Strategic Marketing Plan for the Guardian Newspaper

Strategic Marketing Plan for the Guardian Newspaper 1. Introduction Unlike any national newspapers, the Guardian can divide readers’ opinions. It can provoke feelings of contempt in critics, who might think its publications of the world to be satisfied and smug. On the other hand, loyal readers claim that their favorite newspaper could have alternative, critical and argumentative viewpoints, which are unique, distinct and separate it from its rivals. Many Guardian supporters continue to believe that their morning newspapers are essential in a way that no other articles would dare to challenge. However, in a globalization environment and with a modernized technology platform, brands should beware of being beached. Marketing activities of the Guardian were mainly relied on price and supporting special editions a decade ago. ‘The papers marketing department is planning an extensive operation to generate trial of the newspaper by Guardian faithfuls to secure an extra 40,000 readers. The first redesigned issue was available for 10p to Guardian readers and use will also be made of The Guardian’s database to direct mail 80,000 of its readers.’ [1] Additionally, the strategic plans have not yet been successful for the past years. The Guardian feels that it should be the natural Sunday choice for Guardian and any other liberal left readers in the market and it is testimony to the success of the newspaper. Nevertheless, there are still grounds to make up. 2. Strategic marketing plan 2.1. Technological innovation – Diversifying its targets The Guardian has tried to reach as many domestic and international consumers as possible. Many agencies have created a brand campaign in order to reflect the multi-media presence of the Guardian. It has remained innovation to adapt to the new business environment by continuously changing. In 2006, the newspapers marketing director Marc Sands has mentioned ‘If you aggregate the changes weve made over the last two years, such as the decision to print news stories on our website before theyve appeared in the newspaper, youll see the direction were moving in.’ [2] All good media brands should measure and publish across brand perceptions rather than just the number of circulations. Likewise, the Guardian has ensured its brand to increase its market shares globally. Its sales team has been able to inform their clients that the newspaper brand could help them buy across many platforms, not just the ones who are interested in reading newspaper. It is working with the industry and looking at different brands and measurements to enhance both sellers and buyers of advertising to have different platforms for different kinds of currency. ‘The newspapers branding has been attached to numerous technological advances in delivering content across a range of platforms. These includes the groups blog site Comment is Free already one of the worlds top 100 blogs according to technorati.com and G24, a regularly updated printable version of breaking news for commuters to read on the journey home.’ [3] Additionally more competition has happened. Through its own research, the Guardian has found out that ‘it is perceived as worthy and dull by lapsed readers. Those between 18 and 35 find it old-fashioned, tired, lacking style and too conservative. Over the past ten years 40 per cent of all readers under 35 have deserted the newspaper with female readers providing the greatest hemorrhage 50 per cent have dropped the paper.’ [4] As a result, the Guardian should diversify its market segmentation and try to divert perceptions of the consumers in its strategic plan. To continuously promote the articles to a target market of 18 to 35-year-olds, the Guardian should ensure that the future newspaper can provide appropriate advertising contents to attract target group to sell to advertisers. Decades ago, ‘This is partly down to the fact that the Saturday Guardian is a good product and its readers dont feel the need for a Sunday.’ [5] Furthermore, it should concern the lack of loyalty in the Sunday newspaper market, since the Sunday vouchers has been dropped during promotional campaign. As part of its attempt to stay ahead of a future of declining newspaper sales, the rise of number of obsessed youth and throwaway free newspapers through online contents should consider. 2.2. Relaunching strategies – Agency promotion Another strategy is promoting the brand through free newspaper with DVD and CD. The breaking-news market has been grounded in term of content, volume, target and the frequency of the quality press. Their high growth approaching method will bring with more strategic leverage, not just with DVDs for posh papers. Our relaunch strategy was all about encouraging people to reappraise The Guardian. says Richard Furness, circulation manager for Guardian Newspapers. The two free DVDs on consecutive Saturdays did just that we enjoyed our two highest-ever sales in the history of the newspaper, and our subsequent Saturday sales show that many have stuck with us.[6] Traditionally, newspapers used to facilitate the line with primary sales promotion tools that help to be hit in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) market. Since entertainment becomes a major decision for consumers to purchase a product, DVDs can lead to the right strategy to implement. Its an expensive but extremely good tool. says Dermot McPartlin, director of PD3, the agency that handled The Guardian DVD push. Essentially, the relaunch was a sampling exercise for the new product. The films that were used had a great synergy with the papers brand values and broad consumer appeal. [7] Over the past few years, due to the impacts of the World Wide Web, big newspapers have tried to transpose their brands onto the web. The obvious advantage of the online facility is that the internet can enable marketers to ask readers to register, and as a result, their customers’ concern can be responded quickly. The two-way dialogue could be promptly done and help build a meaningful relationship. When media can be effectively transferred their brand value online, demographics are essentially different from the newspapers with traditional hard copy delivery. Due to the lack of commitment on the part of print publisher, the online content is usually less well thoughtful. Additionally, print publishers have a print view of pricing, which might inhibit the realistic cost per response. Most print publishers have tried to stick to the standard rate. In fact, the newspapers have paid as little of the supposed price; but consumers have not yet realized that they have been overcharged for their online equivalents. However, the Guardian might be not the first title to adopt this template. ‘Heeding the large proportion of ads on newspaper web sites bought as part of cross-media campaigns, the Audit Bureau of Circulation has launched what it calls a Group Product Report, which aims to simplify the process of choosing a cross-media campaign by outlining the audited number of a newspapers print copies, its web sites page impressions and the footfall of any related exhibition.’ [8] The Guardian has made enormous efforts to provide compelling contents to cover all areas. To prove that the Guardian has been committed, will succeed and are succeeding, it should be more popular, both in domestic and international regions. 2.3. Facilitating banners Brand owners need to adjust their internal culture in order to persuade their customers that they have been reborn. They have different degrees of success in adapting when the ground moves beneath their feet. However, cultural difference for a big brand, like the Guardian which has a strong worldwide impact, can cause a steady and slow procedure, rather than a prompt fire remedy. The Guardian seem trapped in its culture, hardcopy print, producing innovative information, but still seems unsuited to a new technology trend, the World Wide Web. Coy about the exact revenue Guardian Unlimited is pulling in, Waldman says: Our revenues are growing very rapidly in all areas of the site, and through all types of advertising from banners and buttons through to e-commerce partnerships and sponsorships. Elaborating this point, Guardian Unlimiteds commercial development manager, Helen Mayor, says: Increasingly offline sales teams like ourselves are looking to mirror the developments and integrated structure of the agencies involved in buying traditional and online. [9] Using both digital and print in a cross-media campaign, the Guardian has tried to run an aggressive competition. The inherent conflict between the media buying community and the promoting sales can cause difficulties to implement. The sales operations in a large organization is gearing up for a cross-media sell, while the media buying operations have focused on expertise in dedicated media division, which specializes exclusively in online content for planning and purchasing. Many media agencies have established their interactive departments in response to what they have perceived, rather than what the real demand could be in the market. ‘The Guardian is to yield to commercial pressures and make people register to visit its Websites. The Guardian, which last week unveiled details of a staffing revamp in its new media division, is to introduce registration on its revamped Websites. The move is intended to improve its appeal to display and classified advertisers.’ [10] The Guardian sales team has determined that although many uncertainties have existed in the marketplace, the Internet is still a relatively new medium. The bold strategic framework to take first step to integrate into both media will help the sales teams feel confident with both media. These strategies might question the competence of the agencies in order to understand and properly facilitate the web as a media channel distribution. 3. Proposals The Guardian has created more original content than any agency in town and has led the way in online publishing. The question is not just about the internet media channel, but the growing part of the Guardian brand. ‘Its hardly surprising, because every day in the UK some 13.5 million national papers are sold, which could easily mean over 20 million people read them. Yet, if predictions from Jupiter Communications prove correct and US trends wend their way to the UK, online advertising will outstrip magazines or radio by 2005.’ [11] Additionally, the Guardian brand management should not think that consumers as people to be targeted, but people to be engaged to work for the brand. Increasing fragmentation, differentiation and proliferation of media channels are arising trends in consumer sovereignty, gained through internet technology. Consumers are establishing their own channels if they could get anything in return, such as customizing products themselves, entertaining and exploring their own world, expressing their voices, knowledge that they are buying social responsible products, or simply just saving their time, creating most convenient means for them; they are willing to pay for and work for that brand. With that concept in mind, the successful brand of the future will be most productive and efficient to facilitate the mix of consumers-employees relationship. Agencies will consider themselves as consultant for brand, which help recruit and engage consumers for ideas, dialogue, gaining consumers’ consents as well. As a result, the Guardian’s research and measurement will need to gain clear insights into the consumer-brand relationship as well as understand the value of consumers-employees. With the current technology trends, consumers can find faster and cheaper ways to get information. In fact, news publishers are challenged to engage and fulfill consumers’ expectations. Thus, the following proposals can help the Guardian engage consumers to ‘work’ for its brand. 3.1. The Guardian should increase C2C (consumer-to-consumer) business and reduce B2C (business-to-consumer) interface. The Guardian should facilitate the concept ‘the word-of mouth’ among key consumers. It should consider ‘consumers as media’. 3.2. It should have more content and dialogue and less advertising. The strength of a dialogue involves mental disciplines. Thus, these dialogues engage the customers to think and to work with the Guardian’s staff to complete the message. This strategy might fascinate the customers to promote message from the Guardian. 3.3. More emotional media should be involved in the circulations. Obviously, the more touching and vivid a story will be, the more likely it is to be remembered. The future will be in branded contact that consumers can choose to involve themselves in voluntarily, as a part of the Guardian. In this environment, the share of employment will be a major impact, not just the share of their voice or raising their opinions. 4. Conclusion Galvanizing itself ahead of technological and social trends is not easy, especially for iconic brand, which tends to navigate in cultural system that defies change. However, without successful product innovation and such progress, the Guardian could risk itself of being cast adrift. Ensuring and enhancing a brand is not just simply washed up the changing tides of technology and society. This is also a key strategic framework, which the Guardian has facilitated. Reference list Kavanagh, Michael 1998, ‘Guardian joins in registration game’, Marketing Week.London, vol.21,no.24, 13 August,p.32 McCann, Paul 1995, ‘Observer strives for fresher image’, Marketing Week, London, vol.18,no.25, p.22 Scott, Jon 2000, ‘Do newspapers deliver online?’ Marketing,London, 21 September,p.43 ‘The Guardian: Thinking ahead’ 2006, Marketing Week,London, 24 August, p.24 Thornton, James 2006, ‘Do quality and giveaways mix?’ Promotions Incentives. London, January,p.25 Page 1 Footnotes [1] McCann, Paul 1995, ‘Observer strives for fresher image’, Marketing Week, London, vol.18,no.25, p.22 [2] ‘The Guardian: Thinking ahead’ 2006, Marketing Week,London, 24 August, p.24 [3] ‘The Guardian: Thinking ahead’ 2006 [4] McCann, Paul 1995 [5] McCann, Paul 1995 [6] Thornton, James 2006, ‘Do quality and giveaways mix?’ Promotions Incentives, London, January,p.25 [7] Thornton, James 2006 [8] Scott, Jon 2000, ‘Do newspapers deliver online?’ Marketing,London, 21 September,p.43 [9] Scott, Jon 2000 [10] Kavanagh, Michael 1998, ‘Guardian joins in registration game’, Marketing Week.London, vol.21,no.24, 13 August,p.32 [11] Scott, Jon 2000

Awarness and Attitude of Primary Teachers Towards Child Rights Education Essay

The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines basic rights of children covering multiple needs and issues. India endorsed it on December 11, 1992. Following are a few rights in the immediate purview of Smile Foundation as well as India. The right to Education: 50% of Indian children aged 6-18 do not go to school Dropout rates increase alarmingly in class III to V, its 50% for boys, 58% for girls. The right to Expression: Every child has a right to express himself freely in which ever way he likes. Majority of children however are exploited by their elders and not allowed to express. The right to Information: Every child has a right to know his basic rights and his position in the society. High incidence of illiteracy and ignorance among the deprived and underprivileged children prevents them from having access to information about them and their society. The right to Nutrition: More than 50% of India’s children are malnourished. While one in every five adolescent boys is malnourished, one in every two girls in India is undernourished. The right to Health & Care: 58% of India’s children below the age of 2 years are not fully vaccinated. And 24% of these children do not receive any form of vaccination. Over 60% of children in India are anemic. 95 in every 1000 children born in India, do not see their fifth birthday. 70 in every 1000 children born in India, do not see their first birthday. The right to protection from Abuse: There are approximately 2 million child commercial sex workers between the age of 5 and 15 years and about 3. 3 million between 15 and 18 years. They form 40% of the total population of commercial sex workers in India. 500,000 children are forced into this trade every year. The right to protection from Exploitation: 17 million children in India work as per official estimates. A study found that children were sent to work by compulsion and not by choice, mostly by parents, but with recruiter playing a crucial role in influencing decision. When working outside the family, children put in an average of 21 hours of labour per week. Poor and bonded families often â€Å"sell† their children to contractors who promise lucrative jobs in the cities and the children end up being employed in brothels, hotels and domestic work. Many run away and find a life on the streets. The right to protection from Neglect: Every child has a right to lead a well protected and secure life away from neglect. However, children working under exploitative and inhuman conditions get neglected badly. The right to Development: Every child has the right to development that lets the child explore her/his full potential. Unfavourable living conditions of underprivileged children prevents them from growing in a free and uninhibited way. The right to Recreation: Every child has a right to spend some time on recreational pursuits like sports, entertainment and hobbies to explore and develop. Majority of poor children in India do not get time to spend on recreational activities. The right to Name & Nationality: Every child has a right to identify himself with a nation. A vast majority of underprivileged children in India are treated like commodities and exported to other countries as labour or prostitutes. The right to Survival: Of the 12 million girls born in India, 3 million do not see their fifteenth birthday, and a million of them are unable to survive even their first birthday. Every sixth girl child’s death is due to gender discrimination. Child Rights in India: An Introduction India is a party to the UN  declaration on the Rights of the Child 1959. Accordingly, it adopted a National Policy on Children in 1974. The policy reaffirmed the constitutional provisions for adequate services to children, both before and after birth and through the period of growth to ensure their full physical, mental and social development. Accordingly, the government is taking action to review the national and state legislation and bring it in line with the provisions of the Convention. It has also developed appropriate monitoring procedures to assess progress in implementing the Convention-involving various stake holders in the society. India is also a signatory to the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children. In pursuance of the commitment made at the World Summit, the Department of Women and Child Development under the Ministry of Human Resource Development has formulated a National Plan of Action for Children. Most of the recommendations of the World Summit Action Plan are reflected in India’s National Plan of Action- keeping in mind the needs, rights and aspirations of 300 million children in the country. The priority areas in the Plan are health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and environment. The Plan gives special consideration to children in difficult circumstances and aims at providing a framework, for actualization of the objectives of the Convention in the Indian context. Status of Children in India. Recent UNICEF (2005) report on the state of the world’s children under the title â€Å"Childhood Under Threat† , speaking about India, states that millions of Indian children are equally deprived of their rights to survival, health, nutrition, education and safe drinking water. It is reported that 63 per cent of them go to bed hungry and 53 per cent suffer from chronic malnutrition. The report says that 147 million children live in kuchcha houses, 77 million do not use drinking water from a tap, 85 million are not being immunized, 27 million are severely underweight and 33 million have never been to school. It estimates that 72 million children in India between five and 14 years do not have access to basic education. A girl child is the worst victim as she is often neglected and is discriminated against because of the preference for a boy child. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights In order to ensure child rights practices and in response to India’s commitment to UN declaration to this effect, the government of India set up a National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The Commission is a statutory body notified under an Act of the Parliament on December 29, 2006. Besides the chairperson, it will have six members from the fields of child health, education, childcare and development, juvenile justice, children with disabilities, elimination of child labour, child psychology or sociology and laws relating to children. The Commission has the power to inquire into complaints and take suo motu notice of matters relating to deprivation of child’s rights and non-implementation of laws providing for protection and development of children among other things. Aimed at examining and reviewing the safeguards provided by the law to protect child rights, the Commission will recommend measures for their effective implementation. It will suggest amendments, if needed, and look into complaints or take suo motu notice of cases of violation of the constitutional and legal rights of children. The Commission is to ensure proper enforcement of child rights and effective implementation of laws and programmes relating to children- enquiring into complaints and take suo motu  cognizance of matters relating to deprivation of child rights; non-implementation of laws providing for protection and development of children and non-compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at their welfare and announcing relief for children and issuing remedial measures to the state governments. Convention on the Rights of the Child Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989 Right to education From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search. The right to education is a universal entitlement to education, a right that is recognized as a human right. According to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights the right to education includes the right to free, compulsory primary education for all[1], an obligation to develop secondary education accessible to all, in particular by the progressive introduction of free secondary education[2], as well as an obligation to develop equitable access to higher education, ideally by the progressive introduction of free higher education. [3] The right to education also includes a responsibility to provide basic education for individuals who have not completed primary education. In addition to these access to education provisions, the right to education encompasses the obligation to rule out discrimination at all levels of the educational system, to set minimum standards and to improve quality of education. [4] International legal basis The right to education is law in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Articles 200 and 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. [5][6][7] The right to education has been reaffirmed in the 1960 UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and the 1981 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. [8] In Europe, Article 2 of the first Protocol of 20 March 1952 to the European Convention on Human Rights states that the right to education is recognized as a human right and is understood to establish an entitlement to education. According to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the right to education includes the right to free, compulsory primary education for all, an obligation to develop secondary education accessible to all in particular by the progressive introduction of free secondary education, as well as an obligation to develop equitable access to higher education in particular by the progressive introduction of free higher education. The right to education also includes a responsibility to provide basic education for individuals who have not completed primary education. In addition to these access to education provisions, the right to education encompasses also the obligation to eliminate discrimination at all levels of the educational system, to set minimum standards and to improve quality. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has applied this norm for example in the Belgian linguistic case. [9] Article 10 of the European Social Charter guarantees the right to vocational education. [10] Definition Education narrowly refers to formal institutional instructions. Generally, international instruments use the term in this sense and the right to education, as protected by international human rights instruments, refers primarily to education in a narrow sense. The 1960 UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education defines education in Article 1(2) as: â€Å"all types and levels of education, (including) access to education, the standard and quality of education, and the conditions under which it is given. â€Å"[11] In a wider sense education may describe â€Å"all activities by which a human group transmits to its descendants a body of knowledge and skills and a moral code which enable the group to subsist†. [11] In this sense education refers to the transmission to a subsequent generation of those skills needed to perform tasks of daily living, and further passing on the social, cultural, spiritual and philosophical values of the particular community. The wider meaning of education has been recognised in Article 1(a) of UNESCO’s 1974 Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. [12] The article states that education implies: â€Å"the entire process of social life by means of which individuals and social groups learn to develop consciously within, and for the benefit of, the national and international communities, the whole of their personal capabilities, attitudes, aptitudes and knowledge. â€Å"[11] The European Court of Human Rights has defined education in a narrow sense as â€Å"teaching or instructions†¦ in particular to the transmission of knowledge and to intellectual development† and in a wider sense as â€Å"the whole process whereby, in any society, adults endeavour to transmit their beliefs, culture and other values to the young. â€Å"[11] Assessment of fulfilment The fulfilment of the right to education can be assessed using the 4 As framework, which asserts that for education to be a meaningful right it must be available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable. The 4 As framework was developed by the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Katarina Tomasevski, but is not necessarily the standard used in every international human rights instrument and hence not a generic guide to how the right to education is treated under national law. [13] The 4 As framework proposes that governments, as the prime duty-bearer, has to respect, protect and fulfil the right to education by making education available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable. The framework also places duties on other stakeholders in the education process: the child, which as the privileged subject of the right to education has the duty to comply with compulsory education requirements, the parents as the ‘first educators’, and professional educators, namely teachers. [13] The 4 As have been further elaborated as follows:[14] * Availability – funded by governments, education is universal, free and compulsory. There should be proper infrastructure and facilities in place with adequate books and materials for students. Buildings should meet both safety and sanitation standards, such as having clean drinking water. Active recruitment, proper training and appropriate retention methods should ensure that enough qualified staff is available at each school. [15] * Accessibility – all children should have equal access to school services regardless of gender, race, religion, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Efforts should be made to ensure the inclusion of marginalized groups including children of refugees, the homeless or those with disabilities. There should be no forms of segregation or denial of access to any students. This includes ensuring that proper laws are in place against any child labour or exploitation to prevent children from obtaining primary or secondary education. Schools must be within a reasonable distance for children within the community, otherwise transportation should be provided to students, particularly those that might live in rural areas, to ensure ways to school are safe and convenient. Education should be affordable to all, with textbooks, supplies and uniforms provided to students at no additional costs. [16] * Acceptability – the quality of education provided should be free of discrimination, relevant and culturally appropriate for all students. Students should not be expected to conform to any specific religious or ideological views. Methods of teaching should be objective and unbiased and material available should reflect a wide array of ideas and beliefs. Health and safety should be emphasized within schools including the elimination of any forms of corporal punishment. Professionalism of staff and teachers should be maintained. [17] * Adaptability – educational programs should be flexible and able to adjust according to societal changes and the needs of the community. Observance of religious or cultural holidays should be respected by schools in order to accommodate students, along with providing adequate care to those students with disabilities. [18] A number of international NGOs and charities work to realise the right to education using a rights-based approach to development. [citation needed] Historical development. In Europe, before the Enlightenment of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, education was the responsibility of parents and the church. With the French and American Revolution education was established also as a public function. It was thought that the state, by assuming a more active role in the sphere of education, could help to make education available and accessible to all. Education had thus far been primarily available to the upper social classes and public education was perceived as a means of realising the egalitarian ideals underlining both revolutions. [19] However, neither the American Declaration of Independence (1776) nor the French Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789) protected the right to education as the liberal concepts of human rights in the nineteenth century envisaged that parents retained the primary duty for providing education to their children. It was the states obligation to ensure that parents complied with this duty, and many states enacted legislation making school attendance compulsory. Furthermore child labour laws were enacted to limit the number of hours per day children could be employed, to ensure children would attend school. States also became involved in the legal regulation of curricula and established minimum educational standards. [20] In On Liberty John Stuart Mill wrote that an â€Å"education established and controlled by the State should only exist, if it exists at all, as one among many competing experiments, carried on for the purpose of example and stimulus to keep the others up to a certain standard of excellence. † Liberal thinkers of the nineteenth century pointed to the dangers to too much state involvement in the sphere of education, but relied on state intervention to reduce the dominance of the church, and to protect the right to education of children against their own parents. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, educational rights were included in domestic bills of rights. [21] The 1849 Paulskirchenverfassung, the constitution of the German Empire, strongly influenced subsequent European constitutions and devoted Article 152 to 158 of its bill of rights to education. The constitution recognised education as a function of the state, independent of the church. Remarkable at the time, the constitution proclaimed the right to free education for the poor, but the constitution did not explicitly require the state to set up educational institutions. Instead the constitution protected the rights of citizens to found and operate schools and to provide home education. The constitution also provided for freedom of science and teaching, and it guaranteed the right of everybody to choose a vocation and train for it. [22] The nineteenth century also saw the development of socialist theory, which held that the primary task of the state was to ensure the economic and social well-being of the community through government intervention and regulation. Socialist theory recognised that individuals had claims to basic welfare services against the state and education was viewed as one of these welfare entitlements. This was in contrast to liberal theory at the time, which regarded non-state actors as the prime providers of education. Socialist ideals were enshrined in the 1936 Soviet Constitution, which was the first constitution to recognise the right to education with a corresponding obligation of the state to provide such education. The constitution guaranteed free and compulsory education at all levels, a system of state scholarships and vocational training in state enterprises. Subsequently the right to education featured strongly in the constitutions of socialist states. [23] As a political goal, right to education was declared in F. D. Roosevelt’s 1944 speech on the Second Bill of Rights. Implementation. International law does not protect the right to pre-primary education and international documents generally omit references to education at this level. [24] The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to education, hence the right applies to all individuals, although children are understood as the main beneficiaries. [25] The rights to education are separated into three levels: * Primary (Elemental or Fundamental) Education. This shall be compulsory and free for any child regardless of their nationality, gender, place of birth, or any other discrimination. Upon ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights States must provide free primary education within two years. * Secondary (or Elementary, Technical and Professional in the UDHR) Education must be generally available and accessible. * Higher Education (at the University Level) should be provided according to capacity. That is, anyone who meets the necessary education standards should be able to go to university. Both secondary and higher education shall be made accessible â€Å"by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education†. [26] Compulsory education The realisation of the right to education on a national level may be achieved through compulsory education, or more specifically free compulsory primary education, as stated in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. [27][28] Action For Children (AFC) Action for Children (AFC) conceptualised by Wild Ganzen and supported by Net4Kids and Kids Rights aims at involving privileged citizens, civil society groups and various institutions including corporates in the development process. This programme supported by the Dutch Government promoted consortium (Wild Ganzen, Net4Kids and Kids Rights) has given a boost to the initiative. The programme is being implemented in three developing economies of the world namely Brazil, South Africa and India. Smile Foundation joined hands with the Consortium in April 2008 and since then has been executing the programme in India. The objective is to stimulate more fortunate mass to be a part of the development process and ensure sustainability of grassroots initiatives across India. Through AFC, Smile Foundation encourages people to ‘stand up and act’ to bring a change in the lives of underprivileged children and youth. Action For Children is based on the concept that development is a people’s issue and not just the government’s concern. With this premise, the Foundation has been striving to build a civil society that owes responsibility for societal development and participate whole-heartedly in transforming the lives of underprivileged children. Through AFC, Smile Foundation encourages individuals, civil society groups, corporate houses, professional associations, schools, colleges, youth wings to participate in the development process. The Action for Children programme sensitizes and involves the fortunate mass through: 1. Local Actions Local Action connotes organizing an event to raise funds for a child centric project. It can be organised by individuals, groups and institutions in their region. Local action aims at sensitization and consequent involvement of the privileged mass in raising funds for children through various activities 2. KidsXL KidsXL is a school exchange programme wherein children of privileged school and underprivileged school are brought together under one platform. Several interactive sessions and special activities are organized for the children. KidsXL aims at bringing the children from both the segments closer, thereby reducing social disparities. In the process, the children also learn to be sensitive and responsible towards the society 3. Media Advocacy The aim is to involve media in creating awareness among the people and advocating the cause before a wide audience. The Foundation sensitizes people through documentaries, Public Service Advertisements, news features, advocacy campaigns, rallies etc. 4. Corporate Social Responsibility CSR aims at sensitising and involving corporates in the development process. It gives the corporates an opportunity to give back to the society. It is based on a partnership model wherein corporates partner with Smile Foundation either to support the whole or a part of capital cost or running cost of a child centric project. The inherent objective of the programme is to ensure that the development activities become locally sustainable. For further information contact at afc. north@smilefoundationindia. org    Journal 1. Discipline for Life: Getting It Right with Children. (ED458959) Share Author(s):| Swift, Madelyn| Source:| N/A| | Pub Date:| 1999-00-00| Pub Type(s):| Books; Opinion Papers| Peer Reviewed:| | | Descriptors: Anger;  Child Rearing;  Children;  Cooperation;  Discipline;  Expectation;  Parent Child Relationship;  Parents;  Parents as Teachers;  Praise;  Problem Solving;  Self Esteem;  Teachers;  Timeout Abstract: Based on the view that how parents discipline their children in the early years plays a significant role in determining their child’s future behavior and relationships, this book offers advice for helping parents teach their children to accept responsibility for their own behavior, to form healthy relationships, develop sound and helpful communication, acquire correct principles to guide their lives, use problem solving, discover resourcefulness and negotiating skills, and deal with anger. Although addressed primarily to parents, the book is also directed to teachers and early childhood educators. The book is presented in six sections: (1) â€Å"The Journey Begins,† introducing the fundamental principles of discipline; (2) â€Å"Vision,† presenting a vision of parenting, including information on the current status of America’s children and suggestions for deciding what parents want to teach their children and how they can decide what lesson needs to be learned; (3) â€Å"Gaining Cooperation without Losing Your Mind!,† identifying barriers to cooperation and suggesting ways to use respectful language and teach children respect as a second language; (4) â€Å"Don’t Start What You Can’t Finish,† presenting tips on using various discipline strategies and the consequences of those strategies, problem-solving strategies, and dealing with temper tantrums; (5) â€Å"Building Self-Esteem,† discussing the importance of self-esteem, and presenting ways to help children develop important life beliefs paralleling the components of self-esteem (existence, accomplishment, and mistakes); and (6)†The Journey Continues,† reinforcing the view of parenting as a challenging process for everyone. (Contains 37 references. ) (KB) Journal 2. Knowledge, practice and attitude toward epilepsy among primary and secondary school teachers in South Gezira locality, Gezira State, Sudan Haydar E. Babikar and Islam M. Abbas1 Author information > Copyright and License information > Go to: Abstract Objective: The attitudes toward school pupils with epilepsy are influenced by the degree of school teachers’ knowledge of the disorder. Teachers usually do not receive any formal instructions on epilepsy during their training. This study aims to assess school teachers’ knowledge, attitude and practice when dealing with epilepsy in school children. Materials and Methods: This study was part of a series mandated by the Gezira Epilepsy Care Programme (GECP), to obtain baseline data for a community-adapted epilepsy education program. A pretested, semi-structured, 35-items questionnaire was the investigational tool. It was used to evaluate the knowledge of the basic facts about epilepsy among school teachers in this cross-sectional study. The questionnaire allowed teachers to express their opinions by means of free answers. The schools were chosen at random but not in a systematic equiprobability design. Two hundred teachers from public primary (100) and secondary (100) schools in the rural area of south Gezira Locality, Gezira State, Central Sudan, were recruited. Results: In this study, the majority of respondents had never been informed about epilepsy and therefore gave evasive answers to many questions. Few of the respondents considered epilepsy as contagious. None of participants objected to having epileptic children in their classes. Only 47 teachers (47%) in the primary schools had any knowledge of the initial procedures to help a child in seizure, presenting reasonable answers, compared to 64 (64%) teachers in the secondary schools. Recommendations: All school teachers should be given some kind of training in health services. The GECP should involve teachers in its current training programs for caregivers and lay association to help epileptic patients. INTRODUCTION Epilepsy, one of the most common neurological disorders worldwide, with a prevalence rate of 2. 8-19. 5 per 1,000 of the general population, is more prevalent in early years of life. [1,2] It accounts for 1% of the global burden of disease and about 80% of this burden is in the developing world such as Sudan, where in some areas 80-90% of affected people receive no treatment at all. Epilepsy is currently recognized by many countries and concerned associations as a public health problem. Persons with epilepsy are at the risk of developing a variety of psychological problems including depression, anxiety and psychosis. [3,4] Sociocultural attitudes continue to have a negative impact on the management of epilepsy in many African countries. [5] The disorder is associated with superstition, discrimination and stigma in many of the countries. [6] Still deeply rooted in these communities the idea that the cause of these frightening attacks is possession by evil spirits. Widespread ignorance, fear and misunderstanding has contributed negatively to the management of epilepsy. Thus, many children who have seizures of any kind are first seen and treated by religious or traditional healers. [7,8] Epileptic children suffer untold social deprivations and discrimination in education, which may be more devastating than the disease itself. [9] Children with epilepsy have the same range of intelligence and abilities as the rest of the population. [10] Most children with epilepsy can and should attend normal schools, their activities there limited only by certain factors. However, the attitudes toward school pupils with epilepsy are influenced by the degree of school teachers’ knowledge of the disorder. [2] Teachers usually do not have any formal instructions on epilepsy during their training, so they should be correctly informed about the disorder and encouraged to have a positive and optimistic attitude toward the condition. Other children may be quite helpful if they are aware that the seizure is benign. They should be motivated to offer help and pass on information on epileptic care to their family and friends. [11] To date, there is little research on public attitudes toward epileptics in the Sudan. In order to ensure the proper management of epilepsy, it is important to have a clear understanding of community attitudes toward the disease. The aim of this study is to ascertain the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of school teachers both at primary and secondary levels, in central Sudan regarding the causes, manifestations and treatment options of epilepsy in school children. MATERIALS AND METHODS A pretested, semi-structured, 35-items questionnaire was the investigational tool. It involved questions mainly of the yes/no/do not know variety; however, it also allowed teachers to express their opinions by means of free answers. It was used to evaluate the knowledge of the basic facts about epilepsy among school teachers in this cross-sectional study. Two hundred teachers from 11 public primary (n=100) and 11 secondary (n=100) schools, in the rural area of south Gezira Locality, Gezira State, in central Sudan, were invited to participate in the study by answering the questionnaire. The 22 schools were chosen at random, but not in a systematic equiprobability design. The following criteria: Stay beside the seizing child to protect and turn the head to one side to permit the saliva flow; keep breathing normal, were considered correct first-aid procedures for attending the seizing child. Removal of the child’s shirt and nearby objects or taking him to hospital, were considered less important. Pulling the tongue out or putting a spoon into the mouth were considered harmful and useless procedures. To verify the statistical significance of the two groups of staff or between genders, Pearson ? 2 test was used. RESULTS This study was part of a series mandated by the Gezira Epilepsy Care Programme (GECP), to obtain baseline data for a community-adapted epilepsy education program. It was designed to assess primary and secondary public school teachers, knowledge, practice on epilepsy and their attitudes toward epileptic pupils in the school. Two hundred school teachers who were recruited, responded to the questionnaire. The data relating to teachers’ characteristics are presented in Table 1. Their mean age was 38. 5.

Skepticism On The Search For The Truth Of Our Knowledge

Skepticism in the Search for the Truth of Our Knowledge How many times have you said, â€Å"No way, I do not believe it!† It is our natural tendency not to believe in something that we have not seen with our own eyes or experienced it personally. There is a saying, â€Å"seeing is believing† which has led us to a world full of skeptics. We want proof so we are not gullible fools. Skepticism, or scepticism, as it was spelled back in the ancient times, was pondered by philosophers who tried unsuccessfully to figure out the thought process and how we gain knowledge. Philosophers gave deep thought to determine how we arrive at such true beliefs and knowledge of the external world. Three such philosophers were Rene Descartes, David Hume and Christopher Grau. Rene Descartes was a French philosopher in the early 1600’s; David Hume was a Scottish Philosopher in the 1700’s, and Grau an American philosopher Professor born in 1970. The timeline s important because philosophical views have evolved over time. All three men were from different eras, but they each explored, argued, and addressed the topic of skepticism from their philosophical view. This proves that they take the subject of skepticism seriously, just as we should too. There is good reason to believe that a human’s knowledge of the external world results from both a posteriori knowledge acquired through sensory experience and a priori knowledge which is innate. Descartes, Hume, and Grau through their personal views and skepticalShow MoreRelatedThe Importance of Knowledge Claims Essay1220 Words   |  5 PagesHow are knowledge claims created? A knowledge claim is a judgment of something we believe to be true with or without sufficient evidence. Knowledge claims are what we create as a means to justify and/or rationalize our beliefs and thoughts. Knowledge claims are created in an attempt to define and categorize those thoughts. 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In one his most influential works, â€Å"Novum Organum,† Bacon poses the idea of the The Four Idols.† â€Å" Idols as Bacon defines them, refer to an illusion, rather than a hero or idol in the sense of a role model. These banes of human existence and scientific progress are called idols because in a state of society in which we incessantly search for accomplishment, knowledge, and the truth, Bacon’s idols exist

The New England Anti Vivisection Society - 1519 Words

â€Å"Would we imprison our children in cages too small for them to move? Would we violate our sisters and steal their babies? Would we deliberately infect our friends with diseases and leave them untreated? Of course not so why would we do the same to animals? We must abandon the archaic and incorrect boundary of â€Å"human,† which we use to justify the ongoing massacre of billions of beings (PETA)†. According to the New England Anti-Vivisection Society, â€Å"There is an estimate of 100 million animals that are burned, crippled, poisoned, and abused in laboratory testing every year. â€Å"Most animals in laboratories never will experience fresh air or sunshine, only bars and concrete sound more like a prison well that’s just the beginning of what animal’s experience. There are few facilities that provide some outside caging, and they typically rotate the animals, giving them limited and infrequent amounts of time outdoors. 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The Nonconstructive Nature of Standardized Testing Essay

Standardized testing? Those two words are being heard by students all over the world and is beginning to be a repetitive non constructive assessment. This nonconstructive assessment has become relied upon by the school board to somehow grade the students accurately on a subject that is taught in a small window of time. This is a window that is a two week period and doesnt give teachers nor students enough time to learn or teach it. This is detrimental to the student body by not allowing a them to be properly +assessed. Throughout the last century, American education has used standardized testing to assess the aptitudes and achievement of our students. These tests have been used to make informed decisions about curriculum and†¦show more content†¦Standardized testing damages education for kids and young adults. Teachers and students feel a tremendous amount of pressure with high-stakes testing. It has caused kids to become overworked; burnt out on testing. The pressure felt by high-staked testing is greater in disadvantage schools and result in more drill and practice instruction. Legal precedent suggests that one can opt out on religious grounds. The 14th Amendment protects our rights to spiritual freedom, and this federal law supersedes state statute in regard to parental control over ones child. Do to the vast number of students who are opting out it has created an United Opt Out administration. Students who have not opted out are starting to revolt because they feel its unfair. Kansas, Alaska, Florida, Utah, Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. All theis states withdrew the state standardized testing from their schools. Their reason is that the states have expressed concerns about the cost of the tests. â€Å"Smarter Balanced has estimated its test will cost $22.50 per student for the end-of-year exam and $27.30 per student including mid-year exam (Adrienne,n.p.).† Standardized testing evaluates a student’s performance on one particular day and does not take into account external factors. There are many people who simply do not perform well on tests. Many of these students are smart and understand the content, but it doesn’t show on the

A Discussion on the Thoughts and Philosophies of Pericles Free Essays

string(86) " the connection between the father and the son as both grow further towards maturity\." Introduction It is innate among humans to be fascinated by the different things that they particularly see around them (Durant, 1986, 10). It could not be denied then that through the years, this particular fascination within the different elements that could be seen in the human environment actually developed into the many discoveries and inventions that humans produced (Sternberg, 1989, 31). Through passing civilization of humans, it could be observed that the people were never contented with what they already have or what they have already accomplished. We will write a custom essay sample on A Discussion on the Thoughts and Philosophies of Pericles or any similar topic only for you Order Now This is especially true in terms of science and technology as well as in arts and literature (Ambuel, 2006, 15). It is indeed undeniable that people recreate the things that are already existent within their own society.   The fact that they have already been able to see what they could do regarding a certain type of field (Cooper, 1997, 18), they intend to even do better the net time that they deal with the same invention. Yes, humans never get tired of reinventing everything there is in the environment. Why is this so? Human intelligence has always been noted by philosophers as the primary factor that makes the human creation different from that of the other God-made creations. The humans’ ability to innovate their own achievements to even better results for the present generation to see, has particularly noted them to be those who are capable of reinventing themselves to be able to evolve from generations to generations. (Corlett, 2005, 17) To discuss this particular fact further, take an example of the human literature. It is overwhelming enough to see that the society today is already flooded by the many informations that are presented to humans through the printed pages of literature. More than that, the emergence of internet technology has paved the way even for amateur writers to make mention of their thoughts to the world for them to be appreciated and particularly affect other’s opinions as well (Cooper, 1997, 10). Literature before was primarily defined as an art of writing that follows certain rules that are strict enough to keep its standards within the classical range of reading. However, when the different generations along with the historical events covered the human generation’s development (Ambuel, 2006, 15), the art of literature became one of the major process by which humans intended to express their thoughts and their predicaments about the things that are going on in the world. As a result, more and more people joined the bandwagon of writing and began to share their thoughts to the world with regards the issues that primarily concern the human society today. (Bakalis, 2005, 17) This particular progress in literature has primarily been further fueled by the democratic arrangement of the major governments around the world, giving a chance for the freedom of human expression. It is through this that people became more aware of the world around them, they cared more than ever with the political agendas, the social issues as well as other informations that concern their interests (Cooper, 2005, 16). True, the changing situation in the society and the demand towards progress requires that human intelligence be perfected in a way that it particularly caters to the needs of the entire humanity. The human brain’s ability to store and restructure informations that were accepted by it through the years of an individual’s life is particularly a proof that the application of humans’ intelligence could still be perfected as generations are still to come along. (Allen, 2006, 18) In the same idea, both the philosophers Plato and Pericles believed that humans are indeed capable of being highly involved with developments as they are certainly given the idealism of becoming the best at anything. They use their instinct accompanied by their need of fulfilling what they particularly opt to find out about life as a satisfaction to their curious minds (Sternberg, 1989, 14). Although both philosophers believed in this particular through, they did have different approaches in presenting the truth about their claims (Cooper, 1997, 13). To understand the issue better, the thoughts and philosophies of both Pericles and Plato shall be discussed within the paragraphs that follow in two separate presentations. The Thoughts of Plato Plato has been widely known in the human history of philosophy as the establisher of the western culture. His succession on the position left by Aristotle and Socrates has noted him to be among the most intelligent people who have lived in human history (Corlett, 1997, 25). His special skills in literature and the mind boggling explanation of human philosophy has particularly allowed him to become one of the most sought after philosophers of the world. As a philosopher, Plato has been known for his ability to validate his claims through mathematical pattern of assumptions as he present his ideas through his writings (Corlett, 2005, 27). The possibilities and the calculation of how the human mind reacts to certain situations has been noted to be among the best expertise of Plato himself. As one of the foundations of human philosophy, Plato contributed so much on the knowledge of people at present. Plato has been known for the presentation of his thoughts through the use of dialogues. The conversations between people have been utilized by Plato as a way by which he could convey his ideas to the people. Moreover, the said dialogues discussed different issues of human elements that could noticeably be used to explain the different difficulties that could be considered when the topic about human behavior comes into attention. (Durant, 1986, 31) Among the consequential issues that his dialogues mainly cater to are that of the father and son relationship, the truth behind the human realism, and the ability of humans to perceive the truth from illusionary imaginations (Bakalis, 205, 93). On the first issue cited herein, the relation of father and son have always fascinated the mind of Plato as he tries to identify the connection between the father and the son as both grow further towards maturity. You read "A Discussion on the Thoughts and Philosophies of Pericles" in category "Essay examples" Among the answers he usually opt to discuss is that of the ways by which the values that the father implies on the son contribute to the personal growth and being of that particular individual. Most likely, Plato has long been trying to identify how the elements of fatherhood actually influence the acceptance of different individuals of the teachings, thus applying them as values for themselves to learn from and later on apply in their o wn systems of living. The second issue presented is on the realism of the human population. This particularly points out to the ability of humans to use their reasoning and their intelligent judgment of the things that they hear, they see, and they observe, thus defining on which one is actually true and which one is on the other hand imaginary. True, people have this particular ability of knowing what is real from what is not. However, the reasoning behind such ability is somewhat complex, and this is what actually moved Plato to identify the factors that affect the human judgment on such elemental factors in the human society. The third topic of attention is that of the imaginative abilities of humans. True, humans enjoy the fact that they are able to imagine different things as a part of their intellectual capabilities. When feeling down and depressed, people usually use their capabilities of imagining things to at least ease them from the truths of their present situation. However, although many consider imagination as gift, it could not be denied that the human ability of coming back to reality could still help them set their decision on which one is the real situation differentiating it from the imaginary elements that they themselves have created in their minds.(Ambuel,2006, 15) Through these thoughts, Plato also tried to imply on his writing the idea on the â€Å"real world†, whereas he refers to the present system of things to be just a shadow of the real world, referring to the people at present as those who are living in an imaginary world. True, this thought might seem quite confusing at some point. However, if closely observed, it could not be denied that the situation is quite obvious. It all boils down to the reality of the people. Because of the fact that humans are less able to become realistic with who they are, they are then consequently living their lives in an unrealistic world that makes it even harder for themselves to â€Å"zap† back into the real life that they ought to face. This is in correspondence to the doubts of humans as to why they are at times in trouble of finding what they really want out of living on earth. The Thoughts of Pericles Pericles has been known to be among the list of the most successful ancient politicians of the human history. This is most likely because of the skill that he himself has faced during his rule in Athens. Even when he was still on his way in being inspired in becoming an icon of the public, he knew that the responsibility that he was about to take was not that easy to fulfill (Corlett, 2005, 48). This is when he was actually able to take into consideration the understanding that he must gain with regards the philosophical make up of humankind. Dealing with people of different individualities naturally urged Pericles to search in an in-depth way on the beliefs and the elements that contribute to human behavior and development. Hence, he has also be fascinatingly interested in human philosophical education. As he progressed in the learning, he himself has been urged to bring out the best among the people that he led. Particularly referring to the ability of humans to speak out their minds for others to hear their thoughts, he implied amongst his people the importance of one’s ability to at least freely speak off their minds to the public (Cooper, 1997, 18). This, according to him, is one of the most important rights a person could have, a certain process by which an individual would be able to experience the reality of life that he is supposed to live with. Conclusion Yes, it is indeed true that the human intelligence continues to grow through the years of its history. With the contributed foundation by those who have led the way in understanding the human capability of thinking and acting upon what they believe in, the human society today is now more confident in what they believe in, more expressive of their thoughts and more imaginative on their ways of facing the truth of their lives. From the discussion presented above, it could be observed that Plato particularly proffered on discussion the abstract factors that contribute to the continuous improvement of human intelligence. Moreover, the said thought has been mainly established by the philosopher through explaining his claims using the different dimensions of math and human philosophy. Constantly referring to the ability of the mind to imagine and to bring its thought back to reality has noted Plato as one of the most remarkable philosophers who were able to unlock the truth behind human imagination. On the other hand, Pericles has been mostly focused on the ability of humans to disperse their thoughts and actually affect the society that they are living in. It is through their freedom of speaking their thoughts off to the public that they are able to make the necessary changes that they ought to contribute to their communities. Certainly, if observed closely, Percles’ and Plato’s belief on the capabilities of humans to use their capabilities well explains how the human intelligence is actually used in the systems by which the human civilization progresses towards modernity. As people are able to imagine and disperse their thoughts to others, they are able to make different, at times even great changes to the societies that they are living in. The thoughts of the two philosophers as discussed herein could be noted as one of the most important influence that they both have left the human society. REFERENCES: Robert J. Sternberg. (1989). Handbook of Human Intelligence. Cambridge University Press. Allen, R.E. (2006). Studies in Plato’s Metaphysics II. Parmenides Publishing. ISBN 978-1-930972-18-6 Ambuel, David (2006). Image and Paradigm in Plato’s Sophist. Parmenides Publishing. ISBN 978-1-930972-004-9 Bakalis, Nikolaos (2005). Handbook of Greek Philosophy: From Thales to the Stoics Analysis and Fragments, Trafford Publishing ISBN 1-4120-4843-5 Cooper, John M. Hutchinson, D. S. (Eds.) (1997). Plato: Complete Works. Hackett Publishing Co., Inc. ISBN 0-87220-349-2. Corlett, J. Angelo (2005). Interpreting Plato’s Dialogues. Parmenides Publishing. ISBN 978-1-930972-02-5 Durant, Will (1986). The Story of Philosophy. Simon Schuster. ISBN 0-671-69500-2. Lawrence S. Cunningham and John J. Reich. Culture Values: A SURVEY OF THE HUMANITIES, volume one/sixth edition,   Library of Congress Control Number: 2005923993. How to cite A Discussion on the Thoughts and Philosophies of Pericles, Essay examples

Capital Puinishment Essay Example For Students

Capital Puinishment Essay Capital Punishment is an Unlawful and Ineffective Deterrent to MurderThe United States is one of the few countries left in the world to practice the savage and immoral punishment of death. Retentionists argue that the consequence of death prevents people from committing the crime of murder. It is proven that the death penalty does not deter persons from committing murder, nor does it serve as an example of the consequences of capital crimes to society. Furthermore, it is impossible to guarantee that the criminal justice system will not discriminate against or execute the innocent. Above all, the methods of execution are horrifying and barbaric, as well as the devaluing of a human life. We must realize that the life of a murderer is worth as much as the life of the victim. An indecent justice, one that takes human lives based on ideals of vengeance and violence, is an immoral system that is unacceptable. The most widely used argument in support of capital punishment is that the conseq uence of execution influences criminal behavior more effectively than imprisonment does (?Against the Death Penalty?). Although the argument may sound reasonable, in reality the death penalty fails as a deterrent. First, punishment can only be a useful deterrent if it is rational and immediately used. Capital punishment cannot meet those conditions. The number of first degree murderers who are sentenced to death is small, and of this group an even smaller number of people are eventually executed. Moreover, the possibility of increasing the number of convicted murderers sentenced to death and executed by requiring mandatory death sentences was declared unconstitutional in 1976 Jewett 2(National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty). Murder and other crimes of violence are not always premeditated. For example; gang violence, drive by shootings and kidnaping for ransom are serious crimes that continue to be committed because the criminal thinks he is too clever to be caught. Most cap ital crimes are committed during times of great emotional trauma or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, when logical thinking is in no doubt absent (NCADP). In such cases, a person will commit a crime of violence regardless of the consequences. The majority of the evidence shows that the death penalty is in no way more effective in deterring murder than life imprisonment. Evidence of past use of the death penalty establishes reasonable doubt that it does not deter murder, and there is no evidence to prove otherwise. In a thorough report on the effects of criminal sanctions on crime rates, the National Academy of Sciences concluded that it is misleading to justify the use of capital punishment on such ?fragile? and ?uncertain? results (NCADP). Moreover, there are clinically documented cases that reveal the death penalty actually provoked the capital crimes it was intended to prevent (Mappes). These include cases involving the so-called ?suicide by execution syndrome? in which a person with a desire to die but also fears taking his own life will commit murder, believing the state will execute him. The use of the death penalty obviously guarantees that the criminal will never commit another crime, for the murderer is dead, but, there is no evidence that capital punishment deters another individual from committing murder (Glover 139). Furthermore, it is a high moral price to pay when studies have proven that few convicted murderers commit further crimes of violence. An alternative, one that is far less inhumane, is a policy of life imprisonment without the Jewett 3possibility of parole (139). It is commonly reported that Americans approve of the death penalty. But, more careful analysis of the attitudes of the public shows that Americans prefer alternatives to capital punishment (Smart). In fact, most Americans would oppose the death penalty if convicted murderers were sentenced to life without parole and required to make some form of financial restitution. I n a 1993 nationwide survey 77 percent of the public approved of the death penalty, but the poll dropped to 41 percent if the alternative is no parole plus restitution (Smart). Only a minority of the American public would favor the death penalty if offered alternatives. By law, the trial and sentencing of the accused must be conducted with the utmost fairness, especially when incorporating the irreversible sanction of the death penalty. Only 88 percent of all executions since 1930 have been for murder (Warner). It is evident that courts have sentenced some criminals to prison while putting others to death, which clearly demonstrates uncertainty, racial prejudices, and simply unfairness. In his article ?American Dilemma? (1944) Gunnar Myrdal reported that the ?South makes the widest application of the death penalty?, and sadly ?Negro criminals are in for much more than their share of the executions? (Warner). Recently a study of capital punishment showed that the current system is an outgrowth of the racist ?legacy of slavery? (NCADP). Between 1930 and 1996, 4,220 prisoners were executed and more than half were black. A disproportionately large number of African Americans have always occupied the nations ?death rows,? considering the percentage of African Americans in the overall population (Dieter 144). During the past century, blacks were more often executed for what were considered less-than-capital offenses for whites, Jewett 4such as rape and burglary (Dieter 145). Furthermore, a large percentage of the blacks who were executed were juveniles, and the number of executions without having ones conviction reviewed by a higher court was higher for blacks (NCADP). In recent years, there has been wide belief that racial discrimination is a thing of the past. However, since the renewal of capital punishment in the mid-1970s, approximately half of the death row population, at any given time, have been black (Smart). When those under the death sentence are examined more closely, it is apparent race is a factor after all. A statistical study of racial discrimination in capital cases in Georgia showed that those convicted of killing a white person were more likely to receive the death penalty in all indicted cases. Further evidence proved unfairness in capital cases as reported by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO). The GAO review concluded that of the 28 studies there was a ?pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in the charging, sentencing, and imposition? of the death penalty, and that the ?race of victim influence was found at all stages of the criminal justice system process (Dieter 144). One can conclude that in the courts of the nation, even today, the murder of a white person is treated much more severely than the murder of a black person. Therefore, it can be noted that our criminal system reserves the death penalty for those murderers (regardless of their race) who kill white victims (Dieter 145). Gender and socio-econ omic class also aid in the discrimination of those who will receive a death sentence. Only one percent of all those on death row were women, although women commit about fifteen percent of all criminal homicides (NCADP). Only 33 women, of whom 12 were black, have been executed in the United States since 1930. Fairness in capital cases requires most a competent counsel for the defendant. Yet, 90 percent of those on death row were unable to afford a lawyer when tried. The most common Jewett 5characteristics among death row defendants are poverty, lack of social community, and inadequate legal representation at trial or on appeal (NCADP). The above flaws in the actual administration of capital punishment are only one of the many clear reasons for abolition. In the judgement of the fair-minded and unprejudiced ?capital punishment is a power that cannot be exercised fairly and without discrimination? (Smart). Therefore, we cannot put human lives in the hands of a flawed system, for societ y will suffer the consequences, as well as the victims. Unlike all other criminal punishments, the death penalty is irreversible. Once a criminal is put to death no once can bring back the human life taken when a mistake is discovered too late. However, some supporters of capital punishment argue that its advantages are worth the sacrificing of innocent people, as well as the ideal that there is little chance that the innocent would be executed. Nevertheless, there is evidence showing that from the 1980s to the 1990s innocent people have been convicted of capital crimes as well as executed (?Against the Death Penalty?). Since the 1900s there have been an estimated four cases a year in which an innocent person was convicted of murder, in addition to the many that were sentenced to death (?Against the Death Penalty?). In many cases ? a reprieve or commutation arrived just hours, or even minutes before the scheduled execution? (?Against the Death Penalty?). Those wrongful convictions h ave occurred in almost every jurisdiction in the nation. Furthermore, despite the new death penalty statutes approved by the Supreme Court, the numbers of the wrongfully accused have not declined. Unfortunately, the innocent persons convicted of crimes they did not commit are not always saved from execution or released from their sentences. There are several other cases in which evidence that would have released the convicted was discovered after the execution. These examples explain why the judicial system cannot guarantee that justice will never make mistakes. To retain the death penalty Jewett 6and overlook the serious flaws in the system is unacceptable, especially since there are no strong overriding arguments to favor the death penalty (Glover 145-146). Among the flaws of the justice system, we must remember that the taking of a human life is immoral. The methods used to perform these violent executions are barbaric and unnecessary. But, prisoners continue to be executed in th e United States by any one of five methods; in a few jurisdictions the prisoner is allowed to choose which fate he or she prefers. The methods of capital punishment in use in 1997 included hanging, firing squad, electrocution, suffocation in the lethal gas chamber, and lethal injection (NCADP). The traditional execution by hanging is still used in a few states today. Death on the gallows can make for a slow and agonizing demise by strangulation if the drop is too short. Or, if the drop is too long, the head will be torn off. Two states still use the firing squad method, in which the condemned is hooded, strapped into a chair, and a target is pinned on the chest. Five marksmen take aim and fire (NCADP). During the twentieth century, electrocution has been the most widely applied form of execution in the United States, and still used in eleven states. The prisoner is placed in the death chamber and strapped into the chair with electrodes strapped to the head and legs. When the chair i s activated the body strains and jolts as the intensity of electricity is raised or lowered. It is not known how long the prisoner retains consciousness. In some cases, as with the electrocution of John Evans in Alabama, it takes more than one jolt of electricity to kill the prisoner. An eyewitness illustrated the ?barbaric ritual? in which it took three charges at thirty second intervals and ten minutes before doctors pronounced Evans dead (NCADP). The witness then went on to Jewett 7say that the officials were apparently embarrassed and one official remarked that the execution was ?supposed to be a very clean manner of administering death? (NCADP). The gas chamber was supposed to be a step ahead of the electric chair. In the gas chamber method, the prisoner is strapped into a chair with a container of sulfuric acid underneath. the chamber is then sealed and cyanide is dropped into the acid to create a lethal gas. As with electrocution, suffocation by inhalation of a lethal gas is not always a quick and clean way of death. In the case of the execution of Don Harding in Arizona, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens said that it took Harding more than ten minutes to die. The latest mode of infliction of the death penalty is lethal injection. Some believe that this method is more humane, although killing in itself is plainly inhumane (NCADP). The U.S. Court of Appeals stated that there is ?substantial and uncontested evidence?that execution by lethal injection poses a serious risk of cruel, protracted deatheven a slight error in dosage or administration can leave a prisoner conscious but paralyzed while dying, a sentient witness of his or her own asphyxiation? (NCADP). As with the other methods of execution, death by lethal injection does not always proceed smoothly as planned. In 1985 ?the authorities jabbed needles intoStephen Morin, when they had trouble finding a usable vein because he had been a drug abuser? (NCADP). In a 1988 case during the execut ion of Raymond Landry, ?a tube attached to a needle inside the inmates right arm began leaking, sending he lethal mixture shooting across the death chamber toward witnesses.? Adam Bedau writes that ?its veneer of decency and subtle analogy with life-saving medical practice no doubt makes killing by lethal injection more acceptable to the public? (NCADP). Jewett 8After witnessing an execution, Journalist Susan Blaustein said ?We have perfected the art of institutional killing to the degree that it has deadened our natural, quintessentially human response to death? (NCADP). Most people who observe an execution are mortified and disgusted. Public executions were common in this country during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. One of the last public executions occurred in Kentucky when 20,000 people gathered to watch the hanging of a young African American male (NCADP). It is that inhumane delight in brutality and pain that the supporters of death penalty have cause against, yet th ey are at the level of murder themselves. Society must insist that the law not encourage such violent crime, for when the government ceremoniously carries out the cruel execution of a prisoner, the violent side of human nature is being allowed. Cesare Beccaria, an Italian jurist said ?The death penalty cannot be useful, because of the example of barbarity it gives men?. Even if capital punishment was ?useful? it would still be an example of the very brutality and violence the death penalty is supposed to prevent (?Against the Death Penalty?). Such methods of human torture and killing is allowed by retentionists to be hidden in the system we call justice. Supreme Court Justice Arthur J. Godberg wrote ?the deliberate institutionalized taking of human life by the state is the greatest conceivable degradation of the dignity of human personality? (?Against the Death Penalty?). Society not only suffers from the burden of dealing with those lives which have been lost to an immoral and brut al execution, but will also suffer from the great deal of tax dollars spent to put their unjustified ways into action. From the time of arrest to the point of execution, it can be estimated that a single death sentence costs between one to three million dollars per case (NCADP). Some studies have figures as high as seven million per case. Life imprisonment, including incarceration, costs roughly five hundred thousand dollars. The millions of dollars spent Jewett 9on the unnecessary killing of one individual cuts into funds for more important needs, such as public safety and education (NCADP). Justice often insists that the death penalty is the suitable punishment for brutal crimes. According to Bedau, ?by its nature, all punishment is retributive? (?Against the Death Penalty?). Therefore, a punishment can be satisfied without killing. Moreover, the death penalty could only be used for the crime of murder and not for any of the several other crimes that have recently been considered as capital crimes such as rape, kidnaping, treason, drug trafficking, and espionage. Execution is an unnecessary punishment for murder. Albert Camus wrote that ?for there to be equivalence, the death penalty would have to punish a criminal who had warned his victim of the date at which he would inflict a horrible death on him and who, from that moment onward, had confined him at his mercy for months. Such a monster is not encountered in private life? (Warner). It is also often argued that death is what murderers deserve, and that those who oppose the death penalty violate the ?eye for an eye? principle, the ideal of making the punishment fit the crime. If this rule means that punishments are unsuitable unless they are like the crime, then the principle is unacceptable. Such an ideal would mean that we must rape the rapists, torture the torturers, and inflict other degrading punishments on the convicted (Nathanson 133). We would have to betray traitors, and kill multiple murderers mu ltiple times, which are obviously penalties impossible to impose. Since we cannot reasonably punish all crimes according to this ideal, it is irrational to impose execution as a required punishment for murder. Criminals do deserve to be punished, and the severity of punishment should be appropriate to the harm they have caused the Jewett 10innocent. But the severity of punishment must have limits limits enforced by both justice and our common human dignity (Barzilai). Governments that enforce these limits do not use premeditated, violent homicide as a tool in society. There are people who have lost a loved one to murder that believe that they cannot rest until the murderer is executed, but not all of those inflicted with such a loss feel the same. Coretta Scott King said that ?as one whose husband and mother-in-law have died the victims of murder and assassination, I stand firmly and unequivocally opposed to the death penalty for those convicted of capital offenses. An evil deed is not remedied by an evil deed of retaliation. Justice is never advanced in the taking of human life. Morality is never upheld by a legalized murder ? (Barzilai). Victims to the loss of a loved one do not need to reduce themselves to the evil level of the murderer, but those families need to replace their anger and hate towards the criminal in a more healthy manner for both the offender and the survivors. Although it can be easier said than done, the right to live belongs to all of the members of society regardless of what crime one has committed. It is not the right of the government, nor the right of any individual to inflict such cruel and hateful punishments onto another human being. Beyond the statistics we can see a brutal and unnecessary punishment. There must be limits to the power that a government has, as well as the power individuals in a society have. We degrade the murderer, yet the supporters of capital punishment reserve the passion to kill. As sane people with a respe ct for human life and dignity, we must not turn into the vicious murderer some of us fight to kill. According to Stephen Nathanson, we must set an example of the behavior we find acceptable in society. He goes on to say that ?even though this person has done wrong and Jewett 11even though we may be angry, outraged, and indignant with him, we will nonetheless control ourselves in a way that he did not. We will not kill him? ( Nathanson 137). We must not contradict the principle that murder is wrong, including the murder of a criminal. We must not kill, nor must any government hold the power to take a human life, no matter what the crime. BibliographyWorks Cited?Against the Death Penalty.? Amnesty International. http://www.amnesty.org Dieter, Richard. ?The Practical Burdens of Capital Punishment.? The Encyclopedia of Ethics. Censorship of Media Violence Argumentative Persuas Essay New York: Macmillan, 1967. Glover, Jonathan. ?Deterrence and Murder.? New York: Garland, 1992. Mappes, Thomas A., and Jane S. Zambaty. Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy. U.S.: McGraw, 1997. National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP). http://www.ncadp.org Smart, Christopher. ?Innocence Found on Death Row.? http://weeklywire.com Warner, Ralph. ?Killing Carelessly.? http://www.crimemagazine.com Government Essays