Diversification Strategies Southwest Airlines Assignment

Diversification Strategies Southwest Airlines - Assignment Example Corporate Culture The case study clearly indicates that Southwest Airlines’ corporate culture greatly differs from that of other airlines. As Bermont (2004, p. 101) points out, when other airlines focus on profit maximization, the Southwest Airlines specifically tries to provide its customers with funny flight experiences at affordable rates. Since the company prioritizes customer satisfaction, it provides passengers with several financial benefits that other competing airlines hesitate to offer. To illustrate, when other airlines began to charge for customers’ checked baggage, Southwest Airlines stood firmly against those kinds of additional charges. Instead of charging customers’ baggage, the firm integrated taglines saying ‘We Love Your Bags’ into its advertising campaigns (Boone & Kurtz, 2011, p. 237). These operational policies of the organization greatly impressed customers and, therefore, contributed to customer loyalty. The most distinguishin g feature of Southwest Airlines’ corporate culture is that it attaches specific importance to humor and energy from the time of its founder Herb Kelleher. The company management holds the view that if it can keep its employees happy, they, in turn, will ensure high quality services to their customers. According to the president Colleen Barrett, â€Å"Southwest likes to think of itself as a customer service organization that happens to fly airplanes†; and as per the company’s corporate culture, â€Å"servant’s heart† must be a necessary characteristic that every employee must possess (as cited in Boone & Kurtz, 2011, p. 237). The company management conducts group interviews to evaluate how their employees would interact with a customer. In contrast to other airlines, Southwest Airlines provides its employees with a common platform so as to express their opinions, attain education and training, and ultimately improve their performance. Thus the organ ization greatly fosters employee creativity. The Southwest management encourages its employees to be proactive and take decisions from the heart. As Southwest’s middle level managers, supervisors, and frontline employees are allowed to take decisions, passengers would not face any difficulty in obtaining timely and quality services. According to employees and passengers, a key factor that distinguishes Southwest’s corporate culture from others is that the organization holds a ‘heart’ (Boone & Kurtz, 2011, p. 238). How the Southwest’s Culture has benefited its Growth? While analyzing the company’s extensive corporate history, it is clear that the firm’s unique culture has benefited the airlines and its employees. High level customer loyalty, low cost, and employee empowerment are the major three ways that aided the organization and its employees. Firstly, strong customer loyalty helped the company to survive market difficulties includin g global financial recession of 2008. The case study clearly reflects that the company offers only reasonable fares to its customers and refuses to charge for additional services such as baggage. As Lovelock, Wirtz, and Chatterjee (2004) point out, Southwest’s convenient flight schedules are really helpful for passengers, because most of other airlines do not provide such flexible time schedules. Furthermore, the organization always strives to maintain cheerful services and a genuine interest in its passengers. Such positive

Ignition Timing Advance Of The Petrol Engine Engineering Essay

Ignition Timing Advance Of The Petrol Engine Engineering Essay Ignition Timing: as applied to the spark ignition engines (petrol engines) is a process of setting the time at which the spark plug should fire in the combustion chamber during the compression with respect to the piston position and the crankshaft angular velocity. The spark plug should fire before TDC and the flame should terminate after TDC. Setting the appropriate ignition timing is very crucial as it decides the time available for combustion of the air-fuel mixture. Hence, the ignition timing affects many variables including fuel economy and engine power output. Earlier engines that use mechanical spark distributors rely on the inertia of rotating weights and springs and manifold vacuum in order to set the ignition timing throughout the RPM range of the engine; whereas the latest engines consists of an ECU (engine control unit) which uses a computer to control the ignition timing throughout the engines RPM range. Factors influencing ignition timing: Type of ignition system used. Engine speed. Load of the engine: with more load (larger throttle opening) requiring less advance (as the mixture burns faster). Components used in the ignition system. Settings of the ignition system components. Temperature of the engine; lower temperature allows for more advance. The ignition timing to some extent also depends on the octane number of the fuel, and the air-fuel ratio as this determines the speed with which the fuel burns. Usually, any major engine changes or upgrades will require a change to the ignition timing settings of the engine. Timing Advance: refers to the number of degrees before top dead centre (bTDC) that the spark will ignite the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber during the compression stroke. In contrast to that, timing retard refers to the changing in ignition timing, so that the fuel ignition takes place later than the manufacturers specified time. As an example, if the set ignition time was 12Â ° bTDC, then when the fuel ignition starts later than 12Â ° bTDC, it is known as ignition retard; similarly when the air-fuel mixture is ignited at an angle greater than 12Â ° bTDC, it would be known as ignition advance. Timing advance is necessary because it takes time for the combustion of the air-fuel mixture to complete. Igniting the mixture before the piston ends its compression stroke would maximize the limit to which the mixture burns completely, and hence help to build up maximum pressure soon after the piston reaches the TDC. This would ensure maximum power output by maximizing the force with which the piston is pushed down, by maximizing the pressure as soon as the piston starts going down when the power stroke is initiated. Ideally, the mixture should be completely burnt by 20Â ° aTDC (after TDC). If the ignition occurs at a position that is too advanced relative to the piston position, the rapidly expanding air-fuel mixture can actually push against the piston still moving up, causing detonation and lost power; whereas if the ignition is too retarded relative to the piston position, the maximum cylinder pressure will occur after the piston has already travelled too far down the cylinder. This would result in lost power accompanied by high emissions and unburnt fuel. Why is Ignition timing advance required? The ignition timing needs to be increasingly advanced (relative to the TDC) as the engine speed increases, so that the air-fuel mixture has the correct amount of time to burn completely. As the engine speed increases, the time available to burn the mixture decreases while the burning itself proceeds at the same speed; this requires the burning to start earlier to complete in time. The correct timing advance for a given engine speed will allow for maximum cylinder pressure to be achieved at the correct crankshaft angular position. Combustion in SI Engines: The combustion process in SI engines consists of three major parts: Ignition and flame development, Flame propagation, and Flame termination. Consumption of the first 5-10% of the air-fuel mixture is generally considered as the flame development. During the flame development period, the spark plug fires and the combustion process starts, but very little pressure rise is observed (graph-1). Almost all the useful work is produced in an engine cycle during the flame propagation period of the combustion process. During this period 80-90% of the air-fuel mass is burnt; the cylinder pressure is greatly increased which provides the force to produce work in the expansion stroke. The final 5-10% of the air-fuel mass which burns is classified as flame termination. During this time, pressure drops and combustion is finally terminated. The combustion process ideally consists of an exothermic sub-sonic flame progression through a premixes almost homogenous air-fuel mixture. The spread of the flame front is greatly enhanced by the induced turbulence and swirl within the cylinder. Ignition and Flame Development: The process of combustion is initiated by an electric discharge across the electrodes of a spark plug anywhere between 10Â ° to 30Â ° bTDC, depending on the geometry of the combustion chamber. The high-temperature plasma discharge between the electrodes ignites the air-fuel mixture in the immediate vicinity, and the flame spreads outwards from here. Graph . The increase in pressure rise is very slow after ignition during the flame development period. This results in a slow pressure force increase on the piston and a smooth engine cycle. Maximum pressure occurs 5Â ° to 10Â ° aTDC. The combustion starts very slowly due to the high heat losses to the relatively cold spark plug and the gas mixture. The flame can generally be detected at about 6Â ° of crank rotation after the spark plug firing. The applied potential across the spark plug is usually 25,000-40,000 V. overall spark discharge lasts about 0.001 second with an average temperature of about 6000 K. The discharge of the spark plug delivers about 30 to 50 mJ of energy, most of which is lost by heat transfer. Ignition Systems: The few commonly used methods used to produce the high voltage potential, which is required to cause the electrical discharge across the spark plug electrodes, are: Battery-coil combination: Most automobiles use a 12-volt electrical system, including a 12-volt battery. This voltage is multiplied many times by the coil that supplies the very high potential delivered to the spark plug. Capacitor Discharge: Some systems use a capacitor to discharge across the spark plug electrodes at the proper time. Magneto system: Most small engines and some larger ones use a magneto driven off the engine crankshaft to generate the needed spark plug voltage. Some engines have a separate high-voltage generation system for each spark plug, while the others have a single system with a distributor that shifts from one cylinder to the next. The Spark Plug: The gap between the electrodes on a modern spark plug is about 0.7 to 1.7 mm. smaller gaps are acceptable if there is a rich air-fuel mixture or if the pressure is high (i.e. high inlet pressure by turbocharging or a high compression ratio). Normal temperature of spark plug electrodes between firings should be about 650Â ° to 700Â ° C. A temperature above 950Â °C risks the possibility of surface ignition, and a temperature below 350Â °C tends to promote surface fouling over extended time. For older engines with worn piston rings that burn an excess of oil, hotter plugs are recommended to avoid fouling. Hotter plugs have a greater heat conduction resistance than colder plugs. Modern spark plugs have a greater life span than the old ones. Some of the high quality spark plugs with platinum-tipped electrodes are made to last 160,000 km or more. Harley Davidson uses gold-tipped spark plugs. One reason this is desirable is the difficulty in replacing spark plugs in some modern engines due to the complexity and compactness of engine and increased amount of engine equipment. Figure . An NGK spark plug Spark plug firing: When a spark plug fires, the plasma discharge ignites the air-fuel mixture between and near the electrodes. This creates a spherical flame front that propagates outward into the combustion chamber. At first, the flame front moves very slowly because of its original size; it does not generate enough energy to quickly heat the surrounding gases and thus propagates very slowly. As a result of this, the cylinder pressure is not raised quickly and very little compression heating is experienced. Once the first 5-10% of the air-fuel mass is burnt, the flame velocity reaches higher values with corresponding rise in pressure, the flame propagation region. It is desirable to have a rich air-fuel mixture around the electrodes of the spark plug at ignition, as it ignited easily and more readily, has a faster flame speed and initiates the combustion process well. Spark plugs are generally located near the intake valves to assure a richer mixture, especially when starting a cold engine. Latest developments in spark plug/ignition system technology: The efforts to develop better ignition system continue. Spark plugs with several electrodes and two or more simultaneous sparks are now available. They give a more consistent ignition and quicker flame development. One of the modern systems still under development gives a continuing arc after the initial discharge; this additional spark will speed up combustion and give a more complete combustion as the air-fuel mixture swirls through the combustion chamber. Development work has been done to create a spark plug with variable electrode gap size. This would allow flexibility in ignition for different operating conditions. At least one automobile manufacturer is experimenting with engines that use a point on top of the piston as one of the spark electrodes. Using this system, spark ignition can be initiated across the gaps of 1.5 to 8 mm with a reported lowering of fuel consumption and emissions. Flame Propagation: Induced turbulence and swirl causes the flame propagation speed to increase by 10 times than if there were a laminar flame front moving through a stationary gas mixture. These motions also cause the flame front to expand spherically from the spark plug in stationary air and is greatly distorted and spread. As the gas mixture burns, the temperature and pressure rise to high values. Figure . A typical flame propagation pattern. The burnt gases behind the flame front are hotter than the unburnt gases before the flame front, with all the gases at about the same pressure. This decreases the density of the burnt gases and expands them to occupy a greater percentage of the total combustion chamber volume. Compression of the unburnt gases raises their temperature by compressive heating. In addition, radiation heating emitted from the flame reaction zone, which is at a temperature on the order of 3000 K, further heats the gases in the combustion chamber, unburnt and burnt, raising the pressure further. Heat transfer by conduction and convection are minor as compared to radiation, due to very short real time involved in each cycle. The environment inside the combustion chamber is such that the progressive increase in temperature and pressure in taking place, causing the reaction time to decrease and flame front speed to increase. The temperature of the burnt gases is not uniform. It is higher near the spark plug where the combustion had initiated. Ideally, the air-fuel mixture should be around two-thirds burnt at TDC and almost completely burnt at about 15Â ° aTDC. This causes the maximum pressure and temperature of the cycle to occur somewhere between 5Â ° and 10Â ° aTDC. A lesser pressure rise rate gives lower thermal efficiency and danger of knock. The combustion process is therefore a compromise between the highest thermal efficiency possible and a smooth engine cycle with some loss of efficiency. Burn angle, Ignition and Ignition advance: The typical burn angle, the angle through which the crankshaft turns during combustion, is about 25Â ° for most engines. If combustion is to be completed at 15Â ° aTDC then ignition should occur at about 20Â ° bTDC. If ignition is too early, the cylinder pressure will increase to undesirable levels before TDC, and useful work would be wasted in compression stroke. If ignition is late, peak pressure will not occur early enough, and work will be lost at the start of power stroke due to lower pressure. Graph . Average flame speed in the combustion chamber. Lean air-fuel mixtures have slower flame speeds, with maximum speed occurring when slightly rich mixture at an equivalence ratio near 1.2 Actual ignition timing is typically anywhere from 10Â ° to 30Â ° bTDC, depending on the fuel used, engine geometry, and engine speed. For any given engine, the combustion occurs faster at higher engine speed. Real time for combustion is therefore less, but real time for engine cycle is also less, and the burn angle is only slightly changed. This slight change is corrected by advancing the spark as the engine speed in increased. This initiates combustion slightly earlier in the cycle, peak temperature and pressure remaining at about 5Â ° to 10Â ° aTDC. At part throttle, ignition timing is advanced to compensate for the resulting slower flame speed. Graph . Burn angle as a function of engine speed. Timing adjustment in Modern engines: Modern engines automatically adjust ignition timing with electronic controls. These not only use engine speed to set the timing but also sense and make fine adjustment for knock and incorrect exhaust emissions. Earlier engines used a mechanical timing adjustment that consisted of a spring-loaded ignition distributor that changed with engine speed due to centrifugal forces. Ignition timing on many small engines is set at an average position with no adjustment possible. Graph . Average combustion chamber flame speed as a function of engine speed for a typical SI engine. Flame Termination: 90 95% of the air-fuel mass has been combusted by 15Â ° to 20Â ° aTDC and the flame front has reached the extreme corners of the combustion chamber. The last 5 10% of the mass has been compressed into a few percent of the combustion chamber volume by the expanding burning gases behind the flame front. Although at this point the piston has already moved away from TDC, the combustion chamber volume has only increased on the order of 10 20% from the very small clearance volume. This means that the last mass of air and fuel will react in a very small volume in the corner of the combustion chamber and along the chamber walls, at a reduced rate. Near the walls, turbulence and mass motion of the gas mixture have dampened out and there is a stagnant boundary layer. The large mass of metal cylinder walls also act as a heat sink and conduct away much of the energy being released in the reaction flame. Both these mechanisms reduce the rate of reaction and flame speed, and the flame is finally terminated as it slowly dies out. Although very little additional work is delivered by the piston during the flame termination, it still is a desirable occurrence. Because the rise in cylinder pressure tapers off slowly towards zero during this flame termination, the forces transmitted to the piston also taper off slowly resulting in smooth engine operation. Self Ignition: During the flame termination period, self-ignition will sometimes occur in the end gas and engine knock will occur. The temperature of the unburnt gases in front of the flame front continues to rise during the combustion process, reaching a maximum in the last end gas. The maximum temperature is often above self-ignition temperature. Because the flame front moves slowly at this time, the gases are often not consumed during ignition delay time, and self-ignition occurs. The resulting knock is usually not objectionable or even noticeable. This is because there is so little unburnt air-fuel left at this time that self-ignition can only cause very slight pressure pulses. Maximum power is obtained from an engine when it operates with very slight self-ignition and knock at the end of the combustion process. This occurs when maximum pressure and temperature exist in the combustion chamber and knock gives a small pressure boost at the end of combustion. Abnormal Combustion: Abnormal combustion is referred to a combustion process in which a flame front may be started by hot combustion chamber surfaces either prior to or after spark ignition, or a process in which some part or all of the charge may be consumed at extremely high rates. Figure . Phenomenon of abnormal combustion The two important abnormal combustion phenomena of major concern are: Knock, and Surface Ignition They are of major concern, because: When severe, they can cause major engine damage; and Even if not severe, they are regarded as an objectionable source of noise by the engine or vehicle operator. Knock: is the name given to the noise which is transmitted through the engine structure when essentially spontaneous ignition of a portion of the end gas. This is when the fuel, air, residual gas, mixture ahead of the propagating flame occurs. When this process takes place, there is an extremely rapid release of much of the chemical energy in the end gas, causing very high local pressures and the propagation of pressure waves of substantial amplitude across the combustion chamber. Surface Ignition: is ignition of the fuel-air mixture by a hot spot on the combustion chamber walls such as an overheated valve or spark plug, or glowing combustion chamber deposit: i.e. by any other means other than the normal spark discharge. It can occur before the occurrence of the spark (pre-ignition) or after (post-ignition). Following the surface ignition, a turbulent flame develops at each surface-ignition location and starts to propagate across the chamber in an analogous manner to what occurs with normal spark ignition. Types of Abnormal Combustion in SI Engines: Spark Knock: A knock which is recurrent and repeatable in terms of audibility. It is controllable by the spark advance; advancing the spark increases the knock intensity and retarding the spark reduces the intensity. Surface Ignition: hot spots combustion chamber deposits: Surface ignition is ignition of the fuel-air mixture charge by any hot surface other than the spark discharge prior to the arrival of the normal flame front. It may occur before the spark ignites the charge (pre-ignition) or after normal ignition (post-ignition). Surface ignition can be of two types: Knocking surface ignition: Knock which has been preceded by surface ignition. It is not controllable by spark advance. Non-Knocking surface ignition: Surface ignition which does not result in knock. Run-on: It is the continuation of engine firing after the electrical ignition is shut off. Runaway surface ignition: Surface ignition which occurs earlier and earlier in the cycle. It can lead to serious overheating and structural damage to the engine. Wild Ping: Knocking surface ignition characterized by one or more erratic sharp cracks. It is probably the result of early surface ignition from deposit particles. Rumble: A low-pitched thudding noise accompanied by engine roughness. It is probably caused by high rates of pressure rise associated with early ignition or multiple surface ignitions. Knock primarily occurs under wide-open-throttle operating condition. It is thus a direct constraint on engine performance. It also constraints engine efficiency, since by effectively limiting the temperature and pressure of the end-gas, it limits the engine compression ratio. The occurrence and severity of the knock depend on the knock resistance of the fuel and on the anti-knock characteristics of the engine. Measures to avoid knocking: The ability of the fuel to resist knock is measures by its octane number; higher octane numbers indicate greater resistance to knock. Gasoline octane ratings can be improved by refining processes, such as catalytic cracking and reforming, which convert low-octane hydrocarbons to high-octane hydrocarbons. Also, antiknock additives such as alcohols, lead alkyls, or an organomanganese compound can be used. The octane number requirement of an engine depends on how its design and conditions under which it is operated affect the temperature and pressure of the end-gas ahead of the flame and the time required to burn the cylinder charge. An engines tendency to knock, as defined by its octane number is increased by factors that produce higher temperatures and pressures or lengthen the burning time. Octane Requirement: can be defined as the octane rating of the fuel required to avoid knock. Thus knock is a constraint that depends on both the quality of the available fuels and on the ability of the engine designer to achieve the desired normal combustion behavior while holding the engines tendency to knock at a minimum. Some major steps: The use of a fuel with higher octane number. The addition of octane-increasing additives in the fuel Ignition Timing Retardation . Use of a spark plug of colder heat range, in cases, where the spark plug insulator has become a source of pre-ignition leading to knock. Reduction of charge temperature e.g. through fuel evaporation inside the cylinder (GDI) Anti knock combustion chamber design. Consequences of engine knock: The engine can be damaged by knock in different ways: -piston ring sticking breakage of the piston rings failure of the cylinder head gasket -cylinder head erosion piston crown and top erosion -piston melting and holing Examples of component damage due to pre ignition and knock are shown below: Stroboscope: A stroboscope in an instrument used to make cyclically moving object appear to be moving slow or stationary. The principle is used for the study of rotating, reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating objects. Machine parts and vibrating strings are common examples. In its simplest form, a rotating disc with evenly-spaced holes is placed in the line of sight between the observer and the moving object. The rotational speed of the disc is adjusted so that it becomes synchronised with the movement of the observed system, which seems to slow and stop. The illusion is caused by temporal aliasing, commonly known as the stroboscopic effect. In electronic versions, the perforated disc is replaced by a lamp capable of emitting brief and rapid flashes of light. The frequency of the flash is adjusted so that it is an equal to, or a unit fraction below or above the objects cyclic speed, at which point the object is seen to be either stationary or moving backward or forward, depending on the flash frequency. Observations: Engine Speed Throttle Position Degree Advance 475 5% 10Â ° 580 8% 17Â ° 657 22% 22Â °

The Meditations of Zara Yaquob :: Philosophy Philosophers

The Meditations of Zara Yaquob (1) ABSTRACT: Claude Sumner was the first English-speaking scholar to introduce the thoughts of Zara Yaquob to the philosophical world. Sumner undertook the arduous task of comparing Zara Yaquob with Descartes on methods of thinking. For Sumner, modern philosophy began in Ethiopia with Zara Yaquob at the same time as in England and France. In what follows, I will compare Descartes and Yaquob as well. Introduction I would like Zara Yacob to introduce himself in his own words: I was born in the land of the priests of Aksum. But I am the son of a poor farmer in the district of Aksum; the day of my birth is 25th of Nahase 1592 A. D., the third year of the year of [King] Yaquob. By Christian baptism I was named Zara Yacob, but people called me Warqye. When I grew up, my father sent me to school in view of my instruction. And after I had read the psalms of David my teacher said to my father: "This young son of yours is clever and has the patience to learn; if you send him to a [higher] school, he will be a master and a doctor." After hearing this, my father sent me to study zema. But my voice was coarse and my throat was grating; so my schoolmaster used to laugh at me and to tease me. I stayed there for three months, until I overcame my sadness and went to another master who taught qane and sawsaw. God gave me the talent to learn faster than my companions and thus compensated me for my previous disappointment; I stayed there 4 years. During those days, God as it were snatched me from the claws of death, for as I was playing with my friends I fell into a ravine, and I do not know how I was saved except by a miracle from God. After I was saved I measured the depth of the ravine with a long rope and found it to be twenty-five fathoms and one palm [deep]. Thanking God for saving me, I went to the house of my master. After this I left for another school to study the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. I remained ten years in this type of study; I learned the interpretations of the Frang and of our own scholars. Oftentimes their interpretation did not agree with my reason; but I withheld my opinion and hid in my heart all the thoughts of my mind.

African Americans Civil War Essay

This paper is fundamentally about the influence African Americans had on the Civil War. The subjects being addressed include black soldiers, the Underground Railroad, Frederick Douglass, religion, and the abolitionist movement. The integral importance of African Americans in the Civil War is that they changed the meaning and action of the war from being about unification to being about slavery, and the emancipation of slaves. In the areas of participating in the war in both battle and lecturing, the paper delves into the reasons behind such action, and the national consequence of African American participation in all of the aforementioned areas. We were at times remarkable buoyant, singing Hymns, and making joyous exclamations, almost as Triumphant in their tone as if we had reached a land Of freedom and safety. A keen observer might have Detected in our repeated singing of O Cannan, sweet Canaan I am bound for the land of Canaan, Something more than a hope of reaching heaven. We Meant to reach the North, and the North was our Canaan. -Frederick Douglass Introduction The importance of the black culture during the years of the Civil War cannot be expressed without a discussion of slavery, abolition, and the freedom the African American race faced. In the South as well as the North, prejudice abounded, and in that fact is found the fettered movement of the African Americans. In this paper, the issues of freed blacks in the Civil War will be addressed; these include but certainly are not limited to slavery, abolition, religion, black soldiers, the Underground Railroad and of course Frederick Douglass. In the course of the next pages, these topics will be discussed with brief historical accounts using textual evidence, and the sentiments of the tension between, not only the master-slave relationship, but also the relationship of white officers and black soldiers. It is the duty of history to extol the accounts of the brave men and women who made freedom possible for an entire race; in this paper, a glimpse of those people and the adversity they challenged will be aggrandized and the essence of black culture and their contribution to their own rebellion will be dissected. In the influence of African American mores and values and their command in history over a few decades during the Civil war, it is freedom and the right to express themselves without prejudice, that makes them a strong people, and in this paper those influences on America will be made explicit. Why are African Americans at War The idea of African Americans at war during the Civil War is an answer that can be found in the crescendo of abolitionist speeches. Freed blacks wished to be at war to free their brothers and sisters who were still slaves; they were at war for many reasons. The call to war could not have been met with any more gusto than it was meet in the black community, as McPherson (1965) quotes You, white fellow-citizens, constitute a very large majority of the voters†¦ Therefore we appeal to you to stand by us, and see that we are not unjustly punished†¦We are weak-you are strong. We are few in numbers – you are numerous. O, men of Massachusetts! Tell us not that there are two kinds of rights; rights of the rich, which you respect because you must; rights of the poor, on which you trample because you dare†¦ Freedom has been your legacy from birth; by some of us it has been achieved. We know what oppression is; protect us from this political oppression†¦Some of us have experienced the unutterable anguish of leaving our dear ones for the sake of freedom. We appeal to you to secure and protect us in the freedom which we have sought. Let us not be exiled form the State of our adoption†¦ (15). McPherson goes on to state that in the freed blacks their was a ferocity to be done with the injustice delivered to them, and the outlet for such animosity could be found in Lincoln’s call to arms for volunteers to staunch the south rebellion. The Union could only be re-united through war; African American roles were pivotal in the outcome. There could be no compromise in the issue of slavery; men were born free, not sold, not bartered. The African American influence in this regard was their quick approval of such sentiment and their quick action to restore themselves as human. McPherson further emphasizes the innate reaction for action on the part of free blacks, As we sympathize with our white fellow-citizen at the present crisis, and to show that we can and do feel interested in the present state of affairs; and as we consider ourselves American citizens and interested in the Commonwealth of all our white fellow-citizens, although deprived of all our political rights, we yet wish the government of the United States to be sustained against the tyranny of slavery, and are willing to assist in any honorable way or manner to sustain the present Administration. We therefore tender to the state the services of the Hannibal Guards (20). There should be not question as to why African Americans so whole-heartedly participated in the Civil War. In the following pages, their participation as soldiers, as Underground Railroad conductors and as a race ready to be educated and rid of the fetters that shackle them, will be explored, explained, and expounded upon. Black Soldiers It is often misjudged the amount of free blacks who participated in their own emancipation. As slaves, African Americans were subject to ineffable amounts of torture and pain: Mothers and sisters were forced into prostitution, men were separated from their families and the entire race was thought of as less than human, a savagery of mankind. With these sentiments and the labor forced upon them, the simple act of combat in rebellion against such strife and animosity should come as little surprise when reading the history books. The driving force of export in the South was built upon black labor, and the disillusionment that such labor could be forever enslaved was ludicrous. The types of influence that African Americans had during such a time were found in the ever-popular blues music, and gospel. While working in the fields it was song that men, women, and children would turn to, to pass the time and feel united. This however is only a small scope of the participation African Americans played during the infant conception of our country . During the Civil War, blacks were enlisted as soldiers. The sentiment was very diverse in this subject. Some Northern whites did not agree with blacks participating with them, they held a dichotomy of views between wanting the blacks to be free and having them serve with them. In this regard, black regiments were incepted and it was agreed that the commanders of these regiments would be retired white military leaders so that the general populace still felt the commodity of ‘safety’ when thinking about blacks serving in the war with whites. Thus prejudice is proved to be very much alive even in the cultured North. In McPherson’s book The Negro’s Civil War (1965), he states, Despite the fact that Negro soldiers had fought for the United States in the Revolution and in the War of 1812, a federal law barred colored men from serving in state militias, and there were no Negroes in the regular United States Army. A group of Boston Negroes met in the Twelfth Baptist Church on April 23 to call for the repeal of laws that kept colored men out of the army. Robert Morris, a Negro lawyer in Boston, declared that ‘if the Government would only take away the disability, there was not a man who would not leap for his knapsack and musket, and they would make it intolerable hot for Old Virginia’. On April 29 a Negro drill company was organized in Boston, and in subsequent weeks the colored men of Massachusetts sent several petitions to the legislature praying for the repeal of discriminatory militia laws (20). In this quote is found the discriminatory actions of the side of the war that is supposed to be sympathetic towards the plight of African Americans. Though it could not considered direct hostility, the fact that at first blacks were denied to participate physically in their own emancipation was a deterring event in the process of freedom. During the course of the war it should also be cited the black regiments proved themselves with valor and without trepidation. It is documented that the Secretary of War denied the right of blacks to participate in fighting . The general fears of the Northern states were negated, and this fact is found especially true for the victory in Port Hudson. Colonel Higginson’s regiment on May 27, 1863 (a black regiment) fought against a Confederate stronghold, and though they were not victorious, they gained the accolades of the white regiments for their bravado during the battle. As McPherson quotes of this episode, â€Å" ‘The self-forgetfulness, the undaunted heroism, and the great endurance of the negro, as exhibited that day, created a new chapter in American history for the colored man’† (185) . In this event, prejudice was all but vanquished from the white soldiers’ minds. The influence witnessed and recorded here proves undeniably that African Americans were essential in the fight against slavery, and the eventual event of their own freedom as well as staunching the belief system of the majority Northern sentimentality. To further expound on these heroic traits brought forth by black regiments, and the clouded judgment of white soldiers and officers, McPherson offers these accounts on the prejudice and the overcoming of such bigotry, A white officer of engineers who had witnessed the assault declared that ‘you have no idea how my prejudices with regard to negro troops have been dispelled by the battle the other day. The brigade of negroes behaved magnificently and fought splendidly; could not have done better. They are far superior in discipline to the white troops, and just as brave’. And the moderate New York Times, commenting on the reports of the battle, said that ‘this official testimony settles the question that the negro race can fight†¦It is no longer possible to doubt the bravery and steadiness of the colored race, when rightly led†¦A Philadelphia Negro wrote privately on June 11, 1863, that ‘public sentiment has undergone a great change in the past month or two, and more especially since the brilliant exploits of the several colored regiments (185-187) Indubitably, the values the Northern states once held about blacks quickly vanished with word coming from the battle field of the African American’s own fortitude in fighting against their former oppressors. Prior to the war, Northern states held similar attitudes that the Southern states exuded; that of African Americans being a weaker race, and thus justifiably enslaved, as Glatthaar expresses in Forged in Battle (1991), â€Å"Yet like Southerners, Northern whites had powerful prejudices against blacks†¦It was one thing, most Northerners reasoned, to regard the enslavement of the black race as cruel and inhumane; it was another to ask Northerners to regard blacks as their equals or welcome them as neighbors and friends† (11-12). The small earthquake that the blacks gave to the whites during the Civil War was their unflinching determination during battle. To remedy the unjustified sentiments of the Northern populace, black regiments were mandated with white officers. This structure retarded the advancement of worthy black soldiers, and further impressed upon the African American race that they were oppressed. However, the struggle to be allowed to be soldiers was such that when granted the opportunity, the qualms of the arrangement were shadowed by the joy to actually be allowed to fight in battle. Though the influence of black regiments during the Civil War is concrete in history, the conclusion of such an arrangement was debilitating to the idea of ending slavery. Black regiments were not at first allowed to be commanded by an African American officer, but as Glatthaar states, From the very beginning it was evident that white men would officer these new black units. Lincoln and the War Department believed they must make this program as palatable as possible to the Northern public and soldiery, to diminish the controversy in an already controversial proposal. One of the best means to do that was to reassure Northern citizens that white men would always be in charge (35) In the false reasoning of these displays of military obstinacies, blacks were commanded by (as said prior) retired white officers . This arrangement furthered the absurdity of the assumed inferiority of blacks, as Glatthaar further extrapolates, Because most Americans had doubts about the innate ability of blacks to fight effectively, they hoped that highly competent white officers would significantly upgrade black units. Here again, blacks felt the severe constraint of prejudicial contradictions. On the one hand, casting aside the numerous examples in American history in which blacks had fought well, substantial numbers of both soldiers and civilians believed that blacks were inferior humans, more akin to savages, and therefore would be extremely difficult to control once in a killing frenzy†¦the conclusion was that the best white men could handle the immense responsibility of commanding black soldiers†¦Of course, barring blacks from command positions stifled their opportunities for advancement, but ideally the selection process would secure quality officers , who in turn would help build outstanding black units†¦To ensure its continuation and success, for the benefit of all blacks, many believed it was best to give them the finest officers available-who happened to be whit veterans. Once the public began to accept black soldiers and acknowledge their wartime contributions, then they could resurrect the idea of black officers (35-36) In the influence that black soldiers had on the Civil War it is apparent that the strides taken with the community of African Americans had an overwhelming effect on the preconceived notions both the North and the South had about blacks, and in this discovery is shown the strength of that race to prove not only to these sides but to themselves that united they could share in battle the fighting as well as the victory. The Underground Railroad With any discussion concerning the influence African Americans had on the Civil War and by extension on America it is in the Underground Railroad that a true staple of American history was ignited. African Americans not only found their way to freedom through the succor of sympathizers but were themselves strongly involved with aiding other slaves onto the road to a new and free life. There was a great throng of religious peoples involved in the success of the Underground Railroad but African Americans were the third pillar of this unique system . In the Free states of the Union, especially those that bordered the Ohio River, their strength in numbers was overwhelming . The rivers surrounding Northern states were very reliant upon the water as a means of transportation and it helped escaped slaves cross over from Kentucky. Along with helping to aid the recently freed blacks, fellow African Americans were conductors, and agents helping to signal when and where a man should go, and other black hamlets, which abounded near the rivers, were key holding areas where fugitives could rest, and eat, regaining strength before continuing onto the next leg of the journey. As Bordewich writes in Bound for Canaan (2005), â€Å"In the Sardinia area, north of Ripley, reputedly the most reliable conductor for many years was a freed slave named John D. Hudson, ‘a man of good intellect and powerful physique and when enraged of no more fear than a mad bull’ as Beck described him† (200). One extraordinary account of freed slaves is witnessed in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. This county was home to conservative Germans, Amish, and Mennonites as well as Quakers. This county was home to hundreds of fugitives, who were either just arriving or leaving to find their homes up North as far as Canada. Most of the fugitives, however, found themselves gainfully employed, and had even made houses for themselves. Since the population was growing with fugitives, the spot was a magnet for slave hunters. As Bordewich states of Lancaster County, â€Å"In 1851 Lancaster’s blacks lived in a state of permanent high alert against gangs of night-riding kidnappers who broke into cabins without warning, seized men and women in their sleep, and carried away entire families† (326). 1851 was a year for great influence in the African American culture. Their work with the Underground Railroad had verified that their strength in numbers could bring about great change. Bordewich brings to the forefront of the railroad system the efforts of Lewis Hayden, Jermain Loguen, and William Parker and states, These men knew instinctively that the tide of history was running in their favor. The Christiana resistance had been planned and carried out entirely by African Americans, who had faced down the federal government and won, showing for all to see that blacks could and would defend themselves on a field of battle†¦Blacks had always played an assertive and sometimes dominant role within the clandestine purlieus of the underground, but this was the first time that they had done so in the open, and in the heart of two major cities, no less (343). Bordewich describes the Underground Railroad, not as a fixed system that does not alter to changing needs, but as a diverse system abundant in adaptability and the precursor to rapidly change in a threatening event. These changes were house, and shelter changes, as well route changes that the fugitives could travel to safety by. The immense influence the African Americans had in altering the Civil War is found not just by their escaping and using of the railroad, but also by their integral roles in aiding other fugitives in escape. Bordewich states, â€Å"The Underground Railroad is often visualized as a fixed system that , once established, was rarely altered. In actuality, routes were always in flux†¦Levi Coffin stated that during his lifetime he had directly and indirectly aided about thirty-three hundred fugitives to escape from slavery† (230). This number is just a small amount compared to all the fugitives aided by the Underground Railroad .

Why Do We as a Society Need a Criminal Justice System

Why do we (as a society) need a criminal justice system? Introduction As a society there is need for a criminal justice system, as it is essential to have laws throughout the population. We have these laws so people cannot use money or power to benefit themselves. The laws also establish that each person should understand their and everyone else’s rights and obligations within the community. The criminal justice system, is a system of laws and rulings which protect community members and their property. Therefore, the laws determine which acts are criminal and how the offender is punished. (Sallmann, P. nd Wills, J. 1984 Criminal Justice in Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. ) The criminal justice system in Australia formed centuries ago, with new forms of punishments added along the way. From then till now Australian judges have interpreted, applied and developed these laws, the Australian parliaments have also added to them through legislation. (Sallmann, P. and W ills, J. 1984 Criminal Justice in Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. ) Why we need a criminal justice system There are three main divisions in criminal justice system, which exists of Police, Courts, and Corrections. Firstly, Police have the responsibility to investigate and apprehend criminals. Secondly, Courts are responsible for fair trial and sentencing. Thirdly, Corrections are responsible for imprisonment and supervision. The main purpose of this system is to manage public safety. In Australia we have nine legal systems, comprising eight State or Territory systems and one federal system. Most of the administration of courts, the legal profession and legislation occurs in the States and Territories. Therefore, each State and Territory is responsible to carry out the laws and rulings for the criminal justice system. Attorney-General's Department (AGD) 1995, The Justice Statement, AGD, Canberra. ) The criminal justice system's goals are to ensure that legislation and the law is upheld at all times. For example, protecting the innocent, punishing the guilty, preserving order and peace and protecting victims from further anguish. Another goal the criminal justice system seems to be focusing on i s education for the public regarding crime and rehabilitation of offenders. This method is achieved by deterring offenders or preventing crimes from spreading. Therefore, the goals of the criminal justice system are to balance criminal activity and crime revention. There is an abundance of people, who think the criminal justice system is not really a system, and that it has always been flawed. It fails to deliver true justice and is expensive and incompetent in determining cases. On the other hand there are many people who firmly defend the system against such criticism, viewing it as only needing little change. As always, the truth lies somewhere in between the two arguments. The criminal justice system is subject to continual criticism. Many of its qualities, such as the wearing of gowns and wigs, are seen to imitate a system which is outdated, hiding in old traditions and rocedures and out of touch with the society of today. As a society we need to understand that the police alon e can’t overcome all crimes therefore, it can’t deal with every criminal. The criminal justice system introduced community based programs and institutions to help build safer communities. Examples of these programs and institutions are, Neighbourhood Watch and Community Corrections. Firstly, Neighbourhood Watch is a community based program, which aims to minimise crime within the community. This program requires both the community and the police working together to accomplish his goal. (Neighbourhood Watch, http://www. nhw. com. au/Home) Secondly, Community Corrections is an institution which manages and supervises offenders on community based supervision orders such as Probation, Parole, Home Detention, Community Work and Bail. This institution requires the community, Courts and the Parole Board to all work together, to achieve the optimum result. (Community Corrections http://www. nt. gov. au/justice/corrservices/community_corrections/index. shtml) The criminal justi ce system is a complex social tree, the branches of this tree combine social and economic causes. It is often these other causes that determine the crimes committed and the response of the criminal justice system. These creators of crime can be sorted into two main groups: environmental risk factors and individual risk factors. Environmental risk factors include the physical, social, family, community, economic, cultural and political environments in which an individual lives For example, higher rates of unemployment can have an impact on levels of crime, which in turn will affect all sectors of the criminal justice system. Individual risk factors include mental and physical health status, demographic and ocioeconomic characteristics, attitudes and beliefs, and lifestyles and behaviour. These individual risk factors must also be considered when looking at the broader context of the criminal justice systems. (The National Criminal Justice Statistical Framework, Jul 2001. ) Various researches have addressed different outlooks to explain why some people have a criminal tendency. Exa mples of these outlooks are by Cesare Lombroso and Sigmund Freud. Firstly, Lombroso states that criminals have stigmata, and that these stigmata consist of abnormal dimensions of the skull and jaw. Lombroso even claimed that different criminals have different physical characteristics which he could discern. (Cesare Lombroso. (2009). Secondly, Sigmund Freud hypothesized that the most common element that contributed to criminal behaviour was faulty identification by a child with her or his parents. The improperly socialized child may develop a personality disturbance that causes her or him to direct antisocial impulses inward or outward. The child who directs them outward becomes a criminal, and the child that directs them inward becomes a neurotic. (Sigmund Freud (1961). Conclusion For a society to work it needs to have a level of structure, that is applied and understood by everyone. Laws within the criminal justice system create that structure and regulate the way in which people and organisations behave. If we did not have a criminal justice system, there would be a lot of chaos, within the systems of management and crime control. Therefore, if there is no threat for punishment, the level of crime within the society could be quiet high. The major goals in criminal justice tend to be creating a helping hand in reducing crime, through bringing major offences to justice, or raising the communities confidence. Along with others the justice system works towards preventing crime or helping offenders turn away from committing a crime. (Goldsmith, Israel and Daly 2006) Therefore, the criminal justice system is to create balance throughout society. We as a society need this system, to protect people within our communities from crime and preventing crime. Is the system fair? No. But the criminal justice system can only be as fair as human beings are capable of making it. References 1. Sallmann, P. and Wills, J. 1984 Criminal Justice in Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. 2. Attorney-General's Department (AGD) 1995, The Justice Statement, AGD, Canberra. 3. (Neighbourhood Watch, http://www. nhw. com. au/Home) 4. (Community Corrections http://www. nt. gov. au/justice/corrservices/community _corrections/index. shtml) 5. The National Criminal Justice Statistical Framework, Jul 2001. 6. Cesare Lombroso. (2009). New World Encyclopaedia. 7. Freud, S. (1961). The Complete Works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 19). London: Hogarth. 8. Goldsmith, Israel and Daly 2006, Crime and Justice: An Australian Textbook in Criminology (3rd Edition) Sydney: Lawbook Company. Why Do We as a Society Need a Criminal Justice System? WHY DO WE AS A SOCIETY NEED A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM? Introduction The criminal justice system is comprised of a basic formation, the law enforcement agencies, the courts, and the correctional services. This system has existed since ancient times and although the three facilities haven’t completely been replaced over the centuries, there has been a lot of change and amendment to how the system is used to investigate, deter, and keep order and control in today’s society. It is a fundamental part of our society and we know that comprehensive, effective, and nondiscriminatory implementation of criminal justice system powers is essential to ending violence, both for freeing individual and for ending the worldwide epidemic of violence against one another. Although the system has evolved over the years to adjust and accommodate people of different status, class and provide a multicultural aspect to society, just as any other system there will always be some impediments and inconsistencies such as, financial restraints, inequality, selective law enforcement and public influence such as media ideas and images of crime. Why we need a criminal justice system It would be unrealistic of people in society to believe every crime could be prevented and every criminal caught and incarcerated. Its however not unrealistic to expect to live in a safe society that is provided with equality, fairness, and is reliable and respected. Without the criminal justice system the entire society would disintegrate and it would be overrun with crime and wrong doing. The law enforcement, the courts and the correctional arms of the system each take on a responsibility to follow procedures laid down by the government, who determine what society needs more or less of at any particular time. From the data below (Government expenditure by sector 2004-2005) we can quite clearly see how the criminal justice system has changed in order to meet the needs of society; this is an example of how the government prioritises the needs of society at any particular time. The education sector of the chart is obviously the highest in priority which shows that government is now trying a different perspective as was used years ago by now educating the public and society on how to help prevent crime themselves and teaching parents how to help prevent their children from deviating against them, and becoming another statistic. Coming in second to education is the health expenditure which shows that there is quite a high need for medical and health attention for those that come in contact with the criminal justice system. The government is becoming more aware of the need for chances of rehabilitation for mentally ill and suicidal persons, where these issues are not now seen as a crime but now as a personal issue and the government is now taking it extremely seriously the need for a solution and not punishment to their mental states which may have led them to their criminal ways instead of punishing them for their illness. As we see community services are the next most important thing the government is seeing as a need in the criminal justice system. The law enforcement, courts and correctional facilities only deal with the law and order in society and maintaining social control, but without the community services (Eg: Housing, education, financial services, legal services) the people going into and coming out of the criminal justice system would have nowhere to go for support. The community services is a crucial element to the criminal justice system for the individuals of crime, the families and everyone affected, by providing the additional support needed. The system for punishment has changed many times over the decades the criminal justice system has been around, from corporal punishment (whipping, removing of hands for theft and even execution), to lighter punishments such as community services, probationary periods, and parole for less serious offences to prison terms for more severe offences. The less serious of offences such as vandalism by a juvenile will more than likely obtain a community service punishment to remove or fix the damage caused there by ridding the community of the vandalism and educating the convicted, in turn the convicted is less likely to reoffend. So in most cases such as theft, vandalism, and minor assault cases, if the case is finalised in court by conviction (typically by a defendant's entering a plea of guilty to the offence or to a less serious offence), the defendant may receive a non incarceration sentence such as parole, community service or probation. From this narrowing of cases Daly et al. (2006) p 275 found from a large number experienced by victims to a trickle of defendants convicted and sanctioned has the appearance of a funnel and saves resources and space in prisons and other correctional facilities for the more serious defendants. As the above pie chart (Composition of government expenditure on criminal justice 2006-2007) shows us the police services are at the head position of the overall expenditure of the three arms of the criminal justice system. The government is aware of the vast need for more funds into the policing sector, for the fact this arm is the division that provides the law and order and is out there addressing the issues that are affecting society and apprehending the criminals in, to ensure the criminal justice system continues to function in a fair and equally sufficing way. The police have moved to further advance their policing techniques, from general law enforcement to ‘Community policing’, which focuses more on ‘conciliatory rather than a coercive approach to police work’, which involves the community and individuals in playing a co-participatory role in the act of crime prevention. In conclusion the overall principle of the criminal justice system is to provide justice for everyone in society and to keep society safe and in order by convicting the criminals and rehabilitating them not to offend again, and to support them as the re-enter society. The criminal justice system works with other organisations to help prevent crime and bring those who to offend to justice and also educating society and keeping them involved in ways they can help. Even with the inconsistencies and impediments, without a criminal justice system, societies all over the world would be overrun with chaos and society would cease to function. In order to keep society smooth running and the people safe maintenance of the criminal justice system is vital for social order and control. References Composition of government expenditure on criminal justice [image] (2006-2007). Retrieved 26 December 2011, from http://www. aic. gov. au/statistics/criminaljustice. aspx Daly, Kathleen; Israel, Mark ; Goldsmith, Andrew John. (2006) Crime and Justice: A guide to criminology, 3rd Ed. Sydney: Lawbook Co. Ch. 13 Daly, Kathleen, â€Å"Aims of the Criminal Justice system† p275 Government expenditure by sector [image] (2004-2005). Retrieved 26 December 2011, from http://www. aic. gov. au/statistics/criminaljustice. aspx Perrone, S. , ; White, R. (2010) Crime Criminality ; Criminal Justice (1st Ed. ) Oxford: Oxford University Press Why Do We as a Society Need a Criminal Justice System? Why do we (as a society) need a criminal justice system? Everyday, society is the respondent to rules and procedures that shape the way we interact with one another. Perhaps the most defining rules and procedures are those that deal with criminality and criminal justice. This paper will firstly look at the goals of the criminal justice system and how the criminal justice system tries to achieve them. Secondly, this essay will examine how the criminal justice system functions and whether this is effective in achieving the goals it sets out. Perhaps the most obvious goal of the criminal justice system is to respond to crime. This goal is fulfilled through the apprehension of those who perpetrate crimes, and the subsequent punishment of these offenders. However, when looking at the full scope of the functions of the criminal justice system, it further aims to prevent crime and promote personal and community safety (Pink, 2007). In summary, the basic function of the criminal justice system is social control (Bryett, Crasswell, Harrison, Arch, & Shaw, 1993). Social controls dictate what behaviours are acceptable in society, so as to ensure the best interests of society as a whole are maintained (Bryette, et. al. , 1993). While the criminal justice system is not the only form of social control, it is perhaps the most obvious formal control. The government criminalizes activities and behaviours that are deemed to be harmful to society. This government then gives the criminal justice system the power and resources to enforce these laws and punish those who do not conform (Bryett, et al. , 1993). This formal control is used to reinforce informal social controls such as family, education, peers and mass media: which, on their own are generally quite effective social controls. However, informal controls alone cannot be relied upon to enforce criminal justice processes, therefore the state imposes the powers of the criminal justice system to regulate society. The Australian criminal justice system is based on the belief that all people are treated equally in the eyes of the law. Concepts such as separation of powers, judicial precedent and fair procedures are key to the Australian riminal justice system (http://www. dfat. gov. au/facts/legal-systems. html). In Australia, each state and territory governs its own set of criminal laws, enforcement, adjudicative and correctional systems (Earle, Sarre, & Tomaino, 1999), with the federal government making laws on trade and commerce, taxation, defense, external affairs, and immigration and citizenship (http://www. dfat. gov. au/facts/l egal-systems. html). While there are some central legal themes, this arrangement leads to differing definitions of offences and appropriate sentencing (Earle, Sarre, & Tomaino, 1999). Each of these state and federal governments are comprised of 3 separate branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative arm of the government makes laws, while the executive government administers the laws, and the judiciary independently interprets these laws and applies them (http://www. dfat. gov. au/facts/legal-systems. html). This concept is known as the separation of powers, and was employed to prevent one group having the power to be judge, jury and executioner in the criminal justice process (Hayes & Prenzler, 2009). The criminal justice system is also made up of three core elements: police, courts and corrections. Police are the first response in the criminal justice system and are responsible for crime prevention and detection, maintaining public order and providing emergency assistance. They are also responsible for apprehending suspects to be processed through the next phase of the criminal justice system, the courts (Hayes & Prenzler, 2009). It is the role of the criminal courts to adjudicate cases brought before them. It is here that the guilt or innocence of the defendant is determined (Pink, 2007). If guilt is found, the defendant is moved on to the corrective services, which administers the sentence brought down by the court. This can result in being taken into custody, community work, or rehabilitation (Pink, 2007). While these three systems are connected to each other, they also have their own agendas, leading many to query the phrase ‘criminal justice system’ (Daly, 2006). Daly (2006) describes an accurate definition for the term ‘system’ as a collection of interdependent agencies’, each having its’ own function. Prenzler & Sarre (2009) note that the current criminal justice system shows very little systematic or authoritative co-ordination between the various agencies. This is mainly due to the fact that these agencies have differing aims. For example, the police perform necessary duties to capture and detain suspects, while the courts work to protect the rights of the defendant, in some cases going so far as to discredit the police if they fail to follow correct procedures (Daly, 2006). These differences sometimes lead to what is seen to be lenient sentencing, and can reduce public confidence in the criminal justice system (Hayes & Prenzler, 2009). However, while some people may believe that the components of the criminal justice system as we know it are contradictory and in some cases inefficient, the alternative would not protect people from the abuses of state power (Daly, 2006) through corruption, bias and a monopoly of power. As stated earlier, the aim of the criminal justice system is to prevent crime, respond to crime, punish crime and protect the community in a fair and just manor to all people. While the phrase ‘criminal justice system’ may cause debate about its accuracy in defining the criminal justice process that Australia adheres to, the concept of the criminal justice system is important to achieving the goals that it has set out. In fact, the same notion that encourages people to report that the criminal justice system is not a system, is the very notion that allows the criminal justice system carry out its’ objectives. The criminal justice system as we know it is a strong formal social control and, in conjunction with informal social controls, is essential to provide a moral and democratic society. References Australian Government: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (2011). About Australia. Retrieved 20 December 2011 from http://www. dfat. gov. au/facts/legal_systems. html Bryett, K. , Crasswell, E. , Harrison, Arch, & Shaw, J. (1993). An Introduction to Policing: Vol 1: Criminal Justice in Australia. Sydney: Butterworths. Daly, K. , Isreal, M. , & Goldsmith, A. J. (2006). Crime and Justice: A Guide to Criminology (3rd Ed. ). Sydney: Lawbook Co. Prenzler, T. & Sarre, R. (2009). The Criminal Justice System. In H. Hayes. , & T. Prenzler. (Ed. ). (2009). An Introduction to Crime and Criminology (2nd Ed. ). New South Wales: Pearson Education Australia. Pink, B. (2007). National Criminal Justice Statistical Framework. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Sarre, R. , & Tomaino, J. A. (1999). Exploring Criminal Justice: Contemporary Australian Themes. Adelaide: South Australian Institute of Justice Studies.