Abstract This paper will focus on the Canadian 'war on drugs' campaign, and will try to analyze it from the criminological standpoint. Attention will also be focussed on the panic about 'crackbabies' and on how the drug has treated women and other minority races within a patriarchal society framework. Canadian criminal policy will be analyzed in this regard and alternative options to making the campaign more successful will be examined.
Abstract The introduction of highly addictive crack cocaine in the 1980s caused widespread devastation in inner city communities. Under a tough 1986 crack law, vast numbers of black males are serving long prison sentences, yet crack sales and crack addiction have not decreased. Despite the failure of the War on Drugs to reduce drug use or crime in inner city neighborhoods, protests that the crack law targets blacks for prosecution and long prison sentences, and evidence that the CIA was involved in introducing crack cocaine into inner city neighborhoods, the government has refused to change its tactics and take measures to actually help the black community recover from the crack epidemic.
Abstract This paper discusses how, historically, punishments for convicted users and sellers of the drugs cocaine and crack have differed. Penalties are more severe for those individuals who use crack, although it is merely the solid form of essentially the same drug. These disparate penalties may result from several things. The paper further discusses how the most prevalent of these causes seems to be that of race. The powdered form, cocaine, is more popular among Caucasians. In addition, cocaine appears to be the drug of choice for the middle-class and above. The dangers associated with either cocaine or crack seem to differ greatly.
Abstract This paper begins with a summary of the plot of "Desiree's Baby" and then provides an analysis of the story's main characters and its theme. The paper describes how "Desiree's Baby" sends a message that judging another human being based on his or her skin color is completely immoral and unjustified.
From the Paper "Kate Chopin's short story, ?Desiree's Baby,? begins by explaining how Desiree comes to live with Monsieur and Madame Valmonde?Monsieur Valmonde finds her as a child sleeping on his property, and he and his wife decide to raise her. When Desiree grows up, Armand Aubigny falls in love with her, and despite Monsieur Valmonde's warnings that Desiree's origins are unknown, Armand marries her and they have a baby boy. At first, they are both extremely proud and happy, and Armand even treats his Negro slaves kindly because he is in such a joyful state of mind. However, Armand's manner changes when the baby is three months old: he stops looking into Desiree's eyes when he speaks to her, he treats the slaves awfully, and he seems to fall out of love with Desiree. Desiree is miserable and cannot understand why her husband has changed."
Abstract One striking element is the narrator's identification with the Jews and their millennia-long history of oppression. Allusion is the most significant literary device used in the poem. "Babi Yar" is Auschwitz, is Cambodia, is every pogrom and is every act of brutal horror in history. Anne Frank appears in the poem, as an allusion to the faceless and invisible presence of the common person. Allusion, however, is not the only literary device used to great perfection within the poem.
Abstract This paper presents two film essays. The first reviews the 1938 classic screwball comedy, "Bringing Up Baby." It looks at director Howard Hawks' ability to draw hidden comedic talents and skills from his cast. The second paper is a personal reaction to the 1996 film "Bound" with respect to the Hays Motion Picture Code, looking at issues of extreme violence, profanity, nudity and sex.
From the Paper "Bringing Up Baby was directed by Howard Hawks and released in ..."
Tags: Film, Bound, Bringing Up Baby, Hays Motion Picture Code
Abstract This paper looks at the baby boomer generation and their attitudes. It sets up a questionnaire to determine if their political attitudes are changing now they are nearing retirement and social security and Medicare become major issues for them.
From the Paper "This report will look at the opinions of the baby boomer generation to see how they feel about the situation in the country right now and if they feel they will have adequate financial support and medical coverage when they retire in a few years. The baby boomer generation born between 1946 and 1960 represent a huge population in the United States."
Abstract This paper evaluates several issues that may affect sentencing disparities for abusing crack as opposed to powder cocaine. Among these issues examined is race and its impact on sentencing. Gender issues are also considered, as are the pre-natal effects of these drugs. The writer clarifies the difference between crack and powder cocaine and how this may also influence sentencing.
Outline:
Sentencing Disparities
Cocaine and 'CrackBabies'
Past Research
Moral and Legal Issues
Development
Bibliography
From the Paper "There are more African-American individuals on death row than white individuals and most of these individuals awaiting execution have committed drug crimes, many of which involved crack, and less that involved powder cocaine (Pope, 1976). Even the Attorney General of the United States is willing to admit that drug laws are the main reason that there are so many African-Americans on death row today and that African-Americans are arrested at a higher rate for these types of crimes than Caucasian individuals (Pope, 1976). While this may seem irrelevant to a discussion of crack vs. powder cocaine specifically, the issue of minority status is actually somewhat important in sentencing guidelines for all crimes, although it is not an issue that judges are legally allowed to use."
Abstract This paper seeks to explore the crack growth fracture mechanics with a focus on the factors that influence the fatigue crack growth rate and how the Paris-Erdogan equation can be used to predict fatigue crack growth as well as in the calculation of crack growth rate. The paper also presents research on modes of mechanical failure.
From the Paper "According to Hancock, G. J. (2003, p.125), fracture mechanics is used to predict the effect of cracks on the durability and integrity of structures and components. It helps in detecting cracks in structure before a crack grows to significant length as a result of sustained stress cycles. During fatigue, crack growth rate can be calculated by the Paris-Erdogan equation given by da/dn = C (Δk)n where a represents the crack length, n represents the number of fatigue cycles, Δk represents the applied stress intensity factor range while c and m are considered to be constants of a material. Δk increases with time as a load is applied due to the growth of the crack. For a crack of length a, the rate of crack growth given by da/dn per cycle varies with Δk. Where c and m are constant with m between 2 and 4. The upper limit of a crack growth rate curve represents the fracture toughness of the material while the lower limit is the threshold. There is characterization of sub-critical crack growth using linear plastic fracture mechanics parameters and acoustic emission data to predict crack propagation rates. This determines the number of cycles required for an existing crack to attain a substantial size. (Reuter, W. G, Robert, S. P. 2002, p.458)Acoustic emissions are elastic stress waves generated by a rapid release of energy from a localized source within a stressed material. Fatigue crack growth rate is influenced by many factors some of which include: notch radius where research indicates presence of higher fatigue crack growth rate in a blunt notch. This is because of accumulation of fatigue damage at the tip of the notch initiating the crack a head of the notch. Material strength, initial crack tip condition, mean stress, overload as well as non-proportional load determine the crack growth rate. Research has also shown that ferroelectric ceramics experience cracking and mechanical degradation when subjected to large alternating electric fields. (Anderson, T.L., 2005, p.455)"
Abstract This paper elaborates the effects of crack and cocaine use on human behavior. Cultural perceptions of crack users vs. those of cocaine users are discussed, as well as the comparative economies of crack and cocaine markets. The use of cocaine products to alleviate psychological trauma and dysphoria are discussed, as well as the causes of this dysphoria and possible connections between post-traumatic stress disorder and crack use.
Abstract This paper examines how British feminists feel about crack prostitution in Britain. It explains how Britain's proliferation of crack prostitution should be a lesson to Canada and seen for its complete subjection of women. The paper looks at how British feminists want to know why the sex industry has normalized and they demand better help for women trying to get off drugs, demanding tougher laws against those exploiting or abusing prostitutes, including references to mandatory minimum sentencing for repeat procurers. In conclusion, the paper shows that Britain's feminists paint a clear picture of crack prostitution as a male problem, arguing in favour of punishing those who victimize women, as a step forwards.
Outline:
Introduction
Crack and Sex Work
Lessons for Canada
An Intensified Problem
Cultural Myths
Concluding Remarks
From the Paper "In January of 2006, Britain toughened up enforcement of anti-prostitution laws due to better insight into a changed sex trade with prostitution for most something other than a job of choice but a cash-based industry like any other that preyed upon vulnerable women. Preparing this paper, from a Canadian point of view, has brought new insight into the naivete of saying that prostitution should simply be legalized, that this would remove its related abuses, implying that women have choices who engage in the sex trade."
Abstract This paper explains that cocaine is an alkaloid drug processed from the leaves of the coca shrub, which creates a feeling of well-being, self-confidence, and alertness that lasts for between ten and thirty minutes. The author points out that crack cocaine magnifies the effects of cocaine, making it quicker to have an effect, and the effects are likely to be much stronger. The paper stresses that most drug-related visits to the emergency room are caused by cocaine.
Table of Contents
What is Crack Cocaine?
Who Uses Crack Cocaine?
Popularity of Cocaine
Drug Use Comes in Waves
Still a Drug of Choice for a Lot of People
From the Paper "McCaffrey's report found that cocaine use had stabilized or declined in many cities. It also noted that today's crack users are the "aging" and the ?sick,? contrasting with the legions of healthy young people who started using it in the mid-1990s. A Department of Justice official noted that perhaps today's young people had witnessed the havoc crack had brought to their friends and families and decided against that path.
Tags: alertness, stronger, emergency, cheap, party
Abstract This paper argues that racial discrimination in the sentencing of blacks has taken away judicial discretion and created an expensive and regretful policy of imprisoning large numbers of blacks, who might have been better off given second chances. The author points out that the passage of the crack cocaine law in 1986 made black defendants much more liable to spend time in prison if they were street dealers of crack cocaine rather than if they were dealing powder cocaine, which is essentially the same drug. The paper emphasizes that crack cocaine sentences are the largest factor in racial disparity in federal sentencing. Includes charts.
From the Paper "The cocaine sentencing debate that followed the implementation of the 1986 law has shown the depth of the impact of crack sentencing disparity. In the 1980s, crack cocaine use was covered widely by the press, due to its rapid growth in the drug market. For the first time cocaine was made available to a wider economic class because of its cheap price. By taking powder cocaine, cooking it with baking soda and water, a hard rocky substance is created that can be cracked into smaller pieces called "Crack." These "rocks" are then sold in small quantities."
Abstract The paper tells us that Hip Hop artists powerful lyrics describe the crack cocaine epidemic in detail. For examplethe paper tells us that many songs describe The ''Dark Alliance", which attempts to link the CNA and the crack epidemic. The paper also explains that other songs describe the tragic results that blacks underwent due to the crack epidemic and also the torment that the black city communities faced. The paper notes, however, that many Americans do not believe that these songs are a legitimate source of information.
From the Paper "Hip hop artists powerful lyrics have been ringing throughout popular culture in America for years; however, it was not considered a legitimate source of information in the eyes of many powerful Americans. This is painfully apparent when in the 1980's rapper Chuck D famously said "rap is the CNN of Black America.(np)" It would take nearly two decades after the crack cocaine epidemic for a "legitimate" source of information to not only to tell the story, but also put it on center-stage. In 1996 a journalist named Gary Webb from a small California newspaper wrote an article that put the world of media in absolute turmoil. Webb wrote about the racist travesties that had been affecting Los Angeles since the 1980's. His article titled "The Dark Alliance" attempted to definitively link a connection between the CIA and the crack epidemic in 1980's. Webb argued that the CIA, in an effort to raise money to finance the Contra revolution to overthrow the Nicaraguan regime, funneled crack cocaine from South America to the streets of Los Angeles. This elaborate system focused on two people, Danilo Blandon and "Freeway" Rick Ross. Blandon, who was apparently working with the CIA, supplied Freeway Rick and in turn Freeway Rick sold it."
Abstract This paper discusses whether crack and cocaine are "proletariat hunger killers," meaning the drugs are used by the public as a necessary food source, or "genussmittels," or whether they are recreational drugs, free of any valuable sustenance. The author points out that there is a close connection between cocaine and crack use and crime, which more directly reflects the proletariat hunger-killer analogy than the genussmittels terminology, although recreational cocaine users become addicted, and the drug may replace their hunger, but this is from the biological nature of the drug. The paper states that policy should focus, first, on the proletariat hunger-killer model to stop drug use in its most harmful beginning.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Drugs
The Effects
Impact and Analysis
From the Paper "In the end, that is why the proletariat hunger killers model is more useful: More people in crime-infested areas are affected by cocaine and crack as life substitutes. They lose interest in all else, whether family, job or friends, and they focus only on the drug. In fact, they care not about the recreational aspect, as per the genussmittels model either: The highs garnered from the drug take a backseat to the fuel the drugs act as for the livelihood of the users."
