Youth Global challenge: UNESCO tackling poverty & unemployment.

Briana Booker competes to be a UNESCO youth delegate in Paris Fall 2011.

By Briana Booker

Here is a brief essay I wrote for a competition to be a UNESCO youth delegate in Paris fall 2011! Wish me luck! I hope I am able to attend. Here are my thoughts on the following question UNESCO asked of me. What do you believe is the greatest global challenge facing youth?

“What is the greatest global challenge facing youth, and how can American youth help to address it?”

The greatest global challenge facing youth is viral poverty and unemployment, predominately in semi-peripheral and peripheral nations. It is estimated that more than 50% of the world population is under the age of 30. Roughly 35 percent of the world's unemployed individuals are the youth. The youth live in a fast-paced, challenging environment revolving around Information communication technology systems (ICTS). ICTS have formed a global atmosphere of over globalization that youth are having difficulty thriving within.  ICTS were made to speed up, expand and deepen global partnerships and interconnections.  ICTS have shifted the economy in favor of the elite through trade, production and distribution of wealth. The youth are not part of the elite. 

For example, in America the elite make up 1% of the population but control about 90% of the wealth through policies, division of labor, and investments in favor of its own securities. This trend is seen throughout the world but the youth are told by the elite a liberalized economy will benefit everyone through economic growth, higher employment availability and higher wages for all. But the result is that the elite are financing deficits and enormous debts for the youth. The youth are dependents based on their lack of resources to quality education and health that could promote livelihood opportunities if these services were adequate. Most of the world’s youth still labor in agricultural environments and can not meet requirements of the labor market run by ICTS.

American youth can help address this global challenge of poverty and unemployment of the youth through promoting our policy makers to pass policies that promote sustainability of youth adequate employment by establishing Enterprise funds in developing countries. America can use some funds we already provide to foreign military aid to forward the establishment of Enterprise funds.  Enterprise funds can provide job opportunities and excellent public health and education services for a reasonable fee. The result can be peace and stability in regions known for social unrest,if American youths help empower youth globally through skill training and reciprocated data exchange programs. Skill training will create indigenous movements towards healthier economies, democracy and positive reforming of social structures to sprout. It can be done working closely with non-state actors.

Knowledge is power. Let American youth give global youth a voice by promoting entrepreneur mindsets and health and wellness of communities. Let’s help the global youth become active participates in policy and law reforms. This will help them be informed about the practices of the labor market as well as give them the ability to establish youth programs of empowerment. If we can educate the youth technically and financially, their quality of life will improve. We need to build strong relationships between international/local institutions and the youth. It will be a slow process but nonetheless rewarding. It is time to do. The new order is approaching.

Islamic Banking Principles: solution or flop to debt crisis?

By Briana Booker


Officially today the United States government has reached its debt ceiling of $14.294 trillion dollars. Default by August 2011 is a concern for most Americans. How will Wall Street respond? How will it effect our bond market? What will happen with mortgage interest rates? Where is the solution to this debt crisis?

The economy is fragile.  The real estate financial market is fragile. Excessive amounts of U.S dollar reserves are in China's financial market. American citizens and the rest of the world are concerned about U.S money supply and interest rates. A default is not a solution.

However, I believe simplifying our financial market can help open our eyes to solutions. What could be better than going back to the basics of exchange? Why can not we receive what we are willing to give? The purpose of money is to fairly exchange it for a valued good, whether of a specified product or for equal value of money.

I thought of a system that still follows this traditional banking and exchange system. The system is Islamic banking principles. Islamic banking is similar to conventional banking, minus the promotion of interest rates. Islamic banking shares in profits and loss through joint ventures and limited partnerships. It restricts interest rates, which is the culprit of the U.S national banking system crisis. How is the average person able to pay debt back, that  he or she never could afford from the start?

No one with logical sense would borrow from a friend $10 plus 25% or more interest to that borrowing? Yet, banks and a variety of private loaners are allowed to practice these corrupt methods of financial exchanges?

The system needs reforming. Greed does not help anyone, and now as a country, we are laying in  the bed we made for ourselves. Something is going to give or things will fall apart if we do not initiate a reforming of our financial system.

A default will raise borrowing cost, a cost we can not afford now and certainly not later.

I support Islamic banking principles. Presently, it is a stable form of banking but it only holds a small share of the global financial system. It is ethical and I feel, even if we use it temporarily, it can get the economy back on target.

BookerHolders.com! Sell/ Buy Books at great prices!

I'm a graduate! POW!

By Briana Booker

It is official. I'm a college graduate! And now, I can give you tips not only on finance, health and relationship wellness,but how to survive college! I know summer has started or  summer vacation is just around the corner for most of our Fromgirltogirl readers! You need to sell back school books,right?

I have an excellent solution to that irksome ordeal! I encountered my new found friend Bookholders.com !

Bookholders.com lets you sell any book with an ISBN( identification number) or DVDs for great prices! There is a cash option as well as the ability to sell your books or DVDs online through Bookholders. If they help you sell them online, Bookholders gets a slight commission from the profit of sale of the products! You can also buy books from Bookholders.com or in person at specified locations!

If the books or DVDS are in reasonable conditions, you can have extra cash you did not have before! Not to mention, the customer service is excellent from Bookholders! Try it out! I did!

ADDS Reduction of Poverty Project

Research & Analysis by Briana Booker. April 2010.

ADDS Reduction of Poverty Project

Introduction

The Middle East is a region of much history and enlightenment. It is also a region of much turmoil and violence. The present controversy in the region revolves around whether modernism or fundamentalism will help uplift nation-states of the Middle East out of their continuous cycle of massive poverty.  Debates of whether political or cultural reform is needed to fight against poverty have been raised. Are both needed? A development organization of the name Djiboutian Agency of Development and Solidarity (ADDS) is aiming for solutions. It is using its Poverty Reduction Strategy of 2004 (Hipie).
Context 
ADDS aims to conquer poverty by constructing projects that work on building up reliable institutional infrastructures and utilities through sustainable development (SD). This NGO tries to generate stable income by providing micro credit. Micro credit is the process of lending small amounts of currency at a low interest to help entrepreneurs and individuals in need of quick funds. Micro credit helps developing economies slowly become strong economies
The mission of ADDS is to mobilize people and liberalize the markets and actions of citizens. ADDS believes by mobilizing, providing funding for business launching, and being supportive of individual actions, a better social and economic society will develop (World Bank).

History of the Project

 In fact, ADDS considers itself a public enterprise in administrative tasks. The sectors of the agency are focused on social, financial and political sovereignty. It sought this after its civil wars and migration of refugees to its homeland.

Conductors of the project

 The conductors of the projects are in three subgroups. The subgroups are participatory, partnership and proximity. The administrative tasks are supervised by the Secretary of State for Solidarity which works with the Prime Minister of Djibouti. The Prime minister enforces the national policies. This is very important because if something is designated as a law, it is more likely to be followed by the majority. This allows SD to have a greater chance to be a successful project. The most important chains of the agency are the Directorate General, the Financial and Administrative management, and the Micro finance branch. Below are the tasks conducted:                                                                                                               

The Directorate General

In this sector, the following tasks occur: 1.Policies are implemented. 2. Plans are framed and guided for operational and financial projects and programs.  3. Monitoring and regulations of all legal fixtures related to employees happens. The General must be reliable, timely, productive and accountable in all legal and financial matters. Also, it is the General’s responsibility to manage public relations and communications effectively (Djama).                                                                                                                                   

The Financial and Administrative Management                                                              

The job of the Financial and Administrative management is to make enough funds for the agency to conduct and implement projects. This task includes managing assets, annual budgeting, inventory, monitoring potential debts and regulating payments and cash flow. In addition an emphasis on hospitality management is enacted. Its overall aim is to advertise and develop the microfinance of the state. The Financial and Administrative does this through the Epargne and Credit (CPEC).  CPEC allows individual credits, sight savings and term saving to be available to public and private enterprises (Djama). 

The Micro Finance Branch

Development of Micro Finance is part of the National Solidarity Fund account, combined with micro-credit projects, uses $3 Million USD to advance community initiatives and productive ability to help with the fight against poverty. In addition, the Islamic Development bank helps (IMF Country).                         

Goals of the project

There are 3 main goals for the project. One goal is to improve the living conditions of the less advantaged, specifically women and children.  A second goal is to formulate sustainable employment and income for those whom are historically discriminated and have difficulty integrating into a working society. The third goal is to implement organizations of both private and public to work along with the agency, training and equipping them with skills and experience that will bring about improvement. The overall goal is to help progress society to one supportive of SD (World Bank).

How the Agency plans to execute these goals

  To fight poverty the agency takes on a strategy intervention tactic. The strategy takes five steps to minimizing poverty in Djibouti. One strategy is to designate an area to improve development. The second strategy is to empower those in that vicinity and make them motivated to participate. The third strategy, evaluate the potential of the project to succeed by reviewing the socio-cultural and political aspects of the region. The Fourth strategy, look at the problems of gender and environment, and use partnerships and funds to empower the society to advance the well being of the less advantage (World Bank).                                                                                                                                         


Areas for the intervention strategy
The agency focuses projects in the poor areas of Balbala (urban) and the capital Veterans (suburbs), which are important targets because they look at both interior and remote areas ( Djama).

Resources involved in the project
The resources used are valued and valid credit lines and cash flows. An example would be the creation of Credit Union savings institutions and CPEC. It is essential that these institutions are genuine micro finance facilities so that finance in the community will be viable and sustainable. This is important because the infrastructure branch of the mirco-finance sector can not conduct work, provide supplies or conduct research throughout Djibouti without a stable mirco-finance system.  Establishment of a concrete micro- finance system allows the agency to fulfill developmental goals in infrastructure because it helps build up private enterprise and household incomes (Steiner).                  

Many resources are focused upon the areas of service studies projects, control services, and service methods and coordination. The Service studies project revolves around revealing the pros and cons of initiating SD such as whether the cost of building a solar power plant to creating a more modern water sanitation plant. The Control Services branch tries to make sure contractors and business employees are being productive. The Service methods and coordination tracks progress.
 For the Djibouti Social Development Agency, it is most important to have stable partners in development projects. Main partners of the agency are the World Bank, Djibouti National Solidarity Fund, and UNICEF. These partnerships help stakeholders to be confident in where and how their funds are distributed in the projects and programs of the agency.                                                                                                             


Most funds go into information, education and communication. The agency mobilizes the community by hiring staff that provide basic education services, such as increased literacy and mathematical skills. Also, it promotes other civil society organizations and cooperates with them. Housing projects and electricity facilities are main objectives of the agency. In the rural areas the focus is more upon making the agriculture, livestock and fisheries more developed and effective in business. Allowing a solid foundation and detailed inventory is what matters most to the agency.

Present project: Individual Sanitation Strategic Plan (PSAI)
A present development project ran by the ADDS is the Individual Sanitation Strategic Plan (PSAI).  Presently, it is at the pilot stage of being enforced. It hopes to be formally known as the Strategic Plan Individual sewage. Its goal is to identify ways to improve sanitation so that the well being of the population is sustained. This project focuses on rural outskirts of Djibouti such as Oued Ambouli.                                             
It has potential to be very successful by the support of its institutes of team efforts with the World Bank and UNICEF. The cost of the project is estimated to be $462,000 USD. The funding is by a grant, which will help tremendously advance Djibouti because it is helping minimize the potential of high-debt. The project started in 2009 and the agency hopes to finish the project by 2011. The goal is to establish a fully operational personal sanitation throughout Djibouti. Also, a goal is to spread awareness to citizens to help them learn methods to improve sanitation in their personal homes and business facilities. The agency hopes by 2015 that 23,000 households will have proper sanitation. However, there are barriers holding Djibouti from its mission (Djama).

Unintended consequence

The past two decades Djibouti has been victim to regional wars, famine and controlling the inflow of displaced refugees. This is how finances and the social well being of the state failed.  Since 2004, the state has been struggling to reduce the high poverty levels in society.  The barrier to resolving this matter is that the state has very little room to exploit natural resources. The unintended consequences of the project have been heavy debt burden, civil war and large financial crises. Yet, The 2007 National Initiative for Social Development (INDS) is thinking the best way to end poverty is through democracy and modernization being created by Sustainable development (SD).

Suggestions and discussion

 I believe INDS has great potential based on the theories of SD support of privatization and less structural adjustment. INDS focus on sustainable ability can be very effective because it interconnects environmental, economic and social spheres that can be instruments to a modern and functional society. The benefits of maintaining SD in structuring is that it allows a range of interests and causes to be of importance to the success of the state. This allows people to fill more unified but still hold individualistic prosperity through privatization. If David Brundtland ‘s objectives to secure effective citizen participation in political and social systems, conserve profitable resources, harbor sustainable patterns of trade and finance, and, above all enforce a self-correcting, flexible administrative system.                                                                                                                        Djibouti is on the right track, enforcing these objectives to work in the ADDS’ PSAI and INDS plans. Allowing the society to be open to review and evolutionary policies are beneficial. This allows the ability for a full fledged democracy to become a reality. I think it’s a great idea to use sanitation and SD needs to bring forth democracy and stability because having a living document, followed in words and actions, is crucial to reducing poverty. It teaches participates to be flexible and adaptable in actions and policies.                                                                                                                   


Brundtland’s document Our Common Future explains how massive crises of states and regions are interlocking crises that arise from a common crisis whole. Poverty is a common crisis every society faces. Active participation by every sector of society appears to be a potentially powerful tool to fight the war on poverty. An active participatory society will liberalize the government and its citizens to the point modernization will be inevitable. Also, quality of life will improve because concerns have a better means to be addressed. The present improvements in Djibouti are evidence that the path of SD is effective (UN).                                                                                           


Djibouti desires to accomplish the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) by 2015. Using privatization it can do this because it strays from the severe abuses and inefficiencies that are connected with public firms and civil servants, such as limited and bad quality services. Privatization promotes profitability, enhances market operations of the economy, and can benefit individual efficiency and life quality (Rapley).                      


MDGS goal for Djibouti is to strengthen competitiveness, human resources and government capacity. This is evident in its primary education access to its citizens.          

Since 2006, 66.5% of the population has the ability to obtain a foundational education and the gender gap disparity is virtually non-existent with its gender parity index 0.98. Knowledge is a crucial tool to empowering a state and its society.  However, economic growth is taking a slower route to development which is seen with the extreme poverty line under $1.8 USD and the relative poverty line under $3USD. I believe the economic growth has been slow because the currency has been at a fixed exchange since 1977. It takes 177.72 DF to make one USD (IMF country report).

The fixed rate promotes foreign direct investment to the state and stabilizes a currency over time but it can be a preventive towards the Djibouti government gaining any profitable cash flow from the international market.  If it can not make large profits through exports, it will remain an underdeveloped state. This is why structural adjustment (SAPS) should not be fully used because when conditionals are enforced in Africa it has not been beneficial. It often increases poverty, injustices, economic and political setbacks because trade liberalization makes the economy too competitive. The state can not keep up with a full global market; it’s not advanced in development (Rapley).

Djibouti can not sacrifice devaluing their currency, removing price controls or limiting restrictions. These are conditions expected of SAPS with a pre- set qualification criterion (IMF).                                                                                                                       


But the FDI seems promising expecting to reach up to 40% in investment interest by 2011. It hopes to make stronger goods transportation through the trade union of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). By strengthening its economic market region commerce, it can form a stable macroeconomic. This will allow private investment, commercial and financial growth. This is seen in a few success stories of economic growth in household incomes and expenditures, but not enough to pull Djibouti out of poverty (IMF country).

There is still hope for Djibouti to greatly reduce its poverty. It will be costly. Lives will be lost and crucial financial assets before true growth will be visible but common bench marks of voluntary initiatives and legal binding rules will help the state prevail (Steiner).  Djibouti has great potential to be a powerful state just on mere geographic benefit. A few supportive examples are as followed:  it is a gateway for trade in and out of Africa, has manageable sea routes and easily convertible currency. But the best asset the state has is its people. Focusing on women’s rights will advance home stability and community stability, especially in communities where women are the providers of a one parent household. When people are uplifted and promoted to do their best, justice and human rights will prevail in the society. When justice and human rights are of concern and practice, fewer in depth inequalities in society are expected (Steiner).

Conclusion

Djibouti has recently come out of a civil war. Unity and democracy is what it desires.  The Reduction of poverty project by Djibouti has ability to accomplish this goal through the path of sustainable development because it aims towards human rights improvements and not simply economics. Yes, unemployment, external debt and population growth are very high, but as a skilled and educated society evolves, these issues will dissipate. In time, Djibouti can become a powerful, modern and democratically stable society. It will take time, patience and consensus, not a neo-liberal economic elitist society. But it must stick to the principles of sustainable development to not fall back on growth (WHO). 

Work Cited

Djama Elabeh, Rue. Presentation of Djibouti. ADDS. ADDS, 2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2010. <http://www.adds-djibouti.com/>.

IMF. Factsheet -- IMF Conditionality.IMF -- International Monetary Fund Home Page. IMF, 09 Apr. 2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2010. <http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/conditio.htm>.

International Monetary Fund. Djibouti: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. IMF Country report. IMF,  July 2009.

Rapley, John. Understanding Development: Theory and Practice in the Third World. 3rd ed. Boulder, Colo: Lynne Rienner, 2007. Print.

Steiner, Henry J., Philip Alston, and Ryan Goodman. International Human Rights in Context: Law, Politics, Morals : Text and Materials. 3rd ed. Oxford [UK]: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.

United Nations. Our Common Future, Chapter 8: Industry: Producing More With Less - A/42/427 Annex, Chapter 8 - UN Documents: Gathering a Body of Global Agreements. A/RES/3/217 A - Universal Declaration of Human Rights - UN Documents Cooperation Circles. United Nations, 1986. Web. 11 Apr. 2010. <http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-08.htm#II>.

WHO.Welcome to MENGOs. World Health Organizations, Jan. 2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2010. <http://www.mengos.net/>.

Weber, Carolyn. "Regional Case Study: Middle East." Haberman International Policy Institute in Education - HIPIE. June 2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2010. <http://www.hipie.org/articles/52/1/Regional-Case-Study-Middle-East/Page1.html>.

World Bank. Projects - Djibouti : DJ-URBAN POVERTY REDUCTION PROJECT.The World Bank. World Bank, July 2009. Web. 11 Apr. 2010. <http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P088876>.

Yoga fierce: Yoga at the Baltimore Inner Harbor FREE!

By Briana Booker


Surfing the Internet I stumbled on a great summer treat! It is healthy and fun!  It is summer yoga!

May 14th, Charm City Yoga at 9pm will be teaching yoga at West Shore Park at the Inner Harbor! It gets better. The lesson is free and at 9am the fabulous yoga instructor Camille Moses-Allen will be teaching! Click here for more info! Yoga sessions will be throughout summer!


P.S check out Camille's blog: http://camiekarma.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/brrrrrrr/ .

Vote for baby Leilah in Parents Magazine cover contest!

Beautiful baby Leilah. Picture by proud mommy Amanda Abbott.

Here at Fromgirltogirl we strive to help women and girls become lifetime confident and fierce leaders! We love all our Fromgirltogirl readers, from young to old.

Recently, we heard one of our adorable readers, Leilah Wright, entered the Parents Magazine cover contest! Leilah is Beautiful, fierce and smart( not even a year old)!

Please vote for her! We would love to see Leilah on the front cover of Parents Magazine!


Click & submit your vote for Leilah!

Girl Fierce: Fromgirltogirl teams with Girl Up to stop child marriages! Join!

Photo source.

Dear Fromgirltogirl Readers,

Girls around the world are facing a crisis -- 1 in 7 of them is married by age 15. This is unfair and unacceptable. Can you imagine being 15 and married, maybe with a child already? We can not either.

We just added our name to a message from the UN Foundation's Girl Up campaign that will be delivered to the Obama Administration, asking them to continue their leadership in helping to stop child marriage around the world.

Add your name next to ours: http://www.girlup.org/stopchildmarriage(And you'll get 7 free Girl Up stickers to help spread the word to your friends)

1 in 7 girls is one too many. Let us rally together and unite for girls today.

Thanks,

Sincerely & with love,

Fromgirltogirl

Attend & Donate to Fiesta 5k to comeback ALS!

Image by Packard Center

My beloved friend Carrie Averitt is raising money for her friend Bill Beauchamp , who is fighting against ALS( Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in the Fiesta 5K. ALS, is a disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS makes it challenging to control voluntary muscle movement.

Fromgirltogirl would appreciate if our reads can participate in the Packard Center's Fiesta 5k and Walk event physically, as well as donating money and sponsoring Averitt.

All proceeds from the Fiesta 5k will tremendously benefit the Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins. Any amount can make a difference. Any helping hand matters.

The events details are as followed:
Saturday, May 7, 2011
6:30 a.m. registration opens
8:00 a.m. race begins
Power Plant Live! (New Location for 2011)34 Market Street, Baltimore, MD.

"Click Here to Sponsor Me" button to Support  (link to Carrie Averitt's Page to donate for bill) Averitt. Our efforts will help make a major difference! 


Noted: The Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins is a non-profit organization devoted solely to finding treatments and a cure for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It's a unique organization on the cutting edge of ALS research and a worthy charity. The Packard Center is supported entirely by philanthropy, and needs our help. Currently there is no cure…help us give hope! - Carrie Averitt

 

Improving Intimacy:The Strength of Touch.

Source of Photo.

By Briana Booker

I am a relationship advice Examiner in Washington DC for The Examiner.com ! I will be sharing great tips and advice on how to maintain healthy relationships. If you want to know one of the best ways to grow a strong bond with your significant other, read my very first Examiner article The Strength of Touch.

Fromgirltogirl teams up with The Examiner.com !

Exciting news! Fromgirltogirl is officially a contracted writer for The Examiner, at www.examiner.com , a site that allows you an insider source on everything local by providing you content to enrich your lifestyle! On the Examiner, Fromgirltogirl's Chief editor, Briana Booker, is a DC Twenty-something Relationship Examiner!


Spunky, innovative, fierce, and driven, Briana gives advice and counseling on building and maintaining healthy relationships. She will help you: Identify problems, articulate them, and put you in charge of taking action to solve them. Briana guarantee's you will: Look better. Think better. Know better. Live better. And Love better by using her relationship tips and advice. Contact Briana on Twitter or Facebook @fromgirltogirl.


The link to Booker's Examiner page is http://www.examiner.com/dc-in-washington-dc/briana-booker ! Booker's first article will be available this weekend!

Torture is Justice? Opinion on torture tactics by governments.

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By Briana Booker

We are living in an era where terrorism, a political revolt and war tactic, is placed in the spotlight of international concerns. Debates on whether torture can be justified to obtain crucial information for the sole purpose of protecting American civilians is becoming common. However, torture is never justifiable because there is an alternative to protecting American citizens from social and physical harm without sacrificing the social and physical well-being of labeled offenders. The government should never allow the desire for information to outweigh the moral and ethical elements that the United States of American has built this country upon- the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In fact, crucial information can be obtained by giving out incentives rather than punishments. This tactic should be used rather than torture.              Torture is not justifiable because its objectives are too similar to terrorism; it can not win a battle against an opponent with similar strengths and weaknesses.                                                       

Terrorism objective is to use fear to coerce governments and civilians to do its will. Terrorists seek social solidarity and commit violent and unlawful acts because they want to revenge against those whom have created and live within social structures they disfavor. They blame western culture for the economic failures and political instabilities within their own homelands. They feel vulnerable. The dramatic irony is that the USA and its civilians want revenge for being placed in a similar predicament of vulnerability.                                                                   

Americans see the tactic of torture as a way to squeeze out crucial information from terrorists to give them back the security they once held in financial and social structures before September 11^th. Americans want to use coercion through emotional and physical pain.             

  Both parties using various degrees of coercion and torture have not resulted in much success in achieving their objectives fully. This suggests that an alternative strategy is necessary.   Specified needs and wants of both parties need to be address so a resolution can be achieved, this includes restoring due process for offenders and reforming positive social policies and structures in America and societies that breed and harbor terrorists’ cells.                                  

There is no profile of a defined terrorist or any universal agreements against torture. This is highly problematic. Torture can never be used as an instrument to rehabilitate, bring peace or order to society. It is inappropriate. By no means should detainees be physically and judicially abused in civilian and military trials. Both torturers and terrorists intentionally inflict suffering upon target groups in hope for some type of confession or intimidation success. Two wrongs never make a right.                                                                                                                                            In the global community torture is not allowed under international law. The United States government, whom has vowed to honor agreements protecting human rights of all, should not use loop holes in the system to practice torture in countries that openly use such heinous acts. It displays the United States government as illegitimate if it cannot be accountable to honor its written and unwritten support for universal human rights. Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights declares no one should be subjected to any degree of torture. This includes offenders and those suspected to be offenders. It is inhumane to take away these universal rights from anyone.                                                                                                                          

Conflict of interest is the issue. The alternative that will be in the best interest of all and has a better potential to obtain crucial information would be to use financial incentives to persuade terrorists to be more cooperative with the United States government. I do not mean using actual liquid assets and giving them to terrorist cells. Financial incentives should be used in the form of commodities and building up infrastructures in the societies terrorists’ families live within. A majority of individuals whom become terrorists initiate themselves into these violent causes to improve the health and financial well being of their families.                                            
By the United States government promising and living up to this promise of developing these communities, it would decrease the appeal for individuals to support and be instruments in terrorist’s ideologies and actions. By creating a strong, positive, social and organic solidarity to the environments that breed and harbor terrorist cells, will in fact maximum the United States civilians’ freedoms and securities.                                                                                            Forming organic social solidarity in developing countries vulnerable to terrorists’ cells will form open discussion, equality of opportunity in society as well as moral and social justice (over time).  It will decrease the amounts of social misfits who are attracted to terrorist organizations, as Tom Friedman (American journalist and three time Pulitzer Prize winner) discussed with Katie Couric on CBS News. It is a win-win situation for all involved. Torture will not give these benefits to the American people or anyone else in the global community.                             

It is crucial to remember that every choice comes with consequences. Neither terrorism nor torture is new in social behavior. To allow the United States government to obtain the most beneficial information to protect the American people, it must trace back to the origins of why this present dilemma is such a serious issue. The origins signify that this problem is a resultant of national and social inequalities. No one wants to be at a disadvantage. Everyone wants to develop and be socially comfortable. Violence will not help. To end terrorism social reform needs to be accomplished that benefits both sides of the debate. Torture benefits no one. Implementing pain increases conflict, but implementing incentives increases cooperation. We need and want joint action and cooperation. This is the reason why torture is never justifiable.

Should White Collars do the time? Justice Served?

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By Briana Booker

Debate 2: Longer imprisonment

After reading “Cook the Books, Get Life in Prison: Is Justice Served?” I strongly believe justice is served by sentencing white collar offenders to long prison terms because split sentencing (short term prison sentences followed by probation supervision) does not guarantee that rehabilitation of white collar criminals will be achieved or that they will never return to their tainted lifestyle of immediate awards at the expense of society. Longer prison terms will assure society that white collar criminals do not have the tools, opportunities or social networking to accomplish their victim harming crimes because jail keeps them isolated from mainstream society, while teaching them how it feels to be at a disadvantage.                                                         

The white collar offenders, when given the option of split sentencing are more likely to keep to their bad habits because the short term prison punishment is not harsh in comparison to their deeds and probation has the ability to make white collar offenders more skillful criminals by allowing them to be in close range to easy victim target groups.                                                       

It is common fact that white collar criminals have tremendously violated the social contract by financially harming others. We live in a capitalist society where money can be the deciding factor between life and death, no matter if a person is morally good or bad. White collar criminals are educated, well-dressed, appear to be law-abiding citizens and come from highly diverse backgrounds but under their squeaky clean image they are fraudulent thieves. This makes them very dangerous criminals because it is difficulty to profile them and difficulty to welcome and trust them after they return back to the community. Short term prison sentencing will only allow white collar criminals to learn how to disguise their corruption better so they are less likely to get caught again. Short term sentencing allows them to learn different methods to disguise their corruption on the basis of the rational choice and routine activities theories.

The rational choice theory implies that white collar criminals will rationally decide to go forth with a criminal act based on obtaining immediate rewards. Short term sentencing displays that white collar criminals can commit crimes and get only a slap on the wrist for doing the crimes. This will make them more likely to do similar crimes more often.                                          

White collar criminals are not mentally impaired; they know that they commit crimes for social prestige and material goods. They are more than willing to harm others to accomplish their goals. It is never about the means but completely about the ends. This is the reason why longer prison sentences are necessary. White collar criminals will be spending time losing opportunities to gain large amounts of money and high quality goods because prisons will monitor their every move and their freedom to do what they please, when they please will be stripped away from them.                                                                                                                                                      

As the article mentions, white collar criminals are highly sensitive to deterrence. Long term prison sentences will be a powerful message to white collar criminals because they feel the pain their victims feel of not being in control of what they hold valuable such their homes and fortunes. As for the routine activities theory, these white collar criminals are motivated offenders, have large target groups, and do not have to see directly the people or the people’s properties they harm. White collar criminals see their own actions as just a part of survival not anything corrupt. The reason they see their action in this manner is because they see society as a conflict paradigm (competition and conflict in interest will always exist) inevitably. This makes them being placed on probation, rather than being in prison long-term, very worrisome and alarming because probation consist of community surveillance and service.                            

Surveillance not within the walls of a prison is difficult to achieve. The criminals might be watched by authoritative figures but being placed back into the communities they have harmed increases their potential to return back to the temptation of committing white collar crimes again. Reintegration through service can be a challenging task. Society wants white collar criminals to pay restitution to the community. It is expected that the previous criminals will become more responsible and law-abiding members of society, but this tactic is too risky and highly unlikely. Once a person is a con artist, he or she is always a con artist.                                      

In fact, Society should not have previous white collar criminal offenders pay restitution in such places as elderly nursing homes or places dealing with any type of economic relations because these environments and people are too vulnerable to interact with previous white collar inmates. White collar criminals being in close vicinity with these victim target groups is not a wise choice because these criminals have either purposely, knowingly, recklessly or negligently have done crimes to their communities. During long-term sentencing they are prevented from physically and financially harming large populations groups and also feel the burden of not living a lavish lifestyle, which protects law-abiding citizens and at the same time gives them justice.                                                                                                                                                          


White collar criminals should not be privileged inmates, but receive the same treatment as any other type of criminal in prison. Most prisoners are young, minorities, undereducated and from lower income families. Since these inmates are similar in traits to the groups white collar criminals have harmed, they will learn directly how their actions affect others and how it feels to be in the same predicament as the working-class, whom are affected by their corrupt actions. Long prison terms will accomplish this and justice for victims because long term sentences are fair punishment for the loss of profits society suffered in time, livelihood and material goods. Now the white collar criminals can be disadvantage by their own deeds. They lose their prestige and freedom, everything they have worked for in life because of greed. Long prison terms are society’s eye for eye retribution. This is justice. It is by the people and for the people. And for this reason the criminal law enforcement must enforce long-term prison sentencing to white collar criminals, in the name of security and the best interest of society.