Clarence Earl Gideon Was Charged In A Florida State Court With Having

Clarence Earl Gideon was charged in a Florida state court with having broken and entered a poolroom with intent to commit a misdemeanor. Appearing in court without funds and without a lawyer, Gideon asked the Florida state court to appoint counsel for him, whereupon the following troubles took place. The only way Gideon would be appointed a lawyer if it was a capitol offense. After his conviction, Gideon filed in the Supreme Court of Florida the present habeas corpus petition, attacking his conviction on the grounds that his federal constitutional rights were violated by the trial court's refusal to appoint counsel. The court, without opinion, denied relief. After going back to trial the Supreme Court found in favor of Gideon. In doing so it declared that all defendants in felony cases have the right to an attorney. Justice Hugo Black, stated that the court was returning too...old precedents, souder we believe than the new. In a opinion by Black, expressing the views of seven members of the Court, it was held that the Sixth Amendment's provision that in all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right to have the assistance of counsel for his defense was made obligatory upon the states by the Fourteenth Amendment. The Supreme Court of the United States reversed, overruling Betts v. Brady, wherein it had been held that due process of law does not require that in every case, regardless of circumstances, an indigent accused must be furnished counsel by the state. Gideon recieved a new trial with a lawyer and the jury acquitted him. Can people afford lawyers, most poverty stricken people can't? Gideon was a poor man who could't pay a lawyer to help him in his case, so he was considered a layman at his trial. Most people don't know of Clarence Earl Gideon or realize how much his case effects us in our everyday life. Gideon's case with the Supreme Court of the United States shows in the meranda rights, and in our court rooms everyday. Remember this, if you can't afford a lawyer, and the courts appoint you one, it's because Clarence Earl Gideon made that happen. Bibliography Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963)

Estate Agents I.T. Problem Essays

Estate Agents I.T. Problem Essays Estate Agents I.T. Problem Essay Estate Agents I.T. Problem Essay Ward and Partners are an estate agents in Eynsford, Dartford and Gravesend. They advertise houses in their windows and in newspapers. However for a potential buyer looking for a house they will want specific things, e.g. 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. So basically what I am saying is that the estate agents cannot match a house perfectly to a persons needs, as they do not have all the information stored about every house in their memories. So I am going to design a working database/website that people can search for their perfect house on 24hours a day. There are many ways of solving this problem for the data handling and communications coursework. You could make a database to hold all of the information and quickly search through the records of the houses but a better way of performing this take would be to make the database a part of a web page so that people could access the system 24 hours a day. When looking to buy a house it is very time consuming having to visit the estate agents often to see the new houses on the market and to keep looking through 2 or 3 papers. So I am going to create a web site which includes a database which holds all the information about all the houses that the company has to offer. People can then search the database on the internet 24 hours a day. To make this website I will have to find information about houses and input the information into the database. The website will be very user friendly so everyone can access it. Description Of Problem The system will be very simple , it will use peoples needs to find their ideal house. I am planning to do this by asking a few simple questions about what the user wishes their ideal house to be like. Once the user has input their information a list of the matching houses will appear on the screen with a picture and instructions of how to view the house and more information about it. At the moment the estate agents have all the information kept in files in filling drawers. The sellers information is kept on computer but not information about the house they wish to sell. It is not easy for the estate agents to remember all the details about every house they are offering and normally rely on people choosing houses from the pictures in the window or from the paper. But obviously they cannot advertise every house this way so by placing all their properties on a database there are many positive points such as:- * The database can hold information about EVERY property the agents are selling. * The database would be very easy to search * Estate agents can find properties matching the buyers needs very easily resulting in more sales * The database can be incorporated into a website which can be searched by people at home using the internet. This can be done 24 hours a day. * The estate agents will have more time getting new properties as they will not have to look through every profile for new buyers. The information system that I am planning to introduce will also be based on a computer, but everything, including the pictures, will be kept on the computer. Nothing will be on pieces of paper, the questionnaire about the customers needs will also be kept on the computer. It is clear that the use of I.T can be used in this example, I believe that its use will make this estate agency more efficient, able to cope with a larger amount of customers and so enable them to bring more money into their business. I am planning to produce web pages containing information about my company, Estate Limited, and a search facility to find the correct houses. The customer will have to answer a few very short questions, for example: * Number Of Bedrooms? 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. * Number Of Bathrooms?-1,2,3 * Type of property detached, semi-detached, terraced, flat, bungalow. * Price Range. * Extras e.g garage, double glazing. The questions will be multiple choice , the answers will be in a pull down list form to make the questionnaire easy to understand. The results of the search will appear along with a picture of the property, the location and the asking price. The system will not allow you to buy the house, it just gives you a list of possible properties according to the customers needs so the customer will be able to find out more information on their chosen property from the estate agent. Viewings can then be arranged and possibly follow on to a sale of the property. The website will be assessable 24 hours a day 7 days a week and so anyone who has access to a computer with a modem and internet access s will be able to search the database whenever they choose. INVESTIGATION ANALYSIS Planning To improve the system I will first have to find out about the current system in use so I will send a questionnaire to ward and partners asking them about the system they are using. I will be designing the system for a computer running windows. These are the questions I will use: * Does the current system use windows? * Is the system easy to use? * What information about the propertys do you keep on the system? * Can your customers access the information? * If yes how? * If there was a system available that would let your customers access details on all your properties would you feel it would benefit your business? I am going to design a system that lets potential buyers and customers of an estate agents to look at all the properties the estate agent has on file. They will be able to access this database from home as it will be available on the internet 24 hours a day 7 days a week. There will be a questionnaire for the customer to fill out, only a few questions about what they would like to have in their property from the information they give the database will then be searched and the computer will display any suitable houses. The information about the house will be a short description, the asking price , a picture and a number to contact for further information. Research I have researched the current system available at ward and partners a local estate agent and have found that the current system consists of the following steps: * The customer is asked to fill in a short questionnaire about the house they require. * The answers to the questionnaire are then put onto the computer and the database is searched for a suitable house. * The estate agent only has a few details about the property . there is no picture kept on file all the other information is kept in a filling draw and has to be searched for manually. This is a very time consuming process and of course the customer wont always be happy with the first house so the estate agent must be expected to repeat this process a numerous amount of times. The actual computers: * are between 2 and 3 years old * have a processor speed of 233MHz * probably have a small amount of memory, e.g. 16 or 32 Mb RAM (Random Access Memory) * run Windows 95 * have Microsoft Office 97 installed * have modems and an Internet connection Analysis The strengths and weaknesses of the current system are shown below. Strengths Weaknesses__ * Accurate. * Reliable. * All computers have a modem and an Internet connection. _ * Very Slow. * Difficult to use ,not user friendly. * Technology is out of date therefore the computers are relatively slow. * No web site for advertising * No search available for people to use at home. * Not used by all sorts of people, it is mainly used by couples and students. __ Feasibility It is possible to produce a better system for purchasing a house and I definitely think it is worthwhile, as there are many things that could be improved with the current system. The strengths and weaknesses of the current system are stated above and show that the weaknesses by far exceed the strengths. Specification Of Problem Based on my analysis of the problem, my system must: * be user friendly * be faster than the old system. * be designed to be used on a web site. * ask people questions about their ideal house and search to find the most appropriate houses. * be accurate and reliable. * be suitable for use by all sorts of people. * store all of the information on the computers so that there is no need for a filing cabinets. * Be quick to use. Design Of Solution Hardware This is the schools hardware system and it is quite a high specification, my webpage and database would run on a lower specification if needed. _ N14 N18 Processor PII 400mHz ; Celeron 700mHz Celeron 700mHz Hard drive 4.3GB-10GB 10GB Memory(RAM) 128 MB 128MB Monitor/VDU SVGA Hansol Inc ; SVGA Samtron Inc SVGA Samtron Inc CD-ROM 18x ; 52x 52x Zip drive 100MB 100MB Floppy drive Yes Yes Printers Brother Laser(mono) Brother Laser(Colour) Brother Laser(mono) Scanner 1200x600dpi Software The software that would be most appropriate to use,and I will use is Microsoft Front Page for the design of the website, Microsoft Excel for all the data and Microsoft word for the actual write up . Excel97 for the use in the database, I have found that it id the best package for this type of work and is easily used. It is also compatible with all Microsoft applications. Word97 for the use of word processing. I have found that it is very easy to use and the most popular word processing package, meaning that a client can take home contracts etc on disk and down load them onto his own computer as the chances are they too have Word 97. In order for me to create a prototype I need to know the information which it must display. To do this I asked one of the estate agents. She stated that the property pages must include the features the property has to offer, the asking price, a photo of the property and its location. She also stated that it would be helpful if they could tell how many people had accessed the web site and gain their details for the database via the Internet. * Application To meet the evaluation criteria and specification for my system, I need a software application that is suitable for designing and making web pages. From the web site, I must be able to search a list of houses and so I will require another suitable software application to do this. I have looked at the appropriate facilities of various applications and this is what I have found. Application_Facilities___Searching * _Web sites__Word-processor_Find words in a document_Hyperlinks * Tables * Backgrounds * Images * Text__Spreadsheet_Find words or formulae in a spreadsheet * Search for the same words in a column and display them together_Hyperlinks * Images__Database_Search through records to find matches for information_None__Web site editor_Find words in a web page_Backgrounds * Hyperlinks * Tables * Images * Animated images Text__Programming * language_None_Special effects * Backgrounds * Hyperlinks * Tables * Images * Animated images * Text __ From this table I can see that to search through records I should use a database or powerful spreadsheet and to make a web site I should use a web site editor or a programming language. * Software Packages Now that I know that I need to use a database or a powerful spreadsheet and a web page editor or programming language, I need to look at the different software packages and languages that are available for me to use. First the database. Software package_Facilities and information * __Microsoft Access_Database only, so will have more facilities * More commonly used than Microsoft Works * Very powerful tool * Difficult to use properly without proper training__Microsoft Works_Combined word-processor, spreadsheet, database and address book so will not have as many facilities as Microsoft Access or Excel * Less commonly used than Microsoft Access and Excel__Microsoft Excel_Designed to be a spreadsheet so it focuses on facilities for producing web pages however, it has basic database facilities * Easier to use than Microsoft Access * More commonly used than Microsoft works __ Now the web page editor. Software package_Facilities and information * __Microsoft Word_Doesnt support frames * Text can be easily inserted and formatted * Hyperlinks can be inserted between pages * HTML code cannot be seen * Forms can be inserted * Tables can be inserted * Backgrounds can be set easily * Word Art can be used * Creates a lot of unnecessary code__Microsoft Front Page Express_Doesnt support frames * Text can be easily inserted and formatted * Hyperlinks can be inserted between pages * HTML code can be viewed and altered if needed. * Forms can be inserted * Tables can be inserted * Backgrounds can be set easily * Web bot connections (time and date) can be inserted * Created a lot of unnecessary code __ Finally the programming language. Language_Facilities and information * __HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language)_All web pages use this code to tell the browser that the code is a web page * Can take a long time to learn and use quickly * Web pages can be made to look exactly as you want them to * Can be used with other programming languages e.g. JavaScript to create special effects * Text can be inputted and formatted * Images can be inputted * Backgrounds can be set * Hyperlinks can be inserted between pages and links can be inserted within documents * Forms can be inserted * Tables can be inserted * Frames can be created and viewed * Image maps can be drawn * Created by using tags, e.g. A and /A * Can be written in a small program like Notepad __ From these tables, I conclude that even though Access is a much more powerful database tool I will use Microsoft Excel as it is easier to use. I shall also use the programming language HTML instead of a web page editor as I can make the web site look exactly how I wish it to look and I can control the code that is used to make the web page, so that there is no unnecessary HTML. However, it is easier to use a web page editor if you do not know any HTML as the programmes often look like word processors however, they do restrict the types of data that you can put on the web pages and you cannot use frames to aid the navigation through the web site. Data Input I have obtained my data from a variety of different sources. Most of the data is from John Huttchingson estates website; this showed lots of different propertys at a wide range of prices.The data at the moment is either written down or is on the website I am using for ideas. It is now necessary for the information to be moved from the form it is in to the computer. There are various different ways this could be done: Advantages Disadvantages Scanning _The data can be easily scanned on to the computer and then a text converter used to turn the data into text on the screen._ALL of the data would have to be written in a very clear format in order for the scanner to be able to read all of the data__Typing Manually_Easy to do, and labour saving as you can just do it yourself._Time consuming, as with every new piece of information the typist must then enter the data.__Microphone_Does not involve any typing._Is still time consuming, as each word must b enunciated very clearly or the text converter will not detect the word correctly.__Sensors ; Data logging _There is less opportunity for mistakes _The system requires another program to convert the results into useful information__Optical character reader_The data can be entered with no typing_The optical character reader needs to be able read all of the data so it must be in readable format__Mouse_The data can be entered without typing_Some of the data would already have to be entered on to the computer. It is time consuming.__ My main choice will be the keyboard as it suits the task I need it to perform. * Data Input Format Because I am using a database, my data will be arranged in fields. The data that is entered into the fields can be restricted to text, numbers, time, etc. Field name_Data Type_Example_Field length_Other Info __Property Ref_Numbers_14_4_The number of the client /property__Address_Text and Numbers_14 apple close_200_The address of the property__Town_Text_Dartford_20_The location of the property__Value_Numbers_à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200,000_10_The asking price of the property__Type______Number of Bedrooms_Text and numbers_DA2 7AZ_8_Postcodes are a maximum of 8 characters long__Garage_Numbers_01234 567890_11_Phone numbers are only 11 digits long__Garden_Text_Detached_13_Have to choose from a list__Number of Bathrooms_Numbers_20,000 30,000_15_Have to choose from a list 100,000 is the highest option__Double Glazing_Numbers_20,650_7_à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100,000 is the highest value possible__Central Hating_Text_Yes_3_Yes or no Have to choose from a list__Status_Text_Yes_3_Yes or no Have to choose from a list__Parking_Text_Single_6_Have to choose from a list__Picture_Text_Yes_3_Yes or no Have to choose from a list__ * Data Validation and Verification It is very important that all of the data in my system is correct. This is because people could search for the wrong things in my database and receive the wrong matches. If the names and addresses are incorrect, people will go to the wrong house and the wrong house will be sold. On the web pages, it is not so important that the data is correct as it is most likely to be spelling mistakes, however, it makes a bad impression if words are spelt wrongly. The data that will be put into my system is: * Property Ref * Address * Town * Value * whether the house has a garden * whether the house has a garage * whether the house has central heating * whether the windows are double glazed * Type Of House * Number of bedrooms * Number of bathrooms * Status of the property * If the house has parking * Picture All the data types and field lengths are shown on the table above. The sorts of errors that are most likely are spelling and typing errors. Most of the data that I am putting into the database can be checked by validation by the computer as Microsoft Excel has a built-in validation check for spelling and I can program in many validation checks of my own, including macros. I have had to program most of my own validation checks to reduce the number of errors that people make when typing in data into the database. Microsoft Excel has a feature that allows you to validate cells easily and effectively to decrease the number of errors that are entered into the system. It allows you to set limits on a cell and allow lists of data which appear as a drop-down list on the cell. I have used different types of validation in my database. To set the validation for a cell, you click Data on the toolbar and select Validation from the list of options. (Data validation) After this, you can change the validation , enter an input message and enter an error message Drop-down lists I have mainly used drop-down lists to limit the possibilities that can be entered into the cells and also to prevent the words from being spelt wrongly. I have used this type validation to allow the type of property to be selected from a list of five words: * Semi-detached * Detached * Flat * Bungalow * Terrace _ This image shows that when you click on a cell with this type of validation a list appears underneath the cell and an input message appears next to the cell explaining how to enter data into the cell. I have set the validation for this cell to show a list and display an input message to explain how to enter the data. _ _ _This image shows that I have allowed a list to be shown. It also shows the source of the list, i.e. the cells that contain the list of words. This image shows the input message that I have entered for this cell to explain how to enter data into the cell. This image shows the error message that I have entered for this cell if the data that is entered is incorrect. _ I have used validation similar to this for allowing people to enter or select: * Price Range * Number of bedrooms required * Number of bathrooms required * The location of the house * Whether the house has a garden * Whether the house has double glazing. * Whether the house has central heating * Whether the house has parking facilities Limits The validation facility allows you to set limits on a cell. This can be used to specify a minimum and maximum number to be entered into a cell or to specify the minimum and maximum number of characters that can be entered into a cell. If the data entered is outside the limits defined by the validation, an error message is displayed on the screen which states the limits of the cell. _ This validation shows that a number between 1 and 5 can be entered into the cell before an error message appears. To validate peoples forenames and surnames, I allowed a number of characters to be entered into a cell. _ _ The maximum number of characters that can be entered into the cell is 15. So, if more than 15 characters are entered into the cell, an error message appears on the screen. Since all names have to be catered for, the only validation that I have used is that each field has to be at least two characters. * Database Microsoft Excel offers the feature of creating your own custom views so that you have one set of data, you can just choose to look at it in a number of different ways. You have to program them in by hiding rows and columns but once they are saved you dont have to re-format the workbook to look like it did. My database has a number of different views: * It has a view for all of the data so that, if needed, you can change the validation checks easily and you can add more views when they are needed. * It has a view for inputting information into the database so that you cannot easily change the validation checks yet you can still input data into the database easily. * Lastly, it has a view for people using the database to search. Unfortunately, if they change any of the data on the view, it will change the data until Excel is loaded again and it will therefore affect the searches and the wrong results will be received. All of the data No rows or columns have been hidden from view and the lists for the validation checks can be seen and edited. All of the data can be edited, but not searched. Enter new data This view shows all of the columns, but the rows with the lists for the validation checks have been hidden so that they cannot be changed. The macro allowing data that has been entered in a form has not been hidden so that if the people putting data into the database choose to enter the data in a form they can still validate the data easily and correct it where necessary. Documentation * Technical Documentation Minimum system requirements: * processor speed of 200 MHz * Memory * sound card * video card * CD-ROM drive * Windows 95 * Microsoft office 97 * Free hard disk space The hardware and an operating system usually comes already installed on most computers that have been bought, so this is not a problem. To install Microsoft Office 97 you will require a CR-ROM drive and a CD containing Office 97 on it. When the CD runs, the set-up will help you to install Office 97 onto the system. I could pass on my system and web site by burning the database, web pages and images onto a CD to allow easy storage, and protection. I could have used a 3.5 inch floppy disk, but data can easily be over-written and they can be damaged easily, whereas, CDs are more robust than floppy disks and cannot be over-written unless: a) The company, Ward and partners, has a CD re-writer and then, b) I burn the data onto a re-writable CD The CD would be inserted into the CD-ROM drive and all of the information on it copies onto the computers hard disk, so now there are two copies of the data, so that if one is lost, there is still a back-up copy of the data. The files can then be opened and edited Before my system can be used by a customer, real data about houses and their current owners must be inputted into the database, as I have made 99 sets of imaginary data just for demonstration purposes and to show that my system works properly and does the jobs that it is supposed to do.

Economic analyses of collusive bidding behavior Article

Economic analyses of collusive bidding behavior - Article Example In line with this, anyone who will be caught guilty of entering into a collusion to control the auction price of milk will be required to pay fine, sent to jail for a period of six month, or both (Porter & Zona, 1997). Despite the government’s effort to control the incidence of collusion in school milk auctions in the U.S., the culture behind collusion in school milk auctions has been going on for a long period of time. The economic issues behind the procurement process and nature of auction for school milk will be provided to give the readers a better understanding of the case study. In response to the case study, some of the key economic issues that could explain the development of collusion in school milk auction will be identified and tackled in details. In line with this, the impact of economic factors like prices, consumer welfare, actual and potential competitors on market competition will be examined to enable us to determine whether or not economic reasons could stimulate the high incidence of collusion in school milk auction will be answered. As part of going through the explanation, the theory of supply and demand will be use to explain what really happens in the market of school milk. The main purpose of the study is to encourage the student to develop his/her expertise in analyzing the economic factors that could trigger the high incidence of collusion in school milk auction in Ohio. The market of school milk supply in the United States is purely affected by the demand, production process, and competition among the suppliers within a geographic area (Porter & Zona, 1997). Although the market of school milk supply is dictated by supply and demand curve, the fact that each school conducts a yearly auction does not necessarily mean that a higher the demand for milk supply would invite more potential milk suppliers to join the

Trends in income distribution in the United States Essay

Trends in income distribution in the United States - Essay Example The higher concentration wealth to the a few people will reflect a hierarchical structured society. Moreover, a relatively sprite distribution of income among people will reflect a bigger middle class. Either two of the circumstances has an impact on the situation, conditions and perceptions of people. The first situation implies a better situation for those who are more affluent or those who are in the upper strata of society. This can also dictate an unfair playing ground between the have’s and the have not’s. The second situation entails more social equity. This means that opportunities are fair to all people regardless of their class. This will also reflect the government’s structure and the degree of welfare it provide to its citizens. It may be noted that the gap in income distribution may be a major cause of negative perceptions among Americans, which divides the country into economic lines (Allen, 2007). Scholars have studied trends in the income distribution in various industrialized countries including the United States. In the said studies, the scholars have identified a pattern in the income distribution of industrialized countries particularly in the trajectories of income distribution. The common features suggest a systematic pattern in which inequality at first increased, reached a peak, and later declined in the course of industrial development. This creates an inverted U shape figure. Further studies reflect that after the 1970s, a reversal of the first study occured (Allen, 2007). Income distribution can be gleaned through various measures such as data on household income, individual income or tax accrued to the government. Income distribution can also be studied vis-Ã  -vis other factors such as gender, regional distribution, race, etc. Each year, the U.S. Census Bureau releases data on the

Effective Leadership and Teamwork in Nursing

Effective Leadership and Teamwork in Nursing Effective leadership and teamwork in nursing, with particular reference to psychiatric (mental health) nursing, within the context of professional practice and client (patient) perspectives As part of the campaign to deliver effective health and social care, the Government’s modernisation agenda focuses on strengthening nursing leadership and developing inter-professional teamwork. It is proposed that having good quality clinical leadership skills among all health professionals is perceived as vital to the provision of high-quality, effective patient-centred care, as well as for the development and future of the National Health Service (NHS) (Department of Health (DOH), 2000, pp59-71). Nurse leadership has developed significantly over the past decade and now nurses can become nurse consultants, nurse practitioners, and modern matrons or run nurse-led units. It is debated that high calibre nurse leadership can produce more motivated and effectual staff, reduce the risk of errors in drug management, decrease staff turnover and rates of sickness, result in fewer patient complaints and most importantly improve patient care (Williams et al, 2001, pp1-3). This essay wi ll critically analyse effective leadership and teamwork in nursing, especially within a mental health nursing context, with respect to professional practice and patient perspectives. As mentioned leadership skills have for a long time been acknowledged as a solution to the provision of good health care. In order to achieve first-rate health care, healthcare personnel especially senior nurses must be able to effectively lead teams, particularly across professional, clinical and organisational boundaries (Taylor, 2007, p30). Two of the key roles of a lead nurse or senior nurse manager are that of supporting staff and overseeing nursing in the provision of patient care (Castledine, 2004, p119). It is proposed that meeting staff needs improves satisfaction, productivity and efficiency and it is debated that productivity is now an important concept within health and social care sectors. It is suggested that productivity within the healthcare industry is defined by the quality of patient care. Arguably, productivity is not exclusively dependent upon how hard and well individuals work, but about meeting staff needs and support from leaders and colleagues (Moiden, 2003, p19). Debatably, where team leaders or managers are concerned about the needs and objectives of their staff, and are aware of the social and physical conditions that affect their working environments, productivity and efficiency will improve. It is possibly that a lack of working environments that support staff affects the quality of care for patients. It is suggested that it is vital that the nurse manager has leadership skills that allow a team to work together effectively (Moiden, 2003, p19). Nurse leaders sho uld be seen frequently by those they lead as high visibility could ensure that support is obtainable when most needed. Similarly, nurse leaders must ensure that staff skills are used in such a way that patients’ obtain the greatest benefit from their abilities. This can be achieved by the nurse leaders enabling others to act and giving positive responses to work-related performance. This will facilitate motivation, increasing job satisfaction and promoting better patient care (Clegg, 2000), p44). Within a psychiatric nursing environment whether it is in the community or in a mental health unit teamwork is imperative for both the staff and the service users. In the field of psychiatric nursing, nurses work as a team with other professionals such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers. Therefore, responsibility for the service users is shared across the whole multi-disciplinary team and each service user relates to several team members (Williams, 2005, p39). Arguably, the team approach to patient care within mental health nursing has advantages in terms of reducing dependency on team members, and reducing levels of burnout. It is debated that teamwork is vital in order to provide a safe and therapeutic environment that respects the service user’s dignity while promoting independence and preparation for life in society. The team approach can be supportive and creative but it is not without its problems (Machin, 1998, p17). Onyett et al (1997) studied a sample of four hundred and forty-five team members across various disciplines working in fifty-seven Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs). Emotional exhaustion, low personal accomplishment, depersonalisation, job satisfaction and sick leave was examined in relation to the perceived clarity of the role of the team, personal role clarity, identification with ones profession and the team, caseload size, composition and the frequency with which users were seen. Excessive emotional exhaustion was reported, predominantly among consultant psychiatrists, social workers, nurses and psychologists. High job satisfaction, high individual achievement and â€Å"low depersonalisation† were also found. Job satisfaction was associated with â€Å"team role clarity† and identification with the team. Caseload size, assemblage and the frequency with which service users were seen were not associated with job satisfaction or burnout. Important disparities were f ound between disciplines on all variables except sick leave. Therefore, on the evidence presented it could be argued that team membership has different implications for different disciplines. Debatably, greater attention is needed to the composition, training and leadership of CMHTs rather than hope that the disciplines will spontaneously work effectively together. It is important to note that the research used here of evidence of effectiveness of teamwork has various limitations. Firstly, the small sample size makes it not viable to relate the findings to all CMHTs in the United Kingdom. Secondly, the questions asked in the study might be seen to be leading questions and this makes the study unreliable. Thirdly, this study does not take into account the personal views of the members of the team. The individual views on the effectiveness of multi-disciplinary teamwork from the nurses, occupational therapists and social workers could make this research more valid as relationships and issues of skill mix between the disciplines could have been explored within the context of patient care. Teamwork appears to be more effective in enabling first-class patient care within hospital based mental health units. Flockhart and Moore (2002, p96) assessed the effectiveness of teamwork on patient care at the psychiatric intensive care unit that is part of the Maudsley NHS Trust in South London. The unit admits some of the most challenging patients who cannot be safely managed on general wards. Many patients suffer from paranoid schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder and can be violent or aggressive, suicidal, harming themselves or be abusing various substances. Patients are only admitted on the unit for clinical reasons, not for safety. The main ethos of the unit is to help the service users achieve their maximum level of functioning so that they can be cared for with the fewest possible restrictions. It is important therefore that in this unit and in others like it in the United Kingdom the nurses need to be good team workers and be able to deal with issues calmly. Patient involvement and collaborative working has been addressed by joint care planning with the family and other key disciplines such as social workers, probation officers and various psychiatric and psychology therapists and this had led to rapid improvements in patients’ mental state and behaviour. The collaborative teamwork that focuses on the patients’ safety has improved team communication and effectiveness. Arguably, this particular unit has an efficient team that has empowered and enabled the staff to provide the best and most effective care for the service users. This is because the team is organised, supported and valued by each of the other members and the skill mix is ideal for improving patients’ mental health. It is also important to note that this unit has one dedicated team leader or co-ordinator that provides a consistent approach that meets all the needs of the service users and staff. Routine physical proximity appears to contribute to constructive working relationships and this has been illustrated by the effective interprofessional working relationships observed in this unit. Debatably, in contrast, within a community setting each discipline will have its own team leader or manager and this might lead to inconsistencies, differences and confusion in policy and decision making. In reviewing the literature for this essay the author would like to propose the following recommendations. Debatably, more evidence based research is needed on how effective leadership leads to enhanced practice and improved patient care, especially within mental health nursing. There appears to be some literature on the effectiveness of teamwork within the mental nursing profession. Arguably, this is because the provisions needed by mental health service users are wide and varied and historically multi-disciplinary teams have always been the solution to providing care and support for service users whether that care was deemed to be of good quality or of inferior quality. However, there is room for more evidence-based literature on the effectiveness of teamwork within mental health nursing. Similarly, it is suggested that there is a need for more evidence-based literature on the effectiveness of teamwork in nursing in general. Correspondingly, there is little or no evidence-based lit erature that expounds service user’s perspectives about how efficient teamwork improves their care. From the evidence presented it can be said that many factors lead to better team performance and arguably, one of the most significant is that of team leadership. Good quality leadership skills are the solution to enabling teams to provide high quality effective patient care. Effective team leadership improves satisfaction among team members and patients and improves productivity. In order to be effective as a leader the team leader must be visible and approachable. Team working within a hospital setting is generally more effective in delivering good quality patient care than that often achieved within a community setting where multi-disciplinary teams are involved. The stress on team members in CMHTs is related to the standard of leadership as well as the composition and training of the team. Experience in the Maudsley NHS Trust illustrates the importance of good team working and leadership in determining the quality of outcomes for patients. Evidence in the literature studied is pr esented from the perspective of staff in healthcare teams while there is little or no evidence of the views of service users on the subjects of leadership and teamwork. References Castledine, G (2004) Nursing leadership must keep its roots in nursing, British Journal of Nursing, 12, 2, 119. Clegg, A (2000) Leadership: improving the quality of patient care, Nursing Standard, 14, 30, 43-45. Department of Health (2000) The NHS Plan. A Plan for Investment. A Plan for Reform. London, HMSO. Flockhart, G and Moore, S (2002) Teamwork is the key, Nursing Standard, 17, 3, 96. Machin, T (1998) Teamwork in community mental health, British Journal of Community Nursing, 3, 1, 17-24. Moiden, N (2003) A framework for leadership, Nursing Management, 9, 10, 19-23. Onyett, S, Pillinger, T and Muijen, M (1997) Job satisfaction and burnout among members of community mental health teams, Journal of Mental Health, 6, 1, 56-66. Taylor, V (2007) Leadership for service improvement, Nursing Management, 13, 9, 30-35. Williams, T, Taylor, S and Petts, S (2001) Assessing leadership development training, Nursing Times, 97, 42, 1-3, www.nursingtimes.net, date accessed 11/02/2007. Williams, C (2005) Assertive outreach: the team approach, Mental Health Practice, 9, 2, 38-40.

A Civil Action Review

A Civil Action Essay Jay Lee 9-8-09 In the movie â€Å"A Civil Action†, the environmental problem was that trichloroethylene and silicone was placed into the water in the town of Woburn. It happened through a tanning company pouring chemicals on the hides of animals and it seeping out. The company also placed a lot of barrels with the dangerous chemicals into the ground and it seeped out into the wells of the town. The damage it caused to the environment and to the people was a huge amount. It poisoned the town and children were killed because of it. The chemicals caused the children to get Leukemia and they died. The people blamed the companies Beatrice Foods and W. R. Grace & Co for neglecting proper cleaning habits. This movie showed that humans really need to practice good habits or humans will not be able to survive. One tanning company poisoned an entire town. If everyone was like the tanning company, everyone would be dead by now. People really need to practice good habits because we cannot live in a world that is polluted by dangerous chemicals. The earth cannot become like the town of Woburn. We cannot continue to pollute the earth or we will harm ourselves and each other. People also need to know what they are dumping into the earth. People have to continually study what they are dumping into the earth or they may end up getting sued and hurting people. Jan Schlichtmann found out a lot about what happens to people and the earth after studying the harmful effects of the chemicals that were being dumped into the town of Woburn. People need to study these things because the earth cannot take the harm from the chemicals nor can the people. The earth is all connected and it was shown in the movie. The chemicals from the plant were dumped into a ditch. The chemicals traveled through the soil into the groundwater. The chemicals then reached the wells of the community. From there the people drank the water. One action can affect everybody. The earth is all connected somehow and putting something harmful in it is just hurting everyone and everything. The earth does not take a problem and just magically make it disappear, it stays within the earth and people need to find a way to do something better or everyone suffers. People alter the planet a lot. In the movie, just a tanning company polluted the ground water and killed people because of it. â€Å"A Civil Action† showed a lot of things that dealt with people hurting the planet. People should have to pay because they are responsible for more than just hurting people. The environment is important to people along with animals. It affects everything people do. In the movie people were forced to come together to do something about it. The people were sick of facing trials and watching the deaths of children because of the chemicals in the water. It really makes people do things about them and environmental problems are serious. They have to be dealt with quickly or it may hurt current generations and future generations. People may not be able to fix the problems we make today in the future. Environmental problems are serious and need to be dealt with quickly.

Influence of Religion on the Civil Rights Movement

Religion has had a profound effect on numerous events throughout the course of American history. The Civil Rights Movement was not withheld from the influence of religion, particularly Christianity and Islam. Many of the key players such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, who were devoted to the cause of justice and equality for African Americans, gained their passion from their spiritual roots. Through these religious leaders organizations were established to fight for civil rights. It was through these religious men and the religion of blacks that the fight for equality gained enthusiasm and courage to fight oppression and discrimination. Opposition also came from religion, however. Reverend Jerry Falwell and the white supremacists of the Ku Klux Klan, who fought against the Civil Rights Movement, based their justification for an inferior black race on their religious beliefs. The Civil Rights Movement, by the people and parties involved, was in itself a battle of beliefs. How is religion involved in the progression and initiation of the fight for equality for African Americans? Christianity, being the a religion active in the Civil Rights Movement, has aspects within its doctrine that encourages equality. It contributed in giving African Americans the passion and the support to continue on in the struggle despite its hardships. â€Å"‘I come to preach, to liberate them’†¦. The thrust of the Civil Rights Movement†¦was that God was on the side of the oppressed, the poor, the downtrodden, the outcast, the persecuted, the exploited. God is on the side of justice† (Williams 119). Those that believed in God also believed that this divine, powerful being was behind their every effort and would grant them victory in the battle for civil rights. They saw themselves as the persecuted and knew that their God would have compassion on them through their difficulty. Moreover, the Christian faith brought unity among African American because they saw others turning to faith for hope to gain equality and so they followed suit. â€Å"According to several respondents, religion engendered in them collective identities and meanings that imbued a sense of purpose† (Williams 113). It â€Å"inspired the construction of perspectives proclaiming, ‘people who were products of segregation must be viewed theologically as the poor, the handicapped, the downtrodden. And theologically we have a responsibility to use our faith—to not be afraid to confront the oppressor’† (Williams 113). Many Christians believed it was their duty and their way of showing obedience to God by fighting those who discriminated against them. Christianity was certainly a motivator and contributor to the Civil Rights Movement. It caused African Americans to not limit their movement to the potential of a human being. Instead, they gained hope in believing that something more powerful than them was working to give them equality. Despite the unity and empowerment that blacks received from their churches, white churches mostly existed in the background and never really urged their members to partake in the Civil Rights Movement. Rather, they sat back in a more comfortable position and consented to the Supreme Court’s decision to segregate. Integration, although it did occur, had a very slow progression in Caucasian churches and schools. Roman Catholicism was the first Christian sect to completely integrate their parochial schools (Mathisen 575). With Catholics and most other sects of Christianity, preachers gave sermons to white folks, many of whom favored segregation. If a pastor spoke out about the injustices of discrimination and encouraged civil rights, they might be removed from their position as a clergyman. Moreover, Ku Klux Klan members were mixed in their churches as well. â€Å"Much of the minister’s ardor is dampened when he returns to his flock though this is not to say that he bends completely to their will. It is not without significance that some fairly strong announcements have been made on the local level† (Mathisen 574,575). Based on their audience, white pastors had to weaken their sermons so that people would continue to attend their church and so they could maintain their job. Clearly, white Americans were not all opposed to integration. Rather, many of them just did not desire to sacrifice their lifestyle to help African Americans in their struggle for equality. Yet, this is not to say all Caucasians did not fight for civil rights, but the majority of them were not an active part of the movement. Such a religious force in America that did not partake in the struggle for civil rights held back some of the potential of the movement. The Ku Klux Klan, notorious for their brutality towards others, fought against the efforts of Civil Rights activists. Despite their ruthless behavior, the Ku Klux Klan had members in law enforcement and within the church. Members of this organization believed that only white Christian people should exist within America and that other races should be honored to be controlled by Caucasian Christians. If others, such as the African Americans in their fight for civil rights, tried to gain an equal status, then the KKK would use ruthless tactics to suppress them. They defended their violent acts against African Americans by referencing their faith. A member of the KKK was asked in an interview, â€Å"What is your explanation of why there have been so many National Police Agents [F. B. I.? ] involved in the case of the ‘missing civil rights workers’† (Mathisen 576)? The Ku Klux Klan member, knowing that the National Police Agents involved were in cooperation with the KKK, responded, â€Å"First I must correct you on your terms. Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman were not civil rights workers. They were Communist Revolutionaries, actively working to undermine and destroy Christian Civilization† (Mathisen 576). Later on in the interview the KKK affiliate declared that Lyndon B. Johnson, a president known for his support of the Civil Rights Movement, â€Å"is a communist sympathizer† (Mathisen 576). This member was clearly discussing the Civil Rights activists. He proclaims that they were tainting the Christian religion, which is why they were killed and are â€Å"missing. This notion brings up religion as a contributor to their own views against African Americans. â€Å"The KKK uses words from the Holy Bible and teachings from Protestant Reverends to support its cause and justify its actions† (Fisher 1). They truly rationalize their superiority complex and their brutality to blacks by the Christian faith. By using Christianity, they too obtained unity against the Civil Rights Movement. The Ku Klux Klan was not the only notorious adversary of civil rights. A prominent opponent of the fight for African American equality and was the Baptist minister, Jerry Falwell. Falwell was a strong supporter of segregation and believed that based on the bible, â€Å"Africans were the cursed descendants of Ham, and worthy only of subservience to white people† (Kimberley 1). In Genesis of the bible Ham was cursed by his father, Noah, for disrespecting him. Through this, Reverend Falwell believes that African Americans should not gain any standing in society. To him it is the natural place of blacks to be below the status of whites due to the actions of their ancestors (Kimberley 1). Due to this, his position on civil rights legislation is very ardently against it. He has been reported to have said that the Civil Right Movement is a ‘civil wrong’ (Kimberley 1). Clearly, religion was used on both sides of the spectrum as a means to rally for a cause. While it was used by blacks for their crusade, some whites relied on it as tool to keep segregation and maintain discrimination. Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the most famous leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. It is through him and others like him that African Americans gained justice and equality. One of the motivators of this intelligent, talented orator is most certainly his faith. Before ever becoming a part of the battle for civil rights, King was a devoted Christian and minister of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church (King 47). He, then, carried these beliefs into the Civil Rights Movement. â€Å"There comes a time when people get tired of being trampled over by the iron feet of oppression† (Kelley 463). King continues on in a freedom sermon, â€Å"I want say that we’re not here advocating violence†¦We have never done that†¦I want it to be known throughout Montgomery and throughout this nation that we are a Christian people†¦We believe in the Christian religion. We believe in the teachings of Jesus. The only weapon we have this evening is the weapon of protest† (Kelley 463). The reactions to these words were astounding. People identified with this idea and it gave them passion and courage to pursue equality. â€Å"All through that statement of religious identity the people shouted and applauded, moved with King, pressed him forward even as he urged them toward their own best possibilities† (Kelley 463,464). By their religious unity the Civil Rights Movement becomes undeniably contagious. As faith is mentioned, everyone joins in the excitement of the crowd and begin to trust that with numbers they can protest and achieve equality. Martin Luther King, Jr. ’s most famous speech â€Å"I Have a Dream† contains within it references to religion, faith, and hope. â€Å"And when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and city, we will be able to speed up the day when all of God’s children—black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants —will be able to join hands and sing the words of the old negro spiritual, â€Å"Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last† (Finkenbine 190). This speech, like many of his others, held within it the idea of nonviolence. King looked to an Indian leader named Mahatma Gandhi as a guide to his desire to resist violence in the Civil Rights Movement. Despite this, he always turned to the Bible as a source to defend this action. King puts it best when he said, ‘The spirit of passive resistance came to me from the Bible, from the teachings of Jesus. The technique came from Gandhi† (Kelley 468). Religion was certainly Martin Luther King, Jr. ’s driving force as he became a prominent leader of the movement. He used Christianity as a means to support his every action and without its inspiration he would not have had nearly as great an effect on the Civil Rights Movement. Through him, African Americans came together inspired to make a change to society and not stand for injustice. Another contributor to the Civil Rights Movement was a man known as Malcolm X. He, like numerous other African Americans, took to practicing the religion of Islam. Elijah Muhammad, a member of the Nation of Islam (NOI), influenced Malcolm X and many others into pursuing these beliefs (Kelley 478). Black Muslims viewed themselves in American society as â€Å"an isolated and unappreciated appendage† (Mathisen 576). Muhammad saw the black race as not wanted and believed that the only way to achieve peace in such a circumstance is to remove those that do not desire them. Moreover, he taught that white people belong in Europe and that, â€Å"there will be no peace until every man is in his own country† (Mathisen 576). Black Muslims stressed their own identity and black racial supremacy. They had little desire to integrate and would have rather made America their own Islamic nation. With such a heavy goal, they decided to become a part of the Civil Rights Movement and obtain the rights that they believed were due to them. Malcolm X was brought into the Nation of Islam and it became his inspiration to gain equal rights for African Americans. He actually, despite Elijah Muhammad’s influence, was the leader who made the Nation of Islam a prominent and powerful force in the United States. Unlike Martin Luther King, Jr. , Malcolm X believed in violence as a means for blacks to gain better standing in society. People looked to him as the militant, uncompromising man who would use violence when needed to scare whites into accepting their conditions. He too believed, as many black Muslims, that building black institutions and defending blacks was far more important than integrating into society. Through men like Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, â€Å"the Nation of Islam attracted thousands of urban blacks to the disciplined life of abstinence, prayer, and black self-determination† (Kelley 478). Although their techniques were different in achieving civil rights for African Americans, this religion of Islam motivated people just like Christianity to fight for equality and justice. As religious leaders began to speak up and stand up against the prejudices that African Americans faced, organizations began to form to further the effectiveness of the struggle for civil rights. One such organization is Congress for Racial Equality, or CORE. This group, which organized direct nonviolent protests, branched off of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. The Fellowship of Reconciliation was a Christian pacifist group formed during World War I. They, like Martin Luther King, Jr. , believed in the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi and implemented Christian values into their approach (Kelley 450). The Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) focused on destroying legalized segregation, particularly on downtown stores and municipal facilities. Another association that sprung up out of religious roots is the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). By 1957, Martin Luther King, Jr. and several black ministers from the South came together to form this organization which was based on the â€Å"Montgomery experience† (Kelley 470). One of their major accomplishments during this time was that they held conferences and organized people, such as when a group of some twenty thousand people came together in Washington, D. C. to pray for civil rights legislation. The fact that a mass amount of people came to pray that day gave others in the church the inspiration to look beyond their own means and to see things occurring which have never before. This gave African Americans hope and led more of them to these gatherings since they know that their desire for justice can be heard. Religion had a major effect on the Civil Rights Movement. Even when it was on an individual level such as with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, the effects of religion trickle down into the masses. Speech after speech, African Americans became inspired and empowered by them and began to believe in things beyond their own human capacity. Blacks turned to divine beings as a means to achieve equality and justice. Religion helped teach them to ignore the years of discrimination and damage to their self-esteem. It gave them the power to stand strong in the face of hurt and in the face of humiliation. Without religion, the Civil Rights Movement would not have had the unity, and hope that allowed it to continue on. At the same time, however, the enemies of the movement found their muse to keep segregation and discrimination. Religion was then used by them too as a means to protect their way of life and maintain the status over blacks that they had ingrained in them since the time of slavery. Religion had a mixed influence over the movement, but in the end African Americans would see the day when they gained those civil rights. They would see the day when blacks have equality under the law in America.