Thursday, January 30, 2020
Police Ethics Essay Example for Free
Police Ethics Essay All professions operate within a certain broad framework of code of ethics. These are rules that govern the conduct of a particular group of professionals, the conduct amongst themselves and most importantly with the rest of the society. Some of these codes of ethics may be legally enforceable and their violation may lead to criminal proceedings instituted against the violator. Contravening of the code of ethics may also lead to an individual’s name being struck off the professionals’ list like in the case of auditors, engineers and accountants amongst others.            The police force has its own distinct code of ethics both implied and express. It is these ethics that regulate the conduct of all law enforcement officers in their day to day running of their duties. These ethics may be unique to one state or universal as they are a product of social and political environment. The United Nations has its own framework of ethics within which the police or law enforcement officers are supposed to operate. These are ethics that have been fine tuned and can be universally applied (United Nations, 1989).            Police is a broad term used to denote all officers mandated to enforce the law, officers that can make arrests as well as detain a suspect.            It is agreeable that police officers are charged with the delicate duty of maintaining law and order. In the course of maintaining such order, they are bound to come across various challenges and impediments that may make them compromise their legal duties. Police exist in an environment filled with suspicion and hostility and with the powers they possess; they are likely to intimidate the rest of the citizens. They also have discretionary powers as it is not possible to spell out and dictate in the law how a certain issue is to be handled. They are expected to make split decision over who is innocent and who needs to be questioned (Hirst, M.J., 1990).            To carry out these duties, they are governed by professional ethics that guide them when carrying out their duties. In the process of carrying out these duties, police officers are expected to uphold and protect the human rights of the civilians and suspects. This is in conformity to both the national and international law. Their duty is to safeguard the interests of the public and assist public officials in the execution of their duties. These duties and responsibilities should be carried out in line with the laid procedures. Objectivity and fairness are two key ideals that should be upheld and personal interests should not conflict the efficiency in carrying out of such responsibilities.            Key to police ethics is the issue of discrimination. Police officers and other law enforcement officers are expected to carry out their duties indiscriminately. They are guided by the law and it should not be applied selectively. Gender, race, social and political status, creed or ethnic background should not be used as a basis to accord somebody harsh or preferential treatment. Almost all professions are expected to uphold confidentiality in their interactions with the public. Police officers too are not expected to reveal private details not unless it has been established that publicizing such details will help in the line of duty, for example in apprehending a suspect. The procedures and operations of the police officers should remain within the forces precincts as the release of such information can lead to jeopardizing of important missions. Every police officer is hence bound to confidentiality. No data regarding the police should be released to another party without proper authorization (Miller, S. et al, 1997.)            Police officers are expected to use reasonable force in carrying out their duties. This however does not extend to malicious damage to property, unwarranted harassment of the pubic and any other measures that are not within the precincts of what is unavoidable in the line of duty. The force applied should not go beyond what is necessary and reasonable in carrying out such kind of an activity. The police ethics are against the subjection of suspected criminals to brutality that is outside the stipulations of the law.            Hierarchy in the police force is legally and ethically emphasized. Orders and commands in the force always take downward route. As long as the orders given are lawful and do not contravene the ethics, an officer is under obligation carry them out. The superiors on the other hand are expected to have full responsibility of the actions of their juniors in regard to the instruction that they have issued. Codes of ethics also do not allow police officers to accept gifts that are attached to their work, in case of such an offer; they are expected to notify their superiors.            It is also against police ethics for officers to carry out investigations into issues that they have personal connections with unless such involvement is not likely to have a bearing on the investigations.            Objectivity is to be upheld at all times. As far as suspects are concerned, police ethics require the officers to treat suspects humanely in the knowledge that they are innocent until proven guilty. There should also be enough grounds to necessitate the arrests of such suspects (Bracey, D.H, 1992).            Like in any other profession, personal feelings and prejudices are bound to get into the way of efficiency and professionalism. Law enforcement officers sometimes find themselves in ethical dilemmas.            There are four classifications of dilemmas; among these discretion and loyalty are the most common. Police are allowed discretionary authority in their line of duty. These are powers to choose the most appropriate decision to make in a specific case. This is where personal intuition comes at play and in many cases lead to selective application of the law. A policeman is supposed to chose who to charge with a certain crime and who to leave. In making such a decision, personal preferences and prejudices may impede on the process of making of the right judgment as required by law. This is a very common dilemma (Blalock, J., 1992.).            Blacks and Hispanic community have been complaining of harassment by the police. The crime rates in the United States are that these two communities have a high prevalence rate in crime, with such a notion in the back of a policeman mind; an officer is bound to have a clouded judgment in his view of any person from these communities. With his or her discretionary authority, a police officer is more likely to arrest a black in the midst of whites in case of a fracas more than he would to a white who is amongst blacks.            Personal interests are also likely to stand in the way of executing proper judgments. This is complicated by the temptation to take bribes. It is against police ethics and also against the law for police officers to solicit or accept a bribe. References Hirst, M.J., 1990. Setting the Standards for Policing: Meeting Community Expectations, London, Association of Chief Police Officers. United Nations, 1989. United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, New York Miller, Seumas, Blackler, John, Alexandra, Andrew, 1997. Police Ethics, Sydney: Allen Unwin.. Blalock, J., 1992. Mismanagement and Corruption. Police Studies 15(4). Bracey, D.H, 1992. Police Corruption and Community Relations: Community Policing. Police Studies 15(4).
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
History, Culture and Self Discovery in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club Essay
History, Culture and Self Discovery in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club     In the novel The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, the relationship between history, culture and identity is illustrated through the narrations of seven women. In these stories the women discuss events of their past and the reader is able to see how it affects them later in life. In addition, they also discuss how they have been shaped by cultural expectations. These two things affect both the mothers and daughters in the novel.     The best example of how personal history affects the development or loss of an identity is through the stories of Ying-Ying St. Clair. The events in Ying-Ying’s early life foreshadow ones that happen later in her life. For example, when Ying-Ying was a small child she fell overboard a boat and was lost in the water. Even her name means "clear reflection" which foreshadows her future loss of identity (Tan). Later, she immigrated to the United States and ended up being stuck on Angel Island Immigration Station for three weeks, "lost in a sea of immigration categories"(Tan 107). Throughout her life she was able to see things before they happened, but this did not allow her to prevent the loss of her sense of self.     During Ying-Ying’s first marriage she plays the role of an obedient wife so well that she becomes one and puts it above everything else. Later in the book when she looks back on it she states, "I became a stranger to myself"(Tan 280). After all this the man is unfaithful to her and leaves her for an opera singer. It is to this event that she attributes the loss of the golden side of her tiger sprit. Long after this, when St. Clair began courting her, she saw this as a sign that she would also lose the other half of h... ...es she wants to keep the house and is in control of her life again.     Many of the characters in the novel are struggling to find themselves. Personal history is an obvious contributor to the development of the characters' senses of self. The events that occur in a character’s past influence their attitudes toward themselves and the way they treat their daughters. The two cultures that meet in the families portrayed also influence these attitudes. It is only when the characters take both these factors into account can they begin to discover their true selves. Work Cited Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Random House, 1989. Sources Consulted Do, Thuan Thi. Chinese-American Women in American Culture. 1992 http://www.ics.uci.edu/~tdo/ea/chinese.html Jokinen, Anniina. Anniina's Amy Tan Page. 1996 http://www.luminarium.org/contemporary/amytan/
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Crusades and Pope Urban Essay
The Christian Crusades occurred around the 11th and the 12th century are very many and complex. The Christian Crusades has built a tense relationship between the Christians and Islamic. This essay will explain the causes and effects of the Medieval Crusades. The importance of the holy lands as stated in the Islamic bible, Koran, and the Christian bible is the most significant cause of the Christian Crusades. Religious rivalry between the 2 religions was caused by the fact that both of these religions believed in 2 different gods. The Islam’s thought that there god was the true god whilst the Christians believed that there god was the one and true god. The fact that the Islam’s believed there god was the one and true, brought anger to the Pilgrims who were on a quest to take back the Holy lands which were Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem, which were controlled currently by the Muslims since 638AD. But as more and more pilgrims came to visit the Holy lands, Seljuk Turks, Saracens, took over the lands and denied more Pilgrimages to the Holy Lands. This brought great anger to Pope Urban II. Pope Urban II was responsible for the very first Christian Crusade. He started this by giving an extremely influential speech to all Christians in Europe and Medieval time saying that the Saracens were turning Christian Churches into Mosques which were Muslim churches. Pope Urban II then told all Christian men and European Christian Princes to go on a crusade to take back the Holy lands. The Pope also stated to these Christian men that by fighting in this holy war they would reach heaven. So the Christian Crusaders set their target on regaining one of the Holy lands which was Jerusalem. The result of the first crusade was not too good for the Muslims as 70,000 Muslims had died trying to flee from the city or fight to protect their city. A reason that explains the cause of the Christian Crusades, are the Christian men, the Knight class and Princes. Prior explains how Pope Urban II speech influences the Christian men, Knight classes and Princes of Europe to go on a crusade against their rivalry religion and to gain back the Holy Lands. Pope Urban II says to all these men that go on to their crusade, that if they do not fight back against the Saracens, god will not clear there sin. This was another reason for the Christian Crusade. Pope Urban II â€Å"blackmailing†these men to go to the Holy lands was a reason for why the Christian Crusades began in the first place. The Knight class were all men that wanted to fight. Since the age of seven, pagers, who were the first stage into becoming a knight, were taught special skills to fight. Every Crusader that was going on to gain back the lands had a sign on their tunics when they went to fight. This sign resembled St Johns Cross. The medieval Crusades have brought a strong intensity in these to religions that are still quite tense nowadays. Pope Urban II speech had urged men to go on this holy crusade and both the Koran and bible having two of the same holy places caused tension between these two religions. This essay has given the causes and effects of the holy crusades.
Monday, January 6, 2020
The Drinking Age Of 21 - 1520 Words
The drinking age in America should be lowered from 21 to 18. At 18, someone in America is legally considered an adult, and they can indulge in things that are potentially far more harmful than alcohol. Under certain circumstances, alcohol has already been permitted for people under the age of 21. Furthermore, the drinking age of 21 is ineffective because people between the ages of 18 to 21 are still drinking regardless. However, this drinking often takes the shape of dangerous binge drinking. Many college deans, who have first-hand knowledge of how ineffective the current drinking age is, are in support of a lower drinking age. Reckless alcohol behavior of uneducated underage drinkers also leads to drunk driving, instead of confiding in†¦show more content†¦Joining the army puts someone’s life on the line. These are all serious actions that have serious consequences. America draws the line at drinking alcohol, which belittles 18 year olds, making them seem less like adults. Someone could risk his or her life for his or her country, or wreck his or her body with cigarettes, but drinking alcohol is forbidden. Some states agree that this logic is flawed, such as Alaska, who passed a bill that allows active members of the military to drink at the age of 18, â€Å"with the rationale that if they re old enough to fight and die for their country, they re old enough to have a beer,†(Brown). Being in the army is not the only time that there has been an exception for the drinking age in America. Many young children and teenagers have had wine during communion at Church, or during other religious ceremonies (â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions†). In over 37 states, if a child is at home and accompanied by a parent, he or she may drink. For example, New York’s stance on underage drinking is that, a person under the age of twenty-one years may possess any alcoholic beverage with intent to consume if the alcoholic beverage is given... to the person under twenty-one years of age by that person s parent or guardian, (â€Å"Where Teenagers Can Legally Drink†). Underage alcohol use is also permitted when used for prescribed medical purposes (â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions†). Some people argue that 18 is simply too youngShow MoreRelatedThe Drinking Age Should Be 21 Years Of Age1663 Words  | 7 PagesThe drinking age should be 21 years of age. Underage drinking is a major problem in the world that has claimed many lives. There are multiple ways to die from alcohol: alcohol poisoning, drunk driving, and many other ways. No doubt about it, alcohol just starts trouble. Have you ever wondered what the leading reason for car crashes is? It isn’t texting or any usage of the phone. It is fully driving under the influence. Millions of Americans are pulled over and given a ticket for driving under theRead MoreLowering The Drinking Age From 21 Essay1214 Words  | 5 PagesUnderage drinking. It’s all the rage in this generation. Youths everywhere are subjecting themselves to excessive amounts of alcohol at illegal ages, and the consequences are evident all around us. Every year over 5,000 kids under the age of 21 die from alcohol abuse, 1 in 5 10th graders will resort to binge drinking, and alcohol continues to damage developing teen brains (Let’s Stop Teen Drinking Tragedies). While they may not be seen in ni ght clubs in bars, people between the ages of 18 and 21 are subjectingRead MoreShould the Drinking Age Be Raised to 21?785 Words  | 4 PagesShould the drinking age be raised to 21? Teenagers between the age of fifteen to eighteen are drinking an average of nine to eleven cans of beer per week. They will ruin their lives if they dont cut down on the alcohol. Should this be enough to raise the drinking age up to twenty-one? Teenagers do not understand how dangerous alcohol can be. BBC News proved that the UK has one of the worst problems in Europe, with a fifth of children aged eleven to fifteen drinking at least once per week.Read More18 vs. 21: Drinking Age1389 Words  | 6 Pagesdo people only want to change the drinking age from 21 to 18, when there are other activities that have limit of age such as marriage at 18, driving at 16 and 35 to be a president? Alcohol plays a major role in today society, which becomes a controversial issue among teens. Alcohol is a mind-altering chemical that is potentially more dangerous than any other drug and can be very destructive. For past few years, many people are trying to lower the drinking age without knowing the negative effectsRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age: 18 or 21?1770 Words  | 8 Pageswere also allowed to buy alcohol. This all changed when President Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. This act stated that the drink ing age would change to 21 and it has remained that way since. There has been controversy on the effectiveness of the law because most people drink before they turn 21. Which side is right? Was Reagan correct for implementing the drinking age as 21 or are the multiple college president and chancellors of Amethyst Initiative that believe it shouldRead MoreThe Drinking Age Should Be Lowered From 21950 Words  | 4 PagesWe do not hand teenagers car keys without teaching them how to drive first, so why do we expect 21-year-olds to know how to drink responsibly for the first time. Law passed by congress in 1984 leaves America to being one of four countries left in the world with its drinking age at 21, while the rest of the country s drinking ages are 16 or 17 or has no age limit at all. As a part of turning 18 you are now considered a legal adult and are allowed to make the decision to vote, marry, buy tobacco productsRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Stay At 211300 Words  |  6 PagesI believe that the legal drinking age should stay at 21 for many reasons. Underage drinking should not be allowed in any country because it is dangerous, causes health complications and it can be overused, and most of the time misused. As a young adult it will take less time for them to become â€Å"drunk†and more likely to put them in negative situations which will harm them later as an adult. If the government were to lower the drinking age to under 21, unprotected sex, sexual assault, and other tragediesRead MoreEssay about Keeping the Drinking Age at 211662 Words  | 7 PagesWhen it comes to the subject of drinking and teenagers, what is the first thing that comes to mind? To me its the legal age limit of when teens should be able to drink. Having it lowered is controversial because according to prior experiences, data shows that younger age drinking is well known for its fatalities. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), on one of the most popular prom nights in 1999, as many as 62 percent of the traffic deaths were alcohol-related (). The most importantRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Remain At 21 Essay1848 Words  | 8 PagesWhy 21? When it comes to an alcohol safety policy, the United States has never attracted more research and public attention than the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA). In the U.S., the legal drinking age is one of the highest worldwide. The MLDA of 21 is to control traffic fatalities, protect young teens from killing themselves while driving under the influence, and prevent damage medically to a developing brain of a young adult. Many Americans believe that the drinking age of 21 has not stoppedRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered From The Age Of 21 Essay980 Words  | 4 Pagesconsidered â€Å"adults†cannot even make their own decisions? The drinking age on alcohol is a controversial social and cultural issue in today’s society; all fifty states have a minimum drinking age of 21. The legal drinking age should be lowered from the age of 21 to 18 allowing young adults to be granted the right to drink in restaurants, bars, at social events, in the comfort of thei r own home, and so on. If anything, lowering the legal drinking age would have a positive impact on the United Sates economy
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