Criminal Justice Resources

According to Jona Meyer and Diana Ruth Grant, the prosecutor and the defender play a vital role in the criminal justice system. Inside the courtroom, they present a case from their own perspectives and tend to come up with substantial evidence to ensure their success. A distinctive trait both the defender and the prosecutor share is they aim to convict a defendant of the crime to prevent the innocent person from being punished. However, the way they present their theories is what the judge needs to pay attention to (Meyer & Grant, 2003, p. 102). This source is useful for my project because it provides enough details about the difference between a defender and a prosecutor, and has a lot of details regarding how the mindset of a judge is far more important than these two players. Unlike the defender, the prosecutor frequently uses his appointed position to move up in the prestige and power within the criminal justice system. Defenders either work independently, charging the clients based on the nature of their cases, or are hired and paid by the government (Meyer & Grant, 2003).

Justin Healey argues that the effectiveness of the judicial system depends on the civil liberties and political rights of a judge. If he is allowed to take unbiased decisions, then the overall system will be positively impacted, and if some pressure is exerted on the judge to make the wrong decisions, then it becomes impossible for him to contribute to the prosperity of the nation (Healey, 2006, p. 54). The alignment of regulatory and legislative frameworks is strongly required at this stage if the United States government is serious about strengthening the overall economic, political and social systems. Justin Healey’s source is useful and effective because it encourages the public regarding the importance of cooperation and coordination among the judge, the prosecutor, the defender and other criminal justice actors. It emphases that the judge should deliver his commitments based on the number of evidence provided by the two parties (Healey, 2006).

In the article titled Law and the Role of a Judge, Leslie Green clarifies that a judge’s role in criminal proceedings has always been subject to controversies. He is often challenged for some of his decisions or is asked to favor and support the most powerful party. In recent years, judges have been accorded a lot of responsibilities for case management. They listen to both the defender and the prosecutor, carefully evaluate and examine the overall situation, adapt to the rules and regulations and laws, and then take the final decision (Green, 2014, p. 301). It’s safe to say that the legislative development in the sentencing field has forced the reevaluation of a judge’s power to take decisions or to sentence offenders. If the situation persists and judges are not given their rights, then the criminal justice system will take on a new dimension where everyone will be free to commit crimes or to make the wrong use of the power of a judge. This source is useful because it proves that while acting judicially, the judge is obligated to apply the laws, and it is how they can bring positive changes in the society and can strengthen the criminal justice system to an extent (Green, 2014).

In addition to studying the biological causes of criminal behavior, David Abeling-Judge looked at the role of a judge in the society. According to the expert, the society is influenced by the way a judge solves different cases.  This source makes it clear that the growth of cities (urbanization) and the agricultural economy (industrialization) largely depend on how well-versed the criminal justice system is (Abeling-Judge, 2016, p. 1227). If it is weakened or the judge is urged to take the wrong decisions, then the society as a whole gets impacted. Most of the problems can be solved if judges are allowed to critically evaluate different cases, to work as a team, and to reduce the number of crimes by punishing the offenders (Abeling-Judge, 2016).

Jason A. Cantone studied the psychological patterns of judging a few years ago and published an article in 2016, shedding light on the way a judge uses his mental and physical capabilities to solve different cases (Cantone, 2016, p. 19). If the judge and the jury are working side-by-side, then the chances of taking the wrong decisions are low. However, if a judge works alone, then his decision might be challenged by the public, the media or the government. This source is useful because it provides a significant number of examples about how the behavior of a judge changes while working with and without the jury (Cantone, 2016).

References

Meyer, J., & Grant, D. R. (2003). The Courts in Our Criminal Justice System. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Cantone, J. A. (2016). Why Judges Are Applied Psychologists. PsycCritiques, 61(27). doi:10.1037/a0040354

Abeling-Judge, D. (2016). Different Social Influences and Desistance From Crime. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 43(9), 1225-1241. doi:10.1177/0093854816652639

Green, L. (2014). Law and the Role of a Judge. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2495953

Healey, J. (2006). Criminal Justice. Thirroul, N.S.W.: Spinney Press.

Gel Electrophoresis

Theory and Introduction

Gel electrophoresis of PCR products is a standard way of determining the quality of a reaction as well as its yield. It should be noticed that PCR products range up to 9 kb in length, and most of the amplifications remain consistent at 1kb where PAGE analysis is considered a far better and more effective option than the others (Berg, 2012). These days, gel electrophoresis is being widely used for separating and analyzing a variety of macromolecules such as proteins, RNA and DNA. With this technique, one can easily divide macromolecules into micro-molecules for further studies (Williams & Goodeve). This method is primarily used in clinical chemistry and helps separate proteins based on their size or charge. In the fields of molecular biology and biochemistry, gel electrophoresis is used to separate mixed populations of RNA and DNA fragments and to estimate the actual size of each RNA or DNA fragment. The purpose of this lab experiment was to visualize the given sample with UV light. No extra staining was used for this purpose; in fact, the DNA stain was clearly visible. Multiple bands from the PCR reaction indicated varying priming sites for the primers of the target DNA.

Apparatus and Chemicals Used

Materials Required for Advance Preparation	Quantity
UView 6x loading dye	1 vial
PCR molecular weight ruler	1 vial
Sterile water	1 bottle
PCR products for electrophoresis from previous lesson	4 per group
2 ml microcentrifuge tubes	24

Materials Required but Not Supplied	Quantity
2–20 µl adjustable-volume micropipets	8
2–20 µl pipet tips, aerosol barrier	8 racks
50x TAE	1 bottle
Molecular biology grade agarose	1 bottle
Graduated cylinders, 3 L and 500 ml	1
Microwave or magnetic hot plate and stir bar	1
Bottle or Erlenmeyer flask, 1 L	1
Water bath at 60°C (optional)	1
Gel casting trays	8
Gel combs	8
Lab tape for gel casting (optional)	1 roll
Horizontal electrophoresis chamber	8
UV transilluminator or imaging system	1
Marking pens	8
Power supply	2–4

Procedure

1.      The PCR molecular weight ruler was inserted in a centrifuge along with an aim to bring all the content to the bottom.

2.      In the next step, we added 50 µl of UView 6x loading dye to the vial of PCR molecular weight ruler and mixed everything nicely.

3.      Then we labeled the eight 2 ml microcentrifuge tubes MWR and added 25 µl of PCR molecular weight ruler to each of them.

4.      The eight 2 ml microcentrifuge tubes were labeled Loading Dye, and we added 15 µl of UView 6x loading dye to every tube.

5.      The next eight 2 ml microcentrifuge tubes were labeled Sterile Water, and we then added 40 µl of sterile water to every tube

Discussion

In this experiment, we found that the genomic DNA had produced visible PCR products with the correct size. The presence of human “transgene” sequence was observed during this experiment. By looking at the graph, it becomes evident that there is a strong relationship between the molecular weight of DNA and the distance it travels (Charlene et al. 2012).

Conclusion

It has now been proved that PCR can be used to study DNA and RNA fragments and that gel electrophoresis is an effective method to analyze the quality and yield of PCR products.

References

Berg, H. (2012). Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis of PCR-Amplified Fragments (PCR-RFLP) and Gel Electrophoresis - Valuable Tool for Genotyping and Genetic Fingerprinting. Gel Electrophoresis - Principles and Basics. doi:10.5772/37724

Williams, I. J., & Goodeve, A. C. (n.d.). Conformation-Sensitive Gel Electrophoresis. PCR Mutation Detection Protocols, 137-150. doi:10.1385/1-59259-273-2:137

Charlene, R., Lori, M., John, B., & Lari, M. (2012). Application of Multiplex PCR, Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), and BOX-PCR for Molecular Analysis of Enterococci. Gel Electrophoresis - Principles and Basics. doi:10.5772/37897

Annotated Bibliography and Outline

Annotated Bibliography

100 Media Moments That Changed America. (2010). Choice Reviews Online, 47(10). doi:10.5860/choice.47-5469

In this source, it has been mentioned that the history of the United States started with the settlement of Indigenous people centuries ago. Various cultures came into being in the 14^th and 15^th centuries, and Christopher Columbus came to America 1492 with an aim to start the European colonization. Most of the American colonies could not be formed until 1600, and by 1770, more than fifteen British colonies containing 2.5 million people came to the United States to dominate this part of the world. They wanted to implement the self-government across the United States, causing many problems for the locals.

Churella, A. (2018). Railroads in US History. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.013.515

According to Albert Churella, for nearly 500 years now, many problems between Africans and Americans have come to our notice. Even though it has now become a superpower and one of the most developed, liberal states in the world, the United States still has many whites who do not treat African-Americans politely and consider them their slaves. This issue originated when the British government began ruling different countries and refused to give human beings the basic rights and facilities. All over the country, there was a system of self-government, meaning Britain was trying to dominate Americans in all walks and fields of life.

Lavender, W. (2015). The Comingling of US History with US Military History. The Worldview of Redemptive Violence in the US, 57-73. doi:10.1057/9781137479112_4

In this scholarly article, Wayne Lavender argues that various people associate the rise of the radical antislavery movement in America with William Lloyd Garrison, a white journalist, and reformer, but the fact is that the origin of abolitionism lies in the free black community. In the 18th century, David Walker came forward and spoke in favor of those activists who demanded an end of slavery. He submitted an appeal in this regard, and he was criticized for most of his opinions. Until now, some white Americans have not accepted that blacks have equal rights and that they should be treated politely, without any discrimination.

Kurt, L. T. (2009). The Lost History of the Ninth Amendment. US Constitutional Law. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195372618.001.0001

Lash T. Kurt thinks that the Great Depression has taught numerous lessons to people of the United States. For many years, they lived a miserable life, were forced to work for pennies, and had to face serious health and educational problems. Even their children, aging from 7 to 16, had to do full-time or part-time jobs in order to support their families. It took the country so many years to get out of this uncertain situation, and today, Native Americans seem to have forgotten the sacrifices of their forefathers. They are more into treating African-Americans badly than preserving the valuable assets of the past.

US Foreign Policy in World History. (2000). doi:10.4324/9781315004228

In this source, it has been clarified that the most significant moment of the 19^th century for America took place across the ocean: the Repeal of Britain’s Corn Laws. Parliament imposed many taxes on foreign gains and made it difficult for Americans to live their lives peacefully and as per their desires. Compared to the rich, the poor had to pay much money for food, and they were often forced to hand over their products to English for free. This slowed down the economic growth and development of the United States, and many businesses were shut down.

Tyrrell, I. (2015). Introduction: US History as Transnational History. Transnational Nation, 1-10. doi:10.1007/978-1-137-33855-6_1

Ian Tyrrell is of the view that British manufacturer Richard Cobden was the only person who dared to argue that taxes were slowing down the economic growth, and the laws were repealed in the mid of 18^th century. He showed concerns regarding how the actions of the British government were causing problems for the entire world, especially for the United States. This repeal cracked Europe’s class structure to an extent.

Health Belief Model

In this paper, I will first talk about the negative effects of smoking on the body, and then apply the Health Belief Model to a scenario.

A Case from Personal Experience

I live in Greenwich Village, which is present on the west side of Lower Manhattan, New York City. Here in my colony, both teenagers and adults love smoking even though they know about its health consequences. Even in my neighborhood, there is a young man who shifted here the previous year; he and his wife are friendly, and we love spending time together. Once his wife told me that she has been trying to keep her husband from smoking, but he does not listen to her in this regard.

The previous week, I called them to my house for a get-together and found that the man was smoking once or twice an hour, which was a matter of serious concern as he had developed depression, and his lungs could have been damaged if he did not quit on smoking. I sat with him and explained that no matter how you smoke it, tobacco is not good for your health. As is described by John Chapin and Grace Coleman in their article titled Health Belief Model Scale, from tar and acetone to carbon monoxide,and nicotine, the substances of tobacco not only affect the lungs but also cause problems for the entire body (Chapin & Coleman, 2014).

I was shocked to see that the man already knew all this, but still, he was not ready to quit on this bad habit. He told me that his wife once bought him a magazine on the side effects of smoking, and he had read it carefully, but the fact is, according to him, it is not possible to quit on smoking since it has become an integral part of his life. He could live without food, but not without tobacco.

The Health Belief Model

The health belief model uses a variety of psychological indicators to predict the health behavior or condition of an individual. This model was developed in 1950 by psychologists and socialists of the U.S. Public Health Service. According to this model, people’s beliefs about health issues are different from one another (Lavranos & Vassou, 2016). Some of them may believe in the effectiveness of psychotherapy, while the others will not as they do not want to quit their bad habits or are not interested in changing their lifestyles at any cost.

The Concepts from the Model and How They Integrate into the Case

This model helps explain why people get engaged in high-risk health behavior, even though they understand the seriousness of the issue. An example is smoking. The problem of that man who lives in my neighborhood is that he cannot decrease his dependence on tobacco even when he knows it could damage all the systems of his body. It looks like he is suffering from cognitive illusion as he continues to smoke in all situations, and when he wants to do it, he does not listen to anyone and fails to understand the feelings and behaviors of people around him.

The core benefit of the health belief model is that it helps us understand how people make varying health choices based on personal interests, emotions, social conditions, and habits. Thus, it opens our eyes to what could be the negative impacts of smoking and how people would react if they are asked to quit this bad habit. The fact is that smoking can lead to some ongoing complications and long-term effects, such as high blood pressure, depression, cancer and stomach problems. However, those who smoke ignore what other people say or think about them and keep doing what they like the most (Menon & Szalacha, 2008).

Nurses can use the health belief model to design long and short-term interventions. For this purpose, they should first develop an understanding of its action-related components that influence health behaviors to an extent:

1.      First of all, it is important to conduct a health assessment and collect information to determine the potential risks of the disease and know more about the target population.

2.      Secondly, nurses should convey the consequences of a health problem in a clear and understandable way.

3.      Communication with the target population may also be needed so that desired actions can be taken.

4.      The provision of care or assistance while reducing the barriers to action should be ensured.

5.      Lastly, the actions should be demonstrated through skill development activities.

All of these actions play a key role in strengthening the overall healthcare system. In order to ensure success within the health belief model, nurses and doctors should identify cues to action that are appropriate and meaningful for the target patient or population.

References

Menon, U., & Szalacha, L. (2008). Health Belief Model. The International Encyclopedia of Communication. doi:10.1002/9781405186407.wbiech006

Chapin, J., & Coleman, G. (2014). Health Belief Model Scale. PsycTESTS Dataset. doi:10.1037/t61379-000

Lavranos, G., & Vassou, P. (2016). Promoting reproductive health in adolescents: Implementation of the Health Belief Model. European Journal of Public Health, 26(Suppl_1). doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckw172.036

Reading Response

Title of the Reading: 59 Organizations Fighting Food Loss and Waste

Response

After reading this article, I got to know that the problems of food’s loss and its wastage have taken a serious form in recent years. Up to 1.3 billion tons of food is lost every year in fields like transportation, at restaurants and markets, as well as in industrial areas. Personally, I think that developed countries are mainly contributing to this problem since some 220 million tons of food is wasted by their citizens every year, which is a matter of great concern. Most recently, some businessmen, policymakers, researchers, and farmers have started paying attention to this problem. Organizations like 412 Food Rescue, Zero Percent, World Vegetable Center, The Garden of Eating, Stop Wasting Food, Second Bite, Salvation Farms, Lean Path, and Imperfect Produce are forefront in this regard. Some of them collect the waste food from here and there and dispose of it wisely, while the others are busy with running campaigns that are meant to let people know that food is a valuable asset.

If we will not play our individual role in saving it, then a day may come when we will have a short of food. In the Third World, people are already suffering from several medical conditions that are probably caused due to the lack of food. All human beings should learn a lesson from them and need to make the wise use of eatables and drinks so that some can be saved for those who do not have access to vegetables, fruits, and other eatables. Food is not only a basic requirement for human beings but also is needed by animals and plants, so we should start preserving it from now.

Title of the Reading: Working to Create A World Where Everyone Eats and Enjoys Healthy, Safe and Delicious Food

Response

In this text, it is clearly written that only a few people are working hard to create a world where everyone has an easy access to foods. There is no denying that the survival of living things, including human beings, depends on whether or not healthy food is available to them. I have observed that in under-developed countries, it is too difficult for people to raise their families and to provide them with good and hygienic meals. In contrast, in developed countries like Canada, England, and the United States, people are living a better life and have an easy access to whatever they want to eat or drink. However, the fact is we should make good food available to everyone, without any discrimination, and this is possible when we stop buying unnecessary food items and opt for only what we need on a daily basis.

It is a common observation that rich people buy a lot of snack foods and beverages and then throw them out of their houses, contributing to the problem of shortage of food. A sustainable and excellent world has to be created where people do not die due to lack of food and can buy their favorite eatables at reasonable prices. This is possible only when we, the public, work in collaboration with governments, and play our role in the prosperity of the entire world. In the meantime, food and beverage companies should improve the overall quality of their products and ensure the provision of affordable drinks and eatables to everyone, with an aim to create a world where everyone eats his favorite foods and stays healthy and active for a lifetime.

Title of the Reading: Food and Water Watch

Response

From this reading, I have learned that food guarantees our survival and that it is being wasted and lost unnecessarily. The only quick way to avoid this problem is by creating awareness among people regarding the importance of food in their lives. Millions of people turn to social media on a daily basis in order to raise their voices regarding a particular social, economic or political issue, and I think that we can easily interact with the world through Facebook, Twitter and other social networking websites in order to make everyone understand that food might come to an end if they will not stop wasting it or throwing it outside in a large quantity. First of all, we should buy only what we like. For instance, if a person does not like a burger but still buys it, then he is directly or indirectly contributing to the problem of shortage of food.

Secondly, we should let people know that buying food for themselves is not enough; instead, they should get the poor something nice to eat on a daily basis and contribute to the welfare and betterment of the society by the whole. On a local level, events can be arranged in this regard, and I think that school, college, and university students should be motivated to participate in these events so that our generations also get to know how serious the issue is at both local and global levels.

References

Walla, K., Nierenberg, D., Jordan, R., Kelley, A., Perroni, E., Jackson, R., . . . Deily, K. (2017, January 09). 59 Organizations Fighting Food Loss and Waste – Food Tank. Retrieved from https://foodtank.com/news/2016/07/fighting-food-loss-and-waste/

Food & Water Watch. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/

Change Food Meets... (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.changefood.org/projects/change-food-meets/

RATIO ANALYSIS OF MORRISONS

Ratio Analysis of Morrisons (UK)

Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc, also known as Morrisons, is one of the largest and most famous supermarkets in the United Kingdom, having its headquarters in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The store has been around since 1899, and it started its operation as a butter and egg stall in Rawson Market, Bradford. Today, the company has its physical locations in Gibraltar, Scotland, Wales and the South of England. In order to determine the ratio analysis of Morrisons, we will first look at its profitability ratio. Various investors are concerned about the profitability of this company as profitability helps them determine the long-term goals of the brand and allows them to understand what will be the returns for their investments. If Morrisons manages its resources carefully, it will automatically be able to produce more profits and to come up with the expectations of both customers and investors.

Return on Capital Employed (ROCE)

The Return on Capital Employed for the last three years are as follows:

ROCE =

Company Name	2015	2016	2017
WM Morrison	(671÷6202) × 100 = 10.8 %	(907 ÷ 6608) × 100 = 13.72 %	(904 ÷ 7063) × 100    = 12.8 %

From this table, it is evident that the financial status of Morrisons in 2015 was not as efficient as it was the next year, in 2016. Again, in 2017, it went down by 1 percent compared to the previous year. At the same time, the revenues of Wm Morrison’s PLC have grown from 15.40 billion to 16.47 billion, and its net income has increased from 597 million to 633 million, giving the company good net income.

Net Profit Margin (NPM)

The net profit margin of Morrisons is as follows:

NPM =

Company Name	2015	2016	2017
WM Morrison	(671 ÷ 14528) × 100 = 4.62%	(907 ÷ 15410) × 100 = 5.90%	(904 ÷ 14679) × 100          = 5.48 %

Wm Morrison Supermarkets’ PLC has been converting the revenues into profits efficiently. From this table, it is evident that the company is capable of converting its revenues into operating profits and hence can pay a fixed price and debt.

Asset Turnover (AT)

AT =

Company Name	2015	2016	2017
WM Morrison	(14528 ÷ 6202) = 2.34	(15410 ÷ 6608) = 2.33	(16479 ÷ 7063) = 2.33

A slight decrease in the asset turnover of Morrisons has been found, which indicates that the company may have to revise its policies and terms and conditions. The company has shown a slight increase in its revenues, which demonstrates its capabilities and interest in selling something nice and extraordinarily special to the customers.

Liquidity Ratios

Liquidity rations help analyze the financial position of a company. It can be regarded as the measure of a company’s ability to increase enough cash whenever in need, indicating whether itcan fulfill its financial requirements or not.

Current Ratio (CR)

The current ratio of Morrisons is as follows:

CR =

Company Name	2015	2016	2017
WM Morrison	(1065 ÷ 2024) = 0.53	(1092 ÷ 2152) = 0.51	(1138 ÷ 2086) = 0.55

In the year 2015, the current ratio of Morrisons was 0.53, which decreased the next year (0.51), and then increased in 2017 (0.55). It indicates that the company held the ability to pay off its short-term and long-term debts within a set timeframe. From 2015 to 2015, Wm Morrison PLC displayed a steady change in the value of its current ratio and may maintain this balance in coming years too. It proves that the company is paying utmost attention to tolerating the effect of increased liabilities in order to generate more revenues and to double its sales.

Acid Test Ratio (ATR)

The acid test ratio for Morrisons is as follows:

ATR =

Company Name	2015	2016	2017
WM Morrison	(1065 – 494 ÷ 2024) = 0.28	(1092 – 577 ÷ 2152) = 0.24	(1065 – 638 ÷ 2086) = 0.20

It is a common observation that companies with ATC lesser than one may get into trouble as they will not be able to pay their liabilities in a better way. On the other hand, if the working capital ratio is more than ATC, then it will show that the current assets are dependent on inventory.In 2015, Morrisons’ acid test ratio was 0.28, which continued decreasing in 2016 and 2017.

Financial Gearing

Financial gearing is the relative proportions of equity and debt that Morrisons or another company uses for supporting its operations. The information obtained in this process is used for evaluating the risks of failure of the business. It should be noticed that a high proportion of debt to equity means the business will be highly geared. The formula for financial gearing is as follows:

(Short-term debt + Long-term debt + Capital leases) ÷ Equity

Gearing Ratio (GR)

The gearing ratio for Morrisons is as follows:

Gearing Ratio =    

Company Name	2015	2016	2017
WM Morrison	1682 ÷6202 × 100 = 27.10 %	1659 ÷ 6608 × 100 = 25.10 %	1643 ÷ 7063 × 100 = 23.30 %

It is evident that Morrisons’ gearing ratio has decreased from the year 2015 to 2017 and its profit margin has shown growth. For instance, in 2015, it was4.62 percent and grew by 1.28 percent in 2016, followed by a decrease of 0.42 percent the very next year, in 2017. In the future, the company will be required to keep its gearing ratio stable in order to be ensured of success in this competitive environment.

In conclusion, Morrisons is doing good business, but compared to the previous years, the rate of its growth looks slow to me, which is a matter of serious concern. I strongly believe that the company should improve the quality of its products, has to keep the prices to a minimum, must develop a strong relationship with investors, and may have to revise some of its policies in order to align them with the current market trends and demands. The overall performance of Morrisons, as well as its financial position, is stable, but if they pay attention to these simple things, it will be easy for the company to defeat its rivals.

References

Anon, 2014. Tesco and Morrisons School Report. Strategic Direction, 30(2), pp.18–20.

Adewuyi, A.W., 2016. Ratio Analysis of Tesco Plc Financial Performance between 2010 and 2014 in Comparison to Both Sainsbury and Morrisons. Open Journal of Accounting, 05(03), pp.45–56.

Kalmárová, Z., 2012. Sainsbury’s vs. Morrisons - An Investment Decision Based on Financial Analysis. Financial Assets and Investing, 3(3), pp.17–28.