Oliver Cromwell free essay sample

Oliver Cromwell: A Visionary Among Parliamentarians Due: January 11, 2013 6 Oliver Cromwell rose from his humble heritage in English society to become the Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland, the first and only man without royal blood to do so. His played a prominent role in bringing about the trial and beheading of King Charles I; he took control of the Parliaments professional Army and went forth on the most cruel military action England had ever undertaken against the neighbouring nations; and he accomplished a level of religious freedom that had been unaccepted in England for the past hundred years. Oliver Cromwell was indeed a unique leader, one who wanted what was best for his fellow countrymen and completely devoted himself to his life as a Parliamentarian. Oliver Cromwell should be judged by history for his actions as a visionary who championed Parliamentarian values. Everything Cromwell did was what he believed to be in the best interest of England and its people. We will write a custom essay sample on Oliver Cromwell or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Oliver Cromwell supported the Parliament and continued to be an active member of it even though King Charles I had distanced himself from the Parliament and was ruling according to his own will with no regard to the law. Cromwell had played a substantial role in the execution of King Charles I, not because he entertained any selfish ideas concerning Charles throne, but because he truly believed England would be better off without the trouble-causing head of state. Through this, he taught the people the fundamental value of holding their rulers accountable. [1] Cromwell also helped to form the New Model Army. The New Model Army was a professional army formed in a sense by the people for the people. Social class had no worth in the Army, all men were equal and were recruited according to ability, not wealth or social status. 2] Cromwell was well known for his aptitude for military tactics and strategies; he lead his regiment, the Ironsides, to victory in every battle they fought. He fought to protect England from invaders, from the disputing neighbours, Scotland and Ireland, and also to keep 6 the order of government he believed would work best for both the upper and lower class of citizens. Cromwell u sed the authority given to him as the Lord Protector in an attempt to reform the people of England, in what he called â€Å"Godly reformation†. Cromwell devised a programme designed to cleanse the people of their sinful habits such as drinking, immorality and general trouble-making. [3] He was a man who sought to give England â€Å"not what they want, but what is good for them. †[4] Oliver Cromwell was not the sort of man to support a ruling of the Parliament and then sit back and hope it was carried through; he personally ushered in the end of the English Civil War by defeating an uprising of Charles II supporters in 1650 amp; 1651. Despite continued opposition throughout his years, Cromwell did not back down or leave the public to fend for themselves, instead he led them ceaselessly until there was peace once more among the countries. The definition of a visionary is someone who acts bravely in support of an idea, despite all odds and then popularizes it. [5] An example of Cromwell having done this was with the proposal of overthrowing Charles I, as Cromwell was a big contributor to that final decision, not merely because of his voiced support but also the leading effect he had on people. They were prone to following his lead, not only because he was a very influential and intelligent man, but also because he was not afraid of changing tradition and he constantly had Englands best interests in mind. During his lifetime, Oliver Cromwell successfully served England as a Member of the Long Parliament, as the New Model Armys leader and as their Lord Protector. Oliver Cromwells strong Puritan beliefs lent an extremist edge to his decisions and actions during his life, however, faith did not hold superiority over his Parliamentarian contributions. Cromwell may have held fast to the Puritan religion, but it did not keep him from being a fierce and merciless soldier on the battlefield, fighting for the Parliaments professional Army. Cromwell was born 6 a commoner of humble beginnings but achieved his respect and lofty position in the Long Parliament due to his rise through the military until he was Commander-in-Chief of the New Model Army, in which he aided the recruitment and command. He also created and led the formidable cavalry force called â€Å"the Ironsides†, who were reputed for their courage and strength in battles and remained undefeated . He was convinced that he and his Ironsides were doing the will of God, and accordingly attributed all of their victories on the battlefield to the glory of God. Regarding the Battle of Marston Moor, Cromwell is recorded to have said in a letter to his brother-in-law â€Å"truly England and the Church of God hath had a great favour from the Lord, in this great victory given us, such as the like never was since this war began. †[6] Cromwell preferred his soldiers to be of the same religious beliefs as himself as he enlisted them, although many of his men would become Puritans while in the service of the New Model Army under Cromwells leadership. In a letter to his nephew, Colonel Valentine Walton, on July 5, 1644, Cromwell spoke of his unfaltering loyalty to the Parliament and his desire to see due authority to be granted to the Members of Parliament: We study the glory of God, and the honour and liberty of parliament, for which we unanimously fight, without seeking our own interests I profess I could never satisfy myself on the justness of this war, but from the authority of the parliament to maintain itself in its rights; and in this cause I hope to prove myself an honest man and single-hearted. 7] Cromwell sought what he called â€Å"liberty of conscience†; a range of freedom granted to the various Protestant groups in England to practice their faith in peace, not being bothered by anyone and to not be a bother to anyone themselves. [8] For the past hundred years, England had not tolerated any sort of people with differing religious backgrounds to populate its land, but in 1657, Cromwell established the religious a cceptance of Jews so that they were once again able to live within Englands borders and he 6 encouraged their immigration. 9] It was well known amongst the people around Cromwell that he was a man who lived by his faith, who promoted Puritanism to others and changed the principles of the Parliament that differed with what he believed in. However, Cromwell was quick to take action on Parliamentarian business when needed, his motions to change the Church and such other endeavours temporarily forgotten as he was sent out on political business. As England prepared for a fully launched civil war, Oliver Cromwell was one of the MPs who was sent out to places such as Huntingdon nd Elys to recruit men â€Å"for the defence of the realm†. [10] Oliver Cromwell may have been a very strictly religious man who wanted to serve God in everything he did, but his real ambition was to see the Parliament granted the authority it deserved and to improve the laws the people lived by. Oliver Cromwell was a very authoritative and influential figure in his time, and became to the people â€Å"a king in everything but name†, although he was never truly their â€Å"King†. Cromwell served England as their Lord Protector, yet he refused the offer to become the next King of England on multiple occasions. 11] Cromwell was a solid supporter of the execution of King Charles I, once he realized that Charles had gone too far from the Parliament to be reasoned with. Cromwell later defeated and exiled the heir to the throne, Charles I I, thus leaving England without their traditional monarch. Having said this, it should be understood that Cromwell was not against the monarchy; he had wished to replace the late Charles I with one of his sons but none proved to be suitable. The original heir, Charles II, was not crowned the next king as the young prince had taken up an allegiance with the Scots and attempted to invade England. 12] On March 17, 1649, not long after the execution of Charles I, the Long Parliament passed an act stating that the monarchy had been terminated, thus making England a 6 Commonwealth and free state, and also promoting the Rump Parliament and Council State to the position of being the overriding authority of the nation. [13] For the five years during which Oliver Cromwell held the title of Lord Protector, he ultimately had the ability to make laws and govern the people as he saw fit. He wished for the government to work smoothly and in co-ordinance with one another, but had no patience for th ose that did not. Oliver Cromwell had the Rump Parliament disassembled on April 20,1653, with these words; â€Å"You have sat here too long for the good you do. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go! †[14] The responsibilities and influence once held by the Rump Parliament were handed over to the Barebones Parliament; the Nominated Assembly that Cromwell constituted in July of 1653. The members of this Parliament were selected for their religious spirit and open-mindedness and were expected to bring uprightness into the Commonwealth. [15] His influence over the New Model Army as a definite contributing factor to Cromwells position as Lord Protector. Cromwell faced his share of opposition against his restrictions on drinking and merrymaking, and often had to resort to using military force to carry out his laws as he did not have the ultimate authority of punishment that a King would have. Oliver Cromwell was the king-like figure of England, but he never accepted th e crown nor the title of King of England. Oliver Cromwell accomplished much during his time as a politician and Member of the Long Parliament, the colonel of Englands first Parliamentarian army, and in the resurrected position of Lord Protector. He was a key figure in the English Civil War and in the regicide of King Charles I, and then took the full responsibilities of ruling the country without a king to lead them. Cromwell should be viewed by history as a visionary who achieved much for the sake of England and against all odds championed the Parliamentarian values. Bibliography Halsall, Paul. †Oliver Cromwell: A letter to his brother-in-law after the Battle of Marston Moore. 1644† Modern History Sourcebook. 9 January 2013. http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/mod/1644cromwell-marston. asp Morrill, John. â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†. BBC History. 7 January 2013. http://www. bbc. co. k/history/british/civil_war_revolution/cromwell_01. shtml Author Unknown. â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†. Heritage History. 8 January 2013. http://www. heritage-history. com/www/heritage. php? Dir=charactersamp;FileName=cromwell2. php Phillips, Charles. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Royal Britain. Leicestershire, Hermes House, Anness Publishing Ltd, 2006: 150 + Plant, David. â€Å"Biography of Oliver Cromwell. † British Commonwealth and Civil Wars. 2 January 2013. http://www. british-civil-wars. co. uk/biog/oliver-cromwell. htm Trueman, Chris. â€Å"The New Model Army†. History Learning Site. 5 January 2013. http://www. historylearningsite. co. k/new_model_army. htm Author Unknown. â€Å"The Rump Dissolved. † www. parliment. uk. 5 January 2013. http://www. parliament. uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/civilwar/overview/rump-dissolved/ [ 1 ]. John Morrill, â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†, BBC History. (February 17, 2011) http://www. bbc. co. uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/cromwell_01. shtml [ 2 ]. Chris Trueman, â€Å"The New Model Army†, History Learning Site. http://www. historylearningsite. co. uk/new_model_army. htm [ 3 ]. â€Å"Cromwell and Religion†, The Cromwell Association. 2001-2005 http://www. olivercromwell. rg/cromwell_and_religion. htm [ 4 ]. â€Å"Quotes of Olive r Cromwell†, The Cromwell Association. 2001-2005 http://www. olivercromwell. org/quotes1. htm [ 5 ]. Dictionary. com, â€Å"Visionary†, http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/visionary? s=t [ 6 ]. Paul Halsall, â€Å"Modern History Sourcebook†, (July 1998) http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/mod/1644cromwell-marston. asp [ 7 ]. Wikiquote, â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†, http://en. wikiquote. org/wiki/Oliver_Cromwell#Quotes_about_Cromwell [ 8 ]. â€Å"Cromwell and Religion†, The Cromwell Association, 2005 http://www. olivercromwell. org/cromwell_and_religion. htm [ 9 ]. â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†, Heritage History, 2007-2012 ttp://www. heritage-history. com/www/heritage. php? Dir=charactersamp;FileName=cromwell2. php [ 10 ]. John Morrill, â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†, BBC History. (February 17, 2011) http://www. bbc. co. uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/cromwell_01. shtml [ 11 ]. David Plant, â€Å"Biography of Oliver Cromwell†, British Civi l Wars and Commonwealth, http://www. british-civil-wars. co. uk/biog/oliver-cromwell. htm [ 12 ]. Ibid. [ 13 ]. Charles Phillips, â€Å"Commonwealth and Protectorate†, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Royal Britain. (Anness Publishing Ltd. 2006, 2011) 154 [ 14 ]. Ibid. , 154. [ 15 ]. www. parliament. uk,

Bruce Lee essays

Bruce Lee essays It was Bruce Lees ability, on screen and off, to cross this gap between Zen intent and violent result that made him truly special. He was a great fighter and an interesting human being who knew how to communicate to both East and West. Alex Ben Block, The Legend of Bruce Lee In light of this quotation, how did Bruce Lee bridge the gulf between Eastern and Western audiences to become an international film star? For many of his fans all across the world, Bruce Lee has achieved an almost God-like status. Many of the books written about him posthumously are written by people who greatly admire the man, people who negate the value of Bruce Lee: the international film star and instead focus, to an almost obsessive level, on Bruce Lee: the king of Kung Fu, Bruce Lee: the Eastern philosopher, Bruce Lee: the mystical sensei, Bruce Lee: the legend. This may be due to his sudden and untimely death in 1973. Less than a year after his death, the writer Alex Ben Block predicted, quite rightly, that, Someday far down the line, after East and West have met, people will tell Bruce Lee stories in the same dreamy way people tell Jimmy Dean or Buddy Holly or Janis Joplin stories. My aim in this essay is to discard all the myths that surround Bruce Lee, all the speculations about the man himself. My focus will be Bruce Lee the film star, the image that he created which appealed to both East and West. In his unfortunately short adult career he completed four films and I will examine these to try and find what it was about Bruce Lee that made him an international star, the qualities that made him popular in both Hong Kong and Britain/America. In the Chinese Year of the Dragon, on 27th November 1940, a baby boy was born to Lee Hoi Cheun (a minor star of the Cantonese Opera Company of Hong Kong) and his wife, Grace. The city of the birth was San Francisco, but this ...

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Business Ethics case-Nike Sweatshops Case Study

Business Ethics -Nike Sweatshops - Case Study Example The labor unions of such countries were also said to gain significant influence. Countries such as Vietnam, China, and Indonesia were considered to offer cheaper labor to the company Nike, Inc. and also prohibited labor unions. But when the workers of these countries demanded additional benefits and rights, the company closed all its factories in such countries and moved to other countries to continue its operations at a lower cost. The company Nike, Inc. was highly criticized throughout the 1990s for selling such goods which were considered to be manufactured in sweatshops. In the year 1991, an activist named Jeff Ballinger published a report which highlighted the poor working conditions and low wages in the country of Indonesia (Esbenshade, 2004). He published an article which stated that an Indonesian worker was considered to work for the company’s subcontractor for only 14 cents an hour which was considered to be less than the minimum wages that was prescribed in Indonesia . Numerous disturbing stories were said to come from the factories of the company Nike, Inc. throughout the world. The major issues were considered to be forced overtime, child labor, and wages which were considered to be well below the poverty line. There were also other issues such as poor air quality, exposure to chemicals considered as dangerous and physical abuse from the overseers of factory. It was considered that groups such as Global Exchange, Education for Justice, and students who were considered to be against sweatshop labor were mainly considered to lead the efforts against the company Nike, Inc. in this regard. Team Sweat was established with the main objective of tracking the protests that were considered to be made against the organization. It is considered as an international coalition of workers, investors, and consumers to put an end to the injustices that were considered to be in the sweatshops of the organization Nike, Inc. around the world. Jim Keady

Exploring the contribution of forensic science

Exploring the contribution of forensic science Forensic psychology has proven itself to be a quite intriguing field of study. From serial killers to child custody cases, the work of a forensic psychologist is involved. Forensic psychology is the intersection between the field of psychology and the legal system (Huss, 2001). Or, as defined by the American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP), [forensic psychology] is the application of the science and profession of psychology to questions and issues relating to law and the legal system (ABFP, 2010). This profession is not restricted to just one area of the legal system; in fact it contributes to the subspecialties of corrections, civil court, investigations, criminals, juveniles, and police. The purpose of this paper is to explain the roles and responsibilities a forensic psychologist has in each subspecialty, review court cases and research relative to the area, and discuss ethical dilemmas/ challenges and controversial issues forensic psychologists may encounter. Note: Throughout the text the terms forensic psychologist and psychologist are used interchangeably to describe the profession Introduction Criminal Criminal psychologists can be found in various settings with a wide array of roles and responsibilities. Aside from studying criminal behavior, criminal psychologists work with the police departments assisting with investigations, giving advice on how to conduct interviews with suspects and witnesses, they provide their services as an expert witness, aid in the process of rehabilitating an offender, and continuously research developments related to their field (Bull, Hatcher, Cooke et al, 2009). In the case of Jenkins v. 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Evid.) 702 If scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education, may testify thereto in the form of an opinion or otherwise, if (1) the testimony is based upon sufficient facts or data, (2) the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods, and (3) the witness has applied the principles and methods reliably to the facts of the case. In cases when a psychologist is asked to be an expert witness by an attorney who is requesting information to defend his or her client, problems may arise. An attorney seeks out a psychologist to provide expert testimony and evidence that will benefit the case of their client, not the opposing side. However, a psychologist is ethically responsible for providing an unbiased opinion or delivery of facts regardless of which attorney contracted their services. The pressure to be loyal to the attorney that has contracted the psychologists services causes a problem for those psychologists who uphold the integrity of the profession. When caught in a situation where the findings of the psychologist are not aligned with the goals of the attorney, the psychologist can either give a testimony that is altered to fit the requests of the attorney and risk civil liabilities and ethical complaints, or they can report the facts and risk not being called upon again. Although it is a true dilemma to de cide which direction to take as a professional, upholding individual integrity and that of the profession is vitally important. Based on the responsibilities outlined in the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists (1991), forensic psychologists should make a reasonable effort to provide their services in a manner that is responsible and forthright. When a the services of a psychologist are requested, they should be upfront about their position to be unbiased and only report the facts regardless of the outcome. Another challenge that surfaces with expert testimony given by a psychologist is its admissibility in court. As mentioned earlier in the Fed. R. Evid. 702, an expert testimony may be utilized if it is based on sufficient facts or data. The facts and data are what determine the reliability of the experts testimony. This becomes a factor when it must be determined whether the information presented should be admitted as evidence in the court proceeding. Prior to the case of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc.(1993) in order for an experts evidence to be admitted in court it must follow the rule of general acceptance, which meant the evidence must have been obtained using scientific techniques that were generally accepted in the scientific community (Bartol Bartol, 2008). With the ruling in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. it is now left to the discretion of the judge to determine whether experts evidence should be admitted. For a psychologists is becomes a challenge to convince the judge that the information they are presenting is both valid and reliable. As a safeguard, psychologists should disclose the sources of all of the information used to form their testimony (Committee on Ethical Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists, 1991). Aside from the challenges criminal psychologists face as an expert witness, they also must address the controversial issue of whether offenders can be rehabilitated. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported a study that looked at the level of recidivism of a group of prisoners released between 1983 and 1994. What they found was that a high percentage of these individuals were re-arrested (Beck Shipley, 1997; Langan Levin, 2002). With high numbers of released prisoners returning to the prison or criminal justice system, the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs is questionable. Research is still being done on what causes crime and what type of psychological effects do prisoners experience while incarcerated (Benson, 2003). Hopefully with a better look into what leads a person to commit a crime, better ways to rehabilitate them will be developed. Juvenile There are two themes that govern the juvenile justice system which are the welfare of the juvenile offender and public safety (MacArthur Foundation research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice). The forensic psychologist in this specialty adheres to these themes in their roles and responsibilities to conduct assessments, evaluate competence, and provide therapy (Bartol Bartol, 2008). Forensic psychologists may be called upon to assess a juveniles level of threat to society, whether they are competent to make certain decisions, and decide what type of treatment can be offered to them (Bartol Bartol, 2008). Working with juveniles is not the same as working with an adult population. One ethical dilemma that comes about when working with juveniles is whether the psychologist has sufficient competence for working with juveniles if they have only assessed adults. Outlined in the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists (1991) under competence, it states a forens ic psychologist should only provide services in areas that they either have specialized knowledge, education, experience or skill. Psychologists must be very careful when assessing juveniles because they do not present the same behaviors as adults; some of these behaviors may be misinterpreted by the assessor if they have no knowledge of juvenile assessments (Bartol Bartol, 2008). Assessment is a very important part of the juveniles dealings with criminal justice system, so a psychologist should make every effort to ensure they are competent in this area prior to providing services. When approached about providing services as a juvenile assessor, the forensic psychologist should be honest about their limitations in competence and either make an effort to become knowledgeable about the area, or decline the request (Committee on Ethical Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists, 1991). Dual relationships also pose an ethical challenge for forensic psychologists in this area of specialty. Forensic psychologists should avoid the role of both evaluator and treatment provider (Bartol Bartol, 2008). This is an issue because as an evaluator, the forensic psychologist is contracted with the court, who is the client. Which means the forensic psychologist must warn the individual of the limits to confidentiality. In the role of the therapist, the client is the individual patient and there is some protection of confidentiality under patient-therapist privilege. In the case of Jaffe v. Redmond (1996) the U.S. Supreme court supported confidentiality in federal courts. It is best practice to avoid dual roles. If the two roles must be combined, there should be an effort to avoid any negative effects to the individual client (Committee on Ethical Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists, 1991). Levels of juvenile cognitive skills and adjudicative competence are issues that are still being debated in the juvenile justice system. The MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice define competence as ones ability to understand the processes associated with the trial, aid the attorney, and make important decisions. However, research has found that a number of juveniles 15 and under have mental competency scores similar to adults with serious mental disorders (MacArthur Foundation). Which means juveniles are not capable of making reasonable decisions related to waiving their constitutional rights, confessions, and plea bargains (Mac Arthur Foundation)The goal of the juvenile justice system has been to rehabilitate offenders so that they can eventually lead healthy lives as adults, without much focus on their competency to understand the justice system (Viljoen Wingrove, 2007). The belief is that juveniles should be assessed based on their levels of development, not the standard of the justice system which is geared towards adults because some developmental issues may not be detected (Ryba, Cooper, Zapf, 2003). The decision whether a defendant should be transferred from juvenile court to criminal court is an issue that is still being worked out in the justice system. In the case of Kent v. United states (1966) where 16-year-old Morris Kent, after confessing to his crimes, was transferred to criminal court and found guilty of housebreaking and robbery, and not guilty by reason of insanity for rape. Kents attorney argued that Kents case should have remained in juvenile court because he would have had a better chance of rehabilitation than in criminal court where he was sentenced to 30 to 90 years in a mental institution (Kent v. United States, 1966). Even today research is still being done on whether juveniles have adjudicative competence and if they should be transferred to criminal courts. Civil The Civil Court is primarily designed to handle private disputes between individuals or organizations (Britannica Online Encyclopedia, 2010). The major roles of the forensic psychologist in the civil court setting are those of an assessor and evaluator. Forensic psychologists may be called upon to assess emotional factors related to traumatic or personal injury litigations; assessment of psychological factors in relation to harassment, discrimination, and workers compensation disability, as well as post-mortem assessments and competency evaluations (Franklin, 2006). Forensic psychologists are also called upon in family courts to complete child custody evaluations (Franklin, 2006). Child custody evaluations conducted by psychologists tend to bring up some ethical concerns. An unresolved controversial issue in this subspecialty is that there is currently no standard practice when conducting child custody evaluations (Bartol Bartol, 2008). Many psychologists choose to use several forms of psychological testing as means to determining child custody in response to the American Psychological Associations (APA) (1994), request that there should be several methods for collecting data (Bow Quinnell, 2001). The issue with the psychological tests used is that there is no empirical evidence to support it (Bow Quinnell, 2001). To ensure adherence to the APA guidelines, the psychologists should use several techniques to conduct evaluations such as interviews, self-report studies, and psychological testing (Bartol Bartol, 2008). If a forensic psychologist is called upon to conduct a mental evaluation of a victim in sexual harassment suit, it is important that the psychologist thoroughly explain the potential use of the information gained. Informed consent now becomes an issue in this case because the victim must reveal personal information regarding their past sexual history during the evaluation (Bartol Bartol, 2008). The APA state in the Ethical Principles Psychologists and Code of Conduct section 3.10(c) When psychological services are court ordered or otherwise mandated, psychologists inform the individual of the nature of the anticipated services, including whether the services are court ordered or mandated and any limits of confidentiality, before proceeding. This can become a challenge for a forensic psychologist if the victim does not fully understand the limits of confidentiality in this situation. The forensic psychologist should take special care to explain to the client, in language they underst and, that the information provided may be used in the courtroom. By doing this the psychologist is making an effort to reduce the potential for more harm to the client. One of the most controversial issues in this area of forensic psychology is physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide takes place when a competent individual requests that a physician prescribe a medication that will aid them in ending their life. The role of the psychologist is to determine whether or not the individual is competent to make such a decision. The state of Oregon, in 1997, enacted its Death with Dignity Act which allows for physician-assisted suicide (Oregon State). The debate on whether other states will join Oregon is ongoing, as well as the research on the responsibilities of the forensic psychologist in this role (Bartol Bartol, 2008). The case of Daubert v. Merrill Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc (1993) is pivotal in this subspeciality because of the forensic psychologists role as an expert witness in civil cases. Research is still being done on how the Daubert standard affects the admissibility of expert testimony given by forensic psychologists (bartol Bartol, 2008). Investigative The work of the investigative forensic psychologist may be the most popular because of the media hype over the role of criminal profiling. In the case of U.S. v. Sokolow (1989) a form of profiling was used to make an arrest based on the behavioral characteristics of drug dealers. Criminal profiling methods have been around long before the gained popularity in the media. Actually, forensic psychologists have a few other roles and responsibilities dealing with investigations besides criminal profiling. Forensic psychologists use a variety of techniques to link a suspect to a crime. They study the crime scene to get a better understanding of the physical and verbal behaviors of the suspect (Woodham, Hollin, Bull, 2007); they also use geographical profiling to determine the territory of a serial offender (Bartol Bartol, 2008). This information is then used to narrow down the list of possible suspects put of a larger population. Psychological autopsies are unique responsibility of inves tigative forensic psychologists because they are done to determine the mental state of an individual prior to their demise. Also an investigative psychologist may conduct a forensic hypnosis to aid in a witnesss or victims recall of a traumatic event. Much scrutiny surrounds the use of forensic hypnosis as well as criminal profiling. Despite the glamorous appeal profiling has shown on various TV shows and movies, it is not a widely accepted practice. There are several concerns that cause profiling to be a very controversial issue. From the lack of research supporting its reliability and validity (Mcgrath, 2000), to the belief that profilers are creating opinions based on gut feelings (Bartol Bartol, 2008), and its inability to meet the basic expert witness standards sought under the section of the Federal Rule of Evidence 702 that states the testimony [of an expert] is based upon sufficient facts or data, . . . is the product of reliable principles and methods, and the witness has applied the principles and methods reliably to the facts of the case (Alison, Bennell, Ormerod, Mokros, 2002). This brings about ethical challenges because forensic psychologists are obligated to provide services that are consistent with the highest standards of the profession (Committee on Ethical Guidelines for Forensic Psychologist s, 1991, p. 657). As Alison, et al. (2002) assert, the methods used for profiling result from an understanding of personality and trait approach that is both naÑ-ve and outdated. Many researchers suggest that psychologists should be cautious about using profiling in criminal investigations (Bartol Bartol, 2008; Alison, et al., 2002), but if it must be done, appropriate steps should be taken to base their opinion on current empirical evidence that is available and not just on gut feelings (Torres, Boccaccini, Miller, 2006). As of today, there is still a need for research to support the use of profiling. Pretrial identification methods is another area of ethical concern for psychologists because of its vulnerability to bias and error. Many police agencies use lineups and photospreads to help witnesses identify a suspect. The issue of bias arises when either the investigator or administrator make suggestions or subtle innuendos about who the suspect is. In a study conducted by Greathouse Kovera (2009) it was found that in situations where the administrator of the lineup and photospread knew who the suspect was, the witness was more likely to correctly identify them as oppose to situations where neither the administrator nor the witness knew the suspect. To resolve an ethical dilemma of this type, it is recommended that those administering the lineup and photospread should not have knowledge of who the suspect is (Bartol Bartol, 2008). Correctional In 2005 nearly half of the inmate population in prisons and jails reported having a mental health problem (James Glaze, 2006). With such a rise in the number of mentally ill inmates, the prison system may now be the nations largest provider for this special population (Fellner, 2006). Rising numbers indicate there is an even greater need for forensic psychologists working in the prison systems today. The role of a forensic psychologist is that of assessor and treatment provider. Within these roles, forensic psychologists are responsible for coordinating and ensuring the mental health programs are running properly, supervising the employees assigned to these programs, and administering mental health services to the inmates that need it. The forensic psychologist also functions as a trainer for the staff and screens the staff that will be working with inmates in special mental health units and step up to help in crisis situations (Magaletta Verdeyen, 2005; International Association f or Correctional and Forensic Psychology, 2010). Working in correctional facilities can be very challenging for the forensic psychologists. The work environment is no way comparable to the application of psychology in the community or private setting. There are various risks and safety issues when dealing with criminals in this type of setting such as dual roles. The Standards for psychology services in jails, prisons, correctional facilities, and agencies address this issue by stating Mental health services staff do not assume a dual role that overlaps with other functions and services (e.g., security) of the correctional agency or facility that could result in unethical dual-role relationships that risk harm to their offender or inmate clients (International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology, 2010, p. 19). At times, a correctional psychologist may act in the role of evaluator and therapist, or even as the therapist and a stand-in correctional officer. In some correctional facilities the expectation is that a psychologist is a correctional officer before any other role, thereby making it a responsibility of the psychologist to aid in doing a count of the inmates, conducting searches of an inmates cell and person, supervise inmates, and escort inmates to segregated areas (Bonner Vandecreek, 2006). Dual roles of this type create mistrust between the inmate and the psychologist because the psychologist is now viewed as another correctional officer and not someone there for the interests of the inmate. In order to eliminate the potential of dual roles, the psychologist should request in writing that they should only be assigned to duties that align with their particular profession and ethical standards (Bonner Vandecreek, 2006). A second ethical challenge for psychologists is avoiding situations that would intentionally cause harm to their client. The conditions of prison are not necessarily adequate for those suffering from mental illness, and many times many of them go undertreated (Fellner, 2006). The prison walls are riddled with too many inmates, violence, and victimization by other inmates and the staff (Bartol Barto, 2008).It is the responsibility of the psychologist to maintain their position as an advocate for their client and not as an additional perpetrator of their rights but this is challenging when jail and prison conditions prevent effective treatment. The IACFP (2010) contend that Offenders are incarcerated as punishment, not for punishment (p. 759). Participating in or allowing the inhumane treatment of inmates, mentally ill or not, goes against the standards for psychologists in this subspecialty. Unfortunately, psychologists may be harming unintentionally causing harm by not provided the adequate treatment needed. The climate of the prison environment will take several steps in order to see a change, but there are things a psychologist can do to resolve some of these issues. It is important that the psychologist does not fall into the same mentality of a correctional officer and participate in activities that are intended to do harm. The IACFP (2010) suggest that psychologists should avoid any delays when a request has been made for mental health services; avoid imposing any biases or beliefs on or towards inmates; meet the requirements of due process; practice within ones personal scope of competency; and continuously advocate for better mental health services in jails and prison. One controversial issue that surrounds the treatment of mentally ill inmates is their segregation from the general population. In the case if Perri v. Coughlin (1999) a severely disordered inmate was kept in an observational where an inmate is stripped of their clothes and placed in a cell for their protectionfor a total of 108 days without any treatment. Another issue is although inmates have the right to refuse treatment, they can be forced to do so if it is determined that they are severely disordered and cause a threat to themselves and others which was argued in the case of Washington v. Harper (1990). Forced consent to treatment stirs up controversy for psychologists because inmates may only consent to treatment for fear of privileges being taken away, such as in the case of McKune v. Lile (2002). Despite the controversies that come about it the correctional system, the research focus has been on reducing recidivism and increasing rehabilitation. Police The final subspecialty of forensic psychology to be discussed is police psychology. Police psychology is the application of psychological principles to the profession of law enforcement and public safety (Bartol Bartol, 2008). As a police psychologist the primary role is to provide psychological services to law enforcement either through counseling, employee screenings, fitness-for-duty evaluations, assessment of incidents requiring deadly force, crisis counseling, and special unit evaluations (Bartol Bartol, 2008). Police psychologists assist with the special units of police agencies including, SWAT, hostage negotiations, and victims response. Just as with all the other areas forensic psychologists team up with, there are a few ethical issues that emerge. Conflicts between agency requirements and the ethical standards of the psychologist can pose a serious ethical dilemma when working with police agencies. Two ethical challenges in particular are the interrogation methods of some police agencies that lead to false confessions. Leo Ofshe (1998) assert that false confessions are a result overzealous police officers who are so eager to arrest a suspect that they tend to overlook evidence that may point towards the individuals innocence. Some tactics police may use to gain these confessions are deprivation, humiliation, or manipulation (Bartol Bartol, 2008). These actions cause problems for psychologists because they position is to advocate for human rights, when these actions can be viewed as violations of these rights. When psychologists are caught in situations that cause ethical conflicts they must abstain from taking part in those behaviors. It is at the discretion of the individual psychologist whether they wish to continue consul ting with police agencies that practice abusive interrogation techniques (APA, 2007). If they decide to continue their work, psychologist should consult with police on interrogation strategies that will not impede on an individuals human rights and decrease the likelihood of a false confession. Interrogation tactics have begun to come into the lime light with Americas War on Terrorism. But before then there was focus on another controversial issue, excessive force. Excessive force has been a controversial issue for decades. Many Civil Rights protesters can probably recount various incidents when they were victims of police excessive force. However the most striking case of our time dealing with police excessive force is that of Rodney King in 1991. Surrounding the issue of excessive force is also deadly force, although its occurrence is not frequent. With both of these issues, psychologists may be asked to conduct fitness-for-duty evaluations to determine the officers ability to carry out their required duties (Bartol Bartol, 2008). A plethora of research is available for the subspecialty of police psychology. Topics range from cultural competency, dealing with the mentally ill, on the job stress, excessive force, employment screening, and community relations. As the research in this area progresses, enhancements can be made to the types of treatment psychologists offer. Conclusion The field of forensic psychology encompasses a wide range of roles and responsibilities; with various contributions to the fields of law and psychology. In its short existence there have been tremendous gains in research and practical applications. As the profession of forensic psychology grows in popularity among the public, there is sure to be greater strides in the collaboration of psychology and law.

Alienated People :: essays research papers

The Oxford dictionary defines alienation as; to estrange, isolate, detach, distance, to put a distance, to turn away from another person. Alienation, like a lot of other social attitudes and concepts, can give a wide variety of interests. I have found six main points in The Encyclopedia of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Psychoanalysis that have gotten the most attention and things written about alienation; A) Powerlessness: The feeling, belief, or expectancy that a persons behavior can't control some events whether positive or negative, B) Meaninglessness: The person feels incomprehensive in his/her social life and feels the "absurdity of life", C) Normlessness: High expectancies for, or commitment to socially unapproved ways to achieving a goal, one will go about achieving a goal in a not normally excepted way, D) Cultural Estrangement: person's individual values rejected by society, the image that the alienated value's not being standard to that of the environment around him/her, E) Social Isolation: The individuals low expectancy for inclusion and social exceptance, being lonely and commonly found a member of a minority or physically disabled, F) Self Estrangement: This focuses on the discrepancy or differences between one's ideal self and one's actual self. In the novel, The Metamorphosis, Gregor wakes up one morning as a giant insect and feels out of place. When Gregor sees his father and his attitude to him, Gregor feels alienated in that fact that his father yells and shows his anger and frustration to his son and throws an apple which gets stuck in his slimy backside. His father feels Gregor has not become successful and a failure. He probably also feels that he has let his sister down along with his mother for not being supportive enough as the father was not. Continuing with the same concept of Mr. Samsa not being a good father, Gregor felt alienated again by his mother and sister by not filling in the father role while his father was out or doing whatever. His mom and sister took things out of his room and the only thing left was a picture of a woman who he probably felt was the only thing close to him. His boss surely wasn't and his family was sure not there either. In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya gets an incredible toothache and is taken to the dentist who refuses to work on her because of her race.