Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Management Essay Example

Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Management Essay PUBLIC SAFETY LAW ENFORCEMENT Records Management Submitted By Table of Contents 1. 0 Introduction 2 2. 0 Components of a records management system 2 2. 1 System Architecture 2 2. 2 Security 4 2. 3 Query Capabilities 4 2. 4 Reporting Capability 5 2. 5 Interface Capabilities 5 2. 6 State and Federal Reporting with Automatic Transfer Capability 5 2. Basic Statistical Data Modules 6 2. 8 Other Data Modules 8 3. 0 Law enforcement personals 9 4. 0 RMS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TERMS TO KNOW 11 1. 0 Introduction Managing the daily influx of law enforcement information is a massive job – one that requires the best tools available to not only make it manageable, but also productive. Law Enforcement Records Management solution streamlines the process by linking people, property, places, and related records into one central database with an intuitive user interface. A law enforcement agency needs a Records Management System (RMS) to enter information regarding criminal events that occur in their jurisdiction. The organized information can be easily transmitted to the agency’s State and/or the Federal criminal statistic repository. In addition to transmitting crime data, or for an agency that is not required to transmit crime statistics, the following benefits are also available with a Records Management Systems: * Provide real time information to dispatchers Better manage staffing requirements by shifts, locations and day of the week * Provide an investigator resource * Provide a history of department activity * Provide information to the governing boards and commissions * Provide public information to the media and the public * Help the agency to define its public service policies for non-criminal activity 2. 0 Components of a Records Management System A Records Management System is a comprehensive computer program designed to enter and track crime statistical data and provide the agency management staff with the information needed to manage the agency. We will write a custom essay sample on Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Management specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is important that the Records Management System be able to send the required data fields to the State (and ultimately, the Federal) crime statistics repositories. Even if the agency is currently not required (based on State guidelines) to transmit statistical data, it may be a future requirement. It is also important that the Records Management System have a user interface that is easy to navigate and that presents important data immediately for the user. 2. 1 System Architecture The type of hardware and software is dependent on the size of the agency. A single PC (equipped with a modem) with an operating system of Microsoft Windows will provide a sufficient platform for a small agency’s RMS tracking needs and State/Federal UCR needs. Larger agencies or multi-agency organizations may require file servers, networks, mainframe computers, or, generally, more sophisticated hardware and software. Features * Incident Report * Case Management * Citations * Arrests * Permits * Warrants * Field Contacts Technical Specs * Utilizes True Relational Databases including MS SQLâ„ ¢ * Central Server or Distributive System Architecture * Share Only the Information You Wish to Share Off Site Data Synchronization 2. 2 Security Juvenile names entered into an RMS need to be identified and protected by restricting access to such names, making them available for reference by appropriate users of the system. Juvenile and other sensitive nature case file and/or other contact information must also be identified and supported through a restricted a ccess mechanism. Other security issues are: System access security (login protection), user level security (user permission of add/edit/delete), query only access (other agency or public access) and Administrative security (security and system management). . 3 Query Capabilities A RMS needs to provide the ability to perform searches (queries) based on one or more criteria (data field) in any combination including â€Å"wild card† searches for partially known data. For example, aquery could be executed in RMS to locate the owner of a green Ford van that has a badly dented front left fender that was reported to be involved in any incident between March 3, 1999, through December 31, 2002, with a license plate number containing the digits â€Å"423. † The query capability should search through data fields and text narrative fields to locate all references of the above example. . 4 Reporting Capability A wide variety of reports including summary, statistical and detailed re ports should be readily available to the user. In addition to reports that are provided with the RMS, the user needs to be able to create unique reports based on specific criteria. 2. 5 Interface Capabilities The RMS needs to be able to easily receive data from a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and should support and/or provide output to other information sources like Jail Management, neighbouring agencies, Regional and State based data warehouses, Court systems, Imaging systems, Fingerprint systems, etc. . 6 State and Federal Reporting with Automatic Transfer Capability Over the years, the development of a national data collection effort has been established and expanded by the FBI, the IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police), the National Sheriff’s Association, and various other local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies. Because of the growing challenge of increased crime, the UCR Program has been studied and revised to meet the current and futur e needs of the law enforcement community. The revision of the UCR Program led to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Crime statistics are gathered on city, state, and federal levels and, ultimately, provide a nationwide view of crime as it is reported by law enforcement agencies throughout the country. The data is used to indicate the levels and nature of crime and to provide a reliable management tool for decision makers of the criminal justice community. NIBRS provides law enforcement with the tool to fight crime by producing detailed, accurate, and meaningful data. In addition to the UCR and NIBRS, there are other State reporting repositories (juvenile only crimes, property loss/recovery, jail statistics, etc. to which an agency may transmit statistical data. 2. 7 Basic Statistical Data Modules A Records Management System is comprised of â€Å"modules† which are simply sections of data grouped by relevance. Each module captures a particular set of data, however, the information (fields) contained in a module needs to be made available to the other modules. For example, an individualâ€⠄¢s name is entered into the Names module, but needs to be listed as the owner of a particular car within the Vehicles module. Following is a description of the basic module data that can be collected in RMS modules: Administrative Data consisting of unique agency information, such as agency name, address, phone numbers, ORI Number, officer badge numbers and names, personnel data, etc. Names Data fields pertaining to a name involved in an incident. A name can be an individual (an adult or a juvenile) or a non-individual (a business, a gang, etc. ). Name information includes addresses, phone numbers, identification documents, general physical characteristics, etc. Incident An â€Å"incident† is defined as one or more offenses committed by the same offender (or group of offenders). An incident module is a database table of all data fields pertaining to the incident that occurred including: * How the incident was made known to the law enforcement agency * In general, what crime was reported * When and where the crime occurred * Who (victims, officers, offenders, witnesses, etc. ) was involved in the crime (links to Names) * State and/or Federal offense codes and statutes or ordinances involved * Various detailed narrative reports provided about the incident pictures or other documents * Arrests * Vehicles Victim Since more than one victim can be involved in an incident, a Victim Sequence Number is assigned to each victim. In addition to the sequence number, the following information should be gathered for each victim: * The UCR offense code(s) which were perpetrated against the victim * Type of victim (individual, business, government, etc. ) * Personal characteristics (age, sex, race, etc. ) * Resident status * Type of injury * Offender number(s) (see Offender) * Relationship of victim to offender number Offender Since more than one offender can be involved in an incident, an Offender Sequence Number is assigned to each offender. If nothing is known about the offender, the number is â€Å"00. † Other information about offenders include: * Age, sex, and race of offender Arrest The data fields regarding all persons apprehended for all criminal offenses. * Arrestee sequence number (to accommodate more than one person arrested per incident) * Arrest transaction number refers to the arrest report number (can be the Incident Number relating to the arrest or a separate arrest number assigned by the agency) * Arrest date * Type of arrest (i. e. summoned or cited) * Offense code for which the arrestee was apprehended * Arrestee personal characteristics (age, sex, race, etc. ) * Disposition of an arrestee under 18 (juvenile) Property Property data fields describe the type, value, and quantity of property involved in an incident. This module also tracks what happens to the property, i. e. , burned, forged, destroyed, recovered, etc. , and the associated dates. 2. 8 Ot her Data Modules Other modules can be used within a Records Management System that are useful in data tracking as well as time and resource management. Following is a list and description of other possible RMS data modules: Citations Written tickets issued by a law enforcement officer when a crime is committed. This module is useful when multiple citations are automatically linked to names and vehicles. Vehicles A repository for cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. , involved in citations or incidents. Data tracked could be VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), License Plate Number, Make, Model, Year, distinguishing features, etc. Vehicles can be linked to names. Jail Management Details about a person’s stay at a jail. Jail data collection provides for tracking of the following: * Multiple charges * Booking information * Rebook information * Beginning dates, expected release and sentence end dates * Prisoner accounting (for purchases and deposits) * Jail activities (medication, court dates, etc. ) * Inmate housing movements * Electronic fingerprint and mug shots Warrants Provides tracking of the warrant services with a check to determine if the person who was issued the warrant is in jail. Civil Process Provides logs of service attempts including who, where, and when. Also provides accounting management for fees incurred for the process event. Services Billing Tracks chargeable services (such as false alarm incidents, funerals, gun permits, various licenses). Case Management Provides tracking of an incident (case) through the law enforcement system. Property Management Provides for extended tracking of property items the department has in custody that may or may not be related to an incident. Includes the ability to track all of the handling movement of the property (chain of custody) while in the department’s possession. Law Enforcement Employees Management Collects and tracks information relating to all employees of an agency. LEOKA (Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted) Tracks information pertaining to line-of-duty felonious or accidental killings of and assaults on sworn law enforcement officers. 3. 0 Law enforcement personals Below is a description of the law enforcement personnel and how they use a Records Management System. Data Entry/Records Personnel: Responsible for typing the required information into the correct data fields of the RMS to complete the electronic incident records, process state and/or federal reports, citations and the like. They typically also provide service to the public for incident report requests, summary information for media, requests from other agencies, and officer queries. Dispatchers: Responsible for using the RMS to quickly access information about previous calls at a specific location or related to an individual. The RMS also becomes a tool to check dispositions of former cases or for providing investigator information to officers. Investigators: Who uses the RMS to help solve a case by looking for incident information with similar modus operandi, researching suspect people or vehicles, reviewing previous dispositions regarding a suspect, etc. Patrol Officers: Who enter reports or use the system to follow up on open files regarding vehicles or suspects etc. Department Heads: Responsible for using the RMS to review the currently open case, respond to the public and/or commissions regarding the department’s activity in general or toward a specific incident. Administrative Staff/Supervisors: Responsible for using the RMS to develop officer activity information, local crime statistics, shift management, personnel reviews, etc. 4. 0 RMS And Law Enforcement Terms To Know

Action Games Essay

Action Games Essay Action Games Essay Asad-ullah Khan AP English 11/23/14 This rather recent article posted by Science Daily attempts to expand upon previous studies attempting to draw correlations between playing action video games and enhanced learning capacities. Many previous studies were able to conclude a positive correlation between action gaming and faster learning, but did not attempt to answer the inherent question of how the brain appears to learn quicker post exposure to games. This article references a study done at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences which attempts to draw this conclusion through a new discovery of the brain: templates. Templates are a way that brain ‘learns’ how to do new things. The brain identifies and archives different patterns it sees and then retrieves those archives when it sees familiar patterns.  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­This is interesting concept in that it is not entirely passive; you can create templates on purpose. However, these studies show that action gamers were able to create better templates, faster. The way it came to this conclusion is by comparing a group of people given action games for a week and a group given non action games for a week. It then subjected a pattern matching test and a perceptual learning task, both of which in action games surpassed in. However, there seemed to be a lack of a control variable, making me suspect some of the variables in this experiment. However, the people tested in each group were adequately controlled, and those who received each treatment did seem to show significant difference

Conundrums, Puzzles, and Quizzes

Conundrums, Puzzles, and Quizzes Conundrums, Puzzles, and Quizzes Conundrums, Puzzles, and Quizzes By Mark Nichol What do the three nouns in this post’s title have in common? Yes, they all refer to questions or problems to be answered or solved, but there’s a more interesting commonality: Their very existence is a conundrum, puzzle, or quiz, because they have no etymological paper trail, and no one is quite certain how they came to be. That’s true of a surprising number of words, including flabbergast and flummox, both of which describe the feeling one has when one is puzzled. Many of these terms inhabit a linguistic ghetto reserved for words used informally or humorously; they often started out as slang, as in the case of dogie, a cowboy’s term for a calf, or the verb peter, meaning â€Å"become tired† (as in the phrase â€Å"petered out†), which originated with miners during the mid-nineteenth-century gold rush in western North America. Other slang words with no known origin include fuddy-duddy (meaning â€Å"a conservative or old-fashioned person†), humbug (â€Å"nonsense† or â€Å"someone or something deceptive†), and persnickety (â€Å"obsessed with trivial details†); that last word is a variation of the now-obsolete form pernickety, but the etymological origin of that latter word is unknown. More respectable orphan words include dingy (â€Å"dirty† or â€Å"shabby†), plod (â€Å"proceed slowly and heavily†), and stubborn (â€Å"difficult,† or â€Å"resistant to change or direction†). Many other words are once removed from unknown origin; for example, huge, pivot, and trifle are three of many words borrowed into English from French even though the parentage of those words is unknown. We may not know where these and other words come from, but most orphan words share a common quality: They tend to be vivid and vigorous words writers are encouraged to employ to produce energetic and evocative writing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:Expanded and ExtendedMood vs. Tense

Cyber attacks Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cyber attacks - Research Paper Example It is concerned with communications, transportation, water supply, energy, emergency services, and banking and finance. Information Technology has been evolved with new research and reinventions facilitating the critical infrastructure computerized. On the other side, vulnerabilities also emerged causing disruption to the critical infrastructure impacting in several ways. Although there are many vulnerabilities, cyber attacks are the most prominent one. Cyber attacks approach the target in a non traditional way. Due to inequity in the military strengths, hackers attack this critical infrastructure affecting both the economy as well as the military sector of the country (SANS: Critical infrastructure protection). It could be operated by the government or the private sector, both Networks provide opportunities for hackers to intrude the destination remotely and take control of the capabilities and resources these devices has. The impact of hacking in these systems is devastating. For example, hackers may gain access to the military radar systems, credit card data stolen, data stolen from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has revealed secret agents and now their life is at risk etc. The capacity of these attacks impact on the country’s economy, security and financial stability. They breach government networks which are directly related to national services. Thousands of new cyber attacks categorized with ‘Major’ and ‘Minor’ are penetrated on the Internet daily. The focus is the power sector of the United States including websites of Poland, South Korea and United Kingdom. They all have witnessed cyber attacks in past few months. Different schools in various sates of America have lost millions of fraudulent wire transfers (Shackelford, 2010). Cyber attacks are intelligent as well as organized. Once the network is hacked, they install small lop holes or software intruders for giving hackers access whenever they

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder - Essay Example Patients’ successful coping with treatment and medication can change the course of depression (Lam et al, 2000). Bipolar disorder consists of several symptoms, some of them being prodromal or predicting the onset of an attack. The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the symptoms of bipolar disorder based on research. Hence, three empirical research articles from peer-reviewed scientific journals will be summarized, and an overview of the research findings from all three studies will be detailed. The distinctive features of bipolar disorder have been determined from earlier research studies. Some reverse neurovegetative symptoms such as hypersomnia or excessive sleeping, hyperphagia or overeating; melancholic symptoms; suicide risk during the depressed phase; irritability, anger, overactivity and psychosis are associated with bipolar depression. The clinical predictors of the disease are early onset of symptoms, bipolar family history, and hypersomina (Perlis et al, 2006). Relapses are likely to occur after long distance traveling when undergoing a jet lag, or from disorder and deviation in the pattern of daily routine (Lam et al, 2000). The main recommendations put forth by the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2000) for cognitive therapy are the early detection and treatment of prodromal symptoms, the maintenance of regular social interactions and sleep routines (Lam et al, 2000). Research investigations focusing on the symptoms of bipolar disorder are crucial for developing preventive interventions as well as optimally effective therapies for the mental illness. This empirical research was conducted by Simon et al (2008). The authors studied the phenomenon of mood symptoms in people with bipolar disorder, and evaluated how the symptoms related to work productivity. This is a significant topic for research because bipolar disorder being a major cause of disability leads to increased likelihood for loss of

The Way We Speak Determines How We Think Essay Example for Free

The Way We Speak Determines How We Think Essay Critically evaluate this statement, drawing on the key theories and research that describe the relationship between language and thought. Language has traditionally been characterized by Philosophers as a cognitive tool used to freely externalize ones thoughts (Green, 2010 as cited in Kaye, 2010). The relationship between language, thought, culture and reality has occupied the minds of many for centuries. Early theorists argued that language and thought were two separate systems which â€Å"enter into an array of interconnected cognitive structures† (Chomsky, 1983). Extreme nativists and constructivists are key proponents of innateness and argued that knowledge and thought hold a significant innate property which exists prior to the development of language acquisition and is dependent on thought for its development. (Fodor, 1975 cited in Green, 2010) In recent years, contrasting with this position, researchers have provided empirical evidence to support a causal relationship between both language and thought which indicates how we speak does shape how we think but also how we think can influence how we speak. Boroditsky, 2010) The emergence of this new evidence elaborates on earlier ideas associated with the Whorfian hypothesis (Whorf, 1956 cited in Green, 2010) and focuses on an alternative approach, linguistic determinism. This essay will explore the different theoretical approaches and provide evidence which demonstrates how no one theory has provided conclusive empirical evidence that supports how we speak determines how we think. Preliminary studies on language and thought have resulted in contributory and conflicting information which looks at the definitions and functions of language and thought, the interactions between both and the origins. Language and thought have been considered to be some of the key components which define human nature and what it means to be human. Aitchison (2007) highlighted some of the key features which define our uniqueness as humans but also certain characteristics we share with our animal relatives. Semanticity is one feature which separates us from other species. Humans use words to communicate and to represent objects and actions. In contrast animals use sounds to communicate information about a situation. For example blackbirds give a recognizable call for danger but it does not inform others of the type of danger present. Another feature which separates us from animals is creativity. Humans have the ability to understand and produce an infinite number of novel grammatical expressions with little evidence to demonstrate this skill in animals. These differences between species demonstrate the difference between language and communication and have led to other questions about how and why language acquisition was developed (Aitchison, 2007, cited in Green, 2010). Furthermore like any other psychological dichotomy, psychologists and philosophers have questioned whether language shapes our thoughts and ideas or whether our thoughts are merely represented through what we say. One approach which argues against the notion of language influencing thought is the constructivist position. According to this approach, language is seen as an emergent property that unfolds as a result of cognitive development therefore suggesting that language may not determine how we think (Piaget, 1923, cited in Green, 2010). Evidence from Piaget’s (1923) epistemological studies demonstrates how thinking and other cognitive abilities such as symbolic play, mental imagery all exist in children before language development. However one major criticism of this theory suggests that if this idea is to be true, then children with visual or auditory impairment are likely to be handicapped in language due to insufficient sensory input. However research has indicated no difference between the rate and time which impaired children obtain their earliest words compared with seeing children. Bigelow, 1987; Nelson, 1973) Although this evidence rejects Piaget’s (1923) theory, considerations need to be applied for parents of visually impaired children compensating for the impairment. Further issues with Piaget’s (1923) theory suggests that if certain levels of cognitive development are required to assist language ability, then his notion of object permanence should precede the acquisition of concepts and objects Xu (2002) research found opposite results to Piaget’s (1923) ideas which demonstrate how a child as early as 9 months old was capable of distinguishing between two objects. Because of this conflicting information, it is difficult to assign a causal relationship between language and thought within this framework (Xu, 2002, cited in Green, 2010). In addition, the extreme nativist approach led by Fodor (1983), postulates that all concepts are innate and we possess language syntax of thought. His key ideas are centered on the content of concepts and the structure of propositions. Fodor (1983) proposed that some cognitive systems (language) are modular and interface with non-modular central systems such as memory and thinking. One of the main aspects of interest in Fodor’s (1983) framework is the acquisition of concepts. Unlike empiricists who argue that children proceed through a process of inductive generalization to understand a new concept, Fodor (1983) suggests that this is not the case and that concepts are innately pre-programmed and not learnt (Russell, 2004 cited in Green, 2010) He describes vocabulary acquisition as attaching names to pre-existing categories and concepts which are broken down into components until the end point is reached. He also explains how new or complex concepts are developed (. i. e. ipad) by decomposition into their basic elemental components. From this, it would suggest that language develops from already pre-existing concepts or thoughts which would show the directional flow of influence to come from thought rather than speech. Chomsky (2006) is also a staunch proponent for the nativist approach and offers complimentary ideas to Fodor’s (1983) theory on innateness. He argued that the syntax of language is innate and that a universal grammar underpins language. The theory suggested that linguistic ability manifests itself without being taught, and that there are properties that all natural  human languages share (Chomsky, 2006). Exploration of this hypothesis focused on word order, structure and parameters. Universally the random order of words differs amongst cultures. For example in English we use subject-verb-object language compared with those in Japanese who use Subject-Object-Verb. Chomsky (2006) argued that although the mental grammar differs from language to language, the process by which certain sentences are perceived as correct while others are not is universal and independent of meaning. He also argued that language acquisition is obtained through an innate language acquisition device. His theory later evolved into principles and parameters theory and looked at the abstract rules applied when learning a language. One of the key tenets of Chomsky’s (2006) theory is that language is independent of cognition and does not influence how we think. Criticisms of his theory are highlighted as complete disregard for meaning and the social aspects or environment at which a child first acquires its words. Other critiques look at evidence produced by children with a hearing impairment. Questions surround what kind of parameters they would apply when using sign language. If Chomsky’s (2006) theory is to be correct then, it does not explain how children who learn two languages at once can apply parameter settings (Messer, 2000 cited in Green, 2010). Contrasting with the nativist approach, linguistic determinism argued in support for the notion that language influences or even determines how we speak. These ideas were first presented in the early 1930’s by Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf, who studied how languages vary and proposed ways that speakers of different tongues may think differently. Due to lack of empirical evidence at the time, their ideas of determinism (Whorfian hypothesis) were rejected but later reinstated with a weaker, less controversial notion of linguistic relativism, suggesting how language influences thought rather than determines it. Green, 2010) Firstly many of the early studies supporting Whorf’s hypothesis derived from studies of colour perception and naming. Brown and Lenneberg, (1954) found cross-cultural differences in the speed of colour naming and recognition, related to colour terms in different languages, though the study found correlations rather than a causal relationship. Additionally later research by Roberson et al, (2000) in the Berinmo people of Papua New Guinea showed findings which do support the Whorfian hypothesis and showed evidence for an effect of language on colour perception (Green, 2010, p. 66-372). Secondly more recent experiments carried out by Boroditsky, Winawer, Withoff, Frank and Wu (2007) investigated whether linguistic differences led to differences in colour discrimination between Russian and English speakers. Unlike English speakers, Russian speakers divide the colour terms on the spectrum differently. For example Russian speakers make a distinct differentiation between lighter blues and darker blues whereas English speakers would categories all colours of blue under on label. The experiment measured colour discrimination performance using a basic perceptual task. The results showed that Russian speakers were faster to discriminate two colours if they were part of the different linguistic categories in Russian than if the two colours were from the same category. Further effects of language were seen with English speakers who did not show any category advantage under any condition hence demonstrating how categories in language can affect performance of colour discrimination or how we speak can influence how we think. Thirdly research has also investigated spatial cognition and non-linguistic tasks and has shown how different cultures spatialize time depending on the available spatial representations (Green, 2010, p. 368). For example Dutch speakers use right and left in relation to object-centered frames of reference compared with the Mayan people of South America who use the compass points (North,South,East,West) for both geographic and object-centered frames of reference. Brown and Levinson (1993) conducted a study to investigate if these different frames of reference influenced the encoding of spatial relationships. The results showed that Dutch and Tzeltal (Mayan) speakers showed differences in reconstruction of a spatial array of objects, depending on encoding in their language which provides support for the Whorfian hypothesis and also shows how we speak can influence how we think. One critique of this experiment is the location of the task was not considered. Li and Gleitman (2002) argued that changing the environment in which spatial tasks occur can change the frame of reference used. The results from their study did demonstrate that within a different environment, participants chose to use a relative frame of reference hence highlighting the importance or significance of environmental factors in determining the frame used. Finally Boroditsky, (2001) also looked at the concept of time and whether aspects of language and culture influence how we think about this domain. Her study investigated how Mandarin and English speakers represent time and whether temporal metaphors differ between the two groups. English and Mandarin speakers both use horizontal (front/back) spatial terms to talk about time but differ in the use of vertical (up/down) spatial terms which are used by Mandarin speakers but not English speakers. Participants from both groups were asked to verify statements in English about temporal relationships from a scene containing objects that were arranged either along the vertical or horizontal dimension. The results showed that both groups organize time from left to right which is consistent with their writing direction but also that Mandarin speaker’s show evidence of vertical representation of time with earlier events represented further up after vertical priming and no evidence for this in English speakers. The results of this study provide evidence for cross-cultural differences in temporal reasoning and also support for language influencing thought. However compelling this evidence is, these findings have not been replicated in later studies. To conclude, it is clear that the above recent evidence provides support that demonstrates a transactional or causal relationship between both thought and language however due to the lack of successful replication of these results and the requirement for further investigation, once cannot conclude the notion of linguistic determinism. The way we speak does not determine how we think, but is more influential in shaping some aspects and in both directions. One must also consider that certain aspects of this cognitive process are indeed innate, that we are designed with a pre-disposition to develop language as a means of communication. It is also possible that both innateness and linguistic determinism explain different components of the same process, depending on the situation and context we find ourselves in. As the field of cognitive psychology progresses and further evidence is provided we may be able to settle on one explanation or another.

the garand :: essays research papers

The US Rifle M1 was the first semiautomatic rifle to be the standard small arm of the US Military, and the first semiautomatic rifle to be adopted by a major military power. It was the product of a genius, John Cantius Garand. While the M1 Rifle was never officially referred to as the Garand, it is known by no other name so widely. First adopted in 1936, the M1 Rifle served the US in World War II, Korea, a host of "police actions" and interventions, and, in the hands of allies, in the Vietnam War. Even there the US Army used the M1 rifle as a sniper rifle even though the M1 had by that time been supplanted by the M14 and later the M16. The M1 Garand is a full-blown combat rifle with maximum range of 3,200 meters and maximum effective range of 400 meters. Fully loaded with 8-round en block clip, cleaning kit in butt stock, sling and with stock of dense GI issue wood the M1 weighed in at 11-1/4 lbs. The M1 came into production in 1936 using the .30-06 rifle cartridge. It was the designated service rifle of World War II and the Korean War for the United States Military. Also was designed for semi-automatic fire using a spring steel clip containing 8 rounds. This is where the term "clip" originated. All other rifles used a detachable or fixed magazine. There is some discussion on whether this is accurate though. The M1 Garand was designed for long-range accuracy and was the only rifle that had fully adjustable rear sights, with windage and elevation. Criticisms of the M1 are its weight, limited ammunition supply, the fact that single rounds could not be pushed in (8 round clip, or nothing). Also, the spent clip was automatically ejected after the last round was fired, making a distinctive sound, which could be fatal in close quarter or sniper operations. This be true the M1 proved to be quite accurate, durable, rugged and reliable. The M1 Rifle was also distributed to several nations under many American military assistance programs and used to date. During The Vietnam War the M1 served as a training rifle for troops inducted into the U.S. Army and still serves in the training rifle role for the U.S. Navy. The M1 was the main rifle of many military reserve units until the mid-1970s (for example, the M1 was seen in the hands of Illinois National Guard troops during confrontations between Guardsmen and demonstrators outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention complex), when it was replaced by the M16.