Abolition of the British Monarchy essays

Abolition of the British Monarchy essays My chosen topic is the issue of whether the British monarchy should be abolished. I believe that it should and I have four main reasons to support my views and I believe that I can persuade royalists that the idea of a monarchy should be abandoned. The four reasons are firstly the effect the British monarchy has on the idea of a democracy, the effects they have on society, the political powers they behold and the money spent both on and by them. The royal family is under fire from many quarters over their marital mishaps and financial indiscretions. But the problems with the royals go far deeper than that. I see the existence of the monarchy as a symbol of much that is wrong with British society and its political system today. Increasing democracy is by far the most important and powerful reason to ditch the monarchy. The word democracy is ultimately derived from a term comprised of demos the people and kratos strength and power. So basically democracy means the power lies in the hands of the people. In most developed countries, this entails the direct election of a Parliament and an elected head of state. Unfortunately, Britain has lagged behind other developed countries in both these areas. Our head of state and, until recently, the majority of the House of Lords assumed power and influence solely because of which families they were born into. This makes Britain a relatively undemocratic country in an increasingly democratic world. Rule by inheritance in general makes no sense and cannot be justified nowadays. To have the title of Head of State passed through heredity is just ridiculous. The monarchy is unaccountable, insular secretive, unrepresentative and illogical. Not enviable qualities in the twenty- first century. A modern, forward-looking state needs and elected Head of State not least because this represents a symbol of the countrys intentions and essentia...

Atomic Bombs Essays

Atomic Bombs Essays Atomic Bombs Essay Atomic Bombs Essay Composition II miou Have Atomic Bombs, but We Have Suicide Bombers In Rohdes article we learn of his experience as a hostage in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He explains the Islamic cultures and values, but shows us his view on them. Their cultures have some similarities, but more differences. We both have religions, but Americans approach their religion differently and less violently. Americas whole reality and country differs greatly from the Talibans society. The Talibans reality differs from ours, because they have rules and customs for many things. Here in America we have rules and customs, but we look at them more as laws, because that is what they are. If you dont follow them you either receive a fine or you are arrested and brought to Jail or prison. In Afghanistan and Pakistan if you do not follow the Talibans rules you will either get kidnapped, tortured or killed by one of their soldiers. Unlike in the U. S. they would force you to read the Koran in Afghanistan, to press you to convert to their religions if you wanted to do it or not. In the U. S. ou ave the freedom to choose which religious group you want to be a part of, of course others will have their opinions, but you are still free to do what you want. Religious zealotry plays a big role in the Talibans society. They would put fear into the hearts of anyone who did not want to convert to their religions. The kidnappers would tell the hostages that If I fail to convert, they said, I would suffer excruciating pain in the fires of hell, as said by David Rhode. Most of the time they have no choice but to ead the Koran and learn about their religions or the hostages will receive cruel punishment. In the U. S. religious zealotry isnt very common, but there are people who take religion seriously. They go to church very often, read the bible, and try to spread their religion, but never try to force or threaten people to Join their religious groups in a violent manner. Along with religion war is another problem in the Taliban society. Their Jihad is similar to our Just wars; they both have to be waged by a higher power, and their mains goals are to make peace and avoid wanton estruction. Just war starts with a Just cause; Jihad has to be committed in the name of God and freedom. Jihads are more based on religion than our Just wars, but still have similar rules. Rohdes view can be considered biased, because he was being held hostage by soldiers in Afghanistan which is something that happens often. He isnt a part of the Taliban society so he doesnt know their customs or values; hes used to Americas society, so that can also make his view biased. They are two completely different societies and being born in one can alter your view on other ocieties. He tried to spread his own beliefs, but that never worked, because the guards barely spoke any English and they are faithful to their own beliefs. The lack of communication also can make Rohdes views biased, the guards only knew a little bit of English which made it harder for the guards to communicate while trying to convert him to their Taliban and Islamic cultures. Reading the Koran Rohdes learned a little of their religion, but not what they wanted him to learn, because he would sometimes reTuse to convert. In Ronaes artlcle we can learn tnat not every soclety Is similar to ours. In the many religious groups out there, there are many different rules, customs, and values. Sometimes violence is used heavily to convert people or to punish the wrong doers of a society, such as the Talibans Jihad which is war in the name of God and freedom. Afghanistan takes their religion to war, America doesnt. Our wars have to be a Just cause authorized by a legitimate authority. This can be anyone with higher power that is involved with the government. Jihad must be nitiated by the caliph or his delegate, the caliph is the religious leader. Other than the violent kidnappers and the soldiers holding people hostage and killing them I learned that there are societies that take religion much more seriously than America does. mtholyoke. edu/†witwe22k/classweb/politics/Jihad. html Katie Witwer. Just War vs. Jihad 2010 nytimes. com/2009/10/20/world/asia/20hostage. html? pagewanted=all David Rohde. mfou Have Atomic Bombs, but We Have Suicide Bombers. The New York Times. 19 October 2009.

Response assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response - Assignment Example â€Å"Cameron (†¦.) defines several different kinds of research based on relationships between researchers and those they are researching, including ETHICAL RESEARCH, ADVOCACY RESEARCH, and EMPOWERING RESEARCH.† (Wolfram et al 1119). The significance of this sentence lies in the fact that it introduces the reader to modes of research in social linguistics. It further explains the relevance of these types of research to both researchers and the communities being researched on. b) Several examples can be used in applying this principle. One is through video documentaries, whereby a certain community is given a live recording. The other one is museum exhibits where significant certain data are publicized. 6) Another principle of sociolinguistic engagement is the intrinsic connection between language differences and socio historical, sociocultural, and regional traditions (p. 1113). The above quotation means that language differences are influenced by certain issues in which a community has in common. This includes historical, cultural and regional traditions shared amongst the individuals. For example, I have realized that immigrants from a certain community tend to speak a variation of vernacular from the members of the same community born or raised up in the US. 7. As a group of undergraduate students, the following event can be organized to give something back to a community researched on. The project would involve the Tangier community in a tiny island in Virginia. The event would be about a unique cultural practice which would attract tourist and interest groups. The goal of the event would be to create awareness of the community and their unique dialect. The event will be provided by linguistics, community developers and other non-political interest groups. It will focus on benefitting the Tangier community. This proposal is an example of a valid and reliable

Stress is a social construct. Discuss Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Stress is a social construct. Discuss - Essay Example What stress does to the psyche of man is something to gain comprehension from. This has put the different manifestations of mankind under quite a lot of worry since criminal issues have come to the fore due to stress and its different predicaments. This paper will outline the ways and means through which stress could be seen from a psychological perspective and under the auspices of the criminological fields. Research within the related domains of psychology has revealed that stress causes quite a number of problems for the people who are in authority positions. These people seem to experience stress when they are denied their due rights by the people who are senior to them or have more commanding dignity than them. Then there are other issues within these positions like gender harassment, inequality in wages, non-payment of dues, denial of leaves, etc which makes them feel even more stressed than they were before. Thus it would not be wrong to suggest that stress is one such tangent that negatively reinforces one’s energy levels to do something wrong or one that is ethically unacceptable. Having said that criminology takes its basis from similar settings of stress, and therefore the fact that criminology has been highlighted as a significant aspect in the studies related with psychology of stress and anxiety has all the more bearing on the subject at hand. Stress makes the worker s feel disjointed from their work regimes; they lack the alertness when it comes to their respective performance levels and have an overall feel of dizziness and boredom on the job (Desmond 2001). They want to do something different but the daily grind of work starts to take its toll on their bodies. The fact that they are not given the room to exploit their true strengths and just concentrate upon getting the job at hand done for the sake of meeting the deadlines, makes them feel itchy and irritated. Thus stress starts triggering them for

Molecular Basis of Disease Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Molecular Basis of Disease - Lab Report Example People lacking the absorption ability of vitamin B12 remain with the disease for the rest of their lives. Parietal cells found in the gastric cells are responsible for production of hydrochloric acid which is important in digestion as it provides a favorable medium for enzyme reaction. The serum found from patients having this disease react with ? and ? sub units. The antibodies are used for diagnostic purposes. This experiment involves testing of serum of antibodies from various patients to determine if they react with the sodium pump which contains ? and ? sub units. This will help in diagnosing pernicious anemia. A mouse is used in this experiment since its stomach structure is similar to that of a man. A primary antibody and a secondary antibody are also used in this experiment as they react with the mouse antigens. Anti proton pump of a human being can also cross react with proteins of the mouse making the mouse a favorable specimen for the experiment. From the experiment we exp ect antibody response to help us diagnose pernicious anemia. Aims The aim of this experiment is to determine whether samples from patients contain antibodies and also to diagnose patients having the disease through Western blotting; Immuno histochemistry using the gastric proton pump. Materials and Methods The materials used includes; SDS polyacrylamide gel (80%, resolving gel 40% upper stacking gel), Gel running buffer (25 mM Tris, pH 5.3, 0.192M Glycerin, 0.1% SDS), Gel apparatus, power supply, mouse stomach protein,5? SDS sample buffer (0.315 Tris, pH 6.8, 25% glycerol 10% SDS, 5% 2-beta mercaptoethanol, 0.025% Bromophenol blue), Protein MW standards, heat block, Gel loading tips, transfer apparatus, transfer buffer (25mM Tris, 192mM glycine,20% methanol), nitrocellulose membrane, filter paper, 0.1% Ponceau in1% acetic acid, 0.1M NaoH, TBS Tris buffered saline, Blocking solution TBS containing 5% skim milk powder. Materials required to obtain a mouse stomach include; a slide cont aining section of mouse stomach, xylene, hemoglobin, acid alcohol, Scott’s tap water, eosin, DPX mounting media and cover slips. Procedure to obtain mouse stomach morphology The slide containing mouse stomach is incubated in xylene and ethanol for two minutes respectively. After this the slide is rinsed in tap water for 30 seconds. The slide is then incubated in the hemoglobin for 2 minutes. The slide is rinsed again in tap water for 30 seconds after which it is placed in 1% acid alcohol for 3 seconds after which it is rinsed again in tap water for 30 seconds. The slide is incubated in Scott’s tap water for 30 seconds after which it is swashed in water for 30 seconds. The slide is then placed in eosin for 4minutes and excess is blotted off by a paper towel. The slide is then placed in 80% ethanol and again 90% after which the slide is incubated in ethanol for 2 minutes then allowed to air dry. A drop of DPX mounting medium is placed on the section and then covered by a cover slip. An observation is made under the microscope and diagrams made as follows. Fig 1 showing a mouse stomach with Haematoxylin To prepare the stomach protein sample, 200Â µl of protein is placed into a microfuge tube and 50Â µl 5? SDS sample buffer is added. The marker and the protein sample tubes are spine for a few seconds to bring the liquid to the bottom of the tube. The MW markers and proteins are then loaded using a special gel loading tips. The apparatus is then connected to a power supply of 200V and run for 1 hour until

Study on the human kidney and kidney stones

Study on the human kidney and kidney stones There are normally two kidneys in humans. The kidneys are small organs which can be found behind the abdominal cavity in a space called the retroperitoneum. They are approximately at the vertebral level of T12 to L3. The kidney participates in whole-body homeostasis, excretion and releases important hormones. Small, solid masses called kidney stones may form when salts or minerals, which are normally found in urine, become solid crystals inside the kidney. These crystals are normally too small to be become aware of, and pass harmlessly out of the body. However, they can build up inside your kidney and form much larger kidney stones. If a stone becomes large enough, it may begin to move out of the kidney and progress through the ureter (a tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder). A kidney stone can become stuck at various parts of the ureter or kidney causing pain, infection and occasionally kidney damage. These kidney stones can be in many different shapes and sizes. The peak age for kidney stones is between 20 years old and 50 years old. The risk of having kidney stones in males is three to four times larger than in females. Other diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, chronic diarrhoea, or kidney cysts might increase the risk of having kidney stones as well. If the patient has previously had a kidney stone then he/she will have a 50 percent chance of developing another one within five years. A family history of kidney stones also increases the risk of developing kidney stones (cvstine stones). Kidney stones form when there is a decrease in urine volume and/or an excess of stone-forming substances in the urine. The most common type of kidney stones present contains calcium in combination with either oxalate or phosphate. Other chemical complexes that can form kidney stones in the urinary tract include uric acid and the amino acid cystine. Dehydration from reduced fluid intake, excessive sweating, or strenuous exercise without adequate fluid replacement may lead to the formation of kidney stones. Obstruction to the flow of urine can also lead to kidney stone formation. Kidney stones can also result from infection in the urinary tract; these are known as struvite or infection stones. Ingesting too much sugar, salts, and/or protein may lead to the formation of kidney stones as well. This is due to protein containing amino acids (which includes cystine); fructose is a sugar which some individuals metabolize into oxalate. Many different medical conditions may also lead to the fo rmation of kidney stones. These medical conditions include gout (which results in an increased amount of uric acid in the urine and can lead to the formation of uric acid stones.), Hypercalciuria (too much calcium is absorbed from food and excreted into the urine, where it may form calcium phosphate or calcium oxalate stones.), hyperparathyroidism, cystinuria and hyperoxaluria. Medication may also lead to kidney stone formation. These medications include some diuretics, some chemotherapy medicines for cancer and some medication used to treat HIV and AIDS. The presence of kidney stones may cause the patient to have symptoms of sudden pains in their abdomen, lower back, or/and groin area. Renal colic may occur in severe cases, which is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Kidney stones also cause blood to be present in urine; this is caused by the kidney stone rubbing with the wall of the ureter. Sometimes symptoms such as frequent urination, difficulty in urinating, and testicular pain may also occur. Fevers and chills may occur as well when the patient has kidney stones as well as an infection in the urinary tract. The diagnosis of kidney stones is suspected by the typical pattern of symptoms when other possible causes of the abdominal or side pains are excluded. Imaging tests are usually done to confirm the diagnosis. There are 2 methods that can be used to detect kidney stones, the helical CT scan (which detects any obstruction in the urinary tract without any contrast material) and the intravenous pyelogram (IVP: an X-ray of the abdomen along with the administration of contrast dye into the bloodstream). Helical CT scans have been shown to be a significantly more effective diagnostic tool than the IVP in the diagnosis of kidney or urinary tract stones. In pregnant women or those who should avoid radiation exposure, an ultrasound examination may be done to help establish the diagnosis. There are many methods of removing a kidney stone. Most kidney stones eventually pass through the urinary tract on their own within 48 hours, with ample fluid intake. Pain medications are used for symptom relief. For kidney stones that do not pass on their own, a procedure called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is often used. In this procedure, shock waves are used to break up a large stone into smaller pieces that can then pass through the urinary system. Surgical techniques have also been developed to remove kidney stones when other treatment methods are not successful or helpful. This may be done through a small incision in the skin (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) or through an instrument known as an ureteroscope, which is passed through the urethra and bladder up into the ureter. Rather than having to undergo treatment, it is best to avoid the formation of kidney stones in the first place when possible. It can be especially helpful to drink more water, since low fluid intake and dehydration are the major risk factors for kidney stone formation. Depending on the cause of the kidney stones and an individuals medical history, dietary and lifestyle changes and/or medications are sometimes recommended to decrease the likelihood of developing further kidney stones.

The Lady Her Porch And Her Chair :: essays research papers

The Lady,Her Porch, and Her Chair Once there lived an old lady named Clair Higgins. Every summer day she would sit out on her porch in her rocking chair drinking lemonade and reading a book. She looked like a nice person, but rumor had it that she was a mean old lady. Some people say that she killed her husband, others say that her husband ran away from her. It was so hard to believe though. Clair didn't look anything like a mean person. She looked so gentle and kind. She hair fair skin and rosy cheeks. Her hair was a shinny silver-gray,and it was fairly long. Her lips were plush and pink,all this surprising at her age. Most women her age have thinning gray hair and lots of wrinkles. That was another thing that was weird about her, she had few wrinkles. She doesn't look all that tall and she's fairly skinny. I've never seen her smile, she looks so lonely. Or maybe the book she is reading is just sad. Even though she doesn't smile, I still think that she is kind at heart. Just because her husband isn't around doesn't mean she killed him. Maybe he died of old age or is in a nursing home. Wherever he is, people have no right talking about her and saying stuff that they don't even know is true. Her porch is in pretty good condition. It looks like a comforting place to sit out on nice days. Except for the few cobwebs that have gathered in the corners it looks nice. The steps are cement and there are flower beds surrounding the porch, with beautiful flowers in them. They were so pretty that they lit up the whole house,and you would just want walk up to them and smell each one. It makes me wonder though, how do those flowers get there? Clair is always reading her book or looking out into the sky. What am I saying, there probably annual bulbs. Her porch had a roof, protecting her from the sun on hot days and it protected her from the rain on rainy days. One the roof is a light so she can read in the dark. The porch made a silent creaking sound as she rocked back and forth. On the porch was a table where she set her lemonade down each day. It also held her blanket and a candle for when she got a chill.

Quality Control Department Essay

In an attempt to cut costs in the Quality Control Department of XYZ Deli, it is important to first identify the costs to determine which aspects of the company’s quality control process can be eliminated, if any at all. Quality control costs can be divided into three different classifications. These classifications are prevention costs, appraisal costs and failure costs (Stevenson, 2008). Prevention costs are costs generated in the process of impeding product mistakes or flaws in order to supply customers with XYZ Deli brand quality products or to improve current products. Prevention costs are the most indispensable of the quality control costs. It is less expensive and much less difficult to repair a flaw or defect before the product reaches the customer. Prevention costs include not only planning and administrative procedure costs, but also education/training and increased equipment maintenance costs. It is important that all employees are trained accurately throughout the quality control process in order to produce XYZ Deli quality products and to ensure a decline in the possibility of erroneous design and productivity (Stevenson, 2008). Possible tradeoffs for this cost would be if employees are not trained properly, ensuring the job is being done correctly; may result in the production of unsatisfactory product. This could potentially create loss of sales or opportunity costs because the products are being poorly produced. However, increasing the time spent training employees could delay the production process. This would also create opportunity costs because the product would take longer to get  to the customer. While prevention costs are most vital, appraisal costs are necessary to ensure customers are being provided with the high quality products expected from the XYZ Deli brand. This would include costs of inspection of products to determine if product standards and parameters are being met, as well as to detect any product flaws. An example of appraisal costs is inspection costs. Inspection costs are incurred during the quality testing process. This includes the cost of the inspection facility and inspector auditor salaries, as well as any materials, appliances or tools used to test XYZ Deli brand products (Stevenson, 2008). A potential tradeoff to not inspecting product could also allow defective product to reach the customer, creating opportunity costs. Poorly produced products will not be well received. At any rate, the tradeoff for properly inspecting all the product being produced could set back the time it takes for the product to reach the market; also creating opportunity costs. Finally, failure costs are generated when components of the product or the product itself is faulty. Failure costs can be either internal or external. Internal failures are those detected in one of the production phases; before the product reaches the customer. There are numerous issues that contribute to an internal failure; such issues include: faulty materials received, improper handling of material, defective equipment, and improper use of equipment. Examples of internal failure costs are loss of production time, worthless material and the cost of regenerating previous work and/or the rebuilding of the product, as well as the cost of inspecting the reworked product. Other examples of internal failures include possible damage to equipment; possible safety issues causing employee injuries. External failures are failures that are identified after the customer has received the product. Such issues are not discovered during production or inspection process. These costs are much more expensive and much more difficult to correct because the product has already reached the consumer. Examples of a failure costs include managing customer complaints, accountability and possible litigation. Overseeing warranty issues, providing replacements and payments are also examples of failure costs. An  important failure costs to avoid is the loss of customer loyalty (Stevenson, 2008). Not only does XYZ Deli want to recruit new customers, it is important to retain current valued customers. Not finding a way to take care of the consumer may give the company a poor reputation, creating more opportunity costs. While each of these costs is expensive, they are necessary in maintaining the reputation of a growing company, such as XYZ Deli. Prevention appraisal costs are the preferable way to disperse funds because they prevent failure costs. Failure costs are much more expensive for the company, not only in terms of money, but also in terms of the company’s reputation, good will and the ability to retain current valued customers. If XYZ Deli spends the time and money on the appropriate such as ensuring proper training in production and inspection, the company will save money in the future. References Stevenson, W. (2008). Operations management (10th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill ISBN-13: 978-0-07-337784-1.

Teach Your Children Well Essays - Justice, Philosophy Of Law

Teach Your Children Well Essays - Justice, Philosophy Of Law Teach Your Children Well New California law states that it is up to the prosecutors in a case as to whether minors are charged as adults for violent crimes. What should a judge do when eight boys from suburban middle class families, confess to armed robbery and assault and battery of five Hispanic immigrant farm workers? In this case, one must realize what a delicate situation this has come to be. If tried as adults these eight boys could spend their next sixteen years in juvenile detention. They were described as being 'good boys' with no other marks on their records. With only one reason for committing such a crime, these boys need to face their racism while justice is being served, with non-traditional punishment that will teach an unforgettable lesson. As upper-middle class, above-average students, even some athletes, these boys obviously do not know what life is all about. Authorities said that the boys were specifically looking for Hispanic workers to attack, so that shows the boys had some type of motive. In this day and age where Americans have a need to be treated as equal; equal opportunity employers, equal rights for men, women, African-American, Chinese-American, and every other group of people in this country, one would think that somewhere along the line children would get the message that we are all the same. Children should be taught to love, not hate. It is painful to see such a crime committed just for the mere fact that they were different. Didn't hate crimes end in the sixties? Why is it that still parents cannot or will not instill in their children ideals of an equal human race? Black or white, brown or red, rich or poor, aren't we all the same when you turn out the lights? I am not saying that I think this is ent irely the parents' fault, but they do need to take blame. At the age these boys are at, their parents are some of their few role models, and they always will be, but at this age, parents are the most influential people in a child's life, nothing can come close to a mother's scorn, or a fathers praise. In that sense too, children believe in what their parents believe in, not because it is right, but because it is the only way they know. So, parents should watch when they say they hate someone or some group and we should all try to be better people, for the sake of our children. (Gil Garcetti 588-590) In a crime this violent, considering the assailants and their victims, a measure of justice needs to be served. The assailants need to take responsibility for their actions. However, sixteen years in a juvenile detention facility does not seem the best answer. James Twitchell believes that, In recent years the dispensers of the law are finally realizing that shame has a place in punishment. (602) And so, there needs to be a way of measuring how the boys are rehabilitated, and their community needs to be involved, as well as their parents and friends. Justice means fairness. It means righteousness, impartiality, honesty, and integrity. Justice should be measured by the victims themselves, they should get to see their assailants suffer and learn from their mistakes. That is what justice is all about. These boy assailants need to witness justice first hand in order for it to have any affect ct on them. (Garcetti 588-590) A punishment that can validate such a hiesous crime needs to be quite creative. One could just shout An eye for an eye! As Mark Costanzo concedes, even the often misinterpreted 'eye for an eye' passage in the bible was meant to restrain rather than require vengeance. (592) But that is not how our judicial system works, although it would be fair. Still there are others, like Bradley O'Leary who implies that the punishmentshould fit the crime, not the age of the violent offender. As a society, we cannot show any sympathy for, or excuses from, the youth thugswho are destroying our schools and neighborhoods. (590) These boys will be punished, as they should be, but their judge has an opportunity to change their lives forever. If

The Role of the Psychologist in Family Law Custody Battles

The Role of the Psychologist in Family Law Custody Battles Free Online Research Papers With divorce rates ever rising in Canada issues surrounding parenting after divorce are becoming more and more prevalent. As it stands 31% of marriages in Canada are ending in divorce. Of the 31% of marriages that end in divorce an even smaller portion end up in litigation. (Schuller Ogloff, 2002, p. 393) As a legal assistant in a family law office I see many of the most complex family custody disputes and many instances where the Court appoints a Psychologist to assist in the Judge’s decision. Does having an expert third party involved in custody and access decisions offer the Judge a different perspective or simply reinforce what he or she already knows? Review of research on the Psychologist’s role in custody and access disputes demonstrates that the Psychologist does play an integral part in assisting families caught in litigation in forming a parenting plan that is in the best interest of the child or children of the marriage (Covell, 1999; Emery, Laumann-Billings, Waldron, Sbarra Dillon, 2001; Sorenson, Golman, Sheeber, Albanese, Ward, Williamson, McDanal, 1997). The use of a third party expert in litigation is not a new concept and should be more widely used when it comes to family law. Research indicates there to be greater satisfaction in families that go through litigation compared to those who go through mediation and greater satisfaction yet when families have an independent third party to assist in developing a parenting regime (Covell, 1999; Emery et al., 2001; Sorenson et al., 1997). Summary of Research The Law When examining family law matters we must understand the law as set out in the Family Law Act which came into effect on October 1, 2005 (Alberta Court Family Justice, 2005). The Family Law Act is intended to focus on the needs of child or children of the relationship and to put those needs first, it is also intended to streamline the Court process by encouraging the resolution of issues through mediation (Alberta Court Family Justice, 2005). Under the Family Law Act the word â€Å"parenting† has replaced the words â€Å"custody and access,† this is intended to reflect that parenting is still the responsibility of both parents regardless of the breakdown of their relationship. Parents are to continue to share guardianship of their child or children after their separation until they agree on a parenting plan or the Court orders otherwise. The Court reserves the right to intervene where necessary and appropriate (Alberta Court Family Justice, 2005). Practice Note 7 allows for the Alberta Courts to appoint a Psychologist to a family law case for either an Assessment or Intervention. The Psychologist is referred to as an independent parenting expert and is appointed when in family matters there is no resolution possible and the Court needs an objective professional opinion to assist in looking out for the best interests of the child or children involved, the Court may also appoint an independent parenting expert to expedite and facilitate a resolution of specific issues that are better resolved in a non-adversarial fashion (Alberta Court Family Justice, 2005). When an Assessment is used in matters of child custody the independent parenting expert will examine both parent and child and provide his recommendations with respect to which parenting arrangement is in the best interest of each child. The expert will take into consideration the results of psychological testing, the mental health of the individuals being examined as well as any issues identified by the Courts as set out in the Assessment Order. The parenting expert may provide his or her input into the parameters of the Assessment and whether or not an Intervention may be more appropriate (Alberta Court Family Justice, 2005). Similar to an Assessment, for an Intervention an independent parenting expert will usually make his recommendation to the Court as to what he feels is appropriate for that particular case. There are several forms of Intervention, which include, but are not limited to, counseling, therapy, educational sessions such as Parenting After Separation, evaluation and recommendations. The expert may determine a parenting plan that is agreeable to all parties involved or he may terminate the Intervention if he feels it is not going to be useful (Alberta Court Family Justice, 2005). Research Covell (1999) argues that the existing system used in custody decisions is not really in the best interest of the child. In examining the current Canadian system she examines both cases with Psychologists involved and cases without. Covell indicates that the child’s best interests are best represented when a Parenting Plan is put to use. The underlying assumptions associated with having a Parenting Plan approach are as follows: parents enter the divorce process with little understanding of the impact it will have on themselves as well as their children; parents become self-absorbed during the divorce process and forget the best interests of their children; there will be future conflict between the parents; and that it is in the best interest of the child to have both parents involved in the parenting process. The assumptions as set out above are true to most custody cases and therefore a Parenting Plan tends to offer a long-term solution to custody arrangements, which in turn more often offers greater stability to the child or children involved. Emery et al. (2001) examines follow-up data obtained twelve years after either mediation or litigation in custody disputes. In this study litigation was not broken down into cases in which a Psychologist was involved and cases in which one was not. Mediation was provided through a court appointed mediator, not a Psychologist. In contrasting litigation to mediation Emery et al. found similar to Covell that those who went through litigation were able to stick to a parenting plan over a greater period of time offering more stability to the child or children of the relationship. Those who went through litigation found that there was more satisfaction amongst each parent resulting in less post-decision conflict. Sorenson et al. (1997) examines a study of sixty families involved in contested custody cases in the State of Florida. Of the sixty families studied the most common custody arrangement involved granting one parent primary residency. They found that there was almost equal distribution of judges granting primary residency mothers and fathers; however, judges were more likely to grant primary residency to fathers when a Psychologist was involved. Without the involvement of a Psychologist it was noted that the judge would most often go with the State’s presumption of shared custody based on the child’s interests. Overall the research supports and emphasizes that there is greater satisfaction with the use of the expert testimony from a Psychologist in assisting the Courts in custody decisions. Faust and Ziskin (1988) are skeptics when it comes to forensic psychology and its relevance in law. They claim that the instability of method and theory inhibits the accumulation of scientific knowledge. Faust and Ziskin offer several arguments against the use of expert testimonies in the courtroom. Studies they reviewed show that clinicians’ error rate exceeded their accuracy rate. Also in research reviewed clinicians generally are not experienced in the forensic role because they are more familiar with the role of helping patients. Faust and Ziskin feel that the clinician’s tendency to empathize with people will cloud the Court’s decision. Lastly, they believe that clinicians tend to overvalue supportive evidence and undervalue counterevidence, which leads to the presumption of abnormality when it might not be there. Overall, Faust and Ziskin believe that the expert’s testimony will reflect personal biases and can mislead the Courts. Analysis and Critique The research cited above is a small portion of the research that exists in the area of forensic psychology specifically family law. While Covell, Emery et al. and Sorenson et al. investigate the Psychologist’s role in custody decisions based on the satisfaction of the parties involved after the litigation process, Faust and Ziskin examine the process itself looking at the clinician’s role as opposed to the outcome. Both methods of research although different have a consistent theme. It seems that bias exists throughout the legal system and when one adds an expert third party it adds the possibility of greater bias. When comparing the research of Covell, Emery et al. and Sorenson et al. it is evident that structure increases satisfaction as well a stability in the outcome of custody cases. Covell offered mainly suggestion of the best approach to psychology in family law stemming from her research of the child’s best interest that in some regards is a bit of a stretch from the data used. Emery et al. and Sorenson et al. relied on surveys from longitudinal studies post-custody decision, the groups were between thirty-five and sixty all randomly selected which reduces researcher bias but increases variables. Suggestions for Future Research With the amount of variables that exist in family law it would be ideal to have a study longitudinally examining families who have gone through the litigation process for custody arrangements comparing the outcomes of cases using a Psychologist and those that do not. The families would need to be of similar socioeconomic status, have the same number of children and have parents who reside in the same city. Also, for consistency, it could be useful to ensure that families studied have similar family structure post-divorce i.e. having step-parents/siblings etc. A longitudinal study allows us to understand what truly works and what does not in terms of child custody arrangements over a long period of time. Although somewhat unrealistic, it would all be interesting and informative to do a comparison of a Judge’s decision for custody in comparison to a Psychologist’s recommendations when given the same case and track the discrepancies between the two using several cases and several Judges and Psychologists in the same area. This would allow not only for the Psychologists and Judges to be compared but it would give insight into the discrepancies that exist within each profession. Opinion When reaching a custody agreement between parents is impossible litigation is the best option. Litigation offers a structured environment to resolve family law conflict. In a litigated case, when there are expressed concerns about emotional or psychological problems that adversely effect parenting abilities or the childrens emotional well-being, or when the parties’ conflicts have become such that their hostility impedes any progress towards settlement, the services of a psychologist will be called upon by the Court to assist the decision-making process. The goal of the Court appointed Psychologist is to provide recommendations and input that can provide a basis for informed settlement discussions on residency and parenting plans that meet the individual needs of the family involved in the litigation. The structure of the Family Law Act incorporating Practice Note 7 creates a system where there is less inter-parental conflict and likely to be more meaningful involvement of both parents in the child’s life through an agreed to Court Ordered parenting plan. Through litigation using a psychologist it results in less re-litigation and therefore less disruption to the child’s well being (Covell, 1999). Conclusion Although it is difficult to track and research the role of the Psychologist in family law custody matters the research reviewed in this paper indicates that there is little negative to come from having an expert independant third party assist the Courts decision. Faust and Ziskin (1988) do identify that each party brings their own biases into the puzzle but the other research examined herein acknowledges the same and concludes that despite the potential bias, greater good comes from the Psychologists involvement. Whether a Psychologist appointed by the Court uses an intervention or assessment style to report to the Court he provides support to both the parents and child or children involved in what can be a very emotional experience. In addition to providing support to the family the Psychologist can assist both the parents and the Court to identify the best interests of the child which is the focus of the Family Law Act. References Alberta Court Family Justice. (2005). Alberta’s family law act: an overview. Retrieved November 11, 2006, from albertacourts.ab.ca/cs/familyjustice/ FLA Overview.pdf Covell, K. (1999). Promoting parenting plans: a new role for the psychologist as expert in custody disputes. Expert Evidence 7,113-126. Emery, R., Laumann-Billings, L., Waldron, M., Sbarra, D., and Dillon, P. (2001). Child custody mediation and litgation: custody, contact and coparenting 12 years after initial dispute resolution. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology,69 (2), 323-332 Faust, D., Ziskin, J. (1988). The expert witness in psychology and psychiatry. Science, 241, 31-35. Schuller, R., Ogloff, J. (Eds). (2002). Introduction to psychology and the law Canadian perspectives. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Sorenson, E., Golman, J., Sheeber, L., Albanese, I., Ward, M., Williamson, L and McDanal, C. (1997). Judges reliance on psychological, sociological and legal variables in contested custody decisions. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage 27(1/2), 1-25. Research Papers on The Role of the Psychologist in Family Law Custody BattlesThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThree Concepts of PsychodynamicQuebec and CanadaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoStandardized Testing19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Government 1 Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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