buy custom Disillusionment in Pursuit of the American Dream essay

buy custom Disillusionment in Pursuit of the American Dream essay Americans have a way of living such kind of lives which struggle for happiness. Many of them believe that happiness is realized through acquiring wealth. However, such an idea is doomed to fail. People all over fight their whole lives to make success to get to their intended goal. Such a goal is different from one person to another. These perceptions all have been defined by the American Dream. Fitzgerald makes use of the idea being in pursuit of happiness in the book Great Gatsby (Bruccoli 2-17). The author of this great book grew up in a period of time where people were seeking prosperity and happiness. Therefore, much of the influence he got in writing this book particularly was the time he lived. The theme of failure has been highlighted by Fitzgerald to develop Jay Gatsby character together with the struggle he makes to win back his True love. Thus, this essay explores the disappointment that engulfs Jay Gatsby, in pursuit of the American Dream as expounded in the book, The Grea t Gatsby. The American Dreams differ from one person to the other. For one, it could be the creation of enough wealth to support the family and live a luxurious life. However, happiness is the peak envisioned by many especially through amassing insurmountable sums of money. The American Dream generally has become the pursuit of prosperity in material things rather than just happiness (Curnutt 23-45). In this classic American book The Great Gatsby, the story revolves around an individual, Jay Gatsby, a poor boy with aspirations of becoming a rich man to win over Daisy, a girl he has fallen irrevocably in love with in his adolescence. The author writes that the truth was ideally that Jay of West Egg could spring from his platonic realization of himself. He is merely regarded as Gods son who the author in a somewhat comic way says that he was simply a son of God as stated. Jay grew as James Gatz, on a Dakota farm which saw him change his name later to Jay Gatsby (Cullen 34-45). The bright prospects that belied the future prompted Jay to change his name. The conviction that he would turn away from his dark past and face a promising future always motivated his daily undertakings and chores execution. He however meets Daisy as a young officer in the military in Louisville prior to leaving for World War I. Jay begins to face obstacles in his ambitions. Hefirst cheats on Daisy concerning his past. He presents himself as a well off person that is in a position to move on with Daisy. Daisy makes promises of waiting for Gatsby after he lives for the WWI. Unfortunately, Daisy marries Tom Buchanan after two years. Gatsby at the same time was taking his studies in Oxford to attain education after coming from the war. Gatsby makes a dedication of his entire life to get Daisy back (Prigozy 11-21). This was indeed a humiliating affair. All the effort that was supposed to be put in chasing after his dream has now been changed towards something different. More and problems emerge as he indulges in illegal actions to get millions of money which he sees as important in wining Daisy back to his life. His life turns into illusions and dreams of getting Daisy. His initial plans are diverted and his life is turned in a lousy life of throwing extravagant parties with high hopes that Daisy will avail herself in at least one of the parties. His entire life is completely changed and now lives with the intuition that Daisy will one day chose to come back to him (Curnutt 23-45). His journey to happiness and realizing his American Dream never comes his way. Even after knowing very well that there are no chances that Daisy will return, Gatsby is very committed in protecting her. His life is fully pre-occupied with Daisy such that he cannot find out meaning in any other thing. Gatsbys obstacles to realizing his American dream continues to mount as he fills Daisy with a lot of idealistic faultless image that she cannot truly accomplish in reality and pursues her with an enthusiastic eagerness that in essence blinds him to Daisys boundaries. The more we try to recall the earliest impressions of Gatsbys life, the more surprising the result comes. He has gone through so much in pursuit of happiness yet his success is muddled up in a mild of experiences and life obstacles. As a result of the many life obstacles, his dream of having Daisy has fallen into pieces. He has been left out as a miserable piece of cowhide. Gatsby remained a captive of his identity based on the choices he made; one being Daisy who has turned away from him and the pursuit of monetary wealth ostensibly to woo Daisy back. The turn of events in the life of Gatsby is a true representation of the corruption that prosperity can cause and the unworthy nature of the goaal same as the way Fitzgerald looks at the American Dream completely being fruitless in the 1920s. As the prevailing vivacity, independence and hopefulness of America dwindles to the immorality behind the pursuit of money and riches. Gatsbys character could seem be as a result of the American Dream quintessence. Gatsby is very convinced that if he can create a lot of wealth, he can easily win Daisy and consequently achieve his personal American Dream. However, the truth is that is not apparently going to take place. Fitzgerald (189) says that Gatsbys dream should have appeared so close that he could barely fail to get hold of it. All the same, he did not realize that it was indeed behind him, some place in the vast obscurity far much beyond the city where the dark fields of the nation rolled on in the night. The last words of the book state that Gatsby had the belief that the green light or rather the orgiastic feature year after year recedes in front of us. The American Dream eluded Gatsby and regardless of whatever happens, tomorrow is expected to unfold in a very fast way. Gats by past is very significant to his future dreams as shown by the green light (Prigozy 11-21). However, these moves are disturbed and muddled up by obstacles which he fails to control and manage well. To conclude, the struggle made by human beings to attain their aspirations and dreams through surpassing and in the reconstruction of history is what the Great Gatsby novel is based on. Though the American Dream has held high hopes for people like Gatsby, it has all ended up sour, with less of the expectations met. However, that is not the real issue. The point could have been the manner in which we respond to the consequences and results of pursuing our dreams. This probably determines the eventual success of the individual. While we have hope that things can get better, we should also be prepared if the worst happens. The lack of proper strategies for fall back if things turn out sour characterizes Gatsbys life points the inevitability of failure due to individual mistakes. The failure of such people like Gatsby to fully attain the American goal points to disillusionment, only that is self inflicted and the realization of the American dream is hinged on the individual focus. Life t akes a natural course and does not make provisions for fantasies and if forced, they just vanish like air. Buy custom Disillusionment in Pursuit of the American Dream essay

Cybernetics and Social Construction

Cybernetics and Social Construction Abstract Cybernetics is the study of various systems in biology, sociology, psychology, and physics. In sociology and psychology, cybernetics is used to describe how social and psychological systems work. The theory is based on the structural functionalist theory which operates on the principle of interdependence of various parts of a system for the stability of the whole system.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Cybernetics and Social Construction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Social construction has to do with the way people perceive various aspects of life. Both cybernetics and social construction theories are applicable in family therapy. However, they differ in terms of how they address the issue of diversity. Cybernetics theory One of the key concepts in cybernetics is feedback, which refers to an output and which triggers positive or negative feedback in a system. A positive feedback is considered as that which brings a change in a system while a negative feedback is considered as that which maintains the status quo in the system (Metcalf, 2011). One of the basic assumptions of the cybernetics approach is that a family is like the human body which is composed of several organs, with each organ having a specific role to play in the body (Dallos, 2010).  The other assumption of the approach is that all families have a structure, either vertical or horizontal. The relationships within the family structure are important for the well being of the family and therefore, there is need to ensure that all family members play their roles effectively so as to make the family stable (Wetchler Hecker, 2014). The approach considers a family as an open system. Even though the members of a family are united by shared beliefs, patterns of thinking, and kinship, it does not mean that the family is cushioned from the influence of external factors or actors (Winek, 2010). The other concept relat ed to the cybernetics approach is homeostasis. This is a mechanism which tries to maintain the relationships between the family members. In other words, homeostasis maintains the status quo in the family structure. Through homeostasis, each family member has some specific expectations from the other family members (Stretch, 2005). Change is the other concept which is related to the cybernetics approach. The proponents of the approach argue that sometimes the status quo may be a source of family problems. Many people may not realize this fact because they believe that maintaining their relationships with each other is a crucial ingredient for the well being of the family.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the basic principles of the cybernetics approach is respecting the culture and values of the family. The therapist is obliged to ensure that the values o f the family are respected at all times. When the therapist sees the need of changing the values of the family, there is need for an intensive education of the family on the importance of changing some of the family values. The other principle is that a family is viewed as a client. Even though a family may have several members, there is need for the therapist to ensure that the intervention does not lead to disunity but enhance unity within the family. The therapist must therefore apply a participatory approach in order to ensure that the family members are part and parcel of the decisions reached in the therapy. Another principle is that families exist in a social system and therefore, there is need to ensure that the intervention by the therapist does not isolate the family from the rest of the society. The argument is that a healthy family is one that exists in a healthy social environment where there are good relationships between the family members and the society. Seeing that the cybernetics approach allows for choosing a family-centered therapy approach for the solution of a particular issue, the specified strategy allows for improving the relationships between the family members and providing them with an opportunity to understand the reasons for the malfunctioning of their family. The cybernetics theory helps people realize whether the communication patterns that they have chosen can be deemed as acceptable, and what changes they need to undergo in order to be improved. In other words, cybernetics allows for an introspective for the patient or patients, therefore, creating the premises for an in-depth analysis of the specifics of the current relationships between the family members. More importantly, the distribution of the family roles among the members can be analyzed with the help of the given approach, therefore, helping address the related issues and redistribute these roles among the members (Guise, 2009). Social construction theory Social cons truction refers to the perceptions people have about certain aspects of life such as gender, race, sex, disease, mental illness, and domestic violence. In most cases, social construction is not based on facts but on stereotypes, prejudice, and historical injustices. For instance, the social construction of gender is characterized by gender stereotypes which are the attitudes people have towards males and females. The attitudes may be implicit or explicit. Implicit attitudes are internalized by people in their thought processes. For example, a teacher of a school may select male students to represent the school in a mathematics contest and select female students to represent it in the art subjects or languages.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Cybernetics and Social Construction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This kind of selection may happen as a result of the belief by the teacher that all males are good in hard subjects like mathematics while all females are good in easy subjects like the arts and languages. In the professional sector, a male doctor may be referred to as ‘the doctor’ while a female one may be referred to as ‘the woman doctor’ to imply that it is unusual for a female to become a doctor. However, there is nothing funny with a female being a doctor because female doctors are capable of treating patients just like male doctors.  Much like the cybernetics theory, the theory of the social construct facilitates a better understanding of the role distribution among the family members. However, unlike the cybernetics approach, the theory of social construct sets the premises for restructuring the family hierarchy, therefore, providing the couple with the tools that they may use in order to improve their relationships (Guise, 2009). Family Therapist’s Role in Cybernetics and Social Construction Theories Both cybernetics and social construct ion theories are applicable in family therapy. However, the therapist’s role differs in the two theories. With cybernetics theory, the role of the family therapist is to establish linkages between family members. However, not all problems need a restoration of the equilibrium in the family. The reason is that some problems need a positive feedback which introduces a change in the family as a system. For example, family members may be advised by the family therapist to become more independent instead of being interdependent. The reason is that sometimes, the dependence on each other may lead to dependence syndrome which compromises the ability of individual family members to grow and be self-reliant. With the cybernetics theory therefore, each family member is considered as a therapy for the others and as a result, the absence of one family member may compromise the healing process (Carr, 2012).  With the social construction theory, the role of the family therapist is to dec onstruct the thoughts, perceptions, and attitudes of the family members. It is done with the aim of differentiating myths from facts to enable the family members to live in a world of reality. It is based on the reasoning that some problems in families are not based on facts but on social construction of various issues which affect families. The family therapist therefore aims at helping the family members change their thoughts which cause problems in the family.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, some families may believe that HIV/AIDS is caused by witchcraft. As a result, they seek intervention from witch doctors instead of medical doctors. Even though intervention from witch doctors may work on the short term, it may not be effective on the long term. When such a family seeks the help of a family therapist, the family therapist educates them that HIV/AIDS is a medical condition which requires a medical intervention (Nichols, 2013). Herein the significance of cybernetics in defining the role of a family therapist lies. Unlike any other discipline, cybernetics allows for transforming the role of a family therapist from the one of an observer to that one of an analyst. Seeing that the very concept facilitates a deeper understanding of the challenges that the family is going through, the relationships that the family members share, and the communication patterns that are accepted within the family in question, the specified discipline helps a family therapist infi ltrate the information concerning the relationships within a specific family in order to locate the patterns of the family members interaction and, therefore, identify the problem and contemplate the key steps for addressing the issue in question. The social construct theory, thus, allows for an even more precise definition of the role of a family therapist in a particular intervention. In accordance with the theory postulates, the therapy process is rooted in the idea of a family as a social construction, each member of it taking a very specific niche. The role of a therapist, therefore, mainly concerns the redefinition of the family members’ roles. It would be wrong to claim that the therapisr defines the place that each family member should take in a new hierarchy; instead, the therapist promotes the idea, thus, allowing the patient to make their own choice and, therefore, restructure the relationships within the family so that the latter should be complete (Guise, 2009). Historical Impacts of Cybernetics and Social Construction Theories The history of cybernetics is traced to the days of Plato and Aristotle who attempted to explain governments in terms of interrelationship of various units of the society. Afterwards, various scholars adopted the concept of cybernetics in different fields such as engineering, mathematics, psychology, and sociology. The theory of cybernetics has played a crucial role in the formulation of contemporary theories such as systems theory and systems thinking. It has also been used in the advancement of information and communication technology systems to reflect the changing needs of the society (Turner, 2011). The strength of the approach is that it has the ability to restructure the family in order to eliminate problems which are anchored on the status quo. The approach is based on the principle that all social systems are not static but are dynamic. There is therefore the need to ensure that social institutions such as t he family are studied with the aim of ensuring that the necessary changes are made for them to function well. The limitation of the approach is that it puts more emphasis on structural changes of the family to the extent that it ignores changes at the individual level. For any therapy to be successful there is need to focus not only on the environment but also on the individual. The approach is also unsuitable in addressing family problems in which one of the members is hospitalized or is unable to attend therapy sessions. The reason is that all the members have to attend the sessions for the therapy to be successful. The social construction theory may be traced to the emergence of concepts such as feminism, affirmative action, gender equity and equality, social class, and wealth. These concepts were associated with the existence of a gap between various units of the society especially in social institutions. Different scholars conducted research to establish the causes of the gap a nd found that there were deep rooted perceptions on various issues such as gender. The theory led to the emergence of various campaigns which aimed at ensuring that there was fairness, justice, and equity in the society. Examples of the campaigns include girl child education, women empowerment, and protection of the rights of minority groups (Roberts, 2009). How Diversity is Addressed in Cybernetics and Social Construction Theories Cybernetics and social construction theories differ in terms of how they address the issue of diversity. With cybernetics theory, diversity in social institutions is viewed as positive. The theory also considers diversity as a strength which may be tapped and transformed into an opportunity for social institutions to enhance their unity. Since the theory is based on the principle of interdependence of various units of social systems, and given that all social systems are not homogenous, the theory contents that it is not possible to have peaceful coexiste nce in the society without embracing diversity. On the other hand, the social construction theory views diversity as negative because it considers social institutions as homogenous entities which are only stable when there is uniformity. For instance, people in a given society may share the same belief about an aspect of life irrespective of whether the belief is true or not. Those who do not share that belief in that society may be considered as outcasts or as enemies of the other members of that society. For example, members of a particular society may believe that corruption is the only way of enriching oneself. Those who attempt to fight corruption may be considered as enemies of development in that society. Conclusion The analysis of the family hierarchy and the definition of the issues that are related to the family structure adopted by the patient and their relatives is, perhaps, one of the most complicated tasks for a family therapist. However, by adopting the approach of cy bernetics and using the theory of social construct, a therapist may alter their role so that the analysis could be more fruitful and that more efficient changes could be made to the relationships between the patient and their family. Providing a therapist with the power that allows them to dissect and analyze the family relationships of the patient, as well as suggest their ways of altering these relationships, are the obvious advantages of the specified approaches. References Carr, A. (2012). Family therapy: concepts, process, and practice. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley Sons. Dallos, R. (2010). An introduction to family therapy. Maidenhead : McGraw-Hill International. Guise, R. W. (2009). Study guide for the marriage and family therapy national licensing examination. Boston, MA: The Family Solutions Corporation. Metcalf, L. (2011). Marriage and family therapy: a practice-oriented approach. New York: Springer Pub. Co. Nichols, M. (2013). Family Therapy: concepts. Boston: Pear son Education. Roberts, A. R. (2009). Social workers desk reference. New York: Oxford University Press. Stretch, B. (2005). Health social care: As level for excel. Oxford: Heinemann. Turner, F.J. (2011). Social work treatment: interlocking theoretical approaches. New York: Oxford University Press. Wetchler, J.L., Hecker, L.L. (2014). An introduction to marriage and family therapy. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage. Winek, J.W. (2010).Systemic family therapy: from theory to practice. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage.

Magellan missionRadar sensing and image interpretation Essay

Magellan missionRadar sensing and image interpretation - Essay Example The Mission was named after Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese-born explorer in the sixteenth century, who led an expedition that first circumnavigated the Earth. The earlier radar missions to Venus provided planetary scientist a global map of the surface of the planet and were very valuable in understanding the geological structure of the planet. However it further revealed a need for "global radar data coverage" of the planet's surface in "orders-of magnitude higher resolution" (Ford 1). This need facilitated and provided motivation to determine the design and objectives of the Magellan mission. The main purposes of the Magellan Mission were to create a global radar map of the surface of Venus at higher resolution using the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and to determine the topographic relief of the planet. The end product of these four objectives shall be the classification of geographic and tectonic features of the surface like mountains, ridges, valleys, hills, and planes. Impact processes, lava flows, and other chemical processes will be explained and the internal density distribution of the planet will be modeled. The spacecraft design was economical and simple in relation to other spacecraft missions. In fact, the key components of the spacecraft were acquired from the spare hardware from other space programs including Voyager, Galileo, Viking, and Mariner. The spacecraft was 6.4 m long and with a mass of 3,449 kilograms. Included in the spacecraft were a single radar sensor, a large 3.7-m diameter parabolic High-Gain Antenna dish used for communication with Earth and a science instrument for radar imaging, solar panels about 9.2 m across to collect solar energy for charging the spacecraft's nickel-cadmium batteries and to power the spacecraft, three orthogonal reaction wheels used for pointing control, monopropellant hydrazine thruster system used to make adjustments of large scale orbital corrections. Subsystems included a medium-gain antenna, star scanner, on-board computer, coherent X- and S- band radio subsystem used for communication and gravity field experiments, and two tape recorders. Fig. 1. Labeled drawing of Magellan Spacecraft Key features of the Magellan spacecraft. Shown here are the different hardware and electronic subsystems of the spacecraft. (NASA) The Magellan spacecraft in the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Atlantis before its scheduled launch (Magellan Probe). Fig. 2. Magellan Spacecraft The Magellan Radar Sensor The radar sensor is a single science instrument in the spacecraft capable of acquiring data in three different modes or functions: SAR imaging mode,

Summary Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary Strategic Management - Essay Example Good product design and ease of use created an emotional connection with users, while technological innovation that encrypted songs and prevented these from being shared for free in violation of copyright laws created a mutually beneficial link with suppliers, the record companies that are losing revenues to piracy. Although Apple was not the first MP3 player in the market, it dominated the business because its products looked better and were easy to use. The decision to work with record companies was a strategic move that also resulted in cost leadership as it cut off distributors and retailers and their high mark-ups from the value chain (see Exhibit 3 of the case study). After the success of Apple, other companies are competing by copying what Apple did: good design, diversity of products such as including them in mobile phones, and lower prices for the music players and song downloads. However, Apple has two advantages difficult to imitate and are therefore sources of competitive advantage. The first is its brand name, which is always associated with products that are well-designed, easy to use, and that easily develops an emotional attachment to a growing base of loyal customers. The second is its track record at innovation, which gives the company a first-mover advantage that allows it to charge high prices for new products, recover the investment fast from profits, and as competitors move into the market, to launch a price war that continues earning profits that could be invested in developing the next product. Given these resources, should Apple develop a product combining a mobile phone and an iPod? (Yes, it did.) The strategic management issue facing Wal-Mart is how it can grow in the face of slow domestic (U.S.) growth, fierce domestic (Costco) and international (Tesco, etc.) competition, lack of experience in international markets, and growing

Essay on Australian Culture Essay Example for Free

Essay on Australian Culture Essay The composers of In Sydney’s Suburbs, An Endless Summer and Love Letter: McIver’s Baths have helped me to further understand Australian culture by using a variety of language devices and techniques to uncover the Australian culture. Chris West, the author of In Sydney’s Suburbs, An Endless Summer reveals that Australians respect the harsh landscape and presents beach culture as a prominent aspect n the lives of Australia. Helen Pitt, the author of Love Letter: McIver’s Baths, uncovers Aboriginal beliefs in Australian principles and shows that multiculturalism is freely accepted in Australian society. West conveys the Australian landscape to be harsh and rugged, yet respected and valued by Australians. West personifies the land and describes how it â€Å"points like a crooked finger†. The use of the verb â€Å"points† gives the land an intimidating quality. West continues to describe the land as â€Å"a patch of God’s country. † The juxtaposition of the two phrases suggests that the Australian is feared but respected and cared for by Australians. This comparison has broadened my understanding of the Australian culture. This idea is similar to Pitt’s description of the beach â€Å"which is as curvy as the female form. † The simile creates a unique attractiveness, which is intriguing but is appreciated in Australian culture. Both West and Pitt expose an underlying appreciation of natural beauty in Australia, confirming my understanding of Australian culture. Pitt has employed the use of figurative devices that helped extend my understanding of Australian culture. â€Å"You nursed me†¦your swell embraced me in a way she no longer could. † The use of apostrophe gives the baths motherly qualities. The verbs â€Å"nursed† and â€Å"embraced† mimic the actions of a mother caring for her child. The quote also alludes to the old Aboriginal beliefs that the land is mother. This reveals that Aboriginal culture and beliefs are still present in today’s society and highly respected in Australian culture. In West’s article, there are also allusions to Aboriginal culture. He describes children playing on the beach â€Å"under the watchful eyes of black-clad elders†. Both composers display an aspect of Aboriginal culture and its importance in Australian society, thus deepening my understanding of Australian culture. In West’s article, beach culture is displayed as a prominent aspect in the lives of Australians. He describes businessmen and how they â€Å"peel off their swimsuits in the beachfront parking lots, towel down and don sober business attire then drive straight to work. † The use of the verb â€Å"peel† suggests that the beach and beach culture is part of them, that it’s in their skin and soul. Pitt reinforces the idea that being at one with sea and its surrounding environment is what is truly valued in Australian society. â€Å"I took refuge in your barnacled depths, reacquainting myself†¦with what it meant to be Australian. † Both composers explore the notion that having connection with the beach is genuinely valued in Australian culture, thus challenging my understanding of Australian culture. In Pitt’s article, multiculturalism is celebrated by showing the freedoms that we as Australians, no matter what cultural heritage we have, are able to enjoy. â€Å"Muslim women frolicking in burkinis†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The use of the verb â€Å"frolicking† suggests that the women feel comfortable enjoying the Australian environment without fear of prejudice from other cultures. The revelation of the carefree attitude towards cultural diversity in Australian culture has expanded my understanding of Australian culture. West also presents the acceptance of a diverse range of culture in his article. â€Å"Families of newly arrived Mediterranean immigrants fetch extravagant picnics†¦from the trunks of Japanese-built sedans† Both composers clarify that people of other cultures and religions are accepted and welcomed in Australian society. The confirmation has contributed to my understanding of Australian culture. By manipulating a range of language devices, both composers have challenged and reinforced my understanding of Australian culture, beliefs and values. West and Pitt both confirm that the harsh yet spectacular landscape of Australia is respected and cherished in Australian culture. They both uncover Aboriginal beliefs that are still present in today’s society. Multiculturalism and beach culture are both thoroughly exposed by West and Pitt. In Sydney’s Suburbs, An Endless Summer and Love Letter: McIver’s Baths have definitely helped me to further understand Australian culture.

Handling Stress Essay -- essays research papers

Handling Stress This essay is about handling the stress of University studies. We will be looking into many ideas and different people ¹s views on how to handle stress. I will also be giving my own opinions on how I think stress can be controlled or relieved. The first thing we must do is ask ourselves one very important question,  ³what is stress ²? WHAT IS STRESS? According to an Australian born physician, Hans Selye (1979), stress is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it. The body responds in many ways. One is to the loss of blood and the other is to the lack of sleep. Both of these are nonspecific responses, however all demands made on the body evoke generalised, nonspecific responses. For example, they all unable you to concentrate as would normally be expected, they activate one ¹s sympathetic nervous system, and they also increase the amount of the hormone epinephrine that is being released into your body. When people say they ¹ve been under going alot of stress they are usually referring to a couple of unpleasant experiences. Now that we have an idea on what stress is the next question we should ask ourselves is  ³what is or can cause stress ². CAUSES OF STRESS There are many different things that cause stress. One may be if you have a big term paper due and you want to do your best to impress your seminar leader. Another may be peer or family related. All in all it is things, events, situations, and people that cause stress. It is how we perceive them that will determine whether or not stress will be a result from the encounter. Not only negative situations are the cause of stress. Joy and happiness can also cause stress even though they are positive. In a sense, it is we then who choose our own stressors. Selye noted that with the absence of stress there is death. Current researchers are also discovering that too little stress may be a major cause of depression or boredom. It is therefore up to us to choose the best Handling Stress # stressors and the optimal level of stress. Since we have now begun to understand the definition of stress as well as the causes we now ask ourselves  ³what can I do to control my stress ²? CONTROLLING STRESS There have been many studies done on the managements of stress. One group of researchers found out that many university students tended to gain weight their first year away from home. These  ³... ...e as some are for one ¹s emotional well being. There are even some that help with both. All in all stress seems to occur depending on one ¹s perception of events, people, and daily things for stress occurs on different occasions for different people. Handling Stress # REFERENCES Adams, J.D. (1980). Understanding and Managing Stress, San Diego: University Associates. Kalat, J.W. (1993). Introduction to Psychology: third edition. Pacific Grone: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. Pfeifer, J.E., and Ogloff, J.R.P. (1990). Making the Grade:Strategies for Succeeding at University. Lincoln: JEP and JRPO Rathbone, J.L. (1969). Relaxation. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger. Rhines, K.L. (1985). Stress and Disease. Pleasantville: Human Relations Media Inc. Romano, J.L. (1984). Stress Management and Wellness: Reaching beyond the counselor ¹s office. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 62 (9), 533-537. Ross, J. (1993). The Original Student Calendar, Winlaw: Polestar Calendars Ltd. Williams, J.M., Decker, T.W., Libassi, A. (1983), The impact of stress management training on the academic performance of low-achieving college students. Journal of College Student Personnel, 24 (6), 491-494. Word Count: 2062

Office Ergonomics

Office Ergonomics Contents 1. Introduction 2. Office Computer Workstations 3. Computer Workstation Evaluation Checklist 4. Appendix A 1. Introduction Ergonomics is the process of designing the work environment to fit the worker, rather than fitting the worker to the work environment. The goal of this ergonomic program is to minimize accidents and illnesses due to chronic physical and psychological stresses, while maximizing productivity and efficiency.Cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) or repetitive motion strain injuries are musculoskeletal disorders that result from repeated exposure to physical stressors. Stressors affect tendons, ligaments, nerves, muscles and bones. Physical stressors in the office environment are caused by sustained awkward postures, repetitive motions, using excessive force or compression. 2. Office Computer Workstations The workforce population varies greatly in physical size and stature. The idea of the average size person is obsolete.Adjusting office furnitu re and office equipment help employees make changes in the office to ensure proper posture is maintained throughout the day. There is no single â€Å"correct† posture or arrangement of components that will fit everyone. However, there are basic design goals to consider when setting up a computer workstation or performing computer-related tasks. Consider your workstation as you read through this guide and see if you can identify areas for improvement in posture, component placement, or work environment.This guide provides suggestions to minimize or eliminate identified problems, and allows you to create your own â€Å"custom-fit† computer workstation. Good Working Positions: To understand the best way to set up a computer workstation, it is helpful to understand the concept of neutral body positioning. This is a comfortable working posture in which your joints are naturally aligned. Working with the body in a neutral position reduces stress and strain on the muscles, te ndons, and skeletal system and reduces your risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD).The following are important considerations when attempting to maintain neutral body postures while working at the computer workstation: †¢ Hands, wrists, and forearms are straight, in-line and roughly parallel to the floor. †¢ Head is level, or bent slightly forward, forward facing, and balanced. †¢ Shoulders are relaxed and upper arms hang normally at the side of the body. †¢ Elbows stay in close to the body and are bent between 90 and 120 degrees. †¢ Feet are fully supported by floor or footrest. †¢ Back is fully supported with appropriate lumbar support when sitting vertical or leaning back. Thighs and hips are supported by a well-padded seat and generally parallel to the floor. †¢ Knees are about the same height as the hips with the feet slightly forward. Regardless of how good your working posture is, working in the same posture or sitting still for prolonged periods is not healthy. You should change your working position frequently throughout the day in the following ways: †¢ Stretch your fingers, hands, arms, and torso. †¢ Stand up and walk around for a few minutes periodically.

Workplace Discrimination and Autism Spectrum Disorders

299 Work 31 (2008) 299–308 IOS Press Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: The National EEOC Americans with Disabilities Act Research project Todd A. Van Wierena , Christine A. Reidb and Brian T. McMahon b,? a b Disability Support Services, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, USA Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA Abstract.Using the Integrated Mission System of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the employment discrimination experience of Americans with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is documented for Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The researchers examine demographic characteristics of the charging parties; the industry designation, location, and size of employers against whom complaints are ? led; the nature of discrimination (i. e. , type of complaint) alleged to occur; and the legal outcome or resolution of these complaints.Researchers compare and con trast these key dimensions of workplace discrimination involving individuals with ASDs and persons with other physical, sensory, and neurological impairments. Researchers also attempt to discern whether or not the resolutions of the ASD charges can be predicted using the variables available for analysis. The comparative ? ndings of this study indicate that individuals with ASDs were more likely to make charges of discrimination against Retail industry employers. Persons with ASDs were also more likely to make charges of discrimination when they were younger, male, and/or of Native American/Alaskan Native ethnicity.The predictive ? ndings of this study indicate that the odds of ASD charges resulting in meritorious resolution (i. e. , discrimination determined by the EEOC to have occurred) increase when the discrimination was encountered in Service industries and by larger employers. Implications for policy, advocacy and further research efforts are addressed. 1. Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorders The term Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is used to refer collectively to the group of disorders that comprise the ? ve speci? c, but related, conditions within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,Fourth Edition, Text Revision [3]. These disorders fall under the formal diagnostic umbrella known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs): (1) Autistic Disorder, (2) Asperger Syndrome, (3) Rett’s Disorder, (4) Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and (5) PDD, ? Address for correspondence: Brian T. McMahon, Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, Virginia Commonwealth Universit, POB 980330, Richmond, VA 23298-0330, USA. Tel. : +1 804 827 0917; Fax: +1 804 828 1321; E-mail: [email  protected] edu. Not Otherwise Speci? ed (NOS). Collectively, they are commonly described as autism.The common, or core, characteristics shared by each of the ? ve PDDs generally include varying degrees of impairment in the triad of: (1) verbal and non-verbal com munication, (2) social interaction, and (3) restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior or interests [2,9,33,37,38]. Aside from this common triad, additional functional limitations that can often be associated with ASDs include: hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, self-injurious behavior, motor dysfunctions, arousal/activation issues, cognitive de? iencies (including impairments in abstract thought), and physical/medical features [13, 15,41,51]. Frequently, individuals with ASDs can also have â€Å". . . (1) problems understanding social cues and 1051-9815/08/$17. 00 ? 2008 – IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved 300 T. A. Van Wieren / Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: EEOC & ADA facial expressions, (2) dif? culty expressing emotions in conventionally recognizable ways, (3) in? exibility and discomfort with change, and (4) dif? culty adapting to new tasks and routines† [35, p. 163]. It is im portant to realize that people with ASDs vary cross a wide continuum of intelligence, clinical characteristics and abilities [15,16,38,41]. On one extreme, some individuals with ASDs deal with severe impairments and require intensive life-long support. On the other end of the continuum reside individuals who are sometimes referred to as having â€Å"high-functioning autism,† with relatively slight limitations in daily activities. Predicting life outcomes for the population of individuals with ASDs as a whole (merely based on their carrying an ASD diagnosis) is dif? cult because of the very wide spectrum of cognitive, linguistic, social nd behavioral functioning from person to person [21]. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) simply uses the term autism to refer collectively to the ? ve PDDs included in Autism Spectrum Disorder. It de? nes autism as â€Å"neurological disorder[s] affecting the functioning of the brain; characterized by such symptoms as speech an d language disorders and profound differences in the manner of relating to people, objects, and events. † The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is presently unable to report exactly how many people in the U. S. re diagnosed with ASDs. At the moment, more is known about the number of children with ASDs than adults. However, the CDC estimates that the current prevalence rates for ASDs are between two and six per 1,000 individuals [9]. It is known that the diagnosis of ASDs has increased steadily in recent years [9]. Estimating the change in prevalence over the years is dif? cult to do, as the definitions of and techniques for diagnosing ASDs have broadened. However, the conclusion derived from available evidence is that the current prevalence of ASDs is roughly three to four times higher than it was approximately 30 years ago [14].For instance, in 1994, ASDs were the 10th most common disability among individual s age 6–21 years served by public special education programs. By 2003, ASDs had risen to be the 6th most common disability [9]. The reasons for the apparent increase in ASDs are not exactly clear. It may be that the actual occurrence of ASDs is on the rise. However, a more likely explanation for at least part of the increase is the manner in which professionals have been classifying ASDs in recent years [14]. For example, in 1991 ASDs were added as a special education exceptionality within the US public school system [9].ASDs are known to be more prevalent in males than females, but do not seem to be systematically or conclusively linked to ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, educational level or geographic region [16, 53]. ASDs do tend to occur statistically more often than expected for individuals with certain medical conditions, such as Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome, and untreated phenylketonuria [9]. Also, ASDs are thoug ht to occur sometimes in conjunction with harmful substances ingested during pregnancy, such as thalidomide [9]. 2. Background . 1. Employment challenges It is well known that many individuals diagnosed with ASDs face considerable dif? culty in obtaining and maintaining employment [1,5,8,22,35]. A 1998 study estimated that only 18% of adults with ASDs in the U. S. were employed in some type of work [20]. Furthermore, people with ASDs who do obtain work tend to struggle with maintaining employment. Perhaps because of the social, communicative and behavioral de? cits associated with ASDs, issues can frequently arise in the workplace with coworkers, supervisors, customers, or in the performance of duties [26]. . 2. Need for the study Even though it is well understood that individuals with ASDs experience considerable dif? culties in general with obtaining and maintaining employment, very little evidence-based knowledge has been available for understanding the more speci? c issue of wor kplace discrimination and how it may contribute to the group’s overall employment challenges. To date, a contextualized understanding of the workplace discrimination towards workers and applicants with ASDs has been lacking. Such practical insights into workplace issues re important for the community of working adults with ASDs, their advocates, and providers of vocational rehabilitaiton services. The preponderance of today’s ASD research efforts focus on either childhood issues, or on potential medical cures or prevention of ASDs. There is a substantial need for more research to focus on practical adaptation issues for adults with ASDs [6, 36,44,52]. T. A. Van Wieren / Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: EEOC & ADA 3. The National EEOC ADA research project Until quite recently, the majority of disability-related orkplace discrimination studies have tended to focus simply on the hiring preferences or attitudes of employers (or hypothetical employers ) toward individuals with disabilities [17,19,46]. Such studies generally could not examine actual occurrences of discrimination, which are behavioral manifestations of negative attitudes. By and large, they could only offer a perceived notion of workplace discrimination, and not an actual description. Furthermore, studies that attempted to examine Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title I cases of private-sector disability-related work discrimination ere limited to assessing Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) summary statistics at the allegation-level. Because data were limited, such studies did not provide deeper, more contextual, analyses of the EEOC cases [29]. Past studies did not have access to the cases’ ultimate resolutions, as well as other detailed information related to each case. Focusing on frequency of allegations alone may lead to skewed research conclusions. This is because only an approximate one? fth of all allegations made to the EEOC are ev er found to involve suf? cient evidence that disability-related discrimination conclusively occurred [28].Conversely, in approximately four-? fths of all allegations there is insuf? cient evidence for the EEOC to solidly conclude that discrimination took place. However, through an Interagency Personnel Agreement and a Con? dentiality Agreement involving the EEOC, Virginia Commonwealth University obtained the entire ADA segment of the EEOC’s Integrated Mission System (IMS) database. The IMS contains more than two million allegation records involving allegations of employment discrimination. The VCU subset includes all resolved allegations of discrimination made to the EEOC under Title I of the ADA, from July 7, 1992 (the ? rst date the ADA went into effect) to September 30, 2003. The National EEOC ADA Research Project was then developed to better understand the nature, scope and dynamics of employment discrimination against individuals with disabilities in the U. S. private-se ctor workplace. A number of studies have already been completed by members of the National EEOC ADA Research Project. Most of the ADA Title I studies completed to date have focused on speci? c disability groups, including: asthma [25], cancer [27], cerebral palsy [23], cumulative trauma disorders [4], deafness and hear- 301 ng impairment [7], diabetes [31], dis? gurement [45], HIV/AIDS [10,11], mental retardation [47], missing limbs [50], multiple sclerosis [42,43,49], speech impairment [34], spinal cord injury [30], traumatic brain injury [32], and visual impairment [48]. 4. The IMS data set Because of the unique level of access now made available to the EEOC’s IMS database, it is possible to examine the following contextual information for each case within the study database: (1) demographic characteristics of the Charging Party (i. e. , individual with the disability); (2) the industry and size of the Responding Party (i. e. employer); (3) the U. S. region from which the a llegation originated, (4) the speci? c type of alleged ADA Title I discriminatory allegation; and (5) the speci? c resolution of the case as determined by the EEOC, or by settlement or mediation between the Charging Party (CP) and Responding Party (RP). In this particular study, the research questions are answered by comparing and contrasting the employment discrimination experience of Americans with ASDs to that of Americans with other known physical, sensory, and neurological impairments. From these data, a â€Å"study dataset† was extracted to include only those ariables related to the research questions and to maximize consistency, parsimony, and con? dentiality (i. e. , to protect the identity of speci? c CPs and RPs). The extraction process was guided by the following considerations. The unit of study is an allegation; it is not an individual CP, nor an individual RP. A single CP may bring more than one allegation. Only unique allegations that do not involve recording e rrors or duplications are included in the study dataset. All identifying information regarding CPs and RPs was purged except variables important for this research.Study data were strictly limited to allegations brought under Title I of the ADA. Allegations brought under other federal employment statutes were not considered. Further, state allegations were also excluded to maintain a consistent de? nition of both disability and discrimination. To maintain consistency in de? nitions and procedures among the study variables, only allegations received, investigated, and closed by the EEOC were included. This required the exclusion of allegations referred by the EEOC to litigation for disposition in civil court, federal or state.Allegations of retaliation were excluded because complaints of this nature do not pertain directly to the existence or consequence of disability. 302 T. A. Van Wieren / Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: EEOC & ADA Only allegations that were closed by the EEOC during the study period, de? ned as July 26, 1992 through September 30, 2003 were included in the study dataset. Finally, open allegations (i. e. , still under investigation) were excluded from the study. This exclusion exists to insure that all allegations in the study dataset are â€Å"closed,† and as such are known to be either with Merit (i. . , decided by the EEOC to have reasonable cause for discrimination) or Without Merit (i. e. , decided by the EEOC to have no reasonable cause for discrimination). The resulting study dataset includes 328,738 allegations of employment discrimination under ADA Title I that were received, investigated and closed by the EEOC during the study period. These were divided into groups on the basis of disability status including the following two: 1. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). The primary group of interest for this particular study entails the allegations of discrimination made by individuals who reported having an AS D.The ASD allegations number just 98 (i. e. , 0. 03% of the total number of cases in the study dataset). However, this is the entire population of EEOC-resolved ASD allegations for the study time period. 2. General Disability (GENDIS). The comparison group for this study is a compilation of all allegations made by individuals who reported impairments within the other physical, sensory, or neurological EEOC disability categories (i. e. , allergies, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, back impairment, cancer, cardiovascular impairment, cerebral palsy, chemical sensitivity, cumulative trauma disorder, cystic ? brosis, diabetes, dis? urement, dwar? sm, epilepsy, gastrointestinal impairment, hearing impairment, HIV, kidney impairment, learning disability, mental retardation, missing digits or limbs, multiple sclerosis, nonparalytic orthopedic impairments, â€Å"other† blood disorder, â€Å"other† neurological impairment, â€Å"other† respiratory impairment, paralysis , speech impairment, tuberculosis, and vision impairment). For this particular study, GENDIS excludes ASD cases. The GENDIS allegations for this study number 174,512 (i. e. , 53. 09% of the total number of cases in the study dataset), and are the entire population of such cases resolved by the EEOC uring the study time period. GENDIS was also used as the primary comparison group for a majority of the other National EEOC ADA Research Project studies completed to date that examined various other EEOC disability categories [4,7,10, 23,25,27,30–32,42]. It is important to consider that the individuals who have actually made allegations of discrimination to the EEOC are likely a smaller number than the sum of individuals who have experienced discrimination. It is likely that many instances of disability-related discrimination go unreported to the EEOC. Individuals may not always realize that they have experienced discrimination.Or, they may perhaps be aware of discrimination but do not understand their rights, know how to initiate a complaint, or they are fearful of retaliation. The small number of allegations made by individuals with ASDs (98) could lead one to conclude that workplace discrimination is not a signi? cant problem for these individuals. The under-representation of people with ASDs in the workforce has been previously reported, and it is well known that most discrimination involves currently employed persons. However, many individuals with ASDs may not understand their civil rights or how to exercise them.The underreporting of discrimination would then make this particular study all the more important for individuals with ASDs and their advocates. The small number of ASD allegations also raises a technical concern. For most statistical tests, small Ns increase the risk of type II errors [12,40], or failure to detect actual differences when they exist. Because of the large number of comparisons that were conducted and in order to minimize this ri sk, the ? level was established at a more stringent level; p < 0. 01. 5. Project design and methods 5. 1. Variables The IMS data was transferred to the research team rom the EEOC via zip disk. Data needed to answer the research questions were extracted, coded, re? ned, and formatted in Microsoft Access using the aforementioned criteria. The result was a study-speci? c dataset in which the underlying unit of measurement is the frequency of allegations, a ratio level of measurement. The other variables for this study are detailed in Table 1. 5. 2. Research objectives The ? rst research objective for this study was descriptive in nature and focused on the most prevalent characteristics associated with the ADA Title I discrimination allegations made by individuals with ASD.The second objective was comparative in nature and T. A. Van Wieren / Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: EEOC & ADA 303 Table 1 Parameters of Variables CP AGE (ratio measurement) – Years CP GENDER (nominal measurement) – Male – Female CP RACE (nominal measurement) – White – African American – Hispanic/Mexican – Asian – Native American/Alaskan Native – Mixed Ethnicity – Other Ethnicity RP INDUSTRY (nominal measurement) – Agriculture – Construction – Finance, Insurance & Real Estate – Manufacturing – Mining – Public Administration – Retail – Services – Transportation & Utilities – Wholesale – Not Classi? edRP SIZE (interval measurement) – 15–100 employees – 101–200 employees – 201–500 employees – 501 + employees US REGION (nominal measurement) – Northeast – Midwest – South – West – U. S. Territory – Foreign (U. S. businesses operating abroad) ALLEGATIONS (nominal measurement) – Job Obtainment or Membership Issues: * Advertising, Apprent iceship, Exclusion/Segregated Union, Hiring, Prohibited Medical Inquiry, Quali? cations Standards, Referral, Testing, & Training – Job Conditions or Circumstances Issues: * Assignment, Bene? ts, Bene? ts (Insurance), Bene? ts (Pension), Demotion, Discipline, Harassment, Intimidation, Job Classi? ation, Maternity, Promotion, Reasonable Accommodation, Segregated Facilities, Seniority, Tenure, Terms/Conditions, Union Representation, & Wages – Job Maintenance or Preservation: * Constructive Discharge, Discharge, Early Retirement Incentive, Involuntary Retirement, Layoff, Recall, Reinstatement, Severance Pay, & Suspension – Other/Miscellaneous Issues: * Other, Posting Notices, References Unfavorable, & Waiver of ADEA Suit Rights RESOLUTIONS (nominal measurement) – Merit: * Settled with CP Bene? ts, Withdrawn with CP Bene? ts, Successful Conciliation, & Conciliation Failure – Non-Merit: No Cause Finding, Administrative Closure (RP Bankruptcy), Administra tive Closure (CP Missing), Administrative Closure (CP NonResponsive), Administrative Closure (CP Uncooperative), Administrative Closure (Related Litigation), Administrative Closure (Failed Relief), Administrative Closure (Lacks Jurisdiction), & Administrative Closure (CP Withdraws) explored whether or not the characteristics associated with the ASD allegations differ signi? cantly from those of the characteristics associated with GENDIS. The third research objective of this study, predictive in nature, was to explore whether or not the ? al EEOC case resolutions for the ASD allegations could be predicted based upon a function of some of the contextual variables of interest associated with the ASD group. 5. 3. Analysis Data was analyzed to answer the stated research objectives in three primary ways, using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). First, descriptive statistics were used to detail the ASD and GENDIS allegations and various attributes thereof. Second, comparis ons of the various characteristics of the ASD al- 304 T. A. Van Wieren / Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: EEOC & ADA egations vs. the GENDIS allegations were conducted utilizing Fisher’s exact tests, odds ratios, and t-Tests for independent groups. Third, in an effort to discern whether or not the ? nal resolutions for the ASD allegations could be predicted based upon a function of some of the contextual variables of interest associated with the ASD group, multiple logistic regression analysis was used. 6. Findings 6. 1. Descriptive analysis Based upon the descriptive analysis portion of this study (i. e. , Objective One), it could be said that the pro? le for a typical ASD case entails: (a) a CP who s 36 years old, male and White; (b) a RP in the Retail industry that is either on the large end of the size spectrum (i. e. , 501+ employees) or the smaller end of the spectrum (i. e. , 15–100 employees); (c) origination of the allegation in the Sout hern region of the U. S. ; (d) an allegation that involves an issue of job conditions/circumstances or job maintenance/preservation; and (d) a case resolution that is ruled by the EEOC as non-meritorious. See Table 2 for a more detailed account of the descriptive analysis portion of this study. 6. 2. Comparative analysis Relative to GENDIS, the median age for the ASD roup is younger (36 years vs. 44 years), and is statistically signi? cant (t-Test for independent groups, t = ? 8. 385, df = 86. 134, p =< 0. 000). Allegations in the ASD group are over two times more likely to be made by males than were allegations in the GENDIS group (Fisher’s exact test, p =< 0. 000, O. R. = 2. 30). ASD allegations are over seven and half times more likely than GENDIS to involve CPs who are Native American/Alaskan Native (Fisher’s exact test, p = 0. 001, O. R. = 7. 82). And, relative to GENDIS, allegations from the ASD group are two and a half times more likely to be made against RPs in the Retail industries Fisher’s exact test, p =< 0. 000, O. R. , 2. 52). Statistical analyses revealed no signi? cant differences between the ASD group vs. GENDIS in regards to the regions where allegations originate from, the types of ADA Title I allegations ? led with the EEOC, or ultimate case resolutions decided upon by the EEOC. 6. 3. Predictive analysis Forward, stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis was utilized to establish the best set of variables predictive of merit vs. non-merit ASD case resolutions. The selection of the predictor variables in the ? nal model progressed via steps while the different ndependent predictor variables were inserted into or excluded from the model, in an attempt to realize the largest increase in R 2 . This course of action revealed that RP size, CP race (Native American/Alaskan Native), and RP industry (Service) contributed the most to the explanatory power of the model (? 2 = 33. 176, p =< 0. 000, df = 3), explaining approxima tely 35. 4% to 48. 9% of the variance in the merit vs. non-merit resolution status of ASD cases (i. e. , Cox & Snell R 2 = 0. 354, Nagelkerke R 2 = 0. 489). However, the ? nal number of cases (N ) included in this model decreased from 98 to 76, because of missing data in a couple of he model’s independent variables. Therefore, desiring to include as many of the ASD group’s relatively small number of cases as possible in the ? nal model, another logistic regression analysis was completed. This new analysis made use of simultaneous entry of only the two statistically signi? cant predictor variables that had been found in the forward stepwise analysis (i. e. , RP size and CP industry [Service]). Thus, the new model (N = 86, ? 2 = 18. 553, p =< 0. 000, df = 2) consists of only RP size and RP industry (Service), which serve as the independent predictor variables and explain approximately 19. % to 27. 5% of the variance in the merit vs. non-merit resolution status of the ASD cases (i. e. , Cox & Snell R 2 = 0. 194, Nagelkerke R 2 = 0. 275). This same process for determining the best predictor variables for a multiple logistic regression model, while attempting to avoid as many missing data cases as possible, was recently utilized within the ? eld of Rehabilitation research [39]. The results of the ? nal model are detailed in Table 3. It could be said that the odds of an ASD allegation resulting in a meritorious case resolution increase when: (1) the allegation is made against a Service industryRP, and (2) as the size of the RP increases (i. e. , number of employees). It was found that ASD allegations that were made against RPs in the Service industry are approximately seven times more likely than all other industries (considered together) to experience merit resolutions (i. e. , Exp[? ]= 7. 013). In conjunction with this, it was also found that for each one-unit increase in a RP’s size (e. g. , moving from the 15–100 employee category, to the 101-200 employee category, to the 201– T. A. Van Wieren / Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: EEOC & ADA 305 Table 2Descriptive Analysis of ASD and GENDIS allegations ASD (F) CP AGE: Age (mean years of age) (72) (26) GENDIS (F) 36 years CP GENDER: – Male – Female % % 44 years 73. 5% 26. 5% (95,282) (79,048) 54. 7% 45. 3% CP RACE: – White (60) 61. 9% (108,803) 63. 1% – African American (14) 14. 4% (35,325) 20. 5% – Hispanic/Mexican (11) 11. 3% (12,535) 7. 3% – Other? (12) 12. 4% (15,718) 9. 1% ? Comprised of EEOC categories: Asian, Native American/Alaskan Native, Mixed Ethnicity & Other Ethnicity RP INDUSTRY: – Agriculture – Construction – Fin. , Ins. , Real Est. – Manufacturing (16) 16. 8% – Mining Public Admin. (8) 8. 2% – Retail (22) 23. 2% – Services (18) 18. 9% – Trans. & Util. (10) 10. 5% – Wholesale – Not Classi? ed (18) 18. 9% Indust ries with less than 5 ASD charges are not reported (32,539) 19. 2% (16,051) (18,129) (49,525) (15,741) 9. 5% 10. 7% 29. 2% 9. 3% (21,472) 12. 7% RP SIZE: – 15–100 employees – 101–200 employees – 201–500 employees – 501 + employees U. S. REGION: – Northeast – Midwest – South – West – U. S. Territory – Foreign (33) (13) (9) (34) 37. 1% 14. 6% 10. 1% 38. 2% (56,161) (20,708) (18,507) (72,297) 33. 5% 12. 4% 11. 0% 43. 1% (7) (24) (47) (20) (0) (0) 7. % 24. 5% 48. 0% 20. 4% 0% 0% (18,667) (52,014) (70,404) (32,782) (641) (4) 10. 7% 29. 8% 40. 3% 18. 8% 0. 4% 0% ALLEGATIONS: – Job Obtainment or Membership – Job Conditions or Circumstances – Job Maintenance or Preservation – Other/Miscellaneous (6) (47) (41) (4) 6. 1% 48. 0% 41. 8% 4. 1% (12,047) (90,162) (68,569) (3,734) 6. 9% 51. 7% 39. 3% 2. 1% RESOLUTIONS: – Merit – Non-Merit (29) (69) 29. 6% 70. 4% (38,3 85) (136,127) 22% 78. 0% 500 employee category, to the 501+ employee category, etc. ) the odds of an ASD allegation being resolved with merit increase by over one and a half times (Exp[? = 1. 836). 7. Discussion 7. 1. Education efforts by the EEOC The EEOC distributes training materials to employees and individuals with disabilities concerning ADA Title I issues. Efforts should be focused on educating Retail and Service industry and larger employers in particular concerning the characteristics of and the unique work-related issues of individuals with ASDs. Furthermore, in attempting to educate individuals with disabilities concerning their rights and options to ? le discrimination allegations, the EEOC should consider including focus on individuals with ASDs in a special ense, given that many of these individuals may not be aware of how to recognize discrimination and/or how to take advantage of the EEOC’s resolution services 306 T. A. Van Wieren / Workplace discrimination an d autism spectrum disorders: EEOC & ADA Table 3 Final model for logistic regression analysis of ASD Merit vs. Non-Merit resolutions Predictor ? SE df Wald – RP Industry 1. 948 0. 627 9. 665 (Service vs. all others) – Responding Party Size 0. 608 0. 218 7. 802 (i. e. , # of employees) Constant ?2. 942 0. 731 16. 195 Model Summary: N = 86 df = 2 ?2 = 18. 553 p =< 0. 000 R2 = 0. 94 (Cox & Snell), 0. 275 (Nagelkerke) ? Signi? cant p Exp(? ) 1 0. 002? 7. 013 95% C. I. for Exp(? ) 1. 397–35. 219 1 0. 005? 1. 836 1. 048–3. 216 1 0. 000 0. 053 at . 01 level (as possibly evidenced in the extremely low number of ASD allegations received by the EEOC to date). 7. 2. Training of ASD support personnel It would be important for personnel who support the vocational efforts of individuals with ASDs (e. g. , rehabilitation counselors, supported employment specialists, etc. ) to understand the unique trends of ASD allegations of ADA Title I discrimination. Compared o many o ther disability groups, ASD allegations are more likely to be made by younger individuals and by males. Employers that perhaps require a special degree of attention when considering ASD vocational issues would include Retail and Service industry employers and larger employers. Rehabilitation professionals also need to know that relatively few ADA Title I allegations are made to the EEOC by people with ASDs, compared to other disability groups, which may possibly mean that individuals with ASDs are especially at risk for not advocating for themselves against employment discrimination.Supportive personnel need to understand that a systems/ecological approach is especially needed in assisting individuals with ASDs to obtain and maintain integrated employment in the competitive, private-sector workplace. The supported employment and positive behavioral support models may be particularly valuable here in assisting individuals with ASDs and their work environments to successfully adapt to each other. After all, it is known that individuals with ASDs can achieve employment success and can be highly regarded by their employers if they receive the appropriate vocational supports [18,22,24].Such vocational supports should include sophisticated and independentlytailored assessment (of both the individual and potential work environments), placement, training, and ongoing support. Based upon the extremely low number of ASD allegations made to the EEOC, it might also appear that a major focus in working with individuals with ASDs would be to assist in increasing their self-advocacy skills. Employers engaged with individuals with ASDs (especially those in the Retail and Service industries and larger employers) also require sophisticated and independently-tailored assistance.Efforts directed towards employers should focus, in particular, on attempting to understand and articulate the workplace’s normative behavioral and communicative standards; educating the employer t o understand how individuals with ASDs may have a dif? cult time meeting these normative standards; helping employers to develop positive frames of reference concerning their employees with ASDs, and assisting employers to develop effective, appropriate, and non-discriminatory responses towards their employees with ASDs. 7. 3. Transition planning to adult working age Individuals with ASDs who ? le allegations of ADATitle I discrimination are more likely to be younger, compared to members of many other disability groups. As discussed previously, this may have something to do with ASDs being lifelong developmental disabilities. Thus, individuals with ASDs enter (and/or attempt to enter) into the adult workforce from day-one with their disability. This is different from some other disabilities that may not be acquired by an individual until later in life or after they have been engaged in the workplace for a length of time. Therefore, long-term transition planning for children and/or y oung adults with ASDs hould include the consideration of avenues by which such individuals can obtain introductory work experience (such as part-time jobs, internship/practicum-style experiences, etc. ) prior to the point that they will be expected to move permanently into the adult workforce. T. A. Van Wieren / Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: EEOC & ADA Because individuals with ASDs struggle with social perception/interaction and behavior in particular, they may bene? t especially from guided practice and experiences in learning how to appropriately and effectively perceive and respond within work environments. [10] [11] [12] . Conclusion [13] This study revealed unique issues for ASD allegations of ADA Title I discrimination. As a result of this new understanding, some implications and suggestions were offered, aimed at assisting both individuals with ASDs and their work environments to adapt to each other, so as to prevent issues of discrimination. Perhaps one of the most important and obvious issues noted in this study is the extremely low number of ASD allegations received to date by the EEOC. This might signify that individuals with ASDs are not recognizing discrimination and/or are not aware of their rights and options concerning the EEOC.It is recommended that any further research efforts into the topic of ASDs and workplace discrimination begin by exploring this important issue. [14] References [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Autism Europe, Autism and employment, 2003, http://www. autismeurope. org/portal/Portals/0/AE EYPD EMPLOY FINAL ENG. pdf. Autism Society of American, What is autism? , 2006, http:// www. autism-society. org/site/PageServer? pagename= whatisautism. American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (4th ed. , text revision), Washington, D. C. : Author, 2000 A. J. Armstrong, B. T. McMahon, S. L.West and A. Lewis, Workplace discrimination and cumulative trauma disorde rs: the national EEOC ADA research project, Work 25 (2005), 49–56. J. Barnard, V. Harvey, D. Potter and A. Prior, Ignored or ineligible? the reality for adults with autism spectrum disorders, The National Autistic Society Report for Autism Awareness Week, (2001). J. P. Bovee, A right to our own life, our own way, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 15(3) (2000), 250–252. F. G. Bowe, B. T. McMahon, T. Chang and I. Louvi, Workplace discrimination, deafness and hearing impairment: the national EEOC ADA research project, Work 25 (2005), 19–25.L. C. Capo, Autism, employment, and the role of occupational therapy, Work 16(3) (2001), 201–207. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Autism Information Center, 2006, http://www. cdc. gov/ncbddd/dd/ddautism. htm. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] 307 L. Conyers, K. B. Boomer and B. T. McMahon, Workplace discrimination and HIV/AIDS: the national EEOC ADA re search project, Work 25 (2005), 37 -48. L. Conyers, D. Unger and P. D. Rumrill, A comparison of equal employment opportunity commission case resolution patterns of people with HIV/AIDS and other disabilities, Journal ofVocational Rehabilitation 22 (2005), 171–178. D. de Vaus, Analyzing Social Science Data: 50 Key Problems in Data Aalysis, London, SAGE Publications Ltd. , 2002. D. R. Falvo, Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness and Disability. Sudbury, MA, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2005. E. Fombonne, The prevalence of autism, JAMA 283(1) (2003), 87–89. U. Frish, Autism, Scienti? c American 268(6) (1993), 108–114. D. Garcia-Villamisar, D. Ross and P. Wehman, Clinical differential analysis of persons with autism in a work setting: a follow-up study, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 14 (2000), 183–185. W. D.Gouvier, S. Sytsma-Jordan and S. Mayville, Patterns of discrimination in hiring job applicants with disabilities: the role of disab ility type, job complexity, and public contact, Rehabilitation Psychology 48 (2003), 175–181. D. Hagner and B. F. Cooney B. F. , â€Å"I do that for everybody†: supervising employees with autism, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 20(2) (2005), 91–97. B. Hernandez, C. B. Keys and F. E. Balcazar, Disability rights: attitudes of private and public sector representatives, The Journal of Rehabilitation 70(1) (2004), 28–37. P. Howlin and S. Goode, Outcome in adult life for people ith autism and Asperger’s syndrome, in: Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders, F. R. Volkmar, ed. , New York, Cambridge University Press, 1998, pp. 209–241. P. Howlin, S. Goode, J. Hutton and M. Rutter, Adult outcome for children with autism, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 45(2) (2004), 212–229. K. Hurlbutt and L. Chalmbers, Employment and adults with Asperger syndrome, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 19(4) (2004), 215–222. D. Koontz-Lowman, S. L. West and B. T. McMahon, Workplace discrimination and Americans with cerebral palsy: the national EEOC ADA research project. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 23 (2005), 171–177. J. Kregel, Why it pays to hire workers with developmental disabilities, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 14(3) (1999), 130–132. A. N. Lewis, B. T. McMahon, S. L. West, A. J. Armstrong and L. Belongia, Workplace discrimination and asthma: the national EEOC ADA research project, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 23 (2005), 189–195. L. Mawhood and P. Howlin, The outcome of a supported employment scheme for high-functioning adults with autism or Asperger syndrome, Autism 3 (1999), 229–254. M. A. McKenna, Discriminatory practices allegations underEEOC: an empirical analysis of investigated complaints ? led by those who have cancer (Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland), Dissertation Abstracts Internatio nal 66/05 (2005), 1650. B. T. McMahon and L. R. Shaw, Workplace discrimination and disability, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 23 (2005), 137–143. B. T. McMahon, L. R. Shaw and D. Jaet, An empirical analysis: employment and disability from an ADA litigation perspective, NARPPS Journal 10(2) (1995), 3–14. 308 [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] T. A. Van Wieren / Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: EEOC & ADA B.T. McMahon, L. R. Shaw, S. West and K. Waid-Ebbs, Workplace discrimination and spinal cord injury: the national EEOC ADA research project, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 23 (2005), 155–162. B. T. McMahon, S. L. West, M. Mansouri and L. Belongia, Workplace discrimination and diabetes: the EEOC Americans with Disabilities Act research project, Work 25 (2005), 9–18. B. T. McMahon, S. L. West, L. R. Shaw, K. Waid-Ebbs and L. Belongia, Workplace discrimination and traumatic brain injury: the nat ional EEOC ADA research project, Work 25 (2005), 67–75. G. B. Mesibov, V. Shea and L. W.Adams, Understanding Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism, New York, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 2001. P. R. Mitchell, B. T. McMahon and D. McKee, Speech impairment and workplace discrimination: the national EEOC ADA research project, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 23 (2005), 163–169. E. Muller, A. Schuler, B. A. Burton and G. B. Yates, Meeting the vocational support needs of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 18 (2003), 163–175. B. S. Myles and R. L. Simpson, Asperger Syndrome: A Guide or Educators and Parents, Austin, TX, Pro-ed, 1998. National Institute of Mental Health, Autism spectrum disorders (pervasive developmental disorders, 2005, http://www. nimh. nih. gov/publicat/autism. cfm. S. Ozonoff, G. Dawson and J. McPartland, A Parent’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome & Hig h Functioning Autism, New York, The Guilford Press, 2002. L. J. Phillips and A. K. Stuifbergen, Predicting continued employment in persons with multiple sclerosis, Journal of Rehabilitation 72(1) (2006), 35–43. D. F. Polit, Data Analysis and Statistics for Nursing Research, Stamford, CT, Appleton & Lange, 1996. I.Rapin, Autism, New England Journal of Medicine 337 (1997), 97–104. P. D. Rumrill, R. T. Roessler, B. T. McMahon, and S. M. Fitzgerald, Multiple sclerosis and workplace discrimination: the national EEOC ADA research project, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 23 (2005), 179–187. [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] P. D. Rumrill, R. T. Roessler, D. Unger and C. Vierstra, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission case resolution patterns involving people with multiple sclerosis, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 20 (2004), 171–176. J. Schaller and N. K.Yang, Competitive employm ent for people with autism: correlates of successful closure in competitive and supported employment, Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin 49(1) (2005), 4–16. A. Tartaglia, B. T. McMahon, S. L. West and L. Belongia, Workplace discrimination and dis? gurement: the national EEOC ADA research project, Work 25 (2005), 57–65. D. D. Unger, Employers’ attitudes toward persons with disabilities in the workforce: myths or realities? Focus On Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 17(1) (2002), 2–10. D. D. Unger, L. R. Campbell and B. T. McMahon, Workplace discrimination and mental retardation: the national EEOCADA research project, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 23 (2005), 145–154. D. D. Unger, P. D. Rumrill and M. L. Hennessey, Resolutions of ADA Title I cases involving people who are visually impaired: a comparative analysis, Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (2005), 453–463. D. D. Unger, P. D. Rumrill, R. T. Roessler and R. Stackli n, A comparative analysis of employment discrimination complaints ? led by people with multiple sclerosis and individuals with other disabilities, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 20 (2004), 165–170. S. L. West, B. T. McMahon, E. Monasterio, L. Belongia and K.Kramer, Workplace discrimination and missing limbs: the national EEOC ADA research project, Work 25 (2005), 27–35. T. L. Whitman, The Development of Autism: A Self-Regulatory Perspective, London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd. , 2004. L. Wing, Past and future of research on Asperger syndrome, in: Asperger Syndrome, A. Klin, F. R. Volkmar and S. S. Sparrow, eds, New York, The Guilford Press, 2000, pp. 418–432. M. Yeargin-Allsop, C. Rice, T. Karapurkar, N. Doernberg, C. Boyle and C. Murphy, Prevalence of autism in a U. S. metropolitan area, Journal of American Medical Association 289(1) (2003), 49–55.

The Al Qaeda Organization essays

The Al Qaeda Organization essays The label of terrorist organization that Al Qaeda received form the international community is not denied by its leader. Furthermore, the Al Qaeda Manual incorporates the jihad message to its supporters through the incorporation of the religious factor implying the desire of Allah1 to impose Muslim order. It also contains several directives instigating people to fight against the Western world considering it responsible for the death of their people. In such fight they cannot engage using traditional measures such as diplomacy, but military confrontation. Because Al Qaeda is not a state actor, it does not occupy a clear geographical area (it has many affiliates in different countries, different groups that followed its model, some of them are sponsored by them), it does not imply an open fight, but it strikes using various bombings and suicide bombers, whenever they find the way of doing so taking advantage by the flaws in the security systems, the international community finds itse lf in the difficulty of striking back. Osama bin Laden is without a doubt the head of al-Qaeda and the most wanted terrorist in the world. His father, Mohammed bin Laden, was a Yemeni immigrant to Saudi Arabia who started his own construction business coming to the attention of Abdul Aziz, the first monarch of Saudi Arabia. Thus he received a very important project, the renovation of holy Mecca. In 1957, his forth wife, a Syrian woman gave birth to Osama in Saudi Arabia. At the age of 11, bin Laden lost his father in a helicopter accident. Due to his family wealth and their relation with the royal family, he studies economics and management at the kings Abdul Aziz University. One of his teachers, Azzam exercised a great influence on Osama, shaping his religious beliefs. Bin Ladens rise to power was possible due to his wealth that he inherited from his family business. His first actions that draw the international attention represent...

The Uses and Advantages of Corrugated Plastic

The Uses and Advantages of Corrugated Plastic There are two main types of corrugated plastic. Corrugated plastic sheet usually comprises what appear to be three layers - two flat sheets with a ribbed center layer. In fact, they are really two layers, often referred to as twinwall plastic. Corrugated plastic can also mean sheets of plastic which are wave-like in profile and may be reinforced with chopped glass fiber. They are a single layer and used mainly for roofing of garages and outhouses, but gardeners also use them to build sheds. Here we will focus on the twinwall version, also known as a corrugated plastic board or fluted plastic board. How Corrugated Plastic Sheets Are Made The materials used include polypropylene and polyethylene, widely used and versatile thermoplastics. Polypropylene has a neutral ph and is resistant to many chemicals at normal temperatures, but can be dosed with additives to provide a variety of other resistance such as UV, anti-static and fire resistance, for example. Polycarbonate is also used, but this is a much less versatile material, particularly in respect of its relatively poor impact resistance and brittleness, although it is stiffer. PVC and PET are also used. In the basic manufacturing process, the sheet is extruded - that is the molten plastic is pumped (typically with a screw mechanism) through a die which provides the profile. Dies are typical 1 - 3 meters wide, delivering a product of thickness up to 25 mm. Mono- and co-extrusion techniques are used depending on the precise profile required. Advantages and Uses In buildings: Suppliers claim it is an ideal material for storm shutters and that it is 200 times stronger than glass, 5 times lighter than plywood. It does not require painting and maintains its color, it is translucent and does not rot. Clear polycarbonate corrugated sheet is used for roofing sunrooms where its rigidity, lightweight and insulating properties are ideal, and low impact resistance is less of an issue. It is also used for small structures such as greenhouses where its air core provides a useful insulating layer. Humanitarian Relief: The material is ideal for temporary shelters need after flood, earthquake and other disasters. The lightweight sheets are easily transported by air. Easy to handle and fix to wooden frames their waterproof and insulating properties offer rapid shelter solutions when compared to traditional materials such as tarpaulins and corrugated steel sheets. Packaging: Versatile, flexible and impact resistant, polypropylene board is ideal for packaging components (and agricultural produce too). It is more eco-friendly than some molded packaging which cannot be recycled. It can be stapled, stitched and easily cut to shape with a hobby knife. Signage: It is available in a wide variety of colors, is readily printed on (typically using UV printing) and can easily be fixed using a wide variety of methods - its light weight being an important factor. Pet enclosures: It is such a versatile material that rabbit hutches and other domestic pet enclosures are built with it. Fittings such as hinges can be bolted to it; being non-absorbent and easy to clean it offers a very low maintenance finish. Hobby Applications: Modellers are using it to build airplanes, where its light weight combined with rigidity in one dimension and flexibility at right angles provides properties ideal for wing and fuselage construction. Medical: In an emergency, a section of a sheet can be rolled around a broken limb and taped into place as a splint, also providing impact protection and body heat retention. Corrugated Plastic: the Future The uses that this category of board are put to demonstrate its fantastic versatility. New uses are being identified almost every day.  For example, a patent has recently been filed to use layered sheets (alternate layers fused at right angles) in air-to-air heat exchangers. Demand for corrugated plastic is sure to grow, but as many of the plastics used are dependent on crude oil, the raw material costs are subject to the fluctuations (and inevitable growth) of oil prices. This may prove to be a controlling factor.

Drug Courts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Drug Courts - Research Paper Example Conversely, when those forces are unequal, some economics focus on the 'supply side' of the equation, while others view the 'demand' side as that which needs to be focused on. The history of economics is one that shifts in emphasis from supply to demand and back again. It will be argued in the following that the use of 'diversion' in the courts represents a good step toward tackling the 'demand' side of the drug equation. And, what is important beyond the success or failure, is that it is an attempt to deal with demand rather than continuing the war on drugs that aims mostly at supply. This said, while it is a step in the right direction, there are some important limitations. Community based drug rehabs have had a largely positive outcome. One of the tertiary side effects of wide scale drug use, is the increase in crime as a consequence. While it is the case that drug use itself is largely illegal, that is not the sole crime committed by drug users. There is a large incarceration rat e of individuals who did crimes to support their drug habits [Stone and Stone 95]. This can mean something as simple as a house-robbery, to the large scale distribution of narcotics, to neglecting the welfare of one's children because of the time constraints and debilitating effects of addiction. These three examples stand to show how diverse the consequences of drug addiction is. Policing and thus, the criminal justice system are pretty burdened by drug abuse both in its primary sense, but also in the secondary or tertiary consequences of addicted behaviors. The cost of this involvement is formidable. For instance, where a community based drug rehab was in place in Washington State, the cost to the community for every dollar spent varied from over $ 18 benefit from investing in a community program, just over $ 5. dollars for investing in criminal prosecution and just $ 2.08 for diversion courts [Velazquez 14]. The dollar investment in community based programs is economically much m ore successful than other approaches, and yet, it is estimated that among the population in the US, nine percent of Americans are addicted to some type of narcotic on the one hand, and on the other hand, less than a quarter of those receive substance abuse treatment, and finally, among that quarter, about 37 % of those treated were mandated to do so [Velasquez 14]. Before looking at how and where the drug court system presents itself as limited, as compared, for example, with the optimal course of treatment which is community based, some remarks on the success of drug courts will be presented. Likewise, the rationale behind the very practice will get outlined. The very purpose of drug courts, is to avoid the costly endeavor of criminal incarceration. There is a cost built into housing an individual in jail, but also a larger cost than that when one considers what a criminal record is going to cost that individual [Nolan 129]. For instance, one could describe a 'vicious circle' of cr iminality associated with drug behavior. When a convicted individual returns to the regular world, so to speak, they will find themselves with a very diminished capacity as far as basic opportunities go. A criminal record means that many opportunities that might have once been open to them, are no longer available because of the conviction and incarceration. For instance, when we look at the recidivism rate among individuals who have been convicted, the rate is much higher for people who have a prior criminal conviction [Wolfe,

Workplace Issues or Disaster Management (PLEASE CHOOSE ONE TOPIC) Essay

Workplace Issues or Disaster Management (PLEASE CHOOSE ONE TOPIC) - Essay Example Direct cost includes the amount of money a health care facility spends to conduct the process of hiring, recruiting and orientation. Indirect costs that a health care facility pays due to nurse turnover are the costs of decreased productivity, training, retraining and terminating nursing officials. In their research they even figure out that nurse turnover even impacts professionals of the nursing in a negative manner. One of the issues that nurses experience due to turnover of nurses is the increased amount of burden on nurses which results in negatively impacting the wellbeing of the nurses. In this research the researchers figured out those nurse turnover even impacts patients in a negative manner. Their studies showed that the quality of care decreases and risk of safety of patients increases as nurse turnover rate increases. This is because nurse turnover results in increased amount of burden on limited number of nurses, due to increased burden, nurse ends up making mistake and pose a risk to the health of the patients. This study further figured out that there was a direct link between nursing staffing levels and the time period for which patients stay in the health care setting, the rate of complications experienced by patients and probability of rescuing patients. They figured out that health care settings where the number of nurses employed are and the mix of skills are high results in positively impacting patients. Several legal issues have been stated within the research that might arise due to increase in nurse turnover. One of these legal issues may be increased number of lawsuits filed by the patient’s family if lower staff levels threaten the security and the wellbeing of the patients. If health care facilities fail to provide adequate amount of care due to shortage of nursing staff, they might be charged under both criminal and civil suit and any one of the suits. The reputation of the nursing facility