Recent reforms to reduce incidents of secondary victimization Essay Example

Recent reforms to reduce incidents of secondary victimization Essay Explain the secondary victimisation experienced by victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, and critically evaluate recent reforms to eliminate or reduce such secondary victimization. Victimization can be either primary or secondary. In the latter case, the victim suffers from the consequences of the initial trauma. In other words, the victim â€Å"suffers from psychological and social damages by negative reactions of criminal justice system, families, friends, and media†. Psychological affectation as a result of witnessing a traumatic event can also be called secondary victimization. The Criminal Law of the UK did not deal with this aspect of violent crime until recently. As a result laws pertaining to secondary victimization are inadequate and do not always lead to fair and balanced justice (Schafer, 2006). Usually, secondary victimization cases don’t get proper understanding from the concerned authorities. For example, police officers are known to misunderstand the nature of sexual violence, carry out their interviews in inappropriate methods and environments. Sometimes, police officers supersede their realm of authority and offer settlements to the primary and secondary victims of crime. There is also a trend in the UK, where prosecutors and interrogators hold a negative bias toward the parties involved in the criminal act (Schafer, 2006). We will write a custom essay sample on Recent reforms to reduce incidents of secondary victimization specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Recent reforms to reduce incidents of secondary victimization specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Recent reforms to reduce incidents of secondary victimization specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A very common manifestation of secondary victimization is through â€Å"victim responsibility†, where the victim is shown to be the instigator of the criminal act in the first place. Such attributions are all the more common in rape cases. Researchconsistently points out that victims may experience secondary victimizationand perpetrators may be handed disproportionately lighter sentences or even be absolvedof the accusation. Despite new legislations, guidelines and practices in the UK with respect to rape crimes, attrition rates remain extremely high. One of the research findings states the following: â€Å"Twenty-three interviewswere conducted with professionals and paraprofessionals whowork with sex offenders. The taped therapy sessions of a prisontreatment group were the source of perpetrator talk. Discourse analysis identified the existence of two discourses; the discourse of desire and the discourse of commonsense. Separately and together,these discourses served to attribute some responsibility to the victim and to conceptualize rape as sex.† (Finkelhor, 2005) Secondary victimization can happen in other ways as well. For instance, comprehensive investigation of some key groups related to violent crime – the primary victims themselves, and the broader group of their â€Å"families, friends, neighbourhoods, and communities† were carried out. Crimes such a rape (both male and female) need to be handled with tact and understanding. In other words, It is crucial that advanced practice nurses and other medical professionals be aware of indicators of rape and sexual assault in both genders and trained in detecting them. This becomes all the more important â€Å"as men are much less likely than women to spontaneously disclose abuse†. Men who are victims of such offences do not get proper attention from healthcare personnel, undermining their potential â€Å"to receive appropriate referrals for counselling and treatment†. If the primary trauma is not bad enough, the inability to seek therapeutic redress (psychotherapy ) can lead to victimization a second time around. But unfortunately, this area of victim justice is poorly legislated. National charities like Victim Support are at the forefront of the movement for change and reform in the criminal justice system (Sundaram, 2004). Victim Support has an entire division of its operations dedicated to providing counselling help for witnesses or secondary victims of crime. Understanding the fact that witnesses feel apprehensive about going to court irrespective of whether they are directly involved with the incident or not. Victim Support provides â€Å"Witness Service†, a program specially designed for secondary victims, in every criminal court in the United Kingdom. Charities like Victim Support are also pushing for legal reforms in this area. For example, the present legal framework does not consider the psychological affectations on defence witnesses. There are also no provisions made for secondary victims who are children. The latter fact is quite significant as the coping skills of children are much weaker than that of the adults, when it comes to stress and trauma (Sundaram, 2004). Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR), a government agency, is the umbrella organization conceived in order to improve and reform the existing criminal justice system. Presently, the agency is coordinating efforts to bring about some necessary changes in the system. One of the main objectives is to make the process of reporting a criminal incident easier for the victims. Being a victim is never easy, but by making the bureaucratic and regimented nature of the criminal justice system an integrated one will help move toward the stated objective. There are a few other areas of redress, including a more rigorous law enforcement system that will â€Å"revolutionize compliance with sentences and orders of the court†. The agency has also recommended joining disparate units of the system into a single, modern and efficiently run service. In this context, the OCJR’s vision for the future is quite appropriate. The following passage captures the essence of what OCJR exp ects in terms of reforms: â€Å"To improve the delivery of justice by increasing the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.25 million and; Reassure the public, reducing the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, and building confidence in the CJS without compromising fairness.† (Turner, 2006) Overall, the deficiencies prevailing in the present criminal justice system are quite clear. Not-for-profit organizations like Victim Support and government agencies like the OCJR have done a stellar job in trying to bring reform ideas into fruition. This would mean that secondary victims get a chance to see the court beforehand and understand procedures pertaining to the courts and get proper guidance and support during the period of litigation. On top of this availability of practical help, both primary and secondary victims have â€Å"easier access to people who can answer specific questions about the case (the Witness Service cannot discuss evidence or offer legal advice); and a chance to talk over the case when it has ended and to get more help or information.† (Turner, 2006) Of late, the government of England and Wales has developed several projects to help victims think generally about victimization, and then think about people they know who have been victims themselves. On such a contemplation of their experience of being victims, they gain a perspective on the consequences and aftermath of victimization. Organization such as Victim Support undertakes group therapy sessions with the victims to discuss the trauma of sexual abuse and its aftermath, and to conduct discussions about the misconceptions surrounding rape. Other programmes help prisoners doing service projects to make handicrafts for sale so that their earnings can go toward consolidating other victim empowerment programmes (Ditton, 2006). Still other programmes organise interactions between primary and secondary victims. This is supposed to help â€Å"victims’ experience real by allowing them to develop a relationship with their fellow victims, to hear their stories, and to reflect together on how crime affects the lives of many.† In all cases of crime, the perpetrators themselves are victims too. Recognizing this fact, â€Å"The International Centre for Prison Studies in the UK initiated a â€Å"restorative prison† project in three prisons. One of the four key objectives was to create opportunities for prisoners to perform community service projects in and outside of prisons, such as reclaiming public parkland†. Hence, positive results are already evident as a result of the few reforms made to the criminal justice system. References: Shepherd, Jonathan, and Cathy Lisles., â€Å"Towards multi-agency violence prevention and victim support: an investigation of police-accident and emergency service liaison.† British Journal of Criminology 38.n3 (Summer 1998): 351(20). Temkin, Jennifer. â€Å"Plus ca change; reporting rape in the 1990s.†, British Journal of Criminology 37.n4 (Autumn 1997): 507(20). Fattah, Ezzat A. â€Å"Helping Victims of Crime – the Home Office and the Rise of Victim Support in England and Wales.† The British Journal of Sociology 43.n3 (Sept 1992): 494(3). Smith, David J., and Russell Ecob., â€Å"An investigation into causal links between victimization and offending in adolescents.(Report). Corbett, Claire. â€Å"Helping Victims of Crime: The Home Office and the Rise of Victim Support in England and Wales.†, Journal of Law and Society 18.n4 (Winter 1991): 501-505. Maguire, Mike. â€Å"Helping Victims of Crime: The Home Office and the Rise of Victim Support in England and Wales.†, International Review of Victimology 2.n3 (Wntr 1993): 262-264. Mawby, Rob. â€Å"Guidelines for Victim Support in Europe: Report of the First European Conference of Victim Support Workers.† British Journal of Criminology 31.n2 (Spring 1991): 192-193. Whitehouse, R. â€Å"Helping People Cope with Crime: The Victim Support Handbook.† Science Justice 41.2 (April-June 2001): 127-131. Milgram, N., Stern, M., Levin, S. (March 2006)., Revenge versus forgiveness/forbearance in response to narrative-simulated victimization., The Journal of Psychology, 140, 2. p.105(15). Brunt, P., Brophy, K. (Fall 2006)., Gay tourist victimisation.(United Kingdom). International Review of Victimology,, 13, 3. p.275-299. Turner, H A, Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R. (Jan 1, 2006)., The effect of lifetime victimization on the mental health of children and adolescents., Social Science Medicine, 62, 1. p.13(15). Hetzel, M D, McCanne, T R (August 2005)., The roles of peritraumatic dissociation, child physical abuse, and child sexual abuse in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder and adult victimization., Child Abuse and Neglect, 29, 8. p.915(16). Ditton, J., Chadee, D. (May 2006). People’s perceptions of their likely fiture risk of criminal victimization., British Journal of Criminology, 46, 3. p.505(14). Sundaram, V, Helweg-Larsen, K, Laursen, B, Bjerregaard, P (Jan 2004). Physical violence, self rated health, and morbidity: is gender significant for victimisation?, Journal of Epidemiology Community Health, 58, 1. p.65(6). Shepherd, J, Sutherland, I, Newcombe, R (August 2006)., Relations between alcohol, violence and victimization in adolescence., Journal of Adolescence, 29, 4. p.539-553. Holt, M K, Finkelhor, D., Kantor, G. K. (May 2007). Multiple victimization experiences of urban elementary school students: associations with psychosocial functioning and academic performance., Child Abuse and Neglect, 31, 5. p.503(13). Chadee, D., Austen, L., Ditton, J. (Jan 2007). The relationship between likelihood and fear of criminal victimization: evaluating risk sensitivity as a mediating concept., British Journal of Criminology, 47, 1. p.133(21). Tseloni, A., Pease, K. (Nov 2004). Repeat personal victimization: random effects, event dependence and unexplained heterogeneity., British Journal of Criminology, 44, 6. p.931(15). Newburn, T., Rock, P. (Summer 2006)., Urban homelessness, crime and victimisation in England., International Review of Victimology, 13, 2. p.121-156. Finkelhor, D., Hamby, S L, Ormrod, R., Turner, H. (April 2005). The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire: reliability, validity, and national norms., Child Abuse and Neglect, 29, 4. p.383(30). Schafer, J A, Huebner, B M, Bynum, T S (May-June 2006). Fear of crime and criminal victimization: gender-based contrasts., Journal of Criminal Justice, 34, 3. p.285(17). Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R K, Turner, H A (Jan 2007). Poly-victimization: a neglected component in child victimization, Child Abuse and Neglect, 31, 1. p.7(20). WH Auden’s classic elegy of his contemporary WB Yeats has withstood the test of time. Even after five decades of its first publication, the poem is fresh in its invocation of feelings of loss and suffering. The loss and suffering are so much at the deceased artist and the cessation of his work, but more pointedly at the larger lamentation of the futility of poetry as an instrument of social change. This is one area where Auden transgresses the traditional elegy form. Auden’s work is atypical of the elegy genre in many other ways. Firstly, he makes no attempt to praise the object of his attention. Nor does he overtly express a sensation of loss at the demise of the artist. Instead, Auden uses the scaffolding of the three part elegy form in putting forth his observations on the nature of poetry. Although it is a fairly pessimistic viewpoint it does not lack in merit. Using the imagery in a redemptive fashion, the elegy â€Å"begins in a frozen landscape, as .

Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address, Facts and Myths

Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address, Facts and Myths On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered a few appropriate remarks at the dedication of Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. From a platform set some distance away from the ongoing burial operations, Lincoln addressed a crowd of 15,000 people. The president spoke for three minutes. His speech contained just 272 words, including the observation that the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here. Yet Lincolns Gettysburg Address endures. In the view of historian James McPherson, it stands as the worlds foremost statement of freedom and democracy and the sacrifices required to achieve and defend them. Over the years, historians, biographers, political scientists, and rhetoricians have written countless words about Lincolns brief speech. The most comprehensive study remains Garry Willss Pulitzer Prize-winning book Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America (Simon Schuster, 1992). In addition to examining the political circumstances and oratorical antecedents of the speech, Wills dispels several myths, including these: The silly but persistent myth is that [Lincoln] jotted his brief remarks on the back of an envelope [while  riding the train  to  Gettysburg]. . . . In fact, two people testified that Lincolns speech was mainly composed in Washington, before he left for Gettysburg.Though we call Lincolns text the Gettysburg Address, that title clearly belongs to [Edward] Everett. Lincolns contribution, labeled remarks, was intended to make the dedication formal (somewhat like ribbon-cutting at modern openings). Lincoln was not expected to speak at length.Some later accounts would emphasize the length of the main speech [Everetts two-hour oration], as if that were an ordeal or an imposition on the audience. But in the mid-19th century, a talk of several hours was customary and expected.Everetts voice was sweet and expertly modulated; Lincolns was high to the point of shrillness, and his Kentucky accent offended some eastern sensibilities. But Lincoln derived an advantage from his high tenor voic e. . . . He knew a good deal about rhythmic delivery and meaningful inflections. Lincolns text was polished, his delivery emphatic, he was interrupted by applause five times. [T]he myth that Lincoln was disappointed in the result- that he told the unreliable [Ward] Lamon that his speech, like a bad plow, wont scour- has no basis. He had done what he wanted to do. Above all its worth noting that Lincoln composed the address without the aid of speechwriters or advisers. As Fred Kaplan recently observed in Lincoln: The Biography of a Writer (HarperCollins, 2008), Lincoln is distinguished from every other president, with the exception of Jefferson, in that we can be certain that he wrote every word to which his name is attached. Words mattered to Lincoln- their meanings, their rhythms, their effects. On February 11, 1859, two years before he became president, Lincoln delivered a lecture to the Phi Alpha Society of Illinois College. His topic was Discoveries and Inventions: Writing- the art of communicating thoughts to the mind, through the eye- is the great invention of the world. Great in the astonishing range of analysis and combination which necessarily underlies the most crude and general conception of it- great, very great in enabling us to converse with the dead, the absent, and the unborn, at all distances of time and of space; and great, not only in its direct benefits, but greatest help, to all other inventions. . . .Its utility may be conceived, by the reflection that, to it we owe everything which distinguishes us from savages. Take it from us, and the Bible, all history, all science, all government, all commerce, and nearly all social intercourse go with it. Its Kaplans belief that Lincoln was the last president whose character and standards in the use of language avoided the distortions and other dishonest uses of language that have done so much to undermine the credibility of national leaders. To re-experience Lincolns words, try reading aloud his two best-known speeches: The Gettysburg AddressThe Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln Afterward, if youd like to test your familiarity with Lincolns rhetoric, take our Reading Quiz on the Gettysburg Address.

Backbiting in Islam

Backbiting, according to Oxford Dictionary is â€Å"Malicious talk about someone who is not present. † It originated from the improper attack from the back in the sport of bearbaiting(1). The word in Arabic is pronounced as â€Å"Ghibah. † Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) defined Gibah as â€Å"Your mentioning your brother with something about him that he dislikes. † Islam considers backbiting as one of the major sins that a muslim person must not commit (2). This paper will cover reasons why it is prohibited, causes, backbiting non muslims, cure, and cases in which backbiting is permissible. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) once said, to signify the wrongfulness of backbiting: â€Å"Whoever backbites a Muslim spoils his fasts and breaks his wudu, and shall come on the Day of Resurrection with his mouths stench more putrid than a carcass If he dies before repenting, his death is like that of one who dies while considering permissible that which is prohibited by God (3). † There are two main reasons why Islam prohibits backbiting: 1. Islam prohibits backbiting because it emphasizes on protecting peoples rights and feelings. Gibah could violates peoples rights and hurt their feelings; therefore, it is a serious sin. 2. Because of the fact that it is easy to commit, people usually disregard it and might feel that it is insignificant (2). Listening to backbiting is also considered a sin and sometimes the listener might be considered as a sinner a well, being in the same position of the backbiter. The messenger (PBUH) said in regards to that that â€Å"the listener is one of the two backbiters. † A person could be more sinful if he expresses his interest in the backbiter’s talk. In other words, saying something like â€Å"wow,† â€Å"Astaghfirullah† or â€Å"I didn’t know he would do such a thing† means that the listener is encouraging the backbiter to add something more (3). Causes People backbite each other for plenty of reasons. Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali mentions in his book â€Å"Revival of Religious Sciences† several reasons why a person would backbite. One of the reasons is revenge, a person will gain satisfaction when he/she backbites someone since he avenged him or herself. Another reason is the influence of the people around the person. People sometimes feel pressured by their friends and sometimes the only way to fit in with the group is through participating in whatever that group is. Al-Ghazali also stated that some people have a desire to praise themselves through belittling others. In the same way, someone might bad-mouth another person out of jealousy (4). Joking and mockery is also a reason why people would backbite,and in regards to that Allah says in the Quran â€Å"O you who have believed, neither should men mock other men, it may be that these are better than they; nor should women mock other women, it may be that these are better than they It is an evil thing to be called by a bad name after faith. Those who fail to avoid this are wrongdoers.. † (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:11). Backbiting Non-Muslims It is generally discouraged in Islam because one characteristic of a good muslim is not to speak rudely or bad-mouth people. The prophet (PBUH) said: â€Å"The Muslim does not slander, curse, speak obscenely or speak rudely. †. However, Islam has a detailed ruling on backbiting the non-muslims. It can be divided into two cases or scenarios. The first type of backbiting non-muslims is one in which a person mentions the physical flaws of a another person such as having big ears or long nose. This is type is prohibited because your mockery of someone’s appearance is considered as if you’re making fun of Allah’s creation. The second of type of backbiting non-muslims is when you talk about his bad habits or behavior such as drinking alcohol or adultery. A lot of muslim scholars agree that there is nothing wrong with that if your intention is to warn people against him (5). Some muslim scholars talked about more specific cases regarding the backbiting of non-muslims. Zakaryia Al-Ansari, a leading Islamic scholar of the 15th century, said that it is prohibited backbite the non-muslim if he is dhimmi. 1 His reasoning is that it will put him off from accepting jizyah. 2 He backs up his reasoning by mentioning the Hadith of the prophet (PBUH) in which he said â€Å"Whoever makes a snide comment to a dhimmi has earned Hell. † Imam Al-Ghazali said that backbiting the dhimmi is forbidden because he is like the muslim â€Å"as far as not harming him is concerned. If the non-muslim is a harbi3, Al-Ansari said that it is permissible to backbite a harbi and he backs it by mentioning what happened when the messenger (PBUH) used to command one of his companions to satirize the mushrikeen4(5). Cases Where Backbiting is Permissible For every rule in Islam, there are exceptions and there are many cases where Islam allows backbiting(4). These Cases are: 1. unjustness. A person who suffered from injustice is allowed to mention the name of the person who committed injustice to someone who is capable of restoring his rights to him like a judge or a ruler of a city. If your intention is to change evil things or to prevent a person from committing a sin. If the intention is not to change evil, then ghibah is not permissible. 3. If you’re asking about a ruling on a point in Islam(Fatwa), then you may say that your brother, father, or wife has done such and such and you would like to know the ruling on that action. However, Islam encourages people to avoid mentioning names. The question can formulated as What is the verdict regarding a person who has done such-and-such? 4. If your intention is to warn people about the wrongdoing of a person. For example, it is permissible to warn people about a merchant who cheat people by selling them defective products. It is also permissible to reveal the faults of a person to someone who is asking you to evaluate that person whom the former is thinking of marrying. A legitimate evidence for is when Fatimah bint Qays when the prophet (PBUH) and asked him about two men who had proposed to her. He said As for Mu`awiyah, he is a poor man with no money, and as for Abu Jahm, his stick never leaves his shoulder. [Bukhari, Muslim, Malik]. It is permissible to perform ghibah if a person commits sins in front of people and does not have any qualms about his sins. However, It is prohibited to mention any of his secret sins. There can be no backbiting of one who casts off the mantle of modesty. 5 [Suyuti, Al-Jami` As-Saghir, 2/519, from Bayhaqi. ] Expiation A backbiter violates two infringements in Islam. One is the limits of Allah which must expiated by sincere regret and seeking forgiveness from Allah. A number of fatwas say that the backbiter must praise the person whom he backbit in his absence. The second infringement is in regards to people’s rights. The sin can only be expiated if person affected by ghibah forgives and pardons the backbiter. The messenger (PBUH) said that â€Å"Whoever has wronged his brother with regard to his honour or something, let him ask him for forgiveness before the time when there will be neither dinar nor dirham, and if he has any good deeds it will be taken from him in proportion to the wrong he did, and if he does not have any hasanat (good deeds), some of the other persons sayyiat (evil deeds) will be taken and given to him to bear. †

Health implications related to the personal health and wellbeing of Essay

Health implications related to the personal health and wellbeing of individual patients in hospital and domestic settings - Essay Example My immediate guess was that both chemotherapy and laser therapy had affected his body metabolism to a certain extent. He was a patient very concerned about his appearance. Being just 27 years of age and unmarried, he wanted to look smart all the time. He recalled the fact that he had a very stylish hair style prior to undergoing chemotherapy. He lamented stroking the few remaining strands of hair remaining in his otherwise bald head. The patient said he used to look in the mirror often and was very proud of his neatly combed hair earlier, but now he was devastated by the figure looking back at him when looking in the mirror. According to him his hair style enhanced his personality and every one used to comment on it. I knew that he was visibly shaken by his hair loss and this was affecting him psychologically. He asked me whether his hair would grow again. Due to his hair loss he told me that his confidence was shattered and did not know how to face society once he was discharged from hospital. Chemotherapy treatment often causes hair loss basically because the cells in the hair follicles grow fast (Baker, 1996). Hair loss would not be a permanent issue and the hair will grow back once the patient's treatment has ended. In fact chemotherapy damages fast growing cells, however all drugs will not cause hair loss and in some scenarios it just cause thinning and others cause dramatic hair loss including the body hair and eye brows (Bandura, 1998). Moreover, different people have different tolerances to the drugs and occasionally, some people lose their hair when it is not expected and sometimes in other cases no hair loss occurs when it is expected. The patient did not understand how certain drugs produced negative side effects in the long run, when I told him that certain chemical combinations coming from different drugs would have caused his hair roots to destabilize he thought that I was talking about some alien disease. When I explained this to him and said that his hair loss was temporarily he was much relieved and satisfied. Finally a smile appeared on his hitherto gloomy face. He thanked me a lot for enlightening him about his hair loss. I was much satisfied when a smile finally appeared on his face. Entry two This week I had an encounter with a patient who complained of a swelling in the neck and in the groin and the legs. But he was experiencing no pain. He also complained of an early feeling of fullness of the stomach and recurrent abdominal pain. He was sixteen years of age and had been an active member of the school soccer team and other sports sometime back. But now he was thin and frail and has been under medication for some time. He lamented that he was unable to go to school and take part in soccer practices which he loved so much. He had been a boy of robust build but of late has lost a lot of weight and said he was having a feeling of 'lack of energy'. This apart he experienced chills, fevers and night sweats on a regular basis. Being the only child in the family, he was the apple in the eye of his parents. He wanted to do all that he can to make his parents proud. Though not a very bright student in his studies, he was very keen on sports and said that his ambition was to

OPERATION MANAGEMENT (specialize in comparative operation management Essay

OPERATION MANAGEMENT (specialize in comparative operation management - Essay Example The nature of offerings of KFC is different from McDonald's in the sense that majority of KFC's ingredients include deep fried wholesome chicken pieces and fries. Immediately behind the counter, there is a temporary storage of ready to serve chicken pieces, in temperature controlled glass environment. This serves the purpose of Work in Progress Inventory. Step 2: the first person in the production line reads order and passes the raw, materials to the next level. For example if it is chicken pieces, then he passes the full pieces, if its hot shots he passes the right amount to the net level. It can be seen that the operations of KFC are almost similar to the operations of Mc Donald's. As mentioned earlier, the primary difference between KF and Mc Donalds' offering is that all KFC offerings contain chicken. As per quality policy the chicken has to be fresh. Due to this the role of Temporary Storage (behind counter)is very crucial for KFC. It has to satisfy the following requirements: Mc Donald's has and advantage on KFC in the sense that it does not require too much movement of workers as the sandwich is processed along a line of processing.

Insomnia Essay -- essays research papers

Insomnia How many times during the night do we toss and turn, check the clock, and find it ticking away and tell ourselves, "If I could fall asleep right now I would get at least five hours of sleep"? But, sleep doesn't come so we continue to toss and turn. This happens to many people and may suffer from a disorder known as insomnia. People who suffer from this disorder have many complaints, and many have similar symptoms. Symptoms can vary from stress to pain to always feeling tired. Insomnia is a very difficult disease to have to live with. It is hard for both those that suffer from it and their family members. According to Linde and Savaley's, The Sleep Book, (1974), "the person who has trouble sleeping is not alone" (p. 9). They also claim, "An estimated thirty million people suffer from chronic insomnia" (p.9). Many non-insomniacs have occasional periods when they wonder if they'd make it through a sleepless night. Many insomniacs can't fall asleep because of pain and discomfort. Those that can fall asleep but can't stay asleep might be caused from depression, or too many things to worry about. In Ernest Hartmann's The Sleeping Pill (1978) some causes of insomnia (p. 113). He states that pain and discomfort do indeed play an important part in the difficulty remaining asleep. For those having difficulty remaining asleep might be because of depression or having too much to worry about. In Linde and Savary's, The Sleep Book (1974), Dr. Dale C. Friend claims, "insomnia can be classified by four causes: tension, fatigue, discomfort, and in and out insomnia" (p. 100). Tension insomnia occurs mostly in executives or people who worry about their businesses. Tension builds up inside during the day and is still inside at bedtime, it won't come out, so they tend to worry and are not able to go tot sleep. Fatigue insomnia happens when people who get tired during the day and then they take a nap in the early afternoon and as a result they cannot go to sleep at bedtime. People suffering from discomfort insomnia often complain of stomach upsets, such as ulcers, toothaches, or arthritis. This causes them to wake up during the night, which gives them discomfort. In and out insomnia occurs when patients feel that they didn't sleep at all during the night when they really did, but only stayed in the first stages of light sleep ... ... our minds and ourselves. We need to exercise right, at appropriate times, sleep at the right time and never get ourselves so stressed out that we can't sleep at night. Insomnia can affect a person really fast and it's hard to get rid of this disorder without a lot of effort. If we follow the advice given here, we will have an easier life. References Eddy, M.; & Walbroehl, G. (1999) Practical therapeutics : insomnia. American Academy of Family Physicians [Online] Expanded Academic Index. Available www.web6.infotrac.galegroup.com Hartmann, E. (1978). The sleeping pill. New Haven and London: Yale university press Linde, S.; & Savary, L. (1974) The sleep book New York NY: Harper and Row Mendelson, W.B. (1977). Human sleep and it's disorders New York NY: Plenum Press President and Fellows of Harvard College (1998, Dec. 1). Insomnia: Get a good nights sleep. Harvard health letter [Online] Expanded Academic Index Available.www.web6.infotrac.galegroup.com Roberts, S. (1999, April 1) Ten tips for better sleep. American family physicians p.1911(1). [Online] Expanded Academic Index. Available. www.web6.infotrac.galegroup.com

High Wire Essay

The living standards of an individual in any country depend on numerous factors. The economic conditions of that country, is one of the most important factor which influences the lives of the people living and working in the country. The changes in the economic conditions of country have a huge impact on the lives of people, as they affect their earning and spending capacity. One such country which is experiencing massive changes in its economy is America. America was regarded as a country where one can achieve his/her dream of an affluent and prosperous lifestyle but the recent economic situation in America tells another story. The book â€Å"High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families† by Peter Gosselin deals with the economy of America and the changes it has undergone since 1970s. The author brings forth the affects of these changes on the financial lives of Americans. The changes in the economic policies of America have led to a situation in America where Americans are being deprived of financial security. Through his book, Gosselin throws light on the financial life of Americans which is becoming more and more insecure, owing to the shift of risk from the employers to employees, from the insurance companies to their clients and from the federal government to the American people. Financial Lives In the book â€Å"High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families† by Peter Gosselin, the author focuses on the financial lives of Americans in the present times. He begins his book by pointing out the difference in the economic conditions in America and the financial lives of its people in the past and in the present times. In the period that followed World War II, Americans led a life of prosperity and affluence, owing to the favorable economic conditions in their country. â€Å"The first is that for most of the past quarter century, the United States has enjoyed the return of a resilient and growing prosperity that once seemed lost. † (Gosselin 1). But in present times, the financial lives of Americans have been affected by the changing economic scenario in their country. Even if they are leading a life of prosperity, they are insecure regarding their financial lives. â€Å"The second fact is that many of us, even the affluent among us -those with family income running into the hundreds dollars-have arrived at the new century increasingly uneasy, with a gnawing sense that our circumstances are changing in ways that leave us less secure. † (Gosselin 2). The lack of security is having a huge impact on the lives of Americans. After citing the economic situation, in which the Americans are leading their lives, the author goes on to analyze the reasons for this insecurity that is gripping Americans. The foremost reason he mentions in his book is related to the new economic policies which places the risk on the individuals instead of government. â€Å"In its place, wrapped in the economic doctrine of free markets and the moral precept of personal responsibility, stands a new first principle: Each of us is now expected to forge our own future, free to rise or fall as our talents or luck may dictate. † (Gosselin 4). In support of his claim, Gosselin provides numerous examples which prove the shift of risk from government, employers and insurance companies to the people. Insurance companies are taking advantage of the new economic policies and reducing the payments which are claimed by their clients. In such circumstances, American people are forced to bear their medical expenses, without any substantial support from their insurance companies. The concept that individuals or companies are responsible for their own financial conditions has led to the collapse of even big companies. â€Å"Within days, in September 2008, another investment bank, Lehman Brothers, was on the brink collapse†¦.. But Paulson under intense political pressure from Conservative Republicans in Washington to invoke moral hazard and let the company fail†. (Inside The Meltdown). Another factor that has greatly influenced the financial lives of Americans is the effect a job loss has on the work life of an individual. The unemployment benefits that a worker receives after a job have reduced drastically in the comparison to the times before a couple of decades ago. The author also brings forth the fact that a job loss leads to a greater drop in wages in present times. A worker, who has lost his job, is compelled to work on fewer wages on his next job, thereby leading to a drastic reduction in his/her spending capacity. Effects on Individuals The effects of the drastic changes in the socio-economic policies of America on individuals working and leading their lives in America are presented by Gosselin. He writes in his book that in present times, American people are more concerned about the problems they will face in their financial lives than the national problems. â€Å"Indeed, it has not been public events that sometimes awaken us and leave us tossing in bed. Instead, fleetingly, but recurrently, we have been night stalked by questions about our private lives. † (Gosselin 2). They are worried about their medical expenses, the cost of education of their children, the impact a job loss would have on their family. The author cites the examples of some individuals in his book to bring forth the impact the changed rules in American economy is having on American people. He writes about real people whose financial lives have been largely impacted owing to the new economic policies in their country. Individuals like Debra Potter had to bear the medical expenses on their own, as their insurance companies, taking advantage of the new economic policies, refused to pay them the proper amount of benefits liable to them. People received benefits from their insurance companies but they were insufficient enough to cover their medical expenses. A job loss turned the life of an individual upside down, like Coss who had to manage with meager unemployment benefits after losing his job as the Vice President of a reputed bank. â€Å"As Coss-tall, taciturn, with short-cropped almost military, hair- recounted what it was like to go from earning several thousand dollars a week to collecting a few hundred in unemployment benefits. † (Gosselin 6). With the aid of statistics, Gosselin proves his claim about the growing insecurity among the Americans regarding their financial lives. The changed economic conditions has created such a situation in America where financial lives of its people lack the security which is needed to stabilize them when they are effected by a job loss, medical expenses or college education. The government is not providing a security net where people can cope with the changes that new economic policies are having on their financial lives. People have to deal with these changes on their own. â€Å"Instead of joining together to solve problems, that affect the whole society, the heralds of the new approach say, more responsibility should be placed on individuals and families.† (Gosselin 5). Even though the number of people whose financial lives have changed owing to the new economic situation is less, these effected people are less likely to return to their former financial positions. â€Å"As with so much else about the present economy, the dangers are like rifle shots, hitting fewer targets but doing more lasting damage. † (Gosselin 54). The financial lives of Americans are being influenced by a number of factors. Through this book, Gosselin brings forth these factors and the impacts these factors are having on the way the Americans are managing their work lives and family expenses. Conclusion The author has put forth the current economic situation and the impact it is having on the financial lives of Americans in his book â€Å"High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families†. Being an economics reporter, the author has succeeded in presenting the real picture of American economy and the insecurity experienced by American people regarding their financial lives. His book differs from other books written on this topic, for Gosselin has presented an accurate depiction of American economy in present times. He also brings forth the reasons which have led to insecure financial lives for the Americans. He holds the government and the companies responsible for this situation in America. But he fails to consider the other factors that are influencing the economic situation in America. He focuses only on the economic policies of American government and American companies, and ignores the impact of other countries on the American economy. The book has aided me in understanding the present economic condition of America and the risk its people are facing regarding their financial lives. It also made me aware of the negative impact the new policies are having on American economy. My thinking that the new economic policies were assisting in the economic development of the America was proved wrong after reading this book. The book can be helpful for economists as well as the common people of America, for it will inform them about the reasons for their insecure financial lives, and this information will assist them in voting for appropriate candidate during the Presidential elections.