Human and Animal Interrelationships from Domestication to Present Book Essay

Human and Animal Interrelationships from Domestication to Present Book Report Guidelines - Essay Example Buck has lived with the Millers’ since his birth, a factor that explains why he is very close to the children and grandchildren of the judge. In that family, he received good nutrition and care (London 12). He was a leader in taking care of the Millers’ house. However, in the same house, he met a gardener, Manuel, who eventually gave him up to the people travelling to the north in search of gold. These people needed dogs to pull sleds of their luggage as they travelled. After Buck became the property of a new owner, he received a thorough beating until he lost consciousness. After a long journey, and starving long, they got to Seattle. The torture through beating and hunger had made him overly furious, prompting him to make an inner determination that he would never allow his new masters to tie him with a rope. His new master in Seattle hit Buck with a club, a level of violence he had not experienced in his previous life (14). Apparently, in this chapter, there is a tra nsition of the relationship between Buck and human beings. At the beginning, the dog finds a measure of pleasure in living with people. However, the friendly relationship with humans ceases when he gets into the hands of the men heading north. These people have little concern for the dignity of animals, and they torture and starve the dog. In addition, his new master in Seattle hits Buck with a club to the level of submission. As the relationship changes, Buck’s attitude towards human beings changes because he begins to realize that humans can be his enemies. This change arouses other attributes as he adjusts to the new life. Chapter 2 In chapter two, the author describes the new situations that define Buck’s new life. One of the shocking events that he witnesses was the death of Curly, after an attack by fellow dogs. Buck begins to learn the skill of pulling sled alongside other dogs (17). Contrary to his life before, he realizes the need to eat fast and even to steal more food. He does not seem to understand why the other dogs have the willingness to work wholeheartedly. Contrary to his former home at Judge Miller’s, Buck does not find a comfortable place to spend his night because of the northern snowy conditions. Buck had to readjust to the new conditions in multiple ways. He had to abandon his old lifestyle in a civilized world, and bring out his wild nature. With the changing conditions, the relationship of humans and the dogs has to change. He brought back to memory his instinctive nature previously exhibited by his ancestors. He had started to live in a primitive world where only the strong ones could survive amidst harsh working conditions defined by the whip and the club. The relationship between the dogs and the people only keeps getting worse. To his surprise, Buck also realizes that even dogs were their own enemies as it became evident in the case of Curly. Chapter 3 Chapter three of the book concentrates on describing the riv alry existing between Buck and Spitz. Apparently, Spitz is the leader of the pack of several dogs pulling sled in northern snow and throughout the entire journey (22). The rivalry between Spitz and Buck advances as Buck uses his wit by ganging up with the weaker dogs in a bid to demonstrate

Outline some of the key legislative developments in criminal justice Essay

Outline some of the key legislative developments in criminal justice within the last two decades - Essay Example An oft-heard justification is that you cannot treat hardened criminals with kid gloves or you will be perpetrating crime even further. But this argument has no regard for the fact that even hardened criminals are covered by the human rights guarantees in the Constitution and in human rights conventions. Human rights are inalienable and imprescriptible, and they apply to everyone. On the other hand, the desire to preserve society and prevent crime is equally valid. It would seem that society has been ill-equipped to come up with answers and solutions to address it definitively (Norrie, 1996). It is imperative however to disabuse oneself of the simplistic approach that is often used when analyzing crime rates. Many are wont to believe that a rise in crime rates signifies a social problem, and a decrease is something to be lauded. In fact, a rise in recorded crime rates could actually mean better police efficiency, a willingness of the victims to come forward, and a desire by society as a whole to condemn criminals. The significance of making this initial assertion is explained by Matthews (1995) as follows: Making this point at the outset is important for two reasons: First it helps to free us from the disarming grip of pessimism that is often associated with the assertion that increases in crime and inevitable and undesirable. Second, it reminds us that crime is a social construct and is the outcome of a complex process of action and reaction. Crime is reducible neither to an act or to a biography. Rather it is a process that requires both an offender and a victim - direct or indirect - to interact within a milieu of formal and informal constraints. The parliament is vested with the power to create laws that have coercive effect. It is essentially in their province to come up with regulations to maintain order and peaceful conduct in the society, while ensuring that a human rights framework is always in place. Over the past two decades, there has been a steady stream of legislation, marking the evolution of Criminal Justice as it is known in the present time. Indeed, the constant changes in the Criminal Justice Act reflects the constantly changing public mindsets on crime and its concomitant issues. The Criminal Justice Act of 1991 was introduced to reflect the notion of "just deserts", It also provided for some protections for the accused, in particular, a provision stating that past offenses should not be taken into consideration when sentencing a felon, except in certain circumstances. However, some feel that in practice, proportionality gives rise to many problems and within six months of being in force, the CJA 1991 was already being undermined. (Hudson, 1994). There are also those who perceive the XJA 1991 as a case of government valuing efficiency over democracy (Lacey, 1994). Said Windlesham (date): "Of all the lessons to be drawn the first is the way in which so many of the provisions which found their way into law derived from the perceived demands of local, sectional or national public opinion rather than from practical experience or