• Home
• Order now
• Prices
• How we help
• Press
• Law marking
• Contact us
• Resources
• Log in

Press Freedom System | Human Rights Law Essay

Press Freedom

The press, usually referred as the fourth estate, plays a much important role of informing the public about what is happening not only in their country but also in the world. Press can be defined as a system in which the public is informed. Press freedom is the act of having a free and fair media which is able to give correct information without fear of victimization.

According to my opinion, for the press to carry out its work effectively, it must have a degree of freedom which will enable it to inform the public in the right manner without being gagged by the authorities. This ensures that it informs the public the good and the bad especially what concerns the authorities

The press should have the necessary freedom in order to act in the capacity of the fourth estate. This ensures that there is a check and balance in the exercising of power particularly by the authority. Press freedom enables the press to reveal even the most secret information that the public could not have known. Press freedom is health for existence of a democratic nation.

Unfortunately our country which is a big crusader for press freedom has not lived up to its crusade. The recent survey on press freedom ranks the United States at the 11^th position; this shows that press freedom has not being granted in the country. As we mentioned earlier, press freedom goes hand in hand with democracy. In the same ranking, the United States is ranked 15^th in terms development of democracy. President George Bush has gone on records as one of the US president who used national resources to try and bring democracy in the world including Iraq. In the same fight he has stressed the need for free and fair press that is not interfered with by the authority. He has termed it as necessary for “today democratic nation”.

I think opponents to press freedom should rethink their stand and support the need to have a free and fair press. This is important in order to ensure that there is little interference from the authorities on matters concerning press freedom. This will ensure that the public is informed well.

Use of media in fighting crime

The media is one of the most influential systems of informing the public. This influence can be used on a negative of a positive note. Media can be one of the most effective means of fighting crimes through its influence.

I think that media holds a lot of influence especially among the youths. In the context of fighting crimes the media can be used to inform the public and at the same time influence the youths positively to avoid crime. The media is the one which portrays crimes as lucrative career to the youth and it can also be used to reverse this influence.

I believe that media can effectively fight crime especially among the youths. This is because media is used as one of the most influential means of informing the youth. It is at his juncture that it can use protective means of fighting crimes.

Studies have reviewed the commercial pressures can be used to determines the new medias contemporary treatment of crime and violence and the coverage of crimes has played a role in reshaping public opinion and criminal justice policy. It has been shown that the way the media displays crime can create a positive or negative influence among the population. (Beale, 2006)

The opponents of use of media to fight crimes should rethink their stands and instead encourage airing of educative materials that can help the youths avert criminal activities.

Police brutality

Police are given the authority for looking over the public in order to protect them. They ensure that everyone has a space to enjoy their freedom but does not interfere with the right and freedom of others in doing so. This means the police have a duty of deterring crimes. However in doing so, they are not allowed to use excessive force. Police brutality can be defined as the act of police acting outside their code of conduct in their work.

I believe that the police should not use excessive force while dealing with the public. The policy is given the authority of looking over the public and not harassing them. The use of brutal force by the police amounts to harassment of the public, and violation of human rights.

It is right for the police to use minimal force especially when arresting the public. This police are given a code of conduct which guides them in their work. The code of ethics defines the extent to which police are allowed to use force especially in subduing an arrest, but they should not misuse it.

The human right watch group is one of the most active groups that have been campaign for end of police brutality. In their recent report, they showed that there was police brutality most of that states including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D. C., Portland, and Providence. The Attorney General has acknowledged that there is a problem of police brutality that need to be death with.

I would urge proponents of police brutality to think of the welfare of the public and campaign for the end of police brutality. This is because many people in the public domain continue to suffer helplessly. The police should be encouraged to work within the code of conduct according to their allegiance.

Death Penalty should be abolished

Death penalty is the execution of a person on bases of having being convicted of a crime of serious magnitude like murder. Death penalty is often seen as the most lethal form of punishment that someone can be sentenced to.

In my opinion death penalty should be abolished. Death penalty is a crude means of punishing criminals. I believe that it is not eth best way to punish criminals since it doesn't lead to any reformation of the person.

Death punishment should be done away with for many reasons. First it is against the religious belief of many people to take away the life of another person. Second the legal system does not always give the utmost correct judgment which may see some innocent people robbed off their lives. Third, it does not lead to any kind of reformation but rather it just instills fear on potential criminal although it has not lowered the rate of capital crimes.

The first execution data was correct in the US from 1930. The trend in capital punishment declined in 1960s to 1980s but it peaked up again in 1990s. From 1977 up to 1999, 598 people had been executed. Many states have put in place laws on capital execution but recently there have put in place committees to review capital punishment for possible revision. (Models, 1999)

Proponent of death penalty as a form of punishment should cross the floor and see the value of human life. This is because the aim of punishment is to reform the criminal and deter crime activities neither of which death has achieved.

The biasness of criminal justice system against women

Criminal justice system is the system in which justice is ensured among all people. Criminal justice system has discriminated against women for a long time by failing to institute the necessary measures to protect the rights of women.

Women are considered minority citizens in most countries. I feel that criminal justice system has failed to protect the rights of women especially from men. Many women are abused on daily bases by their men colleague. Women and girls face the most serious form of human rights violation because of their sex.

There have been many forums of abuse against women and our legal system has mover so swiftly to address them. I feel that our criminal justice system has not protected women because it should have fought of equal rights between men and women. Our criminal justice system doe not address the issue rights of women enough as provided by international standards.

There are many data that portray that our criminal justice system has failed to protect our women. In one instance, the Philadelphia Police Department was accused of trying to dump over 400 rape case in 2000 by filing the rapes under a minor “2701” call for service category. This meant that these cases would to be investigated properly. This is just one of the instance in which our criminal justice system has failed to protect our women and our female children. There are other many cases like the 2002 survey of 63 domestic violence where police to take evidence, and others which portrays failure of the criminal justice system.

There is still much that has to be done on our criminal justice system in order to ensure that our women are protected. It is time for the lawmaker and implementers to get serious on the issue and become more responsive to the needs of our women.

The war on drugs

The war on drugs has been one of the main duties of the police force in America. Trafficking and use of drugs has been one of the most reported crimes and has been considered as prime cause of other crimes committed especially by the youths. The police have responded to the trafficking and use of drugs with by waging a serious war aimed at eliminating the crime.

I feel that the war is worth and should be continued fro as long as the police can win it. The police force should not give up on the war although it has produced less convincing results to us but the extent to which it prevents proliferation of other crimes has been rested.

The war on drugs should be continued because we cannot sit and watch as our children are destroyed by drug barons and the rate of crimes increase. Stopping the war on drugs would amount to legalizing the use of drugs in our country which would create some few billionaires and destroy our children not mentioning the way in which it would deteriorate security issues.

In 2003 alone the US government spent over $19 billion dollars on the war and the allocation has been increased. In the same year 269,048 people were arrested under drug law offences. In 2008 the figure is expected to rise above 1,889,810 arrests that were made last year. This shows that the war is promising and should be continued. (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 2001)

Opponent of the war should stop looking at the amount the government is spending on the war but rather look at the benefit it may bring to the public. They should understand that we are all in danger if the war is stopped.

Executive power

The Americana presidency is vested with so many powers in running the country. There has been a ranging debate on whether the powers of the executive should be increased or decreased especially concerning the making of policies. Currently the president is the commander in chief of the armed forces, the head of the state and government, and is vested with other powers like appointing cabinet and ambassadors and others.

The power of the executive should be reduced. There should be a systematic way in which the power of the authority should be shared with the congress instead of increasing the powers. This should be especially in areas of making of foreign policies which has become an issue of debate in the recent past.

Currently the executive is given so much power which makes the institution looks like it owns the country. The country is left under the mercy of the executive the congress and the people are left with less authority as far as governing of the country is concerned. Decreasing the power of the authority will ensure that there is lateral distribution of government responsibilities.

In many instance in the history of the United States, there has been evidence of misuse of executive authority by the presidency. This has been also occasioned by many conflicts between the executive and the congress. The conflict that has been witnessed in the past especially in areas of sending American troops on war necessitates revisiting of our constitutional provision. The executive is the commander in chief of the armed forces while the congress is given to authorize war. There is always an instance of conflict between the two. The war in Iraq has raised criticism with the public blaming President Bush as having led the country into a war.

There is need for us to look our constitution and try to reduce the power of the executive in order to help it share the responsibility of running the country with the congress. This will ensure that the country is not left on mercy of the holder of the office.

Preparedness of the U.S for acts of terror or national emergencies

It is usually the responsibility of the government to take care and protect its citizens even in times of emergencies. Any nation should be well prepared to act in time of emergencies or in times of terror. This means that that country should have a working mechanism that can move in swiftly and mitigate the situation.

I feel that our country is not well prepared to protect its citizens from acts of terror or nationals emergencies. Still there is not working mechanism that shows how the country is able to respond to these emergencies although with time states are putting in place some department to respond to emergencies.

There have been many instances that have proved that United States is not prepared to handle this emergence. The act of terror of September 11 stills linger in our mind as one which clearly showed lack of intelligence and capability to respond to emergences. The Katrina hurricanes nailed this further as the government failed to respond swiftly to save those who were affected. If the government could have been prepared life could not have been lost in both incidences.

There are still those who think that our country is prepared for emergencies but the above incidences and many others confirm this. Opponents of this should take this as a challenge to help the government come up with working strategies to prepare for emergencies.

Reference:

• Beale, S. (2006). The News Media's Influence on Criminal Justice Policy. Duke Law School Legal Study Paper No. 148, Duke University, 2006.
• Models, R. (1999). Death Penalty. Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict, Vol. 3: 157
• National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Shoveling Up: The Impact of Substance Abuse, January 2001

Tweet

Do you need to translate this page?

To translate this page into another language, please select the correct language from the box below.

LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC HELP? We can help you in many law areas!

Did you know that we also provide a service that can help you in other law areas such as:

• GCSE Law Coursework
• A Level Law Coursework
• Law Essay Writing
• BVC/BPTC Writing
• LLM Writing
• LPC letter drafting
• Opinion Writing
• English Legal System
• And much more!

Want to see what our customers say about us? Click here to watch our video.

Want to become a writer for Law Teacher and earn up to £4,000 per month? Click here now!

Secure your law degree, order your human rights law essay right now!

Order Now. It takes less than 2 minutes.

1. * Name   
2. * Email   
3. * Phone   

1. * Your essay question 
   (please give as much detail as possible)  

Copyright © 2012 All Answers Ltd. All Answers Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with Company Registration No: 4964706 VAT Registration No: 842417633 - Law Teacher - The law essay professionals