Tag: government

Role Of Identity In The Australian Criminal Justice System

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Introduction

The are certain linkages that one can make with regard to the criminal justice system and the role identity plays within this system (where age, gender, sexual orientation or social class denote identity). The first link is that one’s identity has a direct effect on the access to resources of power. Also, it is plausible to assume that identity determines one’s punishments and rewards in the criminal justice system. The second aspect about identity is that it highly affects the nature of crime control dispatched upon various groups. Thirdly, these differences in crime control have an overall effect of changing the way of life of respective identities both within and without the criminal justice system. Lastly, it can be assumed that the nature of crime control can reinforce some of the inherent inequalities within society. (Andersen and Patricia, 1998)

The Australian criminal justice systems has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decades. This is because certain blatant cases of discrimination such as discrimination against gender and race have reduced dramatically. However, some institutionalised systems of discrimination still form part of the Australian criminal justice system. Specific social classes, races, sexual orientation receive fairer treatments than others. The essay shall examine the complexities of these identities with regard to the criminal justice system.

How sexual orientation is handled within the Australian criminal justice system

The criminal justice system is perhaps one of the most prominent areas of the Australian society that depicts negative sentiments to gays or lesbians. Statistics conducted on

how social class affects administration of justice by the Gay Men and Lesbians Against Discrimination (GLAD) in Victoria found that approximately eighteen percent of the male  respondents had ever experienced some form of harassment from law enforcement officers. It also found that police had harassed twelve percent of the female participants. Therefore, police officers had harassed thirty percent of the one thousand participants at one time in their lives. This is an alarming rate especially considering the fact that incidences of police harassment among the general public are at a much lower rate. (Baired et al, 1994)

The nature of response to gay related crimes also depicts discrimination. In the year 1999, a survey conducted by the Gay Men Community Action in South Australia found that a whooping forty four percent of gay/lesbian victims never contacted the police when they had been victims of hate crime. The same research also found that forty nine percent of the respondents would not report their cases to the police if the crime under consideration involved sexual issues. The same survey also found that seventy nine percent of the participants (who were all gay/lesbians) felt that police officers had a negative attitude towards homosexuals. These perceptions were not just founded on baseless allegations; it was found that twenty three percent of the homosexuals who had reported their cases to the police received homophobic reactions from them. As if that was not enough, these victims asserted that the same homophobic behaviour was …

Acquisition of Real Estate in Cyprus

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The geographical location of Cyprus between Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa together with the well-established legal, banking and accounting infrastructures urge local and foreign business people to invest in immovable property.  A considerable advantage of the Cyprus legal system is the protection of ownership without discriminations. That is to say, according to Cyprus Law, Cypriot citizens and foreigners may enjoy all rights associated with ownership of their property without any intervention from the State or individuals. Furthermore, Cyprus is an EU member-state since 2004 and adopted the euro in 2008. As a result, the acquisition of immovable property in Cyprus became easier.

Cypriots and EU citizens:
According to the Cyprus Law, Cypriots and EU citizens Cyprus may acquire any property without restrictions.

Non-EU citizens:
For non-EU citizens there are restrictions on type and size of real estate they are allowed to buy. Precisely, non-EU citizens may purchase a house/a flat/ a building plot/land up to 4.014m2. It should be underlined that non-EU citizens may also buy a shop under the condition that the shop will be used only for business purposes. Additionally, it should be highlighted that Cyprus Companies whose shareholders are non-EU citizens may obtain business offices and residence for their foreign employees given that they maintain a fully-fledged office.

According to the provisions of the Acquisition of Immovable Property (Aliens) Law (Cap.109), non-EU citizens wishing to buy immovable property in Cyprus must submit an Application to the District Office of the District where the property is located.

The Applicant should submit together with the Application the following documents/details:

  • Form Comm 145 completed and signed; 
  • Contract of sale; 
  • Financial standing (i.e. a bank statement); 
  • Particulars of the property  and of the current owner; 
  • The terms of payment and the way of acquisition; 
  • A copy of the Applicant’s and the spouse’s passport. In case the spouse does not have the same surname as the Applicant then a marriage certificate needs to be submitted;
  • Copies of the governmental survey plans;

 The letter of approval/refusal by the District Office may take approximately up to six months. Nevertheless, the Applicant may in the meantime take procession of the immovable property he/she bought.

Transfer of Ownership:
The transfer of ownership of real estate property is conducted at the Department of Lands and Surveys. The following documents need to be submitted:

  • Application Form N207; 
  • The registration deed of the real estate property; 
  • Copy of the District Office approval;
  • Proofs that all property taxes have been paid;

Fees and Charges:
When a buyer registers the immovable property under his/her name at the District Land Office, he/she will have to pay the corresponding transfer fee which is calculated based on property’s market value at the time of the signing of the contracts. For more information, see Table 1.

Property’s Value in Euros

Transfer Fee (%)

Less than €85.430, 10

3

 €85.430,10- €170.860,14

5

More than €170.860,14

8

 

 

 

Table 1

 

Immovable Property Tax:
According to Section 3 of Law 24/1980 the owner of a property is …

Leadership Development and Coaches

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  1. This article highlights the results of two important questions within the survey – one on leadership development and one on access to mentors.

The results are alarming: 

–          More than half the coaches had no mentor or access to a senior coach to support them.

The coach’s role is critical. Few other professions have such an impact on the development of our future generations. Both young and older athletes look directly to their coach to role model the types of behaviors which create a successful contribution to our society. The fact is, a coach is a role model and an extremely influential and important leader.

In a study into Leadership in Australian businesses, it was found only 20% of Australian leaders were formally educated, compared with 63% in Germany and 85% in Japan and the United States. Only 50% of Australian leaders had been adequately prepared for a leadership role. The “average” leader spent roughly 7 days per year, or 3% of their time, involved in training for their development and future performance in their roles.

Based on the conference coach survey results, there is a significant gap in either leadership development opportunities for sports coaches, or there is little take up of what development opportunities do exist.

  1. What is the cost of refilling just one role in an organisation? Roughly 100% of their yearly salary in advertising, recruitment services and lost productivity. What are lack of development opportunities costing sport? Some of the costs are not even seen. For example, how many potential coaches (quality coach candidates) neglect sport altogether and focus on their business career because of the difference in development opportunities and other issues.

Bottom line is this, we expect our athletes to learn and develop and therefore we as coaches must also look for opportunities to do the same. 

To view the full Coach Survey Results from the 2009 Evolution of the Athlete Conference covering leadership development, coaching mentors and how coaches get to know their new athletes, visit the website.

You can also access the full Coach Survey Results from the 2008 Evolution of the Athlete Conference covering what coaches’ biggest challenges are and what are the characteristics of a phenomenal coach, visit the website.

If you would like to comment on this article or have any questions, please contact us.…

Marketing your Law Firm – 5 Secrets to Building your Online Presence

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How important is your firm’s client base? If this question seems like a no-brainer, it’s because it is. Fostering a steadily growing client base is a vital ingredient for any successful law firm. Growth equals profits. Yet despite this, legal marketing is often perceived within the industry as the proverbial ugly step child.

The reasons are obvious. Marketing takes lawyers out of their comfort zone. Good lawyers do not necessarily make good marketers. And time spent on a marketing campaign that bombs is time wasted! Imagine how much case work could have been completed in that time…

While these issues may be valid, the fact is that your firm isn’t going to grow on its own. So you can either accept legal marketing as a necessary evil, or watch your profits flatline.

For those brave enough to embrace it, welcome aboard. Marketing your firm won’t be easy, but it’s also not as difficult as you might think. Many of the road blocks inherent to legal marketing are being broken down, particularly with technological advancements in the online arena.

So open your mind as we explore the road blocks most firms encounter, and discuss the new technologies that are helping to break them down.

Road block 1 – Resource limitations

Lawyers work hard! A work conditions report conducted in 2003 found that your typical lawyer works around 48 hours a week. To compound this fact, almost 90% of Australian law firms employ less than 5 lawyers. The end result…? Resource shortage and time depravation!

Many firms would argue that they just don’t have the time, nor the manpower to implement effective marketing activities. Yes… common business development tactics such as attending & contributing to seminars, brochure development and mail out campaigns are resource heavy. But you have options. It’s time to take your thinking beyond the ‘old school’.

Solution

Modern marketing techniques can be light on both your time and resources. In fact, a number of online opportunities allow you to adopt a ‘set & forget’ approach to marketing.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is an example. SEO is the practice of improving your web sites ranking within the search engine results in order to drive more traffic to your firm’s site. The effect of good SEO is dramatic. Data released by AOL revealed that the site attaining top spot in the search results draws almost half of the traffic for that search term. Second spot draws less than 15%!

A number of factors affect your sites ability to rank well within the search engines, including:

1. The quality of your content

2. The number of external sites that link to you

3. Your page titles

4. The age of your site

5. The frequency of content updates

6. The cleanliness of web site design and coding… and more

In fact, Google claims to use up to 200 different factors to measure a sites quality. Consequently, SEO isn’t a task you can take on yourself. You’ll need the help of a specialist, …

10 Worst Celebrity Plastic Surgeries

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10 worst cases of CELEBRITY PLASTIC SURGERIES that just went awfully wrong. There is so much emphasis on youth, being slender and beauty in much of the world. Especially, it is so true in the Western societies with billboards, TV, star news, the Internet and radio inundating our society with how important it is to have all three of those attributes, or you’re just not of value. Many women have gone under the knife due to this pressure.

Hang Mioku is a South Korean woman, 48, not necessary a star but she’s made repeated headlines in the celebrity news due to her insane addiction; Mioku manifests what happens with many plastic surgeries. She became so addicted to it that she injected cooking oil into her face ultimately. Yikes! As Hank Williams sang these words,”Hey good lookin’, what you got cookin’?”, he should have told Ms. Mioku to use the cooking oil for her dinner, not her face. Remember Muammar Gaddafi?

Heidi Montag had her old breast implants increased to DDDs, a nose job revision, a lipo on her stomach and thighs, a butt augmentation, a brow lift, etc, etc, etc.

Montag shocked the world when she underwent ten plastic surgery procedures in one day. Most of us either don’t know or have forgotten that Heidi has already had two plastic surgeries done prior to her big tune up. Watch out Heidi, don’t go any further otherwise Good God we don’t want to have you looking like Jocelyn Wildenstein down the road.

Jackie Stallone, the mother of Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Balboa in the movie Rocky). She looks like she’s been through some tough fights herself. Actually, her new face is after thousands of dollars worth of many plastic surgeries. Maybe after a few more surgeries she can look as good as her original face?

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop had multiple nose jobs, cheek implants; eyelid surgery, a cleft put in his chin.You name it he had it. He just had too many inappropriate operations.

As for Michael’s big sister LaToya Jackson, she must have used the same surgeon as Michael did before he died. The most obvious work LaToya has done is on her nose.

Pete Burns is a former member of Dead or Alive, who had the top single “You Spin Me Round”. He spent the fortune he earned from his successful music career on reconstructive surgeries after a botched plastic surgery on his lips. It appears he should have kept the money.

Jocelyn Wildenstein, this is the formerly beautiful billionairess socialite Wildenstein, who is also being referred to as the Bride of Frankenstein. She reportedly spent millions on plastic surgeries to win back her estranged husband. He may have run even faster after the surgeries! Joan Rivers, has had facelift, eye tuck, nose job, Botox, etc, etc etc.

Mickey Rourke undergone face reconstructive surgery. Rourke, the once boxer turned Hollywood heartthrob went back to boxing in the early 90s; and Mickey suffered a …

The New Dark Ages

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By Delwyn Lounsbury – THE DEFLATION GURU

The real cause of the coming NEW DARK AGES is linked directly to fractional reserve banking causing fiat money inflation and the massive credit inflation of the past 70+ years. The only cure for credit inflation like we have had is a big credit deflation (See <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:ga(‘send’, ‘pageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link/5405666’);” href=”<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:ga(‘send’, ‘pageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link/5405666’);” href=”http://www.deflationeconomy.com/austrian-economics.html”>Austrian”>http://www.deflationeconomy.com/austrian-economics.html”>Austrian Economics</a>. Thanks to government protection and encouragement banks were able to lend with only small cash holdings in reserve. In the last decade our government in cahoots with the Federal Reserve Bank required no reserves backing your deposits. None!

One world government coming soon! Not a good thing as it may bring on the NEW DARK AGES. Unfortunately, the Federal Reserve Bank and the other some 110 central banks of the world may be owned by a few impossibly rich families that want you to be their pawns, their serfs. The Anglo financial elite along with their military industrial complex, their crony capitalists and religious (and other) enablers want a “DIRECTED HISTORY” toward Maxism and they have the money to do it. These totalitarian globalist elite plan a socialist Marxist future for the world with themselves as rulers. Their collectivist conspiracy is the biggest story in the whole wide world. It is not being told because the elite own the mainstream press and if it is on the mainstream press it is a smokescreen aimed at taking your freedom and liberty. Remember This!

The Anglo financial power elite (The 1,100 mega rich families that control all the world’s central banks – the BANKSTERS) want a one world government. The elite have been orchestrating a weakening of free market capitalism for possibly the last 300 years to scare and grind the middle class into submission and global governance. The coming economic collapse symptoms started with the dot com mania 2000 peak and will offer one-worldism as the solution.

The GREATER DEPRESSION will last into 2016-2018 and result in a 90 percent drop in most asset prices. Gold may drop in half. Unemployment will probably exceed 35 percent.
This global deflationary depression will be twice as big and twice as long as their 1930’s depression that brought socialist and fascist Franklin Roosevelt into power. Every government regulation and law is a price fix that transfers wealth away from actual producers and Roosevelt was the king of new regulations. Roosevelt’s misguided thinking made that depression last seven years longer than it should have and led America down the road to Keynesian socialism in which most everyone now believes government can micro-manage the economy. It can’t in the long run. When government pays to create jobs, where is the job when the project is done? It is better to let free enterprise create jobs that will last. Isn’t it?

Welcome to an Orwellian “Big Brother” society with the leftists like President Barack Hussein Obama doing the elites wet work. Why do you think Obama, the socialist communist Marxist fascist Nazi, …

California DUI Driving Under Influence Jury Instruction License Lawyers Attorneys

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THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. MARIO ENRIQUEZ, Defendant and Appellant.
COURT OF APPEAL OF CALIFORNIA, SIXTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
February 7, 1996, Decided

On June 19, 1994, after smoking a cigarette laced with phencyclidine (PCP), defendant and Christine Martinez were outside Martinez’s mother’s house at 369 Fleming Avenue. When her mother came to the door, she observed Christine was under the influence of PCP and told her she had to leave. Her mother then called 911.  Reserve Deputy Sheriff Michael Phillips saw a blue Sprint with two occupants parked three houses away.  Defendant and Christine exited their automobile and Phillips got out of the patrol car.  When Phillips asked for defendant’s driver’s license, he noticed defendant was sweating, his eyes appeared glossy, and he had difficult standing.  Phillips asked defendant whether he was under the influence, and defendant gave an affirmative response.  After defendant was taken to jail, a blood sample was taken. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of PCP in defendant’s blood.  When the trial court instructed the jury on the charge of driving under the influence, the trial court read Cal. Jury Instructions, Criminal No. 12.65 (1992).  Based on this evidence, a jury found defendant guilty of driving under the influence and being under the influence of a controlled substance.  Defendant was convicted of both charges.  Defendant appealed.

Issue:

  • Whether jury instruction CALJIC No. 12.65 was sufficient to uphold his driving under the influence conviction?

The Court states that “It is settled that a criminal defendant has a constitutional right to have the jury determine every material issue presented by the evidence.  The denial of that right constitutes a miscarriage of justice regardless of the strength of the prosecution’s case.  Accordingly, it is the trial court’s duty to see that the jurors are adequately informed on the law governing all elements of the case to the extent necessary to enable them to perform their function.  This duty is not always satisfied by a mere reading of wholly correct, requested instructions.  A trial court has a sua sponte duty to instruct on general principles of law relevant to issues raised by the evidence and to give explanatory instructions when terms used in an instruction have a technical meaning peculiar to the law.  The term “under the influence” differs for the purposes of section 23152, subdivision (a) and Health and Safety Code section 11550.  To be ‘under the influence’ within the meaning of the Vehicle Code, the drug(s) must have so far affected the nervous system, the brain, or muscles as to impair to an appreciable degree the ability to operate a vehicle in a manner like that of an ordinarily prudent and cautious person in full possession of his faculties.  In contrast, being under the influence’ within the meaning of Health and Safety Code section 11550 merely requires that the person be under the influence in any detectable manner.  The symptoms of being under the influence within the meaning of that statute are not confined to those commensurate with …

How To Find the Right Criminal Lawyer

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If you are searching for the best criminal lawyer in Rolling Meadows, then you must know that a criminal lawyer is a person whom you will require when you need a solid defense strategy. This lawyer should have the experience, skills and also able to develop a solid plan of defense to help you with your case. They will serve as your advocate and will undertake to do all of the negotiations to ensure that you’re able to walk away without any penalties.

An experienced rolling meadows criminal attorney is able to do all this as they have passed the bar exam after they have completed their law school. Many of these criminal lawyers have excellent communication skills. It is this asset, which will allow you to feel completely comfortable. In any legal case a lot of paperwork is also involved. These lawyers usually have a team of people who will help to work on your case so that you are fully prepared prior to your court date.

People usually obtain the services of a criminal lawyer in Rolling Meadows when they are facing either misdemeanoror felony charges. These law firms have a dearth of knowledge on all cases related to legal matters, an asset that will help you to feel more at ease, and these attorneys will begin advising you right away so not to loose to time.

Before you go about hiring your criminal attorney, it is necessary for you to inquire about their experience. Such information will help you in relieving your fears. If at any point of time you get the opportunity to watch the attorney whom you are going to hire during a court case, it can be very enlightening and helpful at choosing.

Asking friends and colleagues on how to go abouthiring a lawyer can also help you in locating a good attorney. If there is someone you know who has at one point in time or faced a criminal charge in the past, then this person is the best person to talk to for information about a good criminal attorney. Another source for locating the best criminal lawyer is the Internetas it is the best place from where you will be able to learn more about an attorney. The Internet is the main source, which is full of information in order to get you the most information about the background of an attorney, or law firm. The best move would be to obtain an attorney in the area that you are facing these charges, rather than the actual place where you live.

Any criminal case can be time consuming and stressful, this is why the criminal attorney is the best person to lead you through this type of charge. There are also people who find that hiring a criminal attorney earlier will make them feel more prepared.

All in all, we can say that one should not face their charges alone and hiring the right lawyer will essentially change the outcome of your …

Competition Law in Cyprus

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The Association Agreement between Cyprus and the European Economic Community entered into force in the late 1980’s. As a result, Cyprus was obliged to establish a legislation for the protection of competition and regulate unfair competition practices.  

Specifically, the protection against unfair competition is regulated by the following two legislations:

  • the Protection of Competition Law (207 (I)/ 1989);
  • the Control of Concentration Between Enterprises Law (22(I)/ 1999);

On the one hand, the Competition Law regulates restrictions in agreements and abuse of dominant position. On the other hand, the Control of Concentration Between Enterprises Law regulates mergers and acquisitions in the Republic of Cyprus. In this article, we will be focused on the Competition Law.

The Protection of Competition Law was amended in 2014 so that to enforce the effectiveness of the existing legislation in Cyprus. The amendments to the competition law enhance the powers of the Commission for the Protection of Competition and facilitates the convergence with EU Law and Recommendations endorsed by the European Competition Network.

Control and Suppression of Practices that Restrict Fair Competition:

Following the provisions of section 3(1) of the Competition Law are prohibited all related practices between undertakings that intend to prevent, restrict or distort competition, and specifically those that:

  1. fix purchase or selling prices or influence any other trading conditions;
  2. restrict or affect production, supply, technical development, or 
    investment;
  3. share markets or sources of supply geographically or otherwise;
  4. apply different conditions to equivalent transactions, in this manner placing other undertakings at a competitive disadvantage;
  5. make the conclusion of contracts subject to acceptance by other parties of supplementary obligations which, by their nature or according to commercial use, have no connection with the subject of such contracts;

Exemptions:

Section 4 of the Competition Law indicates an exemption for certain concerted acts which would otherwise be prohibited and invalid under the following conditions:

  1. these actions contribute to improving the production or distribution of goods or to promoting technical or economic development while allowing consumers a fair share of the resulting benefit;
  2. these actions do not enforce, on the undertakings concerned, restrictions that are not indispensable to the attainment of these objectives;
  3. they do not afford undertakings the possibility of eliminating competition in respect of a significant part of the product in question;

Abuse of Dominant Position:

Section 6(1) of the Competition Law stresses that any abuse by one or more undertakings that have a dominant position in the internal market or have a considerable part of it regarding a product is prohibited.

Such abusive action may involve:

  1. fixing purchase or selling prices or influence other unfair trading conditions;
  2. limiting production, markets or technical development to the prejudice of consumers;
  3. applying dissimilar conditions to equivalent transactions with other trading parties, in that way placing them at a competitive disadvantage;
  4. making the conclusion of contracts subject to acceptance by other parties of supplementary obligations which, by their nature or according to commercial use, have no connection with the subject of such contracts.

However, the provisions of section 6 …

Reducing Poverty Through Communication

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It has long been a major principle in developmental terms that social and economic transformation involves the free flow of information as well as ideas to spur economic and innovative thoughts and exchange among peoples in the State.

The free flow and access to information can also create an accountable and transparent society, thereby laying the groundwork for a less corrupt and prosperous society. In Sierra Leone the much-heralded poverty reduction strategy paper [PRSP] has still not got the blessings of the Paris Club.

Though various reasons have been advanced for the failure of the Sierra Leone government to win the approval of 1.7 billion US dollars to sponsor the PRSP – It is widely believe that the issue of corruption and lack of an information Act to ensure accountability may be among the raison d’etre for the refusal of the world’s richest club of donor Nations to sponsor this all important enterprise of reducing poverty in one of the world’s poorest countries.

At present however, a fresh book published by the International Department for International Development, (DFID) United Kingdom, has thrown very important light on the using of; strategic communication to fight poverty through PRS paper with the support of multitudes. In this work, undertaken by both the World Bank and department for international development DFID. Countries such as Ghana et al are singled out and used as a classical example on how communication can be used to fight poverty in third world countries.

Although just five years old the PRSP approach is now established as the country level framework for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s), set by the United Nations. This World Bank communications experts believe can only be achieved through strategic communications. The authors start by referring to strategic communications as much more than merely informing citizens, rather they say it is the active seeking of the perspectives and contributions of citizens so that they can help to shape policy. They added that it is also a means of ensuring that mechanisms are in place for a two-way flow of information and ideas between the government and the citizenry as well as a Nation’s deliberate effort to build consensus amongst stakeholders about the development strategy the Nation wishes to pursue.

The experts also pointed out in the book that done properly, strategic communications can contribute to PRSP in the following ways: It creates open and inclusive national discourse on policy option, which leads to greater and increased participation in policy making by significant segment of the population. The result is increased support and commitment for the agreed strategy. Secondly, on the other hand it whips up expectation, giving the people a serious sense of what policy options can realistically deliver. It helps to promote transparency and accountability, by full airing and presentation of the facts, citizens can hold the government accountable. Fourthly, it also establishes and maintains momentum because of the engagement of multitudes. Fifthly, it creates or reopens a public culture of citizen …