Attachment Theory And Risk Assessment

Attachment Theory And Risk Assessment Linking Theory, Research, and Practice: Risk-Assessments and Child Protection. The primary goal of this paper was to broaden my knowledge and understanding around the theory, research, policies, and procedures guiding risk-assessment decision making within child protection service. Individuals and group identified as at-risk-, for one or more myriad reasons have been the broad focus of a decade s worth of academic and professional purists. Although the initial concern for all at-risk individual remains, practical and academic experiences have narrowed the scope to include children under the age of twelve, at risk- of, or currently residing out-of-home-care placements (hereafter referred to as care environments). Of all at-risk- populations, I believe these children are the most vulnerable to negative outcomes in the near and distant futures. Substantiated allegations of child maltreatment1 are responsible for 80% of child protection investigations, and preceded out-of-home care placements of at least 90% of the current care-population (Gough, 2000; Wiley, 2009). For several helpless years, I witnessed the devastating consequences for those children that child protection services failed. When child protection workers would report risk-assessment results, I was repeatedly astonished by outcomes, which failed to remove from unhealthy home environments. Consequently, I developed an interest in contributing factors in risk- assessment. To convey the complexity of competing factors that influence risk-assessment outcomes, the following section provides some brief background information about child protection services and additional information around the risk-assessment process. Background Canada s Child, Family, and Community Services Act (CFCS) (1996), is the major source of information that guides each province in the development, regulation and implementation of child protection services. Recent amendments to the Canadian Criminal Code (1985), such as the controversial) legal obligation to report suspected child abuse/maltreatment, provide additional legal guidelines. In British Columbia (BC), the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD), is responsible for overseeing the quality and delivery of Child Protection Services. Independent arrangements exist between the MCFD and twenty-four separate Aboriginal child protection Agencies. National estimates suggest that on any given day, more than 67 000 Canadian children (9.2 children per 1000) will be living in out-of-home care (Garrison, 2004; Gough, 2007; Trocm , Tourigny, MacLaurin, Fallon, 2003) British Columbia`s contribution to this figure represents 1% of the province`s children, although a disproportionate amount of these children are Aboriginal2. Approximately equal numbers of females (48%) and males (52%) live in care settings with a combined average age of 9.0 years (Child and Youth Officer for British Columbia, 2005; Connolly, 2007; Hardiker, Exton Barker, 1991). Risk-assessment and Decision Making Out-of-home care environments primarily refer to kinship care (family member), foster care, and residential/group care facilities, independent or assisted living facilities, and formal institutionalization (e.g., hospitals or mental health institutions) (Rosen 1999; Trocm et al, 2003; Waechtera et al, 2009). Child in short-term care (awaiting a permanent placement) comprise 40% of this population, and the remaining 60% represents children in long-term care placements (minimum of five uninterrupted years) (Fisher, Burraston, Pears, 2005; Kelly Milner, 1996; Solomon, 2002). Research has identified areas of significant concern associated with each of these environments, including but not limited to child maltreatment from caregivers, isolation, inadequate foster parent screening, training, poor parenting skills, negative peer influences, deviant peer clustering, and instability (Garrison, 2004; Okagaki Luster, 2005; Rosen, 1999; Solomon, 2002). Risk-assessment refers to the decision making process of child welfare workers investigating the potential dangers associated with a child s primary care environment (Connolly, 2007; Kelly Milner, 1996). Typically, these assessments are intended to validate allegations of child maltreatment (Gilbert et al., 2009; Wiley, 2009). Despite the high stakes associated with each of these outcomes, there are no mandated procedural standard associated with the assessment process. This assessment is a largely subjective judgement or evaluation of the severity of potential harm to the child (Drury-Hudson, 1999). There are three possible outcomes of a risk assessment corresponding to perceived severity of the risk and age of the child (see Figure 1). Family Development Response (FDR) is likely when the risk- is considered high, yet manageable through interventions that target adult behaviours. If the risk is moderate or higher (and the child is old enough) Youth Services Response may be considered. When the risk- is immediate, and severs, the only available recourse is to begin a child protection investigation. Child Protection: Goals Child protection services are one way that childrens rights are enforced and upheld and to the increase the likelihood of the child to develop the characteristics (personality and behavioural) associated with success and wellbeing in adulthood. The intended purpose of child protection is to safeguard children from immediate and future harm. The focus of most protection investigations is on the efforts and ability of caregivers to provide a supportive environment that does not threaten the safety and wellbeing of the child, and promotes cognitive, physical, and emotional developmental process (Waechtera et al., 2009). Unfortunately, these goals rarely achieved. When compared to non-care population, research investigations consistently describe children in care as more aggressive, antisocial and are more likely to demonstrate pathological and or problem behaviours (Chamberlain, 2003; Simms, Dubowitz, Szilagyi, 2000; Rosen, 1999). Additionally, children in care are four times as likely (65% of children in care) to be diagnosed with one or more clinical mental health condition (e.g., Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) (Three, 2001; Provincial Health Officer of BC, 2001; Wiggins, Fenichel, Mann, 2007). Furthermore, children in care are prescribed more pharmacological treatments (e.g., Ritalin) for longer periods, at higher dosages (Vitally, 2001). The purpose of this paper is to examine theoretical and empirical support for the practices associated with the risk-assessment process and outcomes. Attachment Theory has been extensively applied within social services practices and research. Direct references to Attachment Theory are found throughout practice guidelines for child protection services. Attachment Theory Attachment Theory has traditionally been regarded as the theoretical bridge between early childhood development research and clinical social work practices (McMillan, 1992). The influence of Attachment Theory within child protection services is pervasive to the point of being indistinguishable (Byrne, 2005; Haight, Kagle, Black, 2003). According to Attachment Theory, critical, developmental periods in the first years of life where the quality of a child-caregiver attachment relationship is crucial for health development (Bowlby, 1999; Bretherton, 1992). Bowlby believed that the critical function of the parent-child attachment relationship was the formation of an internal working model that formed the basis for lifelong patterns of interpersonal behaviours and shaped all aspects of subsequently formed relationships (Bacon Richardson, 2001). Attachment Theory and Child Protection Practices: Summary of Research It is evident that Attachment Theory has exerted considerable influence upon child protection practices (Axford, Little, Morpeth, Weyts, 2005; Schore Schore, 2008). Child protection guidelines frequently and specifically refer to Attachment Theory when describing theoretical support for recommended practices (Bacon Richardson, 2001; Trevithick, 2000). For example, practitioners guidelines recommend that when child welfare workers respond to allegations of abuse, the risk-assessment should consider the style of the attachment relationship between a child and mother, and balance the consequences of breaking a secure attachment against the consequences of perceived risk- (Harris, 2009; Simms et al., 2000). Consistent with central tenants of Attachment Theory, the importance of familial relationships is emphasized throughout policies and practices, including the screening of adoptive parents (e.g. the recommendation that child welfare workers assess adoptive parent in terms of the att achment potential), child custody determinations, therapeutic support (i.e., Family focused therapy), and risk- assessment (Barth, Crea, John, Thoburn, Quinton, 2005; Lopex, 1995; McMillen, 1992). Moderate evidence indicates that under specific conditions, there is empirical evidence to support assessment of attachment relationship (Axford et al., 2005; Byrne, OConnor, Marvin, Whelan, 2005). These conditions include risk assessment involving infants and/or children less than two year of age, availability of high quality alternative care environment, use of standardized attachment measures (i.e., Ainsworth s Strange Situation test) and sufficient time available for a minimum of two assessment opportunities (OConnor Byrne, 2007). Unfortunately, there appears to be little research support for the above recommendations in all but the specific conditions described above. Recent research indicates that key elements of Attachment Theory are often misinterpreted by practitioners and inappropriately applied to situations that contradict research recommended parameters (Holland, 2001). No evidence links style of attachment with a course of action in risk- assessment (Barth et al., 2005). Practitioner guidelines seem to overstate the extent of empirical support justifying use of attachment assessment in high stakes decision-making processes (Connolly, 2007; Trevithick, 2000). Additional concerns have been raised around a concerning tendency in the attachment research to draw unsupported conclusions, an erroneous use of correlational research designs (vs. experimental), inappropriate use of assessment methods, discounting environmental confounds, a lack of regard for extra-familial relationships, and a tendency to attr ibute problems to deficiencies in parenting (Harris, 2009; Solomon, 2002) Final Remarks Overall, Attachment Theory is consistent with the family focus of child protection practices, however, there is no evidence linking this framework with improved long-term outcomes. Reported benefits and related successes appear to occur almost randomly, and rare, and often are limited to unrealistic example of care environments that in no way represent the much harsher reality. There appears to be a need for practitioner education to improve their understanding and interpretation of Attachment Theory. It appears there is also a need to establish standardized assessment procedures, including the development and introduction of research validated assessment tool. As it currently exists, the range, severity, and prevalence of developmental problems noted among children in care, the high financial costs to society, the lack of intervention strategies, and the twenty years of negative growth, are undeniable evidence of our dismal failure as a society to protect our most vulnerable members (Chamberlain, 2003; Farruggia, Greenberger, Chen, Heckhausen, 2006; Okagaki Luster, 2005; Sims, Dubowitz, Szilagy, 2006).

The Issue of Age Discrimination in America Essay -- Age Discrimination

The Issue of Age Discrimination in America The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) protects against age discrimination under Title VII. Specifically, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which was passed in 1967 by congress, covers discrimination against employees who are 40 or more years old. This topic should be a big concern for employers, since the number of elderly workers is increasing as the baby boomer population matures. It is estimated that as many as twenty-percent of the claims filed with the EEOC are for age discrimination. Also, age discrimination settlements can be considerably higher than typical discrimination cases. Upon research, the average award amount between 1955 and 1988 was $219,000. (www.ama.net). For this reason alone, employers should take care of how they handle their aging workers. As mentioned above, the EEOC is responsible for enforcing the age discrimination regulations, including the ADEA of 1967. This regulation is in effect supposed to â€Å"promote employment of older persons based on their ability rather than age; to prohibit arbitrary age discrimination in employment; and to help employers and workers find ways of meeting problems arising from the impact of age on employment.† (www.eeoc.gov). The ADEA presides over the boundaries for age discrimination in all aspects of employment. It not only protects against discrimination for employees, but job applicants as well. Even job advertisements must not include age d...

No Child Left Behind Policy Essay

People have been used to announcements of various highly contagious diseases like the H1N1 influenza. A closer look at the course of the events shows that various public policies are instituted or strengthened to enhance control and mitigation of these diseases. What are the implications of these policies to a state like Georgia and Catoosa County in particular? On the same level there are various communication policies that have been instituted or even strengthened to enhance the human development especially with respect to freedom of speech and communication in general (Peterson & West (2003). Education has also been affected in a number of ways by various policies. This paper attempts to assess the impact of the ‘No Child Left Behind† policy on the state of Georgia with an emphasis on the Catoosa County. The â€Å"No Child Left Behind† is a public policy that was established to enhance education and academic development in the United States across all the states. In Georgia, one of the effects of the policy was the formation of charter schools. These are institutions that receive public funding just like other public schools in the public schools system. However, they have considerable reliance on the support of the communities in Georgia. The impact of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ can therefore be looked at in several ways as a multifaceted aspect in the sense of a Georgia community perspective. Given their nature, it would help to look at the financial implications of this policy (Wood & Meier 2004). The fact that these schools have been built because of the policy explains, in part, the positive impact of the policy. Thus, if it can be put in terms of Cost-Benefit Analysis, it would not be difficult to conclude that the force of the positive impact (which is the general development acquired from the more established schools) overweighs what would be though of as a burden (Olivert 2007). These effects are felt throughout Georgia including Catoosa County as small a county as it might be. NCLB are the most recent standard based education reforms that have been legislated by the government towards the No child left behind policy in order to provide measurable goals and high standards to improve productivity of individuals through proper education. Assessment of basic skills is supposed to be conducted by the state to determine the grade standards of educating and funding of education for each student and the school as a whole (Peterson & West (2003). Congress increased funding to education after the inception of the No child Left behind policy by about 40% to make the course more practical and to reach a wider population of students. The local governments were seen to be lax, failing students leading to the intervention of the federal government to push the course for No child Left behind in education to address issues like teachers teaching areas distant from their profession and failure to cater for special education. . Another impact of the policy is on governance. With the implementation of the policy, there were various objectives and targets each community had to achieve. These objectives and targets could only be met if the mode of governance was transformed to match the requirements of the policy (Wood & Meier 2004). While assessing the problems facing the efficiency and effectiveness of the charter schools as a response to the ‘No Child Left Behind’, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation noted that there are problems in governance and financing. This is because it is important that those who are engaged in organizing the charter schools, for instance, must have good knowledge of realms of education and must also be equipped with knowledge in finance (Wright et al 2004). If this is not the case, then they must be in a position to put a team together which is proficient in both aspects. Failure to meet standards of fiscal management will automatically qualify a charter for closure. There has been increased accountability in public schools after the enactment of the NCLB that have in deed significantly contributed to the no child left behind Policy and to improve the standards of education. The students in a particular public school can move to a higher performing school if the assessment finds that they have undergone an adequate yearly progress in consecutive years (Olivert 2007). The policy therefore brings a direct economic connotation to Georgia given that the established charter schools rely on the local governance to survive. Even though there is an economic burden put on the local communities, the policy itself has enabled more development to be achieved. A number of notable ends come from the No child left behind policy including: students outcomes being linked to the state academic standards in regards to the policy framework, the performance of students and their progress in math and reading measured annually to determine if they are within the set standards, parents receive adequate information as this is required of the state and school district and a foundation for parental involvement in the district and state schools affairs is consequently laid (Wood & Meier 2004). Parental involvement is important in promoting proper administration of and improvement of schools as well as check against any misappropriation of funds The No Child left behind is in deed a noble course championed by former president Bush to facilitate the achievement or even surpass the achievement of state standards in line with the federal standards mathematics and reading in the coming decade. Progress is significant in this policy that actually measures the achievement by a state assessment. Reference: Peterson H. & West M. (2003). â€Å"No child left behind? The politics and practice of school accountability,† Brookings Institution Press: New York. Wood H. & Meier D. (2004). â€Å"Many children left behind: how the No Child Left behind Act is damaging our children and our schools,† Beacon Press: New York. Wright D et al. (2004). â€Å"No child left behind,† Harbor House Law Press: New York. Olivert D. (2007). â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act: text, interpretation and changes. † Nova Publishers: New York.

The Colour Purple Essays

The Colour Purple Essays The Colour Purple Essay The Colour Purple Essay Essay Topic: Woman of Colour Novel From reading the novel it could be said that the first half is concentrated on how men hold the power over women. This view is supported by Stuart who highlights the exploitation of black women by black men. However I do not agree with this view. I dont think the focus is jus on gender itself although it does play a part, but I think their sex and colour was also brought up. During the novel we see that males dominated females and white families were classed as more important than black families. This was caused by the time in which the novel was set in, slavery had been abolished however it was still in peoples minds and we see it still carried on in some areas of the novel. One example of this is when Alphonso is almost selling Celie. He barters by adding a cow to the deal and points out her positive sides, she aint no stranger to hard work, and she clean. Celie has the power to move on and almost start life again, partly through gaining financial power. This is portrayed to us when Celie leaves with Shug and sets up her own business making pants for women, which had only started as a hobby. However Celie made it work for her, she started making money and became independent as she was making her own money now. I am as Mary O Connor quoted an extract by Gates, Celie writes herself into being. This shows a change amongst Celie showing she believes in herself whereas before at the beginning of the novel she crossed I am out and replaced it with I have. Celie making trousers may have given here this power because they are often looked at as a symbol of freedom for women. Within the context of the time period in the novel, women wearing trousers would have been looked upon as rebellious which itself gives that person a form of power. This however was not true for Albert; after Celie left him he became a mess. He locked himself in the house and Harpo had to go and get him out. Albert, probably shocked that Celie had actually left him later became a changed man who Celie began to like as he was into all kinds of new things like nature. We also find Albert used to sew with his mother, something Celie and Albert now have in common. He says people used to laugh at him and Celie said, well, nobody gon laugh at you now here help me stitch in these pockets. We now see that Albert has started to respect Celie and doesnt just look at her as his own property, took me long enough to notice you such good company. Mary OConner says that Alphonsos exhortation towards Celie at the beginning of the novel gave her a way out. He threatens Celie that she cannot tell anyone what he had done to her apart from god. He tells her she can tell god but no one else or he will kill her mother, you better not never tell nobody but god. Itd kill your mammy. Through the threat from Alphonso, Celie may feel he has power not only over her but also over her loved ones as her mothers life is at risk, as shown by O Connor speaking would be an act of murder, a matricide. By giving Celie the right to write to god he had given her a way out and saved her from becoming insane or mentally ill. Although she cannot tell another person, she has someone to confide in and to share her problems with. The threat from Alphonso supports Stuarts perception that men are mostly troublesome, sometimes cruel. Alphonso here has shown a psychological strength because by threatening her, hes forced her into not speaking to other people about any of her problems and teaching her to keep all her problems to herself. However he is not aware that Celie writing to god allows her to offload and share her problems with someone other than herself. O Connor says that Celies existence to be denied this explains that in her rape experience and also in the fact that she has a lack of voice she is therefore not able to share her bad experience with anyone. However I think she is able to express her feelings through writing so is therefore giving herself a voice and existence which goes against what O Connor states. Walker shows Alphonsos psychological power over Celie in the beginning of her writing letters. Celie crossed out I am. This is almost as if she is crossing herself out. She changes it to, I have always been a good girl. It seems that Celie is taking the blame for what Alphonso has done to her. This is the first time we see an authority figure abuse Celie which reinforces male dominance in her life. The rape not only shows physical power strength and power but also emotional authority, due to Celies naivety, for his own pleasure. Another time in the novel in which we see Alphonsos power over Celie is when he is trying to get rid of her by marrying her off. However its more like he is selling her as they barter, he even throws in a cow. This again relates back and shows how black females in this time period were still being treated as slaves. O Connor tells us her feminist analysis is interested in the voices, as its a male dominated conversation where Celie only gets in a few words on a highly important decision which can affect her whole life. Here Alphonso shows his total power over Celie and the fact that not only does he control her life now, but he also controls her future and how or who she will spend it with. The fact that she cannot decide herself who she wants to marry takes all control away from her. Throughout this Celies voice is absent, and even when its important decisions about her own life she still seems to have no voice. Religion to the lives of the people in the novel was not the sanctuary it might have been according to Mary OConner, Alphonso gave Celie one way out perhaps the result of some dialogical residue of his Christian culture. However Celie received a beating after church, cause he say I winked at a boy in church. The colour purple itself is a symbol of violence which runs throughout the novel as its the colour of bruises. However it can also portray authority as its the colour of royalty. Walker symbolises power through this quote, womanism is to feminism as purple is to lavender. This tells us Walker thinks womanism as a stronger form or feminism as the colour purple is brighter than lavender. Shug tells us that the colour purple is everywhere and that God has used this colour to portray beauty, I think it pisses God off if you walk pass the colour purple in a field somewhere and dont notice it. It can also be said that Gods love for this colour made black people in this complexion as in one of Netties first letters to Celie when she arrives in Africa she talks about the Senegalese peoples skin, So and so is blacker than black, hes blueblack. Celies getting married and it looks as if shes getting away from Albert and also from the abuse and suffering. However we find its going to be the same life for her its just a different set of males throwing and shouting abuse at her, The children be outside the room peeking through the cracks. It all I can do not to cry. I make myself wood. I say to myself, Celie, you a tree. Thats how come I know trees fear man. We can see how unhappy Celie really is, she explains she trys to make herself like wood so that they cannot affect or hurt her anymore. Another section of power in the novel is the physical domination of the women. Celie being a black woman is disadvantaged as not only is she looked upon as a slave but she is also dominated by the male authorities in the novel. She suffers at the hands of men. We can therefore argue that the emancipation proclamation of the post civil war era freed men but not the women because the male authority then saw the woman as their slave which is how Celie is treated by both Albert and Alphonso, we see this when Albert does not get off his horse to meet Celie but also speaks about her in third person, Hes still on his horse. He look me up and down. This shows us his power over her. Alphonso treats Celie like a slave. He shows no respect towards her, from this we can learn that men are not in Celies heart which is why I agree with what Andrea Stuart says, Rather like the weather, men are part of womens (usually) hostile environment, a perennial force to be dealt with daily, but not the centre of their emotional existence. Another male figure that dominates over Celie is Albert. The main and the most obvious way we can see Albert dominates is that Celie does not call him by his name, she calls him Mr. This gives us evidence Albert controls the relationship. This again links back to slavery as slaves would not call their master or owner by their first name. When Albert went to see Celie he did not get down from his horse showing more power due to the fact he is higher and therefore in a higher position than she is, He still on his horse. He look me up and down. Another view of Celie as a slave is the fact that no loving relationship exists, it seems like Celie is there to cook, clean, look after the kids and Alberts needs, so therefore he just uses her, Mr clam on top of me, do his business. She says do his business. From this we see its for Albert and that Celie is being used like a piece of meat and gets no pleasure out of it, He abuses her physically and verbally, humiliates her publicly, and is responsible for her decades-long separation from her much loved sister Nettie. Celie doesnt say anything she lets Albert get on with it, Mary OConnor says, Celies voice would seem to be absent from this account of male voices around her. I also agree with Mary O Connor at this point in the novel, I think Celie had lost her voice from the time Alphonso had told her to write to God but not to tell anyone. However later in The Colour Purple we find that Celie with help from Shug regains her voice, takes a stand and calls Albert by his name and threatens him. She later leaves with Shug and her full confidence back. Albert acts totally different in the two relationships he is in, with Celie he dominates and controls the relationship however in the relationship Albert and Shug share he is the opposite. Shug controls what happens and Albert does anything she tells him to. This also shows us the difference in character of Celie and Shug, Celie is easily controlled but Shug is a strong character. One critics view is some women wear pants; and some of the men wear dresses. Mary OConnor is telling us that in some relationships women can rule and have the men listening to what they say and do as they tell them, this is defiantly true for Shug. We also see that when Albert is with Celie he wears the pants but when hes with Shug he would appear to be wearing the dress. Another relationship where the woman dominates is between Sofia and Harpo. Sofia has total control over their relationship, she holds the power and it seems Harpo hates this. On the other hand it may not be that he hates it but the pressure from society forces him to act in certain ways. Tony Brown says, Love has been drained out by the brutality of a society panic-stricken over black masculinity. This gives us the idea that culture is the main reason for the need to hold power. Harpo is an example of this violence in society, for example when his mother was killed by her boyfriend in front of him. He associates being dominant as a way of asserting himself. He wants the power in the relationship because he has seen the way his father holds the power in his relationship with Celie. We know Harpo wants the power as Sofia tells us once he git on top me I think bout how thats where he always want to be. Harpo confides in Celie and asks what he should do, Celie tells Harpo to beat Sofia to gain control. This advice is surprising but coming from Celie can be understood because she has suffered abuse all her life and she is used to it. Its all she knows and therefore she believes its normal. Power and the placement of it is also shown in the African part of the novel and it is through these tribes we are able to compare Celie with the traditional African way of life. The Olinkas, one of the main tribes that are introduced to us, hold the power of life and death over their wives. The men are also looked upon as better than women in the tribe. The structure of power in that who holds it and who doesnt in the tribe is also shown in Celies life through her being raped and that fact she is not able to enjoy sex with her partner Albert, I know what he doing to me he done to Shug Avery and maybe she like it. The fact that she cannot enjoy it may be cause by Celies feelings and emotions towards males as she has been abused by them all her life. This is supported by Stuarts view that men are never the source of emotional sustenance or long term happiness for women. However this is does not seem true for Shug as she looks happy with her male partners, this may be because she always seems to have control over her relationships. In conclusion I can say that in the beginning of The Colour Purple it is the men who hold all the power, however as new characters are introduced it is slightly more balanced as Shug and Sofia speak there mind and stand up to any man. Also later Celie and Squeak both stand up for themselves, they take control of the situation but also take away the power from the men and hold it themselves. At the beginning of the novel Celie writes to God, she then starts writing to her sister Nettie, this shows a change in her and in the end all her hopes pay off as she breaks away from her abusing husband and lives with her family; her sister Nettie and her kids with Shug.

Pheonix Essays - Decepticons, Autobots, Micromasters, Red Alert

Pheonix Essays - Decepticons, Autobots, Micromasters, Red Alert Pheonix Transformers : The Phoenix War story by M Sipher Part One Deception, Subterfuge, Treachery and Other Methods of Getting Your Way or (Since You Joined) The Corporation ********** We have red alert! We have red alert! Klaxons wailed throughout Mining Station 48. The planetoid was a valuable source of numerous metals used in Cybertronian armor plating... metals mined by what was politely referred to as Non-Wage-Earning Labor. Otherwise known as slaves. The stocky, humanoid mine workers came from the planet Juliwa, and were perfectly suited for backbreaking labor in the planetoid's thin atmosphere... valuable

Argument eassy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Argument eassy - Essay Example Some people believe that euthanasia is not wrong since it helps to ease the pain and suffering of the patient in case of terminal illnesses. In situations where patients are in critical conditions or life support machines with no signs of recovery, others prefer administering euthanasia (Peterson 23). Others believe that euthanasia saves money and resources. The amount of cash required for health care in many communities is high. In addition, the hospital beds and doctors in many hospitals are deficient. The supporters deem this as a massive misuse or waste of money and resources if they use funds to prolong the lives of already dying and suffering patients (Peterson 14). In my opinion, the only time that euthanasia should be administered is when there is consent of â€Å"voluntary euthanasia†. This is when the patient comes to a decision by themselves that they would wish to die rather than suffer in anguish and pain. This decision may come at the time, or possibly they may have written down a ‘living will’ giving permission to doctors to kill them if they ever are in a condition where they will never recover or regain consciousness. Marijuana has long been known as a remedy for many illnesses while physicians used it to arouse an appetite, reduce chronic agonizing pain, and treat migraines and even asthma. However, it has for so long been regarded as illegal (Burnham 1). In my opinion, I think legalizing medical marijuana is the right as long as it is strictly being used for medicinal purposes in order to save lives. Ever since childhood, everyone was being told not to do drug since they are dangerous to ones life. Doing drugs is obviously wrong. However, in severe medical condition where medical marijuana is needed for a cure or pain killer, it should be legalized since life is important. The main argument concerning marijuana comes from the legalization of the drug for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. This debate has two approaches.

Psychology Mental illness Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Psychology Mental illness - Assignment Example It has been the endeavour of all nations and societies to get rid of all kinds of abnormalities. Why they exist nobody knows. It has also been observed that some kind of abnormalities tend to be restricted to a particular region of the world. Abnormalities are normally associated with a kind of behaviour that is out of ordinary though not necessarily dysfunctional. Its causes are generally attributed to an out-of-ordinary working of certain areas of the brain. It still hasn’t been ascertained as to what leads to dysfunctional behaviour of certain areas of the brain. Sometimes it could be because of brain damage which usually happens when the person meets with an accident or something like that and at other times affliction of certain regions of the brain could be the result of some other medical condition that the person may be suffering from. There are some cultures that attribute a certain abnormality to the handiwork of the ‘devil’ within that person. Such supe rstitious beliefs have even led to the incarceration of many abnormal people! It’s important that society be considerate and encourage such individuals to consult a medical practitioner. There is no general consensus as to what abnormality actually constitutes. Perceptions vary depending upon the nation or culture under consideration. Abnormal people tend to display odd behaviour. There is cause for concern when this kind of odd behaviour is socially unacceptable; but at the same time, â€Å"new research in individuals with schizotypal personalities - people characterized by odd behavior and language but who are not psychotic or schizophrenic - offers the first neurological evidence these individuals are more creative than normal or fully schizophrenic people, and rely more heavily on the right sides of their brains than the general population to access their creativity.† This was stated on the basis of a study conducted by two Vanderbilt psychologists Brad Folley and Sohee Park. (â€Å"Odd behavior and creativity may go hand-in-hand†, Machine Design, pg 77) ). The latter kind of abnormality is usually considered by society as an inherent trait of individuals who are high-performing and highly creative. It’s the former kind that usually warrants treatment and medication. For example, a child who refuses to mix up with people, instead choosing to shut himself in his room would be considered abnormal. There is a high probability of him getting castigated by society which in turn can lead to depression and other complications as well. Yet another example of abnormal behaviour is one where a teenaged boy indulges in explicit talk about his sexual fantasies and tending to neglect his studies altogether. Surely these kind of individuals need to be counselled. In most cases abnormal behaviour can be the result of some kind of inner turmoil that an individual might be facing. One problem with the diagnosis of mental disorders is â€Å"the prevalence of diagnoses by gender, sex bias in diagnosis, the problematic impact of particular diagnoses on women, and the relationship of diagnosis to socialization and social conditions.† (Gender and Diagnosis: Struggles and Suggestions for Counselors, JCD, pg 12) Feminists have stated that â€Å"diagnoses like nymphomania, hysteria, neurasthenia, erotomania, kleptomania, and masochism have served to enforce conformity to norms of female domesticity, subordination, and subservience to men’