Substance Abuse, Addiction and Dependency among Adolescents

America’s New Free Trade Agreement Essay Example

America’s New Free Trade Agreement Essay Example America’s New Free Trade Agreement Essay America’s New Free Trade Agreement Essay The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), implemented in the year 1994, is meant to remove barriers to trade between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. An important component of this free trade agreement is the member countries’ concern for environmental as well as labor issues, which must be worked on and agreed upon by the member countries. Yet another significant component of NAFTA is that of conflict resolution between the member nations. For this, the free trade agreement outlines procedures (Topulos).Since the time that it was first implemented, NAFTA has proved to be a positive experience for all member countries. In Mexico after NAFTA, poverty rates were reduced, and the real income increased, despite the economic crisis that the country went through during 1994-1995. Experts believe that the free trade agreement has the potential to reduce the poverty of Mexico even further. Trade among member nations has already increased tremendously. Goods produced in the United States, Canada or Mexico, are now distributed simultaneously in all three member countries. Moreover, the Mexican factories that process imported raw materials into finished goods for export have seen a dramatic increase in their income. Trade in other sectors of the Mexican economy has also increased. In the area of agriculture, Mexico has witnessed a steady increase in exports every year since the inception of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreeme nt). Undoubtedly, NAFTA is expected to benefit Mexico also in the future, just as the benefits of the agreement are being realized more fully today by the United States and Canada. The latter are expected to still increase their benefits of NAFTA with Mexico’s economic development.Given the benefits of NAFTA to the economies of the member countries, and the faith of the United States that it should have firm economic relationships with its neighbors – in December 2003, the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua completed their negotiations on the newest free trade agreement in the region: the Central American Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA (Promoting Trade With Central America And The Dominican Republic). The United States and Costa Rica agreed on the latter’s participation in the new free trade agreement in January 2004. Two months later, the United States concluded negotiations also with the Dominican Republic to integrate the latter int o the CAFTA. This changed the name of CAFTA to DR-CAFTA, or the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (Costa Rica).The goal of DR-CAFTA was the establishment of a free trade zone, which would be similar to the NAFTA. Thus, the DR-CAFTA removes tarrifs on approximately 80 percent of the U.S. exports to the other member countries (Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement). By so doing, the new free trade agreement makes it especially beneficial for member countries that are economically weak to buy high quality U.S. products and thereby raise their standards of living. What is more, the agreement allows for easy access of goods from member countries into the United States market. Once again, the economically weak member countries are bound to benefit substantially through the new agreement, seeing that they may now have the gigantic U.S. market to sell their products to (Runyon).Other provisions of the DR-CAFTA include: (1) a promise made by the govern ments of all member countries that foreign investment is guaranteed in their respective nations; (2) a gradual removal of all barriers to trade that were initially meant to protect domestic production; (3) no duties on the import of agricultural goods; (4) subsidies on all agricultural goods, except sugar, must be eliminated; (5) intellectual property rights must be maintained; (6) a gradual removal of protectionist barriers in all sectors; (7) national monopolies must be dismantled so as to allow foreign investments to compete equally with the domestic organizations; (8) transnational companies would be given the right to resolve conflicts in private international courts; (9) the environment must be respected, and environmental laws abided by; (10) the major labor standards of the International Labor Organization must be enforced in all member countries; and (11) government corruption must be reduced and eventually eliminated in all member countries, especially the economically wea k ones where corruption is rampant (Dominican Republic).The United States’ economy would benefit by selling tariff-free goods to the member countries of the DR-CAFTA. The DR-CAFTA states would be able to purchase more U.S. goods than before, seeing as the tariffs would have been lifted. It is worthy of note, however, that the combined GDP of the DR-CAFTA states is only 0.5 percent of the GDP of the United States. The quantity of U.S. goods that the DR-CAFTA states would be able to purchase would be limited but naturally. Still, the benefits that these states achieve in the long run through the DR-CAFTA are expected to be greater than the benefits that the United States would be able to realize. This is because the DR-CAFTA states are all economically weaker than the U.S. Thus, positive changes manifested in the economically weak states would appear to be much greater in extent (Runyon).Although the effects of the new free trade agreement between the United States, Dominican R epublic, and five Central American countries, have not been documented as yet, it is believed that once the DR-CAFTA has been fully implemented, the United States would be able to increase its exports to the member countries by approximately 15 percent. U.S. imports are similarly expected to increase by around 12 percent, while the effect on the aggregate output as well as employment in the United States is expected to be little. Hornbeck states: These estimates are in line with expectations made prior to the negotiations that the marginal effects of the DR-CAFTA would be small, but positive for the U.S. economy as a whole, given the DR-CAFTA countries had small and already largely open economies.Once again, the overall benefits of DR-CAFTA would be more clearly visible in the DR-CAFTA states in the long run, just as the case of Mexico and NAFTA reveals greater interest in the benefits of NAFTA to Mexico. Just as NAFTA reduced poverty rates in Mexico, increased trade in the DR-CAFTA nations is expected to reduce poverty rates in these nations. However, it may take a while before the full benefits of DR-CAFTA are realized in these nations. Molly Runyon explains why the full range of benefits of DR-CAFTA would not be immediately visible in the economically weak nations: 1. Costa Rica. Retrieved from ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Reports_Publications/2004/2004_National_Trade_Estimate/2004_NTE_Report/asset_upload_file462_4745.pdf. (7 April 2007).2. Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement. Wikipedia (2007). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/. (7 April 2007).3. Hornbeck, J. F. The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). Congressional Research Service (2005, July 6). Retrieved from http://price.house.gov/UploadedFiles/CAFTA%207.6.05.pdf. (7 April 2007).4. North American Free Trade Agreement. Wikipedia (2007). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement. (7 April 2007 ).5. Promoting Trade With Central America And The Dominican Republic. The White House. Retrieved from whitehouse.gov/index.html. (7 April 2007).6. Runyon, Molly. Free Trade in Weak States: The Case of DR-CAFTA in Nicaragua. Retrieved from http://fletcher.tufts.edu/research/2006/Runyon.pdf. (7 April 2007).7. Topulos, Katherine. NAFTA. Duke University School of Law (2007). Retrieved from law.duke.edu/lib/researchguides/pdf/nafta.pdf. (7 April 2007).

Continuing divisions between black and minority ethnic (BME) groups still remain a significant social concern, with themes such as the higher likelihood of socio economic deprivation The WritePass Journal

Continuing divisions between black and minority ethnic (BME) groups still remain a significant social concern, with themes such as the higher likelihood of socio economic deprivation Conclusion Continuing divisions between black and minority ethnic (BME) groups still remain a significant social concern, with themes such as the higher likelihood of socio economic deprivation IntroductionConclusionRelated Introduction Continuing divisions between black and minority ethnic (BME) groups still remain a significant social concern, with themes such as the higher likelihood of socio economic deprivation, lower levels of education and increase contact with the criminal justice system than their white counterparts still being highlighted (Bogg, 2010, pg66) It is also clear that these inequalities are inherent within the provision of mental health care services, with the Mental Health Act Commission (MHAC) reports   continuing to highlight the higher rates of detention for BME groups under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA 1983) (Bogg, 2010). Racism has been argued to be a fundamental cause of inequalities in mental health care and racism within psychiatry derives from the traditions of the discipline, its history, ways of assessing and diagnosing, organisation and its involvement with the powers of state (Fernando, 2010, pg105). There are demonstrable differences in access to preventative care for majority and minority ethnic groups. This is partly because the structure of health services is often cast in the dominant culture’s mould (Bhui, 2002, pg 90). Racism in the provision of psychiatric services derives from the manner in which institutions are constructed and fashioned and the failure by most organisations to confront the inherent and historically determined racism (Fernando, 2010, pg105). Psychiatry, the doctrine concerned with disorders of the mind, is a western tradition developed in western cultures in conjunction with ideas surrounding race and power. The idea that BME groups had inferior brains or defective personalities was a common notion in the 19th century and these ideas were taken on board very easily and naturally by psychiatry and western psychology (Fernando, 2010, pg62). Historical perspectives illustrate the political and social motives which created the definitions of, and policies on mental health issues. The creation of mental health to support the social structure of the time can be best demonstrated by the case of draptomania, an ‘illness’ particular to slaves and whose classic symptom was the ‘irresistible urge to run away from the plantation (Ndegwa et al, 2003, pg90). This demonstrates the element of control issued through the ideas around mental health and the notion of inferior BME groups. Racism is still thought to expressed and felt today in the provision of mental health care and other public services. Research into the structures and organisations of mental health services identified systems of inequalities based on race and is known as institutional racism. In the investigation of Stephen Lawrences death institutional racism was defined as ‘the collective failure of an organisation to provide appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviours which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people (Macpherson, 1999). The report found institutional racism in many aspects of the Stephan Lawrence case, including the conduct of the investigation, the treatment of the family, the failure to recognize the murder as racially motivated and the lack of urgency and commitment in the investigation (Singh, 2007, pg363). Since the publication of the Macpherson report institutional racism has been declared to be a problem in the UK National Health Service (NHS). A significant development into the NHS, especially its mental health services being branded as institutionally racist is the inquiry into the death of David ‘Rocky’ Bennett. An inquiry team was set up to examine the care and treatment that Rocky Bennett received before he died after being restrained by up to five nurses (Athwal, 2004).   The inquiry report described the inequalities in mental health services faced by black and minority patients as ‘a festering abscess which is at present a blot upon the good name of the NHS (Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority, (2003) and attributed these inequalities to institutional racism. It can, however, be problematic to use institutional racism to explain the circumstances of Bennett’s death. The failure to train staff in methods of safe restraint and prompt resuscitation cannot be seen as institutionally racist in itself unless some racist intention or process can be identified in this failure, since all patients could suffer as a consequence. However, if fears of black male patients’ inherent violence led to their being restrained more frequently and forcefully, then a racist effect could ensue. But in this case it is the assumption about black violence, rather than the failure in training that constitutes the racism in question. Furthermore assumptions about black violence are held by individuals rather than constituting a feature of the organisation (Bradby, 2010). In 2005, in response to increase awareness of racial discrimination in the psychiatric system, the Department of Health introduced its BME mental health programme through the National Institute for Mental Health in England (Coppock et al, 2010, pg114). The programme aims to improve the mental health care of all people of BME status including those of Irish or Mediterranean origin and east European migrants (DoH, 2005).   However, while this publication accepted most of the recommendation made by the inquiry into the death of Rocky Bennett’s death, it refuted the existence of institutional racism in mental health services. In doing so, it ignores the finding of the Macpherson Report. Such an approach fails to contextualize the various forms of direct and institutional racism in the wider society (Coppock et al, 2010, pg114). ‘Count Me In’ (2007) was a one day census of the NHS hospitals, private mental health hospitals, and learning disability units which contributed to the increasing evidence of ethnic differences in the treatment of mental illness (McKenzie et al, 2007). The survey of 32,023 inpatients on mental health wards in 238 NHS hospitals reported that 2 per cent of patients were from BME groups although they only represent 7 per cent of the population in the UK (MHAC, 2007). It is too simplistic and problematic to blame institutional racism for such a situation and whilst it is the case that Afro-Caribbean’s are over represented, other groups such as the Indian and Chinese communities are underrepresented. Such discrepancies indicate that there may be more to this than the issue of race and ethnicity (McLaughlin, 2007). Nevertheless, it has been argued that a lack of understanding of cultural diversity in the experience and expression of distress leads to the reinforcement of cultural stereotypes which can result in misdiagnosis and negligent care (Coppock et al, 2010, pg113). The Ritchie inquiry into the care and treatment of Christopher Clunis is another high profile inquiry that found the collective failures in psychiatry to an individual from a BME group (Singh, 2007).   Many shortcomings were recorded about the institutional racism that was identified, for example, Clunis’ first visit showed that the ‘opportunity for early diagnosis and possibly effective treatment was lost’ (Ritchie, 1994, pg14) to a desire by social workers ‘not to stigmatise a patient, or label him in any way as a violent or difficult person which was felt might work to his disadvantage’ (Ritchie, 1994, pg19). The enquiry made it clear that there was a tendency among staff repeatedly to ‘postpone decision or actions when difficultly was encountered or perhaps because the patient was threatening and intimidating, and possibly because he was big and black’ (Ritchie, 1994, pg107). This report, it has been argued, reveals institutional racism in practice and demonstrates the risks that many from BME groups face within psychiatry of not being given the correct diagnosis and not being treated assertively enough, simply because of their ethnicity (Singh, 2007). Accusations of institutional racism would appear to be well founded and disparities reflect the way health services offer specific treatments of care pathways according to racial group, and therefore seem to satisfy the well established and widely known definition (McKenzie et al, 2007). However, a closer look at the issue shows the reality to be more complex than it is often reported, and also highlights the danger of pathologising whole communities under the guise of therapeutic aid (McLaughlin, 2007).   The issues argued by Mckenzie and Bhui (2007) that presupposes that treatments are in reality offered on the basis of racial group disallows the possibility that ethnic differences might exist because of other societal factors, which may not be within the control of health services (Singh, 2007). More over it does not consider the possibility that care pathways are not always offered by health services but are sometimes chosen, and sometimes imposed upon patients by legal process es, outside the control of healthcare services (Singh, 2007). However, Mckenzie and Bhui argue that acknowledging the existence of institutional racism can lead to tackling the causes of these racial disparities. Delivering race equality may training may have some impact on disparities in involuntary admissions but because such admissions reflect the combined actions of the criminal justice system, social services and education, a strategy based in mental health services alone is unlikely to be sufficient (McKenzie et al, 2007). Institutional racism and oppressive practices have resulted in increased funding of research into the amount of mental illness amongst ethnic minorities. In the UK, the voluntary sector has emerged as a provider in response to the inflexibility of statutory services and has been charged with the responsibility to develop better services, while the statutory sector remains not only unattractive but aversive to BME service users (Bhui, 2002, pg139).   The strength of specialised services lies in the mandate from service users and the commitment of the voluntary sector and the practitioner’s interest in culturally competent mental health care provision (Bhui, 2003). In contrast, some argue that, whenever BME groups are the focus of discussion, it immediately focuses on the idea of the ‘separate’, ‘different’ and ‘them’ being not part of ‘us’ and therefore requiring ‘special’ attention, outside of the provision of mainstream services (Bhui, 2003). Rather than promoting the needs of BME service users, there is a danger that specialist services can marginalise people from minority ethnic communities even further (Lester et al, 2010, pg193). However, specialist services already exist and are now being adopted in statutory services engage those most disenfranchised by existing models of care. Existing services as a whole do not offer a system of care in which BME groups can expect to receive the least coercive treatment (Bhui, 2003). On the other hand, some commentators argue that the solution for the current problems in the provision of mental health care, must involve the mainstream of psychiatric practice rather than marginal initiatives that emphasise further segregation of minority needs (Bhui, 2003). Conclusion For many commentators, the way forward may actually require a dual approach; working inside mental health services to make them more appropriate for people from minority ethnic communities, while at the same time working outside public sector mental health services to build capacity within black and minority communities and the voluntary sector for dealing with mental ill health (Lester et al, 2010, pg193). To ensure that culturally sensitive services become a mainstream feature of mental health services rather than an optional extra, the majority of commentators emphasise the central importance of training (Lester et al, 2010, pg194). However, by focusing inappropriately on culture and ethnicity at the expense of sound clinical judgments, we risk offering poorer rather than better care to patients from minority ethnic groups (Singh, 2007).

Ecological Meaning essays

Ecological Meaning essays The question that is before us is rather complex: What is my lifes meaning as an ecological being on the Planet Earth? In this essay, I will attempt to explore three aspects of my life, as they pertain to the environment and the ecological footprint that I have left, and while leave in the future. This will be achieved through exploring three important aspects of my life, as they relate to the environment: Consumption, Career, and Speaking Up. The first aspect I will explore of my life, as it relates to my ecological footprint, is consumption. How much we consume, can determine a large portion of our environmental impact. As a consumer, I currently spend little time caring about the impact that my purchases and actions have the environment. Perhaps, one thing that I do is have my groceries put into plastic bags, instead of paper bags. This cuts down on the demand for trees to be cut down, for making paper bags. If everyone used plastic bags, the demand for paper bags would go significantly down, in effect, the demand for trees being cut down could go slightly down. However, the creation of plastic for grocery bags also creates waste, which is harmful for the environment. Therefore, there is no easy answer to even the simplest of choices, as they relate to our environment. Whenever I purchase groceries, I usually dont take into account the materials my groceries are packaged in: tins, plastic, paper, cardboard, there is little difference in my mind. Perhaps, a goal for myself should be to explore which of these options is least harmful for our environment, and strive to purchase my food products that are packaged accordingly. One thing that I do consider when I purchase paper for school and for my printer, is whether or not it is recycled. I always try to purchase items that are recycled. Sometimes, they may cost slightly more, but its worth it. Sometimes I think about this as a long-term investment for my childre...

How Does Paid Employment Affect Your Identity Essay - 3

How Does Paid Employment Affect Your Identity - Essay Example Our identity also changes as our surroundings and our roles in it changes, which then translates that it is also what we chose to prioritise, what we rationally chose to fulfil, and what we may prefer to be concerned about (Martin and Barresi, 2003). In another setting, different kinds of people can come together under one larger and unified group that has similar visions and goals. Often called the organisation, it is both an entity and a concept in itself, which links together identity, power, inequality, freedom and knowledge all under a conceptual framework (Knights and Willmott, 2007). The behaviour and interaction of people working within an organisation is called organisational behaviour. It addresses broadly the interaction of people within all types of organisations like business, government, university and service organisations (Singh, 2010). To understand how an individual would behave in a group setting, there is no magic bullet to solve all kinds of organisational kinds. Also, humans have different identities, which would make the study of organisational behaviour even more erratic and unpredictable, hence the need for a multidisciplinary approach which borrows ideas from behavioural sciences, management and other disciplines (Singh, 2010 and Knights and Willmott, 2007). For example, an individual can be studied without considering the organization. But because the organization influences and is influenced by the individual, there is also the need to study something about the organization (Knights and Willmott, 2007). Organizations influence more or less the lives of many people. They provide rules and regulations (governments), source of income (workplace), where individuals are raised and trained (schools, universities), among others (Griffin and Moorhead, 2010). We can also have multiple roles in different organizations (consumers, employees, suppliers, students, owners, etc.). For that, the study of organizational behaviour is deemed important. In an organization, there are employment relations, hierarchy, a division of labor, as well as a degree of permanence or continuity (Knights and Willmott, 2007). Knowing what a person’s role would be in an organization would dictate his or her roles, which would more or less be the same with persons of the same rank in the ladder. The formation of small groups within an organization helps in affirming the roles of members within a particular rank. It also has a powerful effect on the morale, attitude, motivation and work performance of the group members (Singh, 2010). Members of a group associate themselves with their group and this shapes their attitude and behaviour with regards to the organisation. The formation of such groups, when fully harnessed by the top management, will provide the necessary workforce that would have highly effective members with high performance goals. Thus, the participation in such organisations by individuals with different roles would help in d eveloping and confirming their sense of identity within the group (Knights and Willmott, 2007, and Singh, 2010). In an organizational setting, many cultures and ideas are often taught to all, if not most members. For example, a culture of autonomy implemented in a certain workplace could give a sense of empowerment for their employees since they experience a sense of discretion or freedom

Advertisement Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Advertisement Analysis - Assignment Example In this advert, all the car’s occupants comprise youths who have had an accident though the two teens occupying passenger seats seem to have already died. There is a phone showing incomplete statement, â€Å"We’re already ther†¦.† which afterwards rings; probably their friends are inquiring victims where they have reached once they fail to receive a reply text within the anticipated period (â€Å"Eberhard Productions†). In order to make this advert work effectively, producer chooses to use an extremely catching tune while showing the accident’s severity. Hence, bringing a feeling which normally follows tension sound tracks mostly used in movies to evaluate or show consequences of a calamity especially when victims are trying to come into terms with the reality (â€Å"Eberhard Productions†). The advert also utilizes both continuous and immobile animations features like dented vehicle, tree, passing car as well unconscious children who are lethally injured. Other animations include ringing phone, which has prompted the young woman to cause an accident with an incomplete message though the person they were rushing to meet is calling. It is intriguing how the producer integrates actions in the film to relay his or her message. Instead of the warning statement of texting while driving being at the start of the film, he or she chooses to have it towards the end. These encompass unconscious injured victims, dented car, ringing phone and screaming young woman due to shock of what has befallen them though her shout is not audible in the movie (â€Å"Eberhard

Miranda Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Miranda Act - Essay Example Hence, the entire literature on the impact of the Miranda Act on individuals and law enforcement personnel originates from studies that were carried out during the early years of Miranda (Cassell & Fowles, 1998). Because the more enduring effect of a court resolution is more relevant to academics than its immediate impacts, as expressed by Leo (1996), it is astonishing that no academic has investigated the effect of the Miranda Act in almost three decades. The Miranda Act has been the most contentious and the most condemned case of the Supreme Court in the United States criminal justice (Fridell, 2006). Even though nobody has methodically studied the continuing impacts of Miranda on collective awareness, court cases, or law enforcement methods and behavior, the subject matter of Miranda’s effect is still a root of contention among academics and practitioners (Leo, 1996). Despite the unending debate between liberal and conservative scholars of the Miranda Act, law enforcement personnel have effectively adjusted to the provision of Miranda of ‘pre-interrogation constitutional warnings’ (Leo, 1996, 628) in recent years. A significant portion of the law enforcement community respects the ideals and logic of Miranda and does not challenge its legitimacy anymore. Law enforcement personnel, according to Cassell and Fowles (1998), like detectives and police officers, nowadays have also embraced the legitimacy of the Miranda Act and accepted its importance as a representation of police competence.