A War On Women And Drugs Criminology Essay

A War On Women And Drugs Criminology Essay In 1986 Congress passed mandatory minimum sentencing. Federal mandatory drug sentences take the decision away from the judge and gives sentences based on: 1. The type of drug; 2. The weight or alleged weight of the drug mixture and 3. The number of prior convictions. The rise of women in prison seems to be correlated with US drug laws and policies. Many researchers argue that the war on drugs has directly become a war on women. In 1999, the Bureau of Justice Statistics documented that 1 in 3 women were likely serving time for a drug offense in comparison to 1 in 8 women in 1986. Three reasons often determine the involvement of women in the criminal justice system, the first would be a history of abuse, the second issue is disrupted family and personal relationships and finally the third is drug abuse. Women that end up in prison have usually been abused and/or battered, are economically disadvantaged, have abused drugs, and/or are minorities. Due to the circumstances just mentioned a nd stricter policies and laws regarding drugs the outcome is a drastic rise in the incarceration of women. If women are seen as victims of circumstance then they are basically adapting to the conditions of their lives and struggling to survive. The status of women in prison reflects their status in society; they are marginalized by racism and sexism. Women in prison have been damaged by the oppression of patriarchy, economic marginalization and the far-reaching effects of such short sighted and detrimental policies as the war on drugs and the over reliance on incarceration, (Owen, 2000). Female Offenders Women have become the new offender in the criminal justice system. Through the years the amount of women incarcerated has greatly risen. In 2000, there were more than 1 million women in the United States in prison, probation or parole, whereas in 1990 there were 600,000 in the same situation. The rise in the incarceration of women can be greatly attributed to US policies and laws on drugs and drug related crimes. Women are usually minimally involved in drug crimes but are severely punished due to the mandatory minimum laws in place. The war on drugs does not have laws laid out specifically for men and women, the laws are universal and apply equally to both men and women. Drug laws were originally designed for the male criminal and did not take into account the special circumstances in womens lives. These women that are being punished under the mandatory minimum drug laws are the wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, nieces, granddaughters and girlfriends of many law abiding citizens in society. These women become involved in drug crimes because of their dependence to their significant other, whether it is financially, because of fear or other extenuating circumstance. Women who become victims of mandatory minimum laws are incarcerated and subject to patriarchal sentences because the men in their lives coerced, obliged or scammed them into carrying drugs. Women in jails and prisons are often oppressed and even victimized. There are many race and gender inequalities in the criminal justice system when it comes to addressing women and their needs. Women offenders are more likely to be incarcerated now than they were at any other time in the history of the United States. The legal system has become more willing to prosecute and incarcerate women than at any other time in the history of the United States. Mandatory minimum sentencing policies for drug related offenses have increased the number of women incarcerated. According to the Sentencing Project, between 1986 and 1991 the population in state prisons for drug offenses increased by 828 percent for African-American woman, 328 percent for Latinas, and 241 percent for white women (Mauer Huling, 1995). Guilt by Association Drug laws now in place punish not only the individuals who sell the drugs, but also people who assist the drug dealer as well as people who merely know the drug dealer. Women are apprehended at higher rates in reference to the war on drugs. In many circumstances women are arrested and sentenced merely for remaining with a significant other who is involved in the drug trade industry. Women are more vulnerable than men for prosecution based on their associations rather than on their behavior. Women who are involved in the drug trade are often nominally involved and often only participate in the drug trade in order to be able to financially support their own drug habit. Some women are bullied into the drug trade because of abuse or due to financial instability. These mandatory minimum sentences are perhaps a good example of the law of unintended consequences. There is a respectable body of opinion which believes that these mandatory minimums impose unduly harsh punishment for firs-time offenders particularly for mules who played only a minor role in a drug distribution scheme. Be that as it may, the mandatory minimums have also led to an inordinate increase in the federal prison population and will require huge expenditures to build new prison spaceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, U.S. Supreme Court Mandatory minimum sentences remove the discretion of the judge, therefore not allowing a judge to take into account mitigating circumstances that could reduce the harshness of the sentence. Mandatory minimum sentences require that low level offenders receive the required sentence required by statutes. Women can rarely assist in providing prosecutors with information that could assist in lessening their punishment because they are often mules, transporters and low level offenders and do no have access to valuable information needed by the prosecution. Also, many times women choose not to provide what little information they do have because of the safety of their family and children. Due to the mandatory minimum laws and the amount of information that women are able to provide they are often subject to harsher punishments than their male counterparts, who are often kingpins. Women who are sent to jail are often the primary caregivers for their children and other family members. Children depend on their mothers and when they become incarcerated the children are left improperly attended or in unstable temporary arrangements. Due to a mothers preoccupation with her children, women often wish to speed up their case by entering a plea of guilt in order to receive a lesser charge and stay out of prison or reduce her sentence. Mandatory Minimum Laws and Their Effect on Women Prisons are filled with violence therefore entrapping women in a world of cruelty and abuse that does not succeed in addressing the needs of women, such as their psychological, medical or economic needs. The dynamics that were just referenced are what originally contribute to a womans involvement in the criminal justice system; these dynamics are what originally created womens involvement with drugs. When a woman enters prison she is often times abused and revictimized therefore further damaging a woman. In prison women are often physically or sexually abused. When a woman is in prison she is unable to receive proper medical treatment. Research has noted that women in prison are subjected to physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse by guards and other inmates. Amnesty Internationals 1999 report, Not Part of My Sentence Violations of the Human Rights of Women in Custody, indicates that males staff, under the guise of correctional supervision, frequently watch women as they shower, use the bathroom, and dress and undress in their cells. Women are often sexually extorted while in prison for basic everyday necessities such as toothbrushes, soap, etc. A woman who is abused in prison suffers many consequences especially if she was abused in the past or suffers from any mental illness including but not limited to depression, bipolar disorder or if she is recovering from a drug addiction. Just like any woman who is abused, a woman who is abused in prison is left with severe imbedded psychological scars. Often women who are abused in prison are more severely scared than other women, some of the psychological scars that women who are abused in prison are left with are Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Rape Trauma Syndrome, prevalent fears, nightmares and flashbacks, these scars can lead to hatred towards self, anxiety, depression, suicide and substance abuse. Women who are sexually assaulted while in prison are subject to sexually transmitted diseases and/or pregnancy which they might not get medical treatment or prenatal care for. Both male and female prisons provide poor healthcare for its inmates. Women have higher rates of medical issues than men. Women in prison receive poor medical treatment and do not receive needed medications for medical conditions such as heart conditions, depression, other mental health diseases, asthma and other medical conditions. Women often have to receive permission from guards to seek medical attention. Prisons do not have a full medical staff thus contributing to the lack of medical treatment available to women. Women who enter the prison system on drug charges are often diagnosed with depression as well as drug addiction. Some of these women are also diagnosed with bipolar, schizophrenia and other mental health conditions which are not properly treated in prison. Prisons are not equipped to properly care for womens mental health conditions and do not have the funds to provide needed counseling services. Women that are prescribed psychotropic drugs are often not given the medications correctly and instead they are given the medications as sedatives. Incarcerated women that are separated from their children suffer a great deal of trauma, these women often become depressed. Women whose mental health conditions are exacerbated due to incarceration and have a past history of drug abuse may turn to drug use while in prison in order to ease the emotional pain. Children Affected Many of the women in todays prison system have minor children. From 1991 through 1999, 98 percent of children in the United States had a mother who was imprisoned, (Bureau of Justice Statistics). It is estimated that most women in prison have two children and prior to incarceration the children resided with their mother. When women are sent to prison, children are often placed with other family members or in foster care. In terms of the War on Drugs, children are removed from the mother due to incarceration or because of a mothers addiction. If a woman is sent to a residential treatment program rather than to prison she is still separated from her children. Some residential drug treatment programs do not allow children to visit and some have age restrictions. Although each child will react uniquely to extended separation from his or her mother, researchers report that when a mother and child are separated due to incarceration, the child often grieves as if the mother has died, experi encing a grief that is unique to children with incarcerated parents, (Bloom Steinhardt, 1993). Children with an incarcerated mother tend to suffer from fear, anxiety, grief and sadness and later in life these symptoms can lead to withdrawal as well as verbal or physical aggression. Many of the children whose mothers are in prison are sent to foster homes where they have an increased likelihood of being physically, sexually and emotionally abused. When a mother is incarcerated her day to day interactions with her children are altered and significantly changed. Correctional facilities do not aid women in having relationships with their children and often due to the distance of the prison it is often times impossible for children to visit their mothers. Visiting a parent in prison is very difficult for children and visiting a mother in prison can be emotionally detrimental to children. Telephone calls from mothers to children while in prison can be very costly thus reducing the likelihood that a child will be able to speak to the parent via telephone. Few prisons offer family reunification programs for children. Incarcerated mothers and their children are not provided with counseling, parenting classes, skills training, overnight programs for mothers and children and other essential services, therefore hindering the relationship between a mother and her children. Establishing these programs in prisons would give women the opportunity to fulfill their roles as mothers and learn how to properly care for and raise their children. As more women are incarcerated due to Drug Laws the fate of children lies in the hands of the welfare system. The child welfare system is not equipped to deal with the rising number of children left without a mother due to the increasing amount of women incarcerated because of mandatory minimum laws. Mothers convicted of drug crimes are dually punished, they are punished by the judicial system and they are also punished by the welfare system who removes their children from their care and custody. The Outcome of the War on Drugs Minimum mandatory drug laws are destroying the lives of women. These laws are destroying families and childrens lives. Harsh punishment does not address the issues causing women to use drugs, to become addicted to drugs, to sell drugs, or to remain in abusive relationships with drug dealers. Many of the women arrested for drug charges are black women or poor women. Many of the drug related crimes that women are arrested for could be dealt with outside of the judicial system. The judicial system does not address the reasons why a woman becomes involved with drugs or why she risks her family in doing such. Drug dependant women should be treated rather than incarcerated. Incarcerating a woman who is dependant on drugs increases her chances of relapsing thus at the same time increasing the likelihood for mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Women that become involved in the drug trade industry because of coercion or abuse are punished for not turning in their partner, the individual who is physically or emotionally abusing them. The judicial system does not address the needs of children who lose their mothers to prison nor does it assist women in building a relationship with their children. A womans incarceration can lead to permanent loss of her children and can prevent her from getting any government assistance upon her release. Instead of incarcerating women because of the mandatory minimum drug laws, we should provide them with the necessary tools they need to assist them. Within a womans community there are many resources that can aid her in leaving an abusive relationship. A community also has resources to assist women in with drug dependency issues. Women need to be empowered to become successful and productive members of society. These women rather than being punished need to be provided with opportunities to better their lives and with the proper tools to be better parents. Conclusion As a society rather than investing money in prisons, we need to invest money in community resources that will assist women with drug treatment and resolving the underlying reasons that led them to drug dependence. Women involved in drug crimes because of abusive relationships need to be provided with the appropriate resources to assist them in leaving that relationship and achieving financial independence as well as emotional stability. Women need to be provided with the skills and training necessary to live productive lives in society. Rather than dealing with women in the criminal justice system as a nation we need to provide alternative resources. We have an obligation to save these women for themselves and their children. The underlying causes for womens involvement in drug crimes need to be addressed. Women need to be provided with services for drug addiction, health issues, mental health issues and abuse. Rather than placing women in prisons that were designed for men for committing a crime that they were forced into through coercion or abuse, we should place them in treatment programs designed to meet with their unique needs. Treatment programs designed for women should incorporate mothers and their children allowing for mothers to receive necessary counseling and parenting classes while actively caring for their children. Mandatory minimum laws need to be reevaluated. Women need to be punished for their part in the drug crime, not for the overall crime that they did not play part in. A woman should not be punished because of association; a woman should be punished and held accountable for her actions. A judge should be allowed to ultimately decide a womans punishment and her involvement in the drug offense being charged. Women that must be incarcerated because of their role in a drug crime should be granted the opportunity to visit with their children. Children should not be punished; they are not the ones who committed the offense. To elaborate, a woman with repeated drug charges should not be allowed reunification with her children because after the first or second charge it should be noted that this woman does not wish to learn from her original mistake. Women who are punished under mandatory minimum laws unfairly should be granted ample opportunity for reunification with their children. There is no reason to why women need to be punished for drug crimes that they did not willingly participate in. Mandatory minimum laws were designed for kingpins and drug traffickers but obviously it is not serving its purpose. The people being affected most by these mandatory minimum laws are the people with the least involvement in the crime. Mandatory minimum laws need to be reevaluated and applied accordingly. The ultimate decision on punishment should be taken away from the prosecution and should lie solely in the hands of the judge.

Yellow Ribbon Project

PR Assignment 1 Background Sheet: Generating Yellow Ribbon Project Campaign Awareness 1. About the Organization: Singapore Prison Services Singapore Prison Services (SPS) is a division of the Singapore Police Force that concentrates on the care and rehabilitation of prisoners who have committed social or criminal offences. The organization does not merely concentrate on housing and providing guidance for inmates while they are in remand, it is also dedicated to ensure that no repeat offences ensue. Thus, a major portion of their efforts also concentrate on providing inmates with basic employment skills in hopes of preventing past criminal behaviour from surfacing upon their release into society. This indicates that the SPS provides preventive and after-care measures to maintain former prison inmates compliance with the law as much as possible. (Source: http://www. prisons. gov. sg/about_us. html) 2. About the PR Situation In 2005, SPS services realized that former inmates released into society faced social stigma in the form of negative public opinions of being ex-offenders and are often denied employment or rejected by society. Such public opinions are harmful and repressive. Seitel (1998, pp50) describes Public Opinion as the aggregate of many individual opinions on a particular issue that affects a group of people by forming consensus or popular attitudes and thoughts. The role of the PR practitioner then is to positively influence an individual’s attitude. As seen in the above definition, public opinions represent popular thoughts that can prove an inmate’s re-integration into society a daunting task. Without the means of finding acceptance or a proper means of living, many relapse back into a life of crime, a paradox that can be resolved through a public relations campaign that aims to educate and seek acceptance. As such, the Yellow Ribbon Project as a public relations campaign in a long-term program that sought to change public perceptions of ex-offenders was launched in order to deliver a second chance. In this situation, the SPS has been providing culinary training to a group of inmates in conjunction with Raffles Hotel (Singapore) that has culminated in a cooking competition. A renowned chef has been at helm in training them and he has marvelled at their ability to pick up skills in a short time. The newsworthiness of this initiative begins with prison inmates partaking in a grand cooking competition not unlike the Iron Chef series. Thus, a Media release highlighting the background of the cooking competition and a feature article in the form of a personality profile written by an SPS Public Relations Executive will be provided for the purposes of fulfilling this assignment. 3. Reasons for Using PR Communication: 3. 1 Media Release: It is deemed that to generate positive publicity and awareness of the ‘bizarre’ cooking competition in conjunction with this year’s Yellow Ribbon Project (YRP), a media release will be sent to newspaper editors in Singapore in hope that the story will be printed and generate interest and positive awareness. A media release has been described by Seitel (1998, pp175) as a document of record to state an organization’s official position or to influence a publication to write favourably about the material discussed and stimulate editors to cover a story. As readers tend to perceive news articles with more credibility, it is hoped that the use of a media release information transformed into a news article will fulfil the communicative objectives of the YRP better in terms of reach and credibility than using an advertisement or provision of information on the organization’s website. 3. Feature Article-Personality Profile: For the second communication tool, a personality profile of a former prison inmate who has found moderate success as a food hawker will be written by an SPS Public Affairs executive and published in a local Singapore Newspaper, The Straits Times special edition that covers the YRP in October. In addition, the personality profile will also be posted on the SPS we bsite for maximum coverage. A feature article has been described by Seitel (1998, pp203) as articles found in magazines or newspapers that are the opposite of hard news items, often light, humorous or enlightening. In this scenario, the feature article is utilized to disseminate less newsworthy (there is less news-worth in a story about a former convict turned cook) information in more subtle ways to break misconceptions that ex-offenders, like leopards, never change spots. The feature article is thus useful when less important information needs to be conveyed to the publics of a PR campaign that nevertheless, represents a supporting communication device in meeting campaign objectives. References: Seitel, FP, 1998, The Practice of Public Relations, 7th edn, Prentice-Hall, NY, USA. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (LOGO) INMATES SHOWCASE CULINARY TALENT AT FIRST-EVER YELLOW RIBBON COOKING COMPETITION Singapore, September 9, 2010 – Twelve inmates pit their culinary skills against one another in the Yellow Ribbon Cooking Competition held in Changi Prison Cluster A today. This milestone activity is the first in a series of Yellow Ribbon Project activities in 2007, organised by the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders (CARE) Network. The cooking competition was jointly organised by Raffles Hotel. Chef de Cuisine Jean-Charles Dubois from the hotel’s French fine-dining restaurant Raffles Grill was one of the judges at today’s finals and was also heavily involved in preparing the inmates for the competition. This cooking competition simulates the kitchen environment and challenges faced by professional chefs. Participants were required to produce an original Western-style dish within a strict three-hour limit using predetermined ingredients and equipment. The participants showed promise and a genuine eagerness to learn, and this experience has been rewarding as I have been able to see the improvements they have been able to make,† said Chef Dubois. To prepare participants for the competition, Chef Dubois visited the institutions five times and provided video instruction to introduce the ingredients and cooking methods to the inmates. â€Å"The participation of inmates in this competition further reaffirms their determination to contribute to their families and society. We’re proud to have our inmates’ creation featured at the prestigious Raffles Hotel. Chef Dubois’ contribution to our inmates also shows that the community is willing to take the lead in helping inmates in their rehabilitation and reintegration,† said Mr. Desmond Chin, Chairman, Yellow Ribbon Project Organising Committee. Winning recipes will also be recreated at a special reunion lunch, A Tribute of Love, to be held in three days’ time for winners and their family members. Raffles Hotel will also feature the best dish on a Raffles menu, making it available to her patrons and guests. *ENDS* About Yellow Ribbon Project The Yellow Ribbon Project is a nation-wide campaign to raise the awareness of Singaporeans about the need of inmates, ex-offenders and their families for societal acceptance. For more information, please contact: Jale Byrd, Executive Public Affairs Branch, Singapore Prison Service Telephone: 6565-6565 Email: [email  protected] gov. sg From The Fire Into The Frying Pan By Jale Byrd The bang and clatter you hear when you step into the hawker centre at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 is undeniably a dragon’s roar. Rueburn Liang’s Chia Song Fried Kway Teow stall, which he has operated for the past 13 years, is synonymous with good food. It is also the most prolific stall at the busy food centre. The setup comes complete with a portable television and loud speakers that broadcast the latest soccer and professional wrestling matches. â€Å"Frying a good plate of Char Kway Teow is an art. I bang loudly on the edge of my wok to attract customers to my stall. The TV keeps them entertained,† booms Rueburn, as he gesticulates with his charred spatula. Loud, vociferous and a former Ang Soon Tong (a Secret Society in Singapore) enforcer, you will be inclined to agree. Rueburn is a karate expert plastered with tattoos of flaming dragons over his massive frame, which are made conspicuous with his well-greased white singlet. The missing last finger on his right hand makes the man’s dark, pockmarked face even more intimidating. But lest you get alarmed, Rueburn’s lashings are taken out on his trusty wok, where he conjures mouth-watering plates of delicious, spicy and sinful Char Kway Teow. â€Å"I had to chop off my last finger as a ‘settlement’ for leaving the society in 1987, and a $800 Ang Pow (a red packet containing money, is seen as an auspicious sign by the Chinese),† he reveals without a hint of regret. Otherwise, ‘they’ will never leave me alone. Now, those days are over. Luckily, some of those people respect me, never really give me trouble. † (A secret society member has to sever a finger to maintain his code of honour and pay an ‘exit fee’ to leave the underground organizati on without fear of repercussions) With all his dubious activities, an inevitable brush with the law saw Rueburn put behind bars for nine months. Rueburn broke the arm, skull and penis of a credit defaulter in a savage fight. The bone-breaking experience threw him into the ‘fire’ of Queenstown gaol, a humbling experience for the former gangster. I really got burnt by the prison ‘fire’. We were made to kneel and live in a mini-hell. Sipeh Chor leh (Really Tough) Outside, I was a ‘terror’, but the others were hardened criminals and I seemed like a sissy compared to them. I didn’t want to spend my life strolling in and out of jail. Sio jit pai kow liow! (Getting burnt once was enough) I decided it was good for me to leave the society and turn to a decent living. I was right,† says Rueburn with hindsight. (The criminal slang for serving time in prison is ‘tio her sio’ or getting burnt by fire) Rueburn, who only completed pr imary education, was at a loss. The only decent job he was good at was cooking. His vocation as a military cook in the Singapore Armed Forces during his national service in 1983 cemented his culinary passion and served him in good stead. At the encouragement of his then girlfriend Fion (now Mrs Liang) and some savings, he successfully bid for a hawker stall and set up Chia Song in 1988. However, he learnt to perfect his Kway Teow frying skills only much later. â€Å"Not easy to fry a good plate. True, it looks easy but I had to experiment many times before I was satisfied†¦now, I think I am getting there,† Rueburn says modestly. Getting there? It’s very good already! One of the best in Singapore! † quips Elson Boey, a retired civil servant. â€Å"There is always a long queue during lunch time. I think his secret is in the intensity of his fire. † Hard work as it seems, Chia Song is a labour of love. The couple dedicates 12 hours a day amidst unforgiving flames to create a uniquely Si ngaporean masterpiece. â€Å"The fire must always be strong and the leow (ingredients) must be fresh! Timing is also very important, as you do not want to overcook the dish. Bah You (pork lard) must be used liberally, as it gives that special taste. You only live once ah, so live it good! No need to be so healthy one. † Indeed, words of culinary and hedonistic wisdom. It is lunchtime and an almost scandalous crowd forms. A haze of smoke clouds the sizzling sound of stir-fried garlic as they simmer in a pool of aromatic lard. Chee Seng furiously stirs in his noodles and kway teow into a heated wok smoldering under a furious fire. Within moments, arrays of delicious condiments are thrown into the fray, soaking in the thick flavour. When the rich smell of caramelized sweet sauce wafts under your nostrils, Rueburn has served another satisfied customer. A stolen glance around the hawker centre reveals an assortment of harried but happy workers haphazardly sliding tantilising morsels of Fried Kway Teow down their throats. Echoing Elson’s sentiments is Rachel Tua Kang, an auditor who works nearby. â€Å"Simply fantabulous! My diets never take off, this temptation is too much! † When told, Rueburn Liang brushes off his accolades as if they were burnt garlic bits on his flaming wok, his reddened face warms up into a big grin as he takes another drag of his Marlboro cigarettes. Ying siu nia,† (they are just entertaining me) he jokingly retorts. It is closing time for the busy hawker and he takes a well-earned respite from the day’s backbreaking battle with his wok and emerges at the end of the day with a rosy complexion, no doubt made pink by the tremendous temperatures he has to endure. As Mrs. Liang cleans up the slobber knocker of a hawker stall, Rueburn takes delight in a leisurely smoke. Rightfully, he see ks solace in his daily bottle of bitter-cold ABC stout. Gleefully, he chugs down a glass of the icy brew. Ha ha, these days I only fight with my wok. My life could have turned out much worse! There is no fear of getting burnt now. † As he breaks into another cheerful smile, he bursts into a self-indulgent laughter, as if to remind himself of his good fortune. It is lunchtime again, and Rueburn busies himself over a brilliant hot wok. You might think a fire-breathing dragon was fueling the fire, as the flames turn to a ferocious blue fireball. However, the dragon is above the stove, controlling the fire. He has made the transaction of jumping from the fire into the frying pan.

My story-writing to describe: The blade glistened in the moonlight, and the air chilled against my skin

The blade glistened in the moonlight, and the air chilled against my skin. It was time. Slash: the blade was now red, deep red. My second kill was a lot easier than the first, but it's not over. The body is starting to smell now, I guess I should leave, then I can tell you why I killed for the second time tonight, and the second time in my life. I'm back in my car I need to visit someone, I can smell the blood on my clothes, it's a dark night the air is heavy the moons gone now, only the broken street lamps to show me the way, but it will do, it will have to do. So now I'll explain what's going on and why I killed someone. I started the day like any other and went to work like normal, but when I got home, something was wrong, I couldn't hear my kids shouting and playing like they normally do, in fact I couldn't hear anything just a dead silence. Something was wrong. I could feel it in the air. I opened the door and instantly I knew something was wrong and nothing was how it should be. Lucas and Jake weren't shouting and playing as they normally are and my beautiful wife Brooke wasn't here to welcome me home. I walked carefully through the entrance hall into the living room and then I saw it something I'll never forget till the day I die, my wife and kids on the floor dead in a pool of blood, their faces so pure and honest, what's going on who could have done this, who would do this, which sick people would brutally murder unarmed children. I could hear something in the other room. I took out the baton that was in my pocket and followed the sound. I walked into another room and saw someone crawling on the floor. Covered with blood everywhere it was my neighbour Nathan badly wounded but definitely still alive. I walked towards him: he looked bad. Maybe I should have tried help him but I needed to know who had done this first. Before he died, he told me one name and an address. I gathered my things and covered my family I took each one to their bedrooms and laid them there, I then took a knife I had in my drawer and pocketed it. After finishing in my house I left and headed straight to the address I was given; 24 Ashten Park. I hadn't been to the road before so it took me some time to get there but in the end it wasn't too far away and I arrived at my location. That was three hours ago, it seems so long ago that I found the address and the name. When I found the name after beating it out of him he told me who had helped him and who had hired him in the murder so after dealing with him I left again with vengeance strong in my heart and straight away found his accomplice. I killed him too. That's my story so far now I'm on my way to my brother I wont be able to get revenge on my own, my target is too big, this is a two man job. When I killed the first murderer he told me who he worked for, a local guy known for his dodgy dealings, and he's my target but he's sure to have protection so I need to get help, here I am, number 1 the Valley home to my only brother. My brother, Jason is three years younger than me and similar to me in many ways. But unlike me he has no children or a wife, or I should say what I used to be like, now I have nothing. I can't believe this is happening to me I'm just a normal guy with a normal job with a normal family. We're driving towards vengeance I knew my brother would help me, as soon as I explained the situation he picked up a knife and was ready to go. While we're driving to our final destination I'm wondering why did all this happen? Why my family? Why me? Maybe ill find out why but really now all I want is revenge. We are nearly there I can feel my blood pumping in my veins, my heart beating so fast. My hands are trembling, shaking but I must get my act together you can't kill when you're shaking. We're finally here I can see the hangout. Time to go. I'm walking towards the building with my brother we're going to go behind the back we need to be silent so that no one hears us. I can smell the stench of these backstreets. It's disgusting. I can see the dirt and filth that lives, around here, but really it doesn't concern me. I only have one thing on my mind; revenge. I am at the door. I can hear noises inside. All I have to do is pick the lock with my knife and I'm in. There done it I'm going in, the room is quite dark and there is a thick must in the air. The sound I heard is from another room; this one is empty. It's an abandoned room with dirt and dust everywhere a torn up couch on the side and a bed in the corner, I dread to think what might have happened in here. Damn it, someone saw me and now his shouting and I can hear running footsteps and a door opening, but not to meet me there running outside I need to go after them. My car is fast I'm sure I can catch them I'm getting into my car and stepping on the gas, I never thought I'd ever be chasing a filthy thug to kill him but that's what I've come to. I'm a couple cars behind them but I can't think of a way to get them off the road. I need to get closer. They are so close I can see the guys in the car. There are two of them and both must be killed. Its time to do what must be done. Smash! I drove my car into theirs but they're not stopping. Smash! Again and again I drive my car into theirs and finally their car stops and two men get out, my brother and I get out of my car and take out our knives. They do the same. I realize this might be the last thing I ever do so I must succeed and I must kill them. ‘You killed my family. Now come here and suffer' ‘Do you know that your family screamed, begging for their lives, especially your youngest. Do you know why I killed them'? A large smile was on the thugs face as he spoke. ‘ Because I was in the mood for some fun.' He ran towards the thug blade out and aimed straight for the heart. The thug took his blade and tried to parry off his attack but it didn't work. The thug was on the floor, his blood pouring out onto the stone floor. He was surely dead. As this was happening, the thugs' friend had walked quietly towards the car and had pulled out a gun behind his back. He then jumped into his car, aimed his barrel, shot and then drove off. I never thought it would end like this well at least I got my revenge I'm now at peace ready to move on. Wow so this is what it feels like to take a bullet to the chest, not quiet what I imagined but painful enough. ‘No you cant die you're my only brother, I love you, breathe please breathe.' cried Jason, who now had him in his arms. But it was no use. He was dead. Now it was Jason's turn for vengeance. I know a number plate and that's good enough for me I will get vengeance for my brother. Now my story begins.

Personal Statements About Applying for Master of Public Administration at RWU

It is in the light of honing my professional skills that am applying for an opportunity to pursue a Masters of Public Administration degree at Roger Williams University. The drive to be a more specialized professional and yearn to learn more insofar as this discipline is concerned is impetus pushing me. Roger Williams offer me the opportunity with a high standard facilities, quality education and market oriented type of training. I have a bachelor’s degree in Social Work King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and have worked in the Arab National Bank as an Assistant Section Head for two more years i.e. 2007-2009 as an assistant administrator, Customer Relationship in Altawil Training Center for 3 months and as a Customer Service Representative at Arab national Bank, I therefore would wish to whet my skills in this area and be a better professional, to enable me serve from a more senior opportunity and serve even more people. The desire to learn and achieve my best is what has pushed me this far. While in my undergraduate school, I was faced with financial problems and I had to help in the family. I had to work to supplement the financial situation in the family while at the same time be at school and study for my undergraduate course. It is however due to the passion I have for learning that I managed to attend to both and graduate with very good grades. Passion, in life, is a weapon: a good weapon. With this level of qualification I would be in a better position to execute my professional duties to a larger number of people and in a larger capacity. It would turn me into a more useful professional to this field of knowledge. My ultimate professional dream is to become a good leader and set an example to my peers and my juniors. This I can well achieve if I have the highest professional abilities that could only be achieved through learning.