National Institute of Justice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

National Institute of Justice - Research Paper Example One such innovation is the Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Geographical Information systems are computer programs important to capture data requisite in the criminal justice system (2009). This expose elucidates the role of NIJ in the (MAPS) program, and the importance of the program to help reduce crime and improve public safety. With the introduction of GIS, computerized crimes maps have become a commonplace in fighting crimes in the contemporary society. Using data from the police on crimes and the geographical area of certain crimes, analysts are able to map where crimes occur. In addition, analysts analyze the reasons why the crimes occurred and effectively finding various ways of to respond to the crimes (NIJ, 2009). In this regard, these computerized crimes maps combine a geographical and social aspect in analyzing crimes. In effect, the analysis of crimes becomes crucial to the security authorities. Using funds from the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1996, the National Institute of Justice created the Crime Mapping Research Center (CMRC) in 1997 (NIJ, 2009). The center’s fundamental responsibility was to determine the department of police’s use of analysis in policing. Consequently, the center developed programs meant to train and enhance the ability of police to utilize spatial maps and sets of data in combating crime (NIJ, 2009). In effect, this step marked the beginning of the program by NIJ since CMRC subsequently evolved into the Mapping and Analysis for Public Safety (MAPS) program in 2002, which funds research that uses GIS technology (NIJ, 2009). According to NIJ (2009), the role of NIJ in the MAPS program is to support research, which is important to help security agencies to enhance public safety. On a broader perspective, this program examines four fundamental aspects. The first of these

A Summer with My Aunt Essay Example for Free

A Summer with My Aunt Essay I, of course, was not used to spending any amount of money because my parents were doing well enough to keep my sister and me in school, so the idea of having leisurely money was a new concept which I craved. As a child I admired this woman for many reasons and wanted to be like her. I wanted to live in a nice neighborhood with a big house, I wanted to drive a beautiful white shiny car and wear new clothes, I wanted to be strong and healthy , but most of all I wanted to be successful like she was. So I spent my days in school preparing for college so that someday I would be able to be like her. Things changed, though, when I moved down to Texas for two months to take care of her nine month old son, Luke; as it turns out Gretchen Decker was and is not as happy with her life as I thought she was. At the beginning of the summer I had agreed to fly out to California to take my grandma’s place as a helping hand for my aunt. Gretchen had just married her third husband, Chris, two years prior and had recently become pregnant. My whole family was rather concerned with this matter because my aunt was now in her forties; when complications started arising my grandmother put her own life on hold to focus her attention on her daughter. When the time came, though, it was my turn to help my aunt. I left my job, friends, summer activities, and leisurely time to fly out to California and take care of my cousin. Plans were interrupted by my aunt’s job, though, when she received recent news of a promotion that would land her in the Dallas metropolis. I, of course, did not mind because either way I would be able to finally get to know this woman I so aspired to be like, and at the same time I would be able to visit with my aunt Trudy. So at the end of the summer I packed up my bags and my dad, sister, and I drove down to Texas. The house was gorgeous with a huge entry way and vaulted ceilings and a large open-concept kitchen and living room. The rooms were not very large but they were a decent size, close to a large bathroom. There was no furniture yet because it was still being moved from California and sadly we’d have to live without it for a couple more weeks. It was a great neighborhood, though, quiet and clean but most importantly, safe; this was the house my mother and father were working so hard for. The city was also very established with great schools and big malls, another thing I, myself, had always wanted. The next day I met Luke and was shocked by his appearance. He was a gorgeous baby but his weight brought up a bit of a concern for me. Luke was only nine months old and weighed 30 pounds; the first though in my mind was, â€Å"why is she feeding him so much? † but I held my tongue and asked, â€Å"So, what does he eat? † My aunt replied saying, â€Å"well he has five bottles a day and two to three solid meals a day. † Another thought, â€Å"holy crap,† then I said, â€Å"Wow, he’s big. † She laughed and said, â€Å"Yeah he’s definitely not starving. She may have found it funny but I found it odd that this child was the size of a two year old and was barely able to move. I walked over to the refrigerator next and poured myself a glass of water. As I drank, I stared at a picture of my aunt and Chris. They were running side by side concentrating on the goal ahead, when suddenly Luke laughed and my attention was turned to the other side o f the room. My sister, Darian, was playing with Luke and showing him how to use his toys. My aunt smiled at the sight and said, † Darian, I love this little guy so much. It’s amazing. I’ve never loved anyone or anything this much. † My sister immediately asked, â€Å"Don’t you love Chris? † The pause in-between the question surprised me, but finally she answered, â€Å"well†¦ yes but I just love Luke so much. † She continued to answer the question by saying that Chris was a good companion and that’s why she married him. Later I would learn my aunt â€Å" just liked to be married† and that is what led me to believe my aunt didn’t care about love as much as she did her job, because she went into a marriage thinking like a business woman rather that a girl in love. To me this also meant she just didn’t want to be alone. A week went by and the moving was done and I was left alone with my aunt. She was struggling to get used to things at her new job and ii could tell she was under much stress. So I did everything I could think of to take a load off her back like doing the laundry, cooking, cleaning and making sure Luke was in a good mood for her when she came home. No matter what I did though my aunt began to become increasingly frustrated with her job. She would leave the house around six-thirty every day and come back around six and continue to do work after Luke went to bed. She would always tell me she wished she could spent more time with Luke but that wouldn’t be able to happen because Chris was playing â€Å" peter pan† in Afghanistan. Every day it was the same thing: â€Å"Chris is peter pan,† â€Å"I wish I didn’t have to be the main provider† but the fact of the matter is that my aunt makes around 104 thousand dollars a year and Chris makes around 84 thousand. I was becoming very frustrated with my aunt’s complaints because my family of four had loved off 30 thousand for quite some time and managed to survive, so why couldn’t she live off 84? The answer to my question was very upsetting. She said, â€Å"Well that’s Missouri and Missouri isn’t the real world. † How dare she belittle my parents’ hard work! They both worked day and night trying to provide a better life for my sister and I and this is how she sees their work? I didn’t even get to see my parents a lot of the time because one of them was always at work, and here my aunt sat in a huge house with a nice neighborhood, with a beautiful baby and a handsome husband and money so much that she didn’t even know what to do with it, trying to tell me how terrible her life was. I kept my mouth closed because it was not my place to tell her these thoughts but more and more I became disappointed in my aunt. Why could she not be thankful and content with what she had? Her favorite subject of complaint was her husband; mostly, because he didn’t make enough money for her to stay at home but she also accused him of trying to avoid her and Luke because he didn’t wasn’t to take any responsibility. She thought this because he was going to stay in a deployable unit but at the same time the reason he was doing that was for an education opportunity. There was no pleasing her, though; even the fact that Chris wanted to be the provider did not appease her. She had made a comment to me about how she would â€Å"Find Luke a new daddy† if she had to. This made me sick to my stomach that she would say such a thing but I guess that is what happens when you marry someone just because you â€Å" like to be married. † Marriage is not like playing house it is a gift God has given us to become one with another person you love. Everything I admired my aunt for pretty much washed away because of my experience this summer and I will not go back to live with her again. She will sit in her big house in a nice neighborhood, with a husband she dislikes, a job that makes good money, and rot because she does not know how to be content. That’s what I really want is to marry a man I love, give him beautiful children, and work at a job that I absolutely love; not a bunch of money with nothing to do with it. I can thank my aunt, though, for showing me how unhappy a person can be in their life because they focus their mind on only the negative and never any positive aspects of their lives.

A Definition of a Friend Essay example -- Definition Friends Friendshi

A Definition of a Friend Friendship is not simply a "relationship", knowing someone, conversing with that person, or dealing with that person in business, school, or in casual acquaintance. True friendship is not just a "relationship", but self-sacrificing love. A friend is also one who supports, sympathizes, and is a person in whom you can confide. There are unique qualities that a person must have to be considered a friend. An acquaintance is not automatically considered a friend. Just because you know someone does not mean there is an instant friendship.This does not mean that an acquaintance cannot change into a valued friendship. There are qualities that a friend must have, but time is also a factor. A friendship can develop in as short as a day, or it could take as long as a few years for full development.In the end, if time is taken for full development, then a real friendship will develop.The main way that trust is built up is with time. When you and a friend have trust, there will usually be a strong friendship. When there is no time spent together, then th...

Ancient Egypts Effect on Modern Society Essay

The museum has always been a place for all different types of people from the public to go and appreciate art and feel reconnected with the past. People may go to the museum for these reasons or a variety of others. But for whatever reasons they choose to go to the museum it always has an influence on that person’s relationship between them and the history they viewed. Specifically speaking the museum has a big influence on the public and Ancient Egypt. The museum is already a place of history and mystery and Ancient Egypt is one of the most mysterious ancient cultures. With so little known about these ancient people it only makes sense that the museum would be a good place to strengthen that feeling of mystery. Ever since the modern discovery of Ancient Egypt the public have been fascinated by the mystery left behind by these ancient people. The modern public is always interested in learning about Egypt. Weather that be from books to movies or trips to the museum the general public uses a variety of methods to learn about the Ancient Egyptians culture. Stereotypically speaking when most people talk of Egypt they think of mummies. Most people one speaks to have generally the same depiction of what Egypt is in their heads. So a lot of times people don’t really know the truth about Ancient Egypt. And that is where the museum comes into play. The museum has always been found as a viable source of accurate information regarding history. So in today’s media rich society most people who are really curious about learning about Egypt would rather visit the museum rather than pick up a book on Egyptology and read it. The museum is a good place to start for people to go and observe visually what is left of Ancient Egypt. And these exhibits help to construct an idea of what this Ancient civilization was truly like compared to the entertainment industries depiction of it. This act of going to the museum to fulfill ones curiosity on the subject is just one way the museum helps strengthen the bond between the public and Ancient Egypt. Another way the museum helps strengthen the relationship between the public and Ancient Egypt is by giving them an escape from reality. Most people get fed up with the normal day in and day out of adult life and are always looking for something new exciting and mysterious. Ancient Egypt is something that is tantalizing for people to learn and talk about because so little is known and so much can be speculated. So the museum helps give this bored person a chance to view what is left of Ancient Egypt and to escape from their reality and escape to this mysterious world. This strengthens the relationship between Ancient Egypt and the public because people desire that mystery and they can get it by viewing the mystery of Ancient Egypt at the museum. One more way the museum strengthens this relationship is by adding more to the mystery. Meaning the museum shows the public a depiction of the past but no definitive answers, if anything I found you leave the Ancient Egyptian exhibit with more questions than answers. This quest for answers strengthens the relationship because the public is searching for an element of mystery and find it in Ancient Egypt, but every time they get more of a taste they get more unanswered questions. This causes more of a desire to learn and explore and it all begins with the museum giving just a taste of the mystery surrounding Ancient Egypt. Following this drive for knowledge on Ancient Egypt the museum also helps strengthen the physical relationship between the public and Ancient Egypt. Ancient antiquities are one of the most sought after items for just aesthetic position. People will go out of their way to bring back a piece of history with them that they can hold in their hands. Weather that be through artifact relics or souvenirs somebody is always trying to take a piece of history with them. They might be doing this for a variety of reasons. They may just want something interesting on a shelf to start a discussion where they can gloat about their recent trip to Egypt. Or they may want to have it because it makes them feel closer to the ancient times and the mystery of it all. But for whatever reason people always want to have some sort of item that relates them to the history or journey. The museum does this by providing them with a large varieties, the person who wants to fulfill that desire of owning a souvenir or relic, to choose from. You can buy almost anything Ancient Egypt related at the gift shop in a museum. From Lego pens to imitation artifacts, the museum is a great place to fill a need to buy a souvenir. Also what better time would it be to buy something Egyptian than right after viewing an exhibit of the real artifacts. So by being able to create a need for a physical relic and then fulfill it the museum is a perfect place to strengthen the bond between the public and Ancient Egypt. So the museum as it seams is a very powerful place when it comes to strengthening the bond between the public and Ancient Egypt. Weather the museum is providing just a simple craving of curiosity or to providing the perfect place to shop for a relic you can take home with you, it has been a great place to strengthen the bond between the public and Ancient Egypt. This place of mystery, knowledge and unanswered question will hopefully be around for a long time to fulfill the publics desire to know more and become closer with Ancient Egypt.

Has Devolution worked?

Abstract The purpose of this essay will be to consider whether the process of devolution in the United Kingdom since 1999 has been successful and consider some of the points of convergence and divergence, which have occurred in terms of policy development in the region, as well the impact which the austerity measures introduced by the Coalition government have had on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Introduction The process of devolution is one that can be considered as a response to widespread processes of restructuring in the forms of governance in the Western world and also a part of a global phenomenon (Rodriguez-Pose and Gill, 2005; Williams and Mooney, 2008; Keating et al. 2009). In the context of the UK, the process of devolution should be understood as the process of granting semi-autonomous legislative powers to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly of Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly on behalf of the UK parliament (Gov.uk, 2013). Devolution in the UK specifically should be considered as a phenomenon of the political climate which existed in the second half of the 1990s. The process of devolution itself can be considered as an alternative to the policy adopted by successive Conservative governments in both Scotland and Wales (Trench, 2007). In addition, it was aimed to challenge the agenda set by more nationalist parties in the UK, whose political ideas and manifesto s gained popularity at the time (ibid.). Even though the newly established governing institutions had their predecessors in the past, which exercised similar legislative functions, the fact that they were now recognised as autonomous and sovereign was a major historical precedent (Rose, 1982). As a result of referendums taking place in September 1997 in Scotland and Wales, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh National Assembly were established. In Northern Ireland, as a result of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and following a national referendum in May 1998, the Northern Ireland Assembly was established (Birrell, 2009). In line with these developments in UK governance, the following essay will examine the impact which the process of devolution has had in terms of successful policy implementation. The impact of Devolution In the UK specifically, there are four different models of devolution, all reflecting the asymmetrical nature of the process and the different politics which characterise the different regions (Hazell, 2000). The Scottish parliament, for example, has a responsibility of developing policy in tackling the majority of domestic affairs without interference on behalf of the UK parliament. The Northern Ireland Assembly, on the other hand, has the capacity of passing legislation related to a wide range of issues; and the Welsh National Assembly has an elected assembly, which has been granted legislative powers following a referendum in 2011 (Gov.uk, 2013). In the rest of England outside London, where an elected mayor and assembly were established, the changes in administration were quite marginal and were reflected in the creation of Regional Development Agencies and unelected Regional Assemblies which have subsequently been abolished by the Conservative–Liberal Democratic Coalition Government. As this indicates, UK devolution is a process rather than an event (Shaw and MacKinnon, 2011). As a result of the implementation of UK devolution acts, the legislative competence over devolved matters and democratic representation and authority was transferred to the newly established devolved parliaments. Basing devolution on the functions previously exercised by the territorial departments served to reduce conflict over the distribution of powers and resources in the short-term, but at the expense of any long-term resolution of territorial imbalances and tensions (Jeffery, 2007). While Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own devolved institutions, England is governed centrally by the UK parliament, meaning that UK and English political institutions have effectively become fused. One of the unique features of UK devolution is reflected in the limited autonomy of the regions to raise their own taxes and be responsible for their re-investment (Gov.uk, 2013). T his contrasts with many other devolved or federal states in which the national and sub-national tiers share responsibility for both the raising and distribution of revenue (MacKinnon, 2013). Arguably, this could have a negative impact on the overall performance of the devolved regions, as it puts them in a subordinate position to the UK parliament in terms of financing and self-sufficiency, a policy problem which in the occurrence of the global recession has affected all three of the devolved regions. Devolution has important repercussions for public policy (Greer, 2007; Greer, 2009; Jeffery 2007; Keating, 2002; Keating 2009). In effect, the process of devolution has allowed the newly established governments to design and implement policies which take into consideration the specific economic and social conditions of the regions, thereby presenting localised solution to localised problems (Jeffery 2002). Despite the differences which exist among the regions, some commonalities in pol icy development can also be observed, namely in the provision of health care and tackling public health problems. The common economic challenges, combined with a tight fiscal policy means that the convergence of healthcare politics in all the devolved regions are likely to the preserved for some time (Smith and Hellowell, 2012). With the ongoing debates of more financial independence of the regions, however, it appears more likely than not that in the near future a more pronounced divergence in healthcare policy could happen in the nearby future (ibid.). To summarise this section, the process of devolution can be considered a success, as it has enabled the devolved regions to take the initiative of developing and implementing tailored policy decisions which take into consideration the specific conditions and challenges which exist in every one of the regions, despite the austerity measures and the impact of the economic recession. Devolution has also brought with itself a political reconsideration and reprioritization equality and human-rights in compulsory-phase education and how these are promoted, following the government’s commitment to mainstreaming (Chaney, 2011). With the different dimensions which devolution has in the UK, it appears plausible that the priorities of one government will not necessarily coincide with the priorities of another government. Moreover, within the different contextual settings, it is more than likely that different definitions of equality will be used (ibid.). Although there is still a long way to go in terms of promoting equality and human rights, devolution in the long-term could be the ground upon which more equal societies could be built. However, this is a fragile and slow process, and which, despite the progress achieved in the previous phase, largely associated with the policy of the New Labour, has come under threat by the politics of the Coalition Government, as the next few paragraphs will show. The process of devolution can be characterised by two distinct phases (MacKinnon, 2013). The first phase of UK devolution between 1999 and 2007 was characterised by common Labour Party government at the devolved and UK levels, stable inter-government relations and substantial increases in public expenditure (ibid). Over the period, the budgets of the devolved governments rose substantially between 2001/2002 and 2009/2010, (61.5% in Scotland, 60% in Wales and 62.6% in Northern Ireland) as a result of spending decisions taken by the Labour Government in London (HM Treasury 2007; 2011, as cited in MacKinnon, 2013). A new phase of devolution and constitutional politics has become apparent since 2007, defined by three distinguishing features (Danson et al., 2012). First, nationalist parties entered into government in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast in 2007 as either minority governments or coalition partners. Second, there is the changed context of UK politics following the defeat of Labour in 2010 and the formation of a Coalition Government between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Third, the economic context has changed radically following the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and the ensuing economic recession. In response, the Coalition Government adopted a programme for reducing public expenditure by ?81 billion by 2015–16, thereby eliminating the UK’s structural deficit (Lowndes and Pratchett, 2012: 23). This has meant that the introduction of austerity measures designed to address the UK’s budget deficit by the Coalition Government since 2010 has also had significant implications for the devolved governments, reducing their budgets and requiring them to administer cuts locally, although they have been vocal in their opposition to austerity and support of alternative policy approaches such as increased capital expenditure (McEwen, 2013). In this climate, the devolved governments have reaffirmed their commitment to social justice and solidarity (Scott and Mooney, 2009), with the Scottish Government, for instance, arguing that the UK Coalition Government’s welfare reform agenda threatens the social democratic values of ‘civic Scotland’ (McEwen, 2013). In summary, despite the fact that the process of devolution has been successful in several aspects, all associated with granting a certain level of autonomy to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, this could all prove in vain unless more revenue-raising responsibilities are given to the regions. Conclusion The aim of this essay was to review the impact which the process of devolution has had in the UK. As it was noted, the nature of UK devolution should be considered as a long-term evolving process, rather than a single even. Economic and political conditions have changed markedly since the establishment of the institutions in 1999, particularly in terms of changes of government at devolved and Westminster levels, the onset of recession from 2008 and the introduction of a new politics of austerity. The underlying asymmetries of UK devolution have become more pronounced with the tendency towards greater autonomy for Scotland and Wales contrasting with greater centralisation and the abolition of regional institutions in England. These contradictions raise some fundamental questions about the territorial integrity of the state and the possible dissolution of Britain (Nairn, 2003) in the context of the Scottish independence referendum which is to be held in September 2014. As this essay ha s demonstrated, the process of devolution has achieved some notable successes in terms of public health, education policy and promoting equality, though it is impossible to predict what the future might hold in terms of further developments. Bibliography Birrell, D. (2009). The impact of devolution on social policy. The Policy Press. Chaney, P. (2011). Education, equality and human rights: Exploring the impact of devolution in the UK. Critical Social Policy, 31(3), 431-453. Danson, M., MacLeod, G., & Mooney, G. (2012). Devolution and the shifting political economic geographies of the United Kingdom. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 30(1), 1-9. Greer, S. (2007) ‘The fragile divergence machine: citizenship, policy divergence, and intergovernmental relations’ (pp. 136-159), in Trench, A. (ed.), Devolution and power in the United Kingdom. Manchester University Press. Greer, S. (ed.) (2009). Devolution and Social Citizenship in the UK. The Policy Press. Gov.uk (2013) Devolution of powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/devolution-of-powers-to-scotland-wales-and-northern-ireland Hazell, R. (Ed.). (2000). The state and the nations: the first year of devolution in the U nited Kingdom. Imprint Academic. HM Treasury (2007) Public expenditure statistical analyses 2007, Cm 7091. London: The Stationery Office. HM Treasury (2011) Public expenditure statistical analyses 2007, Cm 8104. London: The Stationery Office. Jeffery, C. (2002). Devolution: Challenging local government. Joseph Rowntree. Jeffery, C. (2007). The Unfinished Business of Devolution Seven Open Questions. Public policy and administration, 22(1), 92-108. Keating, M. (2002) ‘Devolution and public policy in the United Kingdom: Divergence or convergence’ (pp.3-21), in Adams, J., & Robinson, P. (eds.), Devolution in practice: public policy differences within the UK. Institute for Public Policy Research. Keating, M. (2009) The independence of Scotland: Self-government and the shifting politics of union. Oxford University Press. Keating, M., Cairney, P., & Hepburn, E. (2009) Territorial policy communities and devolution in the UK. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 2( 1), 51-66. Lowndes, V., & Pratchett, L. (2012). Local governance under the Coalition government: austerity, localism and the ‘Big Society’. Local government studies, 38(1), 21-40. MacKinnon, D. (2013). Devolution, state restructuring and policy divergence in the UK. The Geographical Journal. doi: 10.1111/geoj.12057 McEwen, N. (2013) Independence and the territorial politics of welfare The David Hume Institute Research Paper No. 4/2013. Edinburgh: The David Hume Institute. Available at: http://www.scotlandfutureforum.org/assets/library/files/application/Research_Paper_4-McEwen.pdf Nairn, T. (2003). The break-up of Britain: crisis and neo-nationalism. Common Ground. Rodriguez?Pose, A., & Gill, N. (2005). On the ‘economic dividend’of devolution. Regional Studies, 39(4), 405-420. Rose, R. (1982). The Territorial Dimension in Government: Understanding the United Kingdom. Chatham House. Scott, G., & Mooney, G. (2009). Poverty and social justice in the devolved Sc otland: neoliberalism meets social democracy. Social Policy and Society, 3(4), 379-389. Shaw, J., & MacKinnon, D. (2011). Moving on with ‘filling in’Some thoughts on state restructuring after devolution. Area, 43(1), 23-30. Smith, K., & Hellowell, M. (2012). Beyond Rhetorical Differences: A Cohesive Account of Post?devolution Developments in UK Health Policy. Social Policy & Administration, 46(2), 178-198. Trench, A. (ed.). (2007). Devolution and power in the United Kingdom. Manchester University Press. Williams, C., & Mooney, G. (2008) Decentring social policyDevolution and the discipline of social policy: A commentary. Journal of social policy, 37(3), 489.