The effect of clutch size on predation in birds Essay

The effect of clutch size on predation in birds - Essay Example Hypothetically, it is also logic to say that the bigger the clutch size, the more the mortality rate in birds. This is because the prey are large in number, hence, attracting more predators. Past studies on clutch size, have concentrated on the constant evolution in the size of the clutch. This has, therefore, guided researchers in coming up with theories such as the food limitation hypothesis of lack (Paul et al 824). This theory states that the clutch size gives a reflection on the relationship between the food limitation and the number of off springs that survive. In addition, another theory tries to explain how the clutch size is determined by parental behavior, for instance, the ability to feed and their success in reproduction. Nevertheless, predation patterns and the predators themselves are in more than one way affected by the clutch size. The effect of clutch size on predation in birds has been researched on in a number of models by different researchers since 1990s. However, there are two main models that act as the backbone to all other models. The first one explains how an increase in predation risk would be as a result of nestling begging, with or without spectral characteristics and avian mobbing (Paul et al 821). Parental behavior and nestling begging is usually seen a signal to increase in predation risk. This hypothesis was questioned since, in some cases, nestling begging could be there but the parents are also there to defend the young ones. To prove this, an experiment was carried out where bell miners Manorina melanophrys was observed and the cost of begging measured. The experiment was done by placing 168 attractive nests with wax egg and broadcasting speakers that produced sounds similar to the begging sound. Three conditions were put into considerations (Ekman 703). These conditions were silence, white noise pulses that was similar to the response no begging sounds and un-manipulated begging

Women civil right movement, the first wave of the 1920's Research Paper - 1

Women civil right movement, the first wave of the 1920's - Research Paper Example Similarly, this ideal was the basis for the Equal Rights Amendment Act campaign in 1970. The first wave of the 1920s had thus begun and its end came when women got the right to vote in 1920 (Wood & Fixmer-Oraiz 61-62). Following 2 days of debate and discussion, the initial women’s rights movement in Seneca Falls in New York, ended with the signing of the Declaration of Sentiments by 68 women and 32 men that saw the grievances of women being pointed out and the agenda for women’s rights movement being set. The declaration contained 12 points that were centered on voting rights of women and equality between women and men in the law. Two years later, the first National Women’s Rights Convention took place in Massachusetts where over 1000 participants were present and this saw the beginning of the annual national conventions till 1860 with the exception of 1857. May of 1869 saw Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony form the National Women Suffrage Association whose primary objective was to institute a Congressional amendment to the Constitution that would make it possible for women to realize voting rights. In November of the same year, the American Women Suffrage Association is for med by Henry Blackwell, Lucy Stone and others and this organization solely sought to make amendments to individual states’ laws in order to realize the attainment of voting rights of women. Lucy Stone was recognized as becoming the foremost woman documented to maintain her own name subsequent to marriage. Wyoming became the first state to pass the women’s suffrage law in 10th December 1869 and in the following year women start to participate in juries in their state (DuBois 74-77). In 1890, the National Woman Suffrage Association together with the American Women Suffrage Association merged to come up with the National American Women Suffrage Association. This became the movement’s mainstream organization and as such set out on

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness Research Paper - 6

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness - Research Paper Example In the last few decades, globalization has become a crucial factor in business, as it affects business in different ways. In the case of Kmart, globalization has led to increased competition in the market. For instance, Target and Wal-Mart are new entrants in the market, having come after Kmart. These later replaced Kmart as the leading retailer. In addition, consumers today have a wide range of options to choose from. With increased technology that comes with globalization, consumers in America can now shop from other international companies, out of America. Being operational only in Guam, the United States, and Puerto Rica, Kmart has not stabilized and diversified enough to adapt to the competition that is globalization presents. In addition, the company has not adopted technology to the required global standards, therefore, cannot fully exploit new business opportunities globally (Turner, 2003). Technology is an important factor in companies today, considering the benefits it presents. In Kmart, the factor of technology made it lag behind and lose it to Wal-Mart. This is because Kmart took a long period to adopt technology to the standards of its competitors. Wal-Mart, which is Kmart’s main competitor, used technology since the early 1970,s as the key to its success. During these years, the company used computers in its stores, electronic cash registers, and used scanners to read UPC bar codes. Later, Wal-Mart started using virtual documents in placing orders and receiving shipping notices. Since Kmart did not take the initiative of integrating technology in its business, this made Wal-Mart have all the competitive advantage, as advanced technology brought effectiveness in the business. However, during the end of 1980s Kmart started to adopt advanced technology in its business process gradually. Nonetheless, the sluggish adoption of technology due to lack of

Society and Culture Essay Example for Free

Society and Culture Essay A. Background of the Study Nowadays, Filipino teenagers tend to be liberated and patterned their lifestyle based on western culture. If this is all to be considered, the culture of being conservative from our ancestors will be gone. Premarital Sex is now treated by many as natural or normal. Mostly teenagers occur to this even outside marriage. They continue doing this because it does satisfy their sexual pleasures. They are not aware that what they are doing is a sin called fornication. Fornication means sexual immorality or voluntary sexual intercourse between two persons of the opposite sex, where one or both are unmarried. This study will attempt to analyze how open minded Far Eastern University students on Premarital Sex. It is hoped that the result of this study will help to determine the length of open mindedness of Far Eastern University students on Premarital Sex. B. Statement of the Problem This study was conducted to determine the length of open mindedness of Far Eastern University students, specifically, it sought answers to the following questions: 1. What is the profile of respondents in terms of: age and gender 2. Are Far Eastern University students are open minded about premarital sex? C. Significance of the Study For church, sociologists and other institutions who does not promoting premarital sex, this research study will help to determine the length of open mindedness of students on premarital sex. To the students, the students will help the researcher to give their opinions about the study, they will also benefit on recommendations made by the researchers to not engage on  premarital sex. Lastly, to the researcher, this information will serve as their guide to the future youth on determining the length of open mindedness of Far Eastern University students on premarital sex and recommendation to not engage on premarital sex. D. Scope and Delimitation This study focused on determining the length of open mindedness of Far Eastern University students on premarital sex and recommendation to not engage on premarital sex. There will be 100 respondents of Far Eastern University students. The study of factors why they engaged on premarital sex is beyond the scope of the study. E. Materials, Methods and Procedures This study employed the descriptive method in gathering information regarding â€Å"Are Far Eastern University students open minded about premarital sex†. It is employed internet research method. The subject of this study were drawn from 100 students of Far Eastern University. Data were gathered through survey questionnaire. The researcher chose the respondents through random sampling so that each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected. The research instrument used in conducting this study was the questionnaire type with the instruction that can be easily understood by the respondent, this questionnaire was constructed for the purpose of knowing the length of open mindedness of Far Eastern University on premarital sex. The first draft of questionnaire was forwarded to the society and culture professor for corrections and suggestions. After the professor validated and enriched the questionnaires, the researchers prepare the final draft.

Ryanair airline

Ryanair airline 1.INTRODUCTION Ryanair is an Irish airline competing in European low cost short haul airline industry. They are one of the key players within this market with the jersey of cost leadership and a vision of flying at the cheapest rates to any of their destination. ‘if you find it cheaper elsewhere, we will give you a refund-Micheal OLeary, They are perhaps the most profitable. This report undertakes a detailed strategic analysis of Ryanair against the backdrop of an evolving global airline sector impacted considerably by the financial and economic markets crisis. It looks at Ryanairs current strategy and who and how of the management of that strategy. It identifies how the business functions impacts on the carriers customer relations and leaderships with regard to being a cost leader. It also attempts to give a brief evaluation of Ryanairs financial structure as well as an environmental analysis of the European airline short haul industry and how this affects Ryanair. 2. STRATEGIC POSITION. This is shown using tools like: PESTLE analysis for the macroenvorit, Porters five forces for the industry structure Resources and capabilities. Opportunities and threats of the SWOT analysis developed by Albert Humphrey for the analysis of Ryanairs external factors 2.1PESTLE Analysis Quite a number of these factors can be discussed but has been written in this paper in an order of priority. PESTLE Factors Comments Political EU directives prohibit direct subsidies by governments to their airlines as they work to establish a level-playing field among the regions airlines (Charalambous, 2009). This approach was driven by political developments, as various countries were willing to have a level-playing field across the European Union, not only in the airline sector but also in other various and relevant sectors in their countries. Economic The global airline sector is currently experiencing downfall in passenger travel and have seen falling revenues and also compounded by passengers making bookings at the last minutes for their travel and falling ticket values (Walters, 2009). For the consumer, the economic downturn has impacted the spending of individuals and families, and this has reflected in the lower airline travel being done by consumers (Blake, 2009). Socio-cultural Consumers attitudes towards travel has changed largely in recent times as the high cost of travel compared to other modes of transportation has made consumers more observant and aware not only of other transport alternatives but results in consumers demanding lower cost of travel from airlines. (Flanagan, 2008). This trend was aggravated by the financial and economic downturn which has made consumers manage their finances more closely given the uncertainties that the environment holds. Consumers will be expected to continue to pursue this trend as poorer economic outlook continues in the near future. But, a significant improvement in the confidence in the markets will lead consumers back to utilising airline travel again. Technological There have been technological developments in the airlines sector particularly those relating to improved fuel efficiencies of airlines (Harvey, 2008). In as much as they may be considerably costly at the time of investing or replacing, they are expected to generate substantial cost improvements that would be worth it These improvements, though beneficial would not be considered priorities in the current environment where considerable numbers of airlines are struggling to meet their passenger forecasts and revenue targets, and are posting large losses in their financial results. Legal The directives mentioned in the political factor will be implemented in this factor in specific countries across the European Union to ensure that it is strictly adhered to by each of the members Environmental These issues have been a key focus for the global airline sector in recent years as there has been increased demand for airlines to do their share in lowering the impact of the use of airplanes on the environment and the carbon footprint (Harvey, 2008). Ryanair has been one of the targeted airlines basically because of the large number of flights that it makes every day. This is due to their business model which calls for having their planes in the air for most of the time. This can be in contrast to the goals of environmental awareness for Ryanair to minimise the impact of the carbon footprint on the environment. In as much as environmental issues are important in the airline sector, this may take a back seat as other stakeholders will focus on more pressing issues including the viability of the airlines. This analysis showed that there are a number of developments impacting the airline industry globally and also some others affecting the European airline industry specifically. 2.2INDUSTRY STRUCTURE The Michael Porters Five Forces of competition will be used to analyse the European short haul airline industry. This analysis shows as well the changing influences in the sector with the key developments leading to actions for each factor that were deemed unthinkable only a few months ago. Five Forces Comments Entry Barriers The major barriers to entry include the large capital and relationships across the global airline sector to develop the network plan (Ionides, 2008). I could argue that the entry barriers actually just became even stronger with the poor performance of the sector due to the economic climate and the challenging periods that the players in the sector are facing. Buyer Power The key buyers are the individual consumers and also the travel agencies. Across these groups of buyers, the power would seem to have increased relative to previous situations. The key reason for this is the decreased demand from these groups of buyers (McCartney, 2009A; McCartney, 2009B). Based on this, the buyer power has increased, as much lower prices will be in demand versus previous years. Supplier Power Supplier power has decreased relative to the influence of the other factors. For example, airlines have been willing to reduce the work force considerably as a result of the falling passenger figures. Nevertheless, research has shown that the airlines which work closely with its workers (e.g. Lufthansa) perform better versus its competitors which have a relatively adversarial approach to the management of its work force (e.g. British Airways) and thus have an advantage (Creedy, 2009A). It is interesting to that in this time of hardship for various stakeholders in the global airline sector, it seems that different parties are working closely with each other for the sake of survival Threat of Substitutes There is an increased threat of substitutes. These come from (1) alternative modes of transportation, and (2) alternative activities resulting in lower airline travel. The alternative modes of transportation can only affect destinations where alternative modes of transportation exist and also where it does not become too stressful or inconvenient for the traveller e.g, between the UK and continental Europe. Across these region, alternatives modes of transportation exist, and travel time is not too excessive to make it unacceptable (Anselmo, 2008A). The alternative activities that result in lower demand for airline travel include people and families deciding to travel to destinations that do not require air travel. In the UK, a large number of families have opted to stay within the UK instead of travelling to continental Europe for holidays and weekends (Dick, 2009). Industry Rivalry The industry is expected to continue to see increased rivalry as the competitors try to capture the increasingly limited number of passengers. (Betts, 2008). Rivalry is driven by the decreased demand for travel which led some airlines to lower prices and now compete almost directly with the low-cost carriers such as Ryanair. The competitive position is seen to be high and will continue to do so as the players have put in their investments for the planes and infrastructure and would not manage these differently in order to drive returns. 2.3 Value networks and business partners As for the value chain of Ryanair, their relationships with suppliers provide it with the merit to deliver its low-cost strategy. Key suppliers include amongst others: its work force delivering the services to its customers: working intentionally within the guidelines of Ryanair to deliver its low-cost model to the consumers. the airports in which Ryanair operates in: the government airports work closely with Ryanair in ensuring an agreement that benefits both Ryanair and also the local community where Ryanair lands in. the supplier of its airplanes and other equipment : the supplier of its airplanes and equipment work with Ryanair to customise their fleet for Ryanair to provide their basic low-cost service model to travellers. 3.RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES 3.1Strategic capabilities Their major capability is their ability to manage their low-cost business model and continue to operate within the parameters set by this model (Wallace, 2009).. Within the context of decreased demand for travel by consumers, its low-cost model has positioned the business extremely well. Ryanair has an advantage over other airlines which are only now adapting to a lower-cost model to match the requirements of the sector due to customers demand and what they are willing to pay for. As part of the low-cost business model, Ryanair relies on a strong, talented and efficient work force that delivers the services promised to customers within the cost model of Ryanair. This is an area that cannot allow for copying the low-cost model of Ryanair, particularly as personnel cost is significant in the airline sector together with fuel cost. 3.2 Key success factors The critical success factors for Ryanair have been their: ability to deliver their low-cost business model, capability to work with and coordinate closely with their suppliers through their talented work force ability to remain consistent to their stated business model and strategy. external recognitions In delivering this model, Ryanair maintained their approach even in the face of rising fuel costs (Ryanair, 2009). The recent year has shown how Ryanair manages their business with their consumers. They manage their cost base well amidst looking for alternative revenue sources to be able to generate additional revenues to offset increased costs from the impact of the oil prices. In working with their suppliers, Ryanair showed that the way to excel in the sector is to ensure that suppliers are also reaping the benefits of doing business with Ryanair (Wallace, 2009). There is a two-way relationship. Whether the current environment remains or the outlook becomes more favourable, Ryanair is positioned to capture the large part of the consumer demand for air travel to their destinations The success of Ryanair can also be seen from external recognitions. In December 2008, Ryanair was included in the list of Britains Most Admired Companies (BMAC), the first time it had been included in the list (Management Today, 2008).Over the past years, Ryanairs CEO, Michael OLeary, has been included in the list of the 30 Most Respected CEOs of Barrons, a global list of CEOs noted for â€Å"doing outstanding jobs of keeping their companies out of trouble and on course through conservative financial management, a strong focus on the customer and relentless innovation† (Barrons, 2009). 4. IMPLICATIONS OF STRATEGIC POSITIONING Dennis Foster (2006) stated in his lecture on Managing Strategic Change thatchange is a ‘people based process. This means that both staff and customers will have implications on Ryanairs strategic positioning and any changes they make to it.As supported in the leadership section of the report there is a good workingatmosphere and relationship between OLeary and his employees. Cavendish (2006) argues that ‘Ryanairs revenues last year apparently included almost two million flights that were booked by passengers who never showed up. While this is good for Ryanair from a financial point of view, it does not reflect good will on them from a customer relations aspect and could affect their position and strategy.Ryanairs recent trouble profit wise certainly would have had implications ontheir strategic positioning as they would have had to re-evaluate their strategy. The following table indicates the themes across the relevant strength and weaknesses derived from their core competencies factors in looking out for Ryan airs resources and capabilities SWOT Factors Comments Strengths Ryanairs business model is their major strength. In the current environment where travellers are searching for the lowest cost alternative to travel, Ryanair continues to provide customers with airline travel as an alternative that is worth considering (Moorcroft, 2009). Quite unusually, the current economic crisis has also helped Ryanair increase their market share in the sector as customers have moved to lower-cost airlines to manage their various costs of travel and this has helped fuel the continued growth of Ryanair despite the crisis, and has also helped position Ryanair to continue to see strategic growth initiatives in the sector (Brothers, 2008; Creedy, 2009B). Ryanair has developed strong relationships with various stakeholders. They are aware of the importance of working with their stakeholders to deliver the necessary services to consumers (McDonald, 2007). This is a key strength of Ryanair. Weaknesses Ryanair is largely a European airline even though it has the largest number of flights internationally among the worlds global airlines (Done, 2009). Thus, its revenues are undiversified in terms of regions, and thus any impact on the European airline market has a significant impact on the performance considerably and much more relative to other airlines which have geographically diverse revenue sources. The above strength and weaknesses showed that there are a considerable number of opportunities available for Ryanair. However; this would have to be carefully looked into given the significance of existing threats in the sector. 5. STRATEGIC CHOICE In an industry where news of poor performances has been seen largely on the front page of newspapers since the start of the financial and economic markets crisis, the performance of Ryanair has been a tremendous positive news to the industry as it has faced the challenges brought on by the crisis. Ryanair continues to benefit from the crisis as the consumers switch to lower cost travel alternatives (Milmo, 2008). However, the lower revenues generated and the falling number of passengers has still impacted the business as Ryanair announced losses for the first time since 1997, and expect that there may be further challenges in the near future (Bhargava, 2008). In a recent announcement of results, â€Å"Ryanair, Europes largest low fare airlines today, announced a Q3 loss of EUR102m, (compared to a profit of EUR35m in last years Q3), as average fares fell by 9% to EUR34, fuel costs rose by 71% to EUR328m, revenues rose by 6% to EUR604.5m, as traffic grew 13% to 14m, as more consumers switch to Ryanairs low fares from high fare competitors† (RNS, 2009). Ryanairs strong position in the industry has allowed it to pursue inorganic activities despite the financial and economic markets crisis and even in the face of a challenging environment for the airline industry. While most of the players in this sector will likely pursue the lowering of costs to managing its operations, Ryanair continues to surprise analysts and investors alike. Ryanair continues to pursue its interest in Aer Lingus. A key reason for the interest of Ryanair in Aer Lingus is that it owns a substantial part(29%) of the airline and is concerned about the poor performance of the airline and the impact it has on the value of Ryanairs shareholdings (Hancock, 2008). In as much as these opportunities exist for Ryanair. The global airline industry is currently facing a large number of threats that may be hindrances to achieving these opportunities. Some of which are the fluctuating US$ exchange rate and the fuel prices. These threats have prevented airlines from realising a stable stream of earnings in recent periods with a considerable amount of time being spent on management, with some pursuing to hedge, the changing value of the US$ and also the volatile oil and fuel prices (Anselmo, 2008B).Another threat is the continued recession seen in the major economies which is still playing an impact on the reduced travel of airline passengers with substitutes for air travel seeing increased volumes. 6. STRATEGIC DECISION AND RECOMMENDED STRATEGY Goingforward, Ryanair can continue to be positioned as a niche cost leader in the global airline sector by pursuing the opportunities that currently exist and also addressing the weaknesses that exist within the firm. By so doing, Ryanair will be able to capture the demand from consumers of low-cost travel and also position it to weather any further difficulties in the market that may be limited only to specific regions in which Ryanair operates in. For low-cost carriers in particular, a key threat is the potential move of full-service airlines into the business model of carriers such as Ryanair and easy Jet given the demand of passengers for lower-cost travel (Furlonger, 2009). This will only increase the competition in the sector overall and, in particular, in the low-cost segment of the market. Ryanairs Innovativeness has ensured its sustainability and will carry them forward into the future. To recommend any major changes would be to predict how the airline industry will change which ultimately cannot be foreseen. However, the following decisions can be considered the advent of new routes will bring more customers, from both departure points. a subtle shift in their strategy could be appropriate. For example offering drinks vouchers onboard for the customers next flight might entice more people back CRITICAL REFLECTION If there is anything i gained on this course. It is the fact that it not clear cut, but contains a number of complementary and opposing schools of thought. In the paper above, i will like to reflect particularly on the limitation of most of the theories i learnt. Although, they are seen as the bedrock of strategic planning. Not much emphasis is laid on the leadership, culture, power and politics in the process of strategy formulation in developing and evaluating organizational strategies. As seen in the strategic audit of Ryanair using at least 6models of strategic theories and i can count how many times the power and politics were mentioned in as much as Michael OLeary was mentioned. The emphasis in strategic planning models is more on the environment , profits and losses ,customers, competitors and growth. Even though SP involves all business functions in an organisation, i can say that it is done from the top. As a matter of fact, most decisions made are from the top. I wonder why there is then little emphasis on the power and politics within Ryanair. Should the present CEO be replaced, what will the future hold for this company. This will happen eventually as retirement will come some day. I wonder what the power play is like in this organisation. I know the destinations that the carrier flies to, I know the strengths and weaknesses, i also have a clear idea of its competitors, customers, and suppliers. But there was no model allowing me to spend time looking into politics in Ryanair, What if the strategic recommendations i made will be affected by politics within the organisation, maybe based on the personal interest of key members on the board of ryanair. The present CEO wasnt even looked into with such details but for his fame in the face of the media, maybe there was nothing that focuses on him. In the nearest future, businesses will be all about people and there will be great pressure on models like PESTLE, SWOT, and the likes. The 7s framework by Mckinsey could be an alternative or better still a key tool at that time because it focuses on the people and their processes. A critical insight into people in an organisation will give room for the study of the politics and power play within a well structured organisation.

polio vaccine :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poliomyelitis (shortened to polio) has been around for thousands of years, and there is still no cure, but at the peak of its devastation in the United States, Dr. Jonas Salk introduced a way to prevent it. Polio attacks the nerve cells and sometimes the central nervous system, causing muscle wasting, paralysis, and even death. The disease, whose symptoms are flu like, stuck mostly children, and in the first half of the 20th century the epidemics of polio were becoming more devastating. Salk, while working at the Virus Research Lab at the University of Pittsburgh, developed a polio vaccine, and the medical trials to prove its effectiveness and safety are still being analyzed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fifty years ago the largest medical experiment in history took place to test Salk’s poliomyelitis vaccine. Close to two million children across the United States and Canada were involved in the trial, which was administered by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP), also known as the March of Dimes. The foundation, created in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (a polio victim) and his law partner Basil O’Connor. Across the United States, 623,972 school children were injected with the vaccine or a placebo, using a double blind technique in which neither recipient nor administrator knew which one there were getting. The results, announced in 1955, showed good statistical evidence that Jonas Salk’s â€Å"killed virus† preparation was 80-90% effective in preventing paralytic poliomyelitis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The statistical design used in the experiment was singular, prompting criticism. Eighty four test areas in eleven states used a textbook model: in a randomized, blinded design all participating children in the first three grades of school (ages 6-9) received injections of either vaccine for placebo and were observed. At the same time though, 127 test areas in 33 states used an â€Å"observed control† design: where the participating children in the second grade received injections of vaccine, no placebo was given, and children in all three grades were then observed for the duration of the polio season. The use of the dual protocol illustrates both the power and the limitations of randomized clinical trials. The control trials with the placebo were important to define the vaccine as the product of scientific medicine, while the observed trials were done to maintain public support for the vaccine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1953, Salk presented his tests of a polio vaccine to the Immunization Committee, the scientific advisory committee for the NFIP. The test results seemed promising to Basil O’Connor, as the children had shown no ill effects and the levels of polio antibodies in their blood had risen. However, several of the senior virologist on the committee questioned the relation of antibodies

Juvenile Justice: Should Minors be charged as Adults? Essay

A movement has taken hold of our country to change the juvenile justice system, and erase any distinction between young offenders and adult criminals. Almost all fifty states have changed their juvenile justice laws, allowing more youths to be tried as adults and scrapping long-time efforts to help rehabilitate delinquent kids and prevent future crimes. It seems to be plain and simple, a minor in this country is defined as a person under the age of eighteen. How then can we single out certain minors and call them adults? Were they considered adults before they carried out an act of violence? No. How then, did a violent act cause them to cross over a line that is defined by age? The current debate over juvenile crime is being dominated by two voices: elected officials proposing quick-fix solutions, and a media more intent on reporting violent crimes than successful prevention efforts. Minors should not be tried as adults in our society today. This is obvious through looking at proposi tions by our government such as Proposition 21, which is statistics on juvenile crime from specific cases where minors were sentenced in adult courts. Politicians feel that best solution is to lock up youth offenders for long periods of time. Most studies demonstrate that putting young offenders in adult prisons leads to more crime, higher prison costs, and increased violence. Yet, our nation is spending more and more on prisons, and less on crime prevention efforts. Some states spend more on prisons than they do on education. The cost of keeping juveniles in prison as compared to putting them into rehabilitation programs is astronomically higher. It can cost five thousand dollars to keep a juvenile in prison, when all they need to do is go to high school. Also the effectiveness of prisons preventing juveniles from becoming repeat offenders is low. Kids, who have already spent time in adult prisons, are far more likely to commit more serious crimes when they are released. Crime prevention programs work and are affordable. They have also been shown to reduce crime substantially. There are many crime prevention programs around the country that have been very successful in helping to reduce juvenile crime. Many states use programs that are designed to help parents of troubled kids in raising their children. These programs  offer strategies and tactics for helping supervise and discipline troubled children. This is done, because it is believed that one of the causes of delinquency is that parents of kids with delinquent tendencies simply don’t know what to do with them. The parents just let their kids commit any crimes they want, because they do not have any idea how to prevent them. These programs as well as other similar ones have been shown to have quite an influence on crime prevention. Media reports on juvenile crime are greatly exaggerated. Crime level indicators show that the male â€Å"at risk† population will rise over the next decade, but the levels are far from the explosive level that the media says. In fact, the levels are not high at all. The public also holds greatly distorted views about the prevalence and severity of juvenile crime. Contrary to what the people think, the percentage of violent crimes committed by juveniles is low. Young people commit under ten percent of violent crimes. Also, most juvenile arrests have nothing to do with violence. Most kids only go through the juvenile justice system once, and that is for some minor crime such as drug posession. Most youths will simply out grow â€Å"delinquent† behavior once they mature. But the media thrives on these stories, so they make it appear that crime is everywhere in order to sell more newspapers, or have people watch their broadcast. This simply shows how the media exaggerates w hat they are saying about juveniles. History is known to repeat itself. This saying is no lie when you look at the history of juvenile justice. Until Chicago established the first juvenile court in the United States in 1899, children 14 and older were considered to be as responsible as adults for their actions. Minors as young as 13 were occasionally sentenced to death, and some were executed. Discomfort with the death penalty and with imprisoning children with adults led to the creation of a separate court. This court acted as the â€Å"parent or guardian† of young offenders. Solutions include therapy, education, and community service. So if we already felt that children should not be able to be tried as adults and we created a juvenile system to correct this, why turn our backs on it and go back to our cruel ways of more than 100 years ago? The answer is simple, we shouldn’t. We need to improve our juvenile system, a system that  has been working fine since 1899. The government has taken the initiative to come up with a plan of their own called Proposition 21, which would try offenders as adults rather than juvenile. Proposition 21 would require juvenile offenders 14 years or older to be charged as adults. It would limit confidentiality for juveniles who are charged with or convicted of specified felonies. The largest change under Proposition 21, is that it would require that certain juvenile crime offenders be held in a local or state correctional facilities rather than in juvenile facilities. It would designate certain crimes as violent and serious, thereby making offenders subject to longer sentences. Proposition 21 was proposed so that fourteen year olds and older would be tried as adults for serious crimes. If Proposition 21 passes it is going to send thousands of fourteen to sixteen year olds to state prison. Proposition 21 does nothing to protect our communities, and all it does is imprison children. Rather than decrease, if propositio n 21 passes, crime rates are going to increase. This will happen, because children will be involved in more prison crimes and there will be more crimes used to incriminate young children. If passed, it will imprison many juveniles with â€Å"top-notch† criminals. These children will not be given the opportunity for rehabilitation like in the juvenile system. Without treatment and education, the only thing a juvenile can learn while locked up with adult criminals, is how to become a better criminal. These teenagers will not be given the opportunity of rehabilitation and will come out of jail only worse then they were before. Our nation also has a tragic record of sexual and physical assaults on juveniles in prison with adult criminals. Adult criminals will then most likely take advantage of these teenagers. Proposition 21 is a horrible idea and is a step in the wrong direction that only further hurts our youth. Many people feel that juvenile crime is getting out of control. If you look at the statistics, you can see that this is not true. The arrest rate for violent juvenile crime has fallen for four years in a row; according to the Juvenile Justice Department report released this month. If this rate is declining is there a need to make harsher laws for minors? No. When looking  at statistics you must look for misleading notions in the reports. The public rarely hears the good news in the juvenile court systems. This alone tells us, they do deserve a second chance, and that we cannot give up on our youth. In conclusion, the topic of juvenile justice and sentencing minors with adult penalties is a heated debate. Many elected officials go for the quick-fix solutions. The media will always show the worst of juvenile crime, and not any positive which makes people feel that there is a huge problem. Minors should not be tried as adults in our society today, because it does not help keeping our country crime-free. Bad quick fixes such as Proposition 21 do not help, the just send our society a step back. Juvenile crime does exist and youths do commit violent acts. However, it is not on the scale that many people would like the public to believe. The statistics do not lie and juvenile crime is falling. The solution is to this problem is not a simple one and cannot be solved by simply putting kids in adult prisons or propositions. More effective solutions should be explored and put to use. We need to have faith in out juvenile system. The law created the defining line between minors and adults, but now everyone wants to ignore the definition because the crime got more ugly. The minor is still a minor, no matter how ugly the act.