Иностранный язык (английский). Political and social matters. Учебно-методическое пособие

In some jurisdictions, those who are convicted of a misdemeanor are known as misdemeanants (as contrasted with those convicted of a felony who are known as felons). Depending on the jurisdiction, examples of misdemeanors may include: petty theft, prostitution, public intoxication, simple assault, disorderly conduct, trespass, vandalism, DUI and other similar crimes. In the United States, misdemeanors are crimes with a maximum punishment of 12 months of incarceration, typically in a local jail (again, as contrasted with felons, who are typically incarcerated in a prison). Those people who are convicted of misdemeanors are often punished with probation, community service or part-time imprisonment, served on the weekends.

In England and Wales there are about 400 Magistrates’ Courts which are served by approximately 30,000 unpaid or “lay” magistrates or Justices of the Peace (JPs) who have been dealing with minor crimes for over 600 years. Magistrates‟ Courts may not impose a sentence of more than six months imprisonment or a fine of more than £5,000, and may refer cases requiring a heavier penalty to the Crown Court.

Misdemeanors usually do not result in the loss of civil rights, but may result in loss of privileges, such as professional licenses, public offices, or public employment. Such effects are known as the collateral consequences of criminal charges. This is more common when the misdemeanor is related to the privilege in question (such as the loss of a taxi driver's license after a conviction for reckless driving), or when the misdemeanor involves moral turpitude – and in general is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. One prominent example of this is found in the United States Constitution, which provides that the President may be impeached by Congress for "high crimes and misdemeanors" and removed from office accordingly. The definition of a "high" misdemeanor is left to the judgment of Congress.

Within classes of offenses, the form of punishment can vary widely. For example, the US federal government and many U.S. states divide misdemeanors into several classes, with certain classes punishable by jail time and others carrying only a fine. When a statute does not specify the class, it is referred to as an unclassified misdemeanor. Sometimes this is done when legislators wish to impose a penalty that falls outside the framework specified in the classes.

After-reading tasks

I. Give Russian equivalents to the following words and expressions: common law, misdemeanor, misdemeanant, felony, felon, repeat mis-

demeanor offender, to serve jail time, summary offences, public intoxication, to convict of misdemeanor, trespass, Magistrates‟ Court, to impose a

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fine, incarceration, collateral consequences of criminal charges, to evaluate on a case-by-case basis, part-time imprisonment.

II. Give English equivalents to the following words and expressions:

административное нарушение, штраф, отменять (упразднять), преступление, преследуемое по обвинительному акту; мелкая кража, нападение без отягчающих обстоятельств, нарушение общественного порядка, мировой судья, налагать штраф, условное осуждение, общественные работы, неосторожная езда, рецидивист, мировой суд, в зависимости от конкретного случая, общее право, снять с поста.

III. Complete the table:

IV. Match the following notions with their definitions:

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V. Continue ideas from the text:

1.The distinction between a felony and misdemeanor …………………

2.In the UK the crimes are divided into ………………………………..

3.Examples of misdemeanors may include……………………………..

4.The people who are convicted of misdemeanors are often punished

……………………………………………………………………………….

5.Misdemeanors may result in loss of ………………………………….

6.The US President may be impeached …………………………………

VI. Answer the following questions:

1.Point out the difference between common law and statute law.

2.What is a misdemeanor?

3.Touch upon the crime classification in the UK.

4.Give examples of common petty crimes.

5.How can misdemeanants be punished in the USA?

6.Which institutions deal with minor crimes in England and Wales? And how?

7.What does the loss of privileges imply?

Vandalism

Pre-reading task

Practice the pronunciation of the following words: ruthless, archaeology, prevalence, hatred, perpetrator

Text 1

Read the text and make a summary.

Vandalism is the behaviour attributed to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable. Such action includes criminal damage, defacement, graffiti and crass erection of an eyesore.

Historically, vandalism has been justified by painter Gustave Courbet as destruction of monuments symbolizing "war and conquest". Therefore, it is often done as an expression of contempt, creativity, or both. Vandalism is only a meaningful concept in a culture that recognizes history and archaeology. Like other similar terms (Barbarian/Barbary, and Philistine), the term Vandal was originally an ethnic slur referring to the Vandals, who under Geiseric sacked Rome in 455. The Vandals, like the Philistines, no longer exist as an identifiable ethnic group. The term in its modern acceptance was coined in

January 1794 during the French Revolution, by Henri Grégoire, constitu-

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tional bishop of Blois, in his report directed to the Republican Convention, where he used word Vandalism to describe some aspects of the behavior of the republican army. Gustave Courbet's attempt, during the 1871 Paris

Commune, to dismantle the Vendôme column, a symbol of the past Napoleon III authoritarian Empire, was one of the most celebrated events of vandalism. Nietzsche himself would meditate after the Commune on the "fight against culture", taking as example the intentional burning of the Tuileries Palace on May 23, 1871. "The criminal fight against culture is only the reverse side of a criminal culture" wrote Klossowski after quoting Nietzsche.

In a proposal to the International Conference for Unification of Criminal Law held in Madrid in 1933, Raphael Lemkin envisaged the creation of two new international crimes (delicta juris gentium): the crime of barbarity, consisting in the extermination of racial, religious or social collectivities, and the crime of vandalism, consisting in the destruction of cultural and artistic works of these groups. The proposal was not accepted.

Text 2

Read the text and state its idea.

Vandalism as crime

Private citizens commit vandalism when they willfully damage or deface the property of others or the commons. Some vandalism qualifies as culture jamming or sniggling – it is artistic in nature as well as being carried out illegally or without the property owner's permission. Examples include at least some graffiti art, billboard liberation and possibly crop circles. Criminal vandalism has many forms, graffiti on public property is common in many inner cities as part of a gang culture, however other more devastating forms such as those involved with public unrest, such as rioting, involve the willful destruction of public and private property, Vandalism per se is often considered one of the least serious common crimes, but it can become quite serious and distressing when committed extensively, violently or as an expression of hatred and intimidation.

Read the two following texts and ask questions on the texts. Render them in English.

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Text 3

Examples

Examples of vandalism include salting lawns, cutting trees without permission, egg throwing, breaking windows, arson, spraying paint on others' properties, tagging, placing glue into locks, tire slashing, keying (scratching) paint, ransacking a place and flooding someone‟s house by clogging a sink and leaving the water on. The destruction of glass windows and doors is a form of vandalism.

A caution sign damaged by bullet holes.

Side of a car that has been keyed. In the case of vandalism to private property, the owner – the victim may feel that they were specifically targeted by the perpetrator(s) – this is not necessarily the case. An example of such a crime would be the willful destruction of a car window for no obvious purpose save to give the perpetrator(s) possibly a few seconds of entertainment, with no consideration, or empathy for the detriment to the state of mind or inconvenience of the victim.

Text 4

Motives

Reasoning for such actions can be attributed to anger, envy or spontaneous, opportunistic behaviour – possibly for peer acceptance or bravado in gang cultures, or disgruntlement with the target (victim) person or society. Opportunistic vandalism of this nature may also be filmed, the mentality of which can be akin to happy slapping. The large scale prevalence of gang graffiti in some inner cities has almost made it acceptable to the societies based there – so much so that it may go unnoticed, or not be removed, possibly because it may be a fruitless endeavour, to be graphitized on once again.

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Text 5

Read the text and compare the way vandalism is fought in some parts of the world and in Russia.

Reaction of authorities

In view of its incivility, punishment for vandalism can be particularly severe in some countries. In Singapore, for example, a person who attempts to cause or commits an act of vandalism may be liable to imprisonment for up to 3 years and in conjunction may be punished with caning. The act of vandalism in UK is construed as an environmental crime and may be dealt with an ASBO (Anti-Social Behavior Order).

Former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani made a crackdown on vandalism a centerpiece of his anti-crime agenda in the 1990s, asserting that a strong campaign against nonviolent "quality of life" crimes such as vandalism would cause a corresponding decrease in violent crime. However much credit can be given to Giuliani's anti-vandalism crusade, FBI statistics claim that New York's crime rate plummeted during his tenure.

After-reading tasks

I. Give Russian equivalents to the following words and expressions: ruthless destruction, venerable, defacement, ethnic slur, rioting, hatred,

intimidation, to ransack a place, culture jamming (sniggling), vandalism per se, tagging, willful destruction, to be specially targeted by the perpetrator, the detriment to the state of mind, in view of its incivility, to be punished with caning, to make a crackdown on vandalism

II. Give English equivalents to the following words and expressions:

приписывать кому-либо, физическое лицо, умышленно портить чужое имущество, обратная сторона чего-либо, демонтировать Вандомскую колонну, ненависть и запугивание, общественные беспорядки, прокол шин, поджог, нарушитель, жертва, бесплодная попытка, подлежать тюремному заключению, истолковывать как преступление против окружающей среды, совершать акт вандализма, применять суровые меры против вандализма

III. Paraphrase the following word combinations: culture jamming

opportunistic behavior bravado in gang cultures anti-vandalism crusade

to make a crackdown on vandalism

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IV. Make true or false statements to the text

V. Answer the following questions:

1.Give the definition of vandalism.

2.How can vandalism be justified from the historical point of view?

3.What event conditioned the appearance of this term in its modern acceptance?

4.Why does some vandalism qualify as culture jamming?

5.Why is vandalism per se often considered a petty crime?

6.Give examples of vandalism as crime.

7.How can you reason the acts of vandalism?

8.Touch upon the punishment for vandalism in different countries

VI. Continue ideas from the text:

1.Vandalism is the behavior ……………………………………………

2.The term in its modern acceptance …………………………………..

3.Criminal vandalism has many forms…………………………………

4.Examples of vandalism include………………………………………

5.Reasoning for such action can be attributed to ………………………

6.In Singapore a person who attempts to cause or commit …………….

7.Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani ………………………….

VII. Dwell upon Vandalism as Art:

Highlight its artistic nature, its being an integral part of modern popular

culture. Give reasoning for artistic vandalistic acts.

VIII. Comment on the following quotations and express your agreement or disagreement

“I also know what vandalism means: fighting against culture.”

Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche

“The criminal fight against culture is only the reverse side of a criminal culture.”

French writer, thinker and artist Klossowski

Community care for the elderly

Pre-reading task

Answer the questions:

1.What is aging? Is your society aging? Which criteria point to it?

2.What problems do the elderly in Russia face nowadays?

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Text 1

Read the text and state its main idea.

The Changing Face of the Elderly in the U.S.

Aging Americans of the 1990s are vastly different from the elders of 50 or even 25 years ago. The elderly of today are living longer than their counterparts in past generations. In 1970, fewer than 1.5 million Americans were age 85 and older. By 1990, that number had more than doubled. The elderly of tomorrow--the "baby boomers" born in the 1950s and '60s-are expected to outlive any past population and in greater numbers than ever before. Within 50 years, as many as one million people may be living past the age of 100. The implications for the American nation – for the aging, their families, medical care systems, and resources–are tremendous (Alliance for Aging Resource, 1994).

The needs of the "old old" of the future, however, will be very different from the needs of elders in times past. Although aging has always entailed increasing physical dependence, the private resources of elderly Americans in the future will not easily keep pace with the care needs of their lifespans. The people who "planned for retirement" may find they did not save enough. And those who did not have the luxury of planning-the poor-will be in need far sooner. Families, communities, medical systems, and government all will be called upon to provide needed care or the resources to deliver it.

The neediest elderly-those living in rural areas isolated from services, and those living in poverty and least likely to seek them-will be the hardest to reach. Some would say the American nation's lack of resolve to reach and care for members of these groups will present the greatest barrier. But, as the current population ages, the number of elders falling into this category will grow steadily. Despite increasing benefits and entitlements allocated to those 65 and older-30 percent of the national health care budget and 51 percent of social service expenditures--the elderly continue to have the highest poverty rate of all adult Americans (Chelf, 1992; Pollack, 1990). And in 1985, only 12 percent of the population was over 65. By 2030, older Americans will make up one-fifth of the population.

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Text 2

Read the text and ask questions on the text. Render it in English.

The Elderly of Tomorrow

The face of poor elderly is changing as well. Data from 1985 indicate 35 percent of African-Americans over the age of 65 remain below the poverty level. Of every 10 African-American women age 72 or older living alone, seven are impoverished (Margolis, 1990; Villers Foundation, 1987). Although today's elderly families in general have doubled their gross annual income since 1950 to more than $21,420-and more households have twopension or IRA resources-poverty among certain subgroups is on the rise. Women, minorities, those who live alone, and the "old old" comprise a disproportionate share (91%) of the elderly living in poverty in the 1990s.

In the next century, demographic projections point to an increase in all these groups. Higher divorce rates have left more mothers and grandmoth- ers-many who did not work outside the home – virtually on their own. And minority populations – African-American, Hispanic, American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Arab-American populations among them – are expected to represent more than 25 percent of the elderly in 2030. A recent analysis by the Rand Corp. suggests that America's minority middle-aged and elderly families are poorly prepared for the financial demands of their later years. According to the study, four of 10 AfricanAmerican and Hispanic households approaching retirement have no private financial savings (Pasztor, 1995). The relative numbers and incidence of indigence among these groups will have profound implications for state and federal reimbursement programs regardless of initiatives in the private sector.

Text 3

Read the text and make true or false statements to it.

The Systems of Today

At the same time the American nation is faced with the prospect of a growing elderly population with greater needs, the public resources available for care are shrinking. Today, for instance, only a small percentage of the elderly live in nursing homes (4–5%). Most elderly will never enter a

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nursing home. But, given the aging population and current reimbursement systems, the number of elderly in nursing homes could more than double by the year 2030. Even now, Medicaid costs associated with long-term care for the elderly are among the fastest growing components of state budgets. And state Medicaid expenditures between 1988 and 1992 increased at an average annual rate of 21 percent (Coughlin and others, 1994). At the federal level, the situation is equally bleak. Most agree the federal budget cannot support the potential scale of long-term outlays implied by the increasing number of elderly Americans.

Even as the care and resource needs among our elders increase, the needs of younger Americans – for primary health care and coverage, education, employment – are increasing as well. The tension between the competing needs of these two groups stands to further strain public and private systems for decades to come – especially if we limit our approaches to currently accepted models.

Time and Place: Profiles of Community-Based Projects

The community-based, comprehensive models that have been supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation are built upon innovative approaches to health programming for the elderly. One cornerstone of these approaches is a broad definition of health. These projects recognize that health is more than the absence of illness.

Text 4

What is health in your opinion? Read the text and compare your idea with that in the text.

A Broad Definition of Health

Health protects the vitality and independent functioning of people at every stage of life. It provides them with the energy and personal resources they need to live life to the fullest. Health safeguards and preserves the capacity of people, old and young alike. Viewed from this perspective, elders become a resource--people who can contribute to community stability and growth, providing continuity and security in shifting modern life.

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