Thursday, October 31, 2019

Discuss global health systems, service delivery, factors influencing Assignment

Discuss global health systems, service delivery, factors influencing care, and policy decisions, health disparities, and evidence based care at local, state, national, and global levels - Assignment Example Since global health is a central concern for various reasons, health systems occupy an important position in terms of global health care. Health systems work as important institutions that â€Å"plan, fund, and regulate† health care (Skolnik 2012, 88). Hence, their work involves generation of finances, providence of health care services, providence of clinical services, and finally, providence of intellectual input. The World Health Organization (WHO) is constantly involved with global health initiatives in order to increase worldwide access to quality healthcare services (Brugha 2009, 1237). Many such health initiatives have led to enhancements in the effectiveness of health aid. Evidence based health care, based on sound scientific evidence, aids healthcare decision making thereby ensuring high quality delivery of health services. They may operate at all levels including local, state, national, and global levels though acquiring complexity at larger scales. Many healthcare initiatives and programs use evidence based approach to ensure good service

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Semesters to Trimesters Essay Example for Free

Semesters to Trimesters Essay At the high school level trimesters are more effective than semesters. So why do most high schools use a semester four quarter system rather than a trimester system? The teachers seemed to be the most concerned about this at Pineview High School, and they are trying to make the switch. The reason that trimesters are more effective is that it allows more time to the class period so teachers can get into detail about the topic. With a four quarter semester system, the classes are short and there are two more classes in one school day. This argument occurs all over the place where high schools are trying to switch from semesters to trimesters. Currently Pineview High, in Chewelah is using a semester system with quarter terms and is trying to change the system to trimesters, in which a block schedule would then be used. The good side to this would be that it would change a forty-five minute class to a seventy minute class. This would allow the teachers plenty of time to go in depth on a topic and plenty of time to fully explain. The lengthening of classes would mean that classes would be cut so instead of seven periods the students would have five blocked periods. In a short class period teachers have a hard time getting the attention of the students and then when they finally do the class is over. Then they have to start all over again. With longer class periods it would allow the teacher to get the attention of the student and then have their attention for a longer period of time. Trimesters seem to be better than semesters and the switch would be rather appropriate because of these reasonings. After researching this topic, I found that the changing of semesters to trimesters is happening all over the USA. So this would show that maybe trimesters are a little more effective than semesters. I researched that a high school in Portland had recently changed systems and that it took about five years of discussion before the change was made. The article stated That the teachers and administrators thought the new schedule would reduce the assembly-line feel of the current school day. In the event students shuttle from class to class, absorbing disconnected lessons in history,  foreign language, literature, math, and science.(The Oregonian) This would be a good thing and be more effective for the students. At this school instead of two, eighteen week semesters, the school year would be split into three twelve week trimesters. Another article stated how the change would allow students to earn more credits. The problem with most districts is that some teachers and administrators do not want to change the system. In the research studied I found that some teachers argued the idea, saying that other schedules provide less class time and make it harder for students to retain what they learn.(The Oregonian) People do disagree with this but in reality more and more school districts are switching to trimesters to benefit students. All of this shows why trimesters are better than semesters, and if a school district is thinking about switching systems then it would appropriate to do so because it is proven to be more effective. If a school district is concerned about the academics of the students then it would be smart to switch systems as well. It will ensure that the students will get the best out of their education and that is what is most important.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Self Control Theory of Crime

Self Control Theory of Crime Self control theory, also known as General theory of crime is a criminological theory about the lack of an individuals self-control, which is the main factor behind criminal behavior or conformity. Self control theory places much of its emphasis on parental upbringing it suggests that individuals who were ineffectually parented before the age of ten develop less self-control than individuals of roughly the same age who were raised with better parenting, even though others play a vital role in the process of proper or improper socialization (Muraven, Pogarsky and Shmueli 2006). Children with behavioral problems will tend to grow into juvenile delinquents and eventually into adult offenders according to Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990 because the path toward or away from crime commences early in life. If a child has an abusive or neglectful upbringing, he will tend to be impulsive, insensitive, physical, risk-taking, short-sighted, and nonverbal, and they will also tend to engage in the c riminal acts outlined above (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). Children whose parents care about them and supervise and punish their misconduct will develop the self-control needed, through socialization, to resist the easy temptations offered by crime. This will help them in future school, work, and relationships. This theory was originally developed by criminologists Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson, but has since been the subject of theoretical debate. Hirschi once focused on social bonds rather than individual and self control as a source for criminality, but his viewed shifted and Gottfredson and Hirschi strayed from Hirschis previous theory that continuing social bonds cushion against criminal behavior in favor of the proposition that self control, internalized early in life, determines who will be likely to commit crime (Grasmick, et al. 1993). This theory is more practical, according to Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990 this theory propose that self-control is the general concept around which all of the known facts about crime can be organized. Hirschis former theory of criminality was a classical theory and according to Brownfield and Sorenson 1993 à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"classical theory and the concept of self-control are remarkably compatible. Self-control theory is similar to learning theory because learning theory believes that lack of self-control is a basic component or element of the deviant learning process. Even though one learns from the stimuli around them behavior is also the result of something within us, which is self-control. Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990 define crime as, acts of force or fraud undertaken in pursuit of self interest. This definition leads to the conclusion that any law violation, including murder, robbery, or property crime, that is done for reasons other than self-interest is not crime and cannot be explained by their theory (Grasmick et al. 1993). Low self-control is supposed to explain an individuals propensity to commit or refrain from committing crimes, just as high self-control explains an individuals likelihood of conforming to social norms and laws (Akers 1991). The authors explain that the concept of self control is not deterministic and that people involved with crime also engage in similar behaviors that provide short-term gratification (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). Smoking, drinking, gambling, irresponsible sex, and speeding in cars are all examples of risky behaviors that may be noticeable in criminal individuals who seek immediate gratification. Six elements of self-control are presented, one of which is that crimes require little skill or planning (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). Naturally, this is a source of criticism, since many criminals do plan their deviant acts and have become quite specialized in these activities. Self-control theory argues that a lack of self-control is neither a sufficient nor a necessary condition for crime to occur, because other properties of the individual or of the situation may counteract ones likelihood of committing deviant acts (Hirschi and Gottfredson 1993). The theorists have absolutely stated that their viewpoint, not like many others, is not meant to predict any particular type of activity since most deviant behavior, by its very nature, is impulsive and opportunistic. Therefore, everything else being equal, low self-control and a weak bond to society should positively and significantly predict a variety of deviant and criminal conduct (Polakowski 1994). Though lack of self-control and the familys role in its failed development do not mean that one will become deviant but it will provide circumstances that will make conditions favorable for delinquency. Hirschi has written supplemental information regarding the dynamics of the familys important role in reducing delinquency. He says that some aspects of family structure and practice appear to have an impact on delinquency in their own right, over and above their influence on the childs level of self control or socialization. This theory is applied to age, gender, and racial variations in crime, peer groups, schools, and the family, cross-cultural comparisons, white-collar crime, and organized crime. Gottfredson and Hirschi say there are differences among racial and ethnic groups, as there are between the sexes, in levels of direct supervision by the family (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). It is not the gender, race, or age of an individual that directly influences his criminality, but these factors indirectly affect the amount of socialization by parents. An evaluation of the age-crime relationship, however, has shown that for certain crimes, the variable of age may actually be a dire ct result of lack of self-control (Greenberg 1994). Hirschi believes that policies put in place that are designed to deter or rehabilitate offenders are failures, but effective policies that support and enhance the socialization in family would strengthen the family dynamics by improving the quality of family child-rearing practices. Therefore, effective policies would not only focus on preventing teenage pregnancies, but on maintaining a fathers involvement with the childs life. Hirschi contends that initiating these public policy reforms would strengthen family bonds, increase socialization, and create greater self-control in the child that will make it unlikely that he will exhibit deviant behavior (Hirschi 1995). This theory alleges to address all types of crime that Hirschis first theory in Causes of Delinquency did not, but many simply find Gottfredson and Hirschis definition of crime to be unconvincing. Though studies in general support the theorys major conclusion that low self-control is linked to criminal involvement, they do make some valid points regarding weaknesses inherent in the self-control theory of crime. In A General Theory of Crime Gottfredson and Hirschi offer no general or specific empirical test of the theory (Akers 1991). This makes their claims seem grandiose, though the major view appears to be true. The theory has also been accused of being tautological, because they do not define self-control separately from the propensity to commit crimes and analogous behavior (Akers 1991). They use the term criminality and self-control synonymously, which is like saying low self control causes low self-control, or criminality causes criminality. Critics have suggested that an indep endent indicator of self- control is necessary to truly define self-control. It has also been suggested by critics that this theory wrongfully claims other theories are unimportant (Akers 1991). Counter-intuitive to the logic of self-control theory, a longitudinal study was conducted showing that adult social bonds, like stable employment and cohesive marriages for example, can redirect offenders into a lifestyle of conformity beyond the childhood years of socialization. Studies have also shown that the relationship among self-control, crime, and analogous behaviors was also questionable. Overall, it seems that this theory carries heavy paternalistic undertones and the key to developing self-control is proper socialization, especially in childhood. Gottfredson and Hirschi find the traditional role of women and men to be crucial to the development of children. They seem to feel that if society could regain traditional American values with the woman staying at home, the husband working during the day, and the children disciplined by both parents, criminality would decrease. They do not even consider the outcomes of single-parent, divorced or un-wed parents, but they are a reality in contemporary society. In summary, Travis Hirschi has had a significant impact on the world of criminology. His two major theories, the control theory of delinquency and self-control theory, despite criticism have guided public policy reformations, and are quite popular today. Akers, Ronald L. Self-control as a general theory of crime. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 1991: 201-211. Brownfield, David, and Ann Marie Sorenson. Self-control and juvenile delinquency:theoretical issues and an empirical assessment of selected elements of a general theory of crime. Deviant Behavior, 1993: 243-264. Gottfredson, Michael R., and Travis Hirschi. A General Theory of Crime. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1990. Grasmick, Harold G., Charles R Tittle, Jr., Robert J Bursik, and Bruce J Arneklev. Testing the core empirical implications of Gottfredson and Hirschis general theory of crime. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 1993: 5-29. Hirschi, Travis, and Michael Gottfredson. Commentary: Testing the General Theory of Crime. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 1993: 47-54. Muraven, Mark, Greg Pogarsky, and Dikla Shmueli. Self-control Depletion and the General Theory of Crime. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 2006: 263-277. Polakowski, Michael. Linking self-and social control with deviance: illuminating the structure underlying a General Theory of Crime and its relation to deviant activity. Journal of Quantative Criminology, 1994: 41-79.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Fairies: Beauty or Contentment? :: English Literature

Fairies: Beauty or Contentment? Fairies- like witches- were widely accepted as real in the Elizabethan era. The witches in Macbeth still stir debate over whether they initiated Macbeth’s crimes or simply anticipated then. What role do you think the fairies have in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Are they simply a theatrical device to create wonder and beauty on stage or do the fairies have a greater significance? How does Shakespeare use them? In correlation to Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the role of the witches produces a direct connotation with the role of the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The philosophical perception of fate is carried throughout both the dramas, enacting to drive the plot forward. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare uses the fairies to depict a magical setting, symbolizing beauty, love and contentment. These symbols form the basis of the play in context to the plot for the reason that these symbols drive the plot to come full circle by the 5th Act. However, the magical setting portrays Shakespeare’s intent of having the interaction between the two worlds; hence the combination is what formulates the plots complications whilst further proving the drama to be a romantic comedy. In addition, A Midsummer Night’s Dream revolves around the themes of love and marriage; thus the implication of fairies adds to the emotions of content through possessing a magical and joyous touch. Lastly, in contrast to the witches in Macbeth, the fairies don’t seem to possess an evil side, hence signifying the love and romance that surrounds the play. On this basis, Shakespeare uses the fairies to create an ambiance of affection; as their wits disregard the play to be more comedic than tragic. Nonetheless, Shakespeare connects the fairies to comedy within the play for the fact that the characters are in a dream world which frustrated lovers find happiness against all odds through the juice of a tree and further lovers suicides can be laughed at because they are part of badly told tale. In context to the play, the fairies significance is somewhat vital for the reason that their actions and decisions determine the course of the play. Furthermore, the opening scene is somewhat significant for the reason that it tells the reader the play is a fairy story, thus the role of the fairies is then imperative to some extent. â€Å"And then the moon, like to a silver bow new bent in heaven, shall behold the night† implies the notion of a ‘once upon a time story’, hence being a magical tale. Secondly, in correlation to the notion of fate that persists within the real world is determined through the magical droplets of the fairies, hence causing complications and the structure

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Final Paper Essay

Target corporation is one of the biggest retailers there is out there, bringing in an estimate of $74 million dollars a year in revenue. Majority of Target revenue is earned during the busiest time of the year, which are Black Friday and holidays. Target has had a huge positive reputation because of the â€Å"Expect More Pay Less† promise and giving 5% back to the community. However, Target has been going through some hard times because of the Target breach that occurred during the holidays of 2013. This research paper will focus first on introducing the Target breach and how it has affected the company and what the company has done to fix the problem. Moving forward, I will focus on internal controls that Target could have applied and summarizing everything towards the end. Target Breach & Internal Controls Target Corporation is a well known and respected retail store out there. Target is a corporation that buys goods from manufactures at a purchase discount price and reselling it to consumers in a higher price to make a profit. Target has brought in revenue of $74 million dollars a year and continues to grow every year. However, Target has gone through some hard times with the Target breach that just occurred during the holidays of 2013. Consumers have had a hard time trusting their card readers and loyalty and sales have been dropping ever since. The question that is now in the air is what internal controls that company had during this breach and what could they have done to avoid this breach that just occurred. To begin with, the company was running perfectly and driving outstanding sales until the company and guest found out that they had a breach, also known to the community as the â€Å"Target Breach. Target corporation confirmed that a major data breach occurred between Black Friday and December 15, 2013, which includes many of the most important shopping days of the year† (Edelson, 2013). Ever since the Target breach, the company’s reputation was hurt, consumers were not confident about shopping, and are afraid of using the card readers at the stores. Later in time, after the breach was announced, the company had given further information on how the breach affected the people. It is believed that the breach affected roughly 40,000 card devices at store registers, which could mean that millions of cardholders could be vulnerable, according to the people familiar with the incident† (Sidel, 2013). On top of the 40,000 card devices being affected, 40 million people’s credit card and debit card information was stolen. The CEO of Target Corporation later released to the press and announced that personal information such as address, names, phone numbers, and e-mail address were also taken from the Target system. After reading about the Target breach, being an assistant manager for Target, and hearing about the tragic that has been caused, I remember feeling upset because of the way the company was going to be affected. However, it also reminded of the internal control concept that was thought in class. There was a lot of fraud involved with the Target breach, which is something that occurs when it comes to intern control. â€Å"Fraud refers to any act by the management or employees of business involving an internal deception for personal gain. Fraud may include, among other acts, embezzlement of business cash, theft of assets, filing false insurance claims, filing false health claims, and financial statement fraud† (Ferris, Wallace, Christensen, 2014, pg. 314). With the Target breach, you are able to see the fraud triangle concepts, which consist of pressure, opportunity, and rationalization. Being employed by Target, that concept came into mine when reading the article because there was an e-mail sent to management about believing that an employee that worked with the POS (point on sale) system had a lot of inside information within the system. The pressure was there to get information from the POS system and rationalization was involved when they knew that they can get credit card information. The opportunity occurred when they knew the busiest time of the year was going to be Black Friday and majority of the sales are driven in that day. From all that has occurred it is not clear what internal controls Target had in order to avoid this situation. Internal controls are important when it comes to businesses in order to avoid situation like the Target breach. There are two parts that I believe that important when it comes to internal controls, which are prevention control and detection control. A â€Å"prevention control is intended to deter a problem or fraud before it can arise† (Ferris, Wallace, Christensen, 2014, pg. 316). Target should have followed the prevention control with the POS system in order to avoid the Target breach. A â€Å"detection control, on the other hand, is designed to discover any problems or fraud shortly it arises† (Ferris, Wallace, Christensen, 2014, pg. 316). Target followed the detection control after the problem of the breach was brought and took justice in their own hands in order to fix the problem. The first thing Target did was post a prominent message on its Web site, â€Å"Important notice: unauthorized access to payment card data in the U. S. stores. † The message linked to a letter alerting customers that a breach occurred and outlining steps Target is taking to a voice a recurrence† (Edelson, 2013). Another step that Target has taken is bringing justice for the information was that was stolen out of their systems. Target had invested $5 million dollars into a multi-year campaign in order to stop phishing scams (Target, 2013). â€Å"Target has longstanding history of commitment to our communities, and cyber security is one of the most pressing issues facing consumers today,† said Steinhafel. â€Å"We are proud to be working with three trusted organizations-the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA), National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Better Business Bureau (BBB)- to advance public education around cyber security† (Target, 2013). Target has gone to long measures to protect the information of the guest and reinsure loyalty by offering ProtectMyID, which keeps track of credit reports, monitoring, and identity theft (Target, 2013). As an apology to the guest, Target offered a 10% off discount to all guests which were a huge success for the company but numbers of transactions was cash paid. Being an employee for Target, we are still determine to follow our core roles, continue delivering the â€Å"Expect More Pay Less† promise, and delivering an excellent shopping experience for our guest in order to continue driving profitable sales and guest loyalty. In order to avoid this situation and detect the problem ahead of time, Target should have incorporated the following elements that are designed for prevention and detection controls. The first element is establish clear lines of authority and responsibility, which is giving authority to a supervisor or manager but also evaluation their consequently to companies policies and rules. Implement segregation of duties, â€Å"requires that when allocating various duties within the accounting system, management should make sure that no employee is assigned too many different responsibilities† (Ferris, Wallace, Christensen, 2014, pg.317). Hire competent personnel, which the company sees if that person has the education and qualified skills to perform that job. Use control number on all business documents, which is having all important documents with control numbers. Develop plans and budgets, which is having a plan and budget in order to bring the company forward. For example, the $5 m illion dollars that were invested in the anti fraud software in order to bring guest loyalty back. Maintain adequate accounting records, which is making sure that the company has the most recent accounting records. For example, the number of fraud claims that were reported under guest bank statements in order to reinvers their money back. Provide physical and electronic controls, is locking their doors or important files to prevent theft, which should have happened with the POS system. Conduct internal audit, â€Å"is a company function that provided independent appraisals of the company’s financial statement, its internal control, and its operations† (Ferris, Wallace, Christensen, 2014, pg. 319). In conclusion, we are able to see how the company was impacted from the breach that had occurred and the actions that the company has taken in order to fix the problem. People information had been stolen and finances have been tampered through it. We are able to see how internal controls play an important part when it comes to finances, accounting, and to businesses such as Target. If the proper elements and procedures had been applied with internal control I am sure that all of this could have been avoided or reduced.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

‘Miss Havisham’ by Charles Dickens Essay

Havisham essay. ‘Miss Havisham’ is a bitter and twisted character from the novel ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens. Carol Ann Duffy takes this character and explores her tragic life in the poem ‘Havisham’. Duffy uses Dark themes, structure, symbolism and other poetic techniques to express Havisham’s hatred for men after her tragic wedding when she was rejected by her fiancà ©. Duffy’s use of these poetic techniques create a sinister character and makes Havisham feel real to the reader. To begin the poem Duffy uses a shocking short sentence, which contains contrasting word choice to convey an ironic tone from Havisham. The contradictory oxymoron also startles the reader and grasps our attention as we do not expect this beginning. ‘Beloved sweetheart bastard.’ This contrasting word choice grasps the reader as it suggests a menacing narrative voice. The plosive ‘b’ sound repeated throughout the sentence creates a sinister mood as it is aggressive and sounds explosive and angry. This also suggests that she is writing a twister love letter to her past lover expressing her hatred toward him. This menacing narrative voice and dark atmosphere created makes the reader think that Havisham is a very sinister character and Duffy’s use of narrative voice and tone makes Havisham feel real. Following this Havisham begins to show more of her self-pity and self-disgust as she feels she is an in-complete woman, un-wanted and left abandoned. She shows this to the reader when she reveals her disgust with her marital status. ‘Spinster.’ Duffy’s use of a menacing narrative voice suggests that she is spitting this word out and the reader, we can hear that she loathes her loneliness and her isolated life. This one word sentence is used not only to startle the reader but to emphasis Havisham’s bitter tone. The sharp hissing ‘s’ sound creates a sinister mood as it conveys feelings of hatred, anger and revenge from Havisham. This clear display of self-loathing makes Havisham a very sinister character and the menacing narrative voice makes Havisham feel real to the reader. As the poem continues Havisham starts to show her mental decay as her language degrades down to sounds that only she can understand. She even begins to make animalistic screams which are symbolic of darkness and death. ‘cawing nooooo’ this neologism of ‘no’ suggests an animalistic persona where her sense of language has broken down to a series of noises which highlight her extreme mental decay. This also suggests her self-pity but makes the reader feel sympathy for the narrator as she desperately screams at the wall showing how lost and pathetic she has become over time. The ‘cawing’ is also symbolic of death and darkness as it is resembling a crow which the reader links with death, darkness and the devil. This combination of neologism and symbolism creates a sinister mood. Duffy’s use of neologism to emphasis Havisham’s mental decay makes her feel real to the reader and her animalistic person adds to her sinister character. Duffy goes on to show Havisham’s layers of feelings as she expresses her exterior feelings of hatred, anger and revenge which contrast with her true feelings of love for her past lover. It is the rejection from her lover which sends her into this downward spiral which eventually results in her feelings of hatred for all men and desperate want for revenge. ‘love’s hate behind a white veil’ This oxymoron places love and hate side by side and conceals both emotions behind a symbolic white bridal veil, which is ironically white and contrasts with her hatful state. The veil also conceals her face, emotions and both her mental and physical decay which adds to the sinister mood. This menacing narrative voice continues to add to the sinister mood and Duffy’s use of the combination of symbolism and an oxymoron create a sinister character. The depth of feeling from Havisham through the use of this oxymoron also makes Havisham feel real to the reader. Eventually Havisham’s self-pity combined with her mental decay makes for a dramatic conclusion to the poem as her emotions collapse and she is un-able to contain her feelings. She leaves the reader on an anti-climax as we are left wondering what happened to her in her vulnerable helpless state. ‘Don’t think it’s only the heart that b-b-b-breaks.’ Duffy uses ambiguity to give several interpretations of the ending as we are un-sure as to how Havisham finishes. The repeated ‘b’ sound could be the last beats of her breaking heart, it could be her voice breaking as she remembers her fate, it could be her last words as she finally emotionally and physically breaks down. It is the uncertainty of Havisham’s end that creates a sinister mood and makes her feel real to the reader. In conclusion, ‘Miss Havisham’ a character from the novel ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens is further explored in the poem ‘Havisham’ by Carol Ann Duffy. In the poem Duffy reveals Havisham’s sinister character and makes her feel real to the reader. Duffy accomplishes this through the use dark themes to express Havisham’s sinister character and a menacing narrative voice is used to make Havisham feel real to the reader. Duffy also uses symbolism, word choice and other poetic techniques to emphasis Havisham’s bitter and twisted character. The sinister mood is created throughout the poem as Havisham exposes her hatred for men and shows her physical and mental decay as she has been isolated from the world for so long. 954 words. Calum Stephen.