Crime is Socially Constructed by Society Essay Example for Free

Crime is Socially Constructed by Society Essay Crime does not naturally occur. It arises due to its necessity in certain areas. In other words, it is socially constructed by the residents of crime ridden areas who live in societies that have criminal abilities. This is due to a number of factors, but most importantly, crime arises in certain places because of the blatant segregation of the rich and poor; people tend to live in areas with other people who make about the same amount of money, and in low income areas, people resort to crime to make a few extra dollars. High Crime Areas So generally, areas with high crime rates have these problems because they are poorer areas. The residents of such areas often do not have the options that the residents upper class neighborhoods have. Unemployment rates are much higher in poor communities (or areas with somewhat modestly priced homes, or public housing) and crime, therefore may, potentially, result in a greater monetary gain for individuals of poor areas when considering their other options. As crime is generally defined as something that goes against the law, it may be said that the laws broken in many petty crimes of poor communities were not put in place to protect the citizens of lower class communities. Although some are dangerous, illegal drugs often represent a means (and for many people, the only means) of monetary gain in communities with lower standards of living. Though illegal, drug trafficking is seen as a better alternative than starving by many of the people who participate in the trade. Given that laws are, if at all, at best loosely framed around general moral concepts of right and wrong, it may be said that not all crime would be commonly thought of as bad, when alternatives are revealed. For instance, it is illegal to urinate in public, but if one finds themselves in an unfamiliar area and is unable to locate a restroom, it is probably better for that person to relieve himself behind a tree in a park, than do so on himself, or harm his body by refraining from urinating for too long. Laws Often Overlooked or Disregarded There are a lot of actions that are illegal (and are therefore crimes) that are commonplace in certain communities or environments. For instance, it is socially (but still not legally) acceptable to drink in college settings, where many of the people are underage. And in poorer communities where selling drugs can lead to someone’s primary income, most people do not regard handling or selling drugs as a crime, but rather as a means of making money, and something that must be concealed when law enforcement is in the area. Generally, the people in areas where drugs are sold feel that law enforcement is trying to get in the way of their rights; the people do not believe that what they are doing is morally reprehensible. Crime Created by the Lawmaker, rather than the Lawbreaker It seems that, when residents of high crime areas consider some criminal activities to be unfairly restricted, crime is created by the government, which chose to outlaw certain actions. When lawbreakers do not consider their actions wrong, then to them, crime is indeed constructed by the government, which created laws. But from an authoritative view, crime is not created by the government, or exhibited by law enforcement who â€Å"creates† crime as officers make arrests, but rather it is created by the citizens who break laws that the government put into place. Any society that has laws, rules, or restrictions that in any way hinder the civil rights or serve to limit the actions of citizens will potentially have crime. The lawmakers will consider crime as a creation of the citizens, while many citizens will view crime as something created by the lawmakers who decided to limit civil freedoms. The reason that some areas have much higher rates of crime than others is that as crime is socially constructed, it is done so by necessity. This, combined with housing segregation of the rich and poor, generally designates poorer neighborhoods as areas of higher crime. But crime by its definition comes about in a different way. Values of Lawmaker and Lawbreaker may Differ Crime is justified by many lawmakers by their own moral standards. Suppose someone robs a convenience store, and carries away a few loaves of bread and some packaged meat. The thief probably does not completely disregard the wellbeing of the company or workers whom he robbed. He probably believes that they will still make it, even with the loss of the bread and meat. So in the thief’s mind, he considers that he needs the food, and the vending company does not. Crime is really a conception. Although it is supposed to align with what is not right, or an action that is in fact wrong, when people have the ability to transcend the view that all laws are to protect what is intrinsically right, they can look at laws as restrictions. And generally, as people break the law, they try to avoid those who guard those restrictions (which are the law enforcement officers). It makes it much easier for people who participate in criminal activities to be of this view, as it helps to eliminate guilt. But this view is only applicable in certain scenarios. Most people are not able to blow off a murder by allowing that it is only â€Å"wrong† because the law says so. In some cases, such as with murder, criminals may realize that according to their own morals a crime is wrong, and that explains why such serious crimes that are almost universally considered morally wrong are committed less than crimes that some may label restrictions. And many people do assess the morals of a situation according to their own values when it comes to making certain decisions, rather than according to the laws set in place. It seems that the best way to explain what crime is, is by allowing that it is indeed created by the lawmakers. It is constructed socially, by people who set rules that are intended to govern societies. By setting these rules, they create the possibility of crime, which is defined as the breaking of these rules. Crime can be trivial, or very severe. Criminal offenses generally result in punishment, which is intended to deter crime, but when people do not see their actions as wrong, their main goal is not to refrain from their actions, but rather to find away not to be caught for committing them. The Emergence of Crime Crime is socially created by any form of government. As Thomas Hobbes explains in his book Leviathan, before people become socially organized, and give up their natural rights that may include harming others for personal gain (as there are no laws or requirements in some state of nature except to do what prolongs one’s life), it seems that people consenting to give up their natural rights gives way to crime, which results when one infringes on the life or property of another. Any successful social organization must allow for crime, which results when people do as they please with regards to others, instead of recognizing everyone’s civil rights. Any social community that has any order will have the possibility of crime. People are not perfect, and laws that allow for crime as they are broken must be set to deter the criminal activities that one would freely participate in without rules. People in poorer communities often have more incentive to engage in criminal acts, but it is not necessarily socially constructed by the criminals. The existence of crime may just as easily be attributed to the lawmakers who themselves allow for crime by creating rules for society. Bibliography Hobbes, T. (1651). Leviathan. Oxford: Oxford University Press Rafter, N. (1990) The Social Construction of Crime and Crime Control. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Vol. 27, No. 4, 376-389. Welsh, I. (2005). The Social Construction of Crime. The Agonist. http://agonist. org/story/2005/12/23/121952/67

Creatine: Hazardous or Healthy Essay -- essays research papers

CREATINE: Hazardous or Healthy?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In sports today, everyone is looking for that extra advantage to enhance their performance, and to compete harder and stronger than their opponent. Creatine has become a major part of many athletes weight training and conditioning programs in the past few years. Many people have different opinions as to whether or not this substance should be used. After researching the topic of Creatine, I have concluded that there is nothing wrong with taking the supplement called Creatine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The supplement, known as Creatine or â€Å"Nature’s Steroid†, is the latest craze of the movement, and is selling over 100 million dollars in profit each year. â€Å"Creatine is a natural substance that was first discovered by a French Chemist named Chevreul† (Higher Power Creatine Web page). It is found in its highest form in lean red muscle tissue of animals and humans in the form of Creatine Phosphate. â€Å"Creatine must be combined with exercise to get an effect. When muscles are used to lift a weight, or perform any type of work, ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is quickly broken down to ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) and energy is released. The amount of ATP stored in the muscle must rely on Creatine to restock its supply of ATP. This cycle is repeated throughout the training period. Therefore, the addition of supplementary creatine allows the duration of the body’s maximum effort to increase. Which basically means you can lift more weight for a longer pe riod of time†(Applegate 25). Muscles will only increase in size when stimulated by a greater workload. For example, before one was using a Creatine supplement, he or she was bench-pressing 170 pounds, for 3 sets with 8 repetitions each set. With use of Creatine one is able to bench press 180 pounds, for 3 sets with ten repetitions per set. Thus, enhancing performance, and gradually increasing overall strength and muscle mass.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The one major concern about Creatine is if it is harmful, and the type of side affects that may occur from its use. â€Å"Creatine is a natural, safe substance that already exists in the human body. Its function is to provide the body with energy reserves. Reports have also shown that it is not an addictive substance, like tobacco. Creatine is safe for both sexes. Common side eff... ...efore exercise†(Fitness Pros Bodybuilding Web page). This gives the Creatine time to get to the muscle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are two periods in which one takes Creatine. â€Å"The Loading period, in which he or she takes 2 to 4 full teaspoons per day spaced throughout the day, for a weeks time. The purpose of the Loading phase is to overdose the body with the supplement, which allows maximum absorption. After Loading is done one has to maintain or regulate the amount of Creatine in their system. The recommended Maintenance period includes taking 1 to 2 full teaspoons daily, for as long as one continues using the supplement†(Fitness Pros Bodybuilding Web page). Through my research, I found that these periods varied, but this program was the most consistent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To conclude, Creatine or â€Å"Nature’s Steroid†, is an over the counter dietary supplement that helps build lean muscle mass, and shortens recovery time between workouts. Its side effects are nowhere near life threatening, and the supplement is natural and already in our muscles. Creatine is a legal, healthy way to enhance muscular strength and endurance in the striving athletes of the world.

You Get Stronger While Facing Difficulties

Our society is consistently changing. Different generations of people may have different kinds of life. Since my mother and I grew in different environments, we may have different set of values. I have had interview with my mother who grew up in an environment which is different from mine, and I found that our personal history, sense of cultural and social history are very different. Although she grew up in a relatively poor environment, she still succeeds due to her hard work. My mother was born in Hong Kong. She has two brothers and two sisters. At the time when she was a child, Hong Kong was not a rich city.The majority of people were poor. In my mother's family, since there are five children, they did not have sufficient income to maintain their lives. In this case, my mother needed to get a part-time Job after school in order to reduce the family financial burden. According to my mother, she always worked till 11 pm every day. She added † [This was really very hard. ] At t hat time, there were only a few ways to entertain. When my mother had spear time, she usually listened to the radio. She always said that Refortifies † [At that time I was bored. I could only listen to the radio when I had time. When comparing to her, I grew up in an environment which had many kinds of entertainment. Watching television, playing computer games and surfing the Internet are major types of activities that we do after school. Since Hong Kong is richer when compared to the past, most of the kids do not need to get part-time Jobs. These show that we grew up in different environment. Obviously, my mother faced more difficulties than me. Besides that, my mother thought that she was like living in a reign country. In terms of race, more than 90% of Hong Kong people are Chinese.However, since Hong Kong was a British colony before 1997, our national identity was not clear. According to my mother, every time she traveled to another place, she had to say her nationality wa s British, although her race is Chinese. She always said -3–t%-o [It strange. ] She added m, was in a place where the majority of the populations are Chinese. However, this place was ruled by another country. I was like living in foreign country. ] Luckily, since the majority of the populations were Chinese, my mother could still participate in a home country traditions. Clammed. L could still celebrate Chinese festivals such as Lunar New Year; I could also eat Chinese food everywhere. ]According to my mother, racism problem in Hong Kong still existed when she was young, although it was not serious. â€Å"she said. [People usually thought that White people were more superior. ] Apart from that, before 1997, Hong Kong was a British colony in which English was the only official language in the city. According to my mother, all the subjects at school were aught in English, [l have to read English book every day because all the textbooks were in English. She added, tiff, [In thi s case, I needed to learn an additional language other than Chinese. ] On the other hand, Chinese songs were very common. My mother quite enjoyed listening to Chinese songs. She said there were local Cantonese songs and Mandarin songs from Taiwan. When compared, nowadays the importance of English in Hong Kong has declined. There are more and more high schools use Chinese as medium of instruction. In other words, nowadays Hong Kong is more likely to be a Chinese city. In terms of culture, now it is â€Å"easier† to live in Hong Kong than before.Although my mother faced some cultural difficulties before, she tried her best to deal with it. Therefore, she can have a better life nowadays. Last but not least, my mother faced a lot of social problem when she was a child. She really concerned about social issues when she was a child. She said † [l am not a recent immigrant; I was born in Hong Kong. I should be more concern about social issues. ] According to my mother, there w ere many social problems. For example, at the time when she was a child, the irruption problem was quite serious.My mother said that the police department was the most corrupted department in the government. â€Å"Г*, † she claimed. [At that time, the majority of people hated police very much. ] Furthermore, the housing problem in Hong Kong was also very serious. My mother said, † [At that time, many people lived in squatter areas. ] She added, [l was comparatively luckier because I could live in public housing estate. ] When compared, due to the establishment of Independent Commission Against Corruption (IAC) in 1974, at the present, the corruption problem has been greatly improved.Besides that, since Hong Kong people are richer than before, they can live in tall buildings instead of living in squatter areas. Although my mother did not live in a good environment, she did not give up, so she can succeeds and have a better life at present. In conclusion, the growing environment of my mother and me are really different. She grew up in a relatively difficult and poor environment. Although she faced many problems, she did not give up. Working hard to solve all the problems that she faced, now she can have a better life. This positive attitude should be learned.

The Octogonal Structure Roared from Shakespeares Performers

This octogonal structure roared from Shakespeare’s performers. The actors and the audience throughout the performances had tears, laughter, and many left in complete awe. Every seat in this three story theatre was packed tightly with over 30,000 eyes watching. Flags rose, and trumpets started to play in the Globe while productions began. The Globe Theatre started an era of acting in the late 1500’s and changed the way we look at performing still to this day. This theatre was jaw dropping as people entered this â€Å"salvaged wood† framed theatre. In 1599, the stage was ready for acts to begin. The name of the Globe Theatre was for people to know that the â€Å"whole round world† could be represented by every actor. William Shakespeare referred to the theatre as â€Å" this wooden ‘O’ † (Langly). In Elizabethan times, the ground along the bankside could flood by the Thames, so the Globe had to have solid foundations. After about 1600, as many as 15,000 people went to the city’s playhouse every week. The Globe was designed and was a â€Å"hodgepodge† of architectural structures. This framework held the first performances. All actors were men. It did not matter whether the role was a woman or man. The theatre was also one of the only social sites that brought together different classes of people. Of this three story masterpiece there were special sections reserved for members of nobility. The acting was a whole different situation. Woman were not allowed to act under the law, so men had to