Henry Ford (1898 words) Essay Example For Students

Henry Ford (1898 words) Essay When Henry Ford was born on June 30th, 1863, neither him nor anyone for that matter, knew what an important role he would take in the future of mankind. Ford saw his first car when he was 12. He and his father where riding into Detroit at the time. At that moment, he knew what he wanted to do with his life: he wanted to make a difference in the automobile industry. Through out his life, he achieved this in an extraordinary way. That is why he will always be remembered in everyones heart. Whenever you drive down the road in your car, you can thank all of it to Henry Ford. Through his life he accomplished extraordinary achievements such as going from a poor farm boy to a wealthy inventor who helped Thomas Edison. When he was a young man, he figured out how to use simple inventions, such as the light bulb. He then taught himself the design of a steamboat engine. His goal was to build a horse-less carriage. He had come up with several designs and in 1896, he produced his first car, the Model A. When Fords first car came out, he had been interviewed by a reporter and when asked about the history of the car, he had said ?History is more or less bunk.? Ford worked in Thomas Edisons factory for years and the left to become an apprentice for a car-producer in Detroit. While working there, he established how he was going to make the car. He looked through hundreds of books on bicycles and books on horse and buggies. Ford decided to use wheels from a bicycle, and the same steel framing. From the horse and buggy, he took the idea of the shape of the actual frame. He also made a handlebar that was in the same place as horse rider for a buggy. When Henry For opened his first automobile plant, not only did it bring much attention to the industry, but it also made people want to own a car so that they looked ?cool?. People knew that this was going to be a successful industry so they wanted to work in it. Even though most people think that the first true car ever made by Henry Ford was the Model A; they are actually being deceived. Henry Fords first actual cars were made for racing. Only a year or so later did Ford start making Model As. The profits from the Ford Motor Company were used to make racecars for special races. When Henry Ford first decided to make cars, he had a huge dilemma. He didnt know whether to use petroleum, electric, or steam engines for the car. After much reasoning and many experiments, he finally rested on petroleum because there was an abundance of it in the U.S. at the time. When the car began production, it immediately had an impact on the working hours of people. The car allowed people to get to work and home much quicker. This allowed bosses to shorten the workdays for their employees. However, not many people were able to benefit from this because cars they were still a lot of money and the average person was unable to afford it. When Ford Motor Company started producing the Model A, they had to come up with a slogan. While Ford was walking down the street one day, he was listening to a conversation between two men and one of them said: ?The person who invented this car was definitely thinking of the people, not himself.? This is where Ford got the saying Ford: Car for the People. The reason many people felt this way was because it was cheap and could be purchased by the average person. Child Abuse II EssayWhen the year 1910 rolled around, Henry Ford had even bigger ideas for his company. He had already conquered the U.S. but he had not conquered the International regions. In early 1910, Ford Motor Company started to ship Model Ts to countries such as Turkey, Malaya, Newfoundland, Barbados, Mauritius, India, Africa, and Japan. When World War I started, Ford still produced cars yet at the same time, they started to produce airplanes for the airforce. When the war ended, many companies in other countries, tried to copy Fords Model T yet, they were not successful. One man, Morris Oxford, came so close to Fords design but did not produce the car he instead, used it for his own use. Oxford later moved onto other industries to use similar methods as Fords to run his business. By the 1920s, Ford Motor Company, made well over half of the motorized vehicles in the entire world. At this time, the automobile industry was so large, that it used more than 80% of rubber, and well over 75% of glass. However, in 1928, Ford lost its seat as the largest U.S. producer of automobiles. General Motors had been producing a larger variety of cars for a much cheaper price. Even though Ford Motor Company lost its number one place in the U.S., it was still the largest overseas producer of automobiles. Ford was shipping over 75% of all the cars in other countries, excluding the U.S. When Ford Motor Company was no longer the number one car producer in the U.S., Henry Ford decided that it was time to invest in other industries. Over the course of only a few years, Henry Ford came to be a major owner of coal, iron ore, steel mills, paper, cement, and oil. Ford also took part in growing timber, Sawmills, rubber plantations, railroads, blast furnaces, planes, and ships. It did not take long before Henry Ford was making back the money he was loosing from not having the number one seat in the U.S. However, more trouble was just a few years away. Soon, there were three major automobile companies: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. General Motors and Chrysler were coming out with new cars every few months. On the other hand, Henry Ford was very certain he would still make it on the Model T. His stubbornness about not producing a new type of car not only made him drop to the third largest producer, but he also lost almost half of his fortune. After this event, Ford knew that his time was up. So in 1945, in his early 80s, Henry Ford stepped down as the owner of Ford Motor Company. When he did so, he handed the business over to his grandson, Henry Ford II. The new Henry Ford started producing new state of the art cars. Once again, Fords sales went skyrocketing and they were back up at the number two spot of the producer of all cars. Two years after Henry Ford stepped down from his position at Ford Motor Company, he passed away at the age of 84. When his death first occurred, many people were corrupt and argued that Fords way of business was unlawful because machines were replacing skilled men. However, in the minds of most individuals, Henry Ford will forever be remembered as not only the creator of one of the greatest car companies of its time, but the inventor of one of the best cars ever made, the Model T. Bibliography 1.) Cy Caldwell Henry Ford, Juilian Messner, New York, ? 1947 pg. 1-40 2.) Paul Joseph Henry Ford, Inventors, Minnesota, ? 1997 pg. 1- 29 3.) Edmond OConnor Henry Ford, Geenrhaven World History Program, Minnesota, ? 1980 pg. 2-18 Biographies

How to Write a Professional College Essay

How to Write a Professional College EssayA college student is usually called upon to complete a sample essay or resume at the end of each semester. While taking a course, a student is usually asked to do their own writing on a given topic. At first, students feel that their personal thoughts and perspective are being applied to an objective work-experience level. However, as the student has the chance to look over the curriculum, it becomes clear that there is much more to the student's work than meets the eye.As a student, it is important to take note of any professional suggestions in the course curriculum as this will make a big difference in your career after graduation. Any mistakes in the essay will be severely noticeable in your career. One way to make sure you write a strong essay that displays your skills is to do the proper research before hand. The essay should start with an outline of what you want to say, what information you need to include and how to keep it organized. There should be some discipline and a good command of grammar and spelling.If you find a bad choice in the words, it may hamper your sentence structure and make it harder to follow along. Also, it would make for an awkward sentence structure. The best style to follow is to begin your essay with the objective you want to provide for the reader, then use a descriptive voice, building a story of why they should hire you for their company. After that, continue with the brief introduction and how you will demonstrate your ability for exceptional leadership and abilities.You must also determine the proper sequence in which to introduce the rest of the topics in your sample essay. For example, if you have questions about the academic success of students, you should begin in the present tense, not the past tense. Before answering the question, provide the potential employer a summary of the history of the topic, but start with a conclusion that brings the student back to the beginning. Do not immediately jump ahead to the conclusion.In order to achieve the highest level of professionalism, a college student should practice speaking to the employer. As the student, be polite and courteous, but be prepared to talk about your personality and your abilities. Be specific about what the skills you have are and what your strengths are. What your weaknesses are, should be left to the employer to figure out. You can also talk about the areas where you plan to improve as an employee.As a typical college student, you must approach the situation calmly and professionally. The essay should follow a format that you would use in the workplace or at a job interview. This gives the employer a sense of confidence in hiring you.Writing a sample essay at the end of each semester is one thing; developing a resume or portfolio to present to the employer is another. While your college career is very important, both resume and portfolio should be carefully constructed to support the admissi ons requirements of your school. By following a few basic steps, your samples will be more professional and polished.

Shoeless Joe Essay Example

Shoeless Joe Paper Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella Section A: The novel, Shoeless Joe, by W. P. Kinsella is set on Ray Kinsellas farm, in Iowa City, during the 1970s. During the 1970s, the ownership of farms was quickly decreasing because larger companies started to buy them off the small owners. The Kinsella farm had acquired great value and even though Rays brother-in-law Mark pushed him to sell it, he would always turn down the offer or suggestion. Ray had heard a voice say to him If you build l, he will come. He knew that from this repeated phrase he must build it. It was in fact eventually built, the baseball field later became a huge success. Section B: Ray Kinsella is a small, yet very productive farm located in Iowa. Ray holds a strong love for four things in his life. Iowa being one of them, yet his wife, Annie, is the greatest along with the love of his daughter Karin. Baseball also holds a large place in his heart. Ray is a man to act upon his instincts along with his dreams. He heard a voice so he did as the voice told him. Even though Ray Kinsella is one to act upon instincts, he does not have his priorities straight and in order. We will write a custom essay sample on Shoeless Joe specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Shoeless Joe specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Shoeless Joe specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Kinsella family was falling drastically behind on their mortgage payments. However, that did not seem to phase Ray too much. He was more worried about building the baseball field. His entire savings were used up to build the baseball field. That also, did not seem to bother him. Ray was born in the same month of his father. They both shared a strong love for the game of baseball and the players in it. His wife, Annie Kinsella, always supported him and Never once called him crazy. (Shoeless Joe page 5). Annie Kinsella is Rays very supportive wife. Her hair is the color of cayenne pepper and is covered in freckles. She is 24 years old and could easily pass for a 16 year old girl. Annie is one to speak her mind when she fears of Rays ideas. She was orn and raised in the state of Iowa and after her a Ray were married she had talked him into renting the farm after the first year of their marriage. She is an intelligent woman, and definitely makes that known. However, Annie does not know when to limit Ray to what he can do. They do not have much money and she allowed him to take what he needed without really worrying about the mortgage. Karin is a Jumpy girl. She is the daughter of Ray and Annie Kinsella. She is young, full of life, is very much so a daddys girl and also shares a deep love for baseball. Karin loved to climb in Rays lap and watch the baseball game on T. V. He always spoke of this magic in Karin. As soon as Karin knew there would be a game on the Kinsella field, she would attend it with a hot dog and soda. Jerry Salinger was a very talented and successful author. However, because of how successful he was, privacy was out of the question. He moved away to get away from the fame and to live in peace the way he first intended. Salinger wrote the very controversial book Catcher in the Rye, he stopped publishing other books after this one was published. Jerry gave things up too easily. It was probably his biggest downfall. As soon as he became too influential nd famous he gave it up. He gave up writing because it became too much of a nuisance to him. Joseph Jefferson (Shoeless Joe) Jackson was the left fielder for the Black Sox. He was banned trom player MLB atter the Black Sox scandal in 1919. It was said t and seven other teammates threw away the World Series. It is still one of the most controversial topics in baseball. He is a tall man. He is a very talented baseball player and in April of 1945 Ty Cobb named him the best left fielder of all time. A famous sports Journalist named his glove as a place where triple go to die (Shoeless Joe page 6). He is quiet and inspirational. And also takes part in a strong love for baseball. Section C: The plot of the story was a continuous roller coaster. It began describing the childhood of Ray Kinsella with his father who was born in Glen Ullin, North Dakota April 14, 1896. The story carries on describing some of Rays life before he heard the voice. Then one day while out in his corn field, he heard a voice say to him If you build it, he will come. After Kinsella had heard this voice he was confused. Many things were running through his head like, Where is this coming from, build what, who will come? After discussing this over with Annie he began the onstruction of the baseball diamond. The story becomes a bit more interesting after Ray leaves Iowa to find Jerry Salinger. Ray points out to Jerry that in one of his books, the name Ray Kinsella. After they had attended baseball games together and got to know each other, they came across Archie (Moonlight) Graham, who played for the New York Giants in 1922, hitch hiking while on their way driving back to Iowa. The climax of the story is when Ray gets to show his prized possession, his ball park, to Jerry and Moonlight. The falling action begins when Mark and Bluestein, Marks colleague, come to the Kinsella farm in the middle of a baseball game. Mark and Bluestein can not see the game happening. Only Ray, Karin and Annie are able to see the games. They came to the field with papers from the bank informing him that he has three days to catch up on the mortgage payments before they are forced to foreclose the farm. During the heated argument, Karin Kinsella takes a fall and lodges a piece of hotdog into her throat. Moonlight Graham gives up the opportunity to play baseball to save the little girls life. Towards the end, Eddie admits to lying about being the oldest Chicago Cub still alive. He then passes away in his sleep. The story comes to a close when Shoeless Joe Jackson asks Jerry Salinger to come play baseball with him. Even though Ray was not asked to Join him, he does learn a lesson. The lesson is that everything happens for a reason, whether you know it or not, and to never give up on your dreams no matter how bizarre they are. Section D: A theme is a reoccurring event that implies the same thing over and over again. The most prominent theme was baseball. Not Just the game, but the knowledge, the players, the importance, and the atmosphere. The entire novel was based on baseball. However, the book had a more important meaning than baseball and was understood throughout the reading of the book. It taught you to never be afraid of your dreams, but to pursue them. No matter how small and delicate they may be or gigantic and bizarre they may be, never be afraid of them. Its your dream for a reason and it will teach you something and shape you as a person. Ray Kinsella loved baseball, Iowa and most importantly, his family. So when this voice told him to build it, he immediately knew what to do. Things like that do not happen quickly. They take time, love, dedication and persistence. The lesson also teaches the readers o live your life to its fullest with your heart and mind wide open for opportunity. For instance, Ray Kinsella loved baseball and Iowa, that when ne heard the voice, he thought of it as an opportunity to bring the two together. The concept of faith is also a reoccurring aspect in this story. A prime example would be Annie. She always believed in her husband Ray, no matter how bizarre his ideas and comments were. She never gave up hope. Maybe she was close a few times, but she never doubted him. Even though they had to live through some tough times, she never gave up hope and their dreams because she was afraid. She believed and had faith that everything would work out. And what do you know, they did! Section E: A conflict is part of a story that has cause and effect. Something with cause something to go wrong and there will be an outcome, known as the effect. Ray and Annies mother had a noticeable conflict, along with Ray and Annies brother Mark. They are very clear throughout the story and understandable. One that may not be so known and unnoticeable is the inner conflict of Jerry with himself. It seems that Jerry is upset with himself and unhappy that because he was tired of the fame nd constant attention, he gave up publishing, Just to go into hiding. He probably regrets that because there could have been so many more opportunities for him. But he passes up the chance for privacy. Another internal conflict exists, and that conflict is between Eddie Scissons and himself. Ever since he decided to tell Ray Kinsella, it was evident that he wanted some sort of attention. When he made the decision to inform Ray of that, he convinced himself of the lie too. Eddie Scissons wanted to be known for that, and he made that happen. Section F: While I was reading the novel, Shoeless Joe, I stumbled across a few ntries that caught me attention. The first was on pages six and seven. The passage talks about Ray and his fathers love for baseball. Something I share with my dad. He shares his knowledge of baseball with his dad and his dad shares his knowledge back. I can relate to this, so I enjoyed reading something similar to my situation. This passage taught me a generous amount of information. Even though Ray did not have that close of a relationship with his father, it was something they both loved and could talk about together. The second passage I chose was on page 260. In this part f the book, Shoeless Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch asked Jerry Salinger to go out with them after the game. This was not expected throughout the book. I felt sympathy for Ray because he was not asked, after all that hard work and I was disappointed the book ended where it did because I was curious as to what would happen after the right field gate would be close. Section G: As I was reading I would come across words I didnt know. Here are some of them: Languidly drooping or flagging from or as if from exhaustion Tableau a graphic description or representation Eulogizing to speak or write in high praise of Supplanted to supersede (another) especially by force or treachery Sutures the act or process of sewing; uniting two parts Laconically using a few words Anachronisms something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time Goll- hand, paw, claw Spade- a tool tor digging Section H: I had a personal connection to the novel, well, at least to the beginning of the novel. I also share a love of baseball with my dad. We inform each other of news in the MLB world, go to games all the time together, and Just enjoy baseball itself. I did not find any relation from this book to the world or news today. Section l: If I had the chance to ask the author some questions, they would be: 1 . Are you big on baseball? 2. What inspired you to write a book like this? 3. Did you have a similar personal experience? 4. Would you ever write a sequel to the book? My overall rating of the novel Shoeless Joe is an eight. The book contained some areas that were slow reading and took some patience to get through. It was a fictional story full of many interesting facts I never knew. I would most definetley recommend this book to someone who has a love for baseball, and sports in general. I think it is an easy read and a very enjoyable book.

The Tuskegee Airmen essays

The Tuskegee Airmen essays After WWII many men were forgotten. Up until 1942 our military had no African Americans in the Air Force. It was literally unheard of. In 1917 Walter White the director of the NAACP had demanded that blacks be allowed in the Air Corps. His demand was not met until March 7, 1942 when the first Black military pilots were awarded their wings at Tuskegee Army Airfield, Alabama. This event marked 25 years of determined effort by African American Activists. This was one of the main civil rights topics in the WWII era. After the pilots flight training, there were a select few that made a major impact in the war through their expert piloting skills. This group of African Americans are known today as the Tuskegee Airmen, and they will never be forgotten. Tuskegee Army Air Field was opened July, 23 1941, however training didnt begin until November 1st . Tuskegee was located in Alabama so it was a clear indication that black pilots were to be trained although all the trainees were not black. The war department announced in July of 1941 that the 99th Pursuit Squadron would enlist 33 pilots, 27 planes, and 400 men total. It also said that 270 men were also in training to be enlisted as ground and hangar crews. Additionally it stated that Tuskegee had the intention to train100 pilots per year at Tuskegee. In March 1942 the first five black pilots graduated. Their names were George S. Roberts, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., Charles H. BeBow, Jr., Mac Ross, Lemuel R. Custis. These men completed and passed normal Army flight instruction and many hours of flight time. By July 1942 there were enough black pilots to form a strong squadron. However the Army was not ready to send black pilots overseas, the group stayed at Tuskegee to receive extra combat training under the leadership of Captain Benjamin O. Davis Jr. After being deployed to a base in North Africa, the Airmen got the first shot at combat on June 2, 1943. It was just a simple stra ...

Are Cell Phones Really Dangerous to People Research Proposal

Are Cell Phones Really Dangerous to People - Research Proposal Example The problem has been identified: children have often access to cell phones with the permission of their parents. This trend is extremely dangerous especially since scientists have set severe restrictions regarding the potential use of cell phones by children – but these restrictions seem to be ignored by most of the people worldwide. At this point, the following problem appears: are cell phones really dangerous to people? This problem has been explored through a series of relevant studies. It is proved that cell phones can actually harm health; moreover, it seems that the risks for health can be severe for people of all ages. At the next level, it has been made clear that the ways in which cell phones can affect the health of humans can vary; the direct use of cell phone may be less harmful compared to the residence near a cell phone tower. Dr. Vini Khurana studied the effects of cell phones on health; his research led to the following findings: ‘the use of handsets for 10 years or more can double the risk of brain cancer’ (Geoffrey 2008). In the above study, is given on the fact that certain types of cancer can take quite long to develop – even up to a decade; therefore, the above study – having lasted for such period - provides a precise estimation of the potential effects of cell phones on the brain. Another important finding of the study of Khurana has been the following one: cell phones can be more dangerous from smoking; the above finding indicates the level of risk related to the use of cell phones but also the level at which cell phones intervene in daily activities have led to the development of addiction similar to smoking – as this problem is revealed through the study presented above. The various aspects of the danger of cell phones for human health are analyzed in the article of Kovach (2007); in the above article reference is made to the findings of the research developed by George Carlo, a medical scientis t who has spent years on studying the effects of cell phones – both of handsets and cell phone towers – on health; his research lasted from 1993 up to 1999 and reveals a series of important aspects of the health risks related to the use of cell phones. The key findings of his study could be summarized as follows: a) cell phones are not tested as for their risks for health; they enter the market without any testing, as a result of a legislative gap of the period when these devices appeared – the 1980s, b) cell phones can cause severe problems of health, even death, since they are involved in the continuous transmission of waves which can adversely affect the bio-field of humans (Kovach 2007); it is possible for this reason that cell phones have been also related to the changes in the DNA of their users – as also highlighted below.  

Business Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Taxation - Essay Example However, before understanding this type of relief, it is needed to understand what exactly double taxation is. Double taxation is defined as a situation in which a company may need to pay two or more taxes for the same asset, financial transaction or its income. Generally the situation of double taxation arises due to the overlapping of tax laws and jurisdiction between different countries when there is a company or individual residing in one country while doing business in another country. The double taxation relief helps in allowing a company or the individual to get the tax reduction from any one of its linked country, may be it is the residing country or the profit gaining country. A group loss relief helps in allowing one company to surrender its current trading losses, excess management charges, and excess income charges to another company in the group. Here, the profits of the recipient company are set against the tax loss so that the surrendering company can get a payment on the basis of the tax saved. Again, it is common practice that a company or an individual residing in one country might want to make a taxable gain in terms or earnings and profits in another country. However, there is possibility that he need to pay tax on that gain locally as an obligation to the domestic, while at the same time, me may again need to pay tax in the country where he has made the gain. To provide companies and individuals relief from such types of bindings, many countries involved in bilateral double taxation agreements among themselves. These agreements are mainly of two types. In the first type, tax is needed to be paid by the individual or the company in its resident country only while exempting tax in the country where the gain arises. In the second case, the country in which the business gains receives the tax from the company, while the company in turn, receives a compensating tax credit in the residing country

Investigating The Age Of Criminal Responsibility

Investigating The Age Of Criminal Responsibility The following research attempts to explore and discuss the criminal age of responsibility in England and Wales. A questionnaire was given out to a sample population in order to gauge public opinion on and around this topic. Secondary data was gathered, such as books, journals and online resources, in order to discuss and explore different ways of dealing with juvenile offenders. Overall, the evidence indicates a strong argument for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised but insufficient evidence was gathered to determine clearly which juvenile justice approach is most effective. The age of criminal responsibility is the age at which a child can be considered an adult for purposes of criminal prosecution. In England and Wales, the criminal age of responsibility is set at age ten and is one of the lowest in Europe, with only Switzerland being lower at age seven. Countries such as Uganda, Algeria, China and the Russian Federation, all have political regimes that could arguably be considered as severe and excessive, yet, all these countries have set the criminal age of responsibility at over ten years, YJB [online]. In England and Wales the age of criminal responsibility has not changed since 1963, when it was raised from age eight to ten. Until 1988 a policy was in place to safe guard children between the ages of ten and fourteen; under this policy children were presumed incapable of forming necessary criminal intent unless proven otherwise by the prosecution, House of Commons Library [online]. In March of this year, Scotland raised the age of criminal responsibility from age eight to twelve years; England and Wales have no plans to change the age at present. YJB [online]. Therefore, evidence shows that there is no clear agreement on what is an acceptable age to be treated as an adult under the jurisdiction of the law. Literature review Morrison, Blake. (1997). As If. London: Granta Publications. Blake Morrison attended the trial of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson and in his book gives a sensitive account of the families involved in the Bulger case. Morrison describes a criminal justice system that is concerned with only facts and arguably lacks the understanding needed when dealing with such sensitive cases involving children of such a young age. Williams, John. (2010) ASBO Nation. Sociology Review. 19, (4), p2-6. Sociology Review is an academic magazine aimed at A-level sociology students. It covers a broad range of sociological topics including politics, education, and religion and of course crime and deviance. In this issue of the magazine it covered a topic on anti social behaviour orders, which proved useful when discussing juvenile crime. Children Young People Now [online] Available from http://www.cypnow.co.uk/Archive/1009000/Criminal-Bar-Association-chair-calls-rise-age-criminal-responsibility/ [accessed 19th June 2010] Children and Young People Now is a Journal available in print and on line. It aims to bring together children and youth professionals across health, social care, education, childcare, youth work and youth justice, to provide advice and guidance to managers and senior practitioners working with children and young people. It features many relevant news articles and current issues concerning children and young people and is a trusted source of information used by professionals working within this area. The Howard league for Penal Reform. [online] Frances Crooks Blog (updated 1st April 2010) Available from http://www.howardleague.org/francescrookblog/the-age-of-criminal-responsibility [accessed Saturday 19th June 2010] Frances Crook is the director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, the oldest penal reform charity in the U.K. She has been responsible for research programmes and campaigns to raise public concern, about among other things, young people in trouble. Throughout her career she has worked as a teacher in secondary schools as well as taking the position of Governor of Greenwich University. In 2005 she was awarded the Perrie Award which is awarded to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the development of criminal justice or penal policy and practice. Therefore, Crooks long career working with children and within the criminal justice system gives her valuable insight into the most effective ways of dealing with child crime. Youth Justice Board. [online] Cross-national comparison of youth justice Available from: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/en-gb/ [accessed Saturday 19th June 2010] The youth justice board (YJB), oversees the youth justice system in England and Wales. It works to prevent offending by children and young people under the age of 18 and ensures that custody for them is safe, secure, and addresses the causes of their offending behaviour. It enables access to reports and legislations and is a valuable and reliable resource concerning youth crime. Home office [online] Available from: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/ [accessed 1st July 2010] The home office is a Government department that deals with, among other things, drugs, policy, police and crime. During this research it proved useful as a guide to the workings of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. It is also linked to many surveys and statistics that were used within this research. Being an official Government department, the information is highly reliable. Rationale The media is awash with reports of juvenile crime with stories of anti-social behaviour to more violent crimes such as the murder carried out by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, Blake Morrison, (As If). In 1998 the Anti Social Behaviour Order was introduced, and since then the term asbo child has become part of the English language, Sociology review, vol 19, (p2-6). Gun and knife crimes are high and recent reports claim that the ambulance and emergency services in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, dealt with six hundred and seventy nine gunshot wounds in people under the age of twenty five in the twelve months leading to October 2009, BBC Newsbeat online. Therefore, the criminal age of responsibility is often the focus of much discussion. In light of the recent reports of Jon Venables being taken back into custody Guardian.Co.uk [online], the Childrens Commissioner Maggie Atkinson reportedly called for the government to raise the age of criminal responsibility, from ag e twelve to fourteen, Children and Young People Now [online]. This argument is supported by the Chairman of The Criminal Bar association, Paul Mendelle QC, who is reported as saying that he also believes that the age of criminal responsibility should be raised to age fourteen; he is also reported as calling for a return to the previous policy of Doli Incapax. However the Ministry of Justice maintains that children over the age of ten know the difference between bad behavior and serious wrongdoing, Children and young people now [online]. Therefore, evidence shows a lack of agreement concerning the set age of criminal responsibility. Consequently, it could be argued that the current system would benefit from research to help determine a more universally acceptable age to be held criminally responsibility. Aims The aims of this research are: To explore different ways of dealing with young offenders in England and Wales, to help determine ways that could improve the current system. To discuss whether age ten is a reasonable age for children to be held criminally responsible for their actions, within the jurisdiction of the law. To measure public opinion on whether the criminal age of responsibility should be changed in England and Wales. The experimental Hypothesis and null Hypothesis A majority of the public in England and Wales feel that the criminal age of responsibility should be set higher than age ten. This research predicts that the majority will feel that the age of criminal responsibility should be raised and therefore it is a one-tailed hypothesis. Under the null hypothesis we would expect no clear majority to be revealed on either side of the argument. Method An open questionnaire was used to gather qualitative, primary data (appendix A); eighteen participants were chosen from varied demographic backgrounds to help give a valid representation of the larger population, of England and Wales. Their ages ranged from eighteen to seventy four and consisted of both males and females and both parents and non-parent. The participants were verbally briefed on the nature of the topic and the questionnaire had a brief written introduction explaining the basic history and facts of the subject. They were told that all answers would be regarded as anonymous and that they had the right to withdraw their answers if they so wished. Using an open questionnaire enabled the respondents to be guided through the topical questions whilst still having the flexibility to fully express their feelings on the topic. Also, space was provided for any further comments the participants wished to make. After the interview participants were asked to sign a consent form giv ing their permission for the information to be used in sociological research (appendix B). Results Out of eighteen respondents, just under half felt that the age of criminal responsibility should be set higher than age ten. Just over half of the respondents felt that children of age ten do not fully understand the consequences of their actions. When asked should more responsibility be placed upon the parents of young offenders, all but one respondent felt that it should, thus supporting the idea that the current system in England and Wales does not work sufficiently. Contradictory to this evidence, when asked, do you feel that the current system works sufficiently, only two thirds of the respondents felt that it did not; many respondents felt that they did not know enough about the current system to give a valid reply. When asked for their ideas on improving the current system, respondents answers were varied and included: more discipline at home, stronger punishment for parents and more involvement from relevant bodies i.e. welfare workers etc. Therefore the questionnaire supports the original aims of the investigation. It was useful in gauging public opinion on whether the criminal age of responsibility should be changed and it enabled the respondents to express their opinions on whether age ten is a reasonable age for children to be held criminally responsible for their actions. Lastly it gave space for respondents to give any ideas they had concerning the improvement of the current system Discussion Overall the research indicates that there is a strong argument for raising the criminal age of responsibility; this is supported by both primary and secondary data. Many people feel that children of age ten do not fully understand the consequences of their actions. Also, evidence indicates that there is a strong feeling amongst the public that more responsibility should be placed upon parents; when asked, all but one respondent agreed that parents should take more responsibility for their childrens behaviour. Lastly, the primary data from this research indicates that many people feel that the current juvenile justice system does not work sufficiently in England and Wales. The results from the questionnaire support existing evidence; for example there is much evidence to support a change in the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales. One such argument was put forward by the childrens commissioner Maggie Atkinson; who when referring to the murder of James Bulger (James was murdered by two ten year old boys in 1993, Morrison, As If) is reported as saying Venables and Thompson should not have been tried for murder, at age ten they were too young to understand the full consequences of their actions Guardian [online]. Frances Crook, the Director of The Howard League for Penal Reform also supports Atkinson argument and compares the legal system of England and Wales with that of other countries in Europe. In her blog, Crook points out that the criminal age of responsibility in England and Wales is one of the youngest in Europe and she goes on to argue that children in these countries are not ignored if they do wrong but instead their immaturity i s recognized and the response is appropriate, Frances Crooks Blog [online]. This argument is also supported by the chairman of the criminal bar association, Paul Mendelle, who called for the age to be raised from age ten to fourteen. In an interview in the Telegraph Mendelle is reported as saying, a child of ten can know he or she is doing something wrong and not always appreciate it is criminally wrong children and young people now [online]. In his book As If, Blake Morrison again supports this attitude and suggests that children of ten are not able to act on their understanding of right and wrong with the same conviction as adults; he goes on to argue that, if children of ten know the difference between right and wrong then why not let them be jurors? (As If, chapter 5). Although there is much support for the criminal age of responsibility to be raised, it has been refused by the Ministry of Justice, which maintains that children of age ten and over can differentiate between bad behavior and serious wrong doing, Children and Young People Now [online]. Many people have similar opinions as the primary data of this research illustrates, just under half of the respondents felt that age ten is a reasonable age to be held criminally responsible for your actions. Other than public opinion, there is little evidence of a similar attitude; many high profile and academic people agree that age ten is not an appropriate age but other than the Ministry of Justice, no academic opinion was found to support the other side of this argument. Research illustrates two main attitudes towards dealing with young offenders: the welfare approach and the justice approach. The welfare approach emphasises paternalism and protection and therefore focuses on treating the root causes of juvenile crime; whereas the justice approach emphasises judicial rights, accountability for crimes and formal punishment, Cross-national comparison of youth justice [online]. It could be argued that most criminal justice systems can be traced back to either the welfare or justice approach but most are more varied and complex and include elements of both. According to the Home Office Youth Lifestyle Survey (1998/99) [online], key factors linked with serious and/or persistent offenders between the ages of twelve and seventeen was found to be: Drugs children that had used drugs within a twelve month period were almost fives times more likely to offend than those that had not. School children that were unhappy in school or were persistent truants were found to be more likely to offend. Family and peers children that had family and friends who had offended were found to be more likely to offend themselves. Also children that did not have sufficient supervision and guidance, and /or hung around in public places, were found to be more likely to offend than those that did not. Additional research into the reasons why children offend is beneficial to crime prevention agencies in addressing and preventing juvenile crime. Much research supports the idea that prevention is the cheapest and most successful way of dealing with crime; studies in America have shown that one dollar spent on early prevention will save seven dollars fourteen years later, young people and crime [online]. Therefore, the root causes of youth crime are of great interest to Sociologists and Governments alike. The following paragraphs aim to explore and compare two similar criminal cases, so as to determine ways that could improve the current system in England and Wales. The first crime took place in 1993 in Merseyside, England. Two year old James Bulger was taken from a shopping centre by two ten year old boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. Venables and Thompson wandered around with James for several hours before beating him and leaving him tied to a railway track; when the child was finally found his body had been cut in half by a passing train. The two boys, Venables and Thompson were tried and convicted of murder in an adult court which in contrast to youth courts allows public and media access and consequently spent eight years in custody before being released in 2001 with protected identitys, Morrison, As if. In 2010 Venables was taken back into custody but the reason has not been made clear to the public. There has been no news on Thompson and so it may be assumed that he has settled back into mainstream society with no major problems. A similar crime was committed in 1994, in the Norwegian city of Tronheim. Five year old Silje Raedergard was stoned and left to freeze to death in snow, by two six year old boys, BBC News, How Norway dealt with its Bulger case [online]. In contrast to the Bulger killing, the two boys responsible for killing Silje were not prosecuted or named in the press but instead were treated as victims, not killers. The boys were left with their families and returned to kindergarten shortly after the incident and welfare and psychological help was given to them. All that is known of the two boys today is that one has settled back into mainstream society and the other still has ongoing psychiatric problems. Therefore it could be argued that while these two cases were dealt with very differently, the outcomes are similar. One of the boys responsible for Siljes death has adjusted to normal life but the other still receives psychiatric help. Likewise, Venables has been returned to custody but Thompson so far has not. Little more is published about the boys or families concerned in these cases, which leaves many questions un-answered concerning the long term effects of both methods of reform. Statistics show (appendix C) that the annual total crime rate in 2002, in the U.K. is over 6.5 million compared to Norway which is just over 330,000; this could arguably be an indication that the juvenile justice system in Norway is more efficient than of that in England and Wales, The Eighth United Nations Survey [online]. Limitations of the methodology Keeping the focus of this research simple proved difficult because the subject of criminal responsibility is extremely vast. Finding Government reports and statistics that were specifically related to the topic was also difficult and time consuming. Also, gathering a sample that is representative of the wider population is challenging when time and resources are limited. Therefore the primary data gathered in this research was arguably limited and a larger population sample may have given more valid results. Not all of the questionnaires were returned and some people felt that they did not know enough about the topic to make valid comments. Therefore a more in-depth introduction or briefing may have been beneficial. Possibly a focus group would have been a more useful method of gathering primary data as it would of enabled the participants to fully discuss their ideas and thoughts on the subject before deciding on any conclusions. In conclusion, the evidence gathered in this research supports the hypothesis; there is much evidence both primary and secondary that suggests that the criminal age of responsibility should be set higher than age ten. Different ways of dealing with juvenile crime was explored and statistics were gathered to help determine which system proves to be most sufficient. Arguably, lower crime rates in Norway indicates that the welfare approach which is the most dominant factor in the Norwegian system is more effective than the justice approach, that is more dominant in England and Wales but as the comparison of criminal cases show, any difference is minimal and not sufficient to make any bold conclusions. Recommendations If further research were to be carried out, I would recommend that; More time is taken to investigate other juvenile justice systems, such as that of Norway. A larger population sample would be useful to gauge a more valid public opinion. A focus group would be useful to enable participants to discuss and answer any queries they have.