The ethical appraisal of the scientific paper which is about placeobo Essay

The ethical appraisal of the scientific paper which is about placeobo uploaded - Essay Example This paper discusses one such experiment conducted on live human subjects with use of a sham acupuncture device and an inert pill (composed mostly of starch and colored blue); the objective of the experiment was to determine the placebo effects and also measure how its supposedly enhanced effects can possibly alter the course of the ailment, which was persistent arm pain (upper extremities) due to repetitive use strain injury (Kaptchuk et al. 1). Issues on ethics are examined in the way this experiment was conducted, selection of participants, how informed consent was obtained, and other related ethical issues which might adversely affect them. In terms of selection of potential participants, the study was conducted in an ethical manner as all selected participants were willing to join the study; this means participation was voluntary, and they can opt out at any time they want at any period during the study. Further, all of them were informed of the probable side effects (pain aggravation for acupuncture and dryness of the mouth, dizziness, sleepiness and restlessness for amitriptyline) and so informed consent was properly obtained all throughout the recruitment process (ibid. 2). A study physician was always assigned and present for the duration of the research study to ensure safety of subjects, such as if they ever experienced nocebo or any side effects whatsoever. Moreover, the study authors intentionally shortened the run-in period from the original four weeks to two weeks to minimize any possible harm that might result if the participants were deprived of actual treatment for longer periods. However, an ethical ques tion is always raised by the use of placebo treatments, because the sick participants were deprived of the treatments that could have cured them of the disease or at least minimized their pain or symptoms. This was actually what happened, as several participants within the

Iatrogenics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Iatrogenics - Research Paper Example The term Iatrogenic is defined as â€Å"induced in patient by physician’s actions, manner and therapy†. This term is specifically used to describe complications or adverse effects medical advice or treatment. Similarly, a pathological variation leading to detrimental consequences in a patient’s health caused by inappropriate practice of health care professionals is regarded as iatrogenic condition. According to WHO, iatrogenic disease may be defined as adverse drug reactions or complications induced by non drug medical interventions. Darchy et al., (1998) defined it, as a disease stimulated by drug prescribed by the doctor after a medical or surgical procedure. Health care associated or hospital acquired infections are a global problem. Iatrogenic frequently leads to severe complications and may require increased use of health care resources and medication, laboratory testing and prolonged duration of hospitalization. Health care personnel targets disease or risk factors for a future ailments by examining, diagnosing and prescribing a procedure for therapy. Most often, the objective of the caregiver is to prevent an ailment however, most of the effective therapies have side effects. Therefore, a dispute remains whether the benefits outweigh the harm. Initially, the focal point of iatrogenic infections is actions or inactions in terms of services of health care professionals such as physicians, pharmacists, therapists, nurses, psychologist etc. Also, the service environment of a hospital may be basis of iatrogenic (White, MA and Kleber, 2008). The estimated deaths caused by iatrogenic illness are 250,000 that make it third largest causes of deaths in U.S. (White, MA and Kleber, 2008). It costs about 6 billion pounds each year in United Kingdom for compensation (one tenth of NHS budget). History: Word iatrogenic is derived from â€Å"Iatros† a Greek word meaning brought forth by healer. Iatrogenic history can be traced back to 1800 s, when prior to implementation of aseptic techniques (hand washing and use of sterile gloves) thousands of women died due to puerperal fever; an infectious disease that was transferred between patients following delivery. Likewise, many soldiers that were injured in civil war died due to infections caused by health care personal in hospital tents. Later in 1847, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis introduced the concept of hand washing prior to patient handling which dramatically dropped the rate of infections caused by physicians. In modern medical times, in the presence of several aseptic techniques the incidence of infection caused by health care professionals is considerably reduced however, still it is regarded as a major issue in medical science (Cina and Perper, 2010). Presentations: Iatrogenic harm caused from errors in diagnosis can be broadly divided into three types: false positive results (diagnosing a disease/disorder in a individual who does not have one), false negatives (mis-diagnosi ng a disease/disorder in an individual or misjudging the severity of a disease/disorder) and failure to respond and execute to a long term treatment or recovery in a disease. It is a result of procedures or therapeutic treatments or diagnostic examinations. Most of the iatrogenic conditions become clinically evident during the hospital stay however, the infections caused

Business to Business Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words - 1

Business to Business Marketing - Essay Example SPSL can take the following steps for organizing its sales force system: †¢ Call and Lead management. SPSL needs to plan for each and every customer interaction and make a record of every successful lead. A sales force system will help the company in complying with the company’s process and will certainly result in successful interactions. †¢ Opportunity management. If the process of sales force system is implemented correctly, than this will result in a profitable opportunity for the company and will result in an opportunity for sales. †¢ Account management. SPSL has to effectively organize all the successful leads and integrate with customer accounts by implementing the sales force system. It could then be measured by relevant tools, process, and objectives of the sales force system. †¢ Territory management— for monitoring the account, the territory is measured by the number of account reps and prospective versus active customers. †¢ Effective time management. SPSL needs to accurately measure the tasks which are related with implementing the sales force system and evaluate the time needed for performing each task. †¢ Sales force management. This crucial process includes training and developing the company’s sales staff regarding the sales force management system. Apart from that the management of SPSL should implement relevant IT systems and control process and spread it across relevant people and departments of the company.

PROGRESS REPORT FOR CO-OP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words - 1

PROGRESS REPORT FOR CO-OP - Essay Example However, despite the progress that the company has been making, training employees remains its main activity in a bid to remain competitive and keep pace with rivals. When this company was under the leadership of Steve Jobs, it had adopted a distribution channel system that encompassed intermediaries who were authorized dealers. The strategy worked with excellence in most parts of the world, lately, the strategy seems not to be working as expected since competitors have changed tact, and adopted strategies that give them competitive advantages above Apple Inc. The company has been on a mission to recruit and train cashiers, public relation personnel in their different stores (Wentland, 2007), managers and other employees, so that they can help tackle the prevailing marketing and management challenges. At the same time, the company is recruiting and training ambitious young people so that they can add creativity and innovativeness that was left void when its creative genius and founder, Steve Jobs passed on. Apple Inc. offers electronics and related products, with its main area of interest being development of computer hardwares and softwares. The company has been doing this by use of creative young people who understand the current needs of the market as well as their ability to read strategies of competitors and counter them. However, in the recent past, the company has not been able to effectively tackle issues of technology development as well as marketing because the systems that have been adopted by clients have outdone its strategies in a great way. This is the main constraint that the company has been facing, something that has prompted a serious concern for training of new and dynamic workers who can turn round the fortunes of the company. The training program that has been developed is aimed at training managers on

Naming the Minerals Essay Example for Free

Naming the Minerals Essay Name the minerals below. Then, insert a percentage of how certain you are in your identification. Finally, explain your percentage of certainty: What was confusing about this mineral? What other minerals do you think it could be? Remember, the minerals in the virtual lab include seven of the following: borax, calcite, corundum, graphite, gypsum, orthoclase feldspar, pyrite, quartz, talc, and topaz. Identification of Mineral Percent Certain Explanation of Certainty Example: Fluorite 80% certain I am almost certain this mineral is fluorite, but I am not completely sure. Fluorite and gypsum are both white, shiny, have white streaks, cleave, and show no reaction to acid. However, the specific gravity of this mineral is 3.18, which is higher than gypsum, so I am pretty sure it is fluorite. Mineral 1: Pyrite 80% certain I am almost sure that this mineral is pyrite because it is gold and has a black streak. The only thinks that do not match up is the specific gravity and the hardness. Mineral 2: Talc 100% certain I am certain that this mineral is talc because the hardness, specific gravity, color, streak and acid reaction are all the same. I am almost sure that this mineral is pyrite because it is gold and has a black streak. The only thinks that do not match up is the specific gravity and the hardness.. Mineral 3:Calcite 100% certain I am certain that this mineral is calcite because it is the only mineral on the list that is white and had an active bubbling acid affect. Mineral 4: Orthoclase Feldspar 90% certain I am almost certain that this mineral is orthoclase feldspar because everything matches but the hardness. The only other mineral it could be is corundum and the hardness is nine and I feel that that is way too high to be my mineral. My mineral matches best with orthoclase feldspar. Mineral 5:Quartz 100% certain I am almost certain that this mineral is quartz because it completely matches the description. Mineral 6: Gypsum 100% certain I am certain that this mineral is gypsum because the color, specific gravity, hardness, streak, luster and cleavage all match up to gypsum Mineral 7:Graphite 90% certain I am almost certain that this mineral is graphite. The only thing that does not match up is the acid reaction. When I ran the test I did not see any reaction with the acid but graphite does react to acid. I did not see any other options because the mineral is black and the streak is brown. So I am almost positive that the mineral is graphite. Part 3: Summary Write a summary answering the following: What are the four requirements for a material to be classified as a mineral? How do you differentiate between minerals? Briefly summarize the six methods to tell minerals apart. Summarize the major differences between minerals and rocks. For a solid to be classified as a mineral it must meet these four requirements: naturally solid, formed by inorganic processes, have characteristics of crystal structure, and a specific chemical composition. In order to tell minerals apart you can use these six methods: luster or color, streak, specific gravity, cleavage fracture, hardness, and acidity. Luster is the intensity that light reflects off of a mineral. A mineral may be shiny, pearly, or even metallic. Some minerals may be distinguishable by their color. By dragging a mineral across a streak plate its mineral powder will leave a streak with a particular color, but this is not a very reliable way of identifying a mineral. By dividing the weight of a mineral in water by the weight of the water you can get the specific gravity of a mineral. Another method is by determining if the mineral has cleavage or fracture. When broken a rock will either be in rounded chunks, fractured, or it be flat with corners, cleavage. Using the M oh’s Hardness Scale you can determine minerals hardness. Hydrochloric acid placed on a mineral will determine whether a mineral contains calcium carbonate. The difference between minerals and rock is that rocks are aggregates. This means a collection of minerals that intergroup together; sometimes many kinds in one rock.

Cooking - Sauce Essay Example for Free

Cooking Sauce Essay Choose the most appropriate answer for each question.Shade your choice on the Objective Answer Sheet. 1. Egg whites will whip up into a better foam if a) they are at room temperature b) they are well chilled c) they have small amount of baking soda added to them d) they have small amount of oil added to them 2. Which of the following combination is incorrect ? a) Cinnamon-bank b) Cumin-seed c) Marjoram-root d) Clove-bud 3. Potato is a a) starch b) vegetables c) both a and b d) neither a nor b 4. Which of the following terms is associated with broiling? a) low heat b) tender food items c) slow d) all of the above 5. Deglazing takes place after a) broiling b) grilling c) deep-frying d) sautà ©ing 6. Which of the following might produce a cloudy stock? a) Using the fresh bone b) Covering the pot c) Skimming frequently d) Simmering gently 7. ____________are made from forcemeats of poultry or game wrapped in the skin of the bird and poached in an appropriate stock. a) Quenelles b) Pate c) Terrine d) Gelatine 8. When making mayonnaise,it is essential to ____________. a) Beat the egg yolks well in a bowl b) Have all the ingredients as cold as possible c) Use highly flavoured ingredients d) Add the boil all at once 9. The_________ of a slice of meat determines its cooking time. a) thickness b) grade c) weight d) age 10. Which of the following thick soups are most likely to contain seafood? a) cream soup b) purees c) bisque d) potages 11. Vegetables are least likely to be__________ . a) poached b) braised c) boiled d) deep fried 12. _________ can protect a roast from drying while cooking. a) cooking it fat side up b) barding c) larding d) all of the above 13. To make a white roux with 250gm of butter,you will need a) 500 ml cornstarch b) 125 gm flour c) 250 ml flour d) 250 gm flour e) 14. Which of the following is not a function of fats in baked goods? a) to give firmness to the structure b) to add moistness c) to give crust color d) to increase product qualities 15. Artichokes and asparagus are considered as a) cabbage family b) shoots c) leafy vegetables d) onion family 16. A liaison is added to a sauce __________. a) at any time during cooking b) at the beginning of cooking c) just before the sauce is reduced d) at the end of cooking 17. Which of the following is least likely to be found in a sachet? a) bay leaf b) garlic c) peppercorn d) dried thyme 18. A prawn is a ___________. a) large shrimp b) green shrimp c) crustacean d) both a and c 19. Which of the following would generally not to be served with fish a) caper sauce b) lemon butter sauce c) demi glace d) tartare sauce 20. Which is the best answer that describes the effects of heat to food composition i. Proteins coagulate ii. Sugar caramelize iii. Water evaporates iv. Fat solidify v. Starches gelatinized a) i only b) i and ii only c) i,ii,iii and v d) all the above PART B TRUE AND FALSE Shade the letter ‘T’ if the statement is True and ‘F’ if the statement is False on the True/False Answer Sheet. 1. Bones that are exposed to air during cooking will turn dark and this will discolour the stock. 2. Broth and bouillon refer to simple,clear soups without solid ingredients. 3. Low temperature produces the best cooked eggs. 4. Yeast is a non living microscopic plant. 5. A heavy whipping cream has a fat content between 36%-40%. 6. In standard breading procedure moist items should be held longer before to extract moisture. 7. Red snapper is a type of fresh water fish. 8. Hard cheeses,such as parmesan can be grated easily. 9. A squab is a young pigeon with light and tender meat. 10. Marbling separates muscle fibers making them easier to chew. 11. The market form of whole fish usually has had the viscera removed. 12. All kind of scraps can be used in stocks at all time with no exception. 13. Rigor mortises is the stiffness in an animals muscles,due to chemical changes in the flesh. 14. The compound that colors red vegetables red is carotenoids. 15. The neck and back of a chicken is the best bones for stock making. 16. A classical Tomato Sauce is made with roux. 17. In order to obtain the maximum volume from whipped eggs white,all traces of fat must be eliminated. 18. The term dressing also refers to â€Å"food stuff† that is baked separately. 19. The chef cold larder supervises the cold meat department and breading of meats,fish and seafood. 20. Whole spices take shorter time to release its flavour. PART D SHORT ESSAY Answer ALL questions. QUESTION 1 Explain why sauces that are finished with butter must be served immediately. The sauce should then be served immediately if it is allowed to stand,the butter may separate. QUESTION 2 Name and explain the three(3) ingredients that made up a sauce. -A liquid ,which is the body of the sauce. -A thickening agent -An additional seasoning and flavouring ingredients. QUESTION 3 Names the five(5) important parts of meat tenderloin and briefly describe the characteristics of the meat. 1-chateaubriand 2-fillets 3-tornedos 4-fillet migaou 5-goulash QUESTION 4 Give the definitions of herbs and spices.Name four(4) spices and four(4) herbs that are commonly used in cookery. Herbs are the leaves of certain plants used in flavouring.The examples of herbs are thymes,bay leaves,rosemary and basil. Spices are any part of plant,other than that,the leaves used in flavouring.The examples of spices are celery seeds,cumin seeds,caraway seeds and cloves. QUESTION 5 List the four(4) basic ingredients of clear meat. i. Lean ground meat ii. Egg white iii. Mirepoix iv. Acid ingredients QUESTION 6 What is different between marbling and barding? Marbling is fat deposited within muscle tissue while barding is tying slices of fat over the surface of meat to protect them while roasting.

Criminology Essays Criminal Cult Crime

Criminology Essays Criminal Cult Crime Criminal Cult Crime CHaPTER 1: INTRODUCTION a criminal cult is a group or movement exhibiting a higher or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea. Criminal cults commit crimes ranging from homicide, (Branch Davidians, 1993), arson, drug trafficking, terrorism (aum shinrikyo, 1995), burglary, suicide, (Heaven’s Gate, 1997), and child abuse (Hare Krishnas, 1990). Many individuals in society have wondered about prevalence of criminal cults in recent decades (Lottick, 2005). since 1960, mental health professionals estimate that two to five million americans have been involved with criminal cult groups the 1960’s (Langone, 2003). adults and youths can become criminal cult members. Most criminal cult members come from normal, functioning families, and are educated. Youths overwhelmed by school and parental demands and perplexed by society may affiliate with a criminal cult (singer, 2003). a limited example of destructive cults are presented here, such as the Branch Davidians, led by David Koresh 1981 to1993, aum shirinkyo, led by shoko asahara from 1987 to 1995, (Parachini, 2005). In 1969, there has been a 13% increase in the Us of criminal cults established since 2002 (Fagan, 2004). Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Background since the 1980s’fundamentalists movements have tripled in size (Ranstorp, 2002). Religious violence fills the pages and media each and everyday (Kent, 2004). There are thousands of unrecognized new religious movements in society (Perlmutter, 2004). at no time in history as today, have more religions existed. society now faces more threats from small and new dangerous cults (Kent, 2004). Many cults resort to violence when the group feels threatened by society and young and inexperience leaders resort to violence when threatened â€Å"from inside or outside† the group (Traverton et al, 2005, p. xiv). Law enforcement needs to understand the complexity of religious differences and the problems new religious movements may generate (Perlmutter, 2004). Police agencies have a challenge to determine the danger many cults impose on society (szubin et al, 2002). Cult groups can turn to violence against society (Langone, 2007). Cult group vary in size, different in doctrines, and perceive the world different (szubin et al, 2002). Many high-profile events can be linked to cults (Merton Bromley, 2002). abusive religions are usually detached from society (Kent, 2004). according to Jinkins (2004) fringe religions and cults have often caused fear in the United states (Lewis, 2004). Criminal cases that have received the most attention include the Peoples Temple, Branch Davidians, aum shinrikyo (1995), solar Temple, and Heavens Gate (Lewis, 2004). Groups with apocalyptic expectations are prone to violence due to their world view condemning the existing social order (Lewis, 2004). since many millennial groups regard themselves as the vanguard of the new order, there is a tendency to disregard the existing normative order. according to Kaminer, (2002) religion can cause cruelty and bigotry. all religions have murdered in the name of God (Marty, 2002). Religious terrorism is violence committed of fulfilling a divine command (Lerner Lerner, 2006). Killing in the name of God has escalated in today’s society (Traverton et al, 2005). Most americans can not comprehend religious violence (Marty, 2002). according to Perlmutter, (2004), religious terrorists never consider their violent acts as terrorism. Religious extremists commit savage attacks against society in the name of God (Traverton, 2005). Many religious terrorists will even risk their lives and the lives of innocent bystanders in suicide missions (Lerner Lerner, 2006). There are similarities between terrorism and cults (Mansfield, 2003). The success of a suicide mission earns them martyrdom and an â€Å"elite place in the afterlife† (Lerner Lerner, 2006, p. 1). Terrorists train very hard in order to succeed in their violent acts (Jac kson, 2005). according to Perlmutter (2004) religious terrorism is â€Å"any act of violence or threatened use of violence by a group or individual with the intent of intimidating individuals, citizens or governments in the furtherance of religious objects† (p. 2). according to Gesy, (2003) adolescents who exhibit hostile behaviors do not see themselves as connected to society, nor depending on society. They cut themselves off believing that they are dependent in an attempt to create something they think is new and better. Religious cults criticize society and claim to create a better society for adolescents. according to Richmund (2004) many cults are destructive and manipulative towards members and society. Law enforcement officers have found the connection between satanism and crime (Karlsberg,). Certain cults in society target teenagers (Richmund, 2004). according to Karlsberg, satanism is a threat to the United states and teenagers. satanism is a concern to law enforcement agencies because of the â€Å"violent and bazaar incidents† (p. 1) involving satanic practices. satanism consists of many different beliefs and practices (Lowney, 2002). The Church of satan teaches that there are no standards for being a satanist (Tamara Roloff, 2002). Teenage satanists are known to have committed physical abuse, stabbings, and mutilating other teenagers (Richmund, 2004). There are satanists that visit cemeteries and churches to perform rituals (Lowney, 2002). The cloak of secrecy allows satanists to avoid being arrested by law enforcement officers (Lewis, 2004). Problem statement The general problem in this study is a lack of general access of information for effective law enforcement criminal investigation on criminal cults. Criminal cults commit crimes ranging from homicide, arson, drug trafficking, terrorism, burglary, suicide, and child abuse. The specific problem in this study is there is that there are barriers to obtaining accurate and immediate information to assist law enforcement officers in investigation with criminal cults. Due to the lack of law enforcement having current information regarding criminal cult activities, professional law enforcement groups concerned about criminal cults have no nationalized database of information and must rely upon private independent criminal cult awareness groups. The solution to information sharing is leadership (Ratcliffe. 2007, p. 7). Law enforcement personnel must take advantage of their information-rich environment (Ratcliffe. 2007, p. 1). Intelligence information allows leaders and decision makers to devise better policing and crime prevention, view of crime patterns, and criminal behavior ((Ratcliffe. 2007, p. 3). The appropriate method and research design will be a qualitative research design. The general population of the proposed study will be United states federal, state, and city law enforcement investigators and trainers. Purpose The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to identify and address the barriers that prevent federal, state, and city law enforcement personnel in the United states from obtaining accurate and immediate information on criminal cults. The qualitative approach is appropriate for this study because â€Å"qualitative research aims to achieve an in-depth understanding of a situation† (Cooper schindler, 2006, p. 36). The appropriate research design is survey design. The survey design is appropriate because it allow the researcher â€Å"to question the subjects of the study and collect their responses by personal means† (Cooper schindler, 2006, p. 136). according to Creswell (2005) a questionnaire allows the participant to complete and return to the researcher (p. 360). The specific population group of the proposed study will be federal, state and city law enforcement personnel in that deal with cult investigations and enforcement. The geographic location of the study will be the New York City. Relationships and comparisons will be made with the information obtained from the specific population of the study. significance of the study The significance of this qualitative phenomenological study is that it will offer intelligence information and strategies for federal, state and city law enforcement who deal with cult investigation and enforcement. The study is important because it will offer federal, state, and city law enforcement accurate and immediate information on criminal cults. according to Kotter, â€Å"In order to transform your organization you must establish a sense of urgency, identify and discuss crisis, and form a guiding coalition† (p. 50). The contribution this research may make to current and future generation is effectiveness in dealing with criminal cults through accurate and immediate information on criminal cults. The contribution will also lead to further study in area of criminal cults. significance of study to the field of leadership The significance to the study to the field of leadership will allow leadership in federal, state and city law enforcement to collaborate in the area of criminal cult. Cult groups have the higher risk of breaking the law. according to Gebhardt, (2004), law enforcement officers are in the front line protecting citizens (p. 1). The results of this study will add to the body of leadership knowledge literature by â€Å"getting rid of obstacles to change, and develop leaders in the organization who can implement the vision† (Kotter, 1999, p. 50). Law enforcement must work, and face leadership challenges together (Gebhardt, p. 2, 2004). Management â€Å"leads, directs, or manages the organization towards its goals† Dantzker, p. 146, 2003). Nature of the study a qualitative method was appropriated for this research study because qualitative research allows an â€Å"interpretive naturalistic approach to the subject matter† (Denzin 1994, p. 2). The qualitative research arena is the natural setting with an attempt at interpreting and making sense of observable facts by the meaning people give to them. Qualitative research focuses on human behavior in a â€Å"social, cultural, and political contexts in which they occur† (salkind, 2003, p. 13). The qualitative approach refutes the existence of an â€Å"external reality† (Joniak, 2002, p. 2). searle defines external reality as that which exists â€Å"outside and independent† of one’s interpretation (1995, p. 154). Qualitative research embraces internal veracity with an understanding and appreciation of the knowledge acquired. Qualitative research is much more subjective than quantitative research and uses very different methods of collecting information, mainly individual, in-depth interviews and focus groups. The nature of this type of research is exploratory and open-ended. small numbers of people are interviewed in-depth and/or a relatively small number of focus groups are conducted. Participants are asked to respond to general questions and the interviewer or group moderator probes and explores their responses to identify and define peoples perceptions, opinions and feelings about the topic or idea being discussed and to determine the degree of agreement that exists in the group. The quality of the findings from qualitative research is directly dependent upon the skill, experience and sensitivity of the interviewer or group moderator. This type of research is often less costly than surveys and is extremely effective in acquiring information about peoples communications needs and their responses to and views about specific communications. It is often the method of choice in instances where quantitative measurement is not required. a phenomenological survey design gave the researcher the opportunity to gather the appropriate information to the study. according to Cooper and schindler (2003) â€Å"the research design â€Å"constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data† (p. 154). The appropriate research design for this study is in-person and telephone interviews and questionnaires distributed to law enforcement officers in the selected population. Research design serves as the â€Å"plan and structure of investigation so conceived as to obtain answers to research questions† (Cooper, 2003, p. 154). Hypothesis/Research Questions The qualitative, ethnographic study provides answers to the following research questions: 1. Why should leaders care about cults or new religious movements? 2. Why are cults a leadership problem? 3. Why is lack of information a significant problem? It is clear that the generation of the cult of personality came about as a result of personal ambition within parties characterized by certain structural features. Principal among these was the low level of institutionalization of the party at all levels: a lack of definition in leadership positions within a formally collective ethos added to a lack of certainty about tenure of office al all levels of the structure. such structural factors were reinforced by circumstances of the partys growth in economically under-developed societies. a focus upon these structural characteristics of the partys constitution and of its social and temporal location as elements of an explanation of the emergence of a personality cult is much more satisfactory than is an idealist focus upon political culture. The cult seems to spring from the concrete circumstances of the political institutions at the time, rather than from some vague set of principles inherited mysteriously from the traditional political culture. These can at best provide a cultural backdrop. In todays turbulent world, the spotlight on individual leaders and their performance grows ever brighter. Those organizations that are sustaining their value-and the reputation of their leaders-in these challenging times have one thing in common: leaders who pay attention to what they will leave behind them after they are gone. They ask themselves what values will sustain the organization over the long haul; what people will say of them; whether the organization they led will still be there to remember them; and if so, what position they will hold in the organizations memory. The paradox at the heart of organizational leadership is that the leader must add value to the organization but must not take it away when he or she leaves. an essential part of a leaders job is to become dispensable through creating a culture of leadership that extends throughout the organization. When an organization becomes incapable and falls apart after the leader departs, the subsequent ruin is, in a sense, a validation of that leaders talent and evidence of the value added during his or her tenure. But it is also evidence of that leaders failure to endow the organization with the qualities needed to transcend previous achievements, the failure to nurture the conditions under which leadership can flourish. These reflections point to the critical questions: Why should leaders care about cults or new religious movements? Why are cults a leadership problem? Why is lack of information a significant problem? Theoretical Framework In developing a theoretical perspective for examining the barriers to obtaining accurate and immediate information to assist law enforcement personnel in investigating cults committing crimes, several theories and concepts apply. several concepts and theories exists that address cults in society (Lifton, 2003; Juergensmeyer, 2001). The super Power syndrome according to Lifton (2003), the super Power syndrome describes deviant behavior as part of â€Å"psychological and political constellation† (p. xii). Individuals and groups find a need to eliminate vulnerability (p. 129) because they fear that vulnerability. Gruenfeld (2006) contends feeling powerless does not allow the individual or group to â€Å"regulate their impulses and control behavior (as sited by Rigoglioso, 2006, p. 1). One maintains an â€Å"illusion of invulnerability† (Lifton, 2003) to feel powerful and in control. according to Gruenfeld (2006), â€Å"power disinhibit the individual or nation† (p. 1) and â€Å"stop trying to control themselves† (p. 3), (as cited by Rigoglioso, 2006). Cognitive Dissonance Theory Leon Festinger invented the cognitive dissonance theory in 1957 (aronsen, 2000, as cited by Kasdin, p. 141, 2000). Cognitive dissonance theory is considered important and â€Å"provocative theory† (p. 141). according to Festinger (1957) cognitive dissonance is psychological tension pertaining to the conditions that aroused the dissonance (Cohen, 1962). Festinger considered the social group as a source of cognitive dissonance (Matz and Wood, p. 22, 2005). Maintaining conflicting principles (e.g. logically incompatible beliefs) or rejecting reasonable behavior to avoid conflict can be increasingly maladaptive (non-beneficial) as the gap being bridged widens, and popular usage tends to stress the maladaptive aspect. Cognitive dissonance is often associated with the tendency for people to resist information that they dont want to think about, because if they did it would create cognitive dissonance, and perhaps require them to act in ways that depart from their comfortable habits. They usually have at least partial awareness of the information, without having moved to full acceptance of it, and are thus in a state of denial about it. This irrational inability to incorporate rational information is perhaps the most common perception of cognitive dissonance, and this or another example of extreme maladaption would appear to be underlying many conceptions of the term in popular usage. according to Matz and Wood (2005), Festinger studied the reactions of doomsday group members when their apocalyptic predictions failed (Matz and Wood, p. 22). Cosmic War Theory Juergensmeyer (2000) developed the Cosmic War Theory. The Cosmic War theory refers to the battle between the forces of evil against the forces of good (Traverton, 2005). The New King James Version Bible (Revelation 20: 8-9), describes the â€Å"armageddon† as, â€Å"satan will be loosed†¦and gather in Gog and Magog, to gather them together for battle and compass†¦ the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them† (p. 401). The forces of evil will be punished eternally in hell and the forces of good will be rewarded eternally by God on earth (NKJV Bible, Revelation 20:12). Most world religions teach about the Day of Judgment (Traverton et al, 2005). The Cosmic War Theory is characterized by the justification of violence, operating on a divine time line, the perception of imminent victory, and making powerful those taking up the cause (p. xii). according to Traverton et al (2005), â€Å"many terrorist groups including the al Qaeda, a re dramatizing their cosmic war paradigm (p. xii). apocalyptic destruction is envisioned as ‘consuming flames’ (p. 32) that will devour evil doers (Lifton, 2003). according to the NKJV Bible, Revelation 20:10, â€Å"and the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.† anti-social Personality Disorder Psychology plays a central role in understanding cults or new religious movements. according to Burke (2006), antisocial personality disorder (asPD) comprise of groupings of personality traits (p. 3). Blackburn (1998) states an individual with aggressive disposition will commit patterns of verbal or physical aggressive acts (as cited by Burke, 2006, p. 3). Burke (2006) identifies dominance over others and aggression as two prominent asPD traits. Hare (1993) states that psychopathy can affect everyone and remain â€Å"under-identified in society† (as cited by Burke, 2006, p. 4). according to Hare (1993) cult leaders with psychopathic behaviors can be identified (as cited by Burke, 2006, p. 4). according to Burke (2006), â€Å"antisocial cult leaders engage in manipulation, domination, and exploitation for their own ends† (p. 5). Charismatic Leadership according to Hobbs and Higgs (2004), charisma, is the Greek word meaning â€Å"gift of grace† was introduced by Max Weber (1947). Weber defines charisma as a personal quality that sets a person apart from ordinary people (Choi, 2006). Leadership is not the same as expertise (Robinson, p. 1, 2005). according to Choi, (2006), the three components of charismatic leadership consist of â€Å"envisioning, empathy, and empowerment† (p. 24). subordinate empowerment transforms the organization (Yukl, 1989). Charismatic leadership attempts to transform the â€Å"values, beliefs, and attitudes of followers† (Conger and Kanungo, p. 7, 2000). Bennis and Goldstein (2003) stated: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ Good leaders make people feel they are at the very heart of things and that, when they are, they are making contributions to the success of the organization. When that happens, they feel centered and that their work has meaning. Leadership gives the workforce a sense of its own meaning, significance, competence, community, and commitment†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (p. 5). according to Conger and Kanungo (1992), charismatic leadership has its negative side. according to Conger and Kanungo (1992) leaders can become extremely narcisstic leading to â€Å"self-serving and grandiose aims, †¦ exaggerated behaviors, lose touch with reality, or become vehicles for pure personal gain† (p. 211). according to Howell and avolio (p. 43, 1992): â€Å" charisma is value neutral it does not distinguish between good or moral and evil or immoral charismatic leadership. This means the risks involved in charismatic leadership are at least as large as the promises. Charisma can lead to blind fanaticism in the service of megalomaniacs and dangerous values, or to heroic self-sacrifice in the service of a beneficial cause. Definition of terms For the purpose of this qualitative study, the following terms and words are defined below: Leadership: Leadership is defined as the process â€Å"organizational members are influenced to facilitate the meeting or the organizational goals and objectives† (Dantzker2003, p. 146,). Cults: Cults are claimed to be deceitful. They are claimed to be harmful to their members. They are claimed to be undermining american values. (Lindlof 1995 , p. 124) Criminal: Of, involving, or having the nature of crime. (Conger et. al. 1997 , p. 55) Law Enforcement: a person employed by a local, state, tribal, or Federal justice agency including law enforcement, courts, district attorneys office. (Howell 1992 , p. 66) Terrorism: The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological. (seale 1995 , p. 81) Religion: a religion is a set of beliefs and practices often organized around supernatural and moral claims. (Denzin 1994 , p. 42) Religious Cult: a system of religious worship; devotion, homage to person or thing. (Denzin 1994 , p. 46) National Database: National Data base is a powerful, fast, multi-jurisdictional search of United states criminal records database. (Howell 1992 , p. 106) self Esteem: self-esteem can apply specifically to a particular dimension (for example: I believe I am a good writer, and feel proud of that in particular) (Lindlof 1995 , p. 236) assumptions The researcher has three basic assumptions for this qualitative research study. First, the researcher assumed the law enforcement and intelligence personnel fully understood the anonymity and confidentiality of the research study. second, participants of the study would respond providing their professional perceptions pertaining to the selected topic of the study; and third, the researcher assumed the participants would offer their perspectives and input based on their perception that their feedback to the research study will benefit law enforcement and intelligence personnel. scope, Limitations, and Delimitations after the september 11, 2001 Terrorist attacks, law enforcement leaders need to take within the parameters of the law, a proactive aggressive approach in dealing with religious extremists. a lack of knowledge and intelligence about new religious movements trifles and delays law enforcement tactical and strategic public safety operations. accountability is central to law enforcement leaders because law enforcement personnel are accountable to their agency, community, legal system, and delivery of services (Dantzker, 2003). Law enforcement plays a complex role in society (Walker Katz, p. 7, 2004). Management and leadership are important to an organization Dantzker, p. 146, 2003). at a tactical level, it is necessary to train and retrain the law enforcement, security and intelligence services, and the military to better understand and respond to the terrorist threat. There is a grave lack of knowledge and understanding of the ideologies, organizations and operations of the threat group s. For instance, instead of building the capabilities to disrupt terrorist operations at the launch phase, government enforcement agencies must develop indicators for early detection. as precursors can be procured commercially from pharmacies, chemist stores and hardware stores to manufacture explosives, police must work closely with the service sector to report suspicious procurement. The selected method of this study was a qualitative study. This qualitative study was limited to only those participants that agreed to voluntarily participate in the study. The study was also limited by the number of participants and the amount of time required to answer questionnaires and phone interviews. The study is limited to active law enforcement officers in selected federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This qualitative study was confined to surveying law enforcement officers in various selected law enforcement agencies for this study. since no survey instrument was available, a survey instrument was developed to conduct this qualitative study. summary Many individuals in society have wondered about prevalence of criminal cults in recent decades (Lottick, 2005). a criminal cult is a group or movement exhibiting a higher or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea. Criminal cults commit crimes ranging from homicide, (Branch Davidians, 1993), arson, drug trafficking, terrorism (aum shinrikyo, 1995), burglary, suicide, (Heaven’s Gate, 1997), and child abuse (Hare Krishnas, 1990). according to Kaminer, (2002) religion can cause cruelty and bigotry. all religions have murdered in the name of God (Marty, 2002). Religious terrorism is violence committed of fulfilling a divine command (Lerner Lerner, 2006). Killing in the name of God has escalated in today’s society (Traverton et al, 2005). Law enforcement needs to understand the complexity of religious differences and the problems new religious movements may generate (Perlmutter, 2004). Police agencies have a challenge to determine the danger many cults impose on society (szubin et al, 2002). CHaPTER 2: LITERaTURE REVIEW This chapter, the literature review, identifies and analysis contemporary research on the area of new religious movements, leadership, religious violence, intelligence gathering and analysis, and the role of law enforcement. The purpose of this qualitative, ethnographic study is to identify and address the barriers that prevent federal, state, and city law enforcement personnel in the United states from obtaining accurate and immediate information on criminal cults. an extensive literature search was conducted through the electronic databases of EBsCO, ProQuest, and Questia. a total of 300 peer-reviewed articles, 45 books and 25 dissertations on new religious movements, leadership theories, intelligence gathering, motivation, and adolescent theories were reviewed. a gap in the literature was identified in this study. The gap is the lack of a central law enforcement database on cults for law enforcement agencies to conduct research and comparisons on criminal cases related to cults. Intelligence Gathering and analysis Historically, intelligence sharing with law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies was done as little as possible (Isaacson and O’Connell, 2002). Intelligence is interested in the association among individuals (scully, 2004, p. 1). The role of intelligence is a permanent and important part of the United states government (Cheltenham, p. 227, 2002). Intelligence sharing is very important with other agencies in the war against terrorism (Isaacson and O’Connell, 2002).. Intelligence is information needed to make the United states safe (CIa, 2007). Proper analysis will protect the security of the United states of america (Isaacson and O’Connell, 2002). Intelligence is defined in many ways. Intelligence is defined as â€Å"Information that is gathered clandestinely through ease dropping or other data collection method† (steele, 2006, p. 1). The art and Role of Intelligence Intelligence is defined as â€Å"a product resulting from the collection, processing, integration, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of available information concerning foreign countries or areas†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Cole, 2005, p. 3). Criminal intelligence is the â€Å"creation of intelligence knowledge product that supports decision making in the areas of law enforcement, crime reduction, and crime prevention† (Ratcliffe. 2007, p. 8). Intelligence provides â€Å"knowledge of the enemy†¦what the enemy is doing, capable of doing, and what they may do in the future† (Coles, 2005, p. 3). social intelligence is an â€Å"in depth knowledge of local culture and custom† (scully, 2004, p. 1). The role of intelligence is looking for individuals who want to murder, change the world, and perceive others as the enemy (scully, 2004, p. 3). Cultural intelligence is defined as. â€Å"an analysis of social, political, economical and other demographic information that provides understanding of a people or nations, history, institutions, psychology, belief†¦ and behaviors† (Coles, 2005, p. 1). Cultural intelligence allows the understanding as to â€Å"why a people act as they do and how they think† (Coles, 2005, p. 1). all source analysis is the â€Å"consideration of every type of available information that helps in understanding a specific problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Wolfberg, 2006, p. 40). In law enforcement, open-source information provides intelligence (Ratcliffe. 2007, p. 9). The intelligence community lacks training in thinking â€Å"effectively about the world’s current security environment (Wolfberg, 2006, p. 35). Personnel need training in observation skills of their environment, and the people around them (scully, 2004, p. 4). There is a need to reconstruct how the intelligence community thinks (Wolfberg, 2006, p. 36). In today’s world, violence has moved from great power to small states and individuals (scully, 2004, p. 1). Intelligence experts are surprised over the ruthlessness and violence of terrorists (Wolfberg, 2006, p. 35). Crime analysis and criminal intelligence must blend together. Crime analysis provides the â€Å"what is happening,† and criminal intelligence provides the â€Å"why it is happening† (Ratcliffe. 2007, p. 2). Leaders make policy based on intelligence (CIa, 2007, p. 1). Information must be properly analyzed for relevance. The analyst needs to consider all possible vulnerabilities (Isaacson and O’Connell, 2002). Information is the â€Å"currency of intelligence† (FBI, 2004). Intel