Undertake An Analysis Of The Strategic Position Of Tesco In The UK Assignment

Undertake An Analysis Of The Strategic Position Of Tesco In The UK Using Concept & Tools Of External And Internal Strategic Analysis - Assignment Example Undertake An Analysis Of The Strategic Position Of Tesco In The UK Using Concept & Tools Of External And Internal Strategic Analysis. Additionally, Tesco provides both online and offline financial services with a personal touch. The total revenue received by Tesco PLC as on February 2004 added up to ?33,557 million translating in a rise of approximately 18.7 % from the preceding year’s revenues that ranked ?28, 28 million (Humby et al, 2008). 1) Analyze its task environment Using PESTEL to categorize key issues which management need to respond to, focus on 6 CURRENT issues using evidence to substantiate them, for example: current Horse meat issue   Tesco operates in a globalised environment with stores worldwide, including six European countries. These include the Ireland Republic, Czech Republic, Hungary, Turkey, Slovakia and Poland. The Asian stores are located in South Korean Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and Taiwan. However, Tesco’s performance relies heavily on the mother country’s political and legislative structure (Henry, 2008). Legislation requires the government to supply the populatio n with a wide range of job opportunities, including the extremely skilled, high paid and centrally located chances. The population demands students, senior citizens and working parents to be considered in terms of job availability for varied groups of individuals. Tesco comes in play as a challenge to local businesses, which include the cutting of costs and declaring the company’s products obsolete. This results in driving the companies out of the market completely (Nathan Rao Consumer Affairs, 2013). Tesco tries to work against the problems named by providing a labor market to diverse employees including students, disabled and the elderly in the society with relatively lower pay rates. Therefore, the employees depict a significant level of loyalty to organizations with the increased level of staff turnover currently in the community (Ringland, 2006). Economic factors Tesco takes matters relating to economic factors with a considerable level of seriousness as the factors dire ctly affect the demands, costs, prices, and the profit levels of the organization in place. The high unemployment levels in an economy results into decreased levels of effective demands for varied goods. The production level of goods lowers with a decreased profit levels, which, adversely reduces and affects the profit levels. In as much as the operating company cannot control the factors, they adversely affect the performance, and marketing mix of Tesco. Despite the growth levels that are evident in the international markets, Tesco substantially relies on the UK market for its survival. Therefore, decreased demand of UK’s foodstuffs can expose the company’s market to face risks of making losses (Nathan Rao Consumer Affairs, 2013). The social and cultural factors The British customers tend to adopt bulk shopping from their previous one stop shopping criteria. The situation prompts Tesco into additional production of food pre-cuts in the country. The increased rate of t he â€Å"ageing population† and participation by women in the employment sectors result, in an increased demand for Tesco products and services. Additionally, Tesco tends to gear most of its focus on its own label of business blend, supply chains and various operational improvements with the capabilities of driving costs out of business. Consumers purchase

Personal career goal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Personal career goal - Essay Example I sought mentorship from a family friend who is a nurse as well as my uncle who is a medical doctor. They have both encouraged me and provided insight on what the role of a nurse is and what is required of me. The other aspect that has made me a better individual in the profession is the love for books. Since my high school days, I have interacted with a lot of literature in nursing, which includes the current affairs that affect the nursing profession such as the errors in practice, debate on salaries and the staffing issues. In addition, I have done a lot of research over the in internet and found out some of the practice of nursing in other countries. The knowledge that I have acquired gives me more thirst to acquire more, hence the need to pursue a masters in nursing and later on, a PhD. I have also received a lot of support and motivation from friends and family. They have constantly applauded my efforts while encouraging me to do more. I would endeavor to be a distinguished nurse that offers quality services to the patients at all times. For this to be realized, I need to be more knowledgeable. So far, I have acquired only a degree in nursing. To me this is not adequate for me to be the best I can be; I always believe it is a foundation that will help me advance to highly professional levels. While undertaking my degree, I went out of my way to do more practice than the institution provided, especially when I had some spare time. This made me to be more experienced than most of my colleagues. Since moving out of college, I have practiced nursing as a surgical technologist and at the same time providing nursing care for two years in a private facility. This experience has sharpened my practical skills and aroused the desire in me to achieve more especially in terms of knowledge acquisition and practice. I am convinced that pursuing a masters degree will give me a better platform to have a better status as a nurse. I would also endeavor

The management approach of the Compstat model

The management approach of the Compstat model The police department of New York has integrated the Compstat model, which is a management approach that uses computer technology to follow up crime occurrences and help police officers identify the areas that are most vulnerable to criminal activities. At the same time, the model is useful in examining current crime patterns, and aims at maximizing resources available to the police officers in their fight against crime. According to Vito, Walsh, Kunselman (2004), Compstat (Computerized Statistics) is a goal orientated strategic management process that uses information technology, operational strategy, and managerial accountability to control crime and police neighborhoods, (p.1). There are four main principles of the Compstat model. The first one outlines the need for the police to obtain in good time, correct information on crime occurrences. In this case, police personnel perform crime analysis, that is, they identify the nature of the crime, the offender, the time of offense, and how the offender intends to carry it out. To achieve this, police personnel write reports on a weekly basis, giving statistical information on the arrests and summons they have made during the week, complaints they have received from the public concerning crime, crucial cases and the crime trends they have observed. The head of the Compstat Unit is in charge of receiving the weekly reports and saving them in a database. With the help of these reports, police officers can make comparisons between trends in crime and identify similarities as well as differences, and the most appropriate strategies to address these. The second element requires that the police employ workable strategies based on the intelligence they have, to prevent and solve crimes. In this instance, they identify which crimes and crime zones need quick intervention and make these their priority. At the same time, the police assess the available strategies in terms of their short and long-term effectiveness, as well as involve other groups, which are not necessarily police agencies. For instance, they involve religious, educational institutions, entrepreneurs, local government authorities and the community. The third element prescribes fast mobilization of material, financial and personnel resources to counter the crime patterns. This is because; the model can identify potential crime situations in an area, even before the residents alert the police on their suspicions. The fourth element demands progressive appraisal of police personnel, departments, and material resources in order to ensure that crime trends reduce. Performan ce appraisals are possible through reports that capture the profiles of each commander of police and these enable the other police officers to compare their own performance with that of their heads. With correct implementation, the Compstat approach can aid government authorities to assess police departments and check for the improper use of material and financial resources, as well as poor performance. The other two principles of the Compstat model require that the police operate on clear objectives in their fight against crime and each officer is responsible for the overall success of the police force in reducing crime rates. The members of the police force should be aware of the goals they intend to achieve and these must at the same time, be attainable within the stipulated period. Goals dictate the rating of the performance of police personnel, depending on whether they have achieved them. The chief as well as the commanders of various police agencies therefore have the responsibility of communicating clear and precise instructions to their subjects, in order to ensure that the latter achieve the desired performance. This explains why there is need for regular briefs among the police force in order to equip them with the necessary information on what their leaders expect of them. On a short-term basis, the Compstat model aims at reducing crime rates, while its long-term objective is to create a permanent change in the community and improve peoples lives by ensuring a safe environment. The measures to assess the effectiveness of the model on short-term basis would include examining weekly reports on the crimes occurring, in order to establish whether there are fewer or more offenses each day. Long-term effectiveness measures would involve the analysis of crime trends over a period such as a number of years, in order to establish whether the crime rates have gone down. At the same time, the weekly meetings to review crime reports provide forums to assess whether the police departments are making progress in reducing crime rates. These meetings on performance appraisal of police personnel serve both the immediate and long-term goals of the Compstat model. This is because if appraisals indicate that, some of the members of the force are not successful in reducing crime over a given period, the chief may take action such as re-training, retrenchment, or shifting to another department. The model is advantageous in that it promotes a consultative process in decision-making. It enhances intelligence sharing among the police officers and departments, accountability as well as coordination and a team spirit. This is possible through the meetings involving all levels of management. In addition, seeks to enable the police maximize the available resources in their fight against crime. Moreover, holding every member of the force accountable for its success in fighting crime ensures that each plays his or her role, and that there is no blame game when results are not forthcoming. In addition, ensuring timely and correct information on potential crime zones enables the police to act swiftly to prevent criminal activities. This is because; they are aware of what is happening on the ground. At the same time, they are able to develop the right strategies and response to the crime trends they have already identified. This increases their chances of success rather than in cases where they act after crisis. The Compstat approach to management promotes the belief that the police force is able to lower crime rates through employing the right strategies. Promoting continuous performance appraisal based on weekly reports enables the police force to establish its strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, it allows police to involve the community and other stakeholders in the fight against crime. This shows that the police are not working alone and are committed to ensuring a safe environment for all. On the other hand, the Compstat model has some disadvantages. One limitation of this model is that it is difficult to assess its success. When crime rates reduce, it is hard for police officers to attribute this phenomenon only to the model. On the other hand, when the crime rates stagnate or increase, it is difficult to tell whether failure lies only in the implementation of the models principles. Moreover, the Compstat model is susceptible to manipulation by police officers. For instance, due to pressure to reduce crime rates, they may fail to keep reports of crimes in order to give a false impression of less crime occurrences in a given area. At the same time, police officers may use their subjective judgments to declare some crimes as minor, and therefore of less significance, in order to reduce the statistics on the major crimes. This sort of manipulation of statistics will therefore give a false impression of progress in reduction of significant crimes. Similarly, communities whose crime rate reports show that the police have made progress in averting crimes, will receive less financial, material and personnel resources than those where the crime rates are still high. In case these reports are false, this implies that such communities will suffer more from crime because the police will attend to them less. In addition, since evaluation of the performance of police personnel depends largely on the crime rate reports, members of the force are likely to manipulate these, in order to give a false impression of their success in fighting crime. Consequently, the performance appraisals will be faulty, given that their bases are not accurate. At the same time, there is a possibility of awarding ineffective police personnel, rather than those who deserve merit. This is because the ineffective members can manipulate c rime reports to favor them, and they will get acknowledgment. As part of the implementation of the Compstat model, the chief of police will have to take other measures. These include having the current police force undergo refresher courses on crime prevention and at the same time, recruit, and train new officers in order to have sufficient and qualified personnel to serve the community. Police officers will also require training on the Compstat model in order to understand its functioning and crime analysis so that they are able to filter intelligence in an accurate manner. In this case, the chief will need to seek budgetary support from the government and non-governmental organizations. Apart from monetary aid, the chief will require the government to see to it that unemployment rates reduce through the creation of jobs. This is because crime rates tend to increase with high unemployment rates, as people have to find ways to feed themselves and their families. If they do not have jobs, they are likely to engage in criminal behavior such as th eft and murder in order to earn a living. Another intervention required will be the integration of other police departments, such as traffic police, crime detectives, and forensic experts into the crime prevention department. This will assist in spreading crime prevention to other areas and increase the scope of operation of the model. At the same time, the chief will need to appoint commanders at different levels in order to ensure that there is decentralization of the decision-making process. He will also create meeting rooms to allow for roundtable discussion sessions, as these are more likely to enhance the participation of all the police personnel in decisions concerning strategies to fight crime. Moreover, the chief will have to lay down the protocols that his officers will follow in the convening of briefings and other meetings as well as reporting procedures. This will ensure that there is no conflict in the lines of command because the police officers will be aware of to whom they should report. Since the Compstat model requires the use of technology, the chief will need to see to it that the police department has sufficient computer equipment as well as the necessary software programs such as systems to aid in identifying crime-prone areas, and databases to record crime occurrences. At the same time, a police website may be necessary to enhance community policing. This will enable the flow of information on crime rates from the public to the police, as well as reports from the latter to the community. In addition, the chief will need to ensure that the police officers clear any pending warrants of arrest and make the community aware that the force will not tolerate even the minor crimes. In this case, the chief will need to organize the force to carry out awareness initiatives among themselves and in the community. In conclusion, the chief can still adopt the Compstat model and modify it to suit the needs of his police department. He does not have to copy the model of the New York police department, because the situational needs of his department and that of the former are likely to be different. This is because the approach outlines only the basic principles of management that the police force and other organizations need to follow to achieve the intended objectives. Its intent is to serve as a guide to managerial principles and not to provide a dogmatic approach to the running of organizations. The model is therefore flexible, and police personnel can adopt different strategies to fight crime, based on the needs of the community they are serving. According to the models principles, they will only need to ensure that they choose strategies that are efficient for the crimes they target. Consequently, the model is suitable and can work even in small law enforcement agencies.

Poisonwood Bible Essay -- English Literature Essays

Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver is the author of many well-written pieces of literature including The Poisonwood Bible. This novel explores the beauty and hardships that exist in the Belgian Congo in 1959. Told by the wife and four daughters of a fierce Baptist, Nathan Price, Kingsolver clearly captures the realities this family and mission went through during their move to the Congo. The four daughters were raised in Atlanta Georgia in the 1950’s therefore entering the Congo with preconceived racial beliefs, and a very different way of life than they would soon experience. Throughout The Poisonwood Bible Kingsolver explores the importance and impact of faith, and a religion based on your own private beliefs. Orleanna Price, the wife and mother, of this struggling family is a very honest woman, lacking some of the stronger religious background of which her husband possesses. Orleanna, struggles with the hardships of daily life; toting and disinfecting the family's water, scrambling to make ends meet and trying to protect her family from the myriad terrors of the bush. Orleanna uses irony to describe the early days of her marriage. As she describes them, the days when there was still room for laughter in her husband's evangelical calling, before her pregnancies embarrassed him, before he returned from World War II a different man, a man who planned ''to save more souls than had perished on the road from Bataan.'' Her husband, Nathan Price, had escaped those miseries simply by luck, and knowing it curled his heart ''like a piece of hard shoe leather.'' As her husband continually preaches the good Lord’s word, she is faced with what seems to her to be the more important burdens of life, survival and keeping her family safe and sane. She doesn’t appear to have nearly so strong of a religious background as her husband would have hoped for her, h owever, throughout the novel it is made quite clear that she is in fact a better person than her husband could have ever hoped to be. Her daughter, Leah, captures her mothers religion very well when she says, â€Å"my father wears his faith like the bronze breastplate of God's foot soldiers, while our mother's is more like a good cloth coat with a secondhand fit.'' This quote is very true, as her father is the evangelical missionary leader who parades his religion around, as he craves for the reputation of being a ... ... God by a different name, many different names actually, but all of them combined created the same image of what Nathan Price believed in, God. These people helped to show the different forms of which our God takes on, many cultures may appear to be non-believers but in reality each society’s God aims for the same goals. As this novel is told entry by entry, narrated by the women of the family a clear picture of life in the Congo is very accurately represented as well as the influences of faith on each character. Leah clearly points out, â€Å"We've all ended up giving up body and soul to Africa, one way or another." Each of us, she adds, "got our heart buried in six feet of African dirt; we are all co-conspirators here." This is true of each and every character throughout the novel, as their faith is altered and influenced by the events within their stay in the Belgian Congo. Kingsolver presents to her reader many separate versions of faith, from Nathan’s forever devoted, to Orleanna’s incredibly subtle but morally strong. While reading the passages narrated by the women of the family it is realized, that without your own personal beliefs a life filled with success is unfathomable.

Crime and Voilence in Jamamica Essay

The Primary Factors Contributing to Crime and Violence in Jamaica. Jamaica is a society which has been affected by crime and violence over the past years, and is continuously been affect by this phenomenal. Crime and violence involves the intent or use of psychological and physical force or power against oneself or another to do harm (Hoffman, 2009). Jamaica is a country plagued by crime and violence, especially in urban areas. Jamaica since 1977 has become the Caribbean nation with the highest homicide rate in its citizenry and continues to hold this position (Harriott, 2007.) The primary contributing factors for crime and violence in Jamaica is a challenge to identify as crime and violence can thrive in so many environments. However the proximate or primary factors can be classified as; corruption, demographics, unemployment, destabilized family, weak justice system, an interconnecting network of criminal gangs, drugs running, politics and the police. According to Harriott, Demographics are a background factor which is contributing to crime and violent in Jamaica. In Jamaica the age group 15-29 is held responsible for most of the violent crimes committed within the country. In particular males in this age group are the prime offenders, they are also prime victims. Over the past years the age group 15-29 has being expanding rapidly. As a result the factor behind our high crime rate is the huge population of ages 15 -29. Due to this high percentage in the age group 15-25 there is an increase in juvenile and violent crime especially where there is the availability of guns. Harriott further stated that we currently experiencing the worst demographic factor for m 1985, and this will continue until 2020 where we are expected to see an 87 per cent decline of its 1995 size. Urbanization is the second factor, which in order to understand the demographics factors one must associate the two factors. Coming from being 30 per cent urban in 1960, Jamaica was about 60 per cent urban in the year 2000. There is also a process of secondary urbanization in St James (3.7 per cent), Mandeville (3.1 per cent), St Ann (2.4 per cent), and Kingston and St Andrew (2.3 per cent) which had the largest percentage increase in population between 1996 and 1998. From these figures above one can say that there is a decline in the rural population and an increase growth for secondary urbanization, in the tourist and bauxite towns of Montego Bay, Mandeville, and Ocho Rios. All parish capitals are experiencing urbanizations; as a result the high risk group (ages 15-29) is being increasingly compacted in dense, poor, urban neighborhoods, (Slums). This problem points to potential for high crimes rates in Kingston and St Andrew and St Catherine, which is also exported to other developing urban centers. High rate of youth employment is also one of the leading factors of crime and violent in Jamaica. The rate of unemployment in Jamaica is 17.5 per cent. . Unemployment in Jamaica especially among Jamaican teen leads to poverty, idleness, low self-esteem, frustration, and eventually crime and violence according to Don Anderson survey. Employment is seen as the way to survive so without work youths tends to be weaken and consequently this leads to idleness, which leads to badness, gang wars, and crime and violence. Youths also admits that they would have less time and energy to steal and commit other crimes if they were working. Harriott stated that in 1998 the unemployment rate for 14-29 age groups was 26.5 per cent. This rate consists of 18.9 per cent young males, and 35 per cent young females. (Anderson 1998). The unemployment rate for young males (14-29) in Kingston Metropolitan Area was 17.8 per cent in 1998, compared to 26.5 per cent in other towns and 17 per cent in rural areas. In St A Andrew and Kingston there is a pressure on young males for economic support form baby mothers, mothers, siblings and other family members. This is one of the reasons for robbery, car theft, pick pocketing in the Corporate Area. (Gayle 1999). The high unemployment rate in other rapidly urbanizing inner-city areas such as Ocho Rios, May Pen, Mandeville, Montego Bay and Savanna-la-mar, also will lead to crime disaster as in Kingston and St Andrew. Employment is seen as very beneficiary and not been employed in Jamaica especially its youths can lead to crime and violence among males, and teenage pregnancy and dependency on men, abuse and domestic violence for female. Destabilized family structure including poor parenting can also be look at as a factor that contributes to crime and violence in Jamaica. Jamaican society has been often referred to as a matrifocal society. Many families are female headed households without the presence of a male figure. Children from these household manifest a number of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, including sadness, depression, delinquency, aggression, sex role difficulties, early initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy, as well as poor social and adoptive functioning and low self-esteem. The absence of guidance in parental or societal role models leaves a gap which is filled by peer groups, particular among men. According to the Grace Kennedy Foundation lecture (1991), ‘peer group’ actually replaces mother and fathers as the controlling agents. Traditional role models become replaced by gun and this result in the emergence of Dons and Robin hoods. Low self-esteem is also a consequence of poor parenting. Youths with low self-esteem carve respect from peers and others, and if been disrespected this can fuel problems among individuals. Harriott however stated that countering this however is the gun, which notes â€Å"the ultimate guarantor of respect†. With this in view the inner-city don become role model for youths, ‘not only because of their ability to command and dispense largess, but Corruption is also a crucial primary factor. According to Harriott, police that reduce unjust inequalities are likely to reduce some categories of violent crime, but research findings cast some doubts that in Jamaica they would have contribute to the murder rate due to corruption. Transparency international, measured the degree to which corruption exist among public officials and politicians, and produce an annual corruption index. For 2005 Jamaica attained a score of 3.6 out of 10 and rank 64 out of 159 countries surveyed. Organizational crime in Jamaica has been facilitated by corruption, relationship between ordinary criminal gangs and the major political institutions. Harriott further stated that gangs are key pla yers in the processes of political mobilization on the streets, securing electoral victories, and in consolidating power -often because of their hold on communities of the urban poor. This relationship leads to a flourishing of corruption, and plunder of the resources of the state. Corruption facilitates serious crimes, and endemic corruption, ensures the freedom of action to build successful criminal enterprises. This is most problematic and yet most evident in police service where corruption is endemic and institutionalized. From interviews which were conducted by Special Task on Crime selected JFC personnel from different ranks expressed the view that the majority of their senior officers were corrupt within the Force. Some of these corrupt practices among members of the force include: Contract killing or â€Å"murder for hire, tampering with biological exhibits, e.g. urine samples, dropping charges, including serious offences, planting evidence, providing escort for illegal drugs etc. A weak Criminal Justice System also facilitates criminal activities within the country. Where there are high levels of corruption and influence easily immunizes high-end criminals against police action. This is certainly the case in Jamaica. Moreover, the criminal justice system is, in one respect, antiquated and overload and thus unable to effectively respond to the more sophisticated criminal groups. Harriott stated that associated institutions, including the existing body of laws, are also, in some respects, antiquate for dealing with crime. The case-load of the investigative units of the police is a good indicator of the degree of immunity from law enforcement (not crime-fighting) that is enjoyed by criminals. For effectiveness, the number of investigators should be greater than the number of cases to be investigated. Instead, a single divisional homicide investigator is, for example, burdened with a case-load of twelve to fifteen homicides, and this was in 2000(PERF 2001,49). Not surprisingly, in 2004, the clear-up rate for murder 9 the number of arrests as a percentage of all reported murders) was 44.8 per cent, and the clear-up rate of violent crimes, that is, the most serious offence against person (murder, shootings, rape and robbery aggregated) was 39.8 per cent (PIOJ2005, 24.30). For serious crimes, the clear-up rates are poor, and given the case-loads ratios, the conviction rates are unsurprisingly low. In the case of murder, the conviction rate is estimates at less than 20 per cent. As a result the justice system in Jamaica is very weak in frightening against crime. Jamaica can be described as an interconnecting network of criminal gangs, drugs running, politics and the police. Therefore Gangs, Drugs and Politics can also be discussed as primary contributing factors to crime and violence in Jamaica. There are about forty- nine active gangs in Jamaica, but only a small number (14 per cent) are highly organized. According to Harriott the highly organized gangs are deeply involved in the following activities: trafficking cocaine, marijuana and crack, both locally and overseas. It is also said that there is a significant Colombian drugs activity in Jamaica. Another major criminal activity for criminal gangs is protection and extortion rackets in business district in Inner-city areas. Business places pay funds to gangs in order for security, that their business and their customers are not robbed. This money is an important source of income for violent criminal gangs. According to Harriott this is extortion, which is a contributor to violent crimes in Kingston and St Andrew. It is also claimed that highly organized gangs operate a quasi-judicial system, complete with â€Å"hearing† witness and a rough schedule of punishment, including incarceration and the death penalty. Theses criminal gangs are also allegedly engaged in the large scale illegal importation of goods such as red peas, onio ns and cooking oil. Harriott stated that is may not directly constitute violent crime, nonetheless strengthens these groups economically, weakens legitimate firms, etc. major gangs are said to be connected to the major political parties. This relationship between gang and political parties stands to be beneficial to both sides. In election gangs secure votes for political parties, and keep the peace during civil disturbances, which the most important benefit for gang’s from political parties is protection from police. According to Harriott the main criminal gangs and the political parties have major stake in maintaining the existing corrupt relationship. Jamaica has been significantly affected by violence and crime. Violent crimes are one of Jamaica’s major issues, for the past twenty year. According to Harriott the country has experience an overwhelming increase in murders and related assaults. The World Bank noted that crime is undermining growth, threatening human welfare, and impeding social development. Therefore the government and citizens of Jamaica has to take serious measures to reduce or eliminate the primary factors contributing to crime and violence. According to Harriott the only long term sustainable solution to the violent crimes problem in Jamaica is the recovery of the formal economy. Therefore the government must continue its programme of macroeconomic management. This may have short term negative social consequences, but in the end will lead to more job creation and a reduction in crime. Harriott further stated that the government must embark on a programme, however limited of formal economic activities in the inner city. The government could also develop a programme of physical upgrading in the inner city. This could involve fixing drains, improving sanitation, roads surfaces and housing, and beautification. This could add real value to properties in the inner city, as well as generating employment and improving the already and demoralizing physical environment. The failure of the educational system, for both the employed and unemployed have to be rectified also. One the government needs to find the causes of the high male drop- out rate. The NPC could also develop a special task force on education and training, and a mandate to begin the necessary and urgent programme of restructuring and reprogramming. The most immediate measure which can be taken by the government is to control gun and ammunition. Reference Government of Jamaica. (2007). National Security Policy – Towards a Secure and Prosperous Nation. Kingston: Government of Jamaica. Gutierrez, I. M. (2009). Development and implementation of crime and violence observatories: A tool for public policy. III Inter-American Forum on Violence Prevention and Citizen Security: Addressing Crime and Violence in the Latin American and Caribbean Region. Kingston. Jamaica: Jamaica Conference Centre. Harriott, A. D. (2008). Bending the trend line: The challenge of controlling violence in Jamaica and the high violence societies of the Caribbean. Harriott, A.D.(2008). Organized Crime and Politics in Jamaica: Breaking the Nexus. Kingston: University of the West Indies Press. Harriott, A.D. Understanding Crime in Jamaica; New challenges for public policy. Kingston: University of the West Indies Press. Hoffman, J. S. (2009). Engaging citizens in crime and violence prevention: Emerging approaches. III Inter- in American Forum on Violence Prevention and Citizen Security: Addressing Crime and Violence the Latin American and Caribbean Region. Kingston, Jamaica: Jamaica Conference Centre. McLean, J., Harriott, A., Ward, E., Buchannan, J., and Karia, R. 2008. Jamaica Community-Based Policing Assessment. Kingston: Jamaica Constabulary Force and USAID.

Mark Twain Short Stories Essay

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name of Mark Twain, is a widely renowned author whom, throughout his life, wrote countless short stories and essays criticizing politics, media, and other government and social areas. Twain was an avid supporter of civil rights and was extremely critical of the court systems. Twain often criticized how society treatment of criminals changes for every social class. Mark Twain uses his dark humor and irony to convey said theme in three of his more popular short stories, The New Crime, Running for Governor, and A Presidential Candidate. Mark Twain’s short story, The New Crime, illustrates the positive side of having a high social class and the special treatment from the court systems that comes along with wealth. Twain first writes about a series of ordinary murder cases committed by wealthy men and lords in which the murderers are all pardoned from their crimes and giving the insanity plea. The insanity plea basically states that if a person is mentally insane, they cannot be held accountable for any crimes they commit while insane. All of the murders from said cases are ordinary murders, which show no sign of insanity. This clearly displays that the men are only acquitted because of their deep pockets. One of Twain’s favorite literary devices is irony and he often uses it to ridicule the government. In The New Crime Twain uses irony when he writes, â€Å"The servant girl, Bridget Durgin, at the dead of night invaded her mistress’ bedroom and carved the lady literally to pieces with a knife. Then she dragged the body to the middle of the floor and beat and Lemacks 2 banged it with chairs and such things. †¦No such insanity plea was offered in her defense. † (Twain 5) This is ironic because, in Durgin’s case, she is obviously deranged but, since she is of low social standard, she is not offered the insanity plea and, instead, is promptly hanged. The reader knows that Twain is purposefully being ironic because he includes details such as the facts that she has no motive for the murder, saves the woman’s baby, and continues to hike through the snow with the child having left her shoes, which all show how clearly insane the girl is. In using his precious irony, Twain makes his point very clear and makes sure to drive the message of the judicial systems corruptness through to the reader. In Twain’s short story, Running for Governor, he writes about when he was nominated for governor of New York. He uses said story to show the negative side of having a high social status and how the media will treat one differently when they are put in the spotlight. Twain himself is the main character and has never done a single thing in all his life to be ashamed of. When his campaign begins, Twain feels that his advantage over his competition is that he possesses good character whereas, Twain’s two opponents are portrayed in the papers as terrible men. The next day newspapers start to come out accusing Mr. Twain of ridiculous crimes. One of the papers says that Twain has been convicted of perjury by thirty-four witnesses against a native woman in Cochin China! Twain is list all of the absurd accusations in the following pages. What Twain is doing is making the charges serious, such as murder, but also incredibly odd. The reason being to create a subtle, dark humor in all of the newspaper articles so that the reader will see how the media is clearly just making up stories about whomever runs for a political office. Twain uses this same technique in his short story, A Presidential Candidate, in which he jokingly writes that he has made up his mind to run for president but, instead of waiting on Lemacks 3 reporters to publish everything bad about him in the newspaper, he is going to come out with everything bad that he has done in the past. Twain uses dark humor when he writes, â€Å"The rumor that I buried a dead aunt under my grapevine was correct. †¦ Does that unfit me for the presidency? The Constitution of our country does not say so. † (Twain 21) Once again, as he did in Running for Governor, Twain is making up silly crimes that, even though they are serious, one cannot help but chuckle at them. Twain succeeds once more in ridiculing the media through dark humor. Mark Twain wrote hundreds of short stories, essays, and sketches. Many of these works contain two of his favorite techniques; dark humor and irony, which often accompany one another in Twain’s stories. It is through his expert use of the two figurative language devices, along with many others, that Twain was able to criticize the difference in treatment towards different social classes to the extent that he did. Lemacks 4 Works Cited Twain, Mark. Taming the Bicycle: And Other Essays, Stories, and Sketches. Ed. Eric C. Link. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2009. Print.