Essay
Gina Gargano
"The Denunciation of a Meritocracy"
Integral to the advancement of minorities and women lies in the denouncement of a meritocracy—a tool used to subdue the oppressed based on the assertion that they do not work as hard as those in power, or possess a similar skillset. One of the biggest contributing factors to the unequal exploitation of resources in the United States remains the preservation of the false narrative that holds if someone simply works hard enough, he or she can achieve success. The term implies not only that the status associated with the meritorious serves as a direct result of their abilities, but that they deserve any privileges which they accrue. Groups facing cross-cultural discrimination have endured the marginalization of their struggles for far too long; at this critical point in the modern era, society must shift from one of individualism to one of collectivism by bridging the gap between equal opportunity and equal outcome. To shift from the standard of meritocracy that fails to account for inequity, change must take place on both the governmental and individual level—policy must codify anti-discriminatory practices and promote affirmative action, while working with law enforcement to deliver justice to those who counteract this legislation in perpetuation of the prejudice rooted in this fallacy.
John Veasey
"Homeland Security"
The U.S. continues to project strength at home and abroad protecting its interests and allies through economic ways, military aid, and information sharing mechanisms. This strength allows the U.S. to maneuver around the world in allied states and in contested territory. However, the U.S. is fighting in a new battleground in the 21st century currently plaguing its businesses, financial markets, elections, allies, and possibly the power grid. This battleground is fought on the internet where individual hackers, rogue nations, terrorist groups, and U.S. adversaries use cyberattacks against our country. The intent of these attacks is to steal intellectual information, money, identities, or to disturb the U.S. interests and programs.
Kaitlyn Wood
"Collateral Consequences on African American Felons"
A multitude of stereotypes and ‘collateral consequences’ follow felons in America for a lifetime. Collateral consequences “refer to the statutory restrictions imposed by state and federal legislative bodies on a criminally convicted person’s rights,” (Walker, Spohn, & DeLone, 2016). These restrictions cover a wide span of territory that affect “a convicted person’s employment and business opportunities, deny access to government benefits and program participation, including student loans, housing, contracting and other forms of participation in civic life,” such as the right to vote (Berson, 2013). These consequences disproportionally affect the African American population more than any other group in the country.
Kaitlyn Wood
"Employment Equality for Females in Criminal Justice"
This paper discusses the issues surrounding the lack of females in positions of power within law enforcement. It examines the reasons as to why this might be, including: gender discrimination, and gender role stereotypes, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. This paper concludes with programs and policies that can work to change these discrepancies in the future of law enforcement.