Policy Corruption in New Orleans before and after Hurricane Katrina Essay

Policy Corruption in New Orleans before and after Hurricane Katrina - Essay Example However, this may not always hold true. For one reason or another, there are countries in which those part of the law enforcement agency are not only poor or incompetent at their job, but are more concerned of pursuing their own self-interests rather than to serve and to protect. Of course, the most instinctive solution would be to kick them out of the force, but even this does not always happen – often because the higher-ups remain ignorant, or worse, are themselves complicit in such morally questionable acts. While no law enforcement agency can ever be characterized as perfect – not least because each one will have at least a few shortcomings or problem areas to balance out its strengths – there are those that go as far as they can in the other extreme, not just failing to enforce and uphold law and order but even actively undermining it. In such a case, the so-called law enforcers become little more than goons in uniform, terrorizing the public in a manner not unlike the criminals they are supposed to be hunting down. Unfortunately, even in this day and age, there are law enforcement agencies which can be aptly described in such a manner. One of the more infamous examples in recent memory is the New Orleans Police Force, which was rocked by all manner of issues such as corruption and police brutality in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This paper is thus intended as a look at the corruption that rocked the NOPD to its foundations in the immediate aftermath of the calamity, hopefully in order to draw conclusions about how best to prevent such a scandal from recurring in the future. NOPD – The Corruption As noted in the New York Times by Treaster and Newman (2005), the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina saw the bulk of the police force dedicated to mounting rescue efforts all over the city. Unfortunately, this also meant that they ended up turning a blind eye to the opportunists who chose that moment to enrich themselves at the cost of th e victims of the disaster. As a matter of fact, the inaction of the police force to these crimes resulted in criminals becoming so audacious as to commit crimes not only in broad daylight, but even in front of officers themselves in some cases – often with only a slap on the wrist to show for it, if at all. In fact, the situation got so bad that even then-City Councilor Jackie Clarkson was forced to acknowledge and lament the rapidly deteriorating situation. The calamity that had struck only recently at that time led to a major, major breakdown in channels of transportation and communications, which in turn led to a disquieting impotence on the part of police officers to properly counteract the terrible, terrible spike in crime rates. Looting in particular became alarmingly common during this time, with the shopkeepers involved forced to defend their property all by themselves. Armed robbery also reached a disturbing level of frequency at this point in the history of New Orle ans, with most of the victims being robbed at gunpoint. For the most part, though, the looting incidents that were reported simply involved calamity victims gathering basic necessities such as food, water and clothing from unattended stores – which, while still being far from legally or morally permissible, were much more understandable in light of the terrible, terrible damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina.

Occupational Safety and Health Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Occupational Safety and Health Act - Essay Example The concerns that had prompted passage of this landmark law were hardly unfamiliar or new ("Act of Congress: Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970"). Accidents in America's factories and mines had ruined thousand of worker's lives. Federal statistics compiled since 1911 had also documented a growing epidemic of work-related illness and diseases. The first federal statute passed by Congress that required safety equipment in the workplace was the Safety Appliance Act which was applied only to railroad equipment. In 1910, the Congress established the federal Bureau of Mines to conduct research into the mine safety in response to a series of highly-publicized and deadly mine explosions and collapses. The broadest early federal reform measures - legislation establishing the Department of Labor in 1913 and banning exploitive child labor in 1938 - intentionally left most regulatory power over industrial working conditions with the states. The Esch Act of 1912 effectively outlawed the p roduction of white phosphorus matches, and the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act banned federal contract work done under hazardous conditions. These laws, as well as the growing number of labor unions and public anger toward poor workplace safety, led to the significant reductions in worker accidents for a time. State regulations of workplace began as part of the Progressive response to the industrial revolution during the 19th century. Early in the twentieth century, the increasing labor movement lobbied successfully for further regulation. Eventually, the federal government became involved in workplace safety during the Franklin's Roosevelt presidency. (US History Encyclopedia: Occupational Safety and Health Act). Industrial production increased significantly in the United States during World War II, and industrial accidents soared. Winning the war took precedence over safety, and most labor unions were more concerned with maintaining wages in the face of severe inflation than with workplace health and safety. After the war ended, however, workplace accident rates remained high and began to rise. In the two years preceding OSHA's enactment, 14,000 workers died each year from workplace hazards, and another 2 million were disabled or harmed. Additionally, the "chemical revolution" introduced a vast array of new chemical compounds to the manufacturing environment. The health effects of these chemicals were poorly understood, and workers received few protections against prolonged or high levels of exposure. While a few states, such as California and New York, had enacted workplace safety as well as workplace health legislation, most states had not changed their workplace protection laws since the turn of the century. Workplace Conditions Before the Passage of the OSHA In the mid - 1960's, growing awareness of the environmental impact of many chemicals, and the changes in America industry, exposed the ineffectiveness of existing state and federal laws. In 1965, the Public Health Service published an influential report that outlined some of the recently discovered technological dangers, including chemicals linked to cancer. The report called for a major national occupational health effort, criticizing existing federal law as too limited and state programs as uncoordinated and insufficient. The AFL-CIO and other labor organizations urged President Lyndon Johnson to support the report's recommendations. The Passage of