Five Point Plan for Crime Reduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Five Point Plan for Crime Reduction - Essay Example Yet, despite placing more and more individuals under the control of the country’s correctional center, the crime rate does not seem to be going down. A reasonable conclusion that can be reached from the aforesaid findings is that the present justice system is not working as expected. Alternative plans or policies, therefore, should be adopted to bridge the gap between law enforcement and effective reduction in crime rates. Such policies and measures should be able to address the shortcomings of the existing approaches to crime reduction as well as remedy the limited capacity of the criminal judicial system. Such measures should, at the least, include the following: reducing re-offence through education, training and employment; focused or individualized deterrence; addressing criminal gangs from the roots; Situational Crime Prevention (SCP), and; reducing drug use. Reducing re-offence through education, training and employment One way of reducing crime rates is to lower the ra te of recidivism or reoffending. A study of rearrest, reconviction, and reincarceration conducted by the Bureau of Jail Statistics (BJS) in the 1990s on inmates released in 1994 showed that within three years, more than 50% of them went back to prison within three years from release. Thus, 73.8% of property offenders released in 1994 were rearrested within 3 years and so did 61.7% of violent crime offenders, 66.7% of drug offenders and 62.2% rate of public order offenders (2002). In 2000, 42% of 459,000 US parolees reoffended within 18 months from release (Serin, 2005). A parallel study of reoffending in the UK published by the Audit Commission (1996) revealed that most repeat offenders come from disadvantaged groups, which could entail homelessness, unemployment, drug use, mental and alcohol problems. A majority of the offenders are unemployed at the time of arrest. The youth group has a high rate of recidivism, most of who are out of school. Generally, most prisoners lack necessar y skills for employment (Audit Commission, 1996) Intervention should be applied both in the prisons and in the community. According to Ofsted (2009), education, training and employment are the best ways of reducing re-offence. Joblessness triggers some people to engage in crimes and join gangs to get money. Education and training for prisoners will provide them with important knowledge and skills, which will work to their advantage once they are released from prisons. Employment will be relatively easier and ultimately, reintegration into society. Being armed with the necessary education and training also reduce feelings of inferiority upon return to their respective communities. Difficulties in re-integration can cause depression and frustration and compel newly released prisoners to resort to recidivism. For the youth, this encourages them to seek the company of persons similarly situated, such as joining criminal gangs. Education intervention offers a chance for ex-convicts for a better life rather than engage again in criminality. Technical training is best for most prisoners because it is less academically oriented, but adult and juvenile prisons should receive the same level of education as those in mainstream schools. This will make it easy for the youth offenders to integrate back to their schools or continue with higher

Pygmalion Discussion Paper :: essays research papers

English  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tyler Bliss Pygmalion Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The traits men want in our women can never and will never be attainable by any person, no matter who they are. For many years, love has been kind of a lost cause. Men might look for a woman that could satisfy their needs in the present, but they had no thought of what she might be like in the future. Male and female relationships in the myth Pygmalion, the book Pygmalion, and in â€Å"real† life have many similarities. All the men look for the most desirable traits in women, and sometimes we don’t always get what we want. But with those similarities, comes a few differences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the book, myth and in real life, the men aspire for traits in women that they could never have or aren’t worthy of. In the myth, the beauty of the goddess Aphrodite enchanted Pygmalion. And it was this enchantment that made him make the sculpture of her. In the book, Higgins wanted Eliza’s strength. In a weird way, he got what he wanted when she finally stood up to him. In real life, all men want traits in women that we think will suit our needs. We want to marry a woman that can meet all of our desires. Men from all different times and walks of life, dream of the woman that they want, but can never have. Perfection is unattainable, even in the stories passed down from generation to generation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the changing times, the men look for different traits in women. In the times of the myth, men probably looked for a woman that could cook, clean and mother his children. Where as, in the harsh times of the book, men probably looked for women that could be strong and loyal. Now, men all over the world look for women that are athletic, beautiful, and smart and have a unique attitude towards life. Men now a-days men still look for traits that the men long ago wanted in their women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In all three examples, the men don’t really get what they want; instead they get what has always been in front of them. The may have to settle for â€Å"the next best thing†. In the myth, Pygmalion didn’t get to marry Aphrodite; instead he married his sculpture that was brought to life by Aphrodite.

Apollo Shoes Confirmation Letter

to:Darlene wardlaw FROM: SUBJECT:CONFIRMATION REQUESTS DATE:OCTOBER 30, 2012 Two Forms of Confirmations We used both positive confirmations and negative confirmations. This is a required audit procedure by audit standards. Confirmations show existence and valuation of accounts and notes receivable. The positive confirmations are used to ask the customer to respond whether the balance is correct or incorrect. The negative confirmations ask for a response only if something is wrong with the balance. If no response is received, it is considered evidence that the account is stated fairly.With the positive confirmations, we are trying to find information on account balances or specific invoices. We sent positive confirmations to Neutralizer, Mall-Wart, Run For Your Life Shoes, Paul Bunion Footwear, Sassy Shoes, and International Soccer Federation. We sent a negative confirmation to Tread. The ones that we sent a positive confirmation to, we were wondering about some discrepancies in the n umbers and needed confirmation that payments were being made. The negative confirmation was sent with confidence that there were no errors. Therefore, we did not need a response if nothing was found.We checked the numbers that we received from the confirmation and compared them to the aged trial balance for account receivable. The numbers matched up. Alternative Procedures Sometimes customers are not able to send a response. A reason for this could be that they are on a voucher system that lists payables by invoice instead of by vendor account. In a case like this, we have to perform alternative procedures. We could examine subsequent cash receipts. We could examine sales orders, invoices and shipping documents. We could also examine correspondence files for past due accounts.

Leadership Reflection Paper Leadership - 851 Words

Leadership Reflection Paper Leadership truly begins with understanding your strengths and is a continual process of learning how to use those strengths to influence others (Griffiths, 2014). To understand leadership the word leader has to be examined. Webster describes a leader as a guide, a person who has commanding authority or influence. Additionally, a leader must possess specific qualities and characteristics to be classified a great leader. I will future delve into these qualities and characteristic as well as discuss my own personal leadership strengths and weaknesses. Qualities and Characteristics of a leader Great leaders should have certain skills and know how to stress specific characteristics to those around them. The characteristics that encompass a great leader are competitiveness, being a change agent, and communication. Competitive All great leaders are driven by competitiveness. Intuition drives this competiveness. Great leaders have a natural intuition that guides them through their decisions to succeed. Their decisions are based on past experience, confidence, and gut instinct. Another part of a great leader’s competitiveness is growing and improving. A function of growing is always learning and gaining knowledge that will give them the upper hand in business. Learning how to change others perspective is another aspect of being a great leader. Change agent One’s ability to inspire your team and the partners to see your vision andShow MoreRelatedReflection Paper On Leadership1624 Words   |  7 PagesIn my Leadership Reflection Three paper, I asserted that leadership is fundamentally a process. My defense was that leadership is a relationship, which is lived out over time, thus a process. However, now it is clear to me that leadership is not fundamentally a process, but rather a relationship. By analyzing my interviews with Daniel Del Nero, Mitchell White, and Billy Upchurch, I have concluded that the caliber and nature of a leader’s relationship with their followers is the crucial characteristicRead MoreReflection Paper On Leadership1921 Words   |  8 PagesLeadership Paper What defines leadership? There are a number of definitions of the meaning of leadership including but not limited to the theories of leadership and how leadership should work. In my opinion, every individual has different ways of confronting situations and there is not one leadership style or theory that will be flawless for any given situation. However, to be a successful educational leader, it is crucial to understand and be familiar with the various theories and styles of leadershipRead MoreReflection Paper On Leadership1085 Words   |  5 PagesOver the course of the past 18 years, I have seen good, bad, inspiring, and demoralizing leadership qualities. True leadership is defined by one’s actions during times of adversity. The best leaders understand that when plans are not successful, it is best to step back and put pride in check. A successful course of action starts when the cause is not about one individual, but the goals of the team. Many different influences, g ood and bad, have shaped my career. If not for the inspirational leadersRead MoreReflection Paper On Leadership1318 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership is the ability for one person to successfully and confidently lead a group of others who want to follow them. For me, leadership is about blending together my skills and abilities with my followers so that when we work together, the product we produce is always top notch. Leadership doesn’t have to come from someone who is above me in rank; anyone who is confident and has a similar set of values to mine could lead me. When I first started this leadership course, I had the basic understandingRead MoreReflection Paper On Leadership1122 Words   |  5 PagesLeadership for me is based on character, discipline, and the unit mission. I believe that our mission should guide all of our leadership actions. Our mission is to be ready to mobilize, deploy as leaders, and provide mission support to our subordinate leaders. We must man the force, train the force, maintain maintenance and accountability, and above all, take care of the Soldiers. It is difficult to narrow one crucible event or one person that influenced my leadership style. My dad, CSM withRead MoreReflection Paper On Leadership1004 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Video Assessment – Leadership #2† The premise that I would agree to is â€Å"Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders!† In the Ted Talks video, Sheryl Sandberg speaks of â€Å"problems† women in the world are facing (Sandberg, 2017). These â€Å"problems† include a woman not making it to the top and women having to choose between professional success and personal fulfillment. I think that it is so wrong that a woman has to choose between having a professional life and a career. A male can have both and there’s neverRead MoreReflection Paper On Leadership1345 Words   |  6 PagesReflection Essay 1 In class, so far, we have discussed many different topics about leadership. One being different leadership theories. The one that I feel most represents the leader I want to be in the future is servant leadership. When we discussed servant leadership it was defined as this leadership model is based on the leader and the followers wanting to serve others. Basically, this means the servant leader you put your focus on the needs of others before your own. The followers goalRead MoreLeadership Reflection Paper1174 Words   |  5 Pagesleading others through a crisis are three important characteristics a leader should possess. Leadership and self-care go hand in hand. Employees respect leaders who actively listen and align their purpose around the vision and mission of the organization. Dees (2013) mentions, â€Å"Optimism is an outer display of the inner quality of hope that leads towards a positive future† (p. 222). When the honor of leadership is given to an individual, the road is not always smooth and easy. Sometimes, there areRead MoreReflection Paper On Leadership1712 Words   |  7 Pagesis recognizing when to harness something, and my peer evaluations were totally surprising, and I decided to use them anyway. Leadership Goals Perfecting your development skills can enhance your ability to be an effective leader. A successful leader is open to change and flourish as both an authority figure and an individual. Continuously working to improve your leadership skills will keep those skill sets properly aligned with the constantly fluctuating goals and priorities of today’s workforce (TopRead MoreReflection Paper On Leadership1552 Words   |  7 PagesMy first lesson in leadership was immediately after my start in the military. As a brand-new lieutenant, I had been assigned a relatively-new airman who was popular with the members of the unit, but with a less-than-stellar track record. Prior to that assignment, I thought leadership was easy. Eventually, I had to make a very difficult and equally out-of-favor leadership recommendation. The squadron commander stood by me, advising but allowing me the freedom to choose make the right, and most ethical

Shakespeares Hamlet The Tragedy of Revenge - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 913 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/04/01 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Hamlet Essay Revenge Essay William Shakespeare Essay Did you like this example? Revenge is a theme seen throughout Hamlet. It is a major element that makes the story more intriguing. Fear drives people to behave irrationally and leads to madness, confusion, death, and most importantly revenge. Revenge isnt a good way to handle situations because youll notice a lot of accidental things that happen and faulty actions. Im going to focus on three main characters who are seeking revenge; Hamlet and Laertes. All wanting revenge for the death of their fathers. The main example of revenge starts off with Hamlet wanting to kill Claudius because Claudius killed Hamlets father. Hamlet finds out that Claudius killed his father from the ghost of his father, telling him how Claudius put the poison in his ear and the ghost wants him to get revenge on Claudius. Hamlet is ready to seek his revenge but he faces many obstacles. Hes stuck because he wants to get revenge for his father but he also knows whats right deep down. First he has to see if the ghost is telling the truth, so Hamlet is going to try and tests Claudius guilt, he tells Marcellus and Horatio hes going to act like hes insane to help him prove that Claudius is guilty. Which helped him buy some time to put together his whole plan for his scheme. Referring to Hamlets plan he says: About, my brain. Hum, I have heard/ T assume a pleasing shape. (2.2.592-604). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Shakespeares Hamlet: The Tragedy of Revenge" essay for you Create order Hamlet is going to watch Claudius reaction to the play. If Claudius seems like the play is making him uncomfortable that will determine if the ghost is telling the truth. Claudius tells them to stop the play and leaves angrily. Hamlets says O good Horatio, Ill take the ghosts word for a thousand pound. Didst perceive? (3.2.284-285). Hamlet believes that the ghost is indeed telling the truth. Claudius is alone in his chamber found by Hamlet, looking to kill him. He notices that the King is praying and draws his sword then stops and he thinks about it for a little while. Eventually realizing that if he kills him while he is confessing his sins, he would be doing him a favor not seeking revenge as his father asked. Meanwhile Hamlet is stirring up drama for himself and others. Making things worst amid a conversation with his mother Gertrude, he accidentally kills Polonius mistaking him for the King. Showing no remorse for his actions and leaves dragging Polonius corpse and hiding it. Thi s was a big part in leadings to Ophelias death, her fathers death pushed her to her breaking point. Till that her garments, heavy with their drink, / Pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay / To muddy death. (4.5.178-181). Laertes has secretly sailed back from France and he is terrified about the death of his father Polonius and sister Ophelia. And of course, he is now seeking revenge. Laertes is looking to get straight to the point unlike Hamlet. Laertes is happy to hear that Hamlet is coming back to Denmark, so his revenge doesnt have to be delayed. Claudius helps Laertes come up with a plan to kill him. He remembers how Hamlet has been jealous of how brave Laertes is with his sword. He made confession of you and gave you such a masterly report/Your sudden coming oer, to play with him. Now, out of this† (4.7.110-119). They are going to try and convince Hamlet to battle with Laertes. The final plan is for Laertes to us a sharpened sword instead of a dull fencing sword. Laertes also plans to poison his sword, so that even if he just cuts him, he will be poisoned and killed. If the plan falls through, their back up plan is to offer Hamlet a poisoned cup of wine to celebrate. Now for the final scene of the play, one of the kings ask Hamlet if he is ready for the match. Hamlet agrees saying I am constant to my purpose. They follow the kings pleasure. If his fitness speaks, mine is ready, now or whensoever, provided I be so able as now. (5.2.201-203). Hamlet asks Laertes for forgiveness, (5.2.228-234) saying that it was just his madness not his will, that murdered Polonius. Laertes decides to forgive Hamlet for his offer of love. And decides not to accept his forgiveness until the fight has settled everything for him. Hamlet and Laertes pick their swords. Claudius says that if Hamlet gets the second or first hit he will drink the poison for doing good. The fight begins! Hamlet has the first hit on Laertes he refuses to drink. He hits him again; this time Gertrude rises and drinks from the cup. The king tells her not to drink it, but she does it anyway. The King says quietly It is the poisoned cup. It is too late. (5.2.310). Hamlet and Laertes continue, Laer tes finally gets a hit on Hamlet, making him bleed. Still fighting the somehow swap swords and Hamlet gets Laertes with his own blade. The queen has fallen, as well as Laertes. Laertes tells Hamlet that the King is responsible, he charges at him with his sword and forces him to drink the rest of the poisoned wine. Moment later Hamlet then dies. In conclusion, wanting revenge did nothing but make things worse for everyone causing many deaths. This shows that hatred can ruin you. It just seemed like all the characters made things worse for themselves out of hatred, madness, and poor judgement.

Aeneas Fights With Turnus Essay - 1359 Words

Aeneas Fights With Turnus In the Aeneid, Virgil describes many human qualities, problems and characteristics. Some examples which I wish to illustrate can be found in the end of epic, in the scene of the final duel between Aeneas and Turnus. Virgil also introduces a novel idea in his work. Both sides, the Trojans and the Latins, are portrayed as noble people. Even though Aeneas is fated to win, and he is the hero of the work, the opposing force, Turnus, is not portrayed as evil, but rather like a noble person in a very hard situation. Virgil deals as much with physical and psychological problems Turnus faces, being an honest and noble man, as he does with Aeneas’s problems. By the time the battle begins, Turnus knows that he will†¦show more content†¦She tried to deter Aeneas from his course to Italy while she perfectly knew that the â€Å"decision† of the Fates was otherwise. Virgil makes it clear that humans and gods alike have the same irrational and purely emotional desire to achieve that which they know cannot be achieved. This desire is present in many episodes in the book. I think that Virgil is trying to tell his readers that this desire is a very fundamental part of people. The drive to achieve the impossible is what always drove science and human advancement. Virgil is making a comment on a very integral part of the human psyche. Both Turnus and Aeneas, Venus and Juno have this characteristic. Virgil assigns the same feeling and emotions to the heroes of both sides of the story. During the duel of Aeneas and Turnus, Virgil takes another opportunity to describe the desire to oppose fate. Turnus calls out to Aeneas : â€Å"Your burning words, ferocious Trojan, do not frighten me; it is the gods alone who terrify me, and Jupiter, my enemy† (Book XII, 1189). The challenge Turnus saw coming to him was not from Aeneas, but from the gods themselves. Still, by the next line, Turnus can be observed trying to hurl a stone at Aeneas to continue the luckless fight. How eager Turnus seems to prove his honor, and die for his belief. If Turnus knew that Jupiter was against him, he did not have any doubt as to his own defeat. His death is near, and he is not afraid. A few paragraphs later however,Show MoreRelatedThe Textual Relationship Between Virgil And Lucretius1730 Words   |  7 PagesA lot of research has been done showing the textual relationship between Virgil and Lucretius. Many have noticed the unique use of gliscit by Virgil in 12.9 to describe Turnusâ €™ reaction to seeing the Latins retreat and have subsequently connected it to Lucretius, specifically passage 1.474: â€Å"ignis Alexandri Phrygio sub pectore gliscens clara accendisset saevi certamina belli†. Although Virgil could have had this passage in mind, there is another use in Lucretius which can bring new context andRead MoreEpic Heroism And Values Of The Iliad1030 Words   |  5 Pagesthe image of Aeneas killing Turnus classify them as epic heroes. In the Greek epic poem the Iliad, Homer portrays Achilles as an enraged warrior fighting for revenge for a woman he loved. In the Roman epic poem the Aeneid, Virgil portrays Aeneas as fleeing the city of Troy to establish a new city. Achilles and Aeneas are epic heroes because they both show courage, boldness, and embody the ideals of their nation. Homer portrays Achilles as individualistic, while Virgil portrays Aeneas as valuingRead MoreAeneas as a Roman Hero in The Aeneid Essay637 Words   |  3 PagesAene as as a Roman Hero in The Aeneid In Virgil’s poem, The Aeneid, the ideal Roman hero is depicted in the form of Aeneas. Not only does Aeneas represent the Roman hero, but he also represents what every Roman citizen is called to be. Each Roman citizen must posses two major virtues, he must remain pious, and he must remain loyal to the Roman race. In the poem, Aeneas encompasses both of these virtues, and must deal with both the rewards and costs of them. In the poem, Virgil saysRead MoreSimilarities Between The Aeneid And The Iliad1029 Words   |  5 Pagesreaders follow the journey of a man named Aeneas who is a Trojan refugee who journeys from his homeland of Troy to find Rome for the generations of the future. â€Å"The Iliad† is a story of the Trojan War and the hero of the story Achilles. Achilles was one of the bravest soldiers of the Greek army, but he was just as vain as he was brave. Both heroes showed a great amount of heroic actions throughout their perspective epics. Aeneas kills the Latin warrior Turnus and ventures away from his burning TroyRead MoreThe Aeneid By Virgil Is An Epic War Poetry1472 Words   |  6 Pagesessay will focus on the divine interventions to illustrate the irreplaceable role of the gods that has helped shape the Virgil s Aeneid. Without the gods, this epic poem would be nothing since the gods determine the fate of mortals including that of Aeneas, the son of the goddess Venus who in verse draws much attention from the gods. Jupiter father of the gods is the most powerful of the gods and has supreme control (The Internet Classics Archive | The Aeneid by Virgil, 2017). The rest of the godsRead MoreThe Aeneid, By Publius Vergilius Maro1449 Words   |  6 Pagesthe people of Rome whose culture would forever start with the tale of Aeneas. A brief description of Virgil’s epic would start with Aeneas and some of the surviving Trojans escaped from Troy. They cruised the Mediterranean and planned to land in what is now Italy. This is where Aeneas would found the eternal city: Rome. A horrible storm set them off track and they wound up in Carthage. Dido, the ruler, invited them to stay. Aeneas tells Dido the Trojan story up to this point. He tells her how the TrojansRead MoreFate and Destiny in the Aeneid2634 Words   |  11 Pagesit, such as Aeneas, a man who carries, perhaps the largest mantle of destiny on his shoulders. However, even though Aeneas accepts his fate, this does not free him from tribulation, as others, both human and immortal, attempt to resist fate, and alter its course according to their will. Juno, queen of the gods and the main antagonist in Virgil’s foundational fiction, is not affected by the same fate that rules over humans. Nevertheless, she actively attempts to obstruct Aeneas in his journeyRead MoreTying Homers Iliad to Virgils Aeneid Through the Theme of Warfare1487 Words   |  6 Pageseven in the poem. It removes the Greeks greatest hero from the battlefield for most of the poem. An interesting situation arises because of this. Achilles, the great hero, is refusing to fight. Glory on the battlefield is the measuring stick for any Greek man of high birth, and Achilles refusing to fight would be considered to be an act of shameful cowardice. However, there would be damage to Achilles pride if he fought for Agamemnon. This conflict between pride and duty would be a difficultRead MoreThe Textual Relationship Between Virgil And Lucretius2063 Words   |  9 Pages A number of research has shown the textual relationship between Virgil and Lucretius. Many have noticed the unique use of gliscit by Virgil in 12.9 to describe Turnus’ reaction to seeing the Latins retreat and have subsequently connected it to Lucretius, specifically passage 1.474: â€Å"ignis Alexandri Phrygio sub pectore gliscens clara accendisset saevi certamina belli†. Although Virgil could have had this passage in mind, there is another use in Lucretius which can bring new context and understandingRead MoreAnalysis Of Virgil s The Aeneid1791 Words   |  8 Pagespeople that we experience. In the event that one takes the hero Aeneas aside and breaks down his tireless adherence to his own fate, alongside his unending sympathy toward the welfare of his Trojan individuals, one could captivate the thought that his devotion and obligation anticipate the idea of obligation to the Republic and submission to Caesar that may have won in Virgil s Roman culture. Compelled by a sense of honor Aeneas, as Virgil regularly portrays him (The Aeneid, p. 110, l. 545)

Education in America vs. Education in Third World Countries Free Essays

Education in America vs. Education in Third World Countries A few weeks ago, I was walking downtown, when this random came up to me and said â€Å"You in school? That’s good, that’s good. Education is important. We will write a custom essay sample on Education in America vs. Education in Third World Countries or any similar topic only for you Order Now † From the state of her hair and clothes, and the smell of her breath, I assumed she was homeless. I didn’t really pay much attention to her, because homeless people are so common in downtown Atlanta. I was just hoping that she wasn’t going to ask me for any money! After a while, I started thinking about what the homeless woman had said; â€Å"Education is important. Growing up, I had always been taught that people who lived in the streets had been afforded the same opportunities as I had, but they had simply chosen to ignore them. So, if this woman had basically thrown away her life, why was she here preaching to me that education was important? How far had she gotten with her education? Was she like my great-grandmother, and lacked the skills to read and write? Literacy isn’t something that I spend a lot of time thinking about, mainly because all of the people that I surround myself and the people they surround themselves with are all capable of reading at proficient levels. Of course, I was always aware that some people had disabilities that made it harder to read, like dyslexia, but it never occurred to me that some of them allowed for the hindrance to completely turn them off to reading. Is it possible that I have been taking my literacy skills for granted? In this paper, I plan to explore literacy in America, and how it compares to the value other nations put on literacy and even our own country before public schools were instituted. Being literate is defined as any person over the age of 15 that can read and write. The United States had a literacy rate of 99% in the year 2003, according to the CIA census. 99%; almost our entire population is capable of reading and writing at a proficient level. Who does the least 1% represent? The homeless? Or the dyslexic people who are too embarrassed to admit they need help reading? Every person in America is offered the opportunity to receive an education, admittedly some educations are not the same quality as others, but everyone is definitely offered an education. While 99% of the country is literate, a test conducted by National Assessment of Adult Literacy 14% of US residents have increased difficulty reading at their level. According to the afore stated definition, these people can be classified as illiterate, because they don’t met the standards of what is considered literate, since they have difficulty reading at their proficiency level. Is the lack of literacy due to lack of focus in class while the foundation for reading and writing were being laid, or does 1% of the United States Population that are classified as illiterate completely comprised of people who live with dyslexia? I can’t imagine that the government would knowingly incorporate people with documented learning disabilities when it comes time to calculate our nation’s literacy rate. That would be almost intentionally miscuing the results, because you’re including people who have hindrances that keep them from reading and writing at a level equal with their age. It’s also just downright insulting. Can you imagine not only having the s disability that makes you work twice as hard, but to be called illiterate for something you have no control over? Centuries ago, the idea of being able to read and write was a mere parlor dream among the majority of our population. The skill was reserved only for the kings and queens and the other extremely wealthy people of that time period. The commoners who truly wanted a better life for their children would probably have sold everything they owned if it meant their child would have the opportunity to learn to read and write. In today’s society, however, such sacrifices are not necessary to make. Our government ensures that an education is made ready to every child in the country. Education is such an available resource in our country that we don’t even think twice about it. We are inevitable taking it for granted. When did such knowledge become common place to us? There are times when I visit my great-grandparents house, and they start telling me all sorts of stories about how they didn’t even get to complete more than a third grade education, because they had to stop going to school in order to support their families. That was their reality; not having that education as available to them as other kids did. The richer, white families of that time period where the only ones who could afford to send their children to school on a daily basis, some even going as far as to ensure that their child received a quality college education. It often came down to that; money. In the end, it will always be the richer families, or even the richest countries that can afford to educate their youth. In lower-income developing nations, going to school is nowhere near a reality. The idea of buying money enough to buy school clothes, shoes, books, paper, encils, and any other supplies necessary for the learning environment is non-existent, because there just isn’t enough money for them to afford it. These are the absolute poorest places in the world; particularly Africa . Every time I turn on a television, regardless of what channel I may be watching, I am almost guaranteed to see a commercial about a charity trying to raise money to support the children in Africa . It’s heartbreaking, to say the least, to see the sad expressions on their sallow faces. I think to myself, that’s not what I was doing when I was 5 or 6. I was outside, playing in the yard, or stuffing my face with ice cream. I wasn’t worried about where my next meal would come from, or whether or not my only water source was toxic enough to kill me. The saddest thing I can remember about my younger days is when my parents forced me off the jungle gym to do my homework, because I like any other kid my age, hated reading and writing. Not because it was hard, or even that I was being required to do it; I hated reading and writing because that’s what we always did. Every day, for most of my day, the teacher had us reading directions aloud and writing spelling words and sentences over and over and over again. However, had I switched places with one of those sad-faced kids in Africa , they would have never complained about the amount of reading and writing required of them. They would have relished every single second of the knowledge that they gained in hopes of one day using it to help their families get to a better place. In those types of countries, literacy is to them as it was to us back when the only people who could afford to learn where the ones who didn’t have to work from sunrise to sunset in order to keep their families from starving. There, education is one of the most valuable resources, because so few have access to it. I remember learning in an economics class that the less you had of a product, the more valuable it became, like diamonds or oil, and vice versa; the more you have of a product, the less valuable it becomes. That’s what happened to our value on literacy in America . Before, when only a few people were awarded the privilege of learning how to read and write, everyone wanted it. I guess you could almost compare it to fads in today’s society. Whenever we see our favorite A-list celebrities wearing this bag or that hat, we rush out to the nearest boutique, and pay whatever ridiculous price they ask for it. Maybe that’s it. Since literacy and education have become so common place in our society that we have moved on another aspect to occupy our attention. Think about it for a moment. How many people in the United States have a Bachelor’s degree? A Master’s degree? According to U. S. Census Bureau more than 40% of people 25 years and older in the United States has either a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree. There’s a saying, â€Å"When everyone is one thing, then no one will be. † Well, in this case when everyone is smart, then no one will be. Since a large enough portion of our population has these degrees, they are slowly starting to lose their value. Even some fast food restaurants are beginning to require that people over a certain age have to have at least a Bachelor’s degree in order to work at their establishment. What does this say for our future? Will we eventually reach a point where even a Doctorate degree holds no value in our economy? What will that mean for the homeless people, or those individuals with learning disabilities, or even people who just have a genuinely hard time keeping up with their course load? Will they be weeded out as Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution suggests â€Å"Only the strong survive†? But in this case, the strongest are defined by their intelligence. Will they all eventually starve due to the fact that they can’t find a job, because standards are set so high? If the current trend continues, I think it’s definitely possible that eventually even the Doctorate degree will hold no real value. Especially with the way our counselor’s motivate us. They tell us that it’s not just enough to get an â€Å"old-fashioned† 4-year degree anymore, because that’s what everyone has already. No, if we want to compete in the job market, we have to set ourselves above that bar. Logically, that supports my hypothesis. Just think about it for a second. You’re telling an entire generation of kids that the generation that came before them did the now-average-thing by attending four-year institutions. Now we have to go up and beyond that, by obtaining our graduate degrees, and if we really want to raise the bar, going as far as to earn our Doctorate. Where does that leave the generation that comes after us? In the same position we find ourselves in now. The problem with our country is not that we take literacy for granted. On the contrary, we are steadily improving and bettering ourselves by pushing each generation to do better than the last. Our problem lies with the fact that eventually; there will be no more up to go. How to cite Education in America vs. Education in Third World Countries, Papers