American Torture Techniques Against Detainees

American Torture Techniques Against Detainees The U.S. government has been accused of using torture-lite or moderate physical pressure against detainees, persons held in custody for political reasons, typically because they pose a distinct threat to the U.S. or possess information crucial to American security. In practical terms, what does this mean? Palestinian Hanging This form of torture is sometimes  referred to as Palestinian hanging due to its use by the Israeli government against Palestinians. It involves binding the prisoners hands behind his back. After fatigue sets in, the prisoner will inevitably fall forward, putting full body weight on his shoulders and impairing breathing. If the prisoner is not released,  death by crucifixion  may eventually result. Such was the fate of U.S. prisoner  Manadel al-Jamadi  in 2003. Psychological Torture The number one criterion for torture-lite is that it must leave no physical marks. Whether U.S. officials are threatening to execute a prisoners family or falsely claiming that the leader of his terror cell is dead, a steady diet of misinformation and threats can be effective.   Sensory Deprivation Its remarkably easy for prisoners to lose track of time when theyre locked up in cells. Sensory deprivation involves removing all noise and light sources as well. Guantanamo prisoners  were additionally bound, blindfolded and wore earmuffs. Whether prisoners subjected to long-term sensory deprivation can still tell fiction from reality is a matter of some debate.   Starvation and Thirst Maslows hierarchy of needs identifies basic physical needs as the most fundamental, more so than religion, political ideology or community. A prisoner may be given just enough food and water to survive. It may take as long as a week before he appears physically thinner, but his life will come to revolve around a quest for food and he may be more inclined to divulge information in exchange for food and water.   Sleep Deprivation Studies have shown that missing a nights sleep temporarily drains 10 points from a persons IQ. Consistent sleep deprivation  through harassment, exposure to bright lights and exposure to loud, jarring music and recordings can drastically impair judgment and wear down resolve.   Waterboarding Water torture is one of the oldest and most common forms of torture. It arrived in the U.S. with the first colonists and has cropped up many times since then. Waterboarding  is its latest incarnation. It  involves  a prisoner being strapped down to a board then dunked in water. Hes brought back to the surface and the process is then repeated until his interrogator secures the information being sought.   Forced Standing Most common in the 1920s, forced standing involves prisoners standing in place, often overnight. In some cases, the prisoner may face a wall, standing with his arms extended and his  fingertips touching it.   Sweatboxes Sometimes referred to as a hot box or simply as the box, the prisoner is locked up in a small, hot room which, due to lack of ventilation, essentially functions as an oven. The prisoner is released when he cooperates. Long used as a form of torture in the U.S., it is particularly effective in the arid Middle East. Sexual Assault  and Humiliation Various forms of sexual assault and humiliation documented in U.S. prison camps  as forms of torture include forced nudity, forcible smearing of menstrual blood on prisoners faces, forced lap dances, forced transvestitism and forced homosexual acts on other prisoners.

Short History of Kwanzaa

Short History of Kwanzaa Free Online Research Papers In this short essay I am going to discuss the history of Kwanzaa. I am going to briefly discuss how Kwanzaa came about, and how it is traditionally practiced. Kwanzaa is a non-religious African American holiday that emphasizes family, culture, and community. In 1966 Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of African American Studies, at the University of California, Long Beach, wanted to find a way to bring African Americans together as a community. He started to research traditional African harvest celebrations, particularly Karenga. Karenga combines harvest celebrations from several different tribes, such as those from the Ashanti and Zulu tribe. The name Kwanzaa is taken from the Swahili phrase â€Å"matunda ya kwanza,† which means first fruits. Kwanzaa is celebrated over the seven days between Christmas and New Years. While every family celebrates Kwanzaa a little bit differently, most partake in traditional dances, music, literature and a large traditionally African meal. At the end of each of the seven nights a child lights a candle on the Kinara, a candle stick that holds seven candles, while the family discusses one of the Nguzo Saba’s. Nguzo Saba means seven principles in Swahili. The seven principles are unity, self-determination, responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. The center candle is the only black candle and is lit the first night; it represents unity which is part of the main basis that Kwanzaa is built on. Kwanzaa is a very important part of African Americans embracing their culture and a way to bring the community together in celebration of their roots. Research Papers on Short History of KwanzaaBringing Democracy to AfricaHip-Hop is Art19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XCapital PunishmentPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenWhere Wild and West Meet

A thing or place that effect you and change your life Essay

A thing or place that effect you and change your life - Essay Example This allowed me to understand how life shaped up and what I needed to do in order to learn more new things and find remedies to problems which came up all of a sudden, and without many warning signs. Learning a new language was always exciting to me because I believed that with a little effort, I could master a dictum which was not my own. This indeed was the motivating force behind my acquisition of a new language within school at Canada. Work was no doubt fun but getting back to school after a while gave me immense reasons to smile once again. It made me feel like I was someone younger to my age, and allowed me to experience the joy of learning things yet again. It seldom happens that a grown up gets to feel the thrills of being back at school, and I can safely and proudly say that I have had such an experience ever since I joined school again. Just the feeling that I can be counted amongst the students who will learn something novel and unique was enough to tell me that I had made the right decision by re-joining school within Canada. It made me feel privileged more than anything else. What this did was to change my life for the better and that too in a quantifiable way. It made me feel at ease with the changing norms of the time and allowed me to get acquainted with how I can enrich my life time and time again. The people around me also supported the fact that I have made the right decision and this shall facilitate me in future realms which remain very quintessential for me undoubtedly. Also I found out that the teachers present in the school assisted me without any concerns whatsoever. They made me feel at ease with what was being taught and I felt at home with what I was learning all this while. In the end, I would fathom that this was indeed one of the best lessons that I had from life up till now. It allowed me to understand life’s different

Use Of Force Managemnt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Use Of Force Managemnt - Essay Example The U.S. Department of Justice, through its Community Oriented Policing Services, indicated that the use of force was a natural reaction in response to cases requiring apprehension of suspected criminals to protect one lives and that of others. Likewise, it was indicated in a published report by COPS that there was actually no clear and concise definition of the use of force but the accepted meaning was sourced from â€Å"the  International Association of Chiefs of Police  (IACP) in its study,  Police Use of Force in America 2001, defined use of force as "The amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling subject.†" (U.S. DOJ: COPS, 2010). In this regard, the research aims to proffer issues on the use of force, specifically focusing on police brutality by identifying the problem, accountability, enhanced police accountability, accreditation and risk management, among others. A recommendation from the issues discussed would be presented prior to concluding remarks. Due to the critical position, tasks and responsibilities accorded to private security officers, there have been several documented instances of abuse of their authority. As such â€Å"most of these crimes fall into five broad areas: excessive force, sexual assaults, false arrest and fabrication of evidence, deprivation of property, and failure to keep from harm.† (FBI: Color of Law Abuses, 2010, par. 4). When the use of force becomes excessive and unreasonable, police brutality ensues, thereby posing dangers to the victims in terms of violations of human rights and even the possibility of grave injuries and death. According to David Mangan in his written article entitled Police Brutality: The Use of Excessive Force published as a Drury University paper, the use of excessive force tantamount to manifesting a form of police brutality is actually a criminal act constituting

The Tryals of Joseph Dawson, Edward Forseith, William May, [brace] Essay

The Tryals of Joseph Dawson, Edward Forseith, William May, [brace] William Bishop, James Lewis, and John Sparkes for several piracies and robberies by them committed - Essay Example 3-7). On the other hand, the witnesses for the kings were sworn in whereby, the Grand Jury withdrew and returned back afterwards and the case proceeds (Dawson, p.3-5). Five men were found guilty namely John sparks, William Bishop, William May, Edward Forseith, James Lewis. This is because the five men participated directly or indirect in piracy crime (Dawson, p. 24-26).On the other hand, Joseph Dawson was considered innocent because he was not on board unlike other culprits who witnessed the crime and decided to remain quite(Dawson, p. 24-26). Additionally, the judges considered group involvement to commit a felony as complicity whereby, a syndicate or a group of gang located in different locations whether on the sea or in the land corporate to commit a felony (Dawson, p. 23-27). The result of poor circumstance may be attributed to lack of a comprehensive structure that defines the rimes of piracy crime (Dawson, p. 24-26). In above connection, judge Charles Hedge an expert in law defined crime of piracy as robbery of the sea whereby, sea bandits hijacked captains, ships and cargo on board and take cargo and money. This crime may include all crimes but not limited to those committed on air, land, internet and water bodies (Dawson, p. 18-25). Additionally, crime of piracy may involve unlawful acts or attempts to steal from pirates both from the water bodies and even out side the sea (Dawson, p. 18-25). On the other hand, defense attorney asserted that their clients did not commit any acts of piracy because they did not forcefully rob or removed any thing of value from the ship. Therefore, their acts were not within the scope of piracy crime as defined by the judge (Dawson, p. 22-24). Additionally, future lawyers should focus on the actual structure and organization of a pirate trial. This is because, the structures in this case were not specific and therefore, those who were guilty went unpunished. This could have been prevented if there was specific

Risperidone for Methamphetamine Induced Psychotic Disorder

Risperidone for Methamphetamine Induced Psychotic Disorder On the efficacy of risperidone for the treatment of methamphetamine induced psychotic disorder, a dose ranging study Induced psychosis, diagnosis and treatment Worldwide growing methamphetamine abuse is one of the most serious health problems with several different consequences for victims, especially in developing countries. Chronic methamphetamine abuse is associated with several psychiatric problems in all countries which are faced to epidemic methamphetamine abuse. Methamphetamine induced psychosis (MIP) is a major medical challenge for clinical practitioner from both diagnostic and therapeutic viewpoints. Stimulant psychosis commonly occurs in people who abuse stimulants, but it also occurs in some patients taking therapeutic doses of stimulant drugs under medical supervision. The main characteristic of meth psychosis is the presence of prominent hallucinations and delusions. Other drugs, such as cocaine and marijuana, can trigger the onset of psychosis in someone who is already at increased risk because they have vulnerability. The current literature review attends to explain several aspects of MIP, including epidemiologically, clinically and investigators proposed pharmacologically treatment based on recently published data. Introduction Amphetamine and methamphetamine have the most substances for abuse among the synthetic psychostimulant across the world1. The overall the prevalence of methamphetamine users (excluding amphetamine users) ranges from 10.5 to 28.5 million people worldwide (0.2% to 0.6% of adults between 15 to 64 years old)2. Accompanied to amphetamine these synthetic psychostimulants are ranked as the 2nd abuser illicit drugs after cannabis as the 1st and before cocaine and opiates1. Many consequences follow methamphetamine abusers including medical, psychiatric, cognitive, legal and socioeconomic problems. It is unclear why methamphetamine abusers are more involved with legal consequences than all other illicit drug abusers3. It might be due to more psychotic symptoms induced by these psychostimulant drugs, or flaring of symptoms in a subtle or stable schizophrenia which could be exacerbated by methamphetamine4. It has been well known that such drugs are able to produce psychotic symptoms in persons with no history of previous psychiatric disorders.5,6 Epidemiology and clinical manifestations of MIP There are other substances able to produce psychosis including cocaine, cannabis, alcohol, hallucinogens, heroin and sedatives7.There will be a diagnostic challenge to meet a net diagnosis for drug-induced psychosis, if the clinical practitioner cannot establish the presence of psychotic symptoms before initiating drug abuse. In a survey, among 400 cases who admitted in different psychiatric emergency departments for their psychotic symptoms, 44% received a substance-induced psychosis diagnosis and 56% were diagnosed essential psychosis8. According to DSM-IV criteria, diagnosis of primary psychosis is usually after at least 4 weeks with persisting symptoms without heavy substance use. In addition to the previous history of substance abuse, other factors lead to drug-induced psychosis including parental substance abuse, dependency to drug (rather than occasional abuse) and visual hallucination. Lower positive and negative syndrome scale with th positive history of drug abuse put in fa vor of drug-induced psychosis, as well as more consciousness to psychotic symptoms and more tendency to suicidal thoughts are another feature of drug-induced psychosis. Generally, reported psychotic symptoms due to MethAmphetamine(MA) abuse, from USA, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Iran are the same as each other including (as studied by Fasihpour et al) persecutory delusions (82%), auditory hallucination (70.3%), reference delusion (57.7%), visual hallucination (44.1%), grandiosity delusion (39.6%) and jealousy delusion (26.1%)9. Although certain risk factors could not be extracted among documented literature and many conducted studies by different authors in involved countries have been reported more common factors include: 1. Pyschosis induction is largely dose-dependent than duration-dependent5,10,11 2. Positive family history of psychotic symptoms especially in first degree relatives5. Interestingly protracted and more resistant psychosis was occurred in abuser persons, whose one of their first degree relatives has been involved by schizophrenia12.3. Presence of premorbidity in abuser subjects, such as schizoid/schizotypal personality traits, alcohol dependency, antisocial personality disorders and major depression, all can be psychosis induced by methamphetamine5. 4. History of sexual abuse experience, recent higher occasion of MethAmphetamine(MA) abuse plus another illicit substance13. 5. Childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) may be associated frequently with psychosis reports14. 6. Hi gher serum level of methamphetamine and amphetamine are associated with more profound psychotic symptoms4. The route of consumption (oral, smoking, injection) was not a significant factor in Mc Keit et al study6. But according to Matsumoto et al. smoker abuser show more quickly acute psychotic symptoms than who use the injection, because smokers have poor control on MA consumption. In addition psychotic syndromes in injection abusers require more medical care to respond to treatment15. Other personal characteristics such as age at which abuse is started, education, IQ, and duration of methamphetamine use were not associated significantly with risk of psychosis developing among abusers8. Female preponderance for undergoing psychotic symptoms was established among participant persons in the study of Mahoney and his coleagues16. It is noticeable to mention that the results of studies on MIP characteristics are somewhat inconsistent because of different cultural population, different accuracy in methods of studies and so on. But they provide a general opinion for further investigations and more accurate and localized studies. Sign and symptoms of MIP Reported psychotic symptoms among several different studies performed in Japan17, Taiwan5, Australia6, Tailand18 and Iran9 all are unanimous in obtained results. The most common features include persecutory delusion and auditory hallucination followed by delusion of reference, visual hallucination and thought broadcasting. MIP is initiated with excitation and increased focusing or concentration states, following by prepsychotic states and delusions which may subsequently progress to overt psychosis with positive symptoms10. The onset of first psychotic episode from the first occasion of methamphetamine consumption ranges from 1.7 years in smoker abusers to 4.4 years in injectioners19 and or 5.2 years without considering route of abuse10. Individuals with intense eagerness20, injection of methamphetamine and methamphetamine abusers are at higher risk for experiencing more severe psychosis21. Although MIP usually have short courses duration but longer and persistent episodes of psychos is have been reported even after discontinuation of drug abuse and in abstinence period17. As protracted MIP frequently occurred in many studies, it remains unclear whether methamphetamine can produce a chronic psychotic disorder or methamphetamine has uncovered a psychotic disorder in a patient with psychotic background5. The risk factors for developing long lasting MIP include positive family history of first degree relative involved to schizophrenia, premorbidity with a personality disorder specially schizoid/schizotypal form, a former neurological disorder like ADHD, head injury and learning disability2. During the abstinent period, MIP relapse might occur in a previously undergone short MIP, as well as any stressor like insomnia and severe alcohol intake.10,23,24 Methamphetamine and not stress induced MIP relapse occur with a likelihood of 60% to 80% in less than 1week to 1 month respectively, after re-exposure to MA8. A history of more than 2 years MA abuse makes the person susceptible for spontaneous relapse of psychosis without any methamphetamine reabusing for years.10 MIP Treatment pharmacological approaches Although no medical agent(s) are approved as therapeutic drug for MIP yet, due to a few numbers of pharmacological evaluations which have been proformed for finding a suitable choice in recent years. According to bio-molecular neurotransmitters influenced by MA, several pharmacologic agents are proposed for treating MA with clinical implications such as dependency and MIP. In this review a brief will run to introduce involved pharmacological groups separately. Dopaminergic agents Modafinil is a dopaminergic agonist approved essentially for sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea and idiopathic hypersomnia. Modafinil may increase efficacy of cognitive behavioral treatments and decrease craving in methamphetamine dependency25. It may have beneficial effect in schizophrenia and thereby in MIP.26,27 Bupropion, a re-uptake inhibitor of dopamine has demonstrated its effect as decreasing methamphetamine use specially in low to moderated dependency.28,29,30 Methylphenidate (Ritaline) and Dextroamphethamine (d-amphethamine) both increase releasing of dopamine in synaptic cleft and have high capacity to be abused. They show strong efficacy in studies to stop or reduce MA abuse in even deep dependency.31-34 Although the above quoted drugs have not revealed any direct effect for MIP, but it seems that appetite decreasing for MA use occur by these drugs, which can be indirectly effective for managing MIP as well. Aripiperazole, a dopamine D2-receptore partial agonist and a second generation antidepressant is proposed for MethAmphetamine(MA) dependency and MIP. In a study driven by Sulaiman et al. Aripiperazole was effective for diminishing the severity of psychosis resulted from methamphetamine, but it was failed to increase abstinence duration.35 In another study, Farnia et al. compared the efficacy of aripiperazole versus risperidone in MIP cases, in a double blind randomised control trial. After six weeks trial with aripiperazole 15mg/day or risperidone 4mg/day, they concluded that both drugs are able to significantly decrease the MIP severity, however rispridone causes showed more reduction on positive symptoms while aripiperazole was more effective on negative symptoms.36 The ability of antipsychotics like aripiperazole and haloperidol in suppressing the dopamine releasing in amygdala of animal experiments which caused marked reduction in behavioral sensitivity following MA exposure, may explain its benefits on MIP.37 In another animal model study, it was shown by Futamara et al. that aripiperazole can diminish behavioral sensitization through acting on 5-HT1A receptor.38 Risperidone is evaluated solely for its ability to prolong abstinent period in 4 weeks administration of 3.6mg/day in an open-label trying. Results demonstrate a decrease in meth consumption in abusers.39 Two separate case reports have considered the dramatic response of MIP to risperidone therapy.40,41 Despite safety applications of classic antipsychotics Hatzipetros et al. warned about an unknown toxic effect of conventional antipsychotics like administrating the haloperidol to GABAergic cells in subchronic treatment of MIP might lead to hyperkinetic movement disorder and convulsion42. Other antipsychotics like quetiapine and olanzepine were applied successfully for drug– induced psychosis.43,44 GABAergic agents Several different GABA agents like baclofen45,gabapantine45,46, vigabatrine47,48, topiramate49 and benzodiazepines were proposed for treatment of MA dependency and associated psychosis based on their effects on decreasing the dopamine transmission in mesolymbic system by which reinforcing effects of MA is reduced.50,51 But ,actually conducted trial studies are somewhat inconsistent to suggest a precise recommendation.49,52 Nevertheless Ito K et al. showed that clonazepam in animal model experiments did not obtain explicating of behavioral sensitization in rats which were under treatment with MA.53 Serotonergic agents No pharmacological trial studies lead to any clinical recommendation of serotonergic agents for MIP found in web published searching except for two animal experiments in which the role of serotonergic receptors are evaluated in locomotor activating and developing behavioral sensitization. Kaneko et al. studied the inhibitory effect of fluoxetine and paroxetin, 2 clinically available SSRI agents, on establishing and expression of MA induced behavioral sensitization and suggested a prophylactic role of SSRIs for preventing of psychotic states like hallucination and paranoid symptoms due to methamphetamine abuse.54 Ago et al. demonstrated the critical role of serotonine system in behavioral sensitization formation in mice by osemozotan a 5-HT1A-receptor agonist and ritanserin a 5-HT2-receptore antagonist and again suggested a capacity of serotonergic agents for treating methamphetamine psychosis.55 Opioid antagonist Naltrexone, a pure antagonist of morphine have showed successful outcomes in MA dependency management by decreasing craving, probably because of endogenous opioid system modulating role in reducing of reinforcing effects of metamphetamine.56-61 Behavioral sensitization produced by frequently exposure to methamphetamine is prevented by induction and expression of naltrexone in mice.62 But naltrexone plus N-acetylsysteine, an antioxidant, fail to demonstrate priority to placebo group for MA dependency treatment.63 Although no particular study with emphasis on the effects of naltrexone on MA-induced psychosis was found, it may be associated with precise changes in severity and prevalence of MIP because of its strong effects on abolishing dependency. Other unclassified treatment Minocycline, a second generation antibiotic was proposed for MIP treatment. In two separate case reports minocycline administration were associated with significant results in curing the psychotic symptoms of methamphetamine abuse probably due to its anti-inflammatory effects on micoglia.64,65 Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is mentioned for its high capacity to create a dramatic response in a MIP cases whose psychotic symptoms were resistant to conventional pharmacological antipsychotic therapy.66 Discussion Methamphetamine abuse is now going to become an epidemic problem in many countries. Chronic MA abuser underwent many medical psychiatric cognitive and legal consequences. One of the most important complications is the psychosis. Many studies were performed and a plenty of pharmacological drugs were proposed for managing of MA dependency, although none of them were approved yet, but only a few investigations tried to find drugs targeted on psychosis due to MA. These drugs as reviewed in this articles belongs to different biochemical neurotransmitters like dopaminergic antipsychotics, serotonergic agents and GABAergic drugs. All the studied drugs failed to obtain approval validity, although according to the results of conducted studies merely all of these agents could subside the MA associated psychosis. Recognizing neurotransmitter/receptor systems involved and influenced by MA in animal models and human experiments that can elevate knowledge about developing MA-induced psychiatric sy ndromes, especially psychosis, is the best way to overcome MIP pharmacologically and is recommended strongly for future studies.

The Theme of Justice in The Crucible Essay -- The Crucible Arthur Mill

The Theme of Justice in The Crucible The crucible was set in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. The play is based on true facts about events that actually took place. It is about a small secluded town that relies strongly on their religion to keep them feeling safe. Their enemy is the devil and they are always scared of the devil and constantly looking for signs that the devil is there. â€Å"We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house.† The fear of the devil gets so strong the town’s justice system take strong actions to keep everyone safe. The paradox between justice and freedom is very unbalanced. The justice and courts are so strict none of the Salem people have their own personal freedom. Miller is questioning the fairness of the justice in Salem and that of the justice system in the US in the 50’s at the time he wrote the play. This is called an allegory. In the 50’s McCarthyism was the suppression of communism. Anyone accused of being a communist would be put into prison. Anyone who criticized the government was brought before the court and asked to name people they had seen at communist meetings. Arthur Miller did not agree with the system and wanted to get his views across. If he wrote a play about Senator McCarthy and his justice systems faults then he would have been arrested and the play would not have been shown. He made the play about the witchcraft in Salem to cover up his true meaning whilst being a polemic teaching people of the corruption in the justice system. The characters in Salem all represent people from the US in the 50’s. The Judges represent the Senators. Miller makes them disliked by the audience by showing the unfairness of thei... ...itute in Boston† To make people feel there is justice as Abby got what she deserved and people finally saw through her and she revealed the truth to what she really was. Miller states that Paris was voted out of office. This was also what happened to Senator McCarthy they both were causing injustice and in the end were both expelled. This means that they have got their justice. The audience is most concerned if John gets his justice. He does because the audience can all see that he is a good man and he becomes a hero to anyone watching the play. The characters in the play don’t celebrate him as a hero but from everyone watching he is praised. This means his message of following your own sense of right and wrong is received my hundreds of people. This is how John gets his justice and how miller restores people’s faith in the goodness of humanity.