Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences Research Paper

Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences - Research Paper Example Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that to take a life through a forced confinement for the period of that life is as cruel and unusual for someone who cannot form mature intent as it is to forfeit that life. A proposed study of the effects of this sentence on these offenders will allow for a better understanding of the effects of the imposed consequence of their criminal actions. A review of secondary research provides overwhelming evidence that a moratorium on life sentences without parole is reasonable, Constitutional, and globally supported. As well, the effects on both the offender and on the community create support for this end to life without parole for these offenders. The proposed study would allow for offenders who have experienced adult prisons with no hope for release to come forward and share their stories with a researcher so that a better understanding of the real-life consequences can be studied and analyzed. The study of children who have been given life sentences within the United States brings to light a great need for further work to be done to realize the full impact of this practice. There is a glaring gap in the literature concerning juvenile delinquency about the effects of lifelong incarceration on children. The psychological differences between that of an adolescent mind and that of a mature adult have been disregarded where these instances are concerned and heinous consequences have been levied against children due to mandatory minimums and blind justice laws. Because of this neglect, penal institutions are ill-equipped to handle the special needs of an adolescent within the adult prison system, depriving these children of proper care and resources that are necessary for growth. In creating a study that looks at the experiences of children who have been sentenced to life without parole, the support for the abolition of this practice can be established through real-life experiences. On the other hand, the experiences might also show that life in an adult prison for these offenders is no crueler than it is for those who as adults are sentenced to life without parole. The secondary research supports the abolishment of this practice, however, and it is hoped that further study of the situation from an experiential point of view will support the hypothesis. In discovering the real-life stories of these children who grow into adulthood behind bars, researchers can better determine how to recommend change and growth within the juvenile justice system.

Ethical appraisal of a science research proposal Essay

Ethical appraisal of a science research proposal - Essay Example Blood samples will be collected from the volunteers for lymphocyte preparation and DNA extraction purposes. By collecting blood samples from volunteers who are receiving methadone replacement therapy, this study aims to determine the role of opioid receptors (i.e. ?, ? and ? ) that contributes to the mechanism of tolerance, drug resistance, and susceptibility to the drug. This study will benefit forensic toxicologists in enabling them offer a more meaningful interpretation of a blood drug concentration found in heroin abuse cases. This study will test the following hypothesis: (1) there is phenotypic inter-individual variation in the ability of UK population to maintain tolerance to heroin; (2) that this variation is a consequence of genetic polymorphism in opioid receptors; and (3) that individuals with specific genotypes have heightened sensitivity to modifying effects of methadone replacement therapy. ... To assess the contribution of methadone replacement in the patterns of opioid receptor expression, the researcher will re-measure the key receptor levels after the 6th week of methadone replacement period. Aside from identifying volunteers with responsive receptor to methadone replacement therapy, this approach will enable the researcher minimize the potential confounding effect of habitual lifestyle on phenotypically â€Å"high† and â€Å"low† expressers. Individuals with high or low levels of receptors and those with responsive phenotype will be classified under subgroups. Eventually, lymphocytes taken from the volunteers will be transformed using Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) to produce immortalized cell lines which will be use as a model system in studying the drug gene interactions that could modulate opiate receptor levels. Identification, Discussion of Ethical Issues, and Control of Ethical Issues Respect for Human Rights Among the common ethical issues that may happe n when conducting a scientific-based research study includes matters that are related to the well-being of another person. As a common rule when conducting the actual research study, the researcher should respect the rights of another person by allowing them to make their own decision whether or not to participate in this study (Iltis, 2006, p. 126; Gregory, 2003, p. 41). In line with this, Israel and Hay (2006, p. 96) explained that harm caused by research activities is often â€Å"more likely to involve psychological distress, discomfort, social disadvantage, invasion of privacy or infringement of rights more than physical injury†. Iltis (2006, p. 139) stated that â€Å"disrespect occurs when researchers violate