Police And Their Effect On Prison Population Essays - Penology

Police And Their Effect On Prison Population Because of the increase in crime in America, the public has demanded an increase in the amount of protection received from police. This increase in police protection has increased the incarceration level by numerous amounts within the last ten years. The number of inmates incarcerated in America is a direct cause of the policing that is going on in the streets of American cities. The method of policing has a tremendous impact on the outcome of the situation, meaning the type of policing determines the amount of arrests mad and the amount of inmates incarcerated. The historical pattern of prison sentencing has always shown that the offenders almost always served a much shorter sentence than the amount of time they were given by the court. Prisoners have always had different methods available to assist in decreasing the amount of time they have to serve. Many were released on parole after serving possibly less than 40 percent of their sentence. There was also time suspended due to good behavior which put the criminals back on the street. Offenders could be allowed work credits which could go towards their early release. This was considered the normal practices of prison up until the end of the 20th century. Around this time the citizens of cities started complaining more and demanding more police intervention and less crime. In 1994 laws were implemented that made it harder and in some cases impossible to be released from prison without serving at least 85 percent of their original sentence assigned by the court. This new policy has been implemented at the state and federal levels. Though history has shown an extensive pattern of early release, this pattern has come to an end because of the new laws set forth in America. Before 1984 the laws mandating prisons were not very effective in keeping offenders incarcerated, which was considered intolerable by the community. Experiments done on the effectiveness of police during the 1970s showed that traditional methods of policing were not effective in decreasing the amount of crime on the streets. Until the early 1970s most states used the indeterminate sentencing method which allowed parole boards the authority to allow offenders to be released early. The idea of indeterminate sentencing came about in the mid-1800s and was preferred over determinate sentencing because determinate sentencing allowed no room for reform. Because of the dissatisfaction with indeterminate sentencing and the pressure for longer sentencing, there was a policy implemented in the 1980s which made it mandatory to have a guide for the minimum amount of time served as well as new sentencing guidelines. This method caused inmates to serve more time and because of this, there became a problem with overcrowding. To alleviate the overcrowding, inmates were then available to get sentence reduction because of good behavior and also with certain work programs they could be released early by the building up of earned time credit. In 1984 the first truth in sentencing laws were in acted. These laws required that prisoners serve a substantial portion of their sentence. To ensure that offenders served the majority of their sentence, the violent crime control and law enforcement act of 1994 were passed. This act allowed additional funding for state prisons and jails. It also restricted and in many instances eliminated release for good behavior and good time credits. The three strikes and youre out laws, in many states, require life imprisonment for third time a felony offenders. In some states offenders only have two strikes before being sentenced. The abolishment of parole in at least fourteen states has also made the percentage of inmates released less. By implementing s entencing requirements, the abolishment of parole, along with other sentencing restrictions and incentives, it has become nearly impossible for offenders to be released with out giving at least the majority of their due time to society. Because of the reform act of 1984 release practices in federal systems underwent a series of changes. There have been mandatory penalties established in federal sentencing most notably for drug offenses. In 1987, 26684 offenders entered the federal prison system. They were sentenced on average forty-two months but only served approximately twenty-three months.

Write a cover letter to get you hired in 2018

Write a cover letter to get you hired in 2018 When you see the phrase â€Å"cover letter,† it probably conjures up an image of a bygone era, with an old-fashioned letter, painstakingly typed and sent via snail mail. How does that square with the modern job search, which has become almost entirely digital? Do you still need a cover letter in an era where you’re either emailing a resume or dropping it into a vast database? The short, honest answer: not always, especially when you’re simply uploading your resume into a digital application engine. But when you do need to have a cover letter to go with your resume, it’s important to have one ready to go. And a well-written cover letter can still mean the difference between getting an interview or having a reader reject your application package without any further consideration.What’s the purpose of a cover letter?A cover letter is an introduction to your resume. If you’re submitting your resume digitally, that means your cover letter is an em ail introduction with an attachment. Instead of a blunt â€Å"here you go, resume is attached,† it’s a way of framing your resume and setting the narrative before the reader has a chance to scan the resume itself.A cover letter (or email) is also a chance to fit in some extra key words. There’s a good chance that it will be a software program reading your note first, before it’s screened by a human with hiring power. And those programs function based on key words and phrases that the hiring company most wants to see. The earlier you can fit those in, the better, and the cover letter/email is your earliest chance.A cover letter also acknowledges the human reader beyond the robot eyes- a human reader who can use the information in your note to add context to your resume. Your cover letter is a chance to set the narrative that you support with the bullet points in your resume. Think of it as the highlight reel of your accomplishments and your goals.Tailor yo ur cover letter to the audience.The first thing you should do is make sure you’re personalizing the cover letter. Nothing is going to turn a reader off faster than having to read something addressed to â€Å"Dear whomever† and followed by several paragraphs of super-generic chitchat. Whenever possible, you should address it to a specific person. This may not always be possible if you’re submitting via an online system. But if there’s a contact name mentioned in the job posting, make sure you’re addressing your letter or email right to that person. You want to engage the reader whenever possible. â€Å"To whom it may concern† technically does the job of addressing a reader, but is there a colder, more generic opening? I don’t think so.Be memorable and personable.The cover letter gives you a chance you don’t really have with your resume: the opportunity to show a bit of your personality. The resume is a ruthless, efficient snapsh ot of your professional accomplishments. The cover letter is more of a conversation between you and the reader. One way to do this is to include some personal trivia in the first few lines, or include a bit about what drew you do this particular company or job opening. This shows that there’s a thoughtful person behind this letter and this resume, one who has put consideration and effort into applying for this job.In a cover letter, it’s okay to use a bit of humor- as long as it’s kept polite, professional, and directly related to the job you’re trying to get. (Remember, you don’t know who will be on the other end, so keep any humor G-rated and appropriate.) The company is, after all, hiring a human to join their team, and you want to seem approachable and friendly. The information on your resume doesn’t necessarily tell the reader much about your voice, so it’s okay to use the cover letter to add a bit of flair.Set the narrative.This is especially important if your resume has things you need to explain, or things you want to gloss over (it happens). Your cover letter can help you take that extra level of control over your application package. Use it to set up what you want the reader to have in mind while he or she is reading further.For example, if you’re a recent grad and don’t yet have tons of experience in the field you’re trying to get into, you can use your cover letter to talk about how you’re looking for an entry-level position in the field, but have skills and experience that you’ve built up via internships, or volunteer experiences. Or if you have resume gaps, it’s a way of saying that you’re looking to get back in the game, and that you’re ready and eager for an opportunity to use your skills and experience at X company.Make it about the job/company.The cover letter is (spoiler alert!) not really about you. Sure, it seems that way because youâ⠂¬â„¢re talking about yourself, but it’s really about the job the company is trying to fill and how you can meet that need. The ultimate goal of the cover letter is to support your statement that you’re the one they need to fill this job. Every detail you offer about yourself should show how you’re a good fit for the company. This is where the job description comes in handy- you can use that information to figure out what they want the new employee to accomplish in this role and then make sure you’re presenting skills and achievements that support those needs.For example, instead of saying something like, â€Å"This role is the logical next step for me because I’ve always wanted to be a director,† you should go with, â€Å"my time spent spearheading complex projects and delivering results ahead of schedule has prepared me for the demands of leading a team of sales associates.†Keep your formatting flexible.In your cover letter, you don ’t want to include fancy or complicated formatting because you can’t assume that it’s being read one particular way. In 2018, you need to be format-flexible. Your reader might be reading it on a computer screen, as a print-out, or on a small device like a phone or tablet. That means the simpler your cover letter is, the better. Pick a professional font that’s easy to read, make sure your paragraphs aren’t 15 sentences of unbroken text, and make everything left-aligned.If your cover letter is really an email, it’s fine to use the default font and text settings in your email client.Don’t write a novel.The cover letter should only be a few straightforward paragraphs. This is not the time to write out your entire work history (the resume will do the job of talking about past experience and accomplishments). The goal is to introduce yourself to the reader, not publish your memoir. Three to four paragraphs should do the trick- no more than a single page in Word. This is the basic format you should use:Brief intro paragraph: Who you are as a professional, what job you’re applying for, and what drew you to this particular job opening.Paragraph outlining your top qualifications for this specific job.Brief closing paragraph: Restate what qualifies you for the job and provide contact information.Closing sign-off: Always be brief and polite. (â€Å"Sincerely† is a classic for a reason!)Let’s look at an example of a basic cover letter/email.Dear Ms. Ferguson,  As a lifelong bookworm with a passion for the inner workings of the publishing industry, I’m interested in your opening for an editorial assistant. I’m currently an administrative assistant at the Good Books Literary Agency, and would like to bring my ninja-level organizational skills and editorial eye to the books on B.K. Publisher’s list.Through my work at the agency and an internship with American Book Company, I’ve developed a keen sense for identifying potentially successful books, and working with authors to refine their manuscripts from rough drafts to final. I have extensive experience proofreading and copyediting manuscripts, writing copy, and liaising between authors and publishers. I am confident that my ability to work with authors of all temperaments, as well as develop their work with an eye toward the marketplace, would be a good fit for B.K. Publisher. I’m attaching my resume, and welcome discussing my qualifications in more detail. I can be reached at JaneQPublic@emaildomain.gov, and I look forward to hearing more about this position.  Sincerely,Jane Public  When you’re writing your cover letter, remember that it’s an opportunity- not a throw-away. If you put in some time and energy, it can be a boon to your total application and work perfectly with your resume to create an image of someone who would be a good all-around fit for this job.