Discussion Questions:
1. According to the article, how have crime figures changed since the 1990’s? Is this true for all sections of New York?
According to the article crime figures had changed since the 1990’s by decreasing, crime rate had decrease even though is not true for all sections of New York because in some places it might increase while in others it may decrease.
2. Is the reduction in crime explainable? What reasons does this article give? Do you agree with them?
According to the reading there are two ways in which the reduction of crime can be explainable, some believed that crime was created because of poverty, joblessness and one of the mayor reasons for why crime dropped was because of crack, the cocaine epidemic had stopped. The other reason that many debate about is that crime had stopped because of the police; they have new ways of how to combat crime. I agree with the reason that crime exist because of poverty, then there would be no crime since there would be no reason for robbing or killing.
3. What are the positives and negatives of Operation Impact?
The positives of Operation Impact are that they are tracking down “Impact Zones” this is good because things would be under control which will mean that crime rate would decrease. The negatives of Operation Impact are that the rookies police officers are the ones that are send to the impact zone. I don’t think they have enough experience to go and face such dangerous zones, the police officers that should be send there are the ones that have more experience.
4. Do you believe that the pressure to crime has resulted in overly aggressive police tactics?
I don’t believe that the pressure to lower crime has resulted in overly aggressive police tactics, I think that crime had stopped due to the strength that the law has on a person, things are more complicated now, if you commit a small crime you will not just get a ticket you will have to spend the night in jail and then go to court. Is such a long process that people just rather not go through, there fore crime has stopped because laws are enforced but not because police officers are aggressive.
5. What factors does professor Karmen say contribute to the reduction in crime? Can you add any other possibilities?
The factors that professor Karmen say contributed to the reduction in crime is that a lot more students are finishing High School and moving on to college, immigration is also a great factor and the job that the police officers do play a mayor role on the decrease of crime.
6. Do you feel that the “law crime rate” That New York enjoys today is something to celebrate? Why or why not?
I do think that the “low crime rate” that New York enjoys today is something to celebrate since the crime has lowered and it keeps lowering and this is because many are finishing High School and going on to college therefore they are getting an education.
viernes, 10 de agosto de 2007
lunes, 6 de agosto de 2007
“Graffiti: Art or Nuisance”
Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you think graffiti “art” attracts so many different types of people?
I think graffiti attracts so many different types of people because everyone has different types of view, some may like it and some don’t, some people like tags others may like throws, etching or bombing. Everyone likes different things and it doesn’t necessarily attract teenagers only there are also older person that may look at it as “art”.
2. Why do businesses oppose the application of fines for not cleaning up graffiti? Do you think this is a fair measure?
I think that businesses oppose the application of fines for cleaning up graffiti because if they were to clean every spot that has graffiti the next day the graffiti would most likely appear again, and is not under their control to stop graffiti. Cleaning it can be very expensive. I don’t think is a fair measurement since is not under their control to stop graffiti and even if they clean it, it would be there again the next day, it is expensive to take it out, therefore it shouldn’t be no ones responsibility to clean it but the government.
3. Discuss the “broken window theory”, which has played an enormous role in the way New York City confronts urban decline. Do you find this theory convincing?
The “broken window theory” is a theory that says for example, if there is a building and a window is broken and the owner doesn’t fix it right away people would most likely think that no body cares about the building, therefore all the windows would be broken. I do find this theory convincing, but this theory is about windows, if someone was to break a window someone could get hurt, but when you do graffiti is a way to express your self and it could also be classified as art.
4. Why does Monserrate call graffiti artist “vandals”? Do you agree with his assessment?
Monserrate called graffiti artist “vandals” because he thinks graffiti is a way for gangs to communicate with each other and if graffiti is enforced that gangs will also be enforced which would mean that violence will be created. I don’t agree with his assessment because not everyone that does graffiti is gang related, for people it might be a way to express themselves. To be heard.
5. How do you think the graffiti problem should be handled?
I think the graffiti “problem” is not going to be able to be stopped; it’s been existing for a long time and many had tried to stop it. Many generations are seeing graffiti as an art and with time is becoming more popular. This would mean that it could appear in more places and the “problem” wouldn’t be solved.
1. Why do you think graffiti “art” attracts so many different types of people?
I think graffiti attracts so many different types of people because everyone has different types of view, some may like it and some don’t, some people like tags others may like throws, etching or bombing. Everyone likes different things and it doesn’t necessarily attract teenagers only there are also older person that may look at it as “art”.
2. Why do businesses oppose the application of fines for not cleaning up graffiti? Do you think this is a fair measure?
I think that businesses oppose the application of fines for cleaning up graffiti because if they were to clean every spot that has graffiti the next day the graffiti would most likely appear again, and is not under their control to stop graffiti. Cleaning it can be very expensive. I don’t think is a fair measurement since is not under their control to stop graffiti and even if they clean it, it would be there again the next day, it is expensive to take it out, therefore it shouldn’t be no ones responsibility to clean it but the government.
3. Discuss the “broken window theory”, which has played an enormous role in the way New York City confronts urban decline. Do you find this theory convincing?
The “broken window theory” is a theory that says for example, if there is a building and a window is broken and the owner doesn’t fix it right away people would most likely think that no body cares about the building, therefore all the windows would be broken. I do find this theory convincing, but this theory is about windows, if someone was to break a window someone could get hurt, but when you do graffiti is a way to express your self and it could also be classified as art.
4. Why does Monserrate call graffiti artist “vandals”? Do you agree with his assessment?
Monserrate called graffiti artist “vandals” because he thinks graffiti is a way for gangs to communicate with each other and if graffiti is enforced that gangs will also be enforced which would mean that violence will be created. I don’t agree with his assessment because not everyone that does graffiti is gang related, for people it might be a way to express themselves. To be heard.
5. How do you think the graffiti problem should be handled?
I think the graffiti “problem” is not going to be able to be stopped; it’s been existing for a long time and many had tried to stop it. Many generations are seeing graffiti as an art and with time is becoming more popular. This would mean that it could appear in more places and the “problem” wouldn’t be solved.
“When I Was a Puerto Rican”
Discussion Questions:
1. Based on what criteria does the principal place Esmeralda? Do you think this decision is reasonable?
The principal places Esmeralda based on the criteria that Esmeralda doesn’t know any English; therefore he wants to place her a year back not caring about how good her report card is. No, I don’t think his decision is reasonable, she shouldn’t be place in the wrong place only because she doesn’t know English, it should be based on her potential, for example her grades were only A’s and B’s.
2. What is the writer’s reaction to her initial placement? Would you do the same if you were in her situation?
The writer’s reaction to her initial placement was very upsetting, she was going to be placed one grade back, she argued with the principal and told him that she was a good student and that she wanted to be placed were she belonged. I would definitely do the same if I was in her situation. I would fight for my rights because it wouldn’t be fare that I’m a good student and just because I don’t know English I would be placed a grade back.
3. Why was her mother worried about her daughters outspoken?
Her mother was worried about her daughters outspoken because in her country she would’ve been called a “malcriada” which means that she is a person who doesn’t have manners, Esmeralda is not supposed to talk back to an adult, that’s disrespectful and her mom was worried because Esmeralda was speaking English to the principal and she didn’t understand what they were talking about.
4. How could her placement have been handled differently?
Her placement could have been handled differently, by the principal showing that he was interested in her, but he wasn’t and he showed it by placing her in one of the worst classes were students didn’t really pay attention in class and sometimes they will just go to sleep in class.
5. How Esmeralda and Miss Brown relate to one another?
Esmeralda and Miss Brown relate to one another by Esmeralda participating in her class, she will always go to the blackboard and as time went by she was reading books and became better at writing in English rather then speaking it.
6. What lesson does Esmeralda learn when she persuades the principal to put her in the eight grade?
The lesson that Esmeralda learns when she persuades the principal to put her in eight grade is that she gets way with what she wanted also that she was able to speak in English and now that she did that she thought that if she is not able to do the deal that her and the principal made, she will be a failure.
7. Do you think placement affects later academic performance?
I do think that her placement affects later academics performance because if she wanted to attend to a good school the placement the she was on will make her look as if she was a bad student not able to accomplish anything and even if she had good grades it was probably because the class was to easy, since it was for students that had academic problems.
1. Based on what criteria does the principal place Esmeralda? Do you think this decision is reasonable?
The principal places Esmeralda based on the criteria that Esmeralda doesn’t know any English; therefore he wants to place her a year back not caring about how good her report card is. No, I don’t think his decision is reasonable, she shouldn’t be place in the wrong place only because she doesn’t know English, it should be based on her potential, for example her grades were only A’s and B’s.
2. What is the writer’s reaction to her initial placement? Would you do the same if you were in her situation?
The writer’s reaction to her initial placement was very upsetting, she was going to be placed one grade back, she argued with the principal and told him that she was a good student and that she wanted to be placed were she belonged. I would definitely do the same if I was in her situation. I would fight for my rights because it wouldn’t be fare that I’m a good student and just because I don’t know English I would be placed a grade back.
3. Why was her mother worried about her daughters outspoken?
Her mother was worried about her daughters outspoken because in her country she would’ve been called a “malcriada” which means that she is a person who doesn’t have manners, Esmeralda is not supposed to talk back to an adult, that’s disrespectful and her mom was worried because Esmeralda was speaking English to the principal and she didn’t understand what they were talking about.
4. How could her placement have been handled differently?
Her placement could have been handled differently, by the principal showing that he was interested in her, but he wasn’t and he showed it by placing her in one of the worst classes were students didn’t really pay attention in class and sometimes they will just go to sleep in class.
5. How Esmeralda and Miss Brown relate to one another?
Esmeralda and Miss Brown relate to one another by Esmeralda participating in her class, she will always go to the blackboard and as time went by she was reading books and became better at writing in English rather then speaking it.
6. What lesson does Esmeralda learn when she persuades the principal to put her in the eight grade?
The lesson that Esmeralda learns when she persuades the principal to put her in eight grade is that she gets way with what she wanted also that she was able to speak in English and now that she did that she thought that if she is not able to do the deal that her and the principal made, she will be a failure.
7. Do you think placement affects later academic performance?
I do think that her placement affects later academics performance because if she wanted to attend to a good school the placement the she was on will make her look as if she was a bad student not able to accomplish anything and even if she had good grades it was probably because the class was to easy, since it was for students that had academic problems.
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