Commentary on The Poem of the Cid Essay - 1239 Words

Commentary on The Poem of the Cid Poetry played a vital role in the dissemination of information during the Crusade period. It provided a compact, easily memorized way of spreading news in a time bereft of the benefit of mass printing. According to Michael Routledge, who penned a chapter on Crusade songs and poetry in The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades, poetry was not only a way of recording and spreading news of current events, but also served to record and extoll the virtues and values of the ruling Medieval aristocracy. These values included commitment to ones lord, and an acceptance of the feudal duties of auxilium (armed help in time of attack by enemies) and consilium (counsel and rendering of justice)†¦show more content†¦As a free agent, so to speak, the Cid would have been able to claim authority over whatever territory he conquered, and could even wage war against his former lord (Nelson 1). Instead, the Cid continues to carry out his duties as a vassal in absentia. The Cids adventures take him deep into the interior of Moorish Spain and yield a multitude of spoils. Throughout the poem, the Cid sends Alfonso a share of these riches, as a token of his loyalty. On three separate occasions, the Cid sends his loyal vassal, the knight Minaya, to deliver horses taken in battle to Alfonso. The horses, eventually totaling 330, serve as a catalyst for the Cid regaining his lords favor. The first attempt fails, but the second gains the Cid the right to be reunited with his wife and two daughters. The third equine gift, after his conquest of Valencia and subsequent defeat of a Muslim army sent to relieve the city, gains him back his former status. In addition to portraying the Cid as a an exemplar of what a loyal vassal should be, the Poem of the Cid also serves as a guide on how to be a excellent lord. He is generous to his followers and is respectful of their ideas and advice. He trusts the loyal Minaya to act as his intermediary to Alfonso. During the trial to end the Poe m, the Cids vassals offer up a challenge to arms in order to protect his honor (Nelson 1) The University of Kansass Lynn Nelson sees the Cids reconciliation gifts as a test of Alfonsos honor. She says the giftsShow MoreRelatedSanskrit6594 Words   |  27 Pages(around 400 BCE) KÄ tyÄ yana composed VÄ rtikas on PÄ Ã¡ ¹â€¡inian sÃ… ©tras. Pataà ±jali, who lived three centuries after PÄ Ã¡ ¹â€¡ini, wrote the MahÄ bhÄ Ã¡ ¹ £ya, the Great Commentary on the Aá ¹ £Ã¡ ¹ ­Ã„ dhyÄ yÄ « and VÄ rtikas. Because of these three ancient Sanskrit grammarians this grammar is called Trimuni VyÄ karana. To understand the meaning of sutras Jayaditya and VÄ mana wrote the commentary named KÄ sikÄ  600 CE. PÄ Ã¡ ¹â€¡inian grammar is based on 14 Shiva sutras (aphorisms). Here whole MÄ trika (alphabet) is abbreviated. This abbreviationRead MorePast, Present Future Role of Computers in Fisheries13859 Words   |  56 PagesThe name comes from the main character in the Old English epic poem Beowulf. A Beowulf cluster of workstations is a group of usually identical PC computers, configured into a multi-computer architecture, running a Open Source Unix-like operating system, such as BSD (http://www.freebsd.org/, accessed 12 January 2008), Linux (http://www.linux.org/, accessed 12 January 2008) or Solaris (http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/index.jsp?cid=921933, accessed 12 January 2008). They are joined into a small

The Death Penalty Should Be Abolished Essay - 1634 Words

The only crime punishable by death in New Zealand is treason, the death penalty for murder and piracy having been abolished in 1961, but none the less there were no death sentences known given because of treason 1. Then on 26th December 1989 when a private members bill was pushed into effect, marking New Zealand as a country where no crimes warrants a death punishment 2. Over the years crimes that once would be given death penalty has increased so reintroducing the death penalty should be considered, benefits with this law back in practice include better results of deterrence, government funds re-invested in crime preventions instead of crime punishments and most of all through the death penalty law all criminals offending such level of crime will leave the community and government no worries of potential recidivism. While its downsides would crimes being more violent and much more police assaults and innocent casualties occurring when chasing homicide criminals. 1 Capital Punishment | 1966 encyclopaedia of New Zealand, accessed 26th September, 2015. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/capital-punishment 2 New Zealand and the Death Penalty | Amnesty International, accessed 26th September, 2015. https://www.amnesty.org.nz/new-zealand-and-death-penalty Starting with money investment and opportunity cost, prison is an extremely expensive way of dealing with crime. In March 2010 it cost, on average, $90,977 to keep a prisoner in jail for a year 3. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Death Penalty Should Be Abolished1192 Words   |  5 PagesNo Death Penalty Capital crime is something that is meant for people that are found guilty of committing a serious crime, such as murder, rape, or theft. These are offences that should not be taken lightly but by killing the offender, the government is carrying about the action that they are trying to prevent. Also, the wrong person may be sentenced to death. After this person is executed, there is obviously nothing that can be done for the terrible mistake to be reversed. The death penalty shouldRead MoreShould The Death Penalty Be Abolished?. The Death Penalty982 Words   |  4 PagesShould the death penalty be abolished? The death penalty is a â€Å"term that applies to capital punishment and is the worst penalty given for committing a murder or an atrocious assault.† (Black s Law Dictionary). Death penalty has been a part of human society and is legally approved for centuries. The first established death penalty laws date as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes. Death sentencesRead MoreShould The Death Penalty Be Abolished?1925 Words   |  8 Pages Abstract This paper explores five published articles that report on discussion on the very old and yet to answer question of whether the death penalty in the USA should be abolished? The articles, however, vary in their stand on death penalty. In all article it is very different on publisher stand. They discuss thing argument with their own way and vision of thinking. Adina Nicoleta (2011) has raised question for fair trial on the proceeding of the criminal cases. In other article Maestro MarcelloRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Abolished1534 Words   |  7 PagesIntro The death penalty gives humans in our legal system rights to decide who deserves to live, a power only God should possess. Capital Punishment takes away our rights as equals. From its origins, the death penalty has been an inhumane, costly, ineffective, and biased form of punishment that needs to be abolished granting everyone their right to live. History of the Death Penalty Down through history, the death penalty has been adapted to be justifiable in the eyes of the people. By alteringRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Abolished1523 Words   |  7 Pagescriminals has been performed by nearly every society to date. The death penalty came to the Americas when European settlers brought the idea of capitol punishment from Britain. The ideology behind taking someone’s life for crimes they have committed is a simple one. If a person commits a hennas crime such as murder or rape, they shall receive the death penalty. In more recent times we now see many countries abolishing the death penalty. The trend suggests that the capitol punishment policies still implementedRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Abolished1306 Words   |  6 Pageschanged since the 17th century, so why not the age old penalty of death? Capital punishment in the United States is a highly debated topic. Arguments that want to get rid of this method of punishment usually mention th e many problems that capital punishment is plagued with. The death penalty has many issues that cannot be resolved, and since these issues can’t be solved, the death penalty should be abolished. â€Å"The irrevocable nature of the death penalty renders it an unsustainable and indefensible remedyRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Abolished1440 Words   |  6 PagesThe death penalty is a very controversial topic in the United States. It is implemented for the purpose of providing safety to the community and bringing justice to victims and their families. The death penalty is legal in thirty-one states (â€Å"31 States†), and there are over forty different types of federal capital crimes that are eligible for the death penalty. These include crimes such as treason and kidnapping that results in murder (â€Å"41 Federal†). However, many argue whether the death penalty isRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Abolished968 Words   |  4 PagesEvery year, thousands of lives are legally taken under the death penalty. Why should we take more lives than the ones that have already been taken? The death penalty is the punishment of execution, carried out legally against an individual convicted of a capital crime. Its proponents argue that the death penalty deters other criminals who may intend to commit similar crimes in the future. However, there is little statistical evidence to support this claim. Also, execution eliminates the criminalRead MoreShould The Death Penalty Be Abolished?1350 Words   |  6 PagesShould the death penalty be abolished? The death penalty, also known as capital punishment is a legal procedure in which a state executes a person for crimes he/she has committed. This punishment has been used by many states, and is normally used for serious crimes, especially murder. It is also used on crimes against the state such as treason, crimes against humanity, espionage, and violent crimes while other states use it as part of military justice. There are mixed reactions on capital punishmentRead MoreShould The Death Penalty Be Abolished?1443 Words   |  6 Pages 6 Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished in the United States? Adalynne Francis CRJU 1000 Dr. Huss November 14, 14 Should capital punishment/ death penalty be abolished in the United States? Many feel that the death penalty is immoral and question whether the state and federal government deserve the right to kill those whom it has imprisoned. On the other hand, those opposed feel that by not acting upon the death penalty communities would plunge in anarchy and that by

Assessing Contamination Of The Great Lakes Environmental Sciences Essay Free Essays

Worlds are changing the Earth ‘s environment in dramatic and progressively permeant ways ( Vasseur, et Al. 2002 ) . The ever-increasing human population, along with an explosive addition in ingestion, exacerbates the impact on aquatic and tellurian ecosystems as a consequence of land usage from agribusiness and human colony, natural resource usage, transit and diversion, waste from domestic, municipal and industrial development ( Vasseur, et Al. We will write a custom essay sample on Assessing Contamination Of The Great Lakes Environmental Sciences Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2002 ) . There is now abundant grounds that ecosystems at regional and planetary degrees have become extremely stressed and dysfunctional ( Rapport, Costanza and McMichael 1998 ) . For illustration, the widespread dispersion of man-made chemicals may be changing carnal endocrine and immune systems that are needed for normal growing, development and disease opposition ( Vasseur, et Al. 2002 ) . Additionally, decrease in biodiversity could extinguish anchor species, create discontinuities in ecosystem food and energy tracts, and enhance exposures to important losingss of ecosystem services following anthropogenetic perturbations ( Vasseur, et Al. 2002 ) . The services provided by ecosystems are highly of import to human public assistance ( Tremblay and Gilman 1995 ) . These stressed, degraded and disrupted ecosystems have and could go on to ensue in dramatic ecological, wellness, economic and societal impacts ( Vasseur, et Al. 2002 ) . The Great Lakes constitute the largest organic structure of surface fresh water on Earth and is one of the most valuable natural resources ( Tremblay and Gilman 1995 ) . The Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario are freshwater inland seas of huge importance for H2O ingestion, diversion, piscaries, power, transit, and many other utilizations ( EPA, National Water Quality Inventory: Report to Congress 2009 ) . The Great Lakes are besides a major industrial and agricultural part of North America ( EPA, Where Would We Be Without the Great Lakes? 2010 ) . A statement sing the position of the Great Lakes found in the â€Å" National Water Quality Inventory: Report to Congress in 2009 † says: â€Å" Of the eight provinces surrounding the Great Lakes, six reported on the status of their Great Lakes shoreline stat mis. About 1,070 of 5,521 entire Great Lakes shoreline stat mis were assessed in 2004, and of these, 93 % were reported as impaired. The prima causes of damage included PCBs, toxic organics, pesticides, and dioxins † Since the 1970 ‘s, supervising informations have shown the presence of waterborne toxic chemicals in the biology of the Great Lakes through the procedures of bioaccumulation and bioconcentration ( Tremblay and Gilman 1995 ) . The effect of these developments is the beginning for public and scientific concern over how and to what extent the wellness of wildlife and worlds in the Great Lakes basin may be affected by exposure to environmental contaminations ( Tremblay and Gilman 1995 ) . Chemical pollution is a job on a planetary graduated table that occurs about everywhere people live ( Keller 2011 ) . Whether a dismissed chemical is harmful to the aquatic environment depends on a figure of factors, including the type of chemical, its concentration, the timing of its release, conditions conditions, and the organisms life in the country ( NOAA 2008 ) . By the mid 1980 ‘s, over 800 distinguishable chemical substances from these beginnings had been identified in the Great Lakes basin ( Tremblay and Gilman 1995 ) . Of these substances, the most relentless and toxic substances are polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs ) , dioxins, and furans ; the organochlorine pesticides dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethylene ( DDT ) , toxaphene, mirex, dieldrin, and hexachlorobenzene ( HCB ) , heavy metals methylmercury and alkylated lead ; and benzo [ a ] pyrene, a member of a category of substances known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAHs ) ( International Joint Commission 1987 ) . Datas on chemical concentrations indicate the major burdens of relentless toxic chemicals to the Great Lakes occurred between the 1950s and the 1970s, with peak concentrations happening in the mid 1970s ( Tremblay and Gilman 1995 ) . Peoples began to detect sick effects in fish, birds, and mammals, including marks of generative failure, biochemical alterations, inborn deformities, and population diminutions ( World Resource Institute 1998-99 ) . Scientists from NOAA ‘s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory explain the consumption of pollutants as follows: foremost, when organic contaminations reach Great Lakes Waterss, they do non readily fade out or organize chemical bonds with H2O molecules, alternatively, they stick ( adsorb ) to ticket organic-rich atoms, microscopic in size, nowadays in the H2O. Next, some atoms settle to the underside going portion of lake deposits, while other atoms remain suspended ; the aquatic animate beings actively feed on both digesti ng bacteriums and other microscopic nutrient beginnings carried on them. Finally, during digestion, animate beings absorb harmful contaminations as the atoms pass through their digestive piece of land. NOAA ‘s research workers conclude that: â€Å" contaminant exposure is more terrible for benthal ( bottom-dwelling ) animate beings populating in deposits at the lake underside, in add-on to a diet of contaminant-laden nutrient, contaminations can be absorbed across the animate being ‘s tegument, or through their gills as they extract dissolved O from H2O. † With continued exposure over the class of an animate being ‘s life, contaminant concentrations accumulate within the organic structure, if the animate being is eaten by a marauder, its organic structure load of contaminations is transferred, get downing the procedure of biomagnifications of contaminations up the nutrient concatenation. Humans who consume Great Lakes fish are besides at hazard ( NOAA 2005 ) . Biomagnifications of heavy metals is a concern in the Great Lakes, motivating the International Joint Commission to help the United States and Canada to implement the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972 ( International Joint Commission 1987 ) . Heavy metals such as lead, quicksilver, Zn, and Cd, are deposited with natural deposits in the undersides of Waterss where they dissolve. ( Keller 2011 ) . Most heavy metals were straight discharged into the Great Lakes from coal fired power workss, and municipal and medical waste incineration installations ( International Joint Commission 1987 ) . Heavy metal residue which becomes airborne is redeposited from the ambiance through rainfall ( Keller 2011 ) . Of greatest concern is the extremely toxic organic compound, methylmercury, which forms in rivers and lakes when micro-organisms metabolize metallic quicksilver. This toxic signifier of quicksilver so accumulates in fish and when ingested causes quicksilver poisoning in worlds ( World Resource Institute 1998-99 ) . Non point beginning pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt which carries pollutants such as fertilisers, weedkillers and pesticides from agricultural and residential countries ; oil, lubricating oil and toxic chemicals from urban overflow ; deposit from building sites, forest lands and gnawing stream Bankss ; salt from irrigation patterns and acerb mine drainage from abandoned mines ; bacteriums and foods from farm animal, pet wastes, and defective infected systems and deposits them into lakes and rivers ( EPA, What is Non-Point Source Pollution 1994 ) . Acid mine drainage is the consequence of sulphides ( discarded from mining operations ) which oxidize in the presence of H2O and micro-organisms to organize sulphuric acid ( H2SO4 ) ( Colmer and Hinkle 1947 ) . This acerb H2O is highly toxic to workss and animate beings in aquatic ecosystems and can potentially mobilise other harmful chemicals ( Keller 2011 ) . Arsenic is besides a extremel y toxic natural metal which besides has industrial and commercial utilizations in pesticides, weedkillers, antifungals, algaecides, wood preservatives, coal-tar, and pigment ( EPA, Where Would We Be Without the Great Lakes? 2010 ) . Most arsenic originates from atmospheric emanations from smelters, coal-burning power workss, and arsenical weedkiller sprays ; from H2O contaminated by mine shadowings, smelter wastes, and natural mineralization ; and particularly from the ingestion of Marine biology ( Eisler 1988 ) . In Eisler ‘s study to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, most research workers agree on the undermentioned points: ( 1 ) arsenous anhydride may be absorbed by consumption, inspiration, or through pervasion of the tegument or mucose membranes ; ( 2 ) cells accumulate arsenic by utilizing an active conveyance system usually used in phosphate conveyance ; ( 3 ) arsenicals are readily absorbed after consumption, most being quickly excreted in the piss during the first few yearss, or at most a hebdomad ; effects seen after long-run exposure are most likely the consequence of uninterrupted day-to-day exposure, instead than that of bioaccumulation ( Eisler 1988 ) . Nitrogen and P used in agribusiness to fertilise Fieldss creates a procedure known as â€Å" eutrophication † , where run-off of these inordinate foods enter waterways, increasing works life ( typically algae blooms ) which cover the Waterss surface barricading sunshine to workss below while devouring O as they decompose ; ensuing in the decease of fish and aquatic animate beings ( Keller 2011 ) . Biological pollution has become the greatest concern for the Great Lakes. Waterborne human diseases such as cholera, typhoid infections, hepatitis, and dysentery, are the consequence of hapless H2O sanitation. Indeed, several billion people are exposed to and about 2 million people will decease from these diseases each twelvemonth in developing states ( Keller 2011 ) . Cholera, which infects imbibing H2O, can be found in aquatic systems where it remains hibernating in phytoplankton and zooplankton ( Rapport, Costanza and McMichael 1998 ) . Natural jeopardies such as temblors, inundations and hurricanes can do exacerbate eruptions of these waterborne diseases ( Keller 2011 ) . Other environmental conditions that cause algal blooms, such as eutrophication from nitrate and phosphate overflow, and the proliferation of the zooplankton can besides increase the spread of cholera into human populations ( Rapport, Costanza and McMichael 1998 ) . Another important beginning of biological taint occurs when a installation discharges pollution straight into waterways at a peculiar â€Å" point † along its shore through a pipe or channel and hence considered â€Å" point beginning of pollution † ( Salzman and Thompson 2010 ) . This includes sewage intervention workss and industrial installations such as oil refineries, mush and paper Millss, chemical, electronics and car makers ( NOAA 2008 ) . Additionally, there are installations that do non dispatch their wastes straight into a waterway but alternatively empty their wastes into the local sewerage system ( Salzman and Thompson 2010 ) . These sewage intervention workss treat human wastes and direct the treated wastewater to a watercourse or river ( NOAA 2008 ) . During periods of heavy rainfall, sewer systems can be overwhelmed, ensuing in the release of natural sewerage from combined sewer systems designed to roll up both storm H2O and healthful effluent ( EPA, Great Lakes Strategy 2002 ) . Separate healthful sewer systems can besides see untreated discharges related to wet conditions events. These can be caused by inordinate influx and infiltration, unequal care, and deficient moisture conditions conveyance capacity ( EPA, Great Lakes Strategy 2002 ) . Sanitary Sewer Overflows ( SSOs ) and untreated Combined Sewer Overflows ( CSOs ) can incorporate pathogens that lead to beach closings and human wellness concerns, every bit good as O demanding substances that can take to low dissolved O degrees ( EPA, Great Lakes Strategy 2002 ) . During these events, the biochemical oxygen-demanding waste overpowers the Waterss natural cleansing map ( Keller 2011 ) . Possibly the greatest concern of the twenty-first century is the debut and spread of invasive species which threaten the Great Lakes ( International Joint Commission 2002 ) . The primary beginning of aquatic invasive species comes from ships ‘ ballast H2O which they use to assist stabilise them at sea ( Potter n.d. ) . The debut of a individual species can do a sudden and dramatic displacement in the full ecosystem ‘s construction ( EPA, Great Lakes Strategy 2002 ) . New species can significantly alter the interactions between bing species ( and between those species and their inanimate environment ) , making ecosystems that are unstable and unpredictable ( International Joint Commission 2002 ) . The Asiatic Carp consume immense sums of the same nutrient eaten by native fishes, sharply out-competing and finally displacing them wholly ( Potter n.d. ) . Even the tiniest microscopic being found in ballast H2O can take clasp and do a important perturbation in the Great Lakes ( Potter n.d. ) . In each of these instances, harm occurred because native species and ecosystems were non capable of defying infection, infestation, predation or competition from the foreigner species ( International Joint Commission 2002 ) . Water is the most valuable resource we have, indispensable for life on Earth, and we have earnestly diminished the ability of these ecosystems for which we rely on. The human population growing has mostly contributed to the debasement and loss of H2O resources and ecosystems ( Vasseur, et Al. 2002 ) . Viewed as technological admirations, there was really small apprehension of the impact of man-made compounds and pesticides on the environment or human wellness ( Salzman and Thompson 2010 ) . Scientific grounds has helped exemplify some of the human and ecological costs of environmental debasement ( Vasseur, et Al. 2002 ) . Today, certain species of fish in the Great Lakes still have contaminations at high concentrations ( Tremblay and Gilman 1995 ) . Impacts of exposure to the same contaminations show an increased hazard of neurological and generative disfunction, birth defects, and malignant neoplastic disease ( Tremblay and Gilman 1995 ) . In 1969, the flickers that set the contamin ated Cuyahoga River on fire besides enkindled utmost public consciousness and concern for the environment ( Salzman and Thompson 2010 ) . Subsequently, in 1972, the Clean Water Act[ 1 ]was passed, modulating discharges of pollutants into Waterss and established H2O quality criterions ( EPA, History of the Clean Water Act 2010 ) . Though the Clean Water Act[ 2 ]and subsequent Amendments in 1977[ 3 ]would ensue in dramatic decrease of chemical contaminations, such as DDT and PCBs, farther decreases of pollutants will be much more hard to decide ( Tremblay and Gilman 1995 ) . Protecting natural resources and the ecosystems they support will go on to be a planetary concern for future coevalss. How to cite Assessing Contamination Of The Great Lakes Environmental Sciences Essay, Essay examples

Pretrial Detention free essay sample

Today throughout the world pretrial detention has caused many issues in which this paper will look further into. Some of the issues that will be explored in this paper are how pretrial detention is causing overcrowded prisons, and how that is affecting our society. Another issue that will be looked upon is the expression â€Å"innocent until proven guilty†. There are times when a offender waits in jail until his hearing for a number of years and ends up being proved innocent. What should be done for the time lost in this person’s life for waiting in a jail cell for a crime that was never committed? These are issues that concern everyone in our society; this paper will explain possible ways to bring justice to these individuals. Pretrial detention causes all types of issues from the positive and negative effects it takes on people, overcrowded prisons, and weather or not it violates certain amendments. The reason for pretrial detention is the fear that serious criminals may re-offended while in the community. More than 20% of people arrested for murder and released on bail are arrested for new charges this is known as avertable residuals. This could have been prevented if the criminal had been behind bars. About 1/3 of released defendants are either re-arrested for a new offense, failure to appear in court or commit some other violation. Pretrial detention requires that certain dangerous defendants be confined before trial for their own and the community this decision is placed by the judge. Pretrial detention can be good for the community because it controls the future behavior of suspected criminals. However, people ask the question; Is it punishment before trial? Civil libertarians believe it violates the due process clause of the constitution because it means that a person will be held in custody by proven guilty or innocent. Other people argue that it is not punishment because why would society want criminals on the streets who potentially may not show up for their court date or may re-offend. Although pretrial detention is a good way to keep alleged criminals off the street there are many negative effects to it. For example, in Harris county jail down in Texas more than 11,500 inmates are there waiting in pretrial detention which is causing major overcrowding in prisons. In which most of the inmates crimes are possession of crack pipe or minuscule of drugs. In the constitution it guarantees the right to a speedy trial, if that is the case than why are more than 500 of these inmates in Harris county jail in pretrial detention for over a year. About 1,200 have been jailed six months or more though many face only minor felony charges, such as bouncing checks, credit card fraud, trespassing or even civil violations ( Harris County Sheriff Office, 2009). Around 200 inmates, supposedly â€Å"innocent until proven guilty†, have already served then minimum sentence for the crime they may have not even committed. There are plenty of inmates in the Harris county jail that have allegedly been convicted of non-violent crimes that still remain in the jail awaiting trial. Since the jails are so overcrowded many of these inmates end up having mattresses on the floor which they sleep on or they get sent to overcrowded cells. This is not fair to the inmates awaiting trial considering some of them may actually be proven innocent so why should they have to live like that for months and months when they have the wrong person behind bars. This could be seen as a violation of the Fifth Amendment. Out of 38,000 cases last year only 376 people got released on bond. Many offenders even the ones that just get convicted of misdemeanors can not afford to post bond which means they end up in pretrial detention until their trial. This is another reason to why the prisons are becoming so full with allegedly convicted criminals in pretrial detention. The eighth amendment states excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted, yet what exactly is cruel or unusual punishment? Can pretrial detention be considered cruel and unusual punishment considering the alleged criminal may be innocent and spend months to years in pretrial detention for something they may have never committed. Even criminals in pretrial detention who could have convicted a minor crime may not deserve to wait in pretrial detention as long as they do. Although, the alleged criminals in pretrial detention are not being physically punished some defiantly are being mentally punished. However, the justice system does not think about how the alleged criminal feels neither does most of society to them its better to keep someone who may or may not be guilty in pretrial detention then to have them on the streets. However, to the alleged criminal especially the innocent ones this is defiantly cruel and unusual punishment why should they have to be locked up in a little room, and loose months to years on their lives because the United States justice system can not guarantee a speedy trial like there expected to do. The United States criminal justice system should not have alleged criminals wait in pretrial detention if they are being convicted of lesser charges. After the alleged criminals arraignment, the ones of lesser charges should just be set on bond this way there would be less overcrowding in prisons. If the alleged criminal could not afford the bond the court should be able to work something out where they lower the bond or the alleged criminal can put something worth value up. The eighth amendments also states excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed. This is to protect those charged with crimes so they have a fair chance to post bond or bail and not have to wait in pretrial detention. There are still a countless number of alleged criminals in pretrial detention who cannot afford to post bond or bail. This could be considered discrimination to the lower class of society because they may be innocent or have a minor crime and just not have the money to post bond, so why should they have to sit in pretrial detention? In a study done in 1960 by L. Schweitzer (reported in Goldfarb, 1965), it was found that of the 114,653 people who received pretrial detention because they could not pay bail, only 27% were subsequently convicted and given jail sentences (Ebbesen, Konecni, 1975). In another study in Philadelphia, of 1,000 defendants who could not afford to pay bail and were therefore detained, over two thirds were either acquitted or, if convicted, were not given jail sentences (Ebbesen, Konecni, 1975). There are many ways to look at this amendment and pretrial detention and see how mentally it could be considered cruel and unusual punishment to the alleged offenders. The Fifth Amendment states that no one can be tried for a serious crime unless indicted by a grand jury. No one can be forced to testify against themselves. No one can be punished without due process of law and people must be paid for property taken for public use. Due process is a very important part when a suspected offender is going through the criminal justice system. The person under arrest can only be held so long without the criminal justice system violating the due process clause. A person waiting in pretrial detention depends on the due process clause so they do not have to wait a lengthy time in pretrial detention and have a right to a fair and speedy trial by a jury of thier peers. In the United States v. Salerno, the United States Supreme Court held that pretrial detention without bail on the grounds of dangerousness violates neither the fifth nor eighth amendment to the United States Constitution (Eason, 1988). Although, pretrial detention does not violate the fifth nor eighth amendment according to the Supreme Court to the individual waiting for trial they can feel like their rights are being violated depending on the time they wait in pretrial detention. Amendment six in the constitution states in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial. Although, this is in the United States Constitution people who sit in pretrial detention and await their speedy trial may question what exactly is a speedy trial? In the United States a speedy trial is when the defendant is tried for the alleged crimes within a reasonable time after being arrested. Often the question asked is does the trial come speedy enough, under the sixth amendment it all comes down to the circumstances of the case itself sometimes cases can even be dropped if the alleged criminal waits to long in pretrial detention. Since there is no hard and fast rule on how long is too long, one rule of thumb is eight months. This means that that the alleged offender should have a trial within eight months or it is considred too long that the alleged criminal has waited in pretrial detetion. For example murder cases can take at least six months and often longer before even going to trial to some people a half year to years is not their definition of a speedy trial. Minor cases like small amount of drugs where the person may only get charged with a misdemeanor or minor felony charge usually take place within six months even then having to wait six months for a minor crime or a crime not even committed can seem like a lengthy time to sit in pretrial detention. This is definitely making the prisons very overcrowded and criminals who need to stay in jail may be released early due to all the inmates in pretrial detention awaiting their speedy trial. Raymond Buckley, a defendant in the national publicized McMartin preschool molestation case, was detained for almost four years without bail (Miller Guggenheim, 1990-1991). Raymond Buckley was accused of molestation of a preschool boy by a paranoid schizophrenia mother. There were over 360 children supposedly who had been abused but there were no physical evidence to prove anything. Prosecutors questioned the children numerous amount of times and most of the time the children would tell a different story than the last or have bizarre allegations against Buckley. The prosecution then gave up trying to obtain a conviction, and granted Ray Buckey bail. The alleged offender waited four years before his trial in pretrial detention before and was not even convicted of any wrong doing. This case is an example of how the United States Justice System did not give Raymond Buckley a speedy trial. Although, in the end he was convicted of 39 of the 52 accounts the trial should have been much faster, four years before even getting to trial is defiantly too long to wait in pretrial detention. Pretrial detention causes all types of issues from the positive and negative effects it takes on people, overcrowded prisons, and weather or not it violates certain amendments like the fifth, sixth and eighth. Pretrial detention does have its positive effects like keeping criminals who may re offend off the streets which makes our society safer. It is causing overcrowding in prisons which means other criminals are being released early and it is costing our tax dollars more to keep people in prison. According to the United States Constitution people in pretrial detention have a right to a speedy trial and no cruel and unusual punishment shall be brought upon them. However, the question then becomes what is a speedy trial along with what is considered cruel and unusual punishment. Sitting in a jail cell for a crime a person may or may not have committed waiting to go to trial that can take months to years this may seem cruel and defiantly not a speedy trial. Although, if the alleged offender is being tried within eight months it is technically is considered speedy trial by law. Eight months to the alleged offender may not seem speedy enough for them especially if they end up being innocent. Pretrial detention is a significant issue that needs to be looked upon more then it is currently is, there are issues that need to be done to fix the problems that occur in pretrial detention.