Friday, March 20, 2020

Effects of and Solutions for Human Overpopulation

Effects of and Solutions for Human Overpopulation Human overpopulation is an animal rights issue as well as an environmental issue and a human rights issue. Human activities, including mining, transportation, pollution, agriculture, development, and logging, take habitat away from wild animals as well as kill animals directly. These activities also contribute to climate change, which threatens even the most remote wild habitats on this planet and our own survival. According to a survey of the faculty at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in April of 2009, overpopulation is the worlds worst environmental problem. Dr. Charles A. Hall went so far as to say, â€Å"Overpopulation is the only problem.† Definition Overpopulation occurs when a population has exceeded its carrying capacity. Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a species that can exist in a habitat indefinitely without threatening other species in that habitat. It would be difficult to argue that humans are not threatening other species. Current Estimates and Projections According to the U.S. Census, there were six billion people in the world in 1999. On October 31, 2011, we hit seven billion. Although growth is slowing, our population continues to grow and will reach nine billion by 2048. Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich, authors of â€Å"The Population Explosion,† explain: The entire planet and virtually every nation is already vastly overpopulated. Africa is overpopulated now because, among other indications, its soils and forests are rapidly being depleted- and that implies that its carrying capacity for human beings will be lower in the future than it is now. The United States is overpopulated because it is depleting its soil and water resources and contributing mightily to the destruction of global environmental systems. Europe, Japan, the Soviet Union, and other rich nations are overpopulated because of their massive contributions to the carbon dioxide buildup in the atmosphere, among many other reasons. More than 80% of the world’s old growth forests have been destroyed, wetlands are being drained for real estate development, and demands for biofuels take much-needed arable land away from crop production. Life on earth is currently experiencing its sixth major extinction, and we are losing an estimated 30,000 species per year. The most famous major extinction was the fifth one, which occurred about 65 million years ago and wiped out the dinosaurs. The major extinction that we are now facing is the first that is caused not by an asteroid collision or other natural causes, but by a single species- humans. Effects of Conservation Consuming less may be a way for us to live within the carrying capacity of the planet, but as Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich explain, â€Å"Overpopulation is defined by the animals that occupy the turf, behaving as they naturally behave, not by a hypothetical group that might be substituted for them.† We should not use the hope or the plan to reduce our consumption as an argument that humans are not overpopulated. While reducing our consumption is important, worldwide, per capita energy consumption increased from 1990 to 2005, so the trend does not look good. Lesson from Easter Island The effects of human overpopulation have been documented in the history of Easter Island, where a human population with finite resources was nearly wiped out when their consumption increased beyond what the island could sustain. An island once lush with diverse plant and animal species and fertile volcanic soil became nearly uninhabitable 1,300 years later. The population peak on the island has been estimated between 7,000 and 20,000 people. Trees were cut down for firewood, canoes, and wooden sleds for transporting the carved stone heads for which the island is known. Because of deforestation, the islanders lacked the resources necessary to make ropes and seaworthy canoes. Fishing from shore was not as effective as fishing out on the ocean. Also, without canoes, the Islanders had nowhere to go. They wiped out sea birds, land birds, lizards, and snails. Deforestation also led to erosion, which made it difficult to grow crops. Without adequate food, the population crashed. A rich and complex society that erected now-iconic stone monuments was reduced to living in caves and resorted to cannibalism. How did they let this happen? Author Jared Diamond speculates The forest the islanders depended on for rollers and rope didnt simply disappear one day-it vanished slowly, over decades... In the meantime, any islander who tried to warn about the dangers of progressive deforestation would have been overridden by vested interests of carvers, bureaucrats, and chiefs, whose jobs depended on continued deforestation. Our Pacific Northwest loggers are only the latest in a long line of loggers to cry, Jobs over trees! Potential Solutions The situation is urgent. Lester Brown, President of Worldwatch,  stated in 1998, The question is not whether population growth will slow in the developing countries, but whether it will slow because societies quickly shift to smaller families or because ecological collapse and social disintegration caused death rates to rise. The most important thing we as individuals can do is choose to have fewer children. While cutting back on your personal consumption of resources is laudable and may reduce your environmental footprint by 5%, 25%, or maybe even 50%, having a child will double your footprint, and having two children will triple your footprint. It is virtually impossible to compensate for reproducing by consuming less yourself. Although most of the population growth over the next few decades  will take place in Asia and Africa, global overpopulation is as much a problem for â€Å"developed† countries as it is for third world countries. Americans constitute only five percent of the world’s population, but consume 26% of the world’s energy. Because we consume so much more than most people around the world, we can have the most impact when we choose to have fewer children or no children. Internationally, the United Nations Population Fund works for gender equality, access to birth control, and the education of women. According to the  UNFPA, â€Å"Some 200 million women who would like to use contraceptives lack access to them.† Women should be educated not only about family  planning but also generally. World Watch has found, â€Å"In every society where data are available, the more education women have the fewer children they bear.† Similarly, the Center for Biological  Diversity  campaigns for the empowerment of women, education of all people, universal access to birth control and a societal commitment to ensuring that all species are given a chance to live and thrive. Additionally, raising public awareness is essential. While many environmental organizations focus on small steps with which few can disagree, the topic of human overpopulation is much more controversial. Some claim that there is no problem, while others might see it as solely a third world problem. As with any other animal rights issue, raising public awareness will empower individuals to make informed choices. Potential Human Rights Violations The solution to human overpopulation cannot include human rights violations.  China’s  one-child  policy, though arguably successful in curbing population growth, has led to  human rights violations  ranging from forced sterilizations to forced abortions and infanticide. Some population control proponents advocate offering financial incentives for people not to reproduce, but this incentive would target the poorest segment of society, resulting in racially and economically disproportionate population control. These unjust results cannot be part of a viable solution to human overpopulation.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Admissions Data

Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Admissions Data The Virginia Military Institute is a selective school that accepts roughly half of applicants each year. See what makes it unique and what it takes to attend this college. About VMI Established in 1839, the Virginia Military Institute is the oldest public military college in the United States and one of the countrys six Senior Military Colleges (with The Citadel, NGCSU, Norwich University, Texas AM, and Virginia Tech). VMI is not for everyone, and students should be ready for a disciplined and demanding college environment (new cadets are called Rats). Unlike students at the U.S. military academies, students at the Virginia Military Institute are not required to serve in the armed forces after graduation. VMI ranks highly among public undergraduate institutions, and the schools engineering programs are particularly strong. In athletics, most teams of the VMI Keydets compete in the NCAA Division I Southern Conference. Will you get in if you apply? ​Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2017) Virginia Military Institute Acceptance Rate: 53Â  percentGPA, SAT and ACT graph for VMITest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 560 / 640SAT Math: 540 / 640What these SAT numbers meanSouthern Conference SAT score comparisonTop Virginia colleges SAT comparisonACT Composite: 23 / 28ACT English: 22 / 28ACT Math: 23Â  / 27What these ACT numbers meanSouthern Conference ACT score comparisonTop Virginia colleges ACT comparison Enrollment (2017) Total Enrollment: 1,722Â  (all undergraduate)Gender Breakdown: 88 percent male / 12 percent female100 percent Full-time Costs (2017–18) Tuition and Fees: $18,214 (in-state); $43,902 (out-of-state)Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $9,236Other Expenses: $2,150Total Cost: $30,600 (in-state); $56,288 (out-of-state) Virginia Military Institute Financial Aid (2016–17) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 89Â  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 69 percentLoans: 76Â  percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $14,434Loans: $8,265 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Civil Engineering, Economics, History, International Relations, Mechanical Engineering, PsychologyWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 87Â  percentTransfer-out Rate: 20 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 63Â  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 77Â  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Football, Lacrosse, Rifle, Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, WrestlingWomens Sports: Rifle, Water Polo, Swimming, Track and Field, Soccer If You Like VMI, You May Also Like These Schools Old Dominion University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphJames Madison University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of North Georgia: ProfileERAU - Daytona Beach: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphCollege of William Mary: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNorth Carolina State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUS Naval Academy: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Virginia Military Institute Mission Statement mission statement from vmi.edu/about/ It is the mission of those at Virginia Military Institute to develop educated, honorable men and women, prepared for the varied work of civil life, imbued with love of learning, confident in the functions and attitudes of leadership, possessing a high sense of public service, advocates of the American democracy and free enterprise system, and ready as citizen-soldiers to defend their country in time of national peril. Data Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Monday, February 17, 2020

Exam answer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exam answer - Essay Example This a special type of field-effect transistor that is made by depositing thin layers of an active semi-conductor and dielectric layers contacts over a supporting substrate that is commonly glass. c)OLED: organic light-emitting diode. It is a LED where in response to a current, the emissive electroluminescent layer which is a film of organic compound emits light. OLEDs are used in the creation of digital displays in TV screens as well as computer monitors. Figure 1 shows the occurrence of visual distortion when anti-aliasing it not used. The image is hard to recognize, and it is not appealing. In figure 2, the edges appear smoother. Anti-aliasing is used in the blending of the pixels of a graphic. As s result, it is applied in rendering the text on a computer screen have a smooth contour for easy visibility. 4.Technology: many public-use touch screens such as kiosks make us of projective capacitive touch since it is a representation of only a flat glass surface. This assists in cleaning along with aesthetics. 6. It is almost impossible to accurately approximate the contrast ratio of the monitor by making use of the naked eye. As a result, the manufacturers usually inflate the numbers to some unrealistic values. The saturated colours are generated by having full or zero reflectance at any given wavelength. In the CIE chromaticity diagram, the U-shaped area that is surrounded by the dotted lines shows the range of colours that are visible to the human being’s naked eye. 9. A radiance meter measures the amount of light given off by a source. As a luminance, one needs to adjust the levels of light to the source as well as the whole surface area of the source of light. As a result, the value that represents all the light that is given off at a particular time. As chrominance meter, adjustments need to be made so that the meter would only detect specific ranges of wavelength and establish their values independently. This is because the white light emitted

Monday, February 3, 2020

Iago, when No One is Looking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Iago, when No One is Looking - Essay Example Iago's soliloquies and asides, in contrast to his speeches in the presence of other characters, reveals quite clearly his deceitfulness and self-disguise. The audience is not duped for a moment, as, through dramatic irony and our privileged position, we come see that he is engaged in "double-knavery" (1.2.318), and not at all the "honest and true" Iago that others believe him to be. The audience would be amazed at the absolute faith that the character have in Iago's honesty, which we know to be a lie even from his first appearance onstage. Iago's aim throughout the play is to "blacken" Othello's reputation to match the latter's face, in revenge for what he sees as a slight in Othello's appointing Cassio lieutenant over him. In his first soliloquy in Act I, scene iii, he gives three motives for his plotting: to fatten his purse (1.2.308), "to get [Cassio's] place" as lieutenant (1.2.318), and to make "sport" on Othello whom he hates (1.2.311). He later admits that he is somewhat in love with Desdemona, and reiterates his suspicion that "the lusty Moor/ Hath leap'd into [his] seat; the thought whereof/Doth gnaw at [his] inwards" (2.1.310-14), and that one of his motives is to be avenged "wife for wife" (2.1.315). Jealousy, susJealousy, suspicion and envy are not only key motives to Iago's actions, but are key elements of his character, as his soliloquies reveal. Not only does he harbor unfounded suspicions that Othello "hath done office 'twixt [his] sheets" (1.2.312-313), he suggests that Cassio also is likely to cuckold him (2.2.320). He gives a further reason for his jealousy of Cassio, who "hath a daily beauty in his life/That makes [him, Iago] ugly" (5.1.19-20). It is not surprising then, that the method he employs to embroil Othello in jealousy is based on the working of his own suspicious mind, where "mere suspicion /Will do as if for surety" (1.2.314-15). On the other hand, his soliloquies reveal that he is an astute observer of character. He knows people's nature well, and thus is able to use their weaknesses and foibles to his advantage. For example, he shows keen insight into the relationship between Othello and Desdemona, in particular the latter's influence on her husband. As a result, he plans to manipulate Desdemona's liberal tongue and goodness to "enmesh them all" (2.3.366) and "turn her virtue into pitch" (2.3.364). He is also aware of Othello's own insecurities, and inferiority complex due to his race. Despite the fact that Desdemona, "had eyes, and chose [him]", Othello is convinced that she is unfaithful and gives as a reason: Haply, for I am black And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have, or for I am declined Into the vale of years (3.1.402-5), giving Iago fodder to work on his jealousy. Knowing that Cassio cannot hold drink, Iago manipulates him into drinking himself "full of quarrel and offence" (2.3.48), which action will lead him to a fight not becoming to his station, discrediting him in Othello's eyes, and allowing Iago to have the coveted position. He also reveals the means by which he will achieve his "monstrous" ends: by insinuating false motives to Cassio, who is handsome, charming, "framed to make women false" (1.2.323). Iago soliloquies further reveal his real thoughts about these

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Importance Of Geographic Profiling

Importance Of Geographic Profiling This paper shall give a comprehensive discussion about the importance of geographic profiling to aid in investigative methods employed by government agents and police officers in pinpointing predatory criminals. The sophistication of the techniques in crime scene investigation have kept pace with the rapid development in the tools and technologies used in the field, and this has enabled police authorities to employ a variety of methods to help them pinpoint perpetrators in the most accurate, efficient and timely way. The renewed public interest in the formerly esoteric field of forensic science has been sparked by a series of television shows that are focused mainly on the techniques and tools used by crime scene investigators in the course of their daily work. For example, Coetzee (2008) noted the popular TV series Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) in all its different seasons have helped to throw some light into the work performed by crime scene investigators. As has already been mentioned, new and more sophisticated ways of doing crime scene investigation is being designed every day. On the one hand, this is meant to keep up with the developments in the field of forensic science. On a more practical note, however, developing new techniques and tools will help police authorities to clear their cases faster and more efficiently and allow them to stay on top of all their assignments. Likewise, the reality is that more and more perpetrators are employing more covert methods to keep themselves out of the reach of the law, and so police investigators must be able to devise ways to speed up the proceedings of their cases in such a way as to effect speedy justice. There are various ways by which crimes are solved, and it is by no means only the police investigator who is responsible for the successful closure of a criminal case. The investigation of a crime involves a wide array of activities and areas of expertise, such as DNA profiling to examine shoe prints, toxicology and handwriting analysis (Sjerps, 2008). Other scientific experts are also routinely called upon to testify in court depending on the nature and circumstances involved in the crime at bar. The solution to a crime starts with the crucial information that a dutiful crime scene investigator can offer (Coetzee, 2008). He or she identifies, interprets, and provides the necessary clues and leads for the investigator in charge to follow. The ever-increasing importance of the detection and identification of physical evidence left in a crime scene in order to bring about a successful prosecution also underscores the critical nature of a crime scene investigators work. The Locard principle-that every contact leaves a trace-is the primary assumption on which crime scene investigation rests. Thus, when two objects come together, there will inevitably be mutual contamination and it is through the proper tracing and identification of these contamination points that crimes can be possibly solved. Trace evidence is any object that can be brought back to police laboratories that may help investigators determine who committed a crime and why (Thompson, 2006). Because of the critical nature of the evidence, they must be preserved properly and analyzed accurately in order to withstand the rigors of court examination. An investigator may probably be able to work with very small amounts of trace evidence, but the persistence and purity of such evidence is important for him or her to cull crucial information from the same. Whether or not they criminals are aware of it, they actually leave something in the surroundings, while at the same time taking something with them from their contact with the victim or the objects at the crime scene. Traces of contact evidence are also very different to detect with the naked eye, and that is why criminals cannot always erase all the evidence that they leave behind. These traces are important for the crime scene investigator to find, tag and identify. They are sometimes referred to as silent evidence as they point out crucial leads that the investigators can follow by giving material bases for the leads that they follow throughout the investigation (Kaza, n.d.). Some of the most common types of trace evidence found at the crime scene include bloodstains, paint, hair, textile fibers, and glass fragments. Microscopic particles are also important because they may give clues as to what is inherently a part of the surroundings in which the crime took place and what is linked to the crime committed. There are times, however, when the perpetrator leaves traces that are hard to analyze in order to gain a probable physical description of him. For this reason, criminal investigators employ a variety of other methods that are not dependent on tangible evidence left behind by the perpetrator, relying instead on the behavioural patterns and the modus operandi of the suspect to gain a clue as to his possible whereabouts, his state of mind, and hopefully his next supposed victim. The idea is therefore to read such intangible clues and get into the mind of the perpetrator to prevent him from committing another crime and hurting another person. While these information may not be helpful in the actual prosecution of the case, they would oftentimes lead the police officers into valuable leads that can help them track down the suspect. Among the non-physical evidence based methods used by criminal investigators are criminal profiling and, more recently, geographical profiling. These methods are used to predict the subsequent actions of the perpetrator based not only on the physical evidence that he left behind but also on the conscious or unconscious choices that made before, during, and after the commission of the crime. These methods are not as accurate or exact as forensic science itself, but they do provide valuable clues as to the next steps that the police should take in order to catch the criminal faster. Criminal profiling through geography In general, criminal profiling is the art of weaving together traces left in the crime scene to develop a likely story about the criminals plan, his method of operation, his thoughts, and his next target. The aim is to provide a map of sorts that will help police investigators and forensic psychologists to nail down the perpetrator. Criminal profiling methods are becoming more and more sophisticated as well, with the help of not only advanced technological tools but also developments in behavioural sciences, particularly psychology and psychiatry. Winerman (2004) noted that informal criminal profiling had its beginnings in the 1880s, when two physicians named George Philips and Thomas Bond utilized crime scene clues to discover the personality of the British serial murderer Jack the Ripper. In the decades to come, criminal profiling methods remained largely informal and the police investigators were often left to use intuition in tracking down their quarry. It is only in the 1970s when the US Federal Bureau Investigation opened its Behavioral Science Unit that criminal profiling became an actual scientific process. From then on, it became widely accepted in law enforcement circles as a reliable technique for predicting criminal behaviour. From the nature of these techniques, it can be deduced that profiling works best only when the police investigators already have a string of clues from different crime scenes at hand. Moreover, they are also likely to have an idea of who the suspect is, or at least they have a shortlist of suspected offenders. The trick is therefore pinpointing exactly who among these individuals actually perpetrated the crime, and to catch him before he does it again. Some of the most common things that criminal profilers look at when deciphering cases where the criminal has committed a series of offenses are the following: ÂÂ · Antecedent: what is the criminal plan or fantasy behind the action? ÂÂ · Method of operations: victims identity, weapon(s) used on the victim, degree of hostility or cruelty exhibited by the act, the existence or lack of sexual overtures to the crime, method of body disposal ÂÂ · Post-offense behaviour: is the suspect trying to give false leads to the media or to the police authorities? While methods are beginning to resemble an exact science, it cannot be denied that most of the data that investigators follow up on are mere guesswork and speculations backed up by circumstantial evidence. Thus, there was a need to develop a more foolproof method that will police authorities to limit their investigation to a particular area or community, and thus crack down on the perpetrator in a shorter amount of time. It is at this juncture that criminal geographical tracking (CGT) or more commonly known as geographical profiling came to be. Knowledge of criminal mobility and the geographical characteristics of crime scenes concurrently prompted investigators to look for a way that will allow them to manage their time and resources more effectively by confining the investigation to the most probable location of the perpetrators residence or his hub of criminal activity (Holmes and Holmes 2002). The most popular name that is associated with geographical profiling is Kim Rossmo, who started to make this method of investigative profiling more exact and accurate through his doctoral dissertation at Simon Fraser University in 1995 (Ramsland 2010). He developed a computer software called the criminal geographical tracking or (CGT) that is meant to assist in cases involving violent serial crimes. It feeds a number of important geographical characteristics into the software, which in turn tries to zero in on the most probable area of residence of the offender. CGT was meant to be an information management system that can help law enforcement agents cut down on their investigation time and resources by locating an exact area where the perpetrator is most likely to reside or to operate. This pioneering technology was first adapted by the Vancouver Police Department and was later on utilized by a number of other police districts across Canada. As a method of investigation, geographic profiling works by utilizing the locations of connected series of crimes to come up with the most probable area of residence of the offender. Oftentimes, it is used in cases where serial murder, rape, arson or robbery is involved, but it can also be applied in instances of single crimes like carnapping, burglary, bombing, and others. The most important element of this kind of investigative technique is the presence of distinguishing geographical features that can point the police officers to a specific place to conduct their investigation. Rossmo likened geographical profiling to looking at the traces left by a garden sprinkler on a lawn-there is no exact way to predict where the water droplets will fall, but it will leave a pattern that will show whoever is looking at it to guess where the sprinkler was most likely located amidst the marks on the wet ground (Grierson 2003). Grierson (2003) noted that Rossmo noted four important principles underpin geographical profiling. Rossmo borrowed two concepts from the original crime-pattern theory proposed by his teachers. The first idea is that offenders often leave a buffer zone around their area of residence in order to maintain their anonymity, while the second posits that there is a distance decay that can be interpreted from the actions of offenders. That is, an offender will be more willing to travel farther from home if he thinks that the payoff for the crime will be that much greater, meaning the violence involved in the commission of the crime will also be greater. Rossmo also added his own ideas to these theoretical concepts. He incorporated what he called the least effort analysis wherein he postulated that an individual will not act without performing some kind of cost-benefit analysis for his proposed course of action. The last concept in the puzzle is that of routine-activity theory, which states that crimes can happen at the junction of opportunity and familiarity. In other words, the decision to commit the crime in a particular manner is influenced by where the criminal finds himself at the time he decided on pushing through with his criminal design. This method is highly dependent upon two basic assumptions: 1. That the set of crimes being analyzed belong to one and the same series only. This can be validated only by exhausting other police methods that will confirm that a particular set of discrete offenses can be actually be attributed to the same person. 2. Accurate and valid geographical modelling that can show travel distance to the crime sites relative to the type of crime committed, type of offender, and the area or location being studied. Geographical profiling links the geographical characteristics of the crime scene and the known propensities of serial criminals in terms of choosing their victim and the location for deed. The result of the corresponding analyses will be a map that shows the offenders area of criminal activity. The locations of the occurrence of the crime would often belie a certain rational choice on the part of the offender, which would then help the investigators to trace him to his place of residence. Geographical information systems can be adapted to fit different scales, from global to small-scale investigation. Most geographical profiling occurs at the medium scale level, applying to particular cities or neighbourhoods. Smaller areas such as individual buildings can also be subjected to geographical profiling to determine more and more specific locations for the crime, such as an elevator shaft or a fire exit. According to Harries (1999), mapping crime is an important step in criminal investigation because it helps to provide a visual representation of the course of the investigation and what the authorities have found so far based on the existing evidence. Rossmos CGT would come up with either 2D or 3D map that can show the criminals most probable locations of activity based on the past crime scenes and corresponding accuracy rates. This map represents the offenders mental map of the city based on his past experience and activities within the area, his travel routes, and reference points. Some offenders stay within a particular geographical region, while others are willing to travel great distances in order to perpetuate their criminal design. The chances of the offender being a stable or a mobile one depends on a number of factors, such as his past travel experiences, means for transportation, predatory motivations, sense of personal security and even his preferred mode of attack. Rossmo also makes the assumption that the more crimes the offender is able to commit successfully, the more confident he feels about his particular mode of operation and the more willing he is to expand his area of activity. Geographic profiling can help the investigation in a variety of ways, such as choosing the most appropriate and efficient investigative strategy, prioritizing tips and evidence, running searches on existing DNA and fingerprint databases, neighbourhood canvasses and questioning of key people associated with the suspect, and address-based searches of police records. It is not meant to be a standalone technique to solve a crime, but rather to point the investigators to a particular locality where they can more extensively concentrate their investigation efforts. Ramsland (2010) noted that some law enforcement experts are actually more confident in the turnouts that geographical profiling can give rather than the traditional investigative methods that have been used in the past. Conclusion At present, the future of geographical profiling methods seems promising because of the increasing sophistication of crime mapping techniques and technology. Geographic information systems like Rossmos CGT was the first important step in the evolution of this branch of criminal investigation in the past decade, but it seems likely that we will be seeing more and more non-conventional and innovative methods in present-day investigations. Harries (1999) predicted that technologies like global positioning system or GPS, digital photography, local police databases and even the Internet as invaluable aids to police investigations. Spatial analysis giving police investigators a definite edge over their criminal counterparts, therefore shortening the criminal investigation considerably and allowing the prosecution stage to happen earlier. One of the most important advantages that technologies like geographical profiling can offer the law enforcement circle is its ability to reduce wastage of time, effort and resources by pointing the investigators to the most probable area of activity that the offender inhabits. Instead of spreading the manpower of the authorities over a large area and spending too much time chasing down false leads, the police can now focus on a specific location and conduct a more narrowly-tailored search. Rossmos CGT has spawned a series of new technologies that are now aimed at making police work more scientific and accurate. Even if the earliest beginnings of criminal profiling were largely dependent upon luck and guesswork, advances in science and technology have made it possible for criminal investigations to proceed with more certainty. Thus, it is important for investigators to also continue using it to improve upon the technology and make it more prevalent in law enforcement.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Small Change

At the end of September, Malcolm Gladwell, a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine and author of The Tipping Point and Blink, published a piece, Small Change: Why the Revolution Will not be Tweeted, in that magazine making the argument that social media tools like Facebook and Twitter were overhyped as agents of social change at best and at worst, completely useless in helping move the kind of high-risk actions that are strong enough to bring down governments and change cultures. Using the wave of sit-ins that swept the South in 1960 during the Civil Rights Movement as his prime example, Gladwell rests his thesis upon two points.First, movements and high-risk socio-political actions are carried out by people who have strong ties to each other or a strong level of commitment to the movement itself and the actions they undertake serve to reinforce those ties. Second, the momentum and strategic direction of movements requires some level of hierarchy and organization so the energy has a chance of winning the kinds of change the participants want to see. Given these two requisites for large-scale social change, he says, there is no way that social networks will actually be able to play a role in amplifying or directing social change.This essay engendered a firestorm of criticism from activists who use Facebook and Twitter as part of their daily work in organizing for progressive social change in the America. Some of it was the usual triumphalism of the tech geek. Some of it was an interesting mix of â€Å"old guys don’t get it† and â€Å"it's not the 60’s anymore so don’t expect change to look like it did 50 years ago†. None of these responses dealt at all with the main points of his thesis, strong-ties and the primacy of closed, hierarchical organizations.However, an increasing number of responses have tackled those issues and done it from the point of view of activists and organizers working hard to change the public policy cl imate of the United States. These responses range from top-level examination of how Gladwell positions his understanding of Twitter and Facebook within his own thesis on ties and hierarchy to nuts-and-bolts examinations of how modern progressive organizations are fighting for and winning progressive change using organizing methodologies that deploy Twitter and Facebook as tools in a tactical arsenal that increasingly includes a dizzying array of options.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

How Should Schools Stop Bullying - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 583 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/02/15 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Bullying Essay School Bullying Essay Did you like this example? From the two reports we know that every student can become a bully or bully of school bullying. The correct understanding of bullying on campus is the basic premise for the school to carry out prevention and treatment work, and it needs to be recognized by all faculty and staff. The root of preventive work is to build a team of trusted friends and teachers, and a group and school that can study and live with peace of mind. There is a need to strengthen the awareness and ability of teachers. Teachers should train students to develop relevant skills related to ‘basic ability’ and ‘expertise’. First, let the children stay away from the basic abilities of bullying, mainly including understanding and communication ability of others, and judging the ability of others and the environment. Second, the study of the expertise of school bullying. At the same time, the students are given a variety of decompression methods, such as sports, reading, confiding, etc., rather than conflict with others. Bullying damage often stems from ‘learning pressure’ and ‘interpersonal relationship pressure’. School education and teaching practices should be improved in order to prevent bullying. Schools should build a platform for everyone to express, attach importance to the interpersonal relationship building of classes, grades, and associations, create opportunities for everyone to be useful and successful, and improve self-awareness. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "How Should Schools Stop Bullying" essay for you Create order The important feature of school bullying is that it is difficult to find and difficult to judge, because bullying usually occurs at times and places that are difficult for adults to discovery, and is often obscured by playfulness and other forms. Teachers first need to have positive attitudes and discoveries and judge with other teachers. For school, the key to discovering bullying as soon as possible is to establish and improve relevant measures, such as regular investigations, consultations, and reports. For example, Japanese schools arrange regular questionnaires to allow students to choose their own situation. Through the survey, the school learned about bullying on campus and also investigated factors such as learning pressure, interpersonal relationship, and self-efficacy. Once the bullying facts are discovered and determined, teachers need to immediately stop it. If there is student counseling and reporting about bullying, teachers need to prioritize this work rather than other work. For those who are being bullied, the teacher must show the attitude of ’resolute protection’ and ’resolute support’. It is necessary to tell the bullied students :’You are not wrong!’ Parents should also be used to protect students through home visits. After the school has confirmed the facts of bullying, it is necessary to combine psychologists and professionals with relevant experience to discuss solutions to prevent recurrence. For bullies, first of all, let them know that bullying is an act of hurting others, promote self-reflection, and then punished according to different situations. In addition, the problem of bullying on the Internet is becoming more and more prominent. It is characterized by violent behavior, usually speech violence or exposure to information bullying. Therefore, schools need to guide students to regulate use the Internet. First of all, the school and the family work together to improve the quality of the students. Secondly, once bullying is discovered, it is necessary to stop and clear the information immediately. The problem of school bullying cannot be eliminated in a short time. Schools should promote students to build correct values and protect their growth.’ The school should be the sunniest and safest place.’ Our goal is to create a campus environment for children without fear.