Reflection Paper on Criminology Group Presentation

Reflection Paper on Criminology Group Presentation I found that making this academic presentation to be a very challenging experience. This was mainly down to working with a group of people that I dont know, another factor that may have contributed is that I had to study an area of London that Im not familiar with. Despite how challenging I thought the experience was I also found that working on, and presenting the presentation to be a rewarding experience, this was because I was able use theories I had learned and apply them to a specific area. The groups we were in were allocated at random, this was done by giving each person a number between one and four, the number you were given is the group that you are in, this led there to mixed groups with mixed levels of ability. I found the process to be quite bothersome as I was split from the friends I had formed in the seminar group, the group I was put into consisted of four people. After being allocated into are groups were told that for the presentation we could choose any post code to research as long as it was in London. After this we were then told that we had to gather information about that specific area and that we had to use different theorys to explain the information we had gathered. At the end of the seminar the group I was in all exchanged contact details so we could talk over the up coming independent learn week. Over the independent study week we decided as a group which area we want to study which was Harlesden. The task I was given was to pick a crime of my choice and gather statistics on the crime using the Metropolitan Police statistics website, later on I would use the theories that we had been taught in our lectures and seminars to explain the crime I had picked. Another part of my task was to find statistics and information about the housing in Harlesden and try and compare them with the crime statistics I had gathered. It took a bit of time but I did finally decided on the crime I was going to pick and the crime was robbery. After I decided I then looked on the internet for information and statistics for robbery, the main website I used was the Metropolitan Police statistics website as it was reliable and we were shown how to navigate the website in the seminar. Finding reliable robbery statistics was quite straight forward to do as the statistics on the website were up to date and were fairly easy to understand. This was quite the opposite to the information on housing on the MET Police statistics website, the most difficult part, for me at least, was trying to decide what information was relevant and useful and separating it from the useless irrelevant information. Another factor that hindered me was that the majority of the information was outdated which made it unreliable. This problem was not just isolated to me as other members of my group also faced being confronted with too much information and having to deal with outdated statistics. It was useful that the group I was in would meet up twice every week outside of the seminars to discuss the progress that we had each made, it also meant that we could discuss any issues that we were having and voice any concerns that we had about the presentations. One problem with this was that one member of the group almost always never showed up to the meetings which isnt useful for the group or the individual. During one of the first meetings we had I told my group about the problems I was facing trying to find reliable information on housing, the group helped me decided that I should just gather the statistics for robbery in Harlesden. After I have done this they told me I can then use these statistics and compare it with the previous year, the thinking behind this was that by comparing the robbery rates of this years and the previous year we can show whether or not the actions being taken by the police or preventions the police ha ve put in place to decrease robbery in Harlesden are truly working, they also suggested that I should compare Harlesdens robbery rate against the MET total as this would show how Harlesden compares with robbery rates in terms of the whole of London. In my presentation I used three theories to explain robbery, the three I chose to use were the classicist approach of rational decision, zones of transition theory and also the relative deprivation theory. All three of these theories had been taught in the lecture, nevertheless I found that by doing my own personal reading and internet research it helped me fully understand these theories and then be able to apply them to the statistical data and explain robbery. The readings and internet research that I did meant that I was able to write a great statement on why robbery in Harlesden is committed, whilst also knowing the theories to a degree that I would be able to explain them during my presentation. As a group before the deadline we decided that it would be easier and more useful to do four individual presentations instead of one big presentation. During my presentation I felt that my presentation skills could have been better, this was maybe because it was the first presentation I had to do at university and nerves may have played a part. The fact that we decided to do individual presentations may also have been a factor because when your in a group others could bring up points that maybe you might have forgotten in the moment and help you through moments when you need it. All but one of my groups individual presentations seem to go alright, the one that went quite wrong was the person that never showed up to any of the group meetings, there presentation was one slide long with not much information on it and they didnt seem to have tried to complete any of the tasks we set them to do. It was quite frustrating to see because if they had turned up to group meetings they would hav e found that completing the presentation to be quite easy. If I was to change anything it would most likely be to practice my presentation skills, as I felt that this was the part that let my presentation down, this would have made presenting the presentation easier and may have even improved the grade that I received. Before I began to look at Harlesden I little idea where it was, and had almost no information about the area. This meant that I got my first impression of Harlesden from the MET police crime statistics, this in turn gave me the feeling that maybe Harlesden was a area that was maybe rife with crime. This changed however after having done more investigating in to area and having spoken to the two people in my group that live there, my impressions have now changed and I now view Harlesden like most other place, there are some better areas and there are some worse areas. This shows how working in a group can be beneficial as they helped me see that I shouldnt judge a place on just statistics and that you need to speak to people that live in the area to fully understand the area. If I had been in a group with people that didnt live in Harlesden I believe that my first impression of the area would still be the impression that would have today, yet having people in my group who had experien ced Harlesden first hand and could talk about the experiences they have had helped assist in changing my first impression. I felt this presentation helped me because I was able to improve on my weakness which I had which was my presentation skills and this allowed me to improve this in a later presentation I did for another module. So reflecting on my experience of this presentation allowed me to improve the capacity to reflect on action so as to engage in a process of continuous learning (Schà ¶n, 1983:173). This experience also showed that I was able to complete my research and gather information and deliver it in a presentation which was a new thing for me. At first I didnt feel confidence that I would be able to deliver a good piece of work, but by working with others it has shown me that if you all work together on a piece of work it doesnt seem as daunting and it will make the experience more rewarding. Bibliography Schà ¶n, D (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think In Action. New York: Basic Books

Comparing poems from different cultures. Essay -- English Literature

Comparing poems from different cultures. Many poems deal with the theme of cultural identity. I have chosen three to compare, they are: Search For My Tongue, by Sujata Bhatt Half-Caste, by John Agard and Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan, by Moniza Alvi. I chose these three poems because I feel that they all deal with different aspects of cultural identity. For example Search for my tongue covers the aspect of losing your native tongue and using a ‘foreign’ language, Half-Caste addresses the point of racism and stereotyping, whilst Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan highlights the issues of alienation and not being able to fit in with either side of your family. Search For My Tongue is quite unusual as instead of the text being in one language all the way through it starts in English and then changes into Arabic part of the way through. This leaves the reader with a feeling of disorientation and that the reader, unless bilingual in those two languages, can not read or make sense of the foreign language. This poem also relays to you the fact that even if you’ve forgotten your mother tongue and don’t speak it for some time it will always come back and blossom if it is used enough. The poet also puts the point across by repeating the word tongue over and over again. The foreign tongue can never take the place of the mother tongue, because it is part of your own identity. The passage ‘†¦.but over night while I dream it grows back..’ gives the impression that although you may speak in the foreign language most of the time you still dream in your native tongue and it will never go away. The poem ‘Half Cast’ also deals with the aspects of a different language but instead of writing in a ... ...e to fit in with either side of their family. For example when her Aunts bring the Candy-striped glass bangles they snapped and made her wrists bleed, this is because people from Asia are very small boned, so because of her being mixed race she was not able to put then. Also it says that her school friends where not impressed by her Salwar kameez, they wanted to see weekend clothes and where not interested in the mirror work or the story how three of them sailed toto England. I find all of these poems very interesting and thought provoking. My favourite out of these three is half-caste because it give such a strong point and all the examples make sense. Where we live there aren’t many people from different cultures, so we don’t face racism and people from mixed race that often. These poems make you see the points of view and traditions of other cultures.

Piece inspired by ‘Of Mice and Men’ Essay

The sun was blazing down on the yard outside the barn. The group of men were playing a horse shoe tournament. Lennie was still sitting down on a barrel, watching the other guys play. In the distance he saw a man walking towards them with a trail of dust bellowing from his feet. It was Curly. Everyone went silent as he swaggered up to Slim. â€Å"Av, you seen my wife! † â€Å"No, she’s probably bunking up with the Nigger! † muttered Carlson. Everyone began to chuckle, Lennie didn’t hear what Carlson had said but he started to laugh so he wouldn’t stand out. He laughed so loud that in the end he did stand out. Curly stormed over to him, he had a menacing look on his face. Lennie stopped laughing immediately and began to hide his face. â€Å"What the hell you laughing at? † Curly asks as he looks down on Lennie. â€Å"Nu.. Nu.. Nothing† Stuttered Lennie. Everyone fell silent as Curly started to crack his knuckles in a fighting fashion. â€Å"Come on, you big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I’ll show you who’s yellow. † Curly yanks Lennie up on his feet and starts pummelling into his stomach and face. As Lennie is taking this beating he looks up and looks into Georges eyes. Everything starts slowing down in Lennie’s brain and all he can hear is George’s voice repeating â€Å"Get him Lennie. Don’t let him do it! † Slim rushes to George and says† The dirty little rat. I’ll get him myself. † â€Å"Wait a minute. Get him Lennie! † George shouts. Then the tables turn. Lennie grabs Curly by the shirt and lifts him high above the ground. Lennie is a blur and begins to bear hug Curly. Curly is totally refrained from doing anything to Lennie. Then all the men hear groaning noises coming from Curly. A loud yell cry comes from the mouth of Curly as the men hear his back breaking. Each spinal column crunching into each other. Everyone realises that it’s time to get Lennie off of Curly before he kills him. â€Å"Let go of him Lennie. Let go! † George screams as he jumps onto Lennie’s arms. â€Å"Let go of him Lennie. Let go. Slim, come and help me while the guy got no back left. As the men prize Lennie ofF he is still in a blur, he suddenly just drops Curly and runs onto a haystack crying†. You told me to George! † â€Å"I know I did Lennie, I know I did†,George whispers to Lennie as he sits and comforts him. Slim walks over to Curly who was lying on the floor having lots of short spasms in his back. â€Å"Looks like every bone in his back is bust† Slim says as he analysed Curly’s injury.

Where Is the Patis Essays

Where Is the Patis Essays Where Is the Patis Paper Where Is the Patis Paper Seanursing student studying litreature of the philipines tomorrow is my finals i need answers so please help me A Filipino may denationalize himself but not his stomach. He may travel over the seven seas, the five continents and the two hemispheres and lose the savor of home, forget his identity and believe himself a citizen of the world. But he remains- gastronomically, at least- always a Filipino. For, if in no other way, the Filipino loves his country with his stomach. It seemed to me that the big deal is the overall feeling of â€Å"no big deal†, if you get my drift.It kinda gives this impression that you could go there and leave your cares in the world. The place has a hippie vibe to it, with people wearing whatever, doing whatever, minding their own business and having a grand time. There’s food, finds, and fun. I liked it. I liked it a lot. We ended up staying at the New Merry V Guesthouse for our first night since we had a hard time looking for Tavee Guesthouse, where we initially planned to stay. The other options such as the Lamphu House, Green Guesthouse, and the Rambuttri Village Inn were fully booked.It really pays to book your accommodation in advance to save yourself from minor inconveniences. New Merry V Guesthouse has very basic amenities, pretty much getting what you paid for: a place to rest after a long day of serious walking and wandering. The good thing about us ending up here is that we found ourselves in Phra Arthit Road, where the Phra Arthit Pier is within short walking distance. Just cross the road and look for the sign post with a boat sign; better yet, aim for the Navalai Resort which will lead you directly to the pier

Class, Race and Gender in The Associate essays

Class, Race and Gender in The Associate essays Many issues regarding class, race, and gender in corporate America are brought to the forefront in The Associate. The issue in this movie is that Whoopi's character, Laurel is one who doesn't get treated fairly because she is not in the elite class of the top-level executives, she is black, and a woman. She has the brains and the ideas, but still can't get ahead because of the stigma behind these labels. Out of desperation of hitting the corporate glass ceiling, she creates Robert Cutty, presumably rich, white, and male the key to success in corporate America. The issue of class is an interesting one. Often class is not looked upon as an idea independent from race and/or gender. The American upper class would like to view America as a classless country affording every member of society with equal opportunity for economic gain and success. In order to perpetuate this ideal of a classless society, the poor are therefore racialized and/or femininized. Race and gender are used to diver t attention away from issues of class inequality. The members of these categories are then defined by stereotyping labels of lazy, unfit, sexually promiscuous, and uneducated which prevent their success in society. However, class exists and is an independent ideal from race and gender. Classes exist in relation to one another in ways that are often oppositional, i.e., the benefits and privileges of one class are at the expense of other classes in the same way that men and whites receive benefits that are often at the expense of women and minorities. This ideal of the privileged versus the under-privileged is evident in The Associates portrayal of corporate America. Independent of gender, Sally is a prime example of the lower class within an institution. The camera subtly depicts her less than affluent position by placing her in the background when in Franks office while Laura is con...

The Effects of Alcoholism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Effects of Alcoholism - Research Paper Example As a result, they seek to drown these issues in an alcoholic fog. However, more recent science has suggested there is another, deeper cause to alcoholism that can only be found in the genes. Alcohol affects the brain more than any other bodily organ. â€Å"The brain is damaged through the drinker's behavior changes and emotional distress. Three noticeable effects of alcohol injury to the brain: memory loss, confusion, and augmentation.† (Dunlap) Everyone experiences alcohol differently. Because it is something experienced differently by different bodies, there are a number of effects that can be felt depending on the body, how much of what kind of drink is consumed over how long of a period of time and whether or not food was consumed with it. Alcohol can act as a stimulant and as a sedative, but it is not an effective tranquilizer, anesthetic or health boost. Alcoholism is â€Å"a progressive neurological disease strongly influenced by genetic vulnerability. Inherited or acq uired abnormalities in brain chemistry create an altered response to alcohol which is turn causes a wide array of physical, psychological, and behavioral problems† (Katherine/Asbury pg. 46).

Symbolism and Metaphor in Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Symbolism and Metaphor in Poetry - Essay Example â€Å"Black granite† symbolizes the hard and unbreakable nature of the poet. In the second stanza of the poem Facing It by Yusef K. (1988), â€Å"My clouded reflection eyes me like a bird of prey† is symbolism in simile form. Here the poet symbolizes how bad and shameful he feels when he recalls the past suffering days that are not worth remembering. â€Å"Light† has been used to express hope for a good future. The poet also says â€Å"The profile of night slanted against morning†. Night here symbolizes the bad past which highly depends on a brighter future which is symbolized by morning. â€Å"I’m a window† is another instance of metaphor in the poem Facing It by Yusef K. (1988). Window is used to show that by looking at the poet, people remember the past. â€Å"Smoke†has also been used in the fourth stanza to imply faded and unclear letters. This shows that he is desperate in his options.â€Å"Red bird’swings† is used in the fifth stanza to symbolize a plane. â€Å"Black mirror† has also been used in the sixth stanza of the poem as a symbol of a reflection of the hard times in the past. From the use of symbolism and metaphor in the poem Facing It by Yusef K. (1988), different themes are clearly brought out. The theme of hope and expectation is brought out when the poet says he is â€Å"depending on the light to make a difference†. He hopes morning will come and he will make changes where he can. The theme of racism is also evident. â€Å"A white vet’s image floats† is used to symbolize that the white are highly rated to the extent of using plane than the blacks who only deal with stones as shown by â€Å"My black face fades hiding inside the black granite†. It is clear that the black are viewed as people with no abilities to do anything substantial. In conclusion, symbolism and metaphor are essential aspects of poetry as explained by Timpane J. Watts M. & San Francisco State