Positive Illusions And Negative Illusions - 1462 Words

Positive illusions are unrealistic, biased attitudes that individuals have about themselves and towards other individuals, normally close friends or family members. Positive illusions is â€Å"a perception that represents what is perceived in a way different from the way it is in reality. An illusion is a false mental image or conception which may be a misinterpretation of a real appearance or may be something imagined. It may be pleasing, harmless or even useful (Stein, 1982, p 662). The more positive illusions the higher self-esteem an individual has. It should be noted that positive illusions are more common in western countries than other parts of the world. Research has found that positive illusions promote a better mental health. There†¦show more content†¦Illusion of control is the distorted opinion of the individual’s personal control over different types of situations. These individuals believe they have control over the roll of a dice or the flip of a coin. An example of illusion of control is when a gambler thinks they can control the dice being rolled or the next card to be flipped over. Question 2 Approximately 117 Americans die every day to suicide and for every suicide there is 25 other unsuccessful attempts (Suicide Statistics, 2016). The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says that suicide is the 10th leading cause of deaths in the USA and that 42773 American dies every year. Research shows that suicide happens to any race, gender or age. The belief is that people who talk about suicided aren’t really going to go through with it; this belief is completely false. Often suicidal people make subtle hints leading up to the event. Some subtle hints include: I know where my dad’s gun is if I ever need it, I have the perfect plan to end it all, I wonder what that chemical taste like or, I wonder what it feels like to bleed out and leave forever. Others often discuss their depression and how there isn’t anything to live for. Another false belief is suicide cannot be prevented. If an individual gets help early enough for the depression and suicidal thought Suicide begins as a chain of events. First, the individual feels worthless and inadequate.Show MoreRelatedFalse Picture of Marriage in The Dead by James Joyce and Odour of Chrysanthemums by D.H. Lawrence992 Words   |  4 PagesIllusion versus Reality: Marriage in Modern Literature Modern literature is known for questioning society and its various conventions. One question that these works often ask is, â€Å"What is real?† Some modern authors explore this question by placing their characters within self-constructed illusions that are later shattered by the introduction of reality. Marriages are frequently at the center of this theme, with one spouse crafting an illusory impression of the other. Modern literature demonstratesRead MoreMuller Lyer Final Lab Report Essay1684 Words   |  7 Pagesperceived adjustment error in the Muller-Lyer illusion. A test of Day’s (1989) Conflicting Cues Theory. Abstract The nature of visual illusions is hotly debated in the scientific literature, in search of a theory to explain how perceptual distortions arise upon daily interactions with the world. The present study provides the first direct test of Day’s (1989) Conflicting Cues theory to account for the Muller-Lyer illusion. Perceptual compromise was investigated, byRead MoreLove, By Bob Mckenty s Adam s Song, And Muriel Stuart s The Orchard1462 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Graves’ Symptoms of Love, Bob McKenty’s Adam’s Song, and Muriel Stuart’s In the Orchard. Each of these poems demonstrates their own meaning of love, and each author interprets love in their own different ways. Robert Graves expresses the more negative side of love in his poem Symptoms of Love. This poem not only tries to, but also succeeds in transferring the sense of yearning that comes from a seemingly detached love interest. This is expressed in the lines â€Å"Symptoms of true love // Are leannessRead MoreThe And Non Catch Question990 Words   |  4 Pagesparticipants after the hand illusion, a paired samples t-test was adopted with condition (synchronous versus asynchronous) as the independent variable and the numerical values of the responses as dependent variable. There are two types of questions in the questionnaire: catch question and non-catch question. In table 1, participants in both conditions responded more positively in non-catch (M =-0.63) questions than in catch questions (M= -1.53). Moreover, it was found that the hand illusion influenced the individualsRead MoreHow Opponents to Gay Marriage Offer Illusory Arguments1242 Words   |  5 Pagestruly makes a strong case f or how six different types of illusions (or beliefs) truly disserve the human population. The six common illusions that the book discusses are the illusion of memory, the illusion of confidence, the illusion of knowledge, the illusion of cause and the illusion of potential. Chabris and Simon argue that one can see these illusions at work in a range of human interactions and current events. Sometimes these illusions demonstrate the fallibility of the human mind; sometimesRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby Essay1295 Words   |  6 Pagesdeceptive nature a materialistic lifestyle discreetly reflects by revealing how individuals naively fall under the illusion that immeasurable wealth automatically accumulates happiness. The first stanza opens up describing a glamourous party where â€Å"the bar is in full swing / The air is alive† (2-3). The personification of the bar and air being â€Å"alive† and in â€Å"full swing† publicizes the positive benefits that living such a grandeur lifestyle has to offer. â€Å"Swing† exhibits a double meaning as it not onlyRead MoreDoes Love Define Us?707 Words   |  3 PagesShakespeare uses a poet as the speaker and his lover as the audience in order to express the view that although not everyone claims to fall in love, love is what defines the self by allowing us to lie to ourselves about who we are, thus creating an illusion. In the content of Sonnet 138, the poet reveals both the nature of his relationship with his lover and the uncertainties he has about growing older, which lead him to adjust the self accordingly to his lovers standards. The speaker of Sonnet 138Read MoreA Comparison Of Faith And The Future Of Religion1539 Words   |  7 Pagesindividuals worldwide hold true to their faith each day. After studying faith and religion in texts written by scholars with varying backgrounds, it is easy to see faith is something which is widely disputed. Comparison of Sigmund Freud’s The Future of an Illusion and Paul Tillich’s Dynamics of Faith, fully displays the discrepancies in points of view on the function of faith, as well as the necessity of faith, in society; while the comparison of Viktor E. Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning and Karl Marx’sRead MoreThe Gabriel Garcia Marquez s The Handsomest Drowned Man1537 Words   |  7 Pagesand honor him, even though they h ave no idea who he really is. The lines between reality and illusion in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s short story â€Å"The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World† are blurred in many ways, especially regarding the cultural conflict, concept of death, and ideological conflict of the villagers. Marquez is known for his perceptions realism and his perceptions about realism and illusions (Dauster 467). This form of realism that has been directly associated with him has been calledRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1452 Words   |  6 Pagesthat I have wrote this book using positive and negative imagery of Myrtle and Daisy to embody the promise and disappointment in the novel and in the mother figure, however my true purpose behind The Great Gatsby is far from that. I used the imagery of Gatsby’s house and the characters of Myrtle and Daisy to demonstrate the danger in connecting happiness with material possessions and the reality that, in the end, any happiness found outside of the self is an illusion. In Jonathan Schiff’s literary

Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)

Emerald ash borer (EAB), a native beetle of Asia, invaded North America in the 1990s by way of wooden packing material. In a decades time, these pests killed tens of millions of trees throughout the Great Lakes region. Get to know this pest, so you can sound the alarm if it makes its way to your neck o the woods. Description: The adult emerald ash borer is a striking metallic green, with an iridescent purple abdomen hidden beneath the forewings. This elongate beetle reaches about 15 mm in length and just over 3 mm in width. Look for adults from June to August, when they fly in search of mates. Creamy white larvae reach lengths of 32 mm at maturity. The prothorax nearly obscures its tiny, brown head. EAB pupae also appear creamy white. The eggs are white at first, but turn deep red as they develop. To identify emerald ash borer, you should learn to recognize the signs of an infestation. Unfortunately, symptoms of emerald ash borer dont become obvious until two or more years after borers enter a tree. D-shaped exit holes, just 1/8 in diameter, mark the emergence of adults. Split bark and foliage dieback may also portend pest trouble. Just under the bark, S-shaped larval galleries will confirm the presence of EAB. Classification: Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass – InsectaOrder – ColeopteraFamily - BuprestidaeGenus - AgrilusSpecies - planipennis Diet: Emerald ash borer larvae feed only on ash trees. Specifically, EAB feeds on the vascular tissues between the bark and sapwood, a habit that interrupts the flow of nutrients and water required by the tree. Life Cycle: All beetles, including the emerald ash borer, undergo complete metamorphosis. Egg – Emerald ash borers lay eggs singly, in crevices in the bark of host trees. A single female can lay up to 90 eggs. Eggs hatch within 7-9 days.Larva – Larvae tunnel through the trees sapwood, feeding on the phloem. Emerald ash borers overwinter in the larval form, sometimes for two seasons.Pupa – Pupation occurs in mid-spring, just under the bark or phloem.Adult – After emerging, adults remain within the tunnel until their exoskeletons properly harden. Special Adaptations and Defenses: The emerald ash borers green color acts as camouflage within the forest foliage. The adults fly quickly, fleeing from danger when needed. Most buprestids can produce a bitter chemical, buprestin, to deter predators. Habitat: Emerald ash borer requires only their host plant, ash trees (Fraxinus spp.). Range: Emerald ash borers native range includes parts of China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, as well as small areas of Russia and Mongolia. As an invasive pest, EAB now lives in Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Virginia. Other Common Names: EAB

Abigail Adams †Short Essay Free Essays

Former first lady, writer. Born Abigail Smith on November 22, 1744, (by the Gregorian calendar we use today) in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Abigail Adams is best known as the wife of President John Adams and for her extensive correspondence. We will write a custom essay sample on Abigail Adams – Short Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now She was also the mother of John Quincy Adams who became the sixth president of the United States. The daughter of a minister, she was a devoted reader, studying the works of William Shakespeare and John Milton among others. Adams did not, however, attend school, which was common for girls at the time. In 1761, she met a lawyer named John Adams. Three years later, the couple married and soon welcomed their first child, a daughter named Abigail, in 1765. Their family continued to grow with the addition of John Quincy in 1767, Susanna in 1768, Charles in 1770, and Thomas Boylston in 1772. Sadly, Susanna died as a toddler and later the family suffered another tragedy when Abigail delivered a stillborn daughter in 1777. With a busy law practice, her husband spent a lot of time away from home. This situation only worsened as John Adams became an active member of the American Revolution and the Revolutionary War. As a result, the couple spent a lot of time apart. She was also left to carry much of the burden at home, raising their children and caring for the family farm. The couple remained closed by corresponding with each other. It is believed that they exchanged more than 1,100 letters. Abigail Adams expressed concern about how the new government would treat women. In one of her many letters to her husband, she requested that he â€Å"Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation. † Odd spellings aside, Abigail Adams often expressed her thoughts on political matters with her husband. Throughout his career, Abigail had served an unofficial advisor to him. Their letters show him seeking her counsel on many issues, including his presidential aspirations. Adams remained a supportive spouse and confidante after her husband became the president in 1797. Some critics objected to Abigail’s influence over her husband, calling her â€Å"Mrs. President. † The nation’s second first lady kept a busy schedule when she was in Philadelphia, the country’s capitol at the time. Adams rose early to tend to family and household matters and spent much of the remainder of the day receiving visitors and hosting events. She still spent a lot of time back in Massachusetts because of her health. Around the time her husband was defeated by Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 election, the Adams learned of the death of their second son Charles, which was related to his alcoholism. With great sadness, the Adams soon moved to the country’s new capitol, Washington, D. C. , where they became the first residents of the White House. Abigail Adams wrote many letters to family around this time, shedding light on the early days of the new capital and complaining about the unfinished state of their new home. A few months later, after John Adams left office in 1801, they returned to their family farm. With John now retired, the couple was able to spend more time together. She continued to run the farm and to care for the family members, including their eldest child, Nabby (young Abigail’s nickname), who died of cancer at their home in 1814. Struggling with her own health for decades, Abigail Adams had a stroke in October 1818 and died at home with her family on October 28, 1818. How to cite Abigail Adams – Short Essay, Essay examples

Mass Incarceration in the U.S. Essay Example For Students

Mass Incarceration in the U.S. Essay The United States, a powerhouse in the race for evolution, a country that is an expertise in all known subjects and more. Though, America has participated in heinous behaviors that have been unknown to the general public, one including, mass incarceration. People in the U.S. confined in prisons or jails at a startling rate. With America owning 5% of the world’s population, we also house 25% of the world’s prison population. That is approximately 1.8 billion people that we have imprisoned with us each and everyday. Using the most recent data available, 753 per 100,000 people in the U.S. are in prison or jail. More than 3x higher than the next country with second highest. This billion-dollar industry has problems of its own and financial tolls on our economy. The state of life of prisoners, their well-being after their sentence, and the degrading economic standpoint on costs of maintenance contributes to the fact that we are living within a multi-faceted failing project. Measures will need to be taken if growth and expansion of worldwide influence is encouraged. We will write a custom essay on Mass Incarceration in the U.S. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now With all that money people invest in incarceration, people are obliged to think that prisoners have all their basic needs met. While that stands true for some prisons, others are unfortunate in that scenario. A particular one in New Orleans is horrifying to read about, with the kind of treatment they partake on their prisoners. A former prisoner by the name of Jelpi Picou says, They demean people, they humiliate them, they try to emasculate people. They are unprofessional and inhumane, from the top to the bottom. Picou was referring to the officers on duty, whose jobs entailed for the prisoners’ well-being. They did quite the opposite and enacted barbaric deeds instead. Naturally, the prisoners ignited a flame of hate for the parole officers and were irritated to the fact that they could not execute defense mechanisms. Though they soon unleashed that repressed rage onto weaker prisoners that didn’t give much of a fight. This uncouth procedure continued even after lights out. The only event that would satisfy the guards’ carnal hunger would be the nightly bout between two juveniles. A sadistic mind people must have to enjoy watching children beaten, as blood trickles down the side of their faces. Picou states, â€Å" been accused of atrocious crimes, but they’re still kids.† The correctional facility has created official statements and denied any claims. Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman established, â€Å"There’s a zero-tolerance policy regarding violence and abusive behavior.† In regards to that declaration, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a report that went against what Gusman said. It proved that the guards did use excessive violence, and that it often lead to serious injuries. The prisoners themselves were stripped of their rights as a citizen of the United Stated and a human being. The complaint process for revealing the officers’ demonic attitudes is what’s considered â€Å"broken†. The inmates would fill one out and respectfully pass it to a guard, who would then interrupt the system by failing to give it to a supervising officer. This happened 405 times in a span of ten months, of which 399 were investigated or closed. That meant that close analysis wasn’t done and each case was woefully ignored. Now this happens across the continent without our consent but not always in the form of physical abuse. Approximately 2,570 youth offenders are serving life without parole sentences. They reside in adult prisons and experience inhumane conditions and U.S. is the only country that harbors this situation. Alison Parker, director of the U.S. program at Human Rights Watch says, â€Å"neither youth offenders, nor any other prisoner, should endure any form of physical abuse.† This perversion of power causes a depression over youths. It is often detailed that those people in prison have thoughts of suicide and feel very lonesome, reverberated only by solitary confinement. Parker summarizes, â€Å"Because children are different, shutting the door to growth, development, and rehabilitation turns a sentence of life without parole into a punishment of excessive cruelty. Youth offenders should be given a path to rehabilitation while in prison not forced to forfeit their future.† Not only does the physical stability of people in jail paramount to the severity of the problem, but also mental robustness. Taken from the same article of the Orleans Parish Prison, there are ripple effects that transverse into the real world. Physical and mental wellness of prisoners isn’t a preeminent issue at the moment, but sources indicate that there is a direct connection between what goes in prisons and what happens on the street. Abused prisoners were more likely to return with a fierce rage and unleash it on innocent people, restarting the cycle of brutality. Prisons like OPP are breeding grounds for dangerous criminals to be reused or be born. The weak are at high risk and the incarceration rate in the United States is so preposterous, there is a 1/55 chance in Louisiana that people have of being imprisoned. In 2010 alone, 11,423 arrests were made for just traffic offenses. There is also a disregard for cell placement because violent people would board with harmless ones. They are seen as one in the same while technically there is a degree of fatality we should categorize them in. OPP was planning to construct a new building to better their facilities, but a project won’t shield them from the harsh reality they painted with blood. Case Western Reserve University wrote an article about inmates with severe mental illness. Amy Wilson, adept at researching jail and prison issues, lead the surveys and spoke out about it. â€Å"Reentering the community after a period of incarceration in jail is a complex situation.† Wilson conducted a survey to learn why inmates with mental illnesses don’t take advantage of available mental health services after releases. A sub-survey was operated that asked inmates their priorities when they were released, 65% said housing, 35% money, and only 12% for mental health. Apparently their brain’s well being wasn’t an imminent threat to their overall functional performance. Transition fr om jail to community is often believed to be straightforward, in the sense that their family and friends will support them financially and socially. .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 , .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 .postImageUrl , .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 , .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9:hover , .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9:visited , .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9:active { border:0!important; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9:active , .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9 .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uaf9e16da73ccfc273489839d084d34a9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Madame Bovary: The Tragic Love Triangle Of Yonvill EssayThat is rarely the case though. Some lose everything to driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, and access to house or apartment. They will need to start from the bottom and work their way up the ladder once more. The inmates with severe mental illness are in dire need of social service programs such as public assistance, public mental health, and substance abuse services. To have people acquire these leverages, their basic needs must be met first. We as a society must assume responsibility for taking care of the mentally challenged, and to ensure that both their basic needs and treatment that’s requir ed for the critical transition from jail to community. To the inmates without the mental instability, there is that obstacle of reemployment. The Urban Institute | Justice Policy Center had Christy Vishner, Sara Debus, and Jennifer Yahner look into it. They found out that 8 months after prison, 65% of the respondents had been employed at some point but only 45% were currently employed at the time of the survey. Again, most of them relied on their family and friends for income. People who held a job during prison and joined job-training programs had better employment outcomes than the people who didn’t. They also constituted that in-prison jobs helped people from being incarcerated again. There were high-recidivism rates in the first year of release to people who didn’t participate in the operations, 44% rearrested, and 22% reconvicted, while 10% returned for a new sentence. Summarizing this volume of information comes down to the fact that we must not ignore the people coming out of jail. They just went through something very traumatic and they need our help to bridge the gap we precariously built to separate our two societies. Transitioning into a financial perspective, the expenditures for imprisoning people are skyrocketing figures, and on top of America’s $15 trillion dollar debt, they have the audacity to spend so much on putting people behind bars. As stated before, the U.S. is the world leader in incarceration with 2.2 million people in prisons or jails, and that number is growing. There has been a 500% increase over the last 30 years, this results in prison overcrowding and state governments are overwhelmed by burden of funding the penal system. This continually happens, despite the increasing evidence that large-scale incarceration is not the most effective in achieving public safety. One of the states in danger of overspending is Michigan. Their education system is competing for funds because it’s directly transmitted into the upkeep of prisons and jails. There is a major gap in Michigan education and 62% of jobs will require a post-secondary education by 2018. Less than 40% of today ’s workers qualify for that stipulation. Prisons and universities battle for shrinking state budgets, but much of the budget is protected and cannot be cut in the near term. The higher education finances are the least protected and therefore suffer the deepest cuts. Doug Rothwell, CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan, articulates that, â€Å"Our public universities are a major driver of Michigan’s economy, yet we are spending more on a prisoner in one year, than we are to help a Michigan student go to college for 4 years. This investment strategy is upside down if we want to attract business investment and good paying jobs.† Rothwell clearly understands the importance of schooling in Michigan than other people who advocate for prison spending. Greater powers are at work to protect prison budgets by putting a lot of people in jail and for longer. They want to show that they care about â€Å"Law Order† and prove their toughness on crime. Corporations that run outsourced prisons want to raise revenues. Th ey promote tough mandatory sentencing and parole restrictions. Michigan is a high-cost jailer, it imprisons 51% more of its residents compared to its neighbors. While across the continental divide, California confronts its problems. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former California governor, sums it all up in a matter of numbers. 30 years ago, 10% of the general fund went to higher education and only 3% went to prisons. Today, almost 11% go to prisons and only 7.5% go to higher education. .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 , .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 .postImageUrl , .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 , .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7:hover , .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7:visited , .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7:active { border:0!important; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7:active , .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7 .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u24dfc7f450db34313633617b0d5d8da7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Republic Book I EssayThis route doesn’t help in improving the economy, proceeding into the future, or even the U.S.’ infamous world title in incarceration. With state revenues pressured among other things and prison budgets off-limits to the public, funds for higher education have been slashed. This causes colleges and universities to raise tuitions to keep afloat. Michigan-based companies will have to to move jobs out-of-state, and every other state hesitates to expand in Michigan. North Carolina on the other hand makes the right choices. They have an economy similar to Michigan’s but travels to better ground by funding education more than prisons . As a result, a 4-year degree costs about $38,215 in Michigan, and only $18,887 in North Carolina. To financially connect this to the previous paragraph, nonviolent LWOP (life without parole) prisoners are costing taxpayers over $1.7 billion dollars more if LWOP isn’t an option. U.S. private companies are supporting for more imprisonment. The Corrections Corp. of America gained $1.7 billion dollars in 2010. The Geo Group gained $1.2 billion, each companies’ CEO making an average of $3.3 million. The state and federal government filter money into private prisons, making them into a multi-billion dollar industry. This can be avoided of course by trimming correctional expenditures. If they cut the incarceration of nonviolent offenders by half, the U.S. budget would decrease by $16.9 billion per year! State governments could save $7.6 billion while local governments could save $7.2 billion dollars. In 2008, federal, state, and local governments spent about $75 billion on corrections. The only plausible explanation for this absurd spending is an increase in criminal activity. But that data only contributes to a miniscule scale in the rise of incarceration. Violent and property crime rose and fell over the years, but the rate is still continuing to escalate rapidly. There are numerous ways to downsize costs, but that also means colossal repercussions and major work. The number one way to make this situation better is to cut down the number of non-violent offenders in prisons or jails in half. This would be ideal, but again, there will be chaos and people will riot. Though for change to occur, compromises must be made and consequences be dealt with. That is the pri ce of the American dream. In conclusion, the surreal bubble we surround ourselves is naive and masks the darkness underneath. There are higher powers at work here, that means the faceless corporations and the red-handed government workers. They continue to orchestrate dastardly deeds behind our backs, and we were too blinded to see it. The extent of the magnitude the U.S. imprisons its own citizens is inconceivable. We have dug a grave three times deeper than the next guy. The well being of prisoners is underrated and should be called attention to. Also the billions of dollars the U.S. wastes on the maintenance of correctional facilities is astonishing. All of this, happening beneath our noses. As the great Roger â€Å"Verbal† Kint in the Usual Suspects said, â€Å"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.† Works Cited 1.Brodwin, David. How High Prison Costs Slash Education and Hurt the Economy. US News. U.S.News World Report, 24 May 2012. Web. 3 May 2014.  . 2.Filipovic, Jill. The Incalculable Cost of Mass Incarceration | Al Jazeera America. The Incalculable Cost of Mass Incarceration | Al Jazeera America. N.p., 22 Nov. 2013. Web. 3 May 2014.  . 3.Released Inmates Need Programs to Meet Basic, Mental Health Needs, Study Shows. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 Jan. 2014. Web. 1 May 2014.  . 4.Schmitt, John, Kris Warner, and Sarika Gupta. The High Budgetary Cost of Incarceration. Washington, DC: Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2010. Center for Economic and Policy Research. June 2010. Web. 3 May 2014.  . 5.The Sentencing Project News Incarceration. The Sentencing Project News Incarceration. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2014.  . 6.US: Harsh Conditions for Young Lifers | Human Rights Watch. US: Harsh Conditions for Young Lifers | Human Rights Watch. N.p., 3 Jan. 2012. Web. 2 May 2014.  . 7.Vishner, Christy, Sara Debus, and Jennifer Yahner. Employment after Prison: A Longitudinal Study of Releasees in Three States. (n.d.): 1-9. Urban Institute | Justice Policy Center. Oct. 2008. Web. 1 May 2014. 8.Webster, Richard A. Prison Guards, Inmate Detail Brutality inside Jail. New Orleans CityBusiness. N.p., 17 Nov. 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.  . 9.Criminal Justice Fact Sheet. NAACP. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2014.  .