Analyzing and Defining Gangs - Free Essay Example

Popular perceptions of gang activity are often based on sensationalized images created in the media. They vary from dramatic reports of gangland shootings to images of young men terrorizing the local neighborhood. Indeed, there are elements of gang culture that are criminal and threatening for the local population; however, gang culture is so complex that a single definition has yet to be agreed upon by social scientists. The primary issue of controversy is whether criminality is a central and causal. Thrashers (1927) pioneering study was the first to look at group processes and psychology of gang life. Through his study of 1,313 Chicago gangs, he concluded gangs are part of the psychological and group process of teenagers in economically deprived communities. He believed gangs are: group(s) originally formed spontaneously, and then integrated through conflict.characterized by the following types of behavior: meeting face to face, milling, movement through space as a unit, conflict, and planning. The result.is the development of tradition, unreflective internal structure, esprit de corps, solidarity, morale, group awareness, and attachment to a local territory. (pg 46) By the 50s and 60s, the popular view changed the perception of gangs became one of fear and threat.. Miller (1975) and Klein (1971) published papers defining gangs as innately criminal. Millers pessimistic perspective is apparent in his classification of gangs as: a group of recurrently associating individuals with identifiable leadership and internal organization, identifying with or claiming control over territory in the community, and engaging either individually or collectively in violent or other forms of illegal behavior (pg 9). Miller was echoed by Klein (1971), who defined gangs as: any denotable group of youngsters who..recognize themselves as a notable group. (and) have been involved in a sufficient number of delinquent incidents to call forth a consistent negative response from..residents and/or law enforcement agencies (pg 13) This theme was taken up by law enforcement agencies, and the idea of the gang as a part of the moral order of the community was subsequently gone. The sociological definition of gang was replaced by terms mainly useful to law enforcement, which are still used to this day. Brantley and DiRosa of the FBI (1994) describe gangs as groups of individuals..who associate on a continual basis for the purpose of committing criminal acts. But other researchers maintain the Thrasher group process hypothesis. Moore argues against Miller and Kleins definitions, as she believes they are circular: the definitions include the very behaviour i.e. crime that they are trying to understand. Thrasher and Moores definitions differ significantly from Klein and Millers. Moore (1998) believes criminality is not inherent to gangs and views them instead as unsupervised peer groupssocialized by the streets rather than by conventional institutions. The debate continues, and the lack of agreement regarding the defining features of gangs has made consistent findings and generalizations problematic. Criminal activity remains a pivotal issue in the debate; the criminality of gangs waxes and wanes, and to use criminality to distinguish a group from a gangs is a misleading and unhelpful process. The Phenomenon Gang in the UK and USA Discuss. Anywhere in the world were there are unsettled neighborhoods or a transient population, there are likely to be gangs of youths, coming together to seek the security, sense of belonging and structure they lack in their communities. Traditionally, UK interventions to curtail gang activity have been based largely on the US model, where gang conflict has a long and complex history. However research into why youths join gangs in the UK found important differences between British gangs and their US counterparts, which has lead to a change in the British governments approach. British gangs tend to be gentler than those in America, which are more likely to generate distinct identities, rigid structures and be involved in criminal acts (Klein, 1995). UK gangs lack the American-style initiation ceremonies and specific styles of clothing. In the USA large portions of the population exist on the edge of communities, creating breading grounds for criminal street gangs. In certain urban ghettos men rejoice when they reach 25 years of age because gangland fighting kills more young people than illness or accidents (Community Cares, 1994). Often these areas will be economically deprived. The longstanding social security system in the UK has prevented the same situation occurring. The USA takes a different approach and makes frequent cuts in its social program, investing instead in its penal system. In 2003 the British government proposed to revamp youth services, in an effort to reverse the 18% decrease in youth services since the 1980s. The new legislation places a requirement upon all local authorities to meet certain standards by 2005, and expects them to critically assessment the youth service provision within their area. Councils were asked to make a promise to youths to provide not only the usual meeting places for personal and social development, (i.e. youth clubs and activities), but also programmes related to peer education and ways of ensuring their views are heard. The government pledged 83m to the programme. However, the British government are also taking a stronger stance against antisocial behavior, which frequently involves gangs of adolescents. Although the new anti-social behavior legislation is not aimed specifically at gangs, its purpose is to reduce feelings of intimidation within communities, which is often concurrent with gang formation. Once an Anti-Social Behavior Order (ASBO) is issued, the accused must abide by the stipulations in the ASBO or potentially face criminal proceedings. The US was similarly preoccupied with anti-social behavior in the 1990s, when task forces such as Operation Weed and Seed, and the Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services anti-gang drive, had at its core the desire curb or contain street gangs. New legislation was passed and many states enacted statutes to assist law enforcers. In both the US and UK, this was a response to a concerned electorate, made anxious by the tabloid media. There must be a move in the US towards interventions that do not criminalize young people. The question that should be asked is why are young people joining gangs. The answer is well researched; the need for structure, nurturing, a sense of belonging and perceived economic opportunity create breeding grounds for gangs. If goverments adopt adequate social security programs to meet these basic needs, gangs will not evolve they ultimatly reflect the society that has shaped them. References Brantley, A. C., DiRosa, A. (1994) Gangs: A National Perspective. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. New York Klein, M. W. (1995) The American Street Gang. Oxford University Press. New York. Koutos, L., Brotherton, D., Barrios, L. (2003) Gangs and Society: Alternative Perspectives. Columbia University Press. Miller, W. (1975) Violence by Youth Gangs and Youth Groups as a Crime problem in Major American Cities. Washington Department of Justice. Washington. Moore, J. W. 1998. Understanding Youth Street Gangs: Economic Restructuring and the Urban Underclass. In M. W. Watts (Ed.), Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Youth and Violence (pp. 65-78), Stamford, CT: JAI. Thrasher, F. M. (1927) The Gang: A Study of 1,313 Gangs in Chicago. Chicago III. University of Chicago Press. USA (1994) Community Cares (1994). Socialist review, 179. Retrieved February 10, 2006, from https://pubs.socialist reviewindex.org.uk/sr179/msmith.htm

Difference Between an Immigrant Visa and Nonimmigrant Visa

What Is the difference between an immigrant visa and a nonimmigrant visa? Your choice of visa is determined by the purpose of your travel to the United States. If your stay will be temporary, then youll want to make an application for a nonimmigrant visa. This type of visa allows you to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry to request admittance from a Department of Homeland Security official. If you are a citizen of a country thats part of the Visa Waiver Program, you may come to the U.S. without a visa if you meet certain requirements. There are more than 20 visas available under the nonimmigrant classification, to cover the variety of reasons why someone may visit for a short time. These reasons include tourism, business, medical treatment and certain types of temporary work. Immigrant visas are granted to those who intend to live and work permanently in the U.S. There are 4 major categories within this visa classification, including immediate relatives, special immigrants, family-sponsored and employer-sponsored.

Design Of A Sustainable Design - 1251 Words

What we know today as sustainable architectural design began in the early 20th century; born and evolved from principles and theories of architects in addition to physical devices all which precursor those in today sustainable architecture. These premature design elements, and theories are visible in works such as Le Corbusier’s early 20th century, Villa Savoye; and Alvar Aalto’s mid-20th century, Villa Mairea. Reviewing and rereading these building’s physical designs and their architects design thinking we begin to unfold how contemporary sustainable design today came to be. Examining William McDonough’s sustainable office complex as a finale to these developments it is visible where the endeavours of the past century have taken†¦show more content†¦Le Corbusier comprehends his ‘roof garden’ as a habitable space â€Å"Is it not against all logic when the upper surface of a whole town remains unused and reserved exclusively for a dialogue between the tiles and the stars?... for the town it means that the built–up space lost is regained†1 instead only implying its possible ecological benefits. Utilising re-enforced concrete technology allowed the villa Savoye to harbour strip windows, also one of Le Corbusier’s five points of new architecture. Embodied in the larger windows which give equal light to all rooms are the principles that more natural daylight allows for a better living experience, a step behind the more energy saving focused morals of today. With the development of Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea in the mid- 20th century we can start to see the fundamental ideals and physical devices of sustainable architecture begin to form. Much like Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye, Aalto’s Villa Mairea incorporates undeveloped environmentally minded devices. However, Aalto who had a significant history with the Finnish forest â€Å"As for the Finnish landscape, it was all around me, all the time. That experience of a working balance also gave me an 1 Le Corbusier, Towards a new

Gene Mapping Significance And Improvements †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Gene Mapping Significance And Improvements. Answer: The technique of gene mapping was first illustrated by Thomas Hunt Morgan in 1911 while studying the genetics of Drosophila. Gene mapping or linkage mapping refers to a representation of recombination frequencies and relative distance between markers loci in homologous chromosomes (Robinson 2013). Significance- Gene maps are essential for providing an avenue to link a trait of particular interest to a specific genetic region in the chromosome. Genetic mapping helps in utilizing a mechanism that tracks the co-segregation of different genetic markers associated with particular traits in a population. Such markers can be utilized in agriculture to improve animal breeds and resistant crops (Morrell, Buckler and Ross-Ibarra 2012). They are used in evolutionary studies to understand the mechanism of diversification of different species. Comparative mapping between or within taxa helps in revealing regions where there is gene order conservation. They locate regions of chromosomal duplication. These maps have huge significance in medicine and help in identification of people who are vulnerable to a host of genetic diseases. They detects carrier in recessive disorders where the affected gene is not directly expressed (Eyre et al. 2012). Microbial genetic maps help in producing energy b y harnessing the power of bacteria and also help researchers to develop environment friendly products. Positional cloning is another application. It has been utilized in isolating maize genes in recent years. Genetic mapping also determines the effect of location on the expression of genes and identifies several factors that affect recombination between genes. These maps also recognize the non-functional pseudogenes and their probable role. Eye pigments- The eye colour pigments in Drosophila are produced by two distinct biochemical pathways: the pteridine pathway (pale blue to yellow to scarlet pigment) and the ommochrome pathway (brown pigment). A large number of genes are associated with the eye colour phenotype. Wild type eye color in Drosophila is red. Several studies have shown the brown pigment to be xanthommatin, which is a member of the ommochrome class, called ommatins. A homozygous recessive mutation in the pteridine pathway that produces the pigment drosopterin will prevent the production of the bright red pignment and results in a dull brown colour (Grant et al. 2016). If there occurs a loss-of-function mutation in the cinnabar gene, responsible for synthesis of brown pigment, the phenotype will be bright red for such homozygous cinnabar mutant flies. Improvements- The original gene mapping approaches were based on single point variations and they failed to detect the developmental changes in traits. Investigation of inherited haplotypes will prove effective in locating the human gene map. However, these haplotypes can fail in incomplete disease penetranceor etiologic heterogeneity (Sun and Wu 2015). Therefore, a functional mapping model (computer programs like MENDEL, VITESSE and LINKAGE) that focuses on statistical framework can be used, which will focus on estimation of the loci related to the disease based on the markers and phenotypes. Thus, it can be concluded that gene mapping techniques are essential for mapping the recombination frequencies between different markers on homologous chromosomes. They are widely used to determine the mutations that occur during meiotic recombination in Drosophila. References Eyre, S., Bowes, J., Diogo, D., Lee, A., Barton, A., Martin, P., Zhernakova, A., Stahl, E., Viatte, S., McAllister, K. and Amos, C.I., 2012. High-density genetic mapping identifies new susceptibility loci for rheumatoid arthritis.Nature genetics,44(12), pp.1336-1340. Grant, P., Maga, T., Loshakov, A., Singhal, R., Wali, A., Nwankwo, J., Baron, K. and Johnson, D., 2016. An eye on trafficking genes: Identification of four eye color mutations in Drosophila.G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics,6(10), pp.3185-3196. Morrell, P.L., Buckler, E.S. and Ross-Ibarra, J., 2012. Crop genomics: advances and applications.Nature reviews. Genetics,13(2), p.85. Robinson, R., 2013.Gene mapping in laboratory mammals. Springer. Sun, L. and Wu, R., 2015. Mapping complex traits as a dynamic system.Physics of life reviews,13, pp.155-185.

Reoccurring Themes And Symbols In Different Works By Nathaniel Hawthor

Reoccurring Themes And Symbols In Different Works By Nathaniel Hawthorne Reoccurring Themes and Symbols in Different Works by Nathaniel Hawthorne It is no secret that Nathaniel Hawthornes The Ministers Black Veil is a parable. Hawthorne intended it as such and even gave the story the subtitle a parable. The Ministers Black Veil, however, was not Hawthornes only parable. Hawthorne often used symbols and figurative language to give added meaning to the literal interpretations of his work. His Puritan ancestry also influenced much of Hawthornes work. Instead of agreeing with Puritanism however, Hawthorne would criticize it through the symbols and themes in his stories and parables. Several of these symbols and themes reoccur in Hawthornes The Ministers Black Veil, Young Goodman Brown, and The Scarlet Letter. One particularly noticeable theme in Hawthornes work is that of secret sin (Newman 338). In the Young Goodman Brown, this theme is evident when young Mr. Brown dreams that he is led by the devil to a witching party. There he sees all of the honorable and pious members of society, including his minister and the woman who taught him his catechisms, communing with the prince of darkness. Upon awakening, the hypocritical nature of his once admired neighbors and the realization of his own secret sin causes him to become terribly disillusioned (Colacurcio 396). The same thing happens in The Ministers Black Veil, except the reader does not know exactly what secret sin makes Reverend Hooper begin to don the black veil. Many scholars believe that this has something to do with the funeral of the young lady at the beginning of the story. The opinions range from believing that Reverend Hooper loved the girl in secret, to Poes believe that Reverend Hooper may have actually been the cause of the girls death (Newman 204). Whatever the reason, the ministers wearing of the veil taints his view of everyone else around him, making all of them look like they are wearing veils as well (Hawthorne 107). Dimmesdales secret sin with Hester Prynne is admitted at the end of the story, but the theme of secret sin is not as used as strongly in this novel as it was in Hawthornes stories (Dryden 147). However, two of the main themes in The Scarlet Letter are visible in both of the other stories. The first is the corruption of the clergy. In The Scarlet Letter, Reverend Dimmesdale is a good pastor. He is not, however, the Puritan ideal of what a pastor should be. He is human, and gives in to human desires when he sleeps with Hester Prynne. Both Reverend Hooper and the minister in Young Goodman Brown are corrupt as well. Reverend Hoopers sins with the deceased young lady are hinted at, but still ambiguous. The minister in Young Goodman Brown is a much better example of corrupt clergy. He is in attendance at the witches meeting just one day before he would go before his congregation and preach the word of God. This is no doubt another reflection of Hawthornes belief in the hypocrisy of Puritanism. Another element common in these three works by Hawthorne is the way that sin ostracizes one from society. In The Scarlet Letter, Hesters is branded with a symbol of her sin, so her separation from society is forced as a form of punishment. She is not physically removed from society, but she will never again be able to play the same role in society that she once played. Everyone else, neglecting to look inside their heart at their own sin, condemns Hester for her adultery and turns their back to her. In Young Goodman Brown, Mr. Brown voluntarily chooses to cut himself off from human love and companionship (Hawthorne 75). However, while Hesters neighbors turn their back on her because of her adultery, Mr. Brown ostracizes himself because he is sickened by the hypocrisy that he knows is present in the lives of the people around him. Finally, the veil worn by Reverend Hooper in The Ministers Black Veil separates him from society, and from God (Dryden 138). Whether this separation is voluntary or imposed depends on how one looks at the situation. It is voluntary in that Reverend Hooper knows that his wearing

Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett Free Online Research Papers Booker T. Washington He was born in Hale’s Ford, Virginia, on April 5, 1856. His mother was a cook for the James Burrough plantation. His father was a man from a farm nearby. After the emancipation proclamation, on January 1, 1863, Booker T. Washington and his mother became free slaves. At age nine he and his mother moved in with his stepfather in Malden, West Virginia. He than began working in salt and coal mines, he started working at 4 a.m. So he could go to school. His education expanded when he began working as a houseboy for rich white women, who were so astonished by this little black boy’s intelligence that they gave him more books to read. At age 16 Booker T. Washington walked about 500 miles back to Virginia to enroll into the Hampton Institute. Later on, he became an instructor at Hampton then the principal. He founded the Tuskegee institute in Alabama in 1881. He believed that if black people worked hard enough and â€Å"tolerate the subjugation of the black community† that they would gain their rightful place in society. He died at the age 59. W.E.B. Du Bois He was born on February 23, 1868 of Great Barrington, Massachusetts. W.E.B Du Bois was a woman of Dutch, Indian, and African decent. His father was a light skinned man who his mother’s family cared nothing for. W.E.B Du Bois was educated all his life he had a pre- school education all the way to a college education and more. His mother was the spine of his education. When the town voted for two thousand dollars is put to establishing a high school. She believed from that moment on that education was the tool to achieving success. In 1875 his Grandmother died. This caused his family to move again. They had to move in this house close on Railroad Street which wasn’t the good part of Great Barrington. â€Å"I had to use my wits to survive living†¦ quite clear to me that education would be my salvation.† Dubois stated. In 1884 he graduated valedictorian of his high school. He received his bachelors of arts from Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee in 1888. He enrolled in Harvard University as a junior and took bachelors of Arts cum laude in 1890. From 1892 to 1894 he engaged in graduate studies in history and economics at the University of Berlin on a Slater fund fellowship. He served for 2 years as professor of Greek and Latin at Wilberforce University in Ohio. In 1896 he married Nina Gomer, and they had two children. 1896-1897 Du Bois became assistant instructor in sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. 1909 Du Bois was among the Founders of the NAACP. He believed that for Blacks to get the respect that they deserve in society that they would have to demand it. Ida B. Wells-Barnett She was born July 16,1862 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Her mother was a famous cook and her father was a carpenter. Her father was on the board of trustees for Rust College a freedman school where Ida received a basic education. When she was 16 her mother and father and some of her younger siblings died from yellow fever. She was determined to raise her younger siblings the best she could. She posed as a woman by putting her hair in an adult style and putting on a long dress and convinced people she was 18 and received a teaching job. A few years later after putting the older children in as apprentices, she moved to Memphis with younger ones and got a teaching job at Fisk University. She was telling the truth in a local newspaper, about the school system, how the school supplies and resources that the African –American children were inferior to the ones the white children. Mrs. Barnett lost her teaching job in 1891. She married to Fredrick Barnett in Chicago Illinois in 1895. She believed that Blacks will gain their equality through education. She used her writing skills to educate the people all around the country and some of Europe of the way Blacks were being treated in the south. Research Papers on Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-BarnettThe Story of Beatrix PotterDistance Learning Survival GuideHip-Hop is ArtInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraStandardized TestingAmerican Central Banking and OilThe Fifth HorsemanThe Equal Rights AmendmentNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice

Historical and Theoretical Perspective on Teaching Reading Essay

Historical and Theoretical Perspective on Teaching Reading - Essay Example Teachers can teach reading through several methods, one of these methods is the testing and measuring approach, in this method the teacher uses tests and assessments to measure how well the student has read and learned from the assigned tests (Lapp, 2007, p.423). The objects that are measured through these tests are informed to the students before hand during the sessions of instructions and then the teachers check whether these objectives have been accomplished. The tests should be consistent with the learning objectives and then it is checked whether the objectives have been met. This method pays emphasis to focused activity based teaching as the teacher teaches those parts that will be assessed. Curriculums that are designed on these methods are highly structured as this curriculum focus on the objectives that need to be attained by students. Students can learn through this teaching method if they are motivated with the assistance of reward for attaining set goals. The downside of using this method is that restricted amount of learning and teaching takes place as students only learn and obtain information which is going to be tested and other information is ignored. One of the most appropriate methods of teaching how to read is the subject method approach which pays emphasis on the significance of subject matter derived by students while they are involved in the process of reading (Richards, 2001, p.19). The basis of this form of reading is that a message should be transferred to the reader of a particular text.