Senior Citizens Essays - Avant Browser, Portable Software, Website

Senior Citizens Note: Professor, please notify me to confirm your receipt of my final paper. Thank You. Sof?a Fern?ndez December 20, 2000 Professor Jim Coyle Internet Marketing 4555 Part 1A- Target Market Analysis Over the past few years, with the help of modern technology, people have obtained access to virtually anything they desire at the simple click of a mouse button. Now, information can be accessed through various websites without having to visit a library, go to a store, a friends or relatives home, or even travel agencies. The Internet is for all people- regardless of age, race, ethnic background, class, or religion. When it comes to marketers and which strategies will be most effective and efficient to become a successful website, every product in the market is geared towards a specific target group, regularly based on demographics. Whether it is where a person lives, their marital status, age, or occupation, marketers try to target one particular area where they feel that their product will be benefited the most and where profits will be most generated for the business. One particular area that has been expanding not only in website visitations but also in new website formations is the senior citizen age group. Now, seniors are the fastest growing audience on the Internet. What is more interesting is the fact that they put their money where their mouse is. This age groups frequent use of the Internet is absolutely amazing and unbelievable. There are hundreds and hundreds of websites designed to be most suitable or more geared for this target group. The websites are specifically designed to meet the needs of older adults about the ages of 60 and above, and grandparents. It does not steer towards a certain economic or religious class. The majority of these websites provide much information on healthcare, health issues that affect them, relationships, money, news, entertainment, and childcare. Part1B- Competitive Analysis Under the top 10 most popular sites for www.seniorcitizens.com, I chose the top four websites to analyze the areas in order to compare and contrast where www.seniorgold.com is strong and where it needs some work. The first site is called www.senior.com. Like any website, it will have many strengths and weaknesses. Allow me to discuss this websites strengths first. The page was downloaded quite easily, with no error messages to refresh the page. Overall, the designs of the pages are colorful and have very clear graphics. The text is very clear without being too wordy and misleading. The home page also has a search engine that allows the user to quickly find what he/she is looking for. In addition, it has a large variety of topics to choose from with easily accessible features. This website does contain a vertical and horizontal scroll bar on its homepage which makes the first impression for users a tedious one. It becomes very frustrating when someone has to keep scrolling up and down to search any information. The contents on the homepage of a website should be clear, brief, and concise allowing you to link to it if more information is what is desired of the user. Another weakness would include the arrangement of topics on the homepage. They begin with serious news that then descends down to tacky, irrelevant links. Although the content of the text itself is clear, it looks all jumbled up, busy, and confusing. In order to be simple, and to the point, the topics should become more condensed, including the amount of links it has. Compared to www.seniorgold.com, this website is more visually appealing to the eye. It appears to be more youthful through the use of cartoon characters and bold color schemes. The second website, www.elderweb.com, has tab links at the top of the homepage which allows the user to click on the tab which is relevant without having to search endless rows of subcategories to see which one applies to their information search. There are no distracting side links that allows the user to choose to read the information or simply click on where they wish to go on the site. Unlike www.senior.com, the page is very consecutive with the stories and features. The current headlines are brief and to the point. And, each headline gives the user

The East Vs The West Racism essays

The East Vs The West Racism essays The East Vs. The West: Racism The Asia/Pacific War proved to be a war that went far beyond that of defending the ideals of humanity or even trying to suppress or augment ones power by means of territory. This definitive outbreak and ongoing military rampage dove to the most critical and hateful ideals of our time: racism. Beliefs discerning the fundamental differences between the East vs. the West fueled a time and place of misconceptions, blind followings and mass race hatred. The stereotypes developed from the study of the respective histories of the other were only augmented by the immense propaganda war that was waged. This mass serge of propaganda resulted in raising racial hatred among not only those fighting the war, but the civilian population as well. The eruption that would ensue, as well as the subsequent inflation of racial hate, produced one of the most brutal wars in history that would result in a political conclusion, but neglect the racial tones are still prevalent today. Ever since the early years of Japanese history, the Japanese always felt it necessary to distinguish themselves from other states in Asia- especially with China. Although Japan constantly borrowed many aspects of their culture and ideals from China, time and again the leaders would defend the belief that Japan was both independent and able, as well as ready for the subsequent responsibilities of holding that stance of individuality. During the years following the conquering of both China and Russia, Japans racial superiority over the other Asians became a fundamental base for the upcoming practices during the Asia/Pacific war. In the book entitled War Without Mercy, the Japanese invaded colonial outposts [whom] the Westerners had dominated for generations, taking absolutely for granted their racial and cultural superiority over their Asian subjects....

List of Elements Belonging to the Actinide Group

List of Elements Belonging to the Actinide Group The actinide or actinoid elements are a series of elements including atomic number 89 (actinium) through 103 (lawrencium). Here is a list of elements that are actinides, a subset of the rare earth elements group. Discussions of actinide elements may refer to any member of the group by the symbol An. All of the elements are f-block elements, except sometimes actinium and lawrencium. As such, the actinides are a subset of the transition metals group. Here is a list of all of the elements in the actinide series: Actinium (sometimes considered a transition metal  yet not an actinide)ThoriumProtactiniumUraniumNeptuniumPlutoniumAmericiumCuriumBerkeliumCaliforniumEinsteiniumFermiumMendeleviumNobeliumLawrencium  (sometimes considered a transition metal yet not an actinide) For more information about the actinide element group: Actinides Element Group

Jet Blue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jet Blue - Essay Example Entertainment options were introduced and more travel destinations were opened to add convenience to travelers. It operates 75 flights to 7 cities in 22 states in U.S, and Puerto Rico, Mexico, Caribbean and Latin America. Their fleets consist of 127 units of Airbus and 190 units of 53 Embraer Aircrafts and the number of aircrafts is ever increasing. At present, JetBlue Airways employs 12,080 employees and is able to achieve sales growth of USD $4.1b in 2011 to USD$4.6B in 2012(Bloomberg Businessweek. 2013). It has displayed operational efficiency as it was also able to drive down administrative expenses and cost of sales from 4.88% to 4.48% that attributed for its bottom-line growth, report stated. Market data showed USD $5.98 per share whereas competitors are priced higher, for example, $49.52 for Alaska Air, its closest rival. Inasmuch as the company hires a big number of multi-levels of employees which are expected to come from different races and ideologies, cultural differences always subsist. Due to this, problems exist when cultural views are not understood. It is assumed that due to the technicality of airlines operation, there is a high context culture. This means the communicators assume a great commonality of knowledge and views so that less is spelled out explicitly and much more is communicated in indirect ways.† (â€Å"Cultural differences† n.d.) For instance, management maintains a â€Å"cohesive culture and visible leadership†. At JetBlue corporate responsibility are more than just donations to charitable institutions, but by creating programs to develop the environment, the youth, and the community (JetBlue Corporate Responsibility .2013). The expertise of JetBlue’s manager contributed largely to the success of the airline company. Being a second mover, the strategy of low cost airline has been a tried and tested formula for

ART METAL SCULPTURE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ART METAL SCULPTURE - Essay Example The location of this sculpture is outside East Entrance Parking Lot N, a campus setting. Harold’s metal sculpture resembles two joined elliptical forms whose common joint acts as resting base in an ample clearance or setting. On its two sides, these elliptical forms bear a common inclination angle such that from a distance when viewing from its wide side resembles an eagle flying with its outstretched wings but swung in certain equal inclinations at both sides. Joinery of this work encompassed welded steel and Corten before flattened in such a way at the middle. The entire artwork its sculptor has painted it dark brown color, which makes it come out clearly from its settings bearing natural vegetative colors. Specifically, these are green, bright, and blue sky from the background. Hence, inducing a calmness, refreshing and relaxing moods evident in the way these colors as well as settings of the entire sculpture compliment each other. The location of this work is outside East Entrance Parking Lot N, which is a campus setting. Its entire structure rests on a flattened joinery where the two elliptical forms give an impression of meet at the central point; hence, the sculptor here utilizes the aspect of balance to ensure it is upright. Viewing from its four sides, the viewer only manages to see two identical sides. These include the two sides, front side and the rear one. Sculptor in making his work utilized welded and Corten steels with the intention of bringing out machinery effect. This is because many elliptical objects or forms are quite evident in engineering field whereby smooth and well-curved surfaces gives an implication of keenness by the artists and those represented by the object. Its smoothness and side view elevation gives an implication of heightened skill in making fabricated materials. Consequently, this symbolizes a resourceful center characterized with impeccable ways of attaining their

Functional Area Of An Organisation Information Technology Essay

Functional Area Of An Organisation Information Technology Essay There are a variety of functional areas in a structured business enterprise, depending upon its size and nature of service. Here in the Medication management System can be viewed in a broader manner as hospital is not the only one entity. The manufacturer, vendors, receiving staff, prescribing doctors, pharmacists, nurses and the clients are all involved and thus an integrated system is to be ultimately developed which benefits all users of the system at different levels. The information system does mean not only the software, but also the hardware, users and other related systems. So our objective is to identify all the functional areas of the organization as a whole and to develop a cost-effective and efficient system which would minimize the human drug dispensing errors and reduce the mortality rate in turn. For this we need to have a clear understanding about the different systems at different levels like manufacturer, vendor and hospital. Information needs within functional area of an organisation. Organisations have a number of people working together towards a definite objective, although they work in different functional areas. One output of one functional area can be the input of another area and the accurate timely information is necessary to get an error free result. Organisations completely depend on the information systems and advanced technologies which makes them excel and efficient. Functional areas of organisations are defined according to the type and nature of work that is involved in a department. The main functional areas of each and every organisation are listed below: Human Resource: Human resource management is one of the most important yet often underestimated aspects in the organizational operation. It basically is the operating system of the whole organization that makes sure that it run smoothly, coordination and cooperation takes place regularly and finally makes sure that everyone within the organization is satisfied with the working conditions. Superficially, it is supposed to do day to day tasks like recruitment, training payroll processing etc. but actually the scope for HRM is much more than that. Especially in the highly competitive markets of today, they can play a pivotal role in building a highly performing and competitive firm by nurturing and enhancing the skills of the employees and ensuring cooperation. This is a functional area where various personnel who administer and handle the drug are interviewed and selected. Financial Area: This functional area analyses various financial aspects of the employees and keeps track of the accounts receivable and payables. The financial advisors must plan in advance regarding the future financial objectives of the company. In order to achieve the desire profits. The finance department need to maintain the financial records in order to show these accounts while paying the tax. And another key function of finance department is to calculate the salary and payroll system which is the main function of finance department. Accounts are maintained for different vendors for which internal auditors and accountants are employed. Marketing and Sales: In this competitive world the organisation cannot survive without marketing the products. Organisation is investing a huge amount of money in order to market the products through different channels like television, radio and other medias. So that people came to know about the products and will buy the companys products. Nowadays the competition is really high; the companies are forced to give discounts and other promotional activities like holidays and gifts to push their sales. To conclude with, marketing is also a key part in achieving companys objectives. Production: Production is one of the main functional areas of a business organisation. All the products of a business organisation are developing under this functional area. The staffs under this functional area should enquire all the products should develop at the right time and the products have good quality. The organisation should buy good quality raw materials. These raw materials will be stored near to production area. Nowadays most of the productions are automatically with the help of robots and other machines. The operator need to check only the production line is correct or not. Production is also involves preparing items for despatch. The items should packed cleanly and very attractively. In this stage, the bar code system can be incorporated which should specify its batch number, product code/name, packing, lot number, date of manufacture, chemical combination, type of meds, route of administration, dosage.etc Customer Service: Customer service is the one of the most important functional area of organisation. This includes functions like answering the clients enquiries about the product and services, provide well information about the customers need, solving clients problems, Provide service after sales which include replace, repair etc, dealing with the problems of customer, analysis the problems of customer and store these problems etc. Comparison between the functional areas and information needed for each functional area Functional Area Functions and information needed for functional areas Human Resource The main functions of this functional area are recruitment, training, payroll etc. The information needed for this functional area are the information about the employees, their salary, about new vacancies, about new applications, employees in payroll, attendance, absence and overtime detailsetc. . Financial Area The main functions of Financial area are calculate the salary of employees, checking payrolls, recording money received, produce invoices, checking the payments received and chasing the overdue payments etc. In this functional area should have the information about income of company, expense of the company, salary of each and every staff,times sheet of work, attendance and overtime detailsetc. They also need to have the customers bills details, payment received and bills payable details to the vendors. Marketing and Sales The main functions of this functional area are Market the products through different channels like radio, mail television, producing publicity materials of their products such as catalogues etc., designing and promoting the website of company. This functional area should have the information about new trend of market, in what way the company can get maximum product, which is the good way to publish their product in market, in what way the company can improve their sales etc. Production The main functions of this functional area are buying raw materials, storing the raw materials, planning the production schedule, Checking quality of product throughout the production, packing the items cleanly and beautifully, storing the items very safely. The information needed for this functional area are list of available raw materials, Combination formula, Machinery and manpower availability, Quantity of each product to be manufactured which in turn is reported by the feedback from sales and marketing area, product details like batch number, packingetc. Customer Service The main functions of this functional are answering clients enquiries about products, solve clients problems, dealing with the problems of customer, analysis the problems of customer and store these problems etc. This functional area should have the information about what range of customer they have, the customers are satisfied with their product or not, what are the customers need for a particular product etc. Information needed for medical management system The medical management system is a complex system involving the manufacturer, hospital, and the administrator of medicines. Therefore, a well defined data flow has to be clearly identified. Identification of appropriate data that is involved in each system is a key factor for the success of this system. Several data are needed for the proper functioning of the system. First of all, the details about the following are absolutely necessary. 1) Prescription details 2) Product details 3) Patient details 4) Administering persons details. 5) The medical staff 6) The vendors of medicine INFORMATION SYSTEMS Different types of Information Systems An information system is a combination of hardware, software procedures used to generate information which is used to administer and control the day to day activities of users in an organisation. It consists of five categories. A) Office Information Systems (OIS) B) Transaction Processing System (TPS) C) Management Information System (MIS) D) Decision support system (DSS) E) Expert System (ES) Office Information System (OIS) It is a kind of information system that depends on hardware, software and networks to provide communication solutions and working efficiency among a staffs in an organisation. Office Information System is also known as Office Automation. In this kind of an environment the data processing is done electronically instead of manually hard copying it. For example In an organisation with several branches if a new line is released it can be updated through the OIS over the network. If they dont use OIS they would have to manually process it and post it to its branches. Transaction Processing System (TPS) TPS is a form of information system that records and processes transaction done in an organisation on each day. A transaction can be an order, a payment, reservation or a cancellation. TPS generally uses two type of transaction processing. a) Batch Processing b) Online Transaction Processing In a batch processing all the transactions are collected during the day and its processed as a group or a batch at the end of the day. In online Transaction Processing the transaction is processed as soon as it is entered into the system. In batch processing the invoice cannot be generated then and there. But in OLTP the invoices can be generated then and there. Management Information System (MIS) In an organisation various tasks are performed on a day to day basis which involves invoicing, monitoring track progress, generating sales reports etc. An MIS is a kind of information system that generates accurate daily reports. So the authorities of the organisation can monitor and track the overall performance of the company by making decisions, solving problems and watch the track progress. This process is usually done by a type of MIS known as Management Reporting System. For example in an organisation when a sale is done the product which is being sold is first entered into the system, invoice generated and finally the product being deducted from the inventory. These data helps the managers to take decisions in improving the overall company performance. Decision Support System (DIS) A Decision Support System is used to help the staff in an organisation to take decisions when a complicated situation arises. This system collects data from within the organisation and from external sources such as the internet to help the staff in decision making. This information system needs to store huge volumes of data. These data as store in large databases called data warehouses. The data warehouse stores and manages the data required to help the staff in complicated situation. Expert System (ES) In an expert system the machine (computer) collects information and the knowledge from human beings and helps in the decision making process of the people who have less expertise and experience. They mainly use a technology known as AI (Artificial Intelligence). AI is the process of applying human intelligence to computer systems. An AI computer can sends problems and deliver expert opinion by analysing the users previous experience datas aiding to take a decision and complete the task. Office Information System is used to almost all the areas of an organisation wherever administration needs to be done. Transaction Processing System Financial Area Management Information system- HR Decision support Information system- Customer Service Expert System- RD The current trends in using MMS to solve the problems facing HHS As far as healthcare is concerned patient data is the most crucial and sensitive data. In the current situation the patients data is manually entered into a branch where thy walk. If the patient walks into a different hospital the treatment data is either e- mailed or a hardcopy is carried from the previous branch to the new branch. This procedure has some advantages than the old systems. If the patient carrying is carrying a hardcopy the data will not get destroyed or damaged unless carelessly treated by the customer himself. If the customers diagnostic data is e- mailed to the next branch the data will reach the new branch without any hassle and in seconds. In this case the customer need not carry a physical hardcopy of the files. These techniques will help the HHS introducing incomplete reports, wrong medical history and even patient deaths. INFORMATION PROCESSING TOOLS Various Software Tools Text processors Text processors are specific software, which comes as a part of the big software that is used to process documents, prepare presentation, and manipulate accounts and mange a database. One of the famous text processor software is Microsoft Office. It contains Word for document processing, Excel for processing spread sheets, Access for managing databases and Power point for preparing presentations. In an organisation preparing presentations for meetings, issuing invoices to patients, maintain accounts and managing patients database is crucially important. If Microsoft office can be used in such an organisation all these requirements can be met. Databases In medical environment, patient history is very important for the treatment of the patient. In a medical organisation software such as Microsoft Access can be used to store patient information. But Access cannot be used in a network and does not have much functionality and cannot be customised according to the needs of the organisation. In such a case specifically designed software can be used to manage all these functions. Client Server In a hospital there are different departments and functional areas, each requiring its on computer systems. A patient who is being treated for and ailment will be referred from one department to the other. So the staffs need to carry the reports and the data from every department from where the patient was treated as a hardcopy which is a big headache. In that case implementing client server architecture will be beneficial. In this architecture all the computers in every department will be connected to a centralised server which will store all the patients and database records. So if a patient is referred from one department to the other the next department can access the treatment history through the server. For this purpose the server and the clients need to have customised software. Current Information method used in HHS Currently the HHS uses a network blast infrastructure for data management. If a patient walks in to a hospital the patients ID and the treatment procedure is entered on to a system and then the prescription is given. When the patient walks into a different branch the details of the treatment from the previous branch is e-mailed to the new hospital for references. But as this information are stored and processed by computers errors can happen at any time, such as data lose, virus attacks, missing information, and incomplete reports and so on. The doctor who treated the patient primarily will exactly know what the patient is suffering from and about his vital statistics better than the latter one. As data a critical in a hospital these errors can cost a patient his/her life. In earlier times the information was processed as a hard copy which is given to the patient upon the completion of the treatment. If the patient loses this information his life is again at stake. The current proces sing methods need to be refined so that no patients will die in the future due to overdoses or incomplete report. The most modern method Information is very important and critical in todays world. In hospitals barcode technology is taking over the traditional information processing methods. In barcode technology the patient is given a wrist band upon being admitted in the hospital. The wrist band will have a unique patient ID which is in the form of a barcode. I.e. each patient is given a unique barcode. Software will be used to generate the barcode and will store the treatment data and the details of the staff and the doctor who worked with the patient throughout the treatment. The staff of the concern will also carry identification badges which will have unique IDs. When the patient is being given a medication by the staff it will be recorded into the system who gave the medicine, the type of medicine and the time. For this first off all the staff scans and enters their barcode into the machine then the patients barcode and finally the code on the drug. The doctors prescription will be entered into the system before the medicine is given. If there is a change in the medicine the system will sent out distress alarms to prevent misuse of the drug, thereby saving the patient and the staff http://www.teachmebusiness.co.uk/page29/page16/page18/assets/Functionalareas.pdf

Oarland City Jail Closure Illustrates Naive Leadership Essay

The primary job of a city government is to ensure public safety for all its dwellers and visitors. However, the city council has refused to meet or acknowledge this critical and prime responsibility. Instead, it hands subsidies to favored developers. And swelling redevelopment empire, likewise, smothers day-to-day city services. The City of Oakland California jail was closed on July 1, 2005. One year later, the verdict is in: closing the jail was a dumb move. It appears that there are more unfavorable consequences to this city initiative than favorable ones. Hence, the aim of this research proposal is to study the effect or the impact of the closure of the Oakland City jail on communities within the city. Some news items highlighting crime statistics that have occurred in the City of Oakland California were gathered to serve as primary materials for this undertaking. For example, â€Å"Rape was up nearly 12 percent; car thefts and burglaries up nearly 30 percent; robbery up 18 percent — some of it in neighborhoods not accustomed to crime,† reports ABC 7 News (6/12/06); â€Å"Oakland’s murder rate is rising five times faster than the country at large,† (ABC 7 News, 6/12/06); and â€Å"In Oakland, a city of 400,000, the death rate is 25.6 per 100,000 people, four times higher than the national rate of 6.1, according to the Alameda Country Public Health Department report† (Mamberto, October 2, 2006) are indicative of something undesirable are happing in the area. This research paper will seek the affirmation or nullification of this hypothesis statement: The reduction of the Oakland Police Department Fiscal Year budget for Fiscal Year 2005-2007 resulting in the closure of the city jail and subsequent elimination of 89 full-time positions has negative impact on the community’s safety. A correlation of the â€Å"Independent Variable† and â€Å"Dependent Variable† will be designed and structured accordingly from which conclusions will be derived from. Appropriate statistical tools, like, â€Å"sampling techniques,† â€Å"hypothesis testing,† â€Å"measurement of central tendency,† â€Å"descriptive statistics,† â€Å"probability statistics,† â€Å"inferential statistics,† among other, will be used. Data shall come from these sources:   (1) records of the Oakland Police Department (OPD); (2) relevant literature, like, news items from TV, radio and print media; (3) periodicals; and (4) interviews. Introduction One year ago, on July 1, 2004, the Oakland City council closed the city jail. It was labeled a budget-cutting move, for an estimated saving of no more than $3 million per year. A year later, the council just finished spending a $16 million budget surplus. Oakland lost a facility permanently on the basis of fluctuating budget numbers. The jail closure has further crippled police work. OPD officers tell us: The processing time to put a detained or arrested person into the jail has more than doubled from 20 minutes to 45 minutes. In effect, the already understaffed department has lost another several police officers. Criminals are now taken to the County’s Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility, but the sheriffs there are not happy about the increased workload. They use various legal excuses that force Oakland to take the criminal all the way out to the Santa Rita jail. When Oakland had a jail, prisoners with minor health issues could be kept there and provided health care. Without a jail, the County pushes the prisoners to Highland Hospital, where Oakland police must guard them for hours or days. In an interview of some local residents, for example, a 20-year resident of 14th Ave. and E. 27th said she never experienced or witnessed any violent crimes until October of 2005—she witnessed a man stabbed to death in front of her house; another interviewee, a 15-year resident of Grand Street, said his house was burglarized on July 2006 for the first time and a month later his neighbor was robbed at gun point in front of his house. These incidents are no ordinary occurrences in a community whose people expect continued and lasting peace and order as well as public safety. The closure of the Oakland City jail and the resultant elimination of 89 OPD personnel, it seems, have something to do with this apparent serious problem besetting Oakland City today that threatens the social and emotional well being of its residents and visitors. Where are the city council members today who made the decision to close the city jail? Are they informed about or are they reading what are trumpeted by media outlets? Do they listen to affected local residents? Have they realized the consequences of their decision lately? Do they have corrective plans to address the apparently undesirable results of their group decision? Literature Review The news items and results of personal interview of Oakland residents pertaining to the closure of the Oakland City jail will serve as initial sources of research data. Following are summaries of literature review for this undertaking (see complete literature in Appendix A and Appendix B). KTVU Channel (11/22/06) carries a report of violent crime rise of 34.2% in 2006. Oakland city â€Å"still ranks high in† crime category,† reports CRIME (n.d.). This same media reports â€Å"132 murders† committed as of November 2006 by an average age of 28 years old. The rate of killings increased to 21% from 94 in 2005 compared to 88 in 2004 and â€Å"majority of the crimes being committed occur in the East and West parts of the city.† ABC 7 News (July 11) also reports worrying crime occurrences in Oakland having a â€Å"soaring murder rate that’s almost double the number of homicides right now compared to this time last year.† And this demography can reach a â€Å"triple digit rate by end of the year,† if authorities do not start to act today. There is a stark difference of killings this time—victims are younger and their lives were pluck cold-bloodedly along populated alleys of the city. Crime statistics have now reached the attention of national level with the involvement of FBI authorities—this development maybe reassuring to some but the other side of the fence confirms something ugly about the situation. Another ABC 7 News (6/12/06) circulates a headline about Oakland’s rising murder rate to be â€Å"five times faster than the country at large.† The reason attributed in the â€Å"big jump in murder† is â€Å"readily available handguns, gang and drug activity and disrespect for life.† What’s happening? Another disturbing information spread by the media is about rape. This time, it is up nearly 12 percent. Although Oakland police establishment is trying to do something to at least contain the alarming situation including â€Å"saturating high crime neighborhoods,† but the prospect of effective prevention is far from reality. North Gate News (October 2, 2006), likewise, has another corroborating story for the day. Victims are relatively young individuals in their early adulthood of 20 to 24 and victims were identified to be African Americans. There is something contemptible about the figures reported, like, â€Å"45% [of the offenders] were actually under the care of the criminal justice system – either on parole or probation – when the murder occurred.† And why â€Å"80% of violent crimes in the county occur in Oakland or to Oakland residents†? Killings in the area keep rising. And what is really alarming to peace-loving residents of Oakland is the admission that â€Å"We’re in the middle of a public health crisis here . . .† These news items have one thing in common: emphasis on the increasing crime rate in Oakland City after the closure of the city jail. Relevant books, magazines, and professional journals are considered to be reviewed for this research work, too. Methodologies Crime-related research data will be collected from OPD records for the period January 1, 2003 up to December 31, 2005. These crime-related data will be classified and their occurrences will be tabulated statistically using applicable statistical tools, like, descriptive statistics, measurement of central tendency, among other. Statistics made by other entities will be considered; and, thus, are planned to be gathered accordingly. A survey of residents in a West Oakland area is considered—the data to be gathered will be pertaining to their feelings of security and insecurity as well as safety in their area stimulated by recent rise of criminality which is hypothesized to be the result of the closure of the city jail. A specific methodology on: (1) how the research questions are studied, (2) how existing data will be used, (3) how new data generated by the researcher will be incorporated to existing data, (4) how the primary research will be brought to the study, (5) how survey data will be used, and (6) how a sample population will be used, will be developed accordingly prior to the commencement of the research work. A correlation between the independent variable and dependent variable (see below) will be designed and structured accordingly from which conclusion will be derived. The independent variable:    the Oakland Police Department’s Fiscal Year 2005-2007 budget reduction and subsequent elimination of 89 full-time positions (see Table 1) gave rise to the dependent variable; The dependent variable:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   a negative effect on the community’s safety. The expected or hypothesized negative impact of the closure of the city jail will be measured through the responses of respondents in a survey about their perceptions on the matter. On the other hand, the community’s safety will also be measured in the same manner as the former through survey made on the residents in which crime statistics are prevalent. Table 1. Full Time Equivalent Position Eliminated # Title/Position Number 1. Watch correction Officer supervisor 5 2. Court correction officer 1 3. Control desk 1 4. Public Representative Service 1 5. Property Correction Officer 3 6. Admitting 2 7. Floor Correction Officer 3 8. Search 4 9. Print Room (1) 3 10. Print Room (2) 3 11. Watch Correction Officer 3 12. Assistant Watch 2 13. Booking Correction Officer 3 14. 1st Floor 3 15. 2nd Floor 36 16. Jail Kitchen staffs 12 17. Jail Utility Workers 4 Total Full Time Equivalent Position Eliminated 89 Results and Findings Table 2 shows an annual data sheet that will be used to capture data from OPD. Table 2.1 is a data sheet that will be used to capture data from OPD which is related to Table 2. Table 3 is a survey question that will capture the individual perceptions of respondents about the effect of the closure of the city jail in their area. Table 4 shows a survey question that will capture the individual perceptions of respondents how they are affected emotionally by the perceived rise of criminality in the area. The data classifications shown below are not limited in themselves, i.e., other data structures are considered upon the approval of the final research proposal. Table 2. Annual data sheet (data to be obtained from OPD) Measures    Metrics from which data are derived Data obtained from OPD (Year 2003) Data obtained from OPD (Year 2004) Data obtained from OPD (Year 2005) (Research) Average processing time to put a detained or arrested person into jail (minutes/arrest) # minutes 45 minutes # minutes Average number of criminals taken to the County’s Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility (#/per month) # per month # per month # per month Average number of criminals taken to Sta. Rita Jail per month # per month # per month # per month Average number of prisoners brought to Highland Hospital per month # per month # per month # per month Average number of guards assigned to guard prisoners brought to Highland Hospital per month # per month # per month # per month Table 2.1 Monthly data sheet (data to be obtained from OPD) Metrics from which data are derived Years, 2003, 2004, 2005    Total    Ave. J F M A M J J A S O N D Average processing time to put a detained or arrested person into jail (minutes/arrest) Number of criminals taken to the County’s Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility (#/per month) Number of criminals taken to Sta. Rita Jail per month Number of prisoners brought to Highland Hospital per month Number of guards assigned to guard prisoners brought to Highland Hospital per month Table 3. Survey question on perception of the effect of the closure of the City Jail Survey question YES NO NOT SURE Do you think the closure of the Oakland City jail is the main cause of the rise of criminality in the area? Table 4. Survey question on how the emotional effect of the perceived rise of criminality in the area       Survey Question          Not affected at all    Mildly affected but do not feel afraid Reasonably affected that I feel afraid being victimized    Affected that I feel constantly afraid being victimized Very affected that it makes me feel nervous most of the time How much are you affected, emotionally (e.g., afraid that I will become a victim of crime) by the rise of criminality in the area? Conclusions and Recommendations: After the completion of the planned activities for the research work and the consolidation of all pertinent information that made up this research, the manner of reporting the research findings and conclusion will be given special consideration considering the contents and scope of the undertaking. After submitting my original research work to my professor, I plan to discuss the results with county officials of Oakland California and hope to be able to convince concerned local county officials to support my recommendation for the reinstatement of the Oakland city jail to its former stature. Appendices The Appendices section will contain graphs and other objects that are integral part of the research. In this Research Proposal, Appendix A contains a list of literature (news items pertaining to the city of Oakland jail closure); while Appendix B contains the results of my personal interview of some of the residents of Oakland city. APPENDIX A – List of Literature (News Items) Pertaining to the City of Oakland California Jail Closure    KTVU Channel –2 news 11/22/06 reported that violent crimes rise 34.2% this year Summary of Part 1 Crime Offenses, 2003 – 2005   Year   Murder Forcible Rape   Robbery Felony Assault   Burglary Total Larceny Auto Theft Total Offenses 1 Year % Change 2003 109 267 2,445 2,762 4,568 12,551 5,511 28,213 -5.56% 2004 82 262 2,190 2,616 4,324 10,984 6,877 27,335 -3.11% 2005 93 293 2,590 2,543 5,646 7,087 8821 27,073 -0.96% www.oaklandnet.com       CRIME www.wikepedia.org Though substantial gains have been made as evidenced from the Uniform Crime Reports published by the FBI, the city still ranks high in California for most categories of crime. In the 2006 Morgan Quitno crime rankings, Oakland is ranked the eighth most dangerous city nationwide. Though it fared better than the California cities of Richmond, and San Bernardino, Oakland is the second most dangerous in California after Compton. As of November 2006, Oakland had 132 murders, with the majority of victims and/or murderers from an African American background and the average age being 28 years old. [14] The murder rate increased 21% from only 94 murders in 2005, compared to 88 murders in 2004 being the lowest number down from 108 killings in 2003. The past few years into the millennium saw the lowest amount of murders, compared to the 1990’s when there were known to be an average of 160 murders in Oakland each year.[15] The majority of the crimes being committed occur in the East and West parts of the city. ABC 7 NEWS Oakland’s Murder Rate Is Soaring Almost Double Last Year At Same Time   By Vic Lee July 11 – KGO – Oakland is dealing with a soaring murder rate that’s almost double the number of homicides right now compared to this time last year. Unless police can slow down the murder spike, the city could face a triple digit murder rate by the end of the year.   The graveyard display next to this church is sobering testimony. There may be more murders, but the profiles of both suspects and victims and the way they die have changed little. The killers and those killed are usually young African American men and the victims’ last breaths were taken mostly on sidewalks. Off. Roland Holmgren, Oakland police spokesman: â€Å"Most of our homicides happen on the streets and most of our homicides happen due to a gun.† Behind the trigger? The usual causes. Drugs and gangs. This year, the face of those gangs is changing. Lt. Ersie Joyner, Oakland police homicide: â€Å"Hispanic gangs are up 20 to 25 percent. The victims are also young male Hispanics.† In 1992, homicides reached record levels in Oakland. By July of that year, 106 people had been murdered, up more than 40 percent from the previous year. City officials considered drastic measures like curfews, street barricades and check points. The FBI and the state attorney general sent help to Oakland police. Likewise, federal narcotics agents have now joined forces with Oakland police who are now targeting high crime areas. Off. Roland Holmgren, Oakland police spokesman: â€Å"This strategic area command gives command the flexibility to move officers throughout the city to attack hot spots.† That strategy appears to be paying off with other crimes like rapes and domestic violence. Police have a problem in solving these crimes, which is common in other cities as well, and that’s the reluctance of witnesses to come forward. The city of Oakland is just 23 shy of last year’s record for the entire year. ABC 7 News 6/12/06 Oakland’s murder rate is rising five times faster than the country at large. What’s the reason for the big jump in murder? Law enforcement cites readily available handguns, gang and drug activity and disrespect for life. Other crimes in Oakland showed big increases too. Rape was up nearly 12 percent; car thefts and burglaries up nearly 30 percent; robbery up 18 percent — some of it in neighborhoods not accustomed to crime. Oakland police are trying a number of different strategies to fight crime including saturating high crime neighborhoods with police as they did this weekend. North Gate News Online – Reporting by the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Murders Go Up and Oakland Tries to Understand Why By Carola Mamberto , October 2, 2006 09:56 AM OAKLAND — As murders continue to plague the streets of Oakland – Most killings took place in the West Oakland and Elmhurst neighborhoods, and often did not have a known motive, although the police department believes they were mainly gang-related. The highest rate of murders was among 20 to 24 year olds. Victims were mainly African American (77%), as were suspects (63%). The average age of suspects was 28 years. The majority of them were not employed anywhere: 45% were actually under the care of the criminal justice system – either on parole or probation – when the murder occurred. â€Å"Violent homicide and suicide take the lives of more than 50,000 people in the United States each year, and are the third and fourth leading causes of death for people under 39 years of age. In Oakland, a city of 400,000, the death rate is 25.6 per 100,000 people, four times higher than the national rate of 6.1, according to the Alameda Country Public Health Department report. More than 80% of violent crimes in the county occur in Oakland or to Oakland residents. Murders are up 21% from last year: so far there have been 20 more killings in the city compared to September 2005. â€Å"We’re in the middle of a public health crisis here, it’s very important that we look at the problem in a more comprehensive way and start addressing the root causes of violence rather than its consequences,† said Beyers. â€Å"It’s all about thinking of it as a preventable disease,† he said. So far, the City of Oakland has adopted a mixed strategy to curb violence, combining tough enforcement with more prevention-oriented projects. In 2004, voters passed the Measure Y which sought $19.9 million a year for crime prevention, parolee jobs, youth programs and 63 new police officers, all paid through increased parking fees and a 10-year annual parcel tax. The measure is still far from being implemented, city officials say, mainly because of staff shortages, especially within the Oakland Police Department. This summer, as murder rates spiraled, police unveiled a plan to trace the city’s 100 most violent residents.    APPENDIX B – Results of Personal Interview with Local Residents of Oakland City (A Prime Research Data)    Following are the results of my personal interview with some of the local residents of Oakland City, California: Mr. Yoichai who is a formal prison guard expressed anger over the closed of the jail, as a result of the closure he lost his job. Mr. Pace & Mr. Bunger who were Correction Officers that lost their job as a result of the jail closure. These two gentlemen explains that as the result of the jail closure, not enough officers patrolling the streets because most officers are spending a lot of time on the freeway stuck in traffic ( during heavy traffic hour) trying to transport arresters to the Alameda County Jail. Once they get their they have to await longer than the Oakland City Jail.   Investigators have to go all the way to the County Jail to interview inmates versus where they can just walk to the Oakland City Jail and get it done quicker and more convenience.   Also the cost of gas, wear & tear of vehicles and overtime pay for those officers who get stuck on freeway and for officers who have to stay late or come in early while other officers are stuck on freeway. Mrs. Lauder who lives in 14th Ave and E. 27th for 20+ years and never experience or witness and violent crimes until October of 2005.   She witnessed a man was stabbed to death in front of her house. Mr. Pardoza who lives on Grand Street for 15+ years his house for the first time was   burglarized on July 2006 and a month later his neighbor was robbed at gun point in front of his house    Bibliography ABC 7 News (6/12/06). Bennis, W. (1989). On Becoming a Leader. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Bowerman, B. L. & O’Connell, R. T. (2003). Business Statistics In Practice. (3rd Ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. Brill, P. L. & Worth, R. (1997). The Four Levers of Corporate Change. New York: American Management Association (AMACOM). Cohen, A. (1993). The Portable MBA in Management. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. CRIME. www.wikepedia.org Juran, J. M. & Godfray, A. B. (Eds.) (1999). Juran’s Quality Handbook. (5th Ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill. KTVU Channel (11/22/06). 2 news reported that violent crimes rise 34.2% this year. www.oaklandnet.com. Lee, V. (July 11, 2006). Oakland’s Murder Rate Is Soaring Almost Double Last Year At Same Time.  ABC 7 NEWS. Mamberto , C. (October 2, 2006). Murders Go Up and Oakland Tries to Understand Why. North Gate News Online – Reporting by the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism: Oakland. Noe, Raymond A., Hollenbeck, John R., Gerhart, Barry, & Wright, Patrick M. (2000). Human Resource Management Gaining a Competitive Advantage (3rd Ed.). Boston, MA: Mc-Graw Hill. Scholtes, P. R. (1998). The Leader’s Handbook Making things Happen, Getting Things Done. New York: McGraw-Hill. Zand, D. E. (1997). The Leadership Triad Knowledge, Trust, and Power. New York: Oxford University Press.