. d. ). When asked about this new reform, these states simply stated that there are times when the child committed crimes in ways that are heinous and unthinkable, and as such, the acts cannot be perceived as the works of a child. Therefore, the court deemed it proper that they be tried and punished as adults (MoneyInstructor. com, 2009). Rehabilitation and not punishment should be the main aim of juvenile delinquency laws. The presumption is that adolescents are very fragile during their growing years. Thus, they should be treated with extreme care and sensitivity. In order to make an effective prevention plan, one must first understand the person’s main reason in being involved in these criminal activities in order for different methods and approaches in disciplining them to be enforced. The government has not given up hope in reaching out to these youngsters, so they made available community and residential treatments as well as non-residential and institutionalized treatments. A person will be placed by the court on probation when it becomes convinced that the child poses no harm or danger to himself and to the society. Probation is a supervised program commanded by the court of competent jurisdiction in instances wherein the offender is a youth which has been convicted of a criminal act. In this case, the person’s freedom is limited, and his or her activities are restricted and are under the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice. It is mandated by the court that the youth should follow all the conditions and sanctions in connection with the offense (Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, 2005). Some of the conditions under which a youth is released for probation are being home on a specific time of the day upon the request of the probation officer, attending school, and obeying its rules and regulations constantly. The court may also order the youth to avoid going to a particular type of place and to avoid mingling with a group of people. As of 1999, statistics show that four out of ten juvenile delinquency cases or approximately more than one half were placed under probation (Elrod Ryder, 2005). Community-based correction and treatment pertains to the different kinds of overseeing, control, and support for the youth offenders. These plans and programs were organized because the government firmly believes that one of the efficient and effective ways to influence the young people to change their bad attitudes and behaviors and become a better person is to assist and give them responsibilities that belong to a normal person within a particular community (Elrod Ryder, 2005). It is important for the juvenile to be affiliated with a group. This will give him or her a chance to socialize and be acquainted with other people with whom he or she can relate to. This environment is especially set up and programmed for the children to feel as normal as possible and for them to be engaged in community-related activities. Making these youngsters feel that they are significant and accepted in the society will help speed up their rehabilitation. The government strongly supports the community treatment for juveniles because of the symbiotic relationship created. In this atmosphere, everybody has a role to play; therefore, no one would feel less important and insignificant (Streib Sametz, 2006). Restitution has also been made a part of the community treatment. In restitution, the offender gives either monetary payment or community service in proportion to the damages that the victim suffered. This is a way of reimbursing the victim for everything that he or she experienced because of the crime. The rationale behind this type of treatment is that rehabilitation in the lightest and mildest form may lead the offender to think about what he did. Putting a child in a penal establishment even for just a minor infraction would not rehabilitate him or her; it would ruin the child’s life and his or her perspective for the worst, thereby destroying his or her life (Streib Sametz, 2006). Community-based programs for correction and rehabilitation aim to achieve several objectives. These include but are not limited to sanctioning the youth offenders, assisting them in identifying themselves in relation to the community that they belong to, and helping them realize that being in this program is much better than being placed inside a penal establishment. There are times when they should realize the truth of their current situation because some of these young offenders resist being helped and would rather be put in an institution. Helping them see the possibilities and changes that may occur by reason of their cooperation in the community will help them gain a variety of new perspectives, and in some instances, this is an effective strategy (Elrod Ryder, 2005). Every treatment given is on a case-to-case basis depending on the situation. Thus, there is no treatment proven to be most effective for all juveniles. The community-based treatment generates different results. The test to measure whether or not a program worked is the recidivism rate. If the offender, after finishing the rehabilitation plan, never committed another crime again, that is only the time when the program can be declared as effective (Streib Sametz, 2006). There are also several pieces of evidence that prove that this program is less inexpensive than institutional-based programs. Other programs for youth offenders have been evaluated, and according to the findings, they do not produce great improvement as shown by subsequent acts of the offenders. The government was not surprised to a certain extent because the disparity between the community-based approach and other types of programs can be readily ascertained. Due to these results, some states are making a huge effort to shift their plan of action to community-based systems (Streib Sametz, 2006). There are many factors that come into play regarding the causes and effects of juvenile delinquency. The parents, the church, and the community greatly influence the upbringing of these children. In most cases, the root of the problem for these youth is lack of self-acceptance, guidance, and attention. The future of the country lies in the hands of these children, and if they mess up their present, they will have no future ahead of them. The juvenile justice system is continuing and struggling to attain its purpose in giving the youth a second chance at life because of that promising hope of a brighter tomorrow for the entire country.

India vs. Imperialism :: essays research papers fc

Safeguards Against Imperialism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a country attains independence, it begins the long road to stability. Economic stability is a very important aspect of a nation’s independence. New countries are very vulnerable to the greedy hands of the more developed industrialized nations, so their leaders must devise means to strengthen their nation’s economy and keep the money within its own borders. India is such a developing country that has needed to protect its economy from the imperialism of other nations. This protection was generally attempted with the implementation of government-sponsored programs, which altered certain taxes and tariffs, regulated private businesses, and also created government owned businesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One project that attempted to strengthen India’s economy was started by P.C. Mahalanobis. His idea was the second five-year plan. Lasting from 1956 to 1961, this plan implemented British socialism combined with Mahatma Gandhi’s tenets. The second five-year plan tried to eliminate the importation of consumer goods with high tariffs and low quotas. This caused seventeen industries to become nationalized. Licenses were also required for starting new businesses or producing new products. Bureaucratic control was tightened with these licenses, which were also required for shutting down or canceling workings. If a business would begin shutting down, the government would intervene and provide subsidies and assistance for as long as possible. Containing India’s consumer market within the country’s borders protected against Imperialist powers by making products produced locally much less expensive than imports, appealing to local citizens and en couraging internal growth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another leader who formed plans to strengthen India’s market was Indira Gandhi. Attempting to capitalize on Mahalanobis’ relative success, Indira began a program to promote small businesses by funding them with money formerly used for agriculture. This would lead to the loss of India’s agricultural market, but the plan included programs that would help agriculture, and small labor intensive businesses of the countryside. India’s output began to grow, but slower than other countries. The programs were created with the intent of creating enough output to eliminate poverty, and become stable enough to generate revenue from exports. Government programs do not always work, however, and these programs turned out to have more of a negative impact on India’s potential growth, as over-regulation soon followed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition to the over-regulation of private industries, India created direct socialist enterprises. The government of India nationalized its heavy industry and created new SOE’s, or state-owned enterprises. These SOE’s were more expensive to build and operate than private industries, and their inefficiencies quickly became apparent. India vs. Imperialism :: essays research papers fc Safeguards Against Imperialism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a country attains independence, it begins the long road to stability. Economic stability is a very important aspect of a nation’s independence. New countries are very vulnerable to the greedy hands of the more developed industrialized nations, so their leaders must devise means to strengthen their nation’s economy and keep the money within its own borders. India is such a developing country that has needed to protect its economy from the imperialism of other nations. This protection was generally attempted with the implementation of government-sponsored programs, which altered certain taxes and tariffs, regulated private businesses, and also created government owned businesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One project that attempted to strengthen India’s economy was started by P.C. Mahalanobis. His idea was the second five-year plan. Lasting from 1956 to 1961, this plan implemented British socialism combined with Mahatma Gandhi’s tenets. The second five-year plan tried to eliminate the importation of consumer goods with high tariffs and low quotas. This caused seventeen industries to become nationalized. Licenses were also required for starting new businesses or producing new products. Bureaucratic control was tightened with these licenses, which were also required for shutting down or canceling workings. If a business would begin shutting down, the government would intervene and provide subsidies and assistance for as long as possible. Containing India’s consumer market within the country’s borders protected against Imperialist powers by making products produced locally much less expensive than imports, appealing to local citizens and en couraging internal growth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another leader who formed plans to strengthen India’s market was Indira Gandhi. Attempting to capitalize on Mahalanobis’ relative success, Indira began a program to promote small businesses by funding them with money formerly used for agriculture. This would lead to the loss of India’s agricultural market, but the plan included programs that would help agriculture, and small labor intensive businesses of the countryside. India’s output began to grow, but slower than other countries. The programs were created with the intent of creating enough output to eliminate poverty, and become stable enough to generate revenue from exports. Government programs do not always work, however, and these programs turned out to have more of a negative impact on India’s potential growth, as over-regulation soon followed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition to the over-regulation of private industries, India created direct socialist enterprises. The government of India nationalized its heavy industry and created new SOE’s, or state-owned enterprises. These SOE’s were more expensive to build and operate than private industries, and their inefficiencies quickly became apparent.

Project On NCO Essay

INTRODUCTION I have worked for the army as an NCO for the last 13 years and I have always tried to be accountable as much as I can, to live up to the standards of this base and carry out all my responsibilities abiding in the set out rules and regulations. As an Non Commissioned Officer I must be empathetic and positive.   And, as always, must set the standard for integrity and character. However in the recent past I found myself on the wrong side of the matter when over speeded in the base. ABSTRACT The script uses a global array to filter, consolidate, and sort the timing violations. The contents of the global array are then presented in a report of consolidated timing violations. There is illustrated a block of an exemplary global array. The global array includes a plurality of records. Each record includes fields for warning type, time of event, data events, setup time limit, hold time limit, amount of violation, time of last warning. Because experience teaches us that there are some people that only learn by stripping them of their funds. There are others that the mere threat of that loss will keep them on the straight and narrow for 20years to come. And the officers that I know that are the biggest benefactors of professional courtesy deliberately disobey laws because they believe they can do so with impunity. A warning isn’t going to do it for them. An example is a Passaic County Sheriff’s Office incident. The Virginia deputy stopped them, advised them of the applicable law, asked them to obey it, and did not cite anyone. Everyone agreed that he was polite in doing this. The guys pulled back onto the highway resumed doing exactly what they were doing before, and then tried to get the deputy fired when they got home. I hereby submit my Post Violation Report due to my misconduct. Over speeding is the main cause of so many accidents in the army base and other areas in the United States of America. I strongly believe that I was not supposed to go against the ethics, rules and regulations in the base. As an NCO am supposed to set out a good example to all other ground men. However in every day world, we sometimes find ourselves in such situations. In most cases it is not due to our own will but we accidentally find ourselves between a rock and a hard place and therefore try to get ourselves out of it. This being the first time I have done this, I know I have not done such a big criminal activity. I never said that I don’t commit traffic violations. I think I’m pretty careful, but I have missed stop signs, exceeded the speed limit, failed to signal a turn, etc., like everyone else. So far, either I have been lucky or my violations were not so flagrant that they merited a stop. But after pushing a patrol car around for 13 years, I have to say that I can’t remember even once forgetting which car I was in, the patrol car or my personal car. And even in the patrol car, if I committed an intentional traffic violation, it was to accomplish some job-related task, like get turned around to chase a violator or in the field and have to ignore some rules to in order to hit the target. It has never occurred to me to try this in the field of work nor in my private missions without a good reason. If your situational awareness is so poor that you can’t remember whether you’re on or off duty or which car you’re driving, your problems go way past an officers’ discretionary decision making, and your head is definitely â€Å"in the clouds.† I think it’s interesting that you claim that you would have no problem with ignoring a lawful direct order from a superior officer, but you would fear retaliation and would decline to take enforcement action on a clear violation of the law if an officer was involved. If this is truly the situation you’re working in, your agency is in serious trouble. Maybe so, but so what? You never had a brain fart, or were on automatic pilot, you unfortunately can’t control all this. I admit however that on several occasion, when driving off duty in my private vehicle I have driven in the midnight hours because I forgot I was driving in my personal vehicle. Missed to obey the signs and instructions to the drivers. I am not advocating for over speeding in any way, and never have advocated for the same, writing every Amy officer you stop. That is just as much an abuse of discretion as not writing anyone who is an NCO. RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN NON COMMISSIONED OFFICER The duties and responsibilities of NCOs has remained the same for quite a longtime.As an NCO I should be responsible for the following:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Should know where your soldiers live and how to contact them Use the unit to accomplish, as many missions as possible and at all cost never give out volunteer troops. Managing a specific launch vehicle System administration with decision-making authority. Training new Operations Safety Technicians In fact sometimes it has never been a prudent thing to do some of the following: Sending food back to the kitchen. Telling your significant other you have had better. Commenting in front of your boss â€Å"I can find a better job tomorrow!† Dating a co-worker/boss/bosses daughter. At one point I found myself over speeding just because I could not let it go or because I needed to hit some deadlines. Because most of the violations were not all that grave and my impression was that I had a wake-up call from the stop itself. Was I driving safely? Mission accomplished. But the guy that clearly knows what I was doing got me stopped, and who will resume that same activity as soon as we’re done because we thought he had the right to do that, if not a ride in the back seat. As I qualified many times prior, anyone can talk themselves into a ticket. Just because you are military or physician does not mean I don’t run your driving license. I never said that every one of these members gets a pass, I have written military, physicians and other army officers. Here are the facts, I would like to assume that a member of our armed forces is a reasonably decent individual service that few would undertake and regardless of station they deserve my respect and appreciation. Discression is a funny thing. Where you might exercise it, I might not. Where you think me lax, I might think you unnecessarily harsh. Though you are correct in the spirit of your argument, its execution is not so easy. If this were easy, anyone could do it. I made discretionary decisions every day, and I don’t think I was harsh with them. The difference is that I used criteria that were relevant to the situation and that I could defend to anyone that questioned why I had done what I did. You want to bring in criteria of your own choosing that are based on your fears and biases. Overcoming fear and bias is something every one of us has to do in order to be an army officer. , or you get out. I could have shined on any or all of these people, and no one would have known except them and me. As for is Fort Jackson SC cop that I didn’t know was a cop until after I had issued the ticket, he probably deserved a warning, as he was an out-of-towner who was unfamiliar with the intersection and turned left in violation of a posted sign. The cop part of it had nothing to do with whether it was a bad decision or not. One of the sergeants tried to condemn me within the department for comforting another ground officer and that upset me very much. One more thing: say you’re driving around tomorrow in your private vehicle running errands, and you run a red light. No intent to break the law; you just got distracted for a second, make decision without influence, and accept whatever consequences follow your conduct. Some examples where premeditation discretion, in and of itself, doesn’t make sense: there comes a time when you have to attend to an emergency, and here is where our perspectives diverge. All of those applications of premeditated discretion to use your term are enacted pursuant to due process of law and legislation, formulated in compliance with the set out rules and regulations in the base, and is promulgated to the citizenry. As noted above, a large number of substantially contemporaneous timing violations in a particular module can be the result of a single cause. The violation time is the difference between the given speed limit and speed you have exceeded, and is calculated from the limits (setup or hold) and the difference in time between the clock and data events. The first warnings are used by the script to report consolidated information regarding multiple timing violations that occur at a particular module. ACCOUNTABILITY OF AN NCO Senior leaders, must afford these to junior troops: Responsibility, to instill a sense of worth, pride and accomplishment; Authority, to effectively carry out tasks they are responsible for; Accountability, for actions right and wrong; and Assistance, to help junior troops learn from leaders’ experience and expertise. Such actions by leaders are vital to developing junior troops who will be tomorrow’s leaders. Senior leaders must â€Å"coach, teach, mentor and train† subordinates to effectively replace the leaders in the future. EXPECTATIONS Looking at what American military officers expect from their senior NCOs and vice versa. Officers in the U.S. military expect their senior enlisted leaders to be tactically, technically and strategically proficient; to be â€Å"professional beyond reproach†; and to be â€Å"the eyes and the ears for the commander† – the voice of service members and their families. Senior NCO leaders should expect several things from their commanders and carry out the following: Trust and accord respect. Direct and open communication. â€Å"No one has permission to stop me from seeing General Pace These are not a right, but must be earned through consistently professional and proficient actions. Freedom of movement throughout the command. â€Å"You need to tell that commander, ‘Sir, I need to have freedom of moment throughout my area of responsibility. The only way I can advise you is if I see it, Senior U.S. NCOs are empowered in many ways. However, empowerment is not about having power per se, but about influencing junior troops to do the right things. Infact power is not an issue; the big concern is how leaders exercise influence over their subordinates. Maintaining good order A person assigned as an NCO should be responsible for a defined common area within the barracks, e.g., hallways, laundry rooms, dayrooms etc., in writing and post this NCOs name. Conspicuously in the vicinity of the assigned area. This NCO will, at a minimum, be responsible for reporting common area deficiencies to the Battalion R&U NCO. This person will sign for any furnishings and other accountable property located outside of individual soldier rooms. Maintain room assignment rosters for the barracks. Assign soldiers to barracks by requesting that the FMO issue barracks furniture to occupants. Units may appoint a barracks manager or similar person to assist in managing this function. Non-commissioned Officers (NCOs). NCOs have the primary duty of maintaining the health, safety, welfare and discipline of the soldiers assigned to them. These duties extend to: Ensuring that their soldiers have a healthy and safe living environment that complies with the Army values and enhances unit readiness and discipline. NCOs are the key element of command. Presence in the barracks. NCOs may exercise this leadership as common area NCOIC, SDNCO, And CQ. NCOs will also exercise this leadership as first line and higher supervisors of soldier’s Living in the barracks. At a minimum, NCOs will: Conduct inspections IAW Chapter 4 below. Monitor all barracks activities to ensure compliance with the letter of this regulation and the spirit of the Army values. Ensure the barracks are the safe, healthy environment for soldiers and other NCOs. Inspect barracks furnishings for accountability and serviceability. Barracks Commanding Common areas. Assign an NCO to be responsible for a defined common area within the barracks, e.g., hallways, laundry rooms, dayrooms etc., in writing and post this NCO’s name conspicuously in the vicinity of the assigned area. This NCO will, at a minimum, be responsible for reporting common area deficiencies to the Battalion R&U NCO. This person will sign for any furnishings and other accountable property located outside of individual soldier rooms. Maintain room assignment rosters for the barracks. Assign soldiers to barracks by requesting that the FMO issue barracks furniture to occupants. Units may appoint a barracks manager or similar person to assist in managing this function. Supervision Under supervision the NCO is required to motivate and control the following: Counsel soldiers and maintain counseling records. Conduct corrective training when required Keep soldiers informed during their work and events taking place and exercises. Enforcing the equal opportunity program in the forces CONCLUSION As a Non Commissioned officer I understand that by over speeding in the base posed a srious danger to me and also to the other officers on duty. This was actually putting my life at risk. Also as an officer who is supposed to be a good example to my subordinates, I acted in a manner trying to suggest that is not a good example. I strongly  believe that this was a great mistake and am determined to rectify any harm that may have been caused by my misconduct    REFERENCES. Robert Sterling Rush (2006) Non Commissioned Officer Guide Stackpole Books, United States. 2. United States Court of Claims, (1988) Federal Reporter, West Pub. Co 3.Braham Clark Freeman, The American states report,   Ã‚   Published 1895, Bancroft-Whitney Co. Publishers 4.By Lawyers Co-operative, (1905) Lawyers’ Reports Annotated, Publishing Company Lawyers’ Co-operative Pub. Co.

Asian students perform better academically than US students

Asian students perform better academically than U.S. students throughout the entire school year. In order to prove that Asian students do perform better, Harold W. Stevenson and his colleagues proposed a series of large cross-national studies, beginning 1980. Stevenson discussed his studies in the article â€Å"Learning from Asian Schools†. The studies compared Chinese, Japanese, and American children who sampled from first grade and fifth grade classrooms in elementary schools in Minneapolis, Chicago, Sendai, Beijing, and Taipei. The studies found that in mathematics average scores of the Asian first and fifth graders were higher than the American averages. When compared the scores from different grades, the studies found decline in American schools as well as improvement in Taiwan and steady high performance in Japan. In addition, the studies found that in reading the Asian students caught up by the fifth grade following the increased demands in Asian languages, although American first graders tended towards the top on these tests. The test results undoubtedly confirmed the truth about the superior performance of Asian students over American students. According to the studies, Stevenson found that there were three main reasons associated with Asian children†s success: cultural differences, educational system and teacher performance. Asian mothers considered the most important thing in their children†s life is to do well in school; education is equivalent to the children†s future. Therefore, Asian mothers hold high standards for their children†s academic performance, believing that the road to success is through effort, having positive attitudes about achievement, and studying diligently. In contrast, American mothers had very high satisfaction with their children†s academic performance because they lacked measurement standards for performance, and believed their children†s success came from being born with intelligence and being diligent. American mothers also placed a lesser emphasis on academic achievement because they believed their children†s childhood shouldn†t solely focus on school. Asian mothers† attitudes caused their children to work harder to improve their performance. In addition to the cultural difference mentioned above, the different education system also formed a barrier for American students through the road of success. In school daily life, American students spent most of their time in the classroom. Dissimilarly, Asian schools had frequent recesses and a longer lunch period that in turn maintained the students attention to the teachers. The after school activities and clubs in Asian schools made the school an enjoyable place, therefore, students appeared well behaved and well adjusted, which could be proven by fewer complains in school and better attendance by Asian students. Due to the clear academic goal, the more demanding curriculum for Asian students actually did not cause extraordinary stress. Asian teachers† performance also contributed to the students† academic achievements. Compared to American teachers† individual work and self-adjusted schedule, Asian teachers usually consult each other, worked as a group to design teaching techniques in following the national curriculum, hence provided the best understanding from the students. Asian teachers only spent part of their school time teaching and prepared the classes in the teacher†s room for rest of the working time; this allowed them to prepare their classes well. Asian teachers followed preplanned materials and assigned a â€Å"brief period of seatwork throughout the class period†(Stevenson 236), which provide a series of productive interaction and discussions for students. In contrast, American teachers had to cover all elementary school subjects and spent most of their time at school teaching, so they didn†t have enough time to prepare classes. In addition, American teachers explained concept first and gave seatwork later during class, thus reducing the students† attention. Even the Asian teachers† education background was not as high as American teachers, the â€Å"in-service training under the supervision of skilled models†(Stevenson, 236) used by Asian schools gave the teachers the skills to gain students attention, which included giving feedback to students, using more materials that can be manipulated and relating the subjects to the students† daily life. In conclusion, the U.S. had to create a cultural emphasis on academic success and education, which is not merely increase the length of school days but had to change the way of American teachers† jobs performance. Stevenson considered the culture difference might cause some biased results, so he proposed his studies by using wide range of scientific data to gain the precise statistics. According to Stevenson†s studies, Asian students perform better academically is a truism. Nevertheless, American schools will not achieve the same level of success if they completely imitate Asian schools. In addition, Stevenson merely compared the children†s scores might ignore their practice abilities. Although theories dominate practices, the good performance on test paper does not equal to the strong practice abilities. Undoubtedly, the great academic performance achieved by Asian schools is worth praise, however, it is very difficult to compare success factors between different cultures. Therefore, the ways to improve American schools† performance should be adjusted to fit in the need and want of American schools. In other words, merely introducing higher standards, longer school days, and new education systems cannot improve the performance of American schools. Simultaneously, it is very important for American schools to discard the dross and select the essential from Asian schools† academic experiences in order to establish a series of countermeasures. Once American schools recognize their shortcomings and build a new academic culture base on their advantage, American academic achievement will rise to world standards. When I was a third grader of elementary school in China, my Chinese teacher not only impressed me through her outstanding teaching performance but also evoked my interest in writing composition. In Chinese education standards, third grade of elementary school is the time to learn how to write a short narrative composition. I had no idea how to describe an affair†s process. On the first day of class for composition, I felt really nervous because I did not know what I was going to face. I thought the teacher would give us something to write, but what surprised me was that she started the class by telling us a tale of the fisherman and goldfish. I was immersed by the interesting story and felt completely relaxed. After the teacher finished the story, she distributed a copy of it to us and started a discussion about the story. Following a series of â€Å"what if, how and why† questions about the story under the teacher†s instruction, we reached an alliance that the writer†s abundant imagination and remarkable writing skills let readers fall into the story. The teacher did not ask us to write anything after the class; I had already readied to start my first composition in my mind, because I had understood how a good story could bring happiness to people. For the rest of my years in elementary school, I wrote compositions to entertain myself and finally could not live without it. The compositions that I wrote in the third grade were really ridiculous, but I always remembered and appreciated the teacher†s aspiration and encouragement. Without her positive feedback, I would never have benefited from writing Chinese composition. From my personal experience, I believe that Asian students do not gain the remarkable academic achievements by sheer good luck. In other words, the academic success of Asian schools is worthy of praise.

Biography of Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England

Biography of Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England Elizabeth Woodville (1437–June 7 or 8, 1492, and known variously as Lady Grey, Elizabeth Grey, and Elizabeth Wydevill) was the commoner wife of Edward IV, who had a key  role in the War of the Roses and in the succession battle between the Plantagenets and Tudors. She is best known today as a character in Shakespeares  Richard III  (as Queen Elizabeth) and the title character in the 2013 television series  The White Queen. Fast Facts: Elizabeth Woodville Known For: A commoner who was destined to become wife of Edward IV, mother of Edward V, sister-in-law of Richard III, mother-in-law of Henry VII and grandmother of Henry VIIIBorn: About 1837 in Grafton, rural NorthamptonshireParents: Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford and Sir Richard WoodvilleDied: June 7 or 8, 1492.Spouse(s): Sir John Grey (ca. 1450–1461); Edward IV (1464–1483)Children: Two with John Grey (Thomas Grey (Marquess of Dorset) and Richard Grey) and 10 with Edward IV (Elizabeth of York who married Henry VII; Mary; Cecily; Edward V; Margaret; Richard; Anne who married Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey); George; Catherine who married William Courtney, Earl of Devon; and Bridget. The two princes in the tower were Richard and Edward V Early Life Elizabeth Woodville was probably born at Grafton in rural Northamptonshire, England, about 1437, the eldest of the 12 children of Richard Woodville and Jacquetta de Luxembourg. Elizabeths mother Jacquetta was the daughter of a Count  and a descendant of Simon de Montfort and his wife Eleanor, the daughter of Englands King John. Jacquetta was the wealthy and childless widow of the Duke of Bedford, brother of Henry V, when she married Sir Richard Woodville. Her sister-in-law Catherine of Valois also married a man of lower station after she was widowed. Two generations later,  Catherines grandson Henry Tudor married Jacquettas granddaughter, Elizabeth of York. Jacquettas second husband and Elizabeths father was the less highborn county knight Sir Richard Woodville. At the age of 7, Elizabeth was sent to another landed household (a custom of the period was to trade children so that they would have social contacts in the future), probably Sir Edward Grey and his wife Elizabeth, Lady Ferrers. There, she had formal lessons in reading, writing (in English, French, and Latin), and a grounding in law and mathematics. The Woodville family was wealthy when Elizabeth was born, but as the Hundred Years War wound down and the Wars of the Roses conflict began, the familys finances became straitened, and as a result, Elizabeth married John Grey (7th Baron Ferrers of Groby) in 1452 when she was about 14 years of age. The recently knighted Grey was killed at the Second Battle of St. Albans in 1461, fighting for the Lancastrian side in the Wars of the Roses. Elizabeth petitioned Lord Hastings, Edwards uncle, in a controversy over land with her mother-in-law. She arranged a marriage between one of her sons and one of Hastings daughters. Ancestry Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of King John of England, was the 8th great grandmother of Elizabeth Woodville through her mother Jacquetta.  Her husband Edward IV and son-in-law Henry VII were, of course, also descendants of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Elizabeth Woodville   Jacquetta of Luxembourg   Margherita del Balzo Sueva Orsini Nicola Orsini Roberto Orsini Anastasia de Montfort Guy de Montfort Eleanor Plantagenet John of England Eleanor of Aquitaine Meeting and Marriage with Edward IV How Elizabeth met Edward is not known for certain, though an early legend has her petitioning him by waiting with her sons beneath an oak tree. Another story circulated that she was a sorceress who bewitched him, but she may have simply known him from court. Legend has her giving Edward, a known womanizer, an ultimatum that they had to be married or she would not submit to his advances. On May 1, 1464, Elizabeth and Edward married secretly. Edwards mother, Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, and Cecilys nephew, the Earl of Warwick who had been an ally of Edward IV in winning the crown, had been arranging a suitable marriage for Edward with the French king. When Warwick found out about Edwards marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, Warwick turned against Edward and helped restore Henry VI briefly to power. Warwick was killed in battle as were Henry and his son, and Edward returned to power. Elizabeth Woodville was crowned Queen in Westminster Abbey on May 26, 1465; both of her parents were present for the ceremony. Elizabeth and Edward had three sons and six daughters- Elizabeth of York who married Henry VII; Mary; Cecily; Edward V, briefly King of England (not crowned); Margaret; Richard, Duke of York; Anne who married Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey; George, Duke of Bedford; Catherine who married William Courtney, Earl of Devon; and Bridget. Elizabeth also had two sons by her first husband- Thomas Grey, the Marquis of Dorset and Richard Grey. One was an ancestor of the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey. Family Ambitions Her extensive and, by all accounts, ambitious family was favored heavily after Edward took the throne. Her eldest son from her first marriage, Thomas Grey, was created Marquis Dorset in 1475. Elizabeth promoted the fortunes and advancement of her relatives, even at the cost of her popularity with the nobles. In one of the most scandalous incidents, Elizabeth may have been behind the marriage of her brother, 19 years old, to the widowed  Katherine Neville,  the wealthy Duchess of Norfolk, 80 years old. But the grasping reputation was enhanced- or created- first  by Warwick in 1469 and later by Richard III, who had their  own reasons for wanting Elizabeths and her familys reputations to be diminished. Among her other activities, Elizabeth continued her predecessors support of Queens College. Widowhood When Edward IV died suddenly on April 9, 1483, Elizabeths fortunes abruptly changed. Her husbands brother Richard of Gloucester was appointed Lord Protector since Edwards eldest son Edward V  was a minor. Richard moved quickly to seize power, claiming- apparently with the support of his mother Cecily Neville- that the children of Elizabeth and Edward were illegitimate because Edward had been previously formally betrothed to someone else. Elizabeths brother-in-law Richard took the throne as Richard III, imprisoning Edward V (never crowned) and then his younger brother, Richard. Elizabeth took sanctuary. Richard III then demanded that Elizabeth also turn over custody of her daughters, and she complied. Richard attempted to marry first his son, then himself, to Edward and Elizabeths oldest daughter, known as Elizabeth of York, hoping to make his claim to the throne more solid. Elizabeths sons by John Grey joined in the battle to overthrow Richard. One son, Richard Grey,  was beheaded by King Richards  forces; Thomas joined Henry Tudors forces. Mother of a Queen After Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at Bosworth Field and was crowned Henry VII, he married Elizabeth of York- a marriage arranged with the support of Elizabeth Woodville and also of Henrys mother, Margaret Beaufort. The marriage took place in January 1486, uniting the factions at the end of the Wars of the Roses  and making the claim to the throne more certain for the heirs of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Princes in the Tower The fate of the two sons of Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV, the Princes in the Tower, is not certain. That Richard imprisoned them in the Tower is known. That Elizabeth worked to arrange the marriage of her daughter to Henry Tudor may mean that she knew, or at least suspected, that the princes were already dead. Richard III is generally believed to have been responsible for removing the possible claimants to the throne, but some theorize that Henry VII was responsible. Some have even suggested Elizabeth Woodville was complicit. Henry VII re-proclaimed the legitimacy of the marriage of Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV. Elizabeth was the godmother of the first child of Henry VII and her daughter Elizabeth, Arthur. Death and Legacy In 1487, Elizabeth Woodville was suspected of plotting against Henry VII, her son-in-law, and her dowry was seized and she was sent to Bermondsey Abbey. She died there on June 8 or 9, 1492. She was buried in St. Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle near her husband. In 1503, James Tyrell was executed for the deaths of the two princes, sons of Edward IV, and the claim was that Richard III was responsible. Some later historians have pointed their fingers at Henry VI instead. The truth is that there is not any sure evidence of when, where, or by what hands the princes died. In Fiction Elizabeth Woodvilles life has lent itself to many fictional depictions, though not often as the main character.  She is, however, the main character in the British series, The White Queen. Elizabeth Woodville is Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeares Richard III. She and Richard are depicted as bitter enemies, and  Margaret  curses Elizabeth with having her husband and children killed, as Margarets husband and son were killed by Elizabeths husbands supporters. Richard is able to charm Elizabeth into turning over her son and agreeing to his marriage to her daughter. Sources Baldwin, David. Elizabeth Woodville: Mother of the Princes in the Tower. Gloucestershire: The History Press (2002).  Print.Okerlund, Arlene N. Elizabeth of York: Queenship and Power. New York: Palgrave Macmillan (2009). Print.

5 Ways to Use Snapchat in Your Job Search

5 Ways to Use Snapchat in Your Job Search Snapchat might not be just for teenagers and your more ironically social media savvy friends. 39% of users are between the ages of 25 and 44. It is one of the fastest growing platforms out there- with over 200 million active users- and is being used more by companies to highlight their achievements, new products, company culture, etc. The platform lets you share content to your friends (complete with doodles and captions and emojis) and have it be visible only for 1-10 seconds, depending on your preference. A new feature lets you string 24 hours worth of your snaps into something called a â€Å"Story.† There is also a chat function and a live video chat function much like FaceTime. But did you know it could also come in handy during your job search? Snapchat can actually be a very effective tool for brand-building and professional development: think behind-the-scenes videos, demos, product giveaways, QA sessions, interview snippets, tutorials, and quotes. But how can you harne ss this creative potential in your job search?1. Stalk your potential employers.Seek out companies you’d like to work for then start paying attention to their social media output. How do they engage with their audience and followers? See if you can’t get in their heads, then praise them for this specifically in your cover letter or interview. You’ll get major points for social media savvy.2. Tell a story.Especially if your industry is a creative one, you can think outside the box a little and, instead of a boring old resume, tell a story about your life in snaps. Use video clips and pictures that recreate a sense of your experience and skills. Show off your capabilities and creative potential for a position by doing something innovative and different enough to help you stand out among the competition. Make sure you know your audience well enough (see #1) to try this move.3. Network with key connections.Once you’re following your desired companies, you can engage with the content they put out through Snapchat. Make sure you do so strategically- i.e. only when you have something of substance to contribute. But at very least you can get a great sense of who they are as a company and what they do by following their account.4. Show off.Rather than posting only silly selfies, try using Snapchat as a more aspirational career building tool. Set yourself up as an industry leader chronicling the achievements of you and your team, and showing potential employers your stuff- even before you start searching.5. Learn something.People are also using Snapchat to get free tutorials and industry advice. Find a business leader in your industry that has a feed and start following. You never know what you might learn about building your presence, increasing your productivity, or simply what the newest trends are in your field.

HCM337-0704B-01 Current Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues in H - Essay - 1

HCM337-0704B-01 Current Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues in H - Phase 1 Discussion Board 2 - Essay Example This paper describes the different laws and regulation concerning treatment and handle of patient’s medical records. There are various agencies, regulation and laws from the governmental and private sector that protect the integrity and privacy of medical records. The HIPPA regulation is a statute that protects the medical information of patients. HIPPA establishes a minimum standard for care of medical information which requires covered entities to evaluate their practices and enhance safeguards as needed in hospital settings to limit unnecessary or inappropriate access to and disclosure of protected health information (Hss, 2003). An organization that protects and regulates the handle of medical records of patients is AHIMA. The AHIMA is non-profit organization founded in 1928 dedicated to helping protect the health care information of people by provided professionals in the field with guidelines on how to realize the critical function of protecting medical record information (Myphr, 2007). Health care facilities provide patients with a document called the Noticy of Privacy Practice. This document tells the patient in how the medical record information of the patient will be utilized by the health care facility (Myphr, 2007). Patient’s right to have access to their medical records is protected by the Access to Medical Reports Act of 1988 (AMRA). The AMRA gives the right to the patient of obtaining their medical record for employment and insurance purposes. The person applying for the medical record must signed off a consent form before the information is released according to AMRA (Legalandgeneral, 2007). The Civil Rights and Liberty Union is an organization that is a supporter of medical rights privacy. The organization is a supporter, protector and representative voice of citizens which fight on a political level in congress to protect the privacy of medical records of US citizens