Abstract Many sexual predators have admitted that they cannot control their urges to sexually and violently abuse women and children. This paper advocates that more strict legislative measures are needed that would prevent vulnerable individuals from being raped, abused and possibly killed by essentially "incurable" predators. It puts forward the proposal that if people were assured a harsh punishment if they were to commit a crime, they would be less likely to be able to justify their criminal actions as being "worth the risk". It discusses the holes in current legislation and how offenders are often not required to undergo sex offender treatment or evaluation and they are released into the community without being forced to adhere to sex offender registration laws and evaluates Megan's law. Megan's Law refers to the series of laws introduced in New Jersey following the murder of seven year-old Megan Kanka who was kidnapped, raped and murdered by her neighbor, a twice convicted sex offender who had committed a similar crime only months before. It analyzes the increasing public awareness and concern about crime together with intense media focus on the issue.
From the Paper "According to Princeton University professor John DeIulio, "almost half of the country's 671,000 parolees and probationers are caught committing serious new offenses within three years" (Feinsilber, 1997). Many sexual predators have admitted that they cannot control their urges to sexually and violently abuse women and children. For this reason we should not allow these dangerous criminals to terrorize our neighborhoods, schools and homes. It is therefore my contention that more strict legislative measures are needed that would prevent vulnerable individuals from being raped, abused and possibly killed by these essentially "incurable" predators."
Abstract This paper takes a look at how children are affected by divorce. The paper attempts to explain what it is exactly about divorce that causes negative consequences for children, how divorce affects children and if these effects are demonstrated outwardly.
From the Paper "Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem in the United States. Not only does excess weight lead to medical and psychosocial disorders in children, there is a strong link between childhood obesity and adult obesity. Exacerbating the problem are trends in eating patterns favoring more and more convenience foods, of which fast foods are the most harmful. Fast foods are high in fat, sodium, and sugar while low in essential nutrients. The consumption of fast foods has had a direct impact on the increase in childhood obesity among American youth.
Obesity in children is defined by how much the child exceeds the recommended weight for his or her age, sex, and height. Generally, a child is mildly to somewhat overweight if he or she is up to 20 percent above this recommended weight."
Abstract This paper briefly examines the problem of divorce and shows how divorce adversely effects the American family. The paper also examines a solution to the problem, which is to encourage couples to stay together and work through their difficulties. Expert opinions and case histories are also included.
From the Paper "Because of the social acceptance and the relative ease of obtaining a divorce, the family unit in the United States is disintegrating. The result of this decline is that the children of divorce suffer physically and emotionally. "
Abstract This paper discusses child abuse and statistics regarding this phenomenon. Some historical perspective is given to explain the roots of child abuse. The author devotes attention to psychological damage inflicted upon children.
From the Paper "Each day that we sit here blinded by our own reality three children die in the hands of abusers (Parents facing up to child abuse 1). The general definition of child abuse is nonaccidental injuries as a result of physical assault or the failure to protect the children by their caretakers (Wolfe 15). It's common knowledge that child abuse is the nations number one killer of children under the age of five. In 1998, about 900,000 children in the United States were confirmed to have been abused. In 1999, the state of Texas had 39,488 confirmed victims (Parents facing up to child abuse 1)."
Abstract This paper is about the effects of child abuse and discusses various aspects in detail, as well as discussing possible causes. The author looks at how society needs to focus on warning signs, the behavior of abused children, and the special attention that mistreated children need. The paper pays close attention to social, psychological, and physical disorders that affect abused children.
From the Paper "Children from the ages of twelve to seventeen years of age experience more than twice the violent crime as adults in America . Horrifying cases of abuse and neglect have flooded the media, which have caused great concern by public interest groups and politicians. The greatest concerns most have are the effects these terrible crimes have on our youth. David Finkelhor, a sociologist at the University of New Hampshire , believes that we know too little about child abuse and what damage it may cause. He contends that if we better understood the effects of child victimization, we would be more able to identify and prevent it."
Abstract This paper demonstrates children of divorced parents may experience anger, withdrawal, rebellion and sometimes even poor academic performance. The paper argues that some school violence may be a result of broken homes. These children are greatly affected by their parents divorce which often results in long term psychological issues.
From the Paper "Long ago were the days when there were more intact marriages than divorce. In today's society, divorce is as common as catching a cold. Unfortunately, divorce is often followed with negative effects. Some people end their marriage amicably while others end up in messy court battles. However, divorce can be damaging when children are involved. Children are often the innocent victims of custody battles, witnesses to parental fighting, and subject to a rearranged, single-parent household. Children of divorced parents may experience anger, withdrawal, rebellion and sometimes even poor academic performance."
Abstract This paper explains Urie Bronfenbrenner's theory, which suggests that human behavioral development is shaped by one's environment. The theory cites "spheres of influence" to show the relevance of social spheres on behavioral development. The paper includes a diagram.
From the Paper "The value of Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory and subsequent research are of great importance to the field of adult education. The external emphasis of his work has revealed that environmental conditions are of paramount importance, especially during the years of primary education. These factors affect the quality of education children receive and are instrumental in contributing to continuance of education in adult life. His work also reflects how government programs can be very effective in raising educational achievement in even the most underprivileged groups in our society."
From the Paper "A number of old people might wish they could be young again; however, being a young person today is not as easy as they assume. Young people have to cope with tons of pressure and troubles as well as adults do. In fact, there have been many teenagers who couldn?t handle life and killed themselves. 'Five thousand teens successfully kill themselves each year, about one every 90 minutes."
Abstract Analysis of book based on therapy sessions of a fictitious family (a composite of real cases). Napier gives an account of these sessions together with his family therapy theory and practice. The therapeutic process. Therapy construction used. Basic patterns and problems of clients. Contends book pesents an excellent example of the therapist's reasoning and practice.
From the Paper ""The Family Crucible" (1988) is Augustus Napier's artfully written account of the course of therapy undertaken by the Brice family and conducted by the author and his former teacher Carl Whitaker. With the narrative flair of a novelist Napier immediately gets the reader caught up in the problems of the fictionalized family; a composite consisting of one main case history supplemented by details and incidents from the cases of other families that Napier and Whitaker had helped. In a number of chapters the account of the Brice's sessions is supplemented by general discussions of the theory and practice of family therapy. Other cases are briefly introduced as examples but, for the most part, Napier uses aspects of the Brices' therapy to illustrate his points. These discussions are designed to address issues that may have arisen for the reader in the preceding..."
Abstract A discussion of teenage suicide, its causes and effects. This paper examines aspects that may cause teenage suicide such as depression and stress and the possible methods one can use to minimize or deal with adolescent ordeals that may lead to suicide. The paper includes statistics of teenage suicide and a discussion of some of the misconceptions about the issue.
From the Paper "During the past quarter century, the suicide rate has tripled among young people fifteen to twenty-four years old. More than five thousand teens now take their own lives each year in the United Sates (Colman, 9). Next to accidents and homicides, suicide is the most common cause of death for people (Vine, 101). Suicide is the sixth leading cause of death in the ages of 5-14 years old! We see the media covering different areas about teenage suicide. Some of us may wonder what exactly caused those teens to go and end their life. What can we do to prevent the suicide rates to increase and help decrease it?"
Abstract This paper looks at studies which discuss whether the order of child's birth (first born, second born, etc) influences their personality and future. It compares how different children function according to their birth order and whether there are similarities in these. Psychological examinations are also performed and examined.
From the Paper "In previous years there have been quite a bit of research conducted on the subject of birth order and personality. However research on this matter has declined in at least the last 10 to 20 years. In all regards, it is the common perception that people who are first-born have the strongest disposition and have leadership tendencies. Research also tends to point out that children who are first-born usually have greater achievements in their professional careers. By the same token, these students are also more likely to have more mental disturbances than their younger siblings ( Nyman). There are conflicting results as to the popularity factor concerning the first born. Some researchers content that the first-born are generally more popular, thus more out-going. While others contend that the first-born are less popular?and perhaps more stand-offish (Nyman)."
Tags: sibling, rival, pressure, leader, follower, birth, order
Abstract According to a recent survey, nine out of ten U.S. households with children have rented or owned a video or computer game and nearly a third of the Top 100 video-console games for the first quarter of 1999 had at least some sort of violent content. This paper looks at the effect these games have on the emotional, moral and social well-being of children. The paper covers issues such as the gradual changing of the 'bad-guys' from monsters and imaginary characters to real people, thus legitimizing violent behavior, as well as looking at the link between violent video games and events such as the Columbine High School shooting. Finally, the paper looks at the possibility of banning these video games and the difficulties involved.
From the Paper "Opponents of violent video games usually argue that games such as Doom or Quake help break down the natural inhibitions we have against killing and in the U.S. the military has begun using Doom-like games to improve so-called fire rates ? encouraging soldiers to pull the trigger in battle. Only about one-fifth of U.S. soldiers in combat in World War II fired their weapons, a rate that the military pushed up to 95% by the Vietnam War, in part through the use of simulations meant to make shooting at humans seem more routine and "normal" (Slatalla)."
Abstract This paper looks at the escalating problem of obesity in children and how many people attribute the problem to the marketing strategies of fast foods. The arguments supporting this position and the need for fast-food regulation are discussed in the paper, and the factors and statistics used in these arguments are cited. The paper then presents the arguments that oppose the regulation of fast-food marketing strategies and concludes with the author's suggestion on how best to solve the problem of childhood obesity.
From the Paper "Many nutrition experts blame this trend on poor nutrition and sugar snacks. Deborah Crooks criticizes the sale of unhealthy snacks in schools, saying many of these snacks are "high in fat and sugar" (Crooks, qtd in "Sale of snack foods in schools may contribute to obesity in children"). Many of these snacks are dispensed from bright vending machines and packaged in wrappers containing popular cartoon or movie characters and even celebrity endorsers."
Abstract This paper discusses causes, including media and peers, and some effects, including sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancy. It explains that teenagers who practice unsafe sex are playing with a time bomb that could go off at any time. It concludes that, with the advent of easily accessible birth control and condoms, there are no more excuses for practicing unsafe sex, which can cause an unwanted pregnancy or even death by disease.
From the Paper "Having unsafe sex with a partner is not only brainless; it can be deadly. There are many reasons teens choose to have unsafe sex, from peer pressure, to the passion of the moment, to the media, which often portrays sex as an act with no negative results. For example, sex in film and television rarely ends up in the character dieing a lingering death from AIDS, or giving birth to an unwanted baby, but in real life, these are just some of the effects that can occur quite easily from just one unprotected sex act (Arons 1093). Many young women find it difficult to visit a birth control clinic, even though they may be readily accessible in their area."
