Child victimization assignment

Child victimization is something that has not always been in the public’s eye. Recently, we have seen a lot of publicity on different forms of child victimization. Children are seen as priceless innocent human beings that are fully dependent upon others. We protect our children and try to help those who are troubled. This has not always been the case..

1. First questions are dealing with abuse.
1. What do you consider child abuse?
   I consider child abuse to be any treatment towards a child that is violent, manipulative, or excessive. This includes physical altercations that result in lasting injury to the child, unwanted sexual encounters with a child, and and emotional or psychological confrontations.
2. Do you think spanking is child abuse? Why/why not?
   I think that spanking has the potential to be an abusive behavior, depending on the frequency and the motivation for this punishment. A parent who reserves spanking for a serious offense, or whose spankings are light enough that they don't cause lasting injury to the child, is not the same as a parent who severely beats their child under the guise of spanking to punish.
   
1. Do you think spanking should be allowed? Why/why not?
   I think that spanking should be allowed, but that child abuse in general should be monitored and treated much more than it is currently.
3. When should punishment become a public concern (ex: should a parent be allowed to punish her/his child in public and not be chastised for it)?
   I think that punishment of a child becomes a public concern whenever that child is in public. That being said, punishment does not always need to be doled out in the form of physical violence.
1. What is an acceptable form of public punishment?A child who acts out in public should be corralled by their parent immediately, and shown that this behavior is not acceptable by choosing a punishment that fits the crime - for example, disruptive behavior can be corrected by removing the child from the location and isolating them from the enjoyable activity.
2. What is unacceptable?
   An unacceptable punishment would be something that is escalated compared to the child's transgression - beating a child for excitedly jumping around in public, for example.

2. Second set of questions are dealing with sexual victimization.
1. Pornography: Pornography is a huge industry and we can find almost any type we can think of now that the internet is so broad. This, unfortunately, includes child pornography.
1. What does your state’s legislation say about child pornography? (Is it a misdemeanor/felony? What could possible sentencing look like? Will the offender be put on the sex offender registry? Etc. Note: these are example questions, you do not need to find the answers to all. Just give a general overview).
   In Alaska, possession of child pornography is a class C felony, while distribution of child pornography (which includes playing it for audience viewing) is a class B felony, or class A if the offender has a previous conviction for a similar crime (http://touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats/Statutes/Title11/Chapter61/Section125.htm).
2. Sexting: Think teenagers. Sexting is a “newer craze” among youth.
1. Does your state have any legislation about sexting?
   Yes, and according to current legislature Alaska can prosecute individuals of any age who are caught engaging in sexting with a minor, even if they are underage themselves. A new law has been proposed to lessen the sentence for minors who are at least 16; minors under 16 who distribute explicit images of themselves in sexting will not be punished (http://mobilemediaguard.com/states/sexting_laws_alaska.html).
2. What is sexting?
   Sexting is a term that encompasses sexually explicit pictures and messages, usually sent through text messages.
3. Do you think sexting should be punished? How severly?
1. For the offender?
   I don't think that a sexting situation involving consensual contact should be punished as a crime, even if it is between minors. However, if the interaction is between a minor and an older adult, then the offender should be prosecuted in the same fashion as other pedophilia crimes.
2. For the victim?
   I think that the victim of a sexting situation would be either a minor who knew what they were doing, and doesn't feel victimized, or a minor who was preyed upon by an older adult. In either case, punishment would not be as appropriate as education and/or rehabilitation.

3. I would like you to find at least one article/news story from your state. (You can find your state by logging on to webcourses.) This can be about any type of child victimization. Give an overview of this case (including outcomes/convictions).
   According to the article I found, Alaska is known as the "rape capital" of the United States, and the child sexual victimization rate there is almost six times the national average (http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130407/why-alaska-rape-capital-us-because-we-allow-it). A lot of this can be contributed to high rates of gender inequality - men in Alaska earn, on average, about $12,000 more per year than women, which leads to a view of women and children as property with no rights.

1. Did reading/writing about this type of victimization affect you differently than the others I have had you look up? How so? Why?
   I find all forms of violence and predation towards a vulnerable class of people to be equally heinous, and interrelated - crimes based on racial disparity can easily translate into crimes against children, for example.

3. Media aspect
1. Find two media documentations (this does not need to come from your state) and should not include manuals.
1. Tell us what they are (including links)…this means give some information about it, not just the links.
   The movie "Precious" follows a teen who has been violently abused by her mother and sexually abused by her father (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0929632/synopsis).
   "An American Crime" is a movie about the imprisonment of two young girls in the basement of a 1960s housewife. The movie recounts their horrifying tale and what ended up happening to all involved (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0802948/).

Mob violence assignment

This is the fourth week you have a blog assignment. The blog assignment is on mob violence. Answer the following:

1. What is mob violence? Give at least two examples. 
   Mob violence occurs when a group of people who are congregating are sparked to react in a non-individualized manner due to some external influence. Some examples of this include people getting trampled at holiday shopping sales and protests turning into violent riots.
1. Why does this type of group violence exist?
   This type of group violence exists because when people congregate in groups and tension exists, it's easier for things to escalate and the "mob mentality" of violence to form.
2. I would like you to find at least one article/news story from your state. (You can find your state by logging on to webcourses.) Give an overview of this case (including outcomes/convictions) and information regarding the victim and offender. (A good way to find a story would be to type “mob violence in Indiana” or “riots in Arkansas” or “vigilante in Mississippi” into google or some other search engine. There is no “time limit” on this one. Therefore, if you find a story from 1930 you may use it. Be sure to tell use the time period though. (http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/attack-anchorage-park-nearly-triggers-riot-yet-goes-unreported)
1. In addition to the basics, tell us about the societal conditions. What was going on before the violence happened?
   Rising tension in social groups escalated when a group gathering in a park started getting violent. Almost 30 police officers were dispatched to the state park to handle the increasing assaults. Polynesian elders have expressed concerns over the growing turmoil in the community, which usually handles its problems without outside assistance.
2. How is the violence discussed by the media…which group/people are the victims? Offenders?
   The media discusses the violence in a very cut and dry manner. Those participating in the group are the offenders, and the arresting officers are simply peacekeepers and are in the right. The exact nature of the violence isn't even discussed.

3. Media aspect
1. Find two media documentations (this does not need to come from your state) and should not include manuals.
1. Tell us what they are (including links)…this means give some information about it, not just the links.
   In season two, episode six of Game of Thrones, terrible conditions within a city at war cause an unhappy populace to burst into mob violence when confronted with the luxury of the ruling party. Many are slain, including a priest who is literally ripped apart by starving angry people. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2085238/)
   
   According to a recent Cracked article, people have been provoked to violence over quite trivial things. Examples provided in the article include technical difficulties in a movie theater, an audience's dislike of a play, and the fashion faux pas of wearing straw hats past a certain date. (http://www.cracked.com/article_19348_the-5-most-embarrassing-things-angry-mobs-have-rioted-over.html)

Sexual Assault assignment

1. Go to: 
1. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table-5
2. Report the population and the incidents reported for rape in your state.
       The population of Alaska is 722, 718. The incidence of rape reported in Alaska is 420.
   
2. Go to:

1. http://www.rainn.org/public-policy/laws-in-your-state
2. Report what your state says about statute of limitations. (If it is not listed here, do a Google search.)
         In Alaska, there is no time limit for the prosecution of cases involving sexual assault of a minor, which includes felony sexual abuse, sexual assault in the 3rd or 4th degree, or incest. There is a time limit of 10 years in cases where the victim was mentally incapable, incapacitated, or unaware that a sex act was being committed. For any other offense, the statute of limitations is 5 years.
   
2. Go to:

1. Find your state’s laws regarding rape. (A Google search should suffice.)
2. Summarize it like you did for IPV
1. Make sure you find the definition
1. What terminology is used (sexual assault/rape/aggravated….)
2. What it includes (age, type, etc.)
3. Different types
4. What constitutes rape
        Alaska's main rape statute includes several sections: four degrees of Sexual Assault, 3 of which are felony charges, and three degrees of Sexual Abuse of a minor, which are all felony charges (http://www.arte-sana.com/articles/rape_statutes.pdf). Sexual assault is defined as the act or attempt of sexual penetration without a person's consent.
   
3. I would like you to find at least one article/news story from your state. (You can find your state by logging on to webcourses.) Give an overview of this case (including outcomes/convictions) and information regarding the victim and offender.
        In a recent story, the passage of a new law offers protections for Native American womenwho are victims of sexual assault. The article estimates that 34 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetimes, and the new law will allow these women a better chance of justice against their assailants, who usually are from outside the Native communities. (http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/event/article/id/36078/group/Opinion/)
   
4. Media aspect

1. A lot of Public Service Announcements, songs, movies, documents, books, etc. have been created concerning sexual assault.

1. find two media documentations (this does not need to come from your state) and should not include manuals.
1. Tell us what they are (including links)…this means give some information about it, not just the links.
        Annie's Baby is a book about a teenager who is raped by her older boyfriend and becomes pregnant. The book is in the form of a journal that follows her life all the way through her eventual choice to give her child up for adoption. It offers an inside view of the psychological victimization that was occurring to Annie by her rapist boyfriend. (http://books.google.com/books/about/Annie_s_Baby.html?id=5voZvti9bd0C).
   
        It Happened To Nancy is a very similar book to Annie's Baby since they are both journal compilations by the same editor. However, Nancy's story is about her rape by an older man and subsequent infection with HIV. Nancy's story is heartbreaking because it shows how sexual assault can occur at the hands of a loved and trusted partner, and how the support of family and friends can make all the difference in the world. (http://www.amazon.com/Happened-Nancy-Teenager-Story-Diary/dp/0380773155)
   
2. Are they accurate? Is the representation of rape and/or sexual assault correct?
        Both of these books have come under controversy for the possibility that they were written by the editor and not actual journals by girls. However, the stories are still valid and offer insight into a terrible situation that many would never know about.

Hate Crime assignment

This is the second week you have a blog assignment. The blog assignment is hate crimes. Answer the following:

1. Go to: 
1. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-crime/2011/tables/table-12
2. Report the population and the incidents reportedMy state, Alaska, has a population of 304,924. The incidents reported were 8.
2. Go to:
1. http://archive.adl.org/learn/hate_crimes_laws/map_frameset.html
2. Report what your state covers and what it does not.Alaska covers Bias-Motivated Violence and Intimidation and Civil Action based on Race, Religion, Ethnicity, Gender, and Disability.
   Alaska does not cover Civil Action based on Sexual Orientation or "Other", Institutional Vandalism, Data Collection, or Training for Law Enforcement Personnel.
3. Go to:
1. http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33099.pdf
2. Find your state
3. Summarize it like you did for IPV
1. Pay attention to aggravating circumstances and what all is covered (property damage/damage to persons/etc.)
2. Make sure you find the definition (this will probably come from both websites)According to the document in the aforementioned link, Alaska has two statutes in the category of 'Crime Penalty Enhancement.' These statutes direct that "The following factors shall be considered by the sentencing court if proven in accordance with this section, and may allow imposition of a sentence above the presumptive range set out in AS 12.55.125: the defendant knowingly directed the conduct constituting the offense at a victim because of that person’s race, sex, color, creed, physical or mental disability, ancestry, or national origin," and "A person commits the crime of interference with constitutional rights if the person injures, oppresses, threatens, or intimidates another person with intent to deprive that person of a right, privilege, or immunity in fact granted by the constitution or laws of this state." Basically, what these statutes are saying is that if a crime is determined to have been committed for a discriminatory reason, like because of a person's race, sex, color, creed, etc., then that crime falls under these statutes for which the offender can also be penalized. These statutes were clearly created to defend American citizens from persecution based on particular personal traits or subcultures.
   
4. If you can’t find your state, you will need to find it through a google search. Typing in something similar to: Hate crime legislation in Florida should work.
5. I would like you to find at least one article/news story from your state that was assigned to you. (You can find your state by logging on to webcourses.) Give an overview of this case (including outcomes/convictions) and information regarding the victim and offender.I spent about 30 minutes on Google searching for news articles on hate crimes based in Alaska and wasn't able to find anything. I sincerely doubt that the entire state lacks hate crimes, however, none of them seem to have been noteworthy enough to be found by searching online. I included both Anchorage and Juneau, two major Alaskan cities, in my searches, but this still yielded no results.
   
6. Media aspect
1. A lot of Public Service Announcements, songs, movies, documents, books, etc. have been created concerning Hate Crimes.
1. find two media documentations (this does not need to come from your state) and should not include manuals
1. Tell us what they are (including links)…this means give some information about it, not just the links."Not In Our Town" is a documentary series about groups of people all over the country who come together to unify their town after experiencing devastating hate crimes in their towns. (http://www.pbs.org/programs/not-in-our-town/)
   "Two Spirits" is a documentary about a young Native American boy who was murdered for being transsexual. The documentary is quite poignant and interviews many of the victim's friends and family members about the crime. (http://twospirits.org/)
   

IPV Assignment

This is the first week you have a blog assignment. The blog assignment is on intimate partner violence (IPV) and domestic violence (DV). I would like you to find at least one article/news story from your state that was assigned to you. (You can find your state by logging on to webcourses.) Give an overview of this case (including outcomes/convictions) and information regarding the victim and offender.


http://juneauempire.com/local/2013-01-26/girlfriend-oxy-ring-leader-sentenced#.UQXiVWc1XgY

    In this recent case in Alaska, the girlfriend of a drug kingpin claimed that her involvement in his criminal behavior was coerced and that he had a history of being violent with her. The girlfriend claimed that she had previously been sexually and physically assaulted by her boyfriend, with whom she had a young child, and that she did as he asked when it came to his drug transactions out of fear for herself and her son. However, the judge in the case ruled that she had sufficient means of escape from the alleged abuse (car, phone, computer, separate residence) to that she could not claim her involvement in criminal activity was solely as a result of coercion.





 In addition, I would like you to answer the following questions/complete the following tasks:

1. Go to: 
1. http://www.womenslaw.org/laws_state.php?state_code=AL 
2. On the left hand side, select your state. 
3. Read the state law overview
4. After selecting your state and reading the overview, on the left hand side, select crimes.
5. Your state may or may not have IPV or DV listed.
1. If it does have it listed, write a short paragraph describing the law.
1. Ex: is it felony or misdemeanor, what makes it a felony or misdemeanor, how is it defined (heterosexual, homosexual, married, cohabitation, etc), who does it protect (children, relatives, pets). Just give an overview.
   My state, Alaska, did not have much information available on this site. There was a section on "some basic information about crimes, not specific to Alaska" and a section on victim compensation in Alaska.
   
2. If it does not have it listed, follow these directions:
1. Go to google and type in your state and domestic violence/domestic abuse/intimate partner violence law
1. ex: Florida domestic violence law
2. When I did this, I was redirected back to a different section of the WomensLaw site: http://www.womenslaw.org/laws_state_type.php?id=475&state_code=AK
2. Again, give an overview
1. Ex: is it felony or misdemeanor, what makes it a felony or misdemeanor, how is it defined (heterosexual, homosexual, married, cohabitation, etc), who does it protect (children, relatives, pets). Just give an overview.
   As it states on the website, "According to Alaska law, domestic violence is when a household member commits or tries to commit one or more of approximately 64 crimes against you or against another “household member”.*  Note: A household member does not have to live with you." Many of these crimes are listed on the site and range from harassment to murder. However, since this section of the site offers only the information that pertains to Domestic Violence Protective Orders, it does not state whether or not these crimes can result in a separate Domestic Violence charge, nor whether these charges would be considered felonies or misdemeanors. However, just about anyone experiencing any form of domestic violence could apply for a Domestic Violence Protective Order which grants them extensive protection and separation from their abuser. 
   
2. Often times, leaving an abusive relationship is dangerous.
1. research how individuals can get help in your state.
1. Write a short paragraph discussing what they can do
1. Ex: help line, shelters, legal actions, etc.
2. Remember to post links to the the places you find.
3. As I mentioned above, victims of domestic violence in Alaska can file for a Final (long-term) Domestic Violence Protective Order, a Temporary (20-day) Domestic Violence Protective Order, or a 72-hour Emergency Protective Order. These protective orders offer the victim a legal means with which to combat their offender, and a way to escape from their grasp. Protections outlined in these orders include mandatory separation for the offender, full use of the residence and vehicle by the victim, temporary custody of children, accompanying peace officer on visits to the home of the offender, and more. Additionally, there is no filing charge for one of these protective charges, and a lawyer does not have to be there (though it is recommended to seek legal counsel if the abuser does). These orders can be filed in the judicial district of the offender, victim, or location of abuse.
4. http://www.womenslaw.org/laws_state_type.php?id=475&state_code=AK&open_id=10882#content-3560
5. http://www.womenslaw.org/laws_state_type.php?id=475&state_code=AK
   
3. Media aspect
1. A lot of Public Service Announcements, songs, movies, documents, books, etc. have been  created concerning DV and IPV
1. find two media documentations (this does not need to come from your state)
1. Tell us what they are (including links)
2. 'When Dad Killed Mom' is a book about domestic violence from a child's perspective. The Google Books tagline reads: "Jenna and Jeremy knew their parents' marriage was in trouble. Mom and Dad didn't talk much, and when they did, they had to work really hard to be civil to each other. But no one could have predicted what would come next. The headline read, COLLEGE SHRINK KILLS WIFE, and suddenly everything changed. Now with Mom dead and Dad in jail, Jenna and Jeremy must re-create a life and a family of their own--somehow."
   
   http://books.google.com/books/about/When_Dad_Killed_Mom.html?id=tKWtcQAACAAJ
   
3. "What's Love Got To Do With It?" is the story of the abusive relationship between Tina and Ike Turner, a celebrity couple. Part of the movie's description metaphorically sums up the experience of many victims of abuse - "In love with Ike and determined not to leave in the way her mother had, she finds herself the target of increasing violence from her unstable husband who can't see who is making the band such a success."
   
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108551/?ref_=sr_1