From the Paper "Alternative sentencing is a type of sentencing designed to alleviate the problem of prison overcrowding and to provide a different way of monitoring convicted felons during a period of punishment. It is also a method that engenders considerable opposition at a time of rising crime rates, however, since many critics see this type of sentencing as too lenient and too fraught with danger to the community. The tensions involved are not new, but as noted, they become more vital during a period of rising fear of crime on the part of the public. An examination of the issue will show the practical and the policy elements of the subject as well as the degree to which alternative sentencing policies have been implemented to date.
Punishment itself is a problem and has been since the beginning of human society. Some people today see punishment as.."
From the Paper ""Three Strikes" at the Federal Level
This paper will discuss the possible effects of the proposed "three strikes" laws on the administration of criminal justice at the Federal level. Among the possible effects which will be studied are those on prison overcrowding, government finances, and conviction rates. The paper will also discuss whether these mandatory sentencing laws will have any effect on deterrence and recidivism.
During the past several years, crime has moved to the forefront of popular consciousness in the United States and the fear of crime has increased, although actual crime rates have generally decreased since the middle part of the 1980s. Among the crime "facts" which have surfaced in popular culture is the one which states that most violent crime is committed by a relatively..."
This paper discusses "search and seizure": Supreme Court case studies, theory, historical precedents related to 4th Amendment, warrants, exclusionary rule, plain-view doctrine and police training.
2,925 words (approx. 11.7 pages), 4 sources, 1994, $ 103.95
From the Paper "Each year the U.S. Supreme Court returns to certain issues that it has decided in the past to reshape, redirect, or clarify with new cases that ask new questions. Search and seizure law is one such area of criminal law, and the courts have addressed this issue many times in an attempt to refine the requirements faced by police in conducting searches, in the admissibility of evidence seized during a search, in the need for a warrant for a search, and so on. In the 1992-1993 Supreme Court session, the Justices returned to this issue with a case from Minnesota, Minnesota v. Dickerson (113 S. Ct. 2130 [1993]). The Court had previously provided some exceptions to the requirement for a warrant for a search under "stop and frisk" provisions allowing a police officer to stop and question a person reasonably suspected ... "
This paper discusses computer hacking: Types, laws and penalties, personalities, impact on society, security measures, vulnerable systems, right to privacy, costs and future.
2,475 words (approx. 9.9 pages), 13 sources, 1994, $ 87.95
From the Paper "As computer technologies have come into widespread use, computer related crime has emerged as a major problem for society. The costs of these crimes are inestimable. In the past, hacking and cracking behaviors were typically engaged in by mischievous youths. At one time, hackers who cooperated with the authorities received mild treatment. More recently, however, attitudes have begun to change. In response to the increasing prevalence and severity of computer-related crimes, new statutes have been enacted. These laws give authorities the power to respond effectively to hacker attacks. By shifting the emphasis away from the specific monetary damages inflicted by such crime and considering its larger implications, the new laws will result in stiff fines and jail sentences for convicted offenders."
This paper discusses school violence in American schools: Social and educational effects, incidence, weapons, public views, security, discipline, gangs and the role of parents.
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 20 sources, 1995, $ 63.95
From the Paper "This paper will discuss the adverse effects of school violence and will also examine some of the causes of the recent rise of violent incidents in American schools. The discussion will include an analysis of the problems created by the use of handguns at school, the role the family can play in fostering or preventing school violence, and the correlation between school violence and other social problems. The paper will also outline some of the new programs which officials, teachers and parents suggest schools should implement to prevent and counter the horrible problems created by school violence. Finally, this paper will show that school violence should be addressed by parents as well as schools and communities.
Violence in America now kills one million people each year, and young people have ... "
An in depth examination of the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Analyzes the evidence and expert claims concerning both the One Bomb Theory and the Multiple Bomb Theory.
2,475 words (approx. 9.9 pages), 7 sources, 1995, $ 87.95
From the Paper "Purpose Statement
The purpose of this analysis is to present an alternative interpretation of what actually happened in Oklahoma City. This discussion draws together the evidence that two or more explosions took place in the Alfred P. Murrah federal building. If such evidence proves to be credible then the federal government's one-bomb theory is thrown into serious question, and this terrorist act would have to be completely re-examined.
On April, 19, 1995, powerful explosions destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. One hundred sixty-eight people died as a result of this terrorist attack (Quayle, 1995). Within hours the FBI had captured a suspect named Timothy McVeigh and within days they arrested an army friend of his, named Terry Nichols, as an alleged accomplice. The FBI and ..."
Introduction
Gangs have received a significant amount of media attention in recent years. Fear of gang violence is prevalent throughout the United States. Communities, urban, rural, and suburban, are faced with finding solutions to gang activity. Street gangs are active in 94 percent of this country's major cities (Violence, 1994, p. 3). Thirty-five percent of these cities reported the number of gang members at between 100 and 500; an additional 42 percent reported gang membership at more than 500 members. There are at least 800 "gang cities" in the United States, and almost 10,000 different gangs, comprised of half a million gang members, are represented, (Klein, 1995, p. 217). The definition of a street gang can change from location to location and from one ..."
Abstract This paper examines the Drug Abuse Resistance Program (DARE), which features police officers coming into the classroom to teach about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The DARE program includes accurate information about drugs and alcohol, teaches students how to say no to drugs and helps them develop good decision making skills. It also teaches students about the consequences of their behavior,helps them build self-esteem and teaches them to resist peer pressure. The author also presents research that illustrates D.A.R.E.'s successes and failures in combatting substance abuse among today's youth, especially since the age that children are coming in contact with drugs has been steadily dropping over the past decade.
From the Paper "Since its inception, there have been various studies concerning the effectiveness of DARE at reducing youth drug use, most with mixed results. For example, a 1990 Canadian government study reported that DARE had no significant effect on the use of marijuana, acid, heroin, crack, glue, and PCP. http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/daremenu.htm). In addition, a 1991 Kentucky study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse showed that after initial improvements in students? attitudes toward drug use, the positive effects did not last and there were no statistically significant differences on the rate of drug use by children who receive DARE training versus children who do not. (http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/ thread2684.shtml; http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/daremenu.htm). A 1993 Research Triangle Institute, National Institute of Justice, study that included a statistical analysis of all DARE research indicated that DARE has a limited to essentially non-existent effect on drug use. (http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/daremenu.htm)."
Abstract This paper examines the drug marijuana, generally disapproved of for causing lethargy and memory loss, which shares tobacco's propensity for causing lung cancer and it is widely and safely used by a significant percentage of America's population. It provides a history of the drug use in America and the fight against it over the years as well as its legality throughout the country. It analyses the dangers of smoking marijuana through various literature reviews and studies. It puts forward a research design to measure the hypothesis that recreational marijuana use is no more dangerous than smoking cigarettes in quantities that constitute normal use among Americans by looking at both American and Dutch populations.
From the Paper "The amount of money the United States spends "fighting" drug use every year is in the range of 35-40 billion dollars, equal to the annual budget of Russia. This herculean effort has met with little success; the Economist article reports that almost a third of Americans over 12 years of age admit to having tried drugs at some point, while over 26 million admit to having used drugs within the past year. Three fourths of all drug users in the United States are marijuana smokers."
Abstract The paper begins with an explanation of the drug problem in today's society. It then goes on to discuss the negative impact of drug addiction on American culture (such as violence, drug addicted babies and the learning disabilities they develop). The cost of drug addiction to society (such as theft, accidents while under the influence and calling in sick at work) is looked at and the paper concludes with a synopsis of the paper's arguments.
From the Paper "The war on drugs continues to hold the line with neither side able to declare victory. Young teens are experimenting with drugs despite programs of prevention such as DARE and Just Say No. Drug addiction crosses all boundaries including economic, racial, and lifestyle. It knows no limits and it affects every aspect of life from the ability to work, to the little children being raised by dealers. The drug addiction problem in this nation continues regardless of the efforts to stop its progress. It has a negative affect on American culture on every level."
Abstract This paper discusses that the film, "The Godfather", brings us into the romanticized criminal underworld by asking the viewer to evaluate the Corleone family not based on traditional standards but on Mafia standards. The author points out Coppola's ability to present such a large cast so skillfully that within the first few minutes of the film, nearly all of the main characters are introduced. The paper states that "The Godfather" redefined the genre of gangster films and shaped public perception of the Mafia.
From the Paper "Michael is the tragic hero of the film. He evolves from a na?ve, unwilling spectator into a Godfather. In the end, Michael becomes everything he despised about his family and more. After his father's heart attack, he realizes that his father is going to die, and he is the only one who can fill his shoes. It is clear that he had wanted something else out of life, but he feels the need to continue his father's legacy, inevitably becoming more merciless than he would have ever dreamed. "
This paper deals with the crime of infanticide, or the killing of one's child as well as child abuse. Euripides? story of Medea, who kills her children, forms the backdrop.
Abstract This paper demonstrates that the natural order of life is for a parent to protect the child and that abuse of the child, including murder, is a reflection of an unstable mind and a person who is unable to function effectively within the community. Along with the example of Medea, the author brings some modern day examples of women that have killed there children, such as Susan Smith and Andrea Yates.
From the Paper "The killing of a child in real life has no symbolic meaning, no power other than that of an expression of evil and is, therefore, one of the worst acts a human, let alone a parent, can commit. In literature, however, the killing of children is symbolic of a diseased mind or of a diseased culture. Euripides? Medea kills her children, but she is a symbol of Mother Earth, of the Gods, and of nature all of which can exert, with no warning and no necessity of explanation, a death upon any or all of us. That which we are given can be taken away."
Abstract This paper looks at how the Nushawn Williams case presented society with a new way to look at social deviance and behavioral, placing a particular emphasis on the labeling theory. The author illustrates how the Williams case in many ways supports the labeling theory, which has received its share of criticism over the last 20 years. This paper examines the labeling theory and also points to specific instances in the Williams case which support the theory.
From the Paper "The labeling theory makes an attempt to explain deviant behavior by how the behavior is perceived by others and how once the deviant is perceived by others and treated as such, or labeled, they continue to behave in the way that is expected of them. Labeling often segregates the deviant from society, widens the gap between the deviant and any hope of living a normal life, and perpetuates an endless cycle of deviant behavior.
The story of Nushawn Williams, a 21-year-old who may have exposed more than 100 people to HIV, is a prime example of the labeling theory in action. In an in-depth article, Brent Gregax overviews the life of this young man leading up to his incarceration. One could argue that Williams was a victim of the labeling theory since the day he was born. According to Gegax, "Williams" grandmother smokes crack. He has no idea who his father is. His mother has prostituted herself and even made his little sister turn tricks in front of their apartment in order to support her drug habit (Gegax,1)."
Abstract This paper begins by explaining the history of lie detecting by showing an example of how the Chinese used rice to test salivation and continues to Farwell's "Brain Fingerprinting" device. It also explores several cases involving polygraph, and problems in current polygraph investigations. Examined are polygraphs, including ones from historical sources, as well as those being developed on the cutting edge of technology.
From the Paper "Aldrich Hazen Ames, a 31 year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency, was arrested on February 24, 1994 on charges of espionage. The FBI's investigation had begun in May of the previous year, after Ames began depositing large sums of money at times that correlated with the identification and execution of several CIA and FBI agents operating in Russia (FBI). Despite being a double agent for eight years, Ames passed each and every polygraph examination (Stroh)."
Abstract Discusses use of hormone therapy, or chemical castration, as an effective treatment program for recidivist sex offenders. Describes how hormone therapy works. States that permit its use. Controversy over the treatment regarding medical risks and Constitutional issues. Research studies conducted on effectiveness. Need for psychological therapy Need for future research studies.
From the Paper "For many years, the U.S. has sought to eliminate sexual offenses by treating sexual offenders with various methods such as behavioral modification therapy, relapse prevention and cognitive reconditioning (?Review of the research literature,? 2001, p. 5). Since 1981, with the discovery of the effectiveness of specific hormones in reducing testosterone levels in human beings (Berlin & Meinecke, 1981), hormone therapy, known as chemical castration, has been tested extensively on sex offenders. Essentially, the objective of administering these drugs is to reduce the blood serum testosterone levels and lead to a concomitant decrease in sexual arousal and sexual preoccupations. The drugs work by acting on the hypothalamus..."
