Criminology Psychological Theories Essay -- Social Psychology, Introve

Social Psychology is a field that attempts understated how thoughts, behavior and feelings are influenced by the implied presence, actual or imagined presence of others. Social influence involves the exercise of social power by a person or a group to change the altitudes or behaviour of others in a particular direction. Social power refers t o the â€Å"force available to the influencer to motivate change† (Allport, 1985). Young people are more prone to social influence due to need for conformity with their peers. This makes many teenagers in United Kingdom to indulge in criminal and deviant behaviours, which is closely associated with drug use and gang crimes. We can therefore argue that some emotional, psychological and biological characteristics make youths to indulge in gang crimes. It is hard to differentiate drug abuse and violence in United Kingdom or a cross the world at large. Adolescence drug use scares adults. The spectres of addiction, psychosis, alienation and rebellion provoke dramatic responses: legislations enact and create control agencies; social scientists conduct studies; and all these efforts are documented, evaluated and modified. In all these activities, however, the perspective of adolescents is neglected. They too, are concerned about dangers and are influenced by these controls, but their concerns are of different sorts. They are the ones who choose which drugs, if any, to try, who decide which use patterns to settle on; who experience the effects of drug use is a part of the adolescent’s social world. In fact they sometimes report the uses, meaning and consequences of drug use. It is therefore challenging to attempt to prevent or intervene in such a use are based on assumptions about the meaning of drugs ... ...sychology ( Vol. 1, 3rd.,pp1-46. New York: Random House. Bandura , A. (1977). Sociol Theory. New York. Universal Press. Block Herbert & Arthur Nienehoffer, the gang: a study in adolescent behaviour. New York. Universal press. Decker Scott (1996) Collective and Normative Features of Gang Violence. Washington : National Institute of Justice. Eysenck. H (1964). Crime and personality. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Howell James (1997) Youth Gang Drug Trafficking and Homicide: Policy and Program Implications Juvenile Justice Journal 4: 4-5 Kohlberg ,l. (1969). Stage of Moral Development and Action: New York. Winston Publishers. Lange J. Crime as a Destiny. London. Allen & Urwin. Marshalls lance & David Crook (1999). The childhood experience of a psychopath: A retrospective study of familial and societal factors. Journal of personality disorders, 13,211-225.

Crime in the Bahamas Essay

On the 6th April, 2011, shock waves were sent throughout the Bahamaland after the report of a brutal massacre of Nellie Brown-Cox. It is alleged that this crime was committed by her common law husband (Bahamas Press, 2011). This murder was a result of domestic violence, which is a crime that is committed among many residents in the Commonwealth of the Bahama Islands. Crime is ubiquitous, but can be alleviated if the necessary steps are applied. To further explain, certain aspects of crime can be evaluated by explaining the types of crimes, theories and reasons people commit crime, the effects of crime, and the solutions needed to minimize crime in the Bahamas. According to a definition used in a Civics class, crime is an act punishable by law, and within the Bahamas crimes are committed just about everyday. Though there are several different types of crime, the predominant ones in the Bahamas is robbery, domestic violence, sexual assault/rape, and murder. Firstly, robbery in the Baha mas is becoming increasingly popular lately especially with opening of the numerous Cash for Gold stores. Many persons are being robbed by criminals of gold such as chains, bracelets, anklets etc. to trade them in for money. There are many different types of robbery such as; armed or aggravated robbery, carjacking, and highway robbery or mugging. Secondly, Domestic violence is another type of crime that is enormously common within the Bahamas. Domestic violence is any type of abuse against another person. This type of violence can occur among husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriends etc with no regards to race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. One of the most devastatingly gruesome exhibits of domestic violence was the murder of Nellie Brown. Her murder was listed as number #227 in the most gruesome slaughter since the murder of designer Harl Taylor (Bahamas Press, 2011). Many individuals have controversial remarks about her life and why her lover may have killed her, the act was uncalled for and no one has the right to hit another even if he/she did them wrong. There are many cases of abuse reported within the Bahamas today such as: physical, sexual, and economic abuse. Police officers are constantly patrolling different areas to deal with reported cases of abuse. This type of crime can occur between a man and woman, gays and lesbian couples of any race and age. Many victims of this crime are married to their abusers and refuse to leave because of fear of what they will do. â€Å"If it takes the form of sexual violence, it can involve forcing people to watch or act out pornography, the denial of contraception, non-consensual sexual contact or rape; if it takes the form of emotional abuse, it can involve name-calling, humiliation, threats, intimidation, isolation from friends or families, denial of basic needs or financial access, or passive control involving, for example, threats to self-harm or commit suicide† (Gibbons, 2011). Our major crime in the Bahamas is murder. These senseless killings are tearing our country apart. The country our fore-fathers work so hard to build, and to make a better life for the future generations. â€Å"Most murders stemmed from arguments between acquaintances† (Hanna, 2011) this is true to full extent. There are many theories and reasons why Bahamians are committing crimes within the Bahamas. The theories why people commit crimes are biological or genetic, sociological and psychological. Many criminals are products of their environment. Many people commit crimes because of poverty, anger, addiction, gangs, bored or oblivious to the law. In today’s society many Bahamians are feeling the effects of the recession. Numerous individuals are losing their jobs, and those that are still working their wages are being cut tremendously. Large number of homes are being foreclosed and people are being left homeless. Many of them resort to crime to feed themselves or their families. Numerous people go through all sorts of struggles and trials and are unable to deal with their frustration. Anger can cause many people to do unintelligent things that they may regret later in life. Many people also are being killed through retaliation. This â€Å"eye for an eye† saga is growing rapidly within the Bahamas. In society many young people are recruited by older men and women to join a gang. There are numerous gang wars occurring in the Bahamas. Many days’ people break the law speeding through the streets, smoking ganja, having drag races on Sundays, turning without signaling etc. Some people do not mean to commit these offences but they are so preoccupied on the phone talking, texting or eating that they do not realize what they are doing or some people just do not care nor respect the law. Crime affects the Bahamas in several ways as a nation and a community. From a social aspect, the Bahamas’ crime rates are deplorable and increasing highly. With such a high crime rate, our community  spirit has deflated and the people are not as social or neighborly as they used to be. Many people who commit crimes are arrested and placed in prison. These criminals are dependent on taxpayers’ (national insurance) money which is provided by the labor force including teachers, bankers, and other government officials. This money can be used to refurbish schools, government offices etc. Our main industry Tourism is affected by high crime rates. It can discourage visitors from coming here because of the fear of being attacked or robbed. On the 20th November, 2009, eighteen tourists were robbed at gun-point while on a nature tour in Nassau, Bahamas (Tucker, 2010). This incident brought dreadful remarks about our country and our police department. This subsequently caused many tourists to change their minds about coming or ever returning to the Bahamas because of this unpleasant incident. Crime also influences the mindsets of our younger generation. They can grow to believe that committing crime is â€Å"cool† and an easy way to gain cash to supply their needs. Domestic violence, sexual assault and rape has a serious effect on many people’s live. Abusers do not understand the magnitude of this crime; they do not seem to realize that they are not only hurting the other person but also children if they are related in anyway. Many children who grow up in this type of environment suffer from behavioral, social and emotional problems, neglect, and may be directly abused themselves. Children may eventually grow up and become abusers or the ones abused. Many of these children become violent, may commit a sexual assault or do drugs. Some children who are sexually assaulted may become confused about their sexuality, or traumatized by the incident and become gays or lesbians. These innocent children may even evolve into criminals if the necessary treatment is not taken advantage of. These abused (mothers) persons may decide to end their lives or the abuser’s life to be free from the abuse or any memory of it. Crime is a tremendously increasing problem within the Bahamas today. If it is not solved it will rupture the foundations our fore-fathers laid. To prevent these numerous crimes from occurring many steps our government and â€Å"we† the Bahamian people should take to minimize crime. Many Bahami ans need to learn how to train their children to be respectable young men and women. Crime prevention starts from within the home. Now-a-days, children are disrespectful and rude, but their parents think it is â€Å"cute† and do not correct the problem  with discipline. Many also grow up with the perception that stealing is â€Å"okay†. They go into stores and steal treats such as candies, chips, gum etc. and parents do not reprimand them and tell them it is wrong and sometimes help them steal these products. When these children grow up, they become thieves because they think it is the way of life and that stealing is embedded in them because they have been doing it for so long! This may result in these children growing up to be menaces to society, or worse, becoming a guest of the government. Many Bahamians should keep a vigilant watch over their neighborhood and report any crime that took place to the police and agree to testify if needed. The government should also produce a witness protection law and agency for many witnesses of crimes. By forming this program, persons should not be afraid to come forward and testify because they are safe â€Å"in the arms of the law†. Criminals who are awaiting trial should be forced to wear an electronic monitoring device on them to track their whereabouts, mandate appr opriate curfews to monitor that they are adhering to the rules and regulations authorized by the court. Churches and the community should be call upon to assist in fight against crime. They should organize group sessions and activities to train young people how to become active in the community, teach them different skills and help in the rehabilitation of convicts. When children are busy in different extracurricular activities such as bands, Junior Achievement, Governor General Youth Awards etc., they will not have any spare time to get themselves into problems. There should also be jobs available for ex-convicts to make a living so they will not be tempted or feel forced to return to life of crime. The Bahamas should have a sexual predator’s registration list like our neighbors the USA. On the 3rd October, 2011, the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas made his address on Crime and vows that he will do his best to reduce the crime rate. The Firearm (Moratorium) Notice, 2011 states persons must return to the police, licensed or unlicensed firearm, and ammunition from October 5th, 2011 to November 3rd, 2011. Any person convicted of possession of a firearm after the date will be imprisoned for a minimum of four years. These new laws will help tremendously because criminals will fear going to jail for that long period of time as opposed to the old minimum of two years (Restoring Your Trust, 2011). The Privy Council should be replaced and make our own Court of  Appeals our final judicial authority. This law should be amended and a new law should be in place to bring back the death penalty which is needed in our country. They also should enforce harder penalties for offenders of domestic abuse and offer treatment so this crime can be precluded from occurring again. There should be mandatory treatment for children who grow up in homes where domestic violence is prominent so abusers and those abused will not grow up into abusers. Any person convicted of heinous crime such as murder of children should be sentenced to death. There should also be the formation of hotlines and crisis centers to deal with abused victims. From the dawn of time crimes were being committed, as in the bible Cain killed his brother Abel over a sacrifice. Envy is the main factor in crime, and is in many crimes taking place in the Bahamas. Though this vermin (Crime) eats away through our society it can be r educed and eventually stomped out. By understanding the types of crimes, theories and reasons why people commit crime, and effect of crime, then we can understand why the solutions listed are needed within our society today. This problem cannot be eradicated, but can be contained and reduced if the required steps are taken. References Contractor accused of slaughtering his girlfriend, Nellie Brown. (2011, April, 8). Bahamas Press. Retrieved from http://www.bahamaspress.com/2011/04/08/28065/ Gibbons, L. (2011). Dealing with the effect of domestic violence. Emergency Nurse, 19(4), 12-17. Hanna, C.A. (2011). Reducing murder in the Bahamas: A Strategic Plan Based on Empirical Research. Bahamas: Nassau. Restoring your trust. (2011, October, 3). National Address on Crime – Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIyVCMC3Q10 Tucker, J. (2010, May 31). The risk of tourist robbery in the Bahamas, Time Travel. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,1992105,00.html

The American Dream and the Post War Era Essay - 1187 Words

After World War II, America had to take a step back and take a look at their country. The American Dream had been restored upon the atrocities of the war. In the 1930’s the American Dream was primarily focused on working hard, men providing for their families, and trying to rise from the depression. In the 1940’s, post World War II things changed and consumerism and feminism began to play a key role along with many other factors. There are many ways to describe the American dream and what aspects were influential to it, such as World War II, modernism, new technology and entertainment. The 1940’s was an interesting and critical time for the United States of America. World War II began in the late 1930’s and moved on into the 1940’s.†¦show more content†¦Authors wanted to revolutionize arts and audience worldwide. This was done by the creation of tools that helped excel the â€Å"American Dream†. Some of the major authors in this time included T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, and Gertrude Stein (Modernism). There are two different groupings of modernism, which are modernism and post modernism. In the beginning, â€Å"early modernists used elements of experimentation, freedom, radicalism, and utopianism† (Modernism). After the war, â€Å"post-modernists, however, rebelled against many modernist elements and instead depicted disillusionment and elements of dystopian ideas—dehumanized and fearful lives† (Modernism). Many different historical aspects influenced the upcoming of the modernist movement such as publications of scientific theories, technological inventions that globalized society, Sigmund Freud’s change in the discipline of psychology, new concepts of ethics, morality, and ideals, and artistic movements (Modernism). World War I led to post-modernism, because the world had a less optimistic view of things and the women’s suffrage movement had an impact on the women writers of that time (Modernism). Modernism was illustrated by many different types of characteristics. Modernists used a point of view never used by any other writers and they developed these views changes in psychology, sociology and anthropology (Modernism). Modernism/ Postmodernism had a great influence in the 1940’s andShow MoreRelatedThe Mother Of Law Asks The Daughter1109 Words   |  5 Pagesstanza, the Mother-In-Law is almost hinting that the Daughter-In-Law still has time to break away from this stereotype and create her own life and her own identity apart from her husband, a n idea that would have been highly rejected during the post-war, baby-boom era. Towards the end of the poem, Rich writes the two lines, only 7 words that truly represent her tone and point in â€Å"Snapshots of a Daughter-In-Law†: Sigh no more, ladies./Time is male† (Rich 93-94). Rich is accepting one of the most obviousRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay986 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream has been a part of United States history since the country began. One can presume that the saying â€Å"all men†¦are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness† from Thomas Jefferson’s â€Å"Declaration of Independence† is the first known American Dream (US 1776). Though this document says â€Å"all men†, this phrase did not include black people or white women. In 1776, it only meant the free, property-owning malesRead MoreCharacteristics Of The American Dream1166 Words   |  5 PagesFor some eras and numerous decades, the idea of the American dream has guaranteed democratic culture and material thriving. For some, the thought of flourishing stayed only a fantasy. In any case, for a plethora of Americans in the 1950s, the American Dream turned into a reality. Post war, they had within their field of reach was the opportunity to have so much more than their predecessors. The 1950s in America were described by post war wealth and economically great circumstances. With the dismaysRead MoreThe Post World War II1128 Words   |  5 PagesAfter World War II ended in 1945, many significant changes to American society began to occur. Some of these major changes helped shape what the U.S. is today and include the Baby boom, mass suburbanization, and mass consumerism. The Post-World War II era is defined by these changes in U.S history and culture. In this Post-World War II era, social conformity became the most ideal way of life. Every citizen wanted the same thing, this is known as the American Dream. The American Dream consist ofRead MoreThe American Dream Essay1480 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Dream is a concept that has circulated around the world and has caused people from other countries, and those who live in America, to come to our nation and take advantage of the opportunities in place to better their lives. The definition of the American Dream, provided by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America (1931), is â€Å"a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†¦It is not a dreamRead MoreThe Era Of 1915 After The Civil War1478 Words   |  6 Pagesthe nation expand, this is not always the case. From the Post-Civil War, up to the twenty-first century there has been plenty of examples that have expanded but have also limited freedom. In the beginning of 1865 after the Civil War was the Reconstruction Era, this was the time were America was described as free and a new nation. Although the abolishment of slavery raised the question of what freedom truly meant. Later, in the Progressive Era of 1915 freedom was identified politically and economicallyRead MoreEssay on Gatsby and Hamilton.1294 Words   |  6 Pagesdisillusionment of the â€Å"American dream.† Fitzgerald voice’s his disenchantment with the whirlwind pace of the post war jazz age. A decade later many art movements attached to unrest with modern American ideals. Pop arts forefather, Richard Hamilton, capitalized on this idea through his artwork as seen in Hamilton’s most enduring piece, Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? (1956). Both Hamilton and Fitzgerald mock the modern idea of the American Dream, the prosperity ofRead MoreThe American Dream Through Literature1496 Words   |  6 Pagesof t he American Dream. That is, that any person regardless of circumstances of birth can become successful through hard work and persistence, regardless of where they came from. Despite many arguments on whether that’s achievable or not, it continues to be a persistent topic in American culture. As such, the American Dream can be seen though literature, which often is a lens into life during the time of its writing. It would make sense, then, to chronicle the appearance of the American Dream throughRead MoreThe American Dream By Thomas Jefferson1329 Words   |  6 Pageseventually was coined as â€Å"The American Dream†. The American Dream is the reason for the huge population increase in America because of immigrants. The dream is interpreted by many people to have different meanings, however the dream is the ability to be courageous, brave, and hardworking to survive in America, because many people could have a stronger mentality and surpass you. That definition of the dream is understood well by Massachusetts native Winslow Homer an American enthusiast and realism artistRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Death Of A Salesman 1325 Words   |  6 PagesArthur Miller is one of the most successful and enduring playwrights of the post-war era in America. He focuses on middle-class anxieties since the theme of anxiety and insecurity reflects much of Arthur Miller’s own past. The play addresses loss of identity and a man’s inability to change within him and society (Miller 16). The American Dream has been an idea that has motivated society for centuries. It often times becomes the main theme for many movies, novels, and poems. In, The Death of a