Cultural Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Perspectives - Essay Example Non-white populations are subject to worse charges, fewer early releases, higher conviction rates, and harsher sentences throughout the system. Constitutional amendments have forbidden such institutionalization of discrimination between whites and non-whites, but disparities still exist in many social areas. About 20% of people in prison or jail or on probation for violent crimes have a mental illness, but only about 13% of the total correctional workforce is appropriately trained counselors, psychologists, medical staff, chaplains, or social workers. Thus, there is a lack of appropriate such services in corrections, a deficiency which will continue so long as there are unreliable means of evaluating clinical effectiveness. Furthermore, the lack of such services in the community at large places people at greater risk for behaviors that beg the scrutiny of the judicial system. Based on the importance of cultural awareness, the study recommends certain public policy changes to address these problems. Not only do The Eight and Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution the legally guarantee certain provisions for people in custody or engaged in due process but also there is an ethical imperative to provide necessary medical care for incarcerated people.

Pensions and Redundancy Pay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pensions and Redundancy Pay - Essay Example The agenda of these consultations will include ways of avoiding redundancies or reducing the numbers affected, as well as disclosure of "the reasons for the redundanciesthe numbers and descriptions of those affectedthe proposed method of selecting those to be made redundanthow any redundancy payments better than the legal minimum will be worked out" (Trades Union Congress). Note that because in the first phase of redundancies 100 or more employees are likely to be made redundant over a period of 90 days or less, consultation must last at least 90 days. In the second phase of redundancies, if "20 to 99 employees to be made redundant over a period of 90 days or less, consultation must last at least 30 days" (Trades Union Congress). Concerning the company pension plan, the company will maintain pension plan commitments as previously defined. This is important for staff being made redundant and also for staff who remain with the company who see their pension rights being maintained. To achieve new lower staff levels, any staff over retirement age will be asked to retire. The company should however be aware of recommendations to "give a right to employees to request postponing retirement beyond 65 and a duty for the employer to consider these requests" (Confederation of British Industry). The company will propose that for redundancy pay the legal minimum is the preferred solution because it allows remaining jobs to be preserved. Also and for the reasons already mentioned, a "last-in, first-out" policy will be applied. Besides being consistent with the loyalty demonstrated by long-serving employees, the financial impact to the company will be minimised if redundancies are made to employees who joined the company more recently and who are typically younger. In particular, notice periods will be shorter and any negative effects on remaining staff minimised. Redundancy pay will be calculated to take account of length of service and current rate of pay and according to the legal minimum. This will be done with the financial department. The legal minimum for an employee who is made redundant will depend on the length of service, age and current pay of the employee concerned. The calculation is as follows: for employees over 41, for each complete year of employment after their 41st birthday, but before the age of 65, one and a half week's pay for employees aged 22-40, for each complete year of employment after their 22nd birthday, but before the age of 41, one week's pay for employees aged 18-21: for each complete year of employment while they were either 18, 19, 20 or 21, half a week's pay. These rules apply for employees with over two years of service with the company within a maximum of 20 years of service and pay levels up to a current weekly limit of 310 (Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform - BERR). The company should note that some organisations choose to offer more redundancy pay (World Bank) and should be prepared to justify its position in this case. Employees should note that no income tax is payable on a statutory redundancy payment. Pensions maintained with the company as deferrable pensions will be paid as an annuity rather than as a lump sum