Punishment: Forms and Functions Essay

In a contemporary society where crime takes place we expect the state authority to dispense justice in the form of punishment to maintain social solidarity. There are many forms of punishment that can be given to an offender, each with their own functions for the offender and society itself. Imprisonment is one of the most widely used forms of punishments globally, the ideology of imprisonment globally tends to remain the same. There are several functions of imprisonment and whether it is an effective method of punishment is widely argued by sociologist. To remove the offender from society, as to keep society safe is one function that stands out, by putting the offender in a high security environment you take away their freedom to commit offences towards the public again. However it could be argued that prison is deemed an unsafe environment for the offender itself as an institution, for many it’s an environment where they have to adapt to survive, in which case becoming a bre eding more criminals as a result of this or producing victims. Alternative punishment such as house arrest or probation would be more suitable in the face of the offender’s personal safety, whereby they are still paying for the crimes they have committed, with limitations on their freedom, however they are much safer. Statistics show that 50% of offenders that are released from prison are likely to reoffend within 3 years, which is the same rate as those who are given these alternative punishment. With 3% of the American population in prison and a large majority of those likely to reoffend within 3 year of release, they should be looking for alternative approaches to prison that takes into account the safety of the offender. However it could be argued that prison is there to be tough and that the people in there are criminals and should be treated as such. An alternative approach to prison that has be found to be particularly successful across America in reducing the number of young people entering prison and reducing the reoffending rate s are correctional facilities, which implements army regimes, with an aim to instil discipline, self-control and work ethic into juveniles. This form of punishment works based on the idea of giving young people who have committed the change to go through a programme or carry on with their sentence. This form of punishment works based on the idea of deterrence as mentioned in item B, which in the case of this form of punishment where it is heavily applied it is successful proven by the low rates of reoffending after graduation from correctional  facilities. However it can be argued it’s difficult to prove the effectiveness of deterrence, because only the offenders who weren’t deterred by possible consequences of the actions will come to face the enforcement of the punishment, therefore it does not tell us why others do not offend. Making punishments based on deterrence is based on a key concept that offenders choose to obey or disobey the law having calculated the possible gains and consequences of their actions. It could be argued that all forms of punishment are based on deterrence, we have punishment to deter the public from committing crimes, and it forces society to conform. Over the many centuries that there have been prison systems there have been changes in the way offenders have been treated, one concept that is present in today’s prison system is the idea of rehabilitation, this is aiming to reform the offender to give them the support and skills they needs to be able to go back into society once they have served their sentence, and in turn stop them reoffending. This as a function of punishment is generally very positive, it’s helping the offender, their still contained in a high security environment away from the public however for many offenders they tend to be uneducated or lack vocational skills which has left them unsupported previously, with rehabilitation they’re able to gain these skills so they can go out and get jobs, meaning they’re less likely to lead criminal lives when they’re released from prison. However Rothman 1973 rejects the idea of rehabilitating offenders, he believes that due to the environment they’re in with officers holding huge amounts of power over them, they’re left with little free will and are forced into these programmes. However it’s often found that many offenders, especially women and ethnic minorities, take well the programmes having been discriminated against in education and in the work place so having had less opportunism before prison. 30 mins When assessing the functions and forms of punishment one key aspect I think is important to take into consideration is the role of the crime itself and how that plays out in punishment. Imprisonment, can be a harsh environment, however can be an opportunity for offenders to reflect on the crime they’ve committed and who they’ve committed it against. Restorative justice also gives offender this opportunity to reflect on the harm they’ve caused  through programmes such as victim offender medication, which studies show has a high satisfaction rate for those involved, high victim participant rates, meaning a large proportion of victims who can will take up the opportunity to talk to the victim of their crime, and importantly reduced criminal behaviour by offenders (cumbhert 1994). However a major criticism of victim offender mediation is that it’s difficult in terms of victims of brutal crimes such rape of with relatives of murder victims. Item B refers to t he use of execution as a form of punishment, whereby countries such as the USA still enforce the death penalty, the UK uses the alternative of life imprisonment for brutal crimes such as murder or rape of a minor. Deterrence is a prominent concept when discussing death penalty, the idea is that if you take a life where the death penalty is used as a form of punishment, your life will be taken, however research from the death penalty information centre suggests that the use of capital punishment has no effect on the rate of murder case, when they compared states that used the penalty there wasn’t much difference between the number of murder cases and in some year It was higher for states with the penalty. In the UK we abandoned capital punishment and replaced it with life imprisonment, which some argue to be unfair on the victims and believe in the take a lie give a life ideology. However when you take into consideration a lifetime imprisonment and was that would actually be like, living with hundreds of criminals for a lifetime, in isolation, without many rights, it could be argued that the offender would endure more suffering, therefore the punishment is right for what they’ve done, and they’re serving the time for their crimes. Prison is a form of punishment which is a theme throughout, Foucault provides an explanation for why prison is so prominent as a form of punishment in our society. In previous years sovereign power was prominent, whereby punishment would be handled by those in power of the land, i.e. the king or queen, this would be done in a manner of cruelty and brutally aiming to punish the body for the crimes that have been committed. In our society we have moved towards disciplinary power whereby punishment is handed out by the authorities, it’s done so with an aim of disciplining the mind, making them correct their own actions. The idea of self-discipline comes into play in prisons where by prisoners are being watched by guards so act accordingly, in time they will begin to act this way without the guards being there in  case they are being watched. There are many forms of punishment and many functions of those punishments, and whether a punishment is successful depends on what the aim is and who the punishment is applied to. For example many argue that a fine is a suitable punishment for speeding and acts as a deterrent for reckless driving.

Atmospheric Pollution

Firstly, we must question: How does air pollution occur? To understand this, one is required to recognise the earth's surroundings. Life is totally dependant upon the blanket of mixed gases referred to as ‘air' surrounding our planet earth. This atmosphere is, approximately, a five hundred kilometre thick1 composite layer of colourless, odourless gasses that surrounds the earth kept in place by gravitational forces. Due to its intangible form, it is often ignored by man, making it vulnerable and easily damaged (this fact being highlighted by a large number of disasters caused, effectively, by man). The political and scientific debate on the so called ‘Greenhouse Effect' is based on concern over increasing atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide resulting from combustion of fossil fuels and emissions of other ‘Greenhouse Gases' – such as methane (from decomposing waste), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and nitrous oxides (NOx). The activities of homo sapiens have introduced these new chemicals into the atmosphere and disturbed the distribution of its natural constituents. At first, this was limited to the effect of the fireplace, but later, with the greatly expanded usage of coal, these effects grew more acute. And, after the Industrial Revolution, these effects were compounded. As will be made clear, this revolution reached such a point that consequences began to be regarded more than just an inevitable residue of industrialisation and the struggle for economic growth. 1.1 Secondly, in order to intertwine the above information with the issue at hand, it may be necessary to ask oneself, what is environmental law, who is using it and for what purposes? These questions are being posed, as it is imperative to understand the background of the subject, not just for this subtopic in environmental law, but any topic, before entering it in any depth. Environmental law is first and foremost, a combination of primary legislation2, secondary legislation3 (which will be explained in more depth throughout the project), judicial decisions, common law principles, European Community legislation4 – ‘which impose an obligation on members states to enact legislation to give effect to the terms of the Directive'5 which are transposed into national law (as regulations), European treaties and international law (found in treaties, conventions and protocols). 1.2 The foremost function of environmental law is not, as many would imagine, to completely eliminate pollution altogether, but rather, to allow, or balance pollution levels with the gains we, as a society receive from economic growth. This phenomenon, known most frequently as ‘sustainable development' is one that will be referred to time and time again in any environmental law topic. Sustainable development's widely accepted definition is to be found in the 1987 Bruntland Report – â€Å"Our Common Future† (the report for the World Commission on Environmental Development 1987). It states: ‘†¦development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs'. In layman terms, what this report was recommending, or advising the inhabitants of this earth to do, was to use our resources on the planet in such a manner, so as not to jeopardise the way in which it can be used by others in those years after us. A classic example highlighting the necessity of sustainable development is that of the Communist regimes, such in Poland, in which they favoured production and economic development over protection of the environment. In brief, economic growth will lead to changes in the environment. If this growth is not controlled/governed, it can lead to an ugly and dangerous environment. One could be as bold as to say that obviously, the overriding consideration of any commercial enterprise is the maintenance and expansion of profit. To achieve this, one tactic is to minimize costs and this can occur by reviewing methods of disposal of unwanted materials. If discharging these wastes into the atmosphere represents the cheapest way of accomplishing this, then the industry will have a strong inclination to adopt this strategy. The costs of disposal do not disappear when pollution is emitted into the atmosphere, and as has been discovered, the society will eventually end up paying far greater costs. Therefore, it is the governments of each nation must choose limits to benefit both the environment and economic growth. This is often referred to as ‘anthroprecantic'7 and most law is based on it. As it was eventually assessed (with regards to the situation in Poland) that their lack of concern for the environment in which they inhabited was, in effect, the reason for their poor economic advancement. It was also noted that their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was less than those countries who followed the anthroprecantic system. This perhaps is the most precise example of how the environment plays such a big factor on our lives, not just for our health, but also for the development of our respective countries. (After all, it is the aspiration of each and every governing nation to become wealthy and prosperous – economic development is at the heart of each nation). In working towards sustainable development, whether in broad terms or looking at one particular aspect such as air quality, a number of basic concepts must guide action. These concepts have been clearly outlined in a number of governmental papers8. Within the United Kingdom's largely secular and pragmatic societ y, it seems inevitable that pollution is view in an economic context. 2.0 The industrial revolution was the main cause of such concern over the environment. Before this time, ‘environmental law in England and Wales was characterised by a parochial focus on localised pollution problems'9. Such problems date back to the early uses of coal in domestic fires. The production of fumes and particulates from fires caused pulmonary infections and related lung diseases. Notwithstanding this effect, coal continued to be used. In 1661, John Evelyn published his famous work on air pollution in city areas, Fumi Fugiumi, which not only outlined the problems that atmospheric pollution from smoke caused, but also, more importantly, tried to suggest methods by which the problem could be resolved. After this period, much legislation was passed addressing specific problems in this area of law, for example, atmospheric pollution from chemical industries and ‘unclean' modes of transport, water pollution and the regulation of statutory nuisance. 2.1 Very few areas of the United Kingdom are safe from air pollution. Pollution levels exceed Government health standards all over the country on many days every year, even in rural areas. It is difficult to assess exactly the impact of air pollution on public health. However the government itself stated that: â€Å"the Department of Health's latest assessment is that air pollution is at present responsible each year for several thousand advanced deaths; for ten to twenty thousand hospital admissions, and for many thousands of instances of illness, reduced activity, distress and discomfort†10. It was also assessed that short-term episodes cause between 12,700 and 19,500 premature deaths in the UK a year11. And three years prior to this, it was estimated12 that short-term pollution episodes were responsible for between 12,000 and 24,000 deaths per year. These figures have put new pressure on the Government to fully support the Road Traffic Reduction Bill13, from Cynog Dafis MP. Over 400 Members of Parliament are supporting the principles of the Bill, which requires the government to produce a national plan to cut road traffic from 1990 levels by 5% by the year 2005 and 10% by the year 2010. As can be imagined, road transport is a major source of air pollution in the UK. Five of the key pollutants are: particulates (fine dust and soot particles – PM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), benzene and hydrocarbons (HCs). ‘After more than half a century of under-investment in Britain, roads are the most congested in Europe'14. However, knowing that transport is the cornerstone of modern society, yet it is responsible for poor air quality in many urban centres around the world, what is there that can be done about its damaging effect on our environment? There are increasing concerns about the impact of traffic exhaust emissions on the health of citizens who are exposed to the high concentrations of pollutants, plus the wider global implications. Legislation is helping clean up vehicles and fuel, but there is a significant time lag while the vehicle stock is being replaced. In the interim, mechanisms could to be introduced that accelerate the replacement of vehicles or improve the existing stock. 2.2 In the UK such a concept has taken the form of Low Emission Zones, which aim to restrict the use of the most polluting vehicles from specific areas in an urban environment. In Sweden, a similar concept has been in operation since 1996 whereby environmental standards are specified for heavy vehicles entering the central area of the main cities. The government has also recently set health standards for eight key pollutants. For these pollutants it has also set policy targets to be reached by the year 2005. Meeting these targets will need action locally, nationally and internationally. The Environment Act 1995 set up a system known as Local Air Quality Management through which local authorities will play a major part in reducing pollution levels. 2.3 If we are to meet the Government's targets for air pollution, then pollution from traffic must be cut drastically. There are two main ways to do this: Traffic reduction: cutting the volume of traffic on the roads. A number of environmental organisations are supporting the Road Traffic Reduction Act (which is now law) and the Road Traffic Reduction (UK Targets) Bill. This Bill, which is currently in Parliament as a Private Members Bill, aims to cut traffic levels nationally by 5% by 2005 and 10% by 2010. Greener cars: making sure that cars pollute as little as is possible. This is achieved through tightening engine technology and fuel quality standards. These standards are set at a European level15. 2.4 Although the above issues are seemingly simple, everyone does not welcome the manner in which they will be implemented. For example, There are a huge number in opposition to the government increasing taxes on fuel, and in one particular instance, it was stated by a former chairman of a lobbying institution, that ‘if Gordon Brown increases his fuel taxes, he will see the same situation as he saw in Autumn 2000' [where there was a great number of protests and havoc was caused around Britain]16 This threat was reinforced by a totally independent party, namely the Petrol Retailers Association, who warned ‘if taxes on motor fuels are increased, petrol forecourts will close'17. With statistics and threats such as those provided, it is difficult to advise what the government can do to aid the situation. The Liberal Democrat party also showed its urgency when it released a statement highlighting its concern that the Chancellor of the Exchequer must freeze fuel taxes in real terms for the lifetime of this Parliament. The party also called for a ‘sliding scale' of car tax emissions, so that consumers with polluting vehicles paying higher duties, and those with the most environmentally friendly, paying nothing18. And, in support of this plea, it was stated, by The Confederation of British Industry, that they would be ‘surprised and disappointed if there was a real increase in fuel duties' 2.5 The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, who is behind many of the more noticeable environmental issues with regards to London stated in his manifesto that he aims to ‘put the environment at the heart of London government and provide for comprehensive environmental assessment and monitoring of all strategies which the Mayor is required to produce'19. In addition to this, the Mayor said that he will ‘aim to reduce road traffic by 15% by 2010'20. In favour of this aim, recent figures suggest that the UK's emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are being reduced21 and in addition, greenhouse gases are also being reduced. However, as stated previously, with the correction of specific pollution problems, comes an uplift of other hazards, such as in this case, the increase in carbon dioxide emissions and recent developments in the electricity market suggest problematic situations. 3.0 All aspects of environmental law have a domestic, European and international dimension to them. For example, if one lives in a country where there are dangerous waste materials being transported thorough, the government of transporting town will ensure that the standard of safety provided is of a standard expected on a international level. These precautions must be taken in any environmental situation as will be discovered through this assignment. The influence of international law on the regulation of air pollution has been significant. This may be in recognition of the fact that many of the problems caused by air pollution can have impacts across a large geographical area (and in many cases cause seriously global effects). There have been a number of areas where international law has helped to shape policies and rules on both a domestic and European level. Therefore, with regards to our particular topic, atmospheric pollution in England is regulated, not only by domestic bodies, but moreover, on a European and global level. The problems related to air pollution are by no means a new phenomenon. The prohibitions on certain activities producing smoke are probably the first instances of environment pollution legislation in the United Kingdom, and legislation dates back to 1863 with the Alkali Act, Public Health Act 1875 and 1936, Public Health (Smoke Abatement) Act 1926 and the Clean Air Act (CAA) 1956. The first modern piece of legislation combating air pollution, namely the Alkali Act, represented the culmination of a long period of dissatisfaction with environmental conditions, especially in London. For example, in 1819, an M.P had written, â€Å"[T]he volumes of smoke which issues from the furnaces on every side of the river Thames opposite my own house actually blacken every flower I have in my own garden in Whitehall†22 Until the CAA 1956 was introduced, the government of Britain has had a large amount of difficulty in tackling the problems of atmospheric pollution. Nowadays, the 3 main pollution controls in Britain (which will be clearly explained in detail in), are the Integrated Pollution Control (IPC)23 and Integrated Pollution and Control (IPPC), the Clean Air Act (CAA)24 1993 (a consolidation of the CAA 1956 and CAA 1968), and the controls relating to vehicle emissions. In addition to these, the Environmental Act 1995 25(EA 1995) naturally plays a large role, as it does in all environmental issues. 3.1 Having discussed the topic of environmental law, recapped on the history of atmospheric pollution, and established that there is a need for change, it is now necessary to discuss and evaluate the measures and changes which have been made, by domestic, European and international governments along with a vast number of very influential pressure groups. The main three are (mentioned in section ): a) The Integrated Pollution Control (IPC)26 and Integrated Pollution and Control (IPPC) license based controls relating to a range of highly polluting industries detailed in part1 of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990 and the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) 1999. b) The criminal sanction based controls over the emission of smoke and other particulate matter from chimneys and furnaces detailed in the Clean Air Act (CAA) 1993. c) Controls relating to vehicle emissions. These controls encompass engine efficiency standards, the chemical composition of fuels, the mandatory use of catalytic converters, eco-taxes, price differentials between different types of fuel and the use of traffic management powers.27. The aforementioned controls are an enhancement made by the Environmental Act 1995. 3.2 The CAA 1993 concentrates on the control of emissions on smoke, dust and grit by means of criminal offences. The main offences are, emissions of dark smoke – from a chimney or from industrial premises, emissions of dust and grit from non-domestic furnaces, emissions of smoke from a chimney in a ‘Smoke Control Area' and various other offences relating to the installation of furnaces. Having stated earlier, atmospheric pollution is not merely a domestic issue, the involvement of Europe is particularly highlighted with the great many directives established. Since 1993, when the Maastricht Treaty on the European Union (EU) reformed the Treaty of Rome, Articles 130r – 130t of the EC Treaty have provided the legal basis for Community environmental law. Specifically, under Article 130r (2), environmental policy is guided by four principles: the precautionary, the polluter-pays principle, the integration principle, and the source principle. Moreover, the aforementioned Article further provides that a directive or regulation may include a ‘safeguard clause', which allows Member States to take any appropriate measure to protect the environment in case of emergency28. European Community (EC) measures to curb air pollution can be divided into different categories. Emissions from industrial plants – whereby the most important directive is the Large Combustion Plant Directive (88/609/EEC). In addition to this, Directives 89/369/EEC (dealing with emissions from incineration plants, and Directive 96/61/EC (IPPC) which was implemented into national law in 1999 are the most important directives regarding Emissions from industrial plants. Another category is that of Air pollution affecting the ozone layer and global warming in which EC regulations 3322/88, 591/91 and 549/91 which have banned CFCs and hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs), respectively. Air quality standards have been inputted in Air Quality Framework Directives (96/62/EC) and 99/30/EC. As can be seen, the EC has implemented a large number of directives, however, what is not apparent from the information given, is which have been implemented in British national law. The EC also concentrates on vehicle emission standards, product quality standards and atmospheric pollution and waste reduction29. 4.0 As an evaluation, it is necessary to view the opinions and publications of specialised bodies that thrive to ever improve the environment, such as Green Peace and Friends of the Earth. However, when consulting such sources, one is required to acknowledging the great possibilities of biasness, in order to assess the contribution these measures and policies have made on the atmospheric pollution levels in Britain. Regarding one particular publication issued by Friends of the Earth, it was stated, that by using government data and methods to calculate an Air Quality Indicator for 1999 established that air quality is still ‘very poor'. The calculation shows, for key monitoring sites around Britain, the average number of days on which air pollution levels were above the Government's air quality standard. John Prescott called it a â€Å"key quality of life indicator†. It was also stated that road traffic is the major source of air pollution in the UK, which is responsible for 48% of UK emissions of nitrogen dioxide, 26% of particles, 2% of sulphur dioxide and 74% of carbon monoxide. Ozone is a secondary pollutant, produced by reactions between nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbons. Road traffic is responsible for 38% of UK emissions of hydrocarbons. In this report, it was stated that the share of pollution produced by road traffic would be significantly higher in towns and cities. 4.1 The (New) Labour government took office in 1997 promising to be â€Å"the first truly green Government ever† and to put â€Å"concern for the environment at the heart of policy making†. There have been real achievements. In Labour's first term, both Tony Blair and John Prescott led international efforts to agree the Kyoto treaty to fight climate change. Labour committed the UK to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, the most significant climate changing gas, by 20% by 2010. Despite Tony Blair's very close relationship with the United States, he is still prepared to criticise President Bush for reneging on this treaty and attempting to undermine support for it from other states. Gordon Brown overcame considerable hostility from the business lobby to introduce the Climate Levy, which has begun to give industry clear incentives to cut emissions. Unfortunately, this is where achievements tend to become more difficult to establish. Early in Labour's first term, Chancellor Gordon Brown took important steps to implement the basic principle of green taxation, that tax should be raised on polluting and environmentally destructive behaviour, with the revenues used to pay for green initiatives and to cut taxes on employment. But New Labour has now simply surrendered to the fuel tax protestors, and abandoned the process of gradually raising fuel duty to ensure that the cost of motoring more accurately reflects the environmental damage it causes. And in his last Budget, Brown put employers' National Insurance contributions back up again, increasing the cost of labour and discouraging job creation.30 4.2 Ultimately, it appears that any capitalist economy must face the full scale of any atmospheric pollution problem presented by their production. As stated in 1.2, a capitalist economy focuses on survival of the fittest to ensure its own self preservation. Eventually, if the exhaustion of natural resources is approached, a capitalist economy will have to modify it's own behaviour to guarantee it's own survival, for it requires these resources to continue it's existence. It appears as though we are, environmentally, living in a vicious circle, whereby our preventative measures are preventing one particular problem, but at the same time, causing a problem of a different nature. It is only when that problem becomes apparent to public knowledge that it begins to be tackled. It appears, from methods undertaken before, for the protection of the environment that we may be preventing the condition of our earth from deteriorating to such a dismal point. Our structural interventions in capitalist economy do not appear without merit, albeit sometimes unnoticeable. 4.3 It was stated by Al Gore31 in his book ‘ Earth in the Balance': †Modern industrial civilisation is colliding violently with our planet's ecological system.' We inherited Eden and are leaving our children a depleted rubbish tip'32. However, on a global scale, this appears not to be, in my opinion, the case. Having researched this project for a number of months, one can honestly believe that environmentally, things are getting better. Although issues are still to be found on a daily basis in any newspaper one picks up, the fact remains that things are getting better – or are getting worse, at a slower rate than they were previously. 4.3 ‘Air pollution is not a new phenomenon that has been getting worse and worse, but an old phenomenon that has been getting better and better, leaving London cleaner than it has been since the Middle Ages.'33 Having evaluated governmental policies and researched air pollution, foremost in Britain, one would hope that this statement can now be conclusively agree, or disagreed with. Evidently, the system in which the British government takes actions often referred to as the ‘sectoral approach'34 means that whilst our nation is tackling one particular aspect of pollution, another problem would shift to another sector. ‘Britain has a problem with embarking upon the environmental issue on the whole'35. Therefore, in a brief summary of the above conclusions, it can be said that the environmental issues themselves are not seemingly the problem. Moreover, it is the funding of the implementation that causes the problems. Environmental issues are being discovered and publicised weekly. If the nation were to consider only issues relating to the environment (which it seems the Green Party and other such organisation are aiming for), there would be no advancement in other fields. Therefore, the question of sustainable development is highlighted again. How much should a nation consider the state of the environment, when clearly it needs to concentrate on the economy? As everyone is aware, the government obtains most of it's funding from taxes. If they were to continuously tax the nation, then no one would vote for them. Therefore, they have to bind their policies with one another and establish a sustainable method in which to provide both for the present, and the growing nation. Consequently, on the whole, the implementation of policies and legislation appear to be having a generally good effect on the atmospheric pollution level in Britain. One question remains, however, and that is, for how long will the preventative principle prevail, and will be sufficient in curbing an environmental hazard? In essence, it appears as though sustainable development is the mainframe of environmental and political ideology, and that government policy, and legislative implementation is delivering a sound task in the   field of atmospheric pollution in maintaining sustainable development. After all, it must be remembered, that no organisation in this world is flawless in its methods, and with it come faults, as is evident with the topic of atmospheric pollution. On the whole, policy and legislation appear to be achieving the ever fervent goal of sustainability.

The Street Lawyer

RUNNING HEAD: THE STREET LAWYER The Street Lawyer Social Work 3040-01I Apr. 30, 2008 SUMMARY John Grisham’s The Street Lawyer tells the story of Michael Brock a married wealthy attorney who has it all. Michael, a graduate of Yale University, works at Drake & Sweeny, one of the top and well respected firms in Washington D. C. While there he is making the money and rushing relentlessly to the top of Drake & Sweeny. He is only one step away from an early partnership. Until one rainy winter afternoon at Drake & Sweeny. An angry homeless man who only wants to be called â€Å"Mister† holds Michael and eight other lawyers hostage in an office at Drake & Sweeny. â€Å"Mister† demands the tax records be brought to him. After the tax records arrive he orders Michael to tell him what each lawyer including Michael has made in earnings for the year and how much of their money is donated to charities and the homeless. After several hours the hostage stand off is over leaving one man dead and another reborn. Mister† is shot in the head by a sniper policeman as he opens the office door to receive the soup he wants delivered from a local shelter. â€Å"Mister’s† blood and bodily fluids cover Michael’s entire face since he is standing directly behind him. The police escort Michael to a small gym in the building where doctors examine him and he is able to shower. After his shower Michael returns home. The next morning he returns to work at Drake & Sweeny. After reading an article in the Post he learns more about â€Å"Mister† whose real name is DeVon Hardy. After paying a visit to Mordecia Green the director of the 14th Street Legal Clinic, where â€Å"Mister† was a client, Michael begins to rethink his career as an anti-trust lawyer for Drake & Sweeny and his life as well. Leaving Drake & Sweeny to become a street lawyer would have profound affect on his home life and marriage as well. After telling his wife he will take a job with less money and no benefits the couple separate and eventually file for divorce. Michael moves to a smaller apartment on the rough side of Washington D. C. nd begins working at the 14th Street Legal Law Clinic with Mordeci Green. While working there Michael is harboring a dark secret: a confidential file. A confidential file from the law offices of Drake & Sweeny which contains information about the illegal eviction of â€Å"Misterâ€Å" and the other homeless people. Now Drake & Sweeny know their file is missing and want it returned immediately no matter what. Even if it means Michael losing his lic ense to practice law. His former partners have become his enemies and Michael is now the most dangerous man on the streets of Washington D. C. EXAMINATION Populations-at risk are the homeless in John Grisham’s The Street Lawyer and the environment that which they live in are considered the social environment. Populations-at risk are defined as populations or groups of people who share some identifiable characteristics that places them at greater risk of social and economic deprivation and oppression than the general mainstream of society. The social environment involves the conditions, circumstances, and human interactions that encompasses human beings. People are dependent upon effective interactions with their environment in order to survive and thrive. The social environment includes the actual physical setting that society provides. This involves the type of home a person lives in, the type of work that is done, the amount of money available, and the laws and social rules by which people live. â€Å"Mister† and the other homeless who were illegal evicted from their makeshift apartments are to considered members of a social environment. In reference to the social environment the actual physical setting that society provided to the homeless were homeless shelters. But once the homeless shelters do not begin to taken in borders because they are over crowded the homeless are forced into the streets in hopes of finding a safe and warm place to stay for the night. Sleeping on park benches and makeshift warehouses are the only means of shelter available to them. Even if they are working at a job the wages are usually not enough to provide adequate shelter. Society tends to blame the homeless for their choice of life and for being homeless. But at times it not the fault of the homeless but the fault of the government. For example a working middle class family loses their home to foreclosure because of lay-offs and budget cuts at their jobs. With being laid off both lose their pension and benefits that came along with their jobs. Even if both parents would find another job paying minimum wage it would not be enough to pay the $1000. 00 monthly mortgage and other expenses. Therefore, those individuals cannot be held at fault for becoming homeless the fault lies with the budget cuts made by the federal government to their jobs. At other times the fault lies with the individual themselves for becoming homeless. For example a woman works as a nurse in a hospital becomes addicted to prescription drugs and is later fired from her job because of stealing the prescription drugs to which is addicted to. Since the prescription drugs are no longer available to her she becomes addicted to crack/cocaine because it is accessible to her. She files for unemployment until she can find another job but her unemployment checks are going to support her habit instead of paying her monthly rent. She is evicted and thrown into the streets where and begins prostitution to support her habit. Receiving a â€Å"fix† has become her main priority in life. In that particular situation the individual is the blame for their choice to become homeless. ELUDICATION John Grisham’s characters Michael Brock and Mordecia Green worked not only as attorneys for the homeless but also as social workers too. Throughout The Street Lawyer Michael and Mordecia counseled each individual to gain a knowledge of what their lives were before they became homeless and why they have become homeless. Most lawyers would not take the time find out if whether or not their client had a place to sleep or food to eat the night before. Many lawyers would not offer their services free of charge. Michael and Mordecia worked as lawyers as well as social workers. Each day Michael and Mordecia traveled to a local homeless shelter to interview potential clients and help them with whatever they needed. Most of their clients were generally homeless people or individuals who were laid off from their job recently. The two helped these individuals fill out government forms, obtain job applications, and sometimes a rehab center for those who were addicted to drugs and alcohol. At times some clients could not be helped but Michael and Mordecia provided their counseling service as a means of help. Some individuals only needed some to talk to about what was going on in their life at that time. He wants his readers to see the similarities between social workers and attorneys. His examples with Michael and Mordecia with their clients express key elements in the career of a social worker. EVALUATION/CONCLUSION The Street Lawyer by John Grisham conveys its readers to the unknown world of homelessness and the cause. He wants his readers to see the cruel dark side of humanity and how society views homelessness. By having the story take place in Washington D. C. , the capitol of the United States, a place where many would not believe crack houses are a block away from the White House. Homeless women, men, and children are forced to seek shelter anywhere when all the shelters in the city are full. These same people are usually victims of layoffs and budget cuts by Congress. Grisham wants his readers to see the reality of homelessness and that it can happen to anyone. One’s whole perspective on their life can change in an instance because of one individual or many. He gives thorough examples throughout his book about the day and life of a homeless person and their family. The struggles they face day to day not knowing if he or she will have something to eat or a place to sleep by night fall. He contributes to the study of social work by having his main characters act as counselors to the homeless, employment agencies and location of rehabs for those who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. The Street Lawyer is a learning tool in the world of social work for those who want to gain a better understanding of what a social worker does on a daily bases. One who enjoys helping others and making a difference in someone else’s life will definitely enjoy reading this book. After reading this book I now have a better understanding of homelessness and I will eventually use this book as learning tool while furthering my education in the study of social work. â€Å"

Company accounting Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Company accounting - Statistics Project Example In Adjustment data, it is given that the A Ltd company purchased inventory from B and C Ltd companies which means that this is the inter-company transaction and should be eliminated from the opening inventory of A Ltd company. A Ltd company's ending inventory is $950, B Ltd company's ending inventory is $720 and C Ltd company's ending inventory is $780. In Adjustment data, it is given that the A Ltd company purchased inventory from B and C Ltd companies which means that this is the inter-company transaction and should be eliminated from the ending inventory of A Ltd company. .. In Adjustment data, it is given that the A Ltd company purchased inventory from B and C Ltd companies which means that this is the inter-company transaction and should be eliminated from the opening inventory of A Ltd company. The Amount of opening inventory mentioned in the Income Statement is derived as follows: A Ltd Company's opening inventory = Actual inventory - Inventory purchased from B Ltd- Inventory purchased from B Ltd. = $880 - $180 -$280 A Ltd Company's opening inventory = $420 B Ltd Company's opening inventory = $640 + $180 = $820 C Ltd Company's opening inventory = $790 + $280 = $1070 Total Opening Inventory = $2310 3. Inventory (31.1.2008) A Ltd company's ending inventory is $950, B Ltd company's ending inventory is $720 and C Ltd company's ending inventory is $780. In Adjustment data, it is given that the A Ltd company purchased inventory from B and C Ltd companies which means that this is the inter-company transaction and should be eliminated from the ending inventory of A Ltd company. The Amount of opening inventory mentioned in the Income Statement is derived as follows: A Ltd Company's ending inventory = Actual inventory - Inventory purchased from B Ltd- Inventory purchased from B Ltd. = $950 - $190 -$340 A Ltd Company's ending inventory = $420 B Ltd Company's ending inventory = $720 + $190 = $910 C Ltd Company's ending inventory = $780 + $340 = $1120 Total Ending Inventory = $2450

Capital Asset Pricing Model. Pro and Contra Essay

Capital Asset Pricing Model. Pro and Contra - Essay Example An estimation of this profit is based on forecasts of the future taking from the investment. The concept of enterprise and financial risk consists in the fact that the perspective decision of financial character has the stochastic nature, being hence subjective, and the degree of its objectivity depends on different factors, including accuracy of predicted dynamics of a monetary flow, the price of sources, opportunities of their reception, etc. In the basis of such estimations lay statistical data. Any financial manager constantly faces a problem of a choice of sources of financing. The particular feature of the problem moreover consists in the fact that that service of this or that source manages to the company unequally. Each source of financing has the price, and this price can have the stochastic nature. Decisions of the financial character are as efficient as good and objective the information base is. The level of objectivity depends on in what degree the market of capitals corresponds to the effective market. Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), the model of an estimation of profitability of financial assets, forms a theoretical basis for some various financial technologies on management of profitableness and risk, applied at long-term and intermediate term investment in stock. CAPM considers profitableness of the stock depending on behaviour of the market as a whole. Other initial assumption of CAPM consists in the fact that investors make decisions, considering only two factors: expected profitableness and risk. Though this model is the simplified representation of the financial market, it is widely used in the activity of many large investment structures, for example Merrill Lynch and Value Line.The euphoria of researchers in the sixties and seventies about the validity of weak and medium-strong EMH has been weakened by the relatively poor empirical validation of the standard CAPM and a variety of excess returns of indexed price anomalies Even if the analytical sources of error found u nder (1) that relativize inefficiency are eliminated, fundamental criticism of the CAPM is still advanced1. According to the model the risk connected with investments into any risk financial object, can be of two kinds: systematic and non-systematic. The systematic risk is caused by the general market and economic changes influencing all investment objects and not being unique for a concrete asset. Non-systematic risk is connected with the concrete issuer company.It is impossible to reduce systematic risk, but it is possible to measure the influence of the market on the profitableness of financial assets. As a measure of systematic risk in CAPM the (Beta) parameter is used. It describes the sensitivity of a financial asset with respect to changes of market profitableness. Knowing the parameter it is possible to quantitatively estimate the value of the risk connected with price changes of all market as a whole.The more value of a stock , the more its price rises at the general growth of the market, and on the contrary. Non-systematic risk can be reduced by means of a well-diversified portf olio. The

Lab formal report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Formal - Lab Report Example The liquid is then transferred to boiling water to enhance the vaporization of the fluid. Subsequently, the liquids vapor will drive out air and in turn fill the flask at atmospheric pressure and the temperature of boiling water (Bettelheim & Landesberg, 2013). By cooling the container to facilitate the condensation of the vapor, the mass of the vapor was measured, and the value M calculated. The method depends on several aspects going right. The outstanding assumption is that the liquid is volatile enough to vaporize at relatively higher temperature (Bettelheim & Landesberg, 2013). Moreover, the liquid less volatile thus a smaller quantity will evaporate via the underlying orifice during the cooling process of the container. The vapor behaves ideally at both the temperature and pressure existing in the container’. The error varies from element to element. Acetone gas might have escaped via the stopper and the rest boiled completely to dryness. The experiment was time-consuming. The error between the trials was immense. An error of 11.9 was high but close. High temperature for the water bath was had to achieve resulting to

Constructivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Constructivism - Essay Example Constructivism is based on how learning takes place. It offers an account on how learners acquire knowledge and not how to acquire it. It can be traced to the periods of the 18th century to philosophers like Giambattista Vico and John Dewey. They argue that ideas came from the social context that manipulates their thinking and coming up with new ideas. It has its roots in philosophy, sociology, education, and psychology. It only helps give solid basics why and how knowledge was passed to individuals. It is characterized by sharing of knowledge between individuals, the environment influences the learners understanding, and social collaborations enable learners to build new concepts. It disagrees with the concept of standardized curriculum, system. It bases its argument on the difference of individual capacities different people are influenced differently by their environments and therefore their knowledge becomes incomparable. Basing a curriculum in the learning system, it results to limiting the reasoning of learners rather than promoting their open minds and encouraging them to interpret, predict and analyze situations. Students should be encouraged to [practice extensive dialogue among them and thereby this enhances their abilities. This develops their courage and motivating them to feel capable of solving challenging problems, and therefore given time, in the future they can be able to handle more competent and complex problems. An instructor in learning is only supposed to give guidelines. and not to give complete details of the subject studied. It is therefore more efficient having instructors rather than teachers in the learning centre’s. According to Dewey learning is an everyday’s thing and one their senses to cultivate meaning from an idea. With times in learning, it gives one the experience to cultivate more knowledge and ideas from existing environs. He also adds that language is of considerable influence to the learning process. Langua ge enhances communication even within oneself and even passing of ideas from one person to another. After learning when one reflects on it, the idea becomes parts of us, inseparable from our lives (Rideout 176). Previous knowledge acquired is also of immense use on that it builds the foundation for further learning activity. The constructivists encourage interactive and collaborative environment for learners since it enables learners to acquire new experience and be able to manipulate objects, ask questions, and experiment on a new thing and even be able to aim at achieving a set goal Collaboration in constructivist learning classrooms encourage learners to get new ideas from their peers. It enhances problem solving and investigations on issues on efforts to come up with a solution. Technology can be used in assisting learners since it offers a variety of information based from different angles. This can be the best module to be used for learning because it encourages application of knowledge, critical thinking, and active involvement in the learning process. They criticize learning process where the teacher acts as a trainer (Poikela and Anna

Function of afterlife Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Function of afterlife - Essay Example Written in the form of interviews conducted from the famous souls had already departed from the world, the author has given the message that the individuals leading a life in service of humanity in one way or the other would be in peace and under the blessings of the Lord in heavens. On the contrary, the persons, who had inflicted the pains and sufferings upon the fellow humans, are sure to undergo punishments in inferno in afterlife (31). As a result, the individuals including Shakespeare, Edison, Pasteur and others, would be blessed against their wonderful contributions carried out in the field of art, medicine, literature and others. Similarly, the despotic rulers, evil-minded politicians, pagans and purported dogmatists would have to undergo the wrath of Lord for their wickedness and misdeeds (48). Hence, if the individuals give up and forget believing in the messages and lessons manifestly mentioned in the Holy Scriptures that humans are not responsible to anyone after death, ev eryone will start inflicting harms, hurt and throbbing pains upon others (67). On the contrary, strong faith in God as well as His system, based upon justice, truth and benevolence, teaches the humans to be kind, sympathetic and compassionate towards others. Consequently, the author has conveyed the universal message of love and benevolence through his under-investigation work, which urges the readers to observe chastity, mercifulness and compassion towards one

Consumer behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Consumer behavior - Essay Example Mini Cooper is not only about culture and social appeal, with regard to functionality, it is also considered as one of the best in its class. It is fuel efficient, sports a comfortable interior, reliable and well engineered for its size. Almost all who purchased Mini Cooper are impressed with its performance even if it is just a small car. Undeniably, the Mini Cooper is a unique car with a strong cultural root which not all cars possessed. Many cars may have good performance and style in terms of engineering and aesthetic appeal but it does not have the charm of good ole England appeal where the Queen rides the car herself. Thus, marketers will capitalize on this because this the Mini Coopers comparative advantage against its competitors which they could never have no matter how good their engineering is because cultural significance cannot be invented. It is either you have it (the car) or you do

Ecosystem Essay Example for Free

Ecosystem Essay In this paper, I will be sharing facts on the major structural and functional dynamics of the ecosystem of Tallgrass Pririe Preserve in Pawuska, Oklahoma. I will share information pertaining to how humans have affected biogeochemical cycles in this ecosystem and how knowledge about that ecosystems structure and function can help or has helped to develop plans for its management and restoration. This paper will reveal only a short synopsis of the many facts pertaining to this very nteresting ecosystem. The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska, Oklahoma is the largest protected area of tallgrass prairie on Earth. It is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. At the present time, it has been measured as spanning over 39,000 acres. The tallgrass prairie is a complex environment , filled with a rich diversity of various plants and animals. The 39,000-acres first began with an initial purchase of the historic Barnard Ranch of 29,000 acres in 1989 and is now anaged by the Nature Conservancy to be enjoyed as a scenic drive. If visitors and tourists want to take a good scenic drive, this is one that should be on the list. It begins and ends in Pawhuska and is about 50 miles long. This is a summary of the results of my assessment that compares the four consumption categories by biome. The first category that I will be summarizing is the cropland footprint. It is one of the most important land categories for supplying us with food. Of this category, it shows the land that is filled. In this category, the national average that is used is 29. 61% and my quiz shows that I use 20. 31% so I am below average on the use of cropland so there isnt a need for improvement or more that I need to do to help society in this area. This only measures the land use. Pasture land is grassland and pasture area used to raise animals for meat, hides, wool, and milk. In this area, the national average is 68. 02% and my measurement is 46. 18%. I do not show to be using any excessive amounts in this area. Marine ecological footprints MEFs) measure the marine ecosystem area appropriated by human populations to supply seafood and other marine products and services. In this area the quiz shows that the national average is 49. 33% and my usage is 33. 50%. I still show that I am not overusing in this area. The Forestland footprint shows the amount of forest that is needed to fulfill the demand for pulp, fuel wood, and timber products. In this area, the national usage is 99. 45% and I show that I am using 64. 95%. It looks like the things that I am doing to onserve in this area are being beneficial to the planets use of this resource. The ecological footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earths ecosystems. As I look at the results of my quiz, it is apparent to me that I am not at risk of being one that overuses the earths resources and that I am doing a good Job of helping the planet have a sufficient amount of resources for all of us.

Emotional Skills In Social Work Practice

Emotional Skills In Social Work Practice Social Work Practice, a powerful modern day skill for social empowerment of the disadvantaged and excluded segments of society, is an occupation of enormous scope and an immensely stressful activity (Burgess Taylor, 2004). Educated and trained in social work theory and practice, these practitioners are required to constantly interact, assess and understand situations, as well engage in various actions aimed at providing appropriate relief and succour to their disadvantaged clients (Burgess Taylor, 2004). This calls for significant knowledge of the tenets of social work practice. However, social workers in the UK function in an increasingly management oriented setting which is more organisational and administrative, with an emphasis on private public participation, accountability and coordination (Burgess Taylor, 2004, P 7 to 81). Increasing competition between social work providers, business-oriented standards for performance assessment, mounting work pressures and the need to micro manage and carefully control the distribution of services often lead to personal dilemmas, contradictory emotions and disorientation (Burgess Taylor, 2004, P 7 to 81). Significant failures in social work have brought to the fore various challenges facing social workers in processing and comprehending their own emotions and actions, as well as those of others (Perez-Koenig Rock, 2001, P 25 to110). Modern day behavioural experts and psychologists feel that much of the reasons behind such failures lie in the inadequacies of traditionally followed training approaches, which deal primarily with the inculcation of practical and theoretical competencies and ignore broader and more holistic emotional issues (Perez-Koenig Rock, 2001, P 25 to110). Adequate attention to emotional issues in the training and development of social workers is felt to be critically important for (a) aligning the emotional dimensions of social work, which, while essential, is rendered invisible, with the natural caring roles of social workers (b) providing supportive agendas for individual and professional development (c) providing processes to define the emotional constituent of social work practice that is obliterated by the increase of managerial practices in the area, (d) tackling the disruptive power of emotions on thought, (e) creating an effective balance between rational and emotional reactions for making of sensible and wise decisions, and (f) bridging cultural differences (Turner, 2005). Whilst the origins of Emotional Intelligence (EI) can be traced back to the works of Darwin, its modern day emergence, as a serious and relevant issue for study and application in various areas of work that involve people, arose first with the work of Robert Maslow in 1960, followed by those of John Mayer and Peter Salovey in 1989. Peter Salovey described EI as the ability to monitor ones own and others feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide ones thinking and actions (Nelson Others, 2007, P 30). The concept of EI received a boost with the work of the psychologist Daniel Goleman, who popularised it, first with his 1995 book Emotional intelligence: why it can matter more than IQ and thereafter through constant research and work on the subject (Nelson Others, 2007, P 30). Goleman has developed a number of EI competencies in two specific areas of EI, personal competence and social competence, and has encouraged the inclusion of EI in the education and training module of social work (Nelson Others, 2007, P 30). This essay deals with the various ramifications of EI in social work and its use and application for fresh entrants, educated and trained in the area, principally in three specific disciplines; counselling, conflict management and social work practice, 2. EI in Counselling New entrants in the area of social work counselling will be required to help people of various ages from different segments of society to confront and overcome a diverse range of problems and challenges (Payne Shardlow, 2002, P122 to 198). Counsellors aim to provide people with the guidance and support they require to alter their lives and move forward in a constructive manner. Social work counselling can loosely be segregated into (a) counselling and therapy (assisting clients with different emotional problems) (b) providing advice and information in areas related to jobs, employment choices, welfare, rights, debt, etc. (c) social and community care, (helping with providing of support to families, young and old people, and those without homes or with disabilities) and (d) charities and other voluntary organisations (providing support to workers to collect funds and organise volunteers in order to continue their operations (Payne Shardlow, 2002, P122 to 198). Recent years have seen an increasing conflict between the managerial and administrative functions of social workers and their requirement to meet individuals at the time of their need, give them respect, battle disadvantages and unfairness, construct relationships that resolve problems, and support wellbeing (Payne Shardlow, 2002, P122 to 198). People in need of counselling have time and again requested to be treated with dignity and respect, to be patiently listened to and helped (Payne Shardlow, 2002, P122 to 198). Effective counselling requires social workers to listen carefully, react effectively and build relationships with service users, colleagues and others (Payne Shardlow, 2002, P122 to 198). Golemans four core competencies, namely self awareness, self management, social awareness, and relationship management can be of immense help to new counsellors by enabling them to understand personal emotions and their effect on other people, as well as by developing the ability to control strong emotions that can upset service users (Druskat Others, 2006, P 72 to 145). Inculcation of social awareness enables new counsellors to recognise the emotional condition of their clients, bridge cultural and social distances and understand the challenges and difficulties experienced by service users (Druskat Others, 2006, P 72 to 145). Relationship management on the other hand equips counsellors to converse with service users, persuades them to listen to and understand the suggestions of the counsellor, and build strong bonds (Druskat Others, 2006, P 72 to 145). The principles of client centred therapy, popularised by Carl Rogers, require counsellors to refrain from unsettling clients with queries, evaluations, judgments, and explanations, but to focus upon providing secure, non-judgemental and caring environments, where the service users can control counselling sessions, decide what is discussed, and find their individual solutions to existing problems without requiring the counsellors to fix the course of therapy (Mulhauser, G, (2009, P 1). Carl Rogers based his framework on the belief that individuals become progressively more truthful and dependable once they realise that their subjective understanding is appreciated and accepted. Rogers core conditions, better known as CUE, consist of Congruence, Unconditional Positive Regard, and Empathy (Mulhauser, G, (2009, P 1). These three conditions are of extreme importance in client-centred counselling and new counsellors need to inculcate a deep understanding of them in order to provide requisite conditions for clients who have a strong desire to explore their feelings and who treasure personal responsibility. Such an approach may however be unsuitable for clients who wish to be provided with extensive advice, diagnosis of problems and analysis of their problems (Mulhauser, G, (2009, P 1). Clients who would like to address specific psychological habits or patterns of thinking may find some variation in the helpfulness of the person-centred approach, as the individual therapeutic styles of person-centred counsellors vary widely, and some will feel more able than others to engage directly with these types of concerns. (Mulhauser, 2009, P 1) Whilst newly inducted counsellors need to be careful about the requirement of their clients, the use of emotional skills is often necessary and needs to be fully inculcated by counsellors. 3. EI in Conflict Management Social workers, especially those taking up positions in social work organisations, understand that their work will often deal with conflict and that too in various roles, as advocates, negotiators and mediators (Turner, 2005, P136 to 217). Social work education comprises of a wide range of perspectives, (like environmental, radical and feminist), which in turn are based upon dissimilar premises regarding human relationships (Turner, 2005, P136 to 217). Social work practice requires different approaches from different perspectives in case of intervention for resolution or management of situations of conflict (Turner, 2005, P136 to 217). Examples of such situations (in terms of the above perspectives) could include interface between individuals and their social environments, confronting patriarchy, or challenging discrimination and oppression against a wide range of groups, including women, lesbians, gays and ethnic minorities (Turner, 2005, P136 to 217). Conflict resolution training for social workers provides numerous principles for successful conflict resolution, like (a) the need for different responses for different conflicts, (b) the availability of different responses like avoidance, accommodation, competition, compromise or collaboration for bringing about solutions, (c) the need of people to feel secure from physical or emotional hazards, (d) the availability of various skills for conflict resolution skills like refraining, active listening, and identification of underlying interests, and (e) the need to balance emotions with rationality (Turner, 2005, P136 to 217). Social workers are undoubtedly aware of the lack of emotional intelligence being the main cause of conflict (Lenaghan Others, 2006, P 76+). Researchers in EI also argue that a lack of emotional intelligence is one of the leading causes of conflict in our society (Turner, 2005, P136 to 217). Contemporary training tools make significant use of Goldmans principles on EI, particularly self-confidence, emotional self-control, transparency, empathy, motivation and relationship management (Turner, 2005, P136 to 217). Golemans work makes a valuable contribution to conflict management theory and training, and a compelling case for the importance of emotion in what we believe to be rational decision-making processes (Bjerknes HYPERLINK http://www.mediate.com/articles/bjerknes.cfm#bioHYPERLINK http://www.mediate.com/articles/bjerknes.cfm#bio Paranica, 2002, P1). Golemans theories constructively help social workers understand the important role of emotion in life and the reliance placed upon emotional input for making decisions and prioritisation of information. This greatly helps in minimising conflict in personal and working life (Bjerknes HYPERLINK http://www.mediate.com/articles/bjerknes.cfm#bioHYPERLINK http://www.mediate.com/articles/bjerknes.cfm#bio Paranica, 2002, P1). Solid training that focuses on developing awareness about our strengths and weaknesses as mediators, facilitators and trainers is crucial to our development as culturally competent process workers, and is crucial in our pursuit to help clients achieve their potential. Openness to learning and reflecting about our role, about who we are, and about how we affect others is essential and will lead us down the path to success in life. (Bjerknes HYPERLINK http://www.mediate.com/articles/bjerknes.cfm#bioHYPERLINK http://www.mediate.com/articles/bjerknes.cfm#bio Paranica, 2002, P1) 4. EI in Social Work Practice Social Work practitioners are required to interact with service users, social workers and other participants of the social care system like medical practitioners, teachers and members of local authorities (Burgess Taylor, 2004, P 101 to 172). With the interaction between social workers and service users being the focal point of social work practice, the relationship between social worker and service user involves perception on the part of the practitioner, appreciation of the emotions of the client and usage of perceptions to handle situations and achieve efficiency in delivery of social care (Burgess Taylor, 2004, P 101 to 172). Such work demands a high degree of emotional intelligence (Burgess Taylor, 2004, P 101 to 172). Social work in the present context does not extend only to the assessment and fulfilment of perceived social needs (Burgess Taylor, 2004, P 101 to 172), but also to the realisation of and respect for the service users goals, choices, and preferences and the use of interdisciplinary resources available with the social worker to meet their emotional, social, physical and economic needs. Social workers need to engage in active introspection of events, try to obtain a clear psychological understanding of the challenges and needs of service users and inculcate genuine concern for the economically and socially disadvantaged and excluded (Burgess Taylor, 2004, P 101 to 172). Whilst such perceptions cannot be generalised because of the different needs of different people, the inculcation of empathy and service orientation facilitates the development of necessary perspectives and perceptions (Burgess Taylor, 2004, P 101 to 172). Social workers entering practice should recognise that they need to confront their own emotions as well as those of their service users, especially so in cases where the issues are extremely challenging and difficult to resolve. Goleman identifies five EQ domains as (a) knowledge of own, (b) management of own emotions, (c) motivating oneself, (d) recognising and understanding emotions of other people, and (e) management of relationships, i.e. the management of emotions of other people (Druskat Others, 2006, P 152 to 189). Experts also agree that EI, along with reflective ability enables social workers to increase their resilience to stress (Druskat Others, 2006, P 152 to 189). Self awareness and self management competencies help social workers to progressively develop self confidence, transparency, and optimism (Druskat Others, 2006, P 152 to 189). Social awareness and relationship management on the other hand allow them to engage positively with their clients as well as with other participants in the social care structure (Druskat Others, 2006, P 152 to 189). It is unfortunate that current research reports still underline the need for social workers to have more empathy for their clients. They found that being listened to and understood was crucial for the carers. Staff who took time to ask questions and hear complex and long stories of how the family were coping was seen as the most helpful. These findings confirm previous ones and it is of great concern that people using services are still identifying that only some social workers are proficient in such crucial and basic skills. (Sedan, 2005, P 7) It is being constantly proved that the difference between the better social workers and the others can be narrowed down to skills like listening, non-critical acceptance, avoidance of moralistic or judgemental attitudes and other competencies directly related to EI. New social workers need to heed such findings and focus strongly on improving their EI and E skills. 5. Conclusions The principles of EI, when they were first elaborated by Mayor and Salovey raised significant interest in a world that was becoming increasingly competitive and insensitive; the possibility of people being able to adopt techniques and behaviours to work with greater cooperation, harmony and productivity was welcomed with enthusiasm. The path breaking work on the subject by Goleman in following years and the adoption of the tenets of EI in various areas of human endeavour, more noticeably in social work and in the HR functions of business firms, have resulted in its increasing popularity and application. As is evident, EI can be applied in numerous areas by social work practitioners; it is an extremely useful skill and can be used productively in counselling, conflict management and various other areas of social work practice. Whilst interest in the area of human needs and actualisation has increased since the publication of Maslows theories, the evolution of specific theory on the issue has added a new dimension to the area by developing methods for people to increase their E skills and improve the quality and productivity of their working and personal lives. Recent entrants to social work however need to realise that E skills and EI can increase only with constant inculcation and application of its principles and bare knowledge of theoretical tenets will not suffice in improving their EI competencies. With the tools and methods of improving EI still in the primary stages development, much more needs to be done to popularise the issue and encourage its application in various areas of social work. The Boston EI questionnaire provides a good method of assessing personal EI, which is in consonance with the Five Step Method for improvement of emotional quotient (Druskat Others, 2006, P 225). Younger social workers would be well advised to sincerely take the test and constantly improve their EI.