Sunday, March 29, 2020

Art in Public Spaces

Art in Public Spaces Introduction The following essay examines a piece of public art and the space it is found in order to discuss art, beauty and the purpose of public art. The essay specifically focuses on the Unnamed Sculpture at Pier 39 in San Francisco and uses the concepts from Semiotics to analyze the space and art piece together.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art in Public Spaces specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Also, the essay discusses the purpose of the Unnamed Sculpture at Pier 39 in San Francisco as a public art. The Skygate in San Francisco is a modern sculpture that was designed by Isamu Noguchi.This public art is usually set for free entertainment each Wednesday at noon. The Skygate has a natural framing that is presented by trees and thus giving it an outstanding background. The contributions of art in public places have not been fully recognized. Art in public places affects the everyday lives of millions of people ac ross the globe as more money is spent while commissioning them. However, the critical recognition of public art is yet to be recognized despite its proliferation. This is as a result of such factors as lack of a clear historical framework, evaluation as well as confusion concerning the definition of art in public places. According to some scholars, art in public places has been in existence since time immemorial. According to them, public art existed in form of Lascaux’s cave paintings. Other scholars believe that art in public places came into practice in 1967 following the creation of public arts program by the National Endowment for the Arts. According to some historians, art in public places began in 1935 with the establishment of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which was aimed at providing the US citizens with economic relief following the Great Depression. It is believed that President Roosevelt enhanced the proliferation of arts in public places during this tim e by providing employment opportunities to thousands of artists who worked in the public works division of WPA.Thus,the; the main challenge with regards to public arts is establishing the time line for its development. This makes the definition of arts in public places to be at issue. Since the term ‘art in public places’ was coined over fifty years ago, it is disappointing to note that the term has not been clearly defined. According to Hein’s, public art has the capacity of occupying public space and also drawing public into debate and intelligent discourse.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to him, art has the potential to of engendering new ways of thinking and new perspectives .Similarly, Barber in his ‘Cultural Interventions in the Public Sphere’ book stated that public art provides people with an opportunity to develop a range of res istant and critical strategies that have an effect of encouraging multiple responses(Merryman and Elsen 656-658). Arts in public places can exist in various forms including letters, orchards, sculptures, displays, monuments, memorials among others. A large number of arts in public places are found in towns and urban areas even though some are found in rural areas. Art in public places are found everywhere i.e. they are displayed on side of buildings, airport terminals, recreational parks, business organizations e.t.c. (Merryman and Elsen 656-658). San Francisco’s Skygate and semiotic approach Usually, arts in public works have the effect of conveying meaning to millions of spectators. Semiotics is commonly defined as the ‘science of signs’ implying that, pubic art is intended to have some significant meaning and purpose to human beings. According to semiotic approach, public arts can provide meanings in various forms including; words, texts and codes (Ashton 301) . Isamu Noguchi in his Skygate work adopted a semiotic approach by harmonizing both the architecture and the space. He created an attraction site with a view of communicating a range of meanings to societies, spectators, designers and all the interested persons across the globe. The sculpture is constructed in such a way that, in absence of written records, the space and site can provide people with the required information for understanding the identities. The work by Isamu Noguchi takes Skygate identity from the site as it reflects the space and architecture around it in manner that is accurate and distorted. Despite the fact that Skygate’s title has a chaotic title, the space and the subject are harmonious. Isamu Noguchi in his sculptural work has combined shape with mirror-polished stainless steel to produce an attractive public art (Ashton 301). Purpose of San Francisco’s Skygate as a public art Skygate in San Francisco as a public art enhances democracy in that i t is accessible to everyone.Basa (2008) in his studies states that public arts should be designed in such a way that everyone is capable of viewing it. Public art that is accessible to everyone promotes public response and support. Public arts form an integral part of any public environment due to the fact that they are seen everyday by millions of people. Art in public places usually have an enormous impact with regards to the impressions that are created about a place. The appearance of public art plays an important role as far as people’s feelings are concerned. It is for this reason that millions of dollars are spent for public arts. Also, the appearance of arts in public places can become a subject of debate in editorial columns. It is therefore important that arts in public places have a good appearance as it can become a public issue (McNiff 36).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art in Public Spaces specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/pa ge Learn More Skygate has the effect of attracting larger audiences from all walks of life. The youths are the majority of audiences who comes to Skygate. The sculpture is a major tourist attraction as millions of tourists tours United States to view it. Throngs of people constantly fill the park everyday. This public art provides people of all races, ages, nationalities and classes with an opportunity to interact with each other. This in turn plays an important role of earning the United States Federal Government foreign exchange. This sculpture has become a major tourist marketing (Fleming and Goldman 201-225). This public art is found in an open space and therefore, people can use the environment for multiple purposes ranging form politics to social interaction. The art piece is found in an open space and does not have an obstructive effect on the surrounding buildings i.e. it is both people and environmental friendly. This aspect has the effect of forcing people to visit Skygate on a constant basis. People are usually proud of art in public places that are found where they live. Everyone has a stake in public arts and everyone wants to be associated with them. First people are concerned with enjoying their environments. Secondly; they prefer to visit those places that favorably impress them. People also prefer that their self image and self worth be reflected by the appearance of public arts (Fleming and Goldman 201-225). Also, the material that is used to construct the public art is environmental friendly. The artists were careful while they were choosing the kind of materials to use when constructing the public art. They preferred using polished-stainless steel materials which are undestructive. The investors demand that public arts be well planned and attractive as this increases property values. Art in public places is an important component as far as any strong and vibrant community is concerned. The Skygate in the San Francisco acts a s an economic development tool. It has seen numerous cities jump start their economies. According to a research by Basa (2008), major towns that have a robust and lively art in public places are associated with sustained economic growth. Conclusion Skygate as a piece of art has an aesthetic appeal and this makes it to look attractive. The art piece is in accordance with the semiotics approach of arts in public space. This public art has the effect of appealing to a large audience. Its design can satisfy the large mass of people who experiences it on a regular basis.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Aesthetic appeal is necessary as it significantly contributes to how the public feels and values a given public art. Aesthetic appeal has social and cultural components and it goes beyond simple expressions of a person’s taste .Public arts should be designed in such a way that the beauty resides in the art piece as opposed to the beholder’s mind. Ashton, Dore. Noguchi East and West. New York. University of California Press, 1993. Basa, Lynn. The Artists Guide to Public Art: How to Find and Win Commissions. New York: Allworth Communications, Inc., 2008. Fleming, Lee and Goldman, Melisa.The art of placemaking: interpreting community  through public art and urban. Michigan: The University of Michigan, 2007. McNiff, Shaun. Integrating the Arts in Therapy: History, Theory, and  Practice.Springfield: Charles C Thomas Publisher, 2009. Merryman, John and Elsen, Albert. Law, ethics, and the visual arts. Alphen aa den Rijn: Kluwer Law International, 2002.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Fitness for life

Fitness for life An obese person is one who has accumulated excess body fat that affects their health negatively. This condition prompted Lincoln University to introduce a ‘Fitness for life Program’, which endeavors to, peg physical fitness of students to academic merit in the attainment of diplomas.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Fitness for life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It entails obese students taking 3 extra hours per week to cut their weight before graduating. However, this policy by the university has received mixed reactions since its inception, as it will be explained below, even as the first lot of students to whom the policy was applied nears their graduation. It has been argued that the policy is segregative and, all students should undergo the fitness test, as opposed to only those who are obese. This fact was highlighted by one student of the university; Tiana Lawson, 21 in her editorial comment, in the Lincolian, by stating that she is confused by the policy as she does not understand why some people should be healthier than others. This policy would be more effective if it were applied to all students to keep their levels of fitness at par and prevent the feelings of segregation. James DeBoy who is in charge of physical processes and activities argues that the university has limited resources. The historically black college that was founded in 1919 at San Francisco depends on public funding that is independently controlled. This eventually results in monetary constraints. If only the resources were available, then it would have been applied to all students in his view. This would then have quashed the feelings of selective application of the policy among the students. Considering the constitutional rights of the students the policy seems paternalistic and intrusive to them. A professor of law at Temple University, David Kairys is of the legal opinion that Lincoln University is breaking new ground. However, the part that seems unnecessary is forcing the students to engage in the practice. This is because it involves computing the height weight dimensions to find the Body Mass Index (BMI) and the waist size, which is mandatory for students to partake. This may then create a conflict of interest between the university policies and the laws of the land. Obesity makes an individual susceptible to certain terminal health conditions. This program according to DeBoy directly addresses the issue of obesity that is exponentially rising. All these are terminal illnesses that will eventually lead to the demise of the vibrant young men and women from college. The ‘Fitness for Life program’ will curb the possibility of contracting such ailments at an early stage.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The university risks deviating from its cor e function of providing education to compromising academic standards with physical fitness. Physical fitness does not necessarily have a direct relationship with academic performance. This fact was highlighted by Tiana Lawson in the Lincolian when she wrote in the editorial. She did not go to Lincoln to be told that her weight was not in a satisfactory range rather she went there to get an edification which, as a three-time honor student, was something she had been doing quite well. This is despite the fact that she had a slightly elevated BMI. Obesity contributes to making one both ineffective and inefficient. It compromises the on the output at the place of work as it impacts health wise on the body. Furthermore, it robs the quantity and quality of life according to DeBoy. This contributes to drastically decreasing the output of the student and being in the hunt for a job after graduating it will work to their disadvantage. The policy is instrumental in addressing such issues. Pos ition From the fore going, the ‘Fitness for Life program’ is found to have far more reaching merits as compared to the demerits both to an individual and society. The university should be encouraged to continue with the program. Furthermore, it should be adopted by institutions to ensure a healthy workforce with a high-level output and competence.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Consumer behavior of hk people towards ipad (tablets) Dissertation

Consumer behavior of hk people towards ipad (tablets) - Dissertation Example Organizations like Apple have managed to make a mark for themselves in the industry through the launch of innovative products like iPhones, pads and tablets. The market dynamics are driven by the growing consumer demand for hi-tech products that caters to their hectic schedules and supports multiple functionalities for extended usage. Consumers seek multiple functionalities and utilities in a single device that can provide them with extended connectivity and accessibility to desired applications. While market dynamics are strongly influenced by innovative products and services, the key to successful market presence lies in an in-depth understanding of consumer behaviour and attitudes that lead to the final purchase of the product. ... The research study offers an in-depth evaluation of consumer behaviour and attitudes driving the market for tablets and ipads in Hong Kong. 1. Introduction 1.1 Research context and background Marketing strategies and practices have evolved over the years to embrace new and innovative concepts in response to changes in the consumer behaviour and attitudes. Such strategic initiatives are aimed towards improved understanding of consumer behaviour and their perception of products in the market. Several research studies and academic works on consumer behaviour have established the significance of consumer attitudes and their purchase habits in stimulating demand for specific goods or services (Barnett, 2003; Patel and Schlijper, 2000; Liberman, Trope, and Wakslak, 2007). Consumer behaviour refers to the beliefs, perception and opinion of the consumer while making the purchase decision. Prior to globalization, the customer did not have much choice in terms of substitutes and alternatives a nd hence long term customer retention was not much of a problem for businesses. However, over the years, the globalised market environment has exposed the customers to a wide range of brands, substitutes and alternatives in the market. Customer purchase patterns have undergone a dramatic change in terms of brand loyalty and perception of goods and services in the market (OECD, 2011). Organizations are adapting to these changes through aggressive marketing strategies a significant part of which focuses on finding the pulse of the customer and tracing his behavioural pattern while making the purchase decision (Voinea and Filip, 2011). A recent study by Lauren Freedman (2011) on the shopping mindset of the mobile customer reveals that mobile devices

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Sociology Lesson 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sociology Lesson 5 - Essay Example Movement of materials down the supply chain to the market encourages transportation and communication, brings development to underdeveloped areas, and thereby spreads the fruits of national prosperity to a broader segment of the population. More productive citizens would contribute more to the coffers of the state by way of taxes and duties, enabling social services and facilities to reach a greater number of the disadvantaged members of society. Media employed the use of stereotypes in order to build popular sentiment in favor of the nation’s fighting forces and to enhance derision of the enemy forces. Italians were portrayed as bumbling, fun-seeking fools, Germans as automatons, and Japanese as sneaky and dishonest. By playing on the sentiments of the viewing public, propaganda integrated into Hollywood style movies drummed up public support for the war, incited strong animosity towards the enemy, and for a time encouraged viewers to buy war bonds to provide funding for the war effort. 1. Religious practice – This aspect deals with the extent to which people involve themselves in Church membership, attendance at religious services, and so on. It dwells on the cultural traditions and outward manifestations of religion. 2. Religious organization – This aspect treats of the level of society as a whole. It involves the extent to which religious organizations are actively involved in the day-to-day routine. It describes the extent to which religious organizations wield influence and control over the manner society is run and how it functions. 3. Religious thought – Describes the level of individual consciousness and the extent to which people believe in ideas like God, sin, good and evil. This may be significant in terms of secularization, considering that religious activity declined in terms of practice and organization, but

Monday, January 27, 2020

Improved Supply Chain Management Benefits

Improved Supply Chain Management Benefits Improved supply chain management has the following benefits: Reduced stock holding. The implementation of effective supply chain a company can reduce the number of stocks it is keeping and at the same time improving the customer service. Reducing stocks on hand will avoid incurring holding costs which is the cost the company pays for storing stocks. It includes warehousing and labour to keep the stocks. Good communication between the company and its suppliers, knowing the minimum stocks needed before reorder, proper estimation of demand, and understanding the mode of transportation will help to determine the correct volume of stocks the company needs in a given period will help it to eliminate excess inventory. Managing the information and communicating and sharing it effectively to suppliers and customers will result to accuracy of the level of stocks needed at a certain period. The inventory level must be enough to meet the demands of the customers and with the minimum costs to be incurred. The supply and the demand for a product must be balanced. Reducing the sto cks avoid tying the company’s capital on unnecessary stocks. Elimination of waste. Waste in form of spoilages, defects, theft and obsolescence can be minimized and possibly eliminated through having the right inventory level to keep on a particular period. Overstocking or overproduction will result to wastes and losses for the company. Customers are only after receiving the right quantity and good quality at the right time. Activities such as unnecessary movement of goods within the warehouse, and warehousing which does not add value to customers should be eliminated. Implementation of an effective supply chain will make this possible. Proper coordination with suppliers and understanding logistics are the keys to deliver customer service and demand at the right place, quantity and time. Improved customer service. Effective supply chain will increase efficiency within a company. Efficient company can deliver best services to customers. It important to recognise what the customers really want and that is what the company will deliver. Only those value adding activities are practices within the company. Value adding activities are those processes within the company that will add satisfaction to customers. Products should be delivered to customers on time and in accordance to their specifications. The customers demand should not just be met but should also be exceeded. Reduced Labour Costs. Effective supply chain will reduce labour costs. Because the processes in the company is well planned and defined, duties and personnel are not redundant. Unnecessary functions are eliminated thus resulting to reduced labour costs. One example is that when a company is maintaining only the right volume of inventory, it will not be needing more people to do the stocking, operating forklift, people who will secure the warehouse and supervisor. Improved Manufacturing Planning. The raw materials required, the timing of deliveries and other activities and resources related to planning a manufacturing of product must all be considered in order to produce a product with the least costs but with good quality that at the end would satisfy customers. In planning the resources, the company should be ready for contingencies and should address the question â€Å"what-if†. Through careful planning, manufacturing a product can be carried on without any reservation because all the possibilities were considered. Just In Time. Just in time is an inventory strategy wherein goods are only received only when needed in production process  [1]. Through this strategy, wastes and carrying costs are minimized because a company is just holding right amount of stocks that will make it able to meet the demands of the customers. This strategy will be effective if the company has strong relationship with suppliers. These suppliers are willing to deliver more frequently and on time to meet customers demand. Methods to overcome barriers in an organisation when implementing a supply chain improvement strategy Inappropriate distribution networks. Distribution network as defined is interrelated arrangement of people, storage facilities and transportation systems that moves goods and services from producers to consumers  [2]. The distribution network should be reliable and fast customers want to get their products when they want it. Inappropriate distribution networks will hinder the proper and fast movement of products from manufacture to customer that is why there should be proper planning on who and what should be included in the distribution network. Ineffective distribution strategies. Distribution strategy is the plan how a manufacturing company will transfer products to intermediaries such as wholesalers to retailers until it reach the end user  [3]. The strategy must we well thought and should use distribution networks that are reliable so that the products will reach customers at the right time. Trade-offs in logistical activity. Trade-offs in logistics may happen for example when deciding to have fewer depots, lowering stocks requirements or using less protective transport packaging in exchange for some advantages such as reducing costs or no need to have large storage facilities. The impact of these trade-off should be considered because this might cause loss in sales due to wrong order picking and other instances related to trade-offs. Reduction of transportation costs. Transportation is one of the costly expenses in supply chain. It is important to have the best quality transport that will bring goods to places at the right time and price. In order to reduce the cost of transportation, a company may reduce the number of carriers, consolidate deliveries and by single sourcing  [4]. In reducing the number of carriers, large volume of works will be given to selected carriers and they will be able to give lower rates. Deliveries may also be consolidated if the trip is based on weight, distance and other variables so that fewer trips will be made. Single sourcing of carrier, the company is getting quotations from several carriers detailing what is required. The company may select the best quotation that can meet the requirements and evaluate if the carrier can perform on the whole duration of the contract. If the carrier has these qualities, the company can get a lot of saving on having single carrier. 5. Increased inventory holding costs Holding costs are cost associated to stocks that are not yet sold  [5]. It includes labour costs, space or rental, costs of damaged goods and other expenses related on keeping the stocks. The company must determine the level of volume of stocks that it needs to keep in order to avoid these costs. Holding cost is also an opportunity cost because having lot of stocks would mean tying the cash on the stocks instead of using the cash on other parts of operation of the company. Inability to integrate processes through the supply chain to share information Supply chain involves information sharing. Supply chain links companies to other companies. If information are shared between companies, it will be available on a real time basis and the companies will be able see the demand and with the ultimate goal of meeting the demands of customers. When companies have reliable and accurate shared information, their processes will be synchronized. All the processes are done to meet what is required. Uncertainties are reduces which results to holding low level stocks that is just right to meet the customer demand. Poor inventory management. Inventory management can be successfully implemented if a company can make a purchasing plan that will ensure that what they hold is just what is needed. It is not too much or too less. Just in time inventory is a good strategy to keep inventory at a certain level wherein the company plans to receive goods only when it is needed thus reducing significantly holding costs. A company can successfully implement through a purchasing plan which schedules delivery of material through the forecasts and projections made on sales. Cash flow problems Reducing costs and avoiding cash flow problems are benefits of effective supply chain. Holding large volume of unnecessary stocks at a given period will cause cash flow problem in a company. Keeping these stocks is equivalent to costs and cash outlays. The company will pay large amount to suppliers but the stocks are not yet sold, tying the cash to the stocks. This will affect the liquidity of the company and can cause problem in a company. References: http://www.shelfplus.com/material-handling-hotline/ten-ways-to-reduce-inventory/ http://viktorwong-logistics.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/characteristics-of-supply-chain.html http://erp.cincom.com/2012/10/the-wicked-wastes-of-warehousing-2/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_resource_planning http://logistics.about.com/od/forsmallbusinesses/a/Reducing-Transportation-Costs.htm http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/inventory-management.asp http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/holding-costs.asp http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/distribution-network.asp http://www.adam-europe.eu/prj/7095/prj/CourieL_WP2_Chapter2_final.pdf [1] Investopedia. Just in Time. July 2014. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/j/jit.asp [2] Investopedia. Distribution Network. July 2014. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/distribution-network.asp [3] Business Dictionary. Distribution Strategy. July 2014. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/distribution-strategy.html [4] Murray, M. Reducing Transportation Costs. July 2014. Retrieved from http://logistics.about.com/od/forsmallbusinesses/a/Reducing-Transportation-Costs.htm [5] Investopedia. Holding Costs. July 2014. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/holding-costs.asp

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Beauty and Beast

Beauty and Beast is a story of love, liberty, freedom, and identity in the society. It exposes the readers to a widower merchant living in his mansion with his six children, three daughters, and three sons. Even though the three girls are beautiful, the youngest, Beauty is the prettiest. She is equally kind and pure-hearted. The other two are selfish, spoiled and vain. In explicating the things that happen in the story, the author uses different literary tools to make the story electrifying while giving the readers an outlook that contrasts the inner beauty with the outer one (Warner, 1995). The stylistic devices are essential for the progression of the characters and development of the plot.The merchant finally loses everything at the sea. Live becomes challenging and the family moves to a farmhouse where they work for a living. As stated in the story, â€Å"Suddenly the merchant lost his fortune, and the only property he had left with was a small country house quite far from the city† (Zipes, 2005 pp. 806). From the statement, it is apparent that the life has taken a different twist for the family and it has to adjust to the new status to survive. Some years later, he gets the news that one of the ships that had sent off has landed on the port after escaping destruction. He then leaves for a journey to check on it but before leaving, he asks his children what they would want him to bring for them. The sons ask for weapons and horses, the oldest daughters' requests for jewels and good dresses while Beauty is only comfortable with a rare rose.However, it does not ogre well with him as he finds out that his ship has been apprehended to settle his debts. He is left with no money to buy the gifts that he promised his children. While on his way returning home, he is lost in the storm and cannot trace his way home. He looks for shelter and bumps into an elaborate palace, where he finds tables with sufficient food and drink, which appears to have been left for him by an unknown person. He accepts the gifts and spends the night at the palace, but in the morning sees a rose and remembers to take it to her daughter, Beauty. That decision opens a bandura box for more challenges that force him to accept tough conditions for his safety. After plucking the rose, the Beast told him â€Å"You're very ungrateful† he then added, â€Å"I saved your life by offering you hospitality in my c astle, and then you steal my roses, which I love more than anything else in the world. You shall die for this mistake† (Zipes, 2005 pp. 808). Life becomes tougher every moment for the merchant. The Beast makes a demand that he would only let him go if he would allow one of his daughters to return. Even though not happy about it, he has no otherwise than to accept the condition. The Beast gives him enough wealth, fine clothes, jewels, but tells him that Beauty should not know about their agreement (Warner, 1995). When he reaches home, he talked to his children. His sons are willing to go, but the merchant is unready to allow them to go. Beauty then agrees to go, and upon arrival, she is well received by the Beast who graciously tells him that she is the mistress of the castle and that the Beast would be her servant. Beauty spends three months in the castle but was troubled by the fact that every time before she goes to bed, the Beast would ask for her hand in marriage. She insists that she is only a friend, but not interested in getting married to him. She says, â€Å"I'll always be your friend. Try to be content with that† (Zipes, 2005 pp. 812). At night, he dreams of a good-looking prince persuading her to accept the proposal. At first, she cannot comprehend the relationship between the prince and the Beast but later realizes that he is a captive in the palace. One major takeaway from the story is that even the dreadful people in the world also have something good out of him.Later, the Beauty gets sick and asks the Beast to allow her to go home to see her father. She agrees to get back soon, but while home, her sisters become envious and uses tricks to shed false tears after rubbing onions on his eyes. They do so to make her delay so that the Beast would get angry with her. She then feels guilty for having broken the promise she made to the Beast (Zipes, 2005). She uses the mirror to see him back in the palace but is horrified to see him heartbroken near the rose bush where her father had plucked her gift. She weeps over him telling him that she loves. Suddenly, the Beast is transformed into a handsome prince that she has always seen in her dreams. He narrates to her that he was turned into a beast by a fairy and that the only thing that could save him is finding a true love.To conclude, the story has a lot for the readers to learn and disinter. For instance, through Beauty, one can appreciate the character. The content of one's character enables him or her to attract good things, including the lost fortunes. Through the Beast, one can appreciate that even the dreadful people have the other side of life that can be appreciated. Finally, even if the family was challenged and walked from grace to grass, through one good person, their glory could be restored.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Correctional Subculture Essay

The correctional subculture has various ethical questions pertaining to a correction officer and his duties. According to Thomson and Wadsworth (2005), when an officer makes the decision to reprimand or write a disciplinary report, he is playing a role in the Criminal Justice System (p. 316). A disciplinary committee also has a dilemma because he, or she must decide on what punishment should accrue towards the offender. This may be a temporary loss of privileges, or he may have his sentence increased (p. 316, para. 2). A correctional officer in uniform is an authority figure, which implies reasonable and rational control over the incarcerated. Moreover, he has the full range of coercive control over inmates; excessive force, loss of liberty, and his power may be defiant; taught through his subculture (other correctional officers’). According to Thomson and Wadsworth (2005), many correctional officers have (deontological) exceptional knowledge and practice professionalism. While others tend to use (teleological) coercive, control against offenders gain advantage (pp. 317-318). A correctional officer must engage in ethical behavior. He must act professional; show respect for the incarcerated; be consistent; maintain integrity and honesty; and act impartial (p. 318). The subculture of a correctional officer has similar aspects of police subculture. However, cover-ups and wrongdoing is apparent in both. According to Thomson and Wadsworth (2005), a correctional officer will travel to administer aid for another officer. Again, as police officers, correctional officers will not cooperate in an investigation if it pertains to a fellow officer (blue code). One would not embarrass another in front of an offender because this may jeopardize an officer’s effectiveness. A fellow officer does not indulge in a white hat. This pertains to showing emotions towards an inmate or his family. A main similarity between correctional and police officers is that both engage in solidarity, against all outside groups (pp. 320-321). In conclusion, few officers endorse and publicize subcultural values, whereas the majorities, who are silent, privately believe in different values. In fact, his morals tend to make judgments on their own. This can be based on  his religion; what is good or bad based on what is morally wrong, utilitarianism; a bad action turning into a good deed (a selfless act), natural law; universally acceptable and ethical formalism; the intent of good will. According to Thomson and Wadsworth (2005), correctional officers are faced with these dilemmas on a daily basis. Moreover, the difference between morality and justice comes not from the difference between actions and consequences (as between morality and influence ethics) but from the difference between motives and actions (pp. 325-327). Therefore, when a C.O. does not practice morals and does not follow the ethical code; he may drift into relativistic egoism. He may believe he should receive benefits for his trouble, and he does not think of the latter consequences to his actions. References Axia College of University of Phoenix. (2005). Chapter 11: Ethics in Crime and Justice, Ethics for Correctional Professions. Retrieved October 6, 2008, fromAxia College, Week Eight reading AXcess, ADJ 235- Ethics and the Administration of Justice