Political State Of Countries Essays - Government Of Russia

Political State Of Countries The political state of countries today is always changing and developing into new and hopefully more efficient methods of running a country. In comparing and contrasting the political setup of two countries a good understanding of the different systems is easily seen. The fall of Communism in many parts of the world has triggered countries like Russia to create new political systems and political parties. This also changes the functioning of the economy and the military. Likewise in India, changes are almost seen daily in the ruling of the country. Comparing and contrasting these two countries involves many areas including the political parties, legislative branch and the executive branch. These topics can be compared and contrasted since The Russian Federation and the country of India are alike yet different in many ways. These two countries both have had a difficult time transitioning into a Democratic political system. In Russia the transition to Democracy was very difficult since this country did not have an established party system and the old system only allowed Communism (Palmer, 344). The major parties to come to light include: Liberal Democratic, Russias Choice, Yabloko, Communist Party, Women of Russia, Our Home, Agrarian, Party of Russian Unity and the Democratic. The most radical reformers like Russias Choice want a quick change to capitalism and just want the economic gain. This group could care less about the negatives involved in the rapid changes. The moderate reformers like the Our Home, the Women of Russia Party and the Yabloko also want capitalism, but in a more moderate way. (Palmer, 345) The communist party is also still running and trying to get back in power. The past comes to haunt many interested in putting communism back into effect. The supporters argue that a new reformed Communist Party would provide secure employment, good lifestyles and economic prosperity. The communist s get support only when the outlook for the economy is bad and fear of unemployment is affecting many workers. (Palmer, 346) The last of these parties is the fascist party called the Liberal Democratic Party. This party platform stated in 1993 elections, calling for a strong army, continued government management of Russias industries, liquidation of the 5000 gangs that control the economy, arm sales to any country or group that wants the buy them, deportation of non-Russians, avoiding mistakes of Hitler in dealing with the West, nuking the Japanese if they continued to pressure Russia to give back some small islands occupied since the end of World War II, a strong dose of anti-Semitism, and finding husbands for all unmarried women. (Palmer, 346) Like Russia, India has several parties in its Democratic system including: The Congress Party, The Bharatiya Janata Party, and The Third Front. India for a long time was considered a single party Democracy and the Congress party ruled for about fifty years. (Palmer, 453) The Congress party used these four items to gain support: charisma of Nehru and Gandhi, the independence movement, the partys broad base in the local way of life and the ability to take in a great range of regional, ideological and communal groups. (Palmer, 453) The Bharatiya Janata Party is a rising group that ranks second to the Congress party and asserts that the majority needs to rise above in India. (Palmer, 453) The executive branch in The Federation of Russia includes a very powerful presidential cabinet. The president is the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces, and has the job to maintain the Constitution and the integrity of the State. (Palmer, 334) If either is threatened the president has the ability to declare a state of emergency and rule by decree only. (Palmer, 334) The president also nominates and can remove government heads and judges. The Russian president is given tremendous power unlike the president of India. The Indian president does have the power of commander-in-chief of all the armed forces but resides as a more symbolic position. The Indian constitution calls for the advice of the Prime Minister in times of emergencies. (Palmer, 445) The president in Russia is also the chief bureaucrat unlike the Indian president who relies on the Prime Minister to do those functions. The Prime Minister of Russia

Contracts Irac Essay Sample Review

Contracts Irac Essay Sample ReviewIruca's Contracts Irac Essay Sample is a good introductory text for college level math. It is well written and presents all the topics you will encounter in an Iruca Essay. It is a very good resource for those planning to do advanced work in math or for those just wanting to brush up on basic skills. It uses the same easy to understand format that is expected of such a good introductory text.It features a 'basics to advanced' tutorial on almost every topic you will encounter as an Iruca Essayer. For example, in Contracts Irac Essay Sample, there is a section on the Student Data Representation and Hypothesis Testing and then includes a chapter on Optimal Use of Corrections in a Formula. A few chapters go into more detail on how to build proofs, design theorem provers, and give tips on how to revise for exams. There are also sections on logic games, strategies for proof for exam, applying calculus in your exams, using examples, and knowing proofs. The sections on labs and answering questions are very helpful and are used in a number of exams.Contracts Irac Essay Sample can be used to supplement a standard college course. Students who are taking introductory courses at any level will find the material presented here to be a good background. If you plan to take Advanced Placement or SAT Math or ACT Math exams, Contracts Irac Essay Sample should come in handy. If you are taking any of the College Board's exams for college credit, Contracts Irac Essay Sample will be helpful as well. And if you want to brush up on a certain topic you may need to include it in your notes to get it right.A course like Contracts Irac Essay Sample is typically considered an Iruca Essay because it offers a direct application of the many topics that are included in Iruca's Textbook. Contracts Irac Essay Sample helps students from all levels of experience with a concise explanation of the concepts in the text.Contracts Irac Essay Sample is a very good introd uction to the Iruca Essay, however you may find that there are a few issues with the text. For example, the first few chapters might seem like they have been drawn out too much. Many students prefer to start off a text this way. I've heard this kind of complaint leveled at Iruca's Textbook, and Contracts Irac Essay Sample can make it a little easier for students who find it overwhelming. But I still find it beneficial to learn the material first before tackling the chapters in more depth.Contracts Irac Essay Sample is organized nicely and includes color photos throughout the text. It has nice tables to help you keep track of your progress, and the printer is easy to read. You can download the eBook and print out your own copies of Contracts Irac Essay Sample. In addition, you can read the eBook online if you want. That makes it really easy to save time and take advantage of the most current technology to do your homework.Contracts Irac Essay Sample is a well-written introduction to the Iruca Essay Textbook and it is useful to those who are just beginning their study of Iruca. In addition, there are some additional materials included in the eBook that can be very helpful. However, if you are going to use Contracts Irac Essay Sample as a guide, remember that you may have to look up some definitions or tips on specific topics if you don't already know them.

Jada Garrison - jgarris5@kent.edu Essays - Neuroscience, Biology

Jada Garrison - jgarris5@kent.edu Essays - Neuroscience, Biology Jada Garrison - [emailprotected] Manchester Hall KSU - Twin Towers Desk 575 Senhauser Drive Kent, Ohio 44234-1079 28 October 2017 Ohio Department of Education 25 South Front Street Columbus, Ohio 43215-4183 To Whom It May Concern, Schedule demands of society cause a great amount of sleep deprivation among adolescents. As a recent high school graduate and now college student, I can feel the difference in how I learn. Many factors could play a part in this but I am positive that the later start to my academic day makes for a huge difference. With my school day starting at nine o'clock in the morning compared to eight o'clock, it gives me time in the morning to better prepare myself for the upcoming day. I feel all high schools across the country should consider beginning the bell schedule later in the morning to benefit the health and performance of their students and faculty. Looking at high schools across the country, 93 percent of them start the school day too early according to the 2014 School Health Policies and Practices Study. The brain does the best thinking when it is in acquisition mode, usually between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again between 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. With most schools starting at the U.S average time of 8:03 a.m. this challenges the student to get a full night of rest. I know we may stay up a little late, but our bodies as a tween/teen is experiencing what is known as a "shift" in our natural sleep schedule. This makes it difficult for bodies to fall asleep before 10:30-11:00 at night. With our bodies resenting sleep we have to fight with ourselves to get motivated in the morning, even if it means we do not get a full eight hours of sleep. The delay wouldn't only boost the student's energy for the school day, it has also been proven to lead to higher scores on standardized tests. Early morning classes can be difficult for the student to be well prepared to obtain the information they are about to be presented. Sleep deprivation can take a toll on a teens decision making process. Studies have shown that the lack of sleep can influence the choices they make and even lead to anxiety, depression, and obesity. Studies have shown that illegal or risky behaviors carried out by older students happen between two and four in the afternoon, with a later start in the morning will result in a later end time in the evening. This may cut crime rates and questionable behavior of students. Even though teens may contribute to the problem buy consuming caffeine to try to wake themselves up or stay up too late on an electronic device, this still resorts back to the bodies build-up of melatonin preventing sleep. The secretion of melatonin is what makes one fall asleep, in teen this doesn't occur until later at night. Parents are affected by this crisis as well. There are some tips for the students and parents to best prepare them for the upcoming battle that they will have to face. One is for students to take brief 15-30 minute naps in the evening, but being cautious not to sleep too long effecting their nightly sleep schedule. Parents should make a great effort to try to create a stable sleep schedule for their children at a young age to help prepare the body for the upcoming struggle. A concerned student, Jada Garrison

60 Synonyms for Walk

60 Synonyms for Walk 60 Synonyms for â€Å"Walk† 60 Synonyms for â€Å"Walk† By Mark Nichol When you walk the walk, talk the talk: Replace the flat-footed verb walk with a more sprightly synonym from this list: 1. Amble: walk easily and/or aimlessly 2. Bounce: walk energetically 3. Clump: walk heavily and/or clumsily 4. Falter: walk unsteadily 5. Foot it: depart or set off by walking 6. Footslog: walk through mud 7. Gimp: see limp 8. Hike: take a long walk, especially in a park or a wilderness area 9. Hobble: walk unsteadily or with difficulty; see also limp 10. Hoof it: see â€Å"foot it† 11. Leg it: see â€Å"foot it† 12. Limp: walk unsteadily because of injury, especially favoring one leg; see also falter 13. Lumber: walk slowly and heavily 14. Lurch: walk slowly but with sudden movements, or furtively 15. March: walk rhythmically alone or in a group according to a specified procedure 16. Mince: walk delicately 17. Mosey: see amble; also, used colloquially in the phrase â€Å"mosey along† 18. Nip: walk briskly or lightly; also used colloquially in the phrase â€Å"nip (on) over† to refer to a brief walk to a certain destination, as if on an errand 19. Pace: walk precisely to mark off a distance, or walk intently or nervously, especially back and forth 20. Parade: walk ostentatiously, as if to show off 21. Perambulate: see stroll; also, travel on foot, or walk to inspect or measure a boundary 22. Peregrinate: walk, especially to travel 23. Plod: walk slowly and heavily, as if reluctant or weary 24. Pound: see lumber 25. Power walk: walk briskly for fitness 26. Prance: walk joyfully, as if dancing or skipping 27. Promenade: see parade 28. Pussyfoot: walk stealthily or warily (also, be noncommittal) 29. Ramble: walk or travel aimlessly (also, talk or write aimlessly, or grow wildly) 30. Roam: see ramble 31. Sashay: see parade 32. Saunter: to walk about easily 33. Scuff: to walk without lifting one’s feet 34. Shamble: see scuff 35. Shuffle: see scuff (also, mix, move around, or rearrange) 36. Stagger: walk unsteadily (also, confuse or hesitate, or shake) 37. Stalk: walk stealthily, as in pursuit 38. Step: walk, or place one’s foot or feet in a new position 39. Stomp: walk heavily, as if in anger 40. Stride: walk purposefully, with long steps 41. Stroll: see saunter 42. Strut: see parade 43. Stumble: walk clumsily or unsteadily, or trip 44. Stump: see lumber 45. Swagger: walk with aggressive self-confidence 46. Tiptoe: walk carefully on the toes or on the balls of the foot, as if in stealth 47. Toddle: see saunter and stagger; especially referring to the unsteady walk of a very young child 48. Totter: see stagger (also, sway or become unstable) 49. Traipse: walk lightly and/or aimlessly 50. Tramp: see lumber and hike 51. Trample: walk so as to crush something underfoot 52. Traverse: walk across or over a distance 53. Tread: walk slowly and steadily 54. Trip: walk lightly; see also stumble 55. Tromp: see lumber 56. Troop: walk in unison, or collectively 57. Trot: see nip 58. Trudge: see plod 59. Waddle: walk clumsily or as if burdened, swinging the body 60. Wander: see ramble Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1How to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and Tricks20 Ways to Cry

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 21

English - Essay Example The official name of this sport is association football. Americans developed a distinct type of football in the 19th century which has subsequently come to be known as American football. This game has basically grown out of two sports, soccer, or association football, and rugby football. Both these games remain as separate sports with each having its own specific set of rules. The international body governing soccer is FIFA, or Federation Internationale de Football Association. The immensely popular World Cup, held at four-year intervals is organized by FIFA, and it also governs all levels of soccer, including professional games on the international level, Olympic competitions and youth leagues. The FIFA World Cup is undoubtedly the sport’s premier event, pitting national teams from 32 countries against one another. American football’s National Football League or NFL is the most popular and major professional league in the world. However, over the years, several other leagues have been formed in North America and Europe. The comparable soccer league known as MLS or Major League Soccer has many teams which have fans worldwide and some of the most famous teams are A.C. Milan of Italy, Ajax Amsterdam of The Netherlands, Manchester United of England, Real Madrid of Spain, Boca Juniors of Argentina, SÃ £o Paulo of Brazil, and Colo Colo of Chile, among others. Both forms of the game, soccer or association football, and American football have some things in common, namely both are played between two teams, in which players try to score a goal by hitting the ball into the opponents’ goal, by using any part of their body except the hands. Players thus have to use remarkable skills of using feet and heads as they kick, dribble, or pass the ball toward the goal or to another player. Although this much remains common to both games, there are some important contrasts and

History of Linux Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

History of Linux - Essay Example Miller and his team have briefly explained the evolution of this free to use software. In 1994, Red Hat Linux 1.0 got released and it was called Red Hat Commercial Linux in the beginning. It was the very first distribution of Linux that utilized the RPM Package Manager as the format of its packaging. In the late 1990s, other variants like Yellow Dog Linux, Mandriva Linux, MEPIS, Debian, etc. were also developed from the Red Hat Linux code base. In 2003 Red Hat severed the distribution line of Red Hat Linux and introduced Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for the enterprise setting. But much before, Fedora Project had taken off, which was an effort of the technical community. Fedora and Red Hat Linux are almost the same distribution since Red Hat explicitly patronized the Fedora Project. In this way, the premium operating system remains a free to use product. In 2004, Red Hat Linux 9 was released. Miller and his team further point out that for the next two years, Fedora legacy project was continued, while the official line of Red Hat Linux came to an end. In 2003, Red Hat Linux merged with the Fedora project and today it mainly service in the form of the Fedora distribution. The RHEL, on the other hand, continues to be distributed as a prime network operating system. In 2011, Distrowatch has marked Fedora as the third most popular distribution of the existing Red Hat Linux legacy following Ubuntu and Mint. 1. Linux supports full multitasking with the help of its robust UNIX code base. Along with the facility of running several background programs simultaneously, you can also access multiple devices such as a hard drive, a modem, and printers in one go. 2. According to InformIT, â€Å"Linux safely uses a portion of your hard drive as virtual memory, which increases the efficiency of your system by keeping active processes in RAM and placing less frequently used or inactive portions of memory on

Youth Work And Anti Social Behaviour Criminology Essay

Youth Work And Anti Social Behaviour Criminology Essay The purpose of this research is to investigate and explore whether youth work helps in preventing Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) amongst young people. It is a worthwhile task to research this specific area as there is little published research on the contribution of youth work in preventing ASB. The research was conducted using young people and youth workers from the youth centre that I was doing my placement in Warwickshire. The data collected was a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative, however the focus of the data collection was on qualitative data. The main findings from the study revealed that the majority of young people and youth workers felt that attending the youth club helps to keep young people out of trouble. It was confirmed that youth clubs play an important role in informing young people about crime and justice issues, and that young people are likely to approach youth workers for help and advice. The services deemed important by young people were highlighted, and differences have been recognised between the services deemed most important to provide by young people and youth workers. Issues regarding the role of youth workers were raised, with differing opinions from both young people and youth workers. It has been illustrated that young people have a very positive attitude towards both youth work and youth workers, which is very important if youth workers are to build and maintain good relationships with young people. It is hoped that this research will provide a valuable insight into the possible role of youth work in preventing ASB to those who work in the field of youth work and crime prevention. Introduction The purpose of this study is to explore the potential role of youth work in preventing Anti-social behaviour(ASB). The topic of ASB and youth crime is one used in election campaigns by all political parties. Since New Labour came to power in 1997 there have been numerous citations of Tony Blairs slogan tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime, especially with regard to the phenomenon of youth crime. The purpose of this research therefore is to add to the debate on ASB prevention and to investigate a potential avenue that could help prevent it, that is, Youth Work. Relatively little published research has been conducted in the UK specifically on youth work and ASB or crime prevention, especially when compared to the US where Sherman et al (1997) has conducted interesting research. It is the purpose of this piece of research to reduce this gap in knowledge. It is hoped that this research will inform both those who work in the youth work arena and crime prevention strategists in general of the possibilities that youth work holds. 1.2 Aims and Objectives The title of the project is Investigate and Explore the role of Youth Work in preventing Anti-Social Behaviour. The broad aim was to explore whether youth work plays a role in preventing young people commit Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) or in severe cases Crime. The objectives of the research were: To search, review and critically examine the available literature on youth work and youth crime prevention. To determine the role and nature of the youth clubs and youth workers in relation to crime prevention To demonstrate and compare the perceptions of youth work from those who attend youth clubs and those who act in the role of youth worker. To establish whether youth work can be an effective means in preventing youth crime 1.3 Definition of terms used There are debates about the precise meaning of the key terms used in this research, therefore these debates will be briefly outlined and the use of terminology justified. There are three main terms that are used within this report that must be defined. These are: anti-social behaviour, youth crime, youth work and young people. These terms each have their own meanings that are debated by academics, researchers, politicians and even the media. The biggest debates regarding terminology centre on the terms youth crime and young people therefore these will be discussed first. There are two initial problems that occur when attempting to define youth crime. Firstly the problem in defining exactly what crime is, and secondly the problem in defining exactly what youth is. Muncie states the common definition of crime usually takes the form similar to that of an act prohibited by criminal law (2004:39). Michael and Adler (1933) take this further stating that in other words, no act can be considered a crime, irrespective of how immoral or damaging it may be, unless it has been made such by legislation (cited by Muncie, 2004:39). On first examination, this definition may seem perfectly viable, however in respect of young people it is argued that such a legal uncontroversial definition is unable to capture the full extent of troublesome behaviour. It is for these reasons that criminologists have used terms such as delinquency and antisocial behaviour to refer to youth misconduct which is not deemed criminal by the law, but is otherwise troublesome. The use of such terms are used to label and criticise youth behaviour such as hanging around on the streets or being loud as anti-social when this would not necessarily be the case had an adult been behaving in the same manner. These terms therefore provide a way in which to discriminate against young peoples, often not excessively offensive, behaviour. With regard to anti-social behaviour, even a definition of what amounts to this has contrasting perspectives. For example, Rutter, Giller and Hagell define anti-social behaviour as criminal behaviour whereas the Home Office do not (1998:1). This could indicate that the location and context in which the term is used can be of significance. It is submitted that over time and in different societies our constructions of what constitutes criminality clearly change. Support for this can be found from Becker who argues that crime is a consequence of social interaction and that crime only occurs once it has been criminalized through public perception and social reaction. Sumner (1990) supports Beckers view and argues that crime and deviance are matters of moral and political judgement as they are ideological concepts that justify inequality (cited in Muncie, 2004:40). Defining youth is also a problematic task. If attempting to define youth by reference to age, there are no precise moments that mark when childhood ends and adulthood begins (Muncie, 2004:41). This important change has become known as the transition between childhood and adulthood. Spence argues that transition suggests a journey from one state to another, involving both personal and social aspects, and it is therefore dependent upon the idea that the two stages are distinct conditions and fundamentally different (2004: 48). One possible approach to pinpoint the occurrence of this transition is to use the age of criminal responsibility, which is currently 10 years old in England and Wales. Ultimately, the concept of youth is one that suggests similarity amongst people of similar age whilst acting as the basis for creating social rules and institutions that reinforce these apparent similarities (Spence, 2005, p.47). However, despite these definitional problems it is important to define youth in relation to crime. In England and Wales, a person who commits a criminal offence who is between the ages of 10 and 17 years will be treated as a juvenile offender, whereas an individual who commits a criminal offence and is between the ages of 18 and 21 years will be tried as a young offender (Davies, Croall and Tyrer (2004. p.57). Having taken these debates into consideration, the use of these terms throughout this report have been used to mean the following: the term youth crime refers to crime committed by those individuals under the age of 18 years, and the term crime indicates an act prohibited by criminal law (Muncie, 2004, p.39). The term young people has been used to mean those individuals over the age of 10 years and below the age of 18 years, as this also reflects the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales. With regard to youth work, it is difficult to give a text book explanation of exactly what youth work is and research has illustrated that youth workers themselves find it difficult to put their role into a sentence that gives justice to both the work of the youth worker and that of the young person (Ingram and Harris, 2005, p.11-12). The nearest one will find to a formal definition of what youth work entails can be found in the statement of values and principles from the National Youth Agency (NYA), which states that the nature and purpose of youth work is: to facilitate and support young peoples growth through dependence to interdependence, by encouraging their personal and social development and enabling them to have a voice, influence and place in their communities and society. (NYA, 2005:17). It is through this definition that the researcher uses the term youth work to mean working with young people to help them achieve a sense of personal fulfilment, as well as work that can help and advice young people in their daily life choices and activities. The term youth worker therefore is used to describe those who carry out this role. 1.4 Organisation of the report The report is divided into four chapters as follows: Chapter Two reviews the design and methodology adopted to conduct the research and provides justification for the design and methods used. Chapter Three presents the findings of the research and analyse these appropriately. Chapter Four is the final chapter and will discuss the main findings from the research. It will also draw on these findings and the literature review in order to argue that youth work has the potential to make a significant contribution to ASB prevention and recommendations for policy makers, practice and further research. The appendices contain copies of all relevant documents referred to throughout the research. CHAPTER 2 Design and Methodology Research Design and methods The overall design of this research incorporated both quantitative and qualitative methods. The researcher aimed to collect these forms of data using questionnaires and focus groups. One set of questionnaires was distributed to six youth workers who works at the youth club. Semi-structured questions formed the interview questions used in focus groups with young people. As the research was an investigation the use of questionnaires was deemed appropriate for the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. Throughout the literature review, it is clear that there is a number of research/theories and approaches that are based on facts within the topic of ASB. An example is that the Home Office have established that young people with a troubled home life are at higher risk of being involved in ASB and crime than those who have not. Using a quantitative design would be inadequate to offer alternative explanations and explain different personal circumstances, for example, why young people who have come from troubled family life get involved in ASB. My research question requires me to ask young people and youth workers whether youth work helps in preventing ASB. A qualitative design would therefore benefit me as it would allow me to ask young people directly through the use of semi-structured interviews. This would therefore include their individual understanding and experiences, rather than being given a choice of options to choose from. It has been stated that qualitative and quantitative research each reflects a different epistemological stance, which ultimately widens the gap between the two (Bryman, 1992). In terms of epistemological framework, quantitative research is strongly linked to the positivist method of studying society, therefore observing the world in an objective manner, whereas qualitative research entails a more subjective approach. These theories explain why quantitative data is often viewed as hard data and qualitative data as real and deep (OReilly, 1996:7). It is therefore submitted that it is not a disadvantage to combine quantitative and qualitative data, but that it is an advantage as the utilisation of the two methods allows for an in-depth investigation, which will allow a more complete account[s] of social reality (Bryman, 1992:126). Questionnaires According to Robson, (2002:230), questionnaires are seen as a predominantly quantitative research method. The questionnaires used in this research asked questions about young people and ASB from the workers point of view, and included both tick boxes and also opportunities to explain further. This offered the researcher qualitative data from the questionnaires. The questionnaire also contained personal data including age, gender, ethnicity, disability and sexuality. Participants were however not asked for their name or any details which would have enabled them to be identified. Below is a table adapted from Munn and Drever(1990) and Sarantakos(2005) which shows the benefits and drawbacks of questionnaires. Fig 1. Benefits Drawbacks Efficient use of time Greater assurance of anonymity for participants Standardised questions and format for data collection Production for quick results Less opportunity for researcher bias Easier for data analysis Allow for a greater coverage of participants Information tends to describe rather than explain Information can be superficial No room for probing, prompting or clarification No opportunity to provide motivation for the participant to take part Identity and conditions are not known Do not allow for additional information The main benefit of using questionnaires in this research was the ability to gain information in a relatively straight forward. This was also helpful for the data analysis stage as questions were all standardised and could easily be organised to produce results for analysis. Focus groups The other method used to collect data in this research was focus groups. Morgan(1998:1) states that, focus groups are group interviews. A moderator guides the interview while a small group discusses the topics that the interviewer raises. Morgan went on to talk about the growth of focus groups as a qualitative research method and how discussions that takes place generate a rich understanding of participants experiences and beliefs'(1998:11). The purpose of a focus group in this research was to offer a deep insight and gain a greater understanding of the opinions that exist towards the research question being explored. Sarantakos (2005) talks about how focus groups can be used as a tool to explain trends and variances through the views of respondents. Below is a table that shows the pros and cons of using focus groups and have been taken from Morgan(1997) and (1998), Bloor et al (2001), Sarantakos (2005). Fig 2 Benefits Drawbacks Ability to gain understanding o complex issues through group discussions Ability to understand uncertainties and ambiguity that can underlie group assessments Allow for easier comparisons of opinions and the similarities and differences that exist Recording data can be problematic Being in a group may hide peoples real opinions The process can be dominated by some members There can be difficulties keeping discussions on track Findings may not be represented The reason why these two methods were used in the research was to enhance the data collected and to enable the researcher to gain a deeper understanding of feelings and opinions that surround the subject. This use of multiple methods is becoming common in social researches which, as stated by Boer et al (2001:12), contribute to the parallel mushrooming commitment of academic researchers to triangulation. Triangulation is a process by which different methods are employed by researchers to ensure that the methods themselves do not distort data but instead produce similar findings. Implementation and changes to Design Due to selected young people not turning up for the focus group, the researcher had to randomly select young people who were present at the time who fitted the criteria. This meant having to postpone the time and some planned activities as the young people had to seek consent first to participate from parents/carers and bring to the researcher signed forms. This meant that the researcher had to do one focus group instead of two that had been planned in the research proposal. Although it would have been good to have two focus group so as to look for similarities and differences in young peoples views, having one group did not make much difference as the researcher felt the young people who participated were a fair representatives of young people who attend youth clubs. Having one focus group, in the researchers opinion was more than enough as the researcher had to consider time needed for analysis. 2.5 Sample Selection and Details of Participants In total there were 14 participants in the study: eight young people, and six youth workers. It was felt that although this was a relatively small sample, it would allow for a greater degree of qualitative data to be collected and analysed. The researcher felt that the sample of young people was, fairly representative of those attending the youth clubs. The sampling method used was convenience or accidental sampling which involves choosing the nearest and most convenience persons to act as respondents. Robson(2002:265). The main limitations to this type of sampling is that there is no way to tell if the findings are representatives of the population or not. Robson(2002:265). However, the researcher tried to make sure that many groups were represented in the study including every age group and gender. One key group that was not included was young people from ethnic minorities group. This was due to the fact that at the time no one who fitted the criteria was present and the area is dominantly white. The participants (both youth workers and young people) were all white British. The age range of the young people was between 13 and 16 years old, with 37.5% being female and 62.5% male. The youth worker participants were 66.7% female and 33.3% male. The table below(Fig 3) shows a detailed breakdown of all participants. Young people Age(years) Male Female Total 13 1 1 2 14 1 1 2 15 2 1 3 16 1 1 Fig 4 Youth Workers Age range Female Male Total 18-25 2 2 25-30 1 1 2 30+ 1 1 2 2.6 Young Peoples Focus Group The researcher arranged semi-structured questions in advance and sent them to the Youth Worker in charge for approval. A place and time was allocated where the group would not be disturbed. By planning in advance, the researcher was able to avoid interruptions and ensure people could not overhear the discussions. Facilitating a focus group allowed the researcher to be creative in the types of questions that she could ask. Interactive and visual exercises were included which enabled young people to keep focused, interested and engaged in the topic. 2.7 Youth workers questionnaire There were several questions that could be compared to the questions given to young people, in order to reach the objective of determining and comparing the perceptions of youth work from youth workers and young people. Due to the mixture of open and closed questions it was possible to extract both quantitative and qualitative data from the youth workers. However, because the sample size was relatively small the focus was to collect qualitative data that was rich in both information and experience. At the youth club the questionnaires were handed to the worker-in-charge who ensured that the researcher was handed the completed questionnaires back. All six questionnaires were completed and returned. Confidentiality was ensured and maintained throughout as the questionnaires were handed out with an envelope for use after completion of the questionnaire. 2.8 Ethical Issues It is vital when completing research that the importance of ethical issues is observed. (Walliman 2006:151). The ethical issues identified for this research can be found in the research proposal (Appedix). No further ethical issues were identified. Consent forms forms were all signed and retuned to the researcher. The researcher further emphasised on confidentiality issues within the group. Throughout the research, all the procedures identified to promote ethical practice were put into place. A place that was free from noise, interruptions or risks that others could overhear was used and this was important in maintaining confidentiality. 2.9 Data Analysis In presenting and discussing the research findings a mixture of summary and descriptive statistics were used. Generalizations from these statistics were kept to a minimum due to the research design and methods adopted. As the research sample was relatively small and manageable, the researcher felt confident to complete the statistical calculations herself. In addition, as the research sample was relatively small it was not thought appropriate to use any other statistical tests in the data analysis CHAPTER 3 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS 3.1 Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to present the findings of the research and provide a basic interpretation of these findings. Quantifiable data will be presented in a graphical format. Qualitative data will be illustrated by quotes and written observations. The findings of the study have been provided through the use of data analysis by using a grounded theory approach. A grounded theory is dedicated to generating theories. It emphasises the importance of empirical fieldwork and the need to link any explanations very closely to what happens in the real world.(Denscombe, 2007:89) The researcher analysed the data after recording all of the information provided from the focus group onto one sheet. This meant putting all of the participants answers to each question together, therefore analysis on possible themes and categories was made easier. An example is provided in Fig 5 below: Key P1=Participant 1 Q1 What do you understand by the term Anti-Social Behaviour? P1- ermm, I think its crime committed by youth like young people P2- ohm ermm I dont know (pause) young people messing around on the streets getting into trouble P3- aint it just teenagers doing nothing on the streets or corner shops P4- Like graffiti, hanging on the streets, smoking, drinking, things that young people do P5- Its like all these guys with hoodies hanging about getting into trouble by misbehaving, acting stupid P6- Petty crime like hanging about on the streets, making noise, vandalising property I used this process to look at specific parts of the interviews which were important in order to meet my research objectives. My data analysis was based on looking for similarities or differences in the answers given and categorising relevant themes. Denscombe (2007:98) states that, the first stage of analysis involves the coding and categorizing of the data. This means the researcher begins to assign bits of raw data to particular categories. Careful scrutiny of the data will allow the researcher to see that certain bits of the data have something in common. 3.2 Focus Group-Young people The objective of having a focus group with young people was ultimately to discover their views on both the youth club they attended, the youth workers that worked there, and whether having a youth club helped keep the young people out of trouble, therefore addressing the issue of reducing and preventing youth crime. In order to do this it was considered important to discover how often the young people actually attended the clubs. Youth club attendance and spare time activities Figure 6 below illustrates that nearly two thirds of the young people, (5, which is 62.5%) attended whenever the clubs were open. It is argued that this is an important finding for the foundation of the research as if young people were not attending the clubs then the potential of youth work to help reduce Anti-social behaviour and crime would be dramatically reduced from the outset. As the youth clubs are regularly attended by young people it was felt that because the youth club studied in this research were not open seven days a week, it was important to try and discover what young people were doing in their spare time when they were not at the club. As was discussed in Chapter Two, according to research, social skills are an important part of the transition into adulthood (Spence, 2005). However, the effect of socialisation and peer group pressure can have differing effects on individuals. It is clear to see from figure 7 below, socialising with friends is a large part of the young peoples lives. It is interesting to observe that only a small proportion (2), which is a quarter of young people thought that they got into trouble in their spare time. This figure could be a result of several different factors such as different opinions as to what is classed as getting into trouble, for example is it only trouble if you have broken the law or when you are being antisocial? Subjective factors such as these could have affected the answers given by the participants and this must be kept in mind when analysing the findings Keeping out of trouble The young people were asked to rate the extent of their agreement to the statement coming to the youth club keeps me out of trouble (question 3). It is submitted that the results (see figure 8 below) are encouraging on several levels. Firstly, no one disagreed with the statement therefore it is possible to argue that the youth clubs could help reduce youth crime, at least for the period in which the young people attended the club. Support for this argument can be found in the fact that 62.5% of young people rated their extent of agreement at 4 or above on the scale. To make a direct comparison, the youth workers were asked the same question (question 6). The results are also illustrated in figure 3 above. It must be remembered when interpreting these findings that the sample size of the two groups were different, as the young people sample (n=8) was larger than the youth worker sample (n=6). The findings from the youth workers indicate a strong extent of agreement that youth clubs do help keep young people out of trouble, illustrated by the fact nearly all responses (4: 66.7%) were marked 4 or above on the scale. # Comparative means to indicate the level of agreement to the statement that youth clubs keep young people out of trouble The role of a youth worker: Question 1-Youth Workers/ Question 10-Young people It was important to discover what the young people and the youth workers perceived to be the role of a youth worker in order to see if there were any major differences. If they were there, these would need to be resolved in order to provide the service that young people want and need. The young people in the stated that someone to offer help/advice as the main role of a youth worker. Help/advice/guidance is one perception of the role that is shared by both the young people and youth workers. There was a difference in that young people felt that to provide activities was an element of the role, as opposed to youth workers. This information was difficult to quantify the data into categories in that the answers given by the youth workers were very serious, whereas the young peoples answers were more focused towards fun and activities as opposed to being focused on serious matters such as guidance The NYA promotes that the main purpose of youth work is the personal and social development of young people and their social inclusion (NYA, 2006:6). . In comparison to Mertons study (2004), which found the role of a youth worker to be a social educator and mentor, it is possible to argue that these elements are also visible in the findings from this research as helping, advising and guiding young people can fit into both of the roles Merton found. Referring to the literature review, I had based my research on the risk factors identified by the home office that increase the chances of young people be involved in ASB. Within these risk factors, peer pressure was established as one of the risk factors associated with ASB. My results supported this as 7 out of 8 young people mentioned copying their friends, trying to fit in and peer pressure as a reason for engaging in ASB. Chapter Four Discussion, Conclusions and Implications 4.1 The most important findings The study found that there was a high level of agreement amongst young people and youth workers that going to the youth club keeps young people out of trouble. It is therefore argued that youth work is already contributing to ASB prevention, at least during the period in which the youth clubs are open. Regarding what the participants thought were the most important services to provide, Q4-YW and Q9-YP, the study found a difference of opinion not only between youth workers and young people, but also amongst youth workers themselves. Young people felt that a place to socialise, access to information and advice, and a safe place to be were the most important services, whereas overall youth workers felt enthusiastic workers and the building of relationships were paramount. If youth work were to hold a substantial ASB or crime prevention role, differences such as these would need to be straightened out in order to ensure the most important services are clearly defined in terms of what the young people want and need from the clubs. With regard to the informative function of youth work, it was found that youth work does indeed play an important role in informing young people about ASB, crime and justice issues. This provides the foundation on which to argue that youth work has an extremely important role in providing young people with information on important issues. The study found that young people were likely to approach a youth worker for support and advice. This is very encouraging in terms of youth work holding and maintaining a successful role in ASB prevention, as it would be paramount that young people feel both confident and comfortable in approaching youth workers for help. It was also illustrated that in general young people have a very positive attitude towards youth workers, which supports the argument that youth workers have the potential to cross the barriers with young people where others fail, especially in terms of promoting pro-social behaviour and social inclusion. This finding als