Do women still face a glass ceiling in employment Free Essays

Abstract The following study focuses on the problem of gender inequality in employment. While general employment opportunities for women has significantly improved over the past decades, many scholars and researchers argue that women still meet obstacles with regard to being promoted into top-level management positions. Such barriers to women’s career progressions are popularly known as the glass ceiling. We will write a custom essay sample on Do women still face a glass ceiling in employment? or any similar topic only for you Order Now The following research seeks evidence of the glass ceiling on the global labour market by an in-depth analysis of relevant statistics and data on gender inequality. The research revealed that indeed, the glass ceiling still exists on the labour market. Women are strongly underrepresented in management-level positions. Additionally, female executives are paid lower wages compared to their male counterparts. The glass ceiling is largely a consequence of insufficient government efforts towards breaking the glass ceiling as well as of masculine corporate culture that often do not support women’s individual development. Introduction Historically, women were facing disadvantages in all spheres of life including health, education, politics and the labour market. Over the past decades, international bodies took steps to tackle the problems of gender inequality and women’s empowerment. In 2000, the United Nations listed gender equality amongst its Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by 2015. UNICEF constantly develops new programmes aiming at equitable education access for girls and boys so that they have equal career opportunities (UNICEF, 2012). In turn, in 2010 the EU established the European Institute for Gender Equality focused on eliminating sex discrimination and protecting women’s rights in the member states (Purcell et.al., 2006). Without doubts, these steps brought numerous benefits to women. The enrollment ratio of girls to boys in primary and secondary education is equivalent to 97.2 (2010), while the female labour participation rate, measured as a percentage of all females ages 15 and above, reaches 51.2% (2011). Also the gender pay gap has gradually narrowed (World Bank, 2012). While the women’s situation on the labour market improved, they still face significant challenges with regard to career advancement to senior executive positions. According to the consulting company, Accenture, women share only insignificant proportion of senior level positions. Moreover, female senior executives are paid lower wages than male senior official. This phenomenon relates to both the developing world as well as the most advanced economies such as the US, the UK and Australia. In turn, the World Economic Forum revealed that the world’s largest employers fail to establish optimal environment for womenâ€℠¢s professional development (The World Economic Forum, 2010). These facts suggest that the gender glass ceiling, the invisible barrier to women’s career advancement, still exist on global labour market, preventing women from promotions to senior level positions. The aim of this research is to seek evidence of the glass ceiling on the contemporary labour market. First, the essay briefly discusses the concept of the glass ceiling. Second, it demonstrates evidence of the gender ceiling based on selected international and national studies on gender inequalities. Finally, the essay concludes key findings and presents policy recommendations. The glass ceiling The term â€Å"glass ceiling† was used for the first time in 1984 by the editor of Working Women magazine, who states that â€Å"Women have reached a certain point –I call it the glass ceiling – in the top of middle management and they’re stopping and getting stuck† (Boyd, 2012, p.1). However, the official definition was introduced in 1991 by the US Department of Labour. The glass ceiling was described as â€Å"artifice barriers based on attitudinal or organizational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their organization into management-level positions†[1] (Boyd, 2012, p.2). Cotter et.al. (2001) postulate that the glass ceiling cannot be used to describe all forms of gender inequalities in employment. He proposes four criteria that help defining this phenomenon. First, the glass ceiling can be acknowledged if gender inequalities cannot be proved by other job-related features of employee such as education, experien ce or skills because these features are the same for female and male employees. Second, the glass ceiling can be assumed if the degree of gender inequalities at management level is higher than such the degree for non-managerial and nonprofessional positions. In case gender inequalities are the same at all different employment levels, a â€Å"common pattern of gender inequality† (Cotter et.al., 2001, p.4) is observed rather than the glass ceiling. Third, the glass ceiling does not refer only to the current shares of female and male representatives in the executive boards, but also to potential promotions within a particular time period. The authors explain that current proportions largely reflect previous conditions. For instance, if women decide to leave jobs more often than men due to expected poor career opportunities, automatically more men will be in the executive board even if promotion rate were even. Fourth, the glass ceiling is strongly related to career trajectories . Gender inequality grows with career advancement – at higher career level women face more discrimination cases than at lower career levels[2] (Cotter et.al., 2001). The concept of the glass ceiling has often been criticized. The opponents argue that in practice the glass ceiling does not exist. Women face career barriers due to their own choices such as childbearing or family responsibilities. These decisions have an impact on lower wages and delayed career advancement. Thus, the institutional and structural settings cannot be blamed for gender inequalities at work (Boyd, 2012). Also Simpson and Altman (2000) argue that the traditional concept of the glass ceiling needs to be reinterpreted. Their studies revealed that young women are equally treated to their male counterparts in terms of career advancement and wages. However, career development is more challenging for elder women who are often refused promotions. Thus, the glass ceiling is punctured. The authors also postulate that the glass ceiling appears more commonly at top management level, at which men are more likely to be promoted. Thus, the glass ceiling should be seen as time bounded. Evidence of the glass ceiling in employment While gender inequalities are strongly visible in developing countries, advanced economies are characterized by almost equal access to education and employment for women and men. In this context, the fact that women are strongly underrepresented in the senior executive management constitutes perhaps the best proof of existing glass ceiling. Numerous international and national studies seem to undertake the glass ceiling topic, seeking evidence of its presence in employment. Following the Grant Thornton estimations, in 2011 female representatives accounted for 20% of senior management positions globally. These statistics were based on 6,000 interviews with employers in 40 countries. As Appendix 1 shows, there are great disparities with regard to female senior management positions amongst the countries. Russia, Botswana and the Philippines are characterized by the highest rates of women in senior management. Surprisingly, the world’s most advanced economies such as the US, the UK or Germany have the rates falling below the global average rate. These figures indicate that in spite of available financial resources, the most advanced economies do not give a priority to women’s empowerment and their career development and thus, also do not constitute a role model for developing world in this area (GrantThornton, 2012). Another cross-national research on employment equality was conducted by the consulting company, Accenture in 2006. The study included 590 executives from six countries (UK, Australia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Philippines). Research provided solid evidence of the glass ceiling in these countries. First, in 2006 women accounted for between 39-46% of the total labour force. At the same time, they represented from 4% (Switzerland) to 13% (Austria) of senior executive roles. Additionally, female managers were on average paid 79% of men’s salaries. Accenture also prepared the Global Glass Ceiling Index informing how thick the glass ceiling is with regard to three areas: individual (professional competence and ambitions, career planning); company (transparent promotion process, training programmes and mentoring); society (equal career opportunities, government policy on women’s rights). As Appendix 2 shows, the glass ceiling existed in all countries, but also in all three researched areas. Governments were mainly responsible for the thickness of the glass ceiling. The interviewees argued that government legislation did not support adequately women’s career development. The interviewees also admitted that corporate mentoring and coaching programmes were not designed to meet women’s needs and thus, did not facilitate women’s career development. Overall, employers were more committed to gender equality than national governments (Accenture, 2006). Additional evidence of the glass ceiling can be gathered from the Corporate Gender Report 2010, prepared by the World Economic Forum. The research included 100 largest employers from the OECD countries and the BRIC countries. The research revealed that the majority of women in these companies performed entry- or middle-level roles, while on average 5% of female employees held the CEO-level positions. This report also identified general norms and culture in researched countries as well as masculine corporate culture as two key barriers to women’s advancement to senior leadership. Finally, the report informed that 18% of companies did not monitor salary differences between women and men, while other 15% established salary tracking policies but did not implement corrective measures. It suggests that a significant proportion of companies do not treat gender pay gap as a sign of women’s discrimination (Zahidi and Ibarra, 2010). While the above-presented studies provide solid evidence of existing glass ceiling, it is crucial to briefly discuss a country-level analysis conducted by Ernst and Young. It is one of the most recent analyses of the glass ceiling (2012), which reveals new information on the phenomenon and adds value to this research. The survey included 1,000 adult women in the UK who jointly agreed that the glass ceiling was present on the British labour market face. More importantly, women argued that the concept of a single ceiling to enter the senior executive board was outdated, as they experienced multiple barriers throughout their career development. Ernst and Young defined four major challenges for women, namely motherhood, age, qualifications and experience as well as lack of role models. Not only can these barriers affect women at any time throughout their careers, but all of them (or a few of them) can appear at the same time. It proves again that women are constantly disadvantaged with regard to career advancement (Woods, 2012). While the glass ceiling is confirmed by numerous analyses, some researchers come to very different conclusions on this phenomenon. This fact needs to be emphasized. For instance, the study of the US labour market conducted by Gayle et.al. (2009) revealed that women were more successful than men in terms of career development. Women were equally likely to be promoted as their male counterparts. Surprisingly, women were more likely to be promoted within the internal structures rather than by receiving an outside offer. Female executive tended to earn slightly higher wages than men. The authors explained visible gender inequalities in the executive market by â€Å"unobserved factors† (Gayle, 2009, p.28) such as tough unrewarding assignments, high competition, or indignities that are characterized for the senior management environment and that discourage women from climbing the career ladder. In case of women performing executive duties, these factors encouraged them to early reti rement. Interesting findings also come from the aforementioned research conducted by Simpson and Altman (2001) on the British market. The glass ceiling affected elder women’s careers; however, it did not impact young women under 35. Young female generation was raised assuming that gender equality was their natural right, given at birth. Due to this perception and career-oriented minds, they are perceived by the employers as ‘high flyers’ (Simpson and Altman, 2001, p.195) rather than as women – they are treated equally to men in terms of career advancement. However, as women establish new priorities later in their lives (i.e. family), the employers see them again as women. Thus, their career promotion becomes more challenging at this later stage. Conclusion To conclude, the following research provided solid proofs that the gender glass ceiling still exists in employment across the globe. Not only women represent less than 20% of senior management roles globally, but they are also paid lower wages for performing executive duties compared to their male counterparts. The analyses conducted by Accenture and the World Economic Forum prove that the government policies seem to be significant obstacles to eliminating the glass ceiling in employment. The governments do not pay enough attention to equal career opportunities for men and women and they constantly fail to develop adequate policies to facilitate women’s advancement. Also companies seem to challenge women’s development in their workplace. The companies are typically characterized by a masculine corporate culture. They often fail to establish salary tracking systems and to correct wages disparities. Finally, the mentoring and coaching programmes offered by the companies a re often inadequate to women’s individual needs and block their potential development. It is worth adding that the most recent analysis, conducted by Ernst and Young, reveals that currently women face multiple challenges in career advancement rather than a single ceiling. These multiple barriers often appear at the same time what seem to make women’s career progression more questionable. In order to tackle the problem of the glass ceiling, the following policy recommendations were drawn: The companies need to be forced to take equal career development issues seriously. Norway seems to be a good example to be followed. Norwegian companies are required to have 40% women in their management board. While such a percentage is quite challenging for most countries, setting lower but obligatory quotas is expected to work well. The companies should also be encouraged to create own lists of good practice with a particular focus on women’s needs. Such companies can become role models, inspiring other companies to take similar actions, what is expected to result in improved working conditions for women. Targeted actions should be implemented. Industrial and professional associations should actively challenge unfair practices and policies to provide better career opportunities for women (Purcell et.al., 2006). List of references Accenture (2006). The anatomy of glass ceiling. [online] Available from: http://www.accenture.com/at-de/Documents/PDF/TheGlassCeiling.pdf (Accessed on 28.11.2012). Boyd K.S. (2012). Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity and Society: Glass Ceiling. Thousand Oaks: SAGE, pp. 549-552. Cotter D.A., Hermsen J.M., Ovadia S. and Vanneman R. (2001). The Glass Ceiling Effect. Social Forces. 80(2), pp. 655-682. Gayle G.L., Golan L. and Miller, R. (2009). Are there glass ceilings for female executivesPittsburgh: Carnegie Mellon University. Grant Thornton (2012). Grant Thornton International Business Report. Women in senior management: still not enough. London: Grant Thornton International Limited. Purcell K., Elias P. and Wilton, N. (2006). Looking through the glass ceiling: a detailed investigation into the factors that contribute to gendered career inequalities. Coventry: Warwick Institute for Employment Research. Simpson R. and Altman Y. (2000). The time bounded glass ceiling and young women managers: career progress and career success – evidence from the UK. Journal of European Industrial Training. 24(2). Pp. 190-198. UNICEF (2012). Basic education and gender equality [online database] Available from: http://www.unicef.org/ (Accessed on 28.11.2012). Woods D. (2012). Glass ceiling is ‘outdated’, Ernst and Young survey of 1,000 women reveals. [online] Available from: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1074417/glass-ceiling-outdated-ernst-young-survey-women-reveals (Accessed on 28.11.2012). World Bank (2012). The World Development Indicators. [online database] Available from: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator (Accessed on 28.11.2012). Zahidi S. and Ibbara H. (2010). The Corporate Gender Gap Report 2010. Geneva: World Economic Forum. How to cite Do women still face a glass ceiling in employment?, Essay examples

Mumia Abu Jamal Essay Example For Students

Mumia Abu Jamal Essay Wesley Cook was born in 1954. While he was protesting at a George Wallace forpresident rally in 1968, several white men attacked him. He claims that two mengrabbed him. One kicked his face and skull, while the other kicked him in thegroin. As the beating progressed, he looked up and saw the two-tonedgold-trimmed pant leg of a Philadelphia police officer. He yelled for thepolice, who saw him on the ground being beaten to a pulp. A police officermarched over briskly, and kicked him in the face.1 I have been thankful tothat faceless cop ever since, for he kicked me straight into the Black PantherParty.2 Wesley Cook became a founding member of the Black Panther PartysPhiladelphia chapter in 1969 at the age of 15. After joining mainstream newsorganizations in the 1970s, Wesley Cook changed his name to Mumia Abu-Jamal. As a teenage journalist, Jamal took an interest in stories about policebrutality. Jamal was known to be a rare talent of radio journalism. He had apowerful intellect and a burning empathy for poor people. He was known as askillful interviewer and became a well-known figure in local broadcastingjournalism. Jamal appeared on National Public Radio, the National Black Network,and local Philadelphia stations including WUHY-FM (now WHYY). He had a lot ofadmiring friends in journalism and politics, and had no prior record of crime orviolence. Despite his personal experience of police brutality and years as ateenage Black Panther, he kept his noise clean even under the microscope of theFBI and Philadelphia police surveillance. By the late 1970s, Jamal was alsoan ardent sympathizer and supporter of MOVE a black militantantiestablishment, antipolice group. He started wearing his hair in longdreadlocks like a MOVE member. By mid 1981, Jamals growing obsession withMOVE had compromised his standi ng as a journalist and cost him his job at WUHY. He started freelancing his writing skills, while moonlighting as a cabdriver. Hewas robbed while on duty with his cab, so he started to carry a gun. 3 Duringthis time, the Philadelphia Police Department was so notorious for violence andpolice brutality, that the United States Justice Department, in an unprecedented1979 civil suit, charged then mayor (and former police commissioner) Frank Rizzoand the top police brass with encouraging rampant police brutality, racism,and lying. This suit was later dismissed on jurisdictional grounds.4 OnDecember 9, 1981, Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner was shot to death. On July 3, 1982 Mumia Abu-Jamal was convicted of Officer Faulkners murder andsentenced to death. Beyond these two facts, there are a number of versions ofthe incidents that lead to Mumia Abu-Jamals conviction. This paper willreview the incidents of December 9, 1981 and show that Mumia Abu-Jamal was notprovided a fair and impartial trial by his peers, and was wrongly convicted andsentenced for the death of Officer Faulkner. What the Jury Heard: On December 9,1981, at 3:51 a.m. Officer Faulkner stopped Mr. William Cook (Jamalsbrother), who was driving a Volkswagen Beetle for a traffic violation, on thesouth side of Locust Street about 80 feet east of 13th Street. The area at thetime was known for its seediness. The area had many late-night bars, nightclubs,cafes, and streetwalkers. Officer Faulkner radioed his location and then added:On second thought, send me a wagon.5 He was apparently planning to arrestMr. Cook or someone in Mr. Cooks car for an unknown reason. According to twoprose cution witnesses, both Faulkner and Cook got out of their cars. Faulknerspread-eagled Mr. Cook across one of the cars and then suddenly turned andslugged Officer Faulkner. Faulkner responded by clubbing Cook several times withhis 17-inch flashlight. Mr. Cooks face and neck were bloody when policearrived. By coincidence, Mumia Abu-Jamal was parked in his cab and came out of aparking lot on the northeast corner of Locust and 13th. He accelerated from awalk to a run as he charged toward Officer Faulkner across Locust Street. It wasnever fully disclosed at the trial, why Jamals cab was parked nearby. He justhappened to be around. In any event, this is when the point blank shootingstarted to occur. According to the prosecutions theory, Jamal ran up behindOfficer Faulkner to within one foot, and shot him in the back. The woundedFaulkner turned around and returned fire, hitting Jamal in the chest, andfalling onto his back. Jamal then emptied his gun into Officer Faulkner at closerange, fin ishing him off with a shot between his eyes.6 Less than one-minutelater, police arrived at the scene. The wounded Jamal was sitting on a curb fourfeet from Faulkner, with his empty shoulder holster on and his empty gun nearby. Cook was standing a few feet away against a wall, with what two witnessescalled, a look of shock on his face.7 He allegedly told police that he hadnothing to do with the shooting and was only prosecuted for hitting OfficeFaulkner. On the surface, the prosecution presented a clean theory. Theprosecutions case pointed to a clear legal conclusion that Jamal had committedfirst-degree murder of a police officer with a maximum sentence of death. However, as one examines Mumia Abu-Jamal supposed confession, the publicdefenders lack of experience in capital murder cases, the changing testimony ofthe three eye witnesses, the physical evidence procured at the scene, anddiscrepancies between the officers at the scene, the clean prosecution theorystarts to unravel. The Philadelphia police department themselves could of gone along way to proving Jamals guilt. For example, there was no definitive matchbetween Jamals gun and the bullet that killed Officer Faulkner. The policecould have tested Jamals hands to determine if he had recently fired a gun. The officers on the scene, could of smelled the gun barrel to determine if ithad been recently fired.8 The Philadelphia police failed to go the extra mile inexamining the evidence and in doing so failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubtthat Jamal was guilty and deserved to be sentenced to death. The Confession:Priscilla Durham, a hospital security guard and Officer Gary Bell (Faulknersformer partner and best friend) both swore that they heard Jamal, as he waslying on the floor of the hospital emergency room defiantly shout: I shot themother*censored*er, and I hope the mother*censored*er dies.9 Jamal contendsthis confession was fabricated. The confession was allegedly shouted inthe emergency room while he was being detained by fifteen or so Philadelphiapolice officers. In fact, none of the officers present mentioned Jamalsconfession in their police reports or interviews over the next few months. Not a word of the confession found its way into any police report formore than two months.10 Furthermore, it is very peculiar that an intelligent manwhose livelihood depended on articulate communication would spontaneously andflamboyantly incriminates himself. Priscilla Durham first mentioned Jamalsconfession to police investigators in a February 9, 1982 interview, 62days after the shooting. She claimed that she mentioned the confession tohospital investigators the day after the murder, which was, written down byhand. Prosecutor McGill seemingly surprised, claimed to have never seen thereport. While Ms. Durham was on the witness stand during the trial, an unsigned,unauthenticated, typewritten piece of paper dated December 10, 1981 was read tothe jury and admitted as evidence against Jamal. 11 Officer Gary Bell made nomention of Jamals confession in his reports after the shooting. It wasnot until 78 days later that Officer Bell remembered the confession. OfficerBell explained that he was so devastated by seeing Officer Faulkner with hisface almost blown off that he did not remember the confession. 12 Due to theineffectiveness of Jamals defense lawyer and the bias of Judge Sabo (thepresiding judge) the jury never heard any exculpatory evidence. Officer GaryWakshul, who was in the paddy wagon that took Jamal from the scene to JeffersonHospital, reported later that morning that we stayed with the male atJefferson until we were relieved. During this time, the Negro male made nocomments.13 Did Officer Wakshul not hear the confession, or did he step awayfor a minute and miss it? While interviewing Officer Wakshul on charges ofpolice brutality by Jamal, Officer Wakshul issued a new statement, 64 days afterthe murder (February 11, 1982). Officer Wakshul now claimed to hear the entireconfession loud and clear. When asked by the interviewer to explain his initialreport, Officer Wakshul said that the statement disgusted me, and I did notrealize it had any importance until today.14 Judge Albert Sabo Jamalsdefense team and supporters claim that Judge Sabo has sentenced more people todeath than any other judge in the United States. Therefore, the judge was biasedagainst Jamal from the start, due to the nature of the alledged crime. However,the defense team seeking a re trail, fail to mention the frequent disruptivenature of Mr. Jamal during his trial. The truth is that Judge Sabo has been asitting judge since 1974. During his tenure, he has almost exclusively presidedover capital murder cases. Therefore, if Judge Sabo has presided over morecapital punishment trials than any other sitting judge in the United States, itwould be due to his tenure as a judge not his bias. The fact that more deathpenalties have been issued from Judge Sabos court is not a function of JudgeSabo but of the individual juries in the case. 15 Under the system of justiceused in Pennsylvania, the judge does not sentence the defendant to death. A juryof 12 citizens hear the evidence against the accused and then must decideunanimously to impose the death sentence. In this case, Judge Sabo did notsentence Jamal to death, the racially mixed group of 12 jurors, which Jamalassisted in selecting did. This decision was later upheald by the PennsylvaniaSupreme Court on direct appeal.16 The court transcripts and appeal courtdecisions uphold the fact that Judge Sabo was eminently fair and patient withJamal during his trial. He frequently was disruptive during the trial whichresulted in many delays. One can only imagine how the actions of Jamal duringhis trial adversly influenced the jury as they sat sequestered in a hotel forsix weeks. Judge Sabo defends himself by stating, In the old days we lawyershad a saying: If you have the evidence on your side, argue the evidence. If youhave the law on your side, argue the law. And if you have neither the evidenceor the law on your side, scream like hell. Now the news media has changed thatto read: If you dont have the evidence o r the law on your side: blame thejudge. Who else are you going to blame it on? 17 The Jury: Jamalssupporters and defense team have claimed during the appeal process that the jurywas racially stacked against the defendant, violating his civil rights. Duringthe 1982 trail, Judge Sabo encouraged the defense to note the race of eachprospective juror so it could become part of the public record. Unfortunatly,the defense failed to do so. Therefore there is no record to confirm or supporthow many prospective jurors for the 1982 trail were black and of that number,how many of the prosecutions fifteen preemptory challenges to excuse jurors wereused against eligible black jurors. This is unfortunate since during this partof the trial, Mr. Jamal was acting as his own attorney during the selectionprocess. Having demanded to represent himself, Jamal assumed the responsibilityof asking prospective juror what their race was and noting it in the writing ofthe record. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has reviewed the evidence and ruledthat Jamals civil rights were upheld. The facts clearly show that at thebeginning of the trial, 3 or the 12 jurors seated were black. When one of theblack jurors, Ms. Jenny Dawley, violated sequestration to attend to a sick cat,the defense as well as the prosecution agreed to her removal. The defense claimsthat the judge provided a white juror special arrangements who needed to take acivil service exam, and was not as flexible for the Ms. Dawley. The factsclearly indicate that the white juror had asked the judges permission prior totaking the test. Ms. Dawley did not communicate with the judge or any courtofficers regarding her cat. Ms. Dawley while under sequesture at the hotel ,simply chose to go and take care of her cat. She was told by the court that shecould not just leave, and responded per the public record, I dont carewhat Judge Sabo or anybody says, I do what I have to do, nobody is going to stopme. Ms Dawley chose to violate her sequestra tion without asking the judge toaccommodate her personal needs. The record also shows that both the defense andprosecution agreed to her dismissal. In short, the 1982 jury that Mr. Jamalhelped select was properly selected and seated. The racial mix of the jury wasalmost identical to that of Philadelphia at the time. The prosecution had four(4) preemptory challenges left when the jury was finally seated. If theprosecution had desired, they could of used these remaining challenges toexclude the three black jurors that were seated. The court transcripts verifythat each of the jurors dismissed by the prosecution were dismissed for validnon-racial reasons. 18 The Witnesses Both the defense and prosecution have alitany of witnesses. Over the years, many of these witnesses have changed theirstories. A few of the witnesses have filed sworn affidavits that the policecoerced them into making false statements to support the prosecutions claims. The Loss Of A Concussion Recovery Time EssayThe defense claims that Mr. Chobert was driving his taxi without a valid driverslicense and that the Assistant DA Mr. McGill had an agreement with Mr. Chobertthat he would arrange to get his license back in return for favorable testimony. Mr. Chobert confirmed during his 1996 testimony that back in 1982, he did askthe DA on how he could get his license back. Thirteen years after the shootingand testimony of Mr. Chobert, he still does not have his drivers license backdue to his limited source of funds, but has been allowed to continue driving ataxi cab. Four individuals, Michael Scanlon, Cynthia White, Robert Harkins, andAlbert Magelton all provided testimony for the prosecution. All four witnesseswere unquestionably present during the shooting, eyewitnesses to the murder, andhave been deemed credible by the court. Michael Scanlon was visitingPhiladelphia from out of state and was sitting in his car at the intersection of13th and Locust and witnessed the entire murder, beginning to end. Mr. Scanlon testified extensively at the 1982 trail and confirmed that William Cookattacked Officer Faulkner. He went on to testify that the officer reacted to Mr. Cooks attack trying to subdue Mr. Cook. As this was going on, another mancame running out from the parking lot across the street towards the officer andMr. Cook in front of the police car. Mr. Scanlon saw Jamals hand raise andheard a gunshot. Then the officer fell down on the sidewalk and Mr. Jamal walkedover and shot the officer two additional times at point blank range. Anotherprostitute working Locust street that night was Cynthia White. Ms. Whitetestified that she was across the street in the parking lot when I noticedMr. Jamal running out of the lot and practically on the curb when he shot twotimes at Officer Faulkner in the back. The officer turned around and staggeredand seened like he was grabbing for something but fell. Then Jamal came on topof the officer and shot him some more. After it was all over, Jamal sloucheddown and sat on the curb. Credible Eyewitness Albert Magelton was a pedestrianwalking across the intersection of 13th and Locust approximatley twenty yardsfrom t he shooting. While testifying in 1982 to what he had witnessed Mr. Magelton stated, I noticed the gentleman (Jamal) coming from the parking lot. He was moving across the street towards where the officer had stopped theVolkswagen. I heard shots and I did not see the Officer any more. I proceededback across the street to see what happened to the Officer. And then, as I wasmoving across the street, I looked to where I heard the shots. When I got to thepavement, I looked down and saw the Officer lying there. I did not see the othergentleman (Jamal) until I moved up closer and saw him sitting on the curb.Under oath in 1982, when asked by Assistant D.A. Joe McGil what the police didwith the man who was sitting on the curb next to the dead Officer. Mr. Mageltonresponded that they handcuffed Jamal and put him in the wagon. One of theofficers on the scene then took Mr. Magelton over to the wagon and asked him ifthis was the gentleman that he had seen coming across the street. Mr. Mageltonconfirmed his story under oath and there is no evidense that the defense of Mr. Jamal has ever challenged his testimony. Mr Robert Harkins was another cabdriver placed immediately across the street from the crime scene. Like Mr. Chobert, Mr. Harkins was very close to the actual shooting and witnessed theentire crime. Mr. Harkins gave a statement to the officers on the sceneconfirming the prosecutions theory. In his statement from 1981, Mr Harkins saidthat, I looked over and observed a police officer grab a guy, the guy spunaround and the officer went to the ground. He had his hands on the ground andthen rolled over at this point and the male who was standing over the officerpointed a gun at the officer and fired one shot and then he fired a second shot. At this time the officer moved a little and then went flat to the ground. Iheard a total of three shots and saw what appeared to be three flashes from thegun of the man standing over the officer. Despite this fact, Mr. Harkins isin the unique position of having neither the defense nor prosecution call him totestify at the 1982 trial. However, Mr. Harkins was asked by the defense totestify at the 1995 appeal trial. Mr. Harkins stated under oath during the 1995trial that he had been repeatedly harassed by Mr. Jamals investigatorsbetween 1990 and July of 1995. He went on to say, that there were many peoplethat came around, many different people that would go to my place of work, andthen call me at my home. Each time Mr. Harkins refused to talk to the defenseteam. Finally after thirteen years of keeping his silence, Mr. Harkinsfinally sucummed to the defenses pressure and agreed to give a statement toone of Mr. Jamals investigators. After he gave his statement the defense teamcontinued t o contact him. Under oath in the 1995 trial, Mr. Harkins explainedthat each time I would say something to the defense, they would come backwith something different than what I said. I dont like that. Regarding thewitnesses of this trial, it is clear that four prosecution witnesses: Scanlon,White, Chobert, and Magelton, all gave virtually the exact same testimony. Furthermore, the man that defense witness Harkins describes as having shotOfficer Faulkner and then sat down on the curb, who was later apprehended bypolice was Munia Abu-Jamal. Witness credability is a major factor in this case. There are four eyewitnesses for the defense that claim there was a third personat the scene of the crime or a passenger in the Volkswagen? Pamela JenkinsCynthia White was a key witness for the prosecution, due to the fact that shewas the only witness who testified to seeing Jamal with a gun in his hands. Noother witness claims to have seen Jamal with a gun. It should also be notedCynthia White has disappeared and can not be found by the defense. No otherwitness the morning of the shooting can recall seeing her that morning. It seemsthat only the prosecution and the Philadelphia police now of Cynthia Whitesexact whereabouts. Following Jamals conviction, Ms. White continued to workthe streets under police protection. She was arrested many times after the trialand all charges were dismissed, or a plea bargain was worked out. Pamela Jenkinsrecently came forward for the defense. Apparently, Ms. Jenkins was working as aprostitute that night and knew Cynthia White very well. Ms. Jenkins als o knew anumber of Philadelphia police officrs at the time and was dating Officer ThomasRyan. Ms. Jenkins has provided a sworn statement that Officer Ryan asked her totestify against Jamal and to falsely identify Mumia as the shooter, in spite ofthe fact she wasnt even present during the shooting. Her statement went on tosay that Officer Ryan paid her $150 to help Ms. White and that the police putpressure on Ms. White to lie at the Mumia trial. Is Ms. Jenkins testimony andstatement credible after all these years? It appears the government has used Ms. Jenkins as a star witness in a police corruption case in Philadelphia. At thattrial, Ms. Jenkins revealed how the Philadelphia police used her to providefraudulent evidence to obtain a murder conviction against Raymond Carter. Ms. Jenkins testified that Officer Thomas Ryan paid her $500 to testify againstCarter.

Demoralizing Tobacco

Introduction The federal government of Canada has been very aggressive in dealing with the challenge of tobacco smoking in the country. Tobacco use and nicotine addiction have been a major challenge in healthcare management and public administration in Canada.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Demoralizing Tobacco specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A section of Canadian citizens are opposed to smoking and feel that the government needs to take stern action on tobacco industry for its role in high nicotine smoking and addiction rates. According to Health Canada, tobacco and nicotine addiction are some of the preventable factors that predispose people to diseases, yet the public administration is doing very little to improve the situation. Anti-smoking groups in Canada have suggested that the federal government needs to roll out a campaign to demoralize the tobacco industry, as there is an urgent need to reduce th e rate at which people are smoking tobacco. However, the biggest challenge lies on the government’s readiness to roll out such a campaign, whether it will be successful, and the necessary legislation for effective implementation. To achieve success in such a campaign, it is important for the federal government to ensure that both its communication systems and social marketing strategies are effective enough. I believe that the Canada’s federal government is ready to roll out a demoralization campaign, for its tobacco industry. Discussion According to Health Canada, reducing the use of tobacco in Canada will lead to healthier people, who will enjoy better quality of life. Tobacco and nicotine addiction is a challenge in Canada, but Health Canada officials believe that the situation is reversible, as quitting the habit does not have a timeline. The demoralization campaign on the tobacco industry is a good idea, and its success elsewhere provides enough motivation to the government. Demoralization of the tobacco industry has successfully worked in the states of Florida and California in America. This is not the first attempt that the federal government of Canada intends to make in reducing the prevalence of smoking in the country. Over the last four decades, the government has implemented numerous legislations that have greatly reduced smoking rates. The timing of the demoralization campaign is right, as there is need to improve the health status of people, and empower them economically.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to government statistics on smoking in Canada, a big percentage of the population belongs to low social and economic classes, and has the highest smoking rates. There is an opposite relationship between education and income, in that people with low education levels are likely to have little income. This has dire ct impact on the social behaviors they pick, and their ability to manage the effects of those habits. Therefore, most health complications related to tobacco smoking apply among low-income earners. Economic empowerment would greatly help in reducing the rise in rates of tobacco smoking. A demoralization campaign by the government would help in public education and awareness creation about tobacco, and the effects of nicotine addiction. Public education and awareness creation will definitely make a difference in smoking rates, as people will become more conscious of both their health and economic prospects. A demoralization campaign will also motivate people to seek more responsibilities in an effort to attain the common good. Everyone has an ethical duty to ensure the attainment of the common good, by looking out for the welfare of others. Tobacco smoking has effects on both active smokers and the passive smokers. Tobacco smoke contains dangerous chemicals that easily initiate cance r in active and passive smokers. Effective public administration entails coordination between various government agencies and the private sector. Running a high profile campaign to demoralize tobacco in Canada can result to both legal and public complications. The Canadian federal government says that high rates of smoking in Canada are negatively affecting the national economy and welfare of citizens. Running a demoralization campaign will lead to complications because of conflicting interests. There is the need to uphold the rule of law, and the economic aspect of having the tobacco industry. From one perspective, the tobacco industry is boosting the national economy of Canada through tax revenue and job creation for its people, while on the other hand the tobacco industry is affecting the economic potency of most citizens who are slowly getting addicted to the habit of smoking tobacco.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Demoralizing Tobacco specifically f or you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Smoking in public is not a very sociable thing for someone to do, thus the need to improve people relations when in public places or gatherings. The positive aspect of a demoralization campaign on the tobacco industry is that it will make people feel guilty and socially unlikable when they smoke, especially in public. A demoralization campaign on the tobacco industry in Canada needs to focus on youths aged between 18 years and 35 years. According to statistics by Health Canada, this age group is the most affected in terms of nicotine addiction and health complications. The reason why the campaign needs to focus on this group is that they are at their active stage in life, when they need to use their energy and time to achieve economic empowerment. Most nicotine addicts in Canada belong to the low economic class, as they tend to miss crucial opportunities in life because of their habit. Although this could be the mai n target group for the demoralization campaign, it is important for the government also to consider the group that starts smoking at early teenage, albeit the number being very small. Managing the challenge starting with this group can be an effective long-term strategy, as their peers will have no one to influence them into smoking tobacco. The demoralization campaign would also be very effective if it focused on the role of parents, caregivers, and learning institutions in the fight against increasing rates of tobacco smoking. The demoralization campaign ought to pass educative messages that create awareness about tobacco and nicotine addiction, as well as messages that discourage people from envying the disastrous habit. People need to learn about various components of nicotine, how they affect the human body and effective ways of detoxification. Canadian population needs to develop the right attitude about tobacco and nicotine addiction, by understanding the nature of operations in the industry and its products. Campaign messages also need to focus on ways that passive smokers can positively influence their friends into quitting the habit. Secondary smokers have a crucial role to play in the success of the demoralization campaign. The best time to air, the campaign is during prime time when there are more viewers, as well as during school holidays when most young people spend a lot of free time on various media.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is important for the federal government to engage other partners in this campaign, as the challenge of nicotine smoking goes beyond public administration. The government needs to engage the services and resource capacity of non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations. Other essential partners in this campaign are civil society organizations, and peer counselors. These partners would complement the efforts of the government in the campaign, which is mainly policy formulation and implementation. Conclusion The demoralization campaign on the tobacco industry is a very good idea by the Canadian federal government. Owing to the fast-rising rates of smoking and nicotine addiction in the country, it is necessary to educate people about the health and legal consequences of engaging in the habit. In addition, it is important to create an impression on people that smoking is not a socially acceptable behavior, especially when done in public. Demoralization campaigns help in reducing smoking rates by generating guilt among smokers for what they do, especially in public places. Demoralization campaigns ought to be manipulative in nature, and hard-hitting to influence people into reflecting about their habit and making considerations about quitting. The federal government needs to develop legislations that will regulate the use of nicotine in the country in terms of the age limit for possession of tobacco, and the right places for smoking. People need to develop an attitude for promoting ethics and the will to attain the common good through their social life. It is the responsibility of everyone in Canada to stop the problem of tobacco and nicotine addiction, by supporting the government in the demoralization campaign. This case study on Demoralizing Tobacco was written and submitted by user Nathalie Mercado to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Current Population of the U.S.A.

The Current Population of the U.S.A. The current U.S. population is more than  327 million people (as of early 2018). The United States has the worlds third largest population, following China and  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹India. As the worlds population is approximately 7.5  billion (2017 figures), the current U.S. population represents a mere 4  percent of the worlds population. That means that not quite one in every 25 people on the planet is a resident of the United States of America. How the Population Has Changed and Is Projected to Grow In 1790, the year of the first census of the U.S. population, there were 3,929,214 Americans. By 1900, the number had jumped to 75,994,575. In 1920 the census counted more than 100 million people (105,710,620). Another 100 million people were added to the United States in just 50 years when the 200-million barrier was reached in 1970. The 300 million mark was surpassed in 2006. The U.S. Census Bureau expects the U.S.  population to grow to reach these estimates over the next few decades, averaging about 2.1 million more people per year: 2020: 334.5 million2030:  359.4 million2040:  380.2  million2050:  398.3  million2060: 416.8  million The Population Reference Bureau succinctly summarized the state of the growing U.S. population in 2006: Each 100 million has been added more quickly than the last. It took the United States more than 100 years to reach its first 100 million in 1915. After another 52 years, it reached 200 million in 1967. Less than 40 years later, it is set to hit the 300-million mark. That report suggested that the United States would reach 400 million in 2043, but in 2015 that year was revised to be in 2051. The figure is based on a slowdown in the immigration rate and the fertility rate. Immigration Makes Up for Low Fertility The United States total fertility rate is 1.89, which means that, on average, each woman gives birth to 1.89 children throughout her life. The UN Population Division projects the rate to be relatively stable, from 1.89 to 1.91 projected to 2060, but it still  isnt population replacement.  A country would need a fertility rate of 2.1  to have a stable, no-growth population overall. Overall the U.S. population is  growing  at 0.77 percent a year as of December 2016, and  immigration plays a huge part  in that.  Immigrants to the United States are often young adults (looking for a better life for their future and their familys), and the fertility rate of that population (foreign-born mothers) is higher than for native-born women and projected to remain so. That aspect accounts for that slice of the population growing to be a larger share of the nations population overall, reaching 19 percent by 2060, as compared with 13 percent in 2014. By 2044 more than half of the people will belong to a minority group (anything other than  only  non-Hispanic white). In addition to immigration, longer life expectancy also comes into play with the growing population numbers, and the influx of young immigrants will help the United States support its aging native-born population.​ Shortly before  2050, the current No. 4 nation, Nigeria, is expected to surpass the United States to become the worlds third-largest nation, as its population is growing quickly. India is expected to be the most populous in the world, growing past China.

Can Facebook Ruin Romantic Relationships Research Paper - 1

Can Facebook Ruin Romantic Relationships - Research Paper Example There have been advantages of Facebooking like the ones spelt above. It is a site where people can have fun that includes sharing old and new photos (Persimmons). By use of its online chat room, there is creations and nurturing of numerous relationships. It has also mobilized participation of people in campaigns and social events. This has culminations by saying that it enhances collaboration and further strengthens social interaction within a community. However, Facebook has accusations of ruining relationships that are romantically based and sufficient evidence has been sufficed to explain this sad phenomenon. Facebook has been prescribed for use with one’s beloved family but it is bad for relationships (Persimmons). One of the reasons that have been brought forward to explain Face book’s tendency to ruin relationships is that it fuels jealousy tendencies and weird behaviour in people who are in relationships (Persimmons). An example is when a man/woman in a relationship updates his/her Facebook status and the comments he/she gets are of sexual nature but leaning towards a joke. This might lead to the partner getting upset and the result is relationship breakdown. Jealousy undermines relationships and Facebook can be a good cause of such jealousy tendencies. People have therefore become victim to this jealousy tendency in their relationship setups. Facebook also has a profile section that has a relationship personal status section. The site tells everyone whenever a person changes his or her status. Anxiety is created whenever such a thing is changed (Persimmons). For example, when somebody is casually dating another person, his or her status reads ‘it is complicated’. In reality, altering one’s relationship status leads top very harsh and uncomfortable relationships coupled with suspicious conversations that kill the morale of continuing with any given relationship.        Ã‚  

Compare and explain the historical political instability experienced Essay

Compare and explain the historical political instability experienced by France, Germany and Italy - Essay Example There is a period in every nation’s history when political turbulence reigns. These are periods when governments experience economic, social and political crises, which could be the result of contemporary development or a change in political system. More specifically, political instability could be attributed on several factors such as industrialization, population growth, â€Å"the revolution of rising expectations† or even international tensions. â€Å"Some social scientists have followed Aristotle's view that political instability is generally the result of a situation in which the distribution of wealth fails to correspond with the distribution of political power and have echoed his conclusion that the most stable type of political system is one based on a large middle class. Others have adopted Marxist theories of economic determinism that view all political change as the result of changes in the mode of production. Still others have focused on governing elites an d their composition and have seen in the alienation of the elite from the mass the prime cause of revolutions and other forms of violent political change.† Vibrant democracies in Europe have undergone same internal political conflicts, which have brought down governments and have shaken political systems. France, Germany and Italy have experienced their own respective political upheavals in differing timelines in their history. This made it possible for us to improve our ability to describe and analyze any pattern, situations or factors that brought about conflicts in European political system.

Humanities II course work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Humanities II course work - Essay Example As the movement grew, it gave rise to expressions of the fantastic and the exotic (Cunningham & Reich, 459). While Romanticism can be a nebulous concept, it’s most accurately expressed through a core group of elements in art and in literature. One of its earliest manifestations was a love of nature, expressed by artists throughout Europe, who exhibited an unprecedented use of personal perspective, scope and color. This was, in large part, a reaction against the onset of modern society. â€Å"The growing industrialization of life in the great cities, and the effect of inventions like the railway train on urban architecture stimulated a ‘back-to-nature’ movement as Romanticism provided an escape from the grim realities of urbanization and industrialization† (Cunningham & Reich, 430). This style struck a chord with people who were, in their own ways, seeking an escape from the de-personalizing effects of society. As the Romantic style gained momentum in the la te 18th and early 19th centuries, it became more self-consciously a rejection of classical art forms. The American and French revolutions utilized classical forms to express their rejections of the old forms of government Romanticism to Post-Modernism 3 against which they were rebelling (Cunningham and Reich, 424). The leaders of America’s revolution against Great Britain borrowed heavily from classical forms of architecture to express a timeless connection between their Democratic form of government and that of the ancients Greeks and Romans. For Romantic artists, this was a limiting artistic convention not adapted to the kind of self-expression with which the new style was infused. In the early phase of the Romantic movement, Goethe’s plays served as a literary catalyst for the turbulent, aggressive Sturm und Drang school. His works were prototypes of the emotionalism and rejection of governmental authority that characterized Romanticism. â€Å"Modern criticism stil l considers Goethe’s use of dramatic technique in the Sturm und Drang as unconventional and revolutionary with respect to dramatic forms in general and Aristotelian drama in particular† (Stewart, 277). This trend would come to encompass music, poetry and the philosophy of Emmanuel Kant, Georg Hegel and Arthur Schopenhauer. The political environment in Europe at the time was set in turmoil by the French revolution and its aftermath. The Napoleonic wars of the late 18th and early 19 centuries aggravated nationalistic fervor throughout the continent. This historic and political cataclysm had a profound influence on artists and thinkers. Romanticism lent itself readily to mythological themes, and the great life-and-death struggle that engulfed Europe inflamed the mythologies and folk traditions in every European nation. In Germany, for instance, this phenomenon found its apex in the ancient Norse mythology that Richard Wagner would fashion into his famous Ring cycle opera. The lasting impact of Romanticism was that the nationalism of Europe’s nation Romanticism to Post-Modernism 4 states was enhanced - in some cases created - by the writers and artists of the Romantic movement. â€Å"Many Romantic artists identified with the nationalist movements of the times and either supported their own country’s fight for freedom (as in the case of Verdi) or championed the cause of others (as did Lord Byron)†