Representing Ethnic Communities in the Media - Report Example

Media Audiences Table of Contents Introduction 3 Concept of Canonical Approach 4 Critical Analysis of the Selected Text 5 Historical and Social Context of the Article 7 Findings and Arguments Relating to the Text 9 Conclusion 11 References 13 Introduction The notion of ethnic media publications offers an unconventional way to build uniformity in the mainstream media. The publications of ethnic media are considered as an essential set of practices to any civic society. They are indispensable in terms of making essential contributions towards sustaining and promoting social values and movements (Williamson & DeSouza, 2006). In relation to the recent phenomena of ethnic media publications the essay intends to critically justify whether the present judicial system is failing young black men in the US. With respect to the article of Laurence Steinberg, major issue regarding the growing incarceration of the blacks in different States of the US has been critically identified. In relation to the recent observation, the growing numbers of incarceration of the blacks has been consistently seeking for adequate measures from the jurisdictional system to protect this vulnerable population within the different American societies (Steinberg, 2014). The essay critically examines how the subcultural populations position themselves in the context of the judicial systems of the US. In order to explore the rationality and accountability of the article, the discussion would highly focus on demonstrating the key factors through a canonical approach. Moreover, the canonical approach of the essay also focuses on demonstrating an informed awareness of the analysis in both historical and social context. In addition to the analyses, the study also tends to present an in-depth interpretation, findings and arguments associated with the selected ethnic media publication in a more academic and appropriate manner with respect to the major characteristics and structure of a canonical approach. Concept of Canonical Approach Pioneered by Brevard Childs, the canonical approach is focused on interpreting the text of within the Bible. It is also known as canonical criticism and highly focuses on revealing the appropriate meaning of the text within its final form the approach significantly involves a process of paying adequate attention regarding the present form of a particular text and ensures ascertaining appropriate meaning for the community which believes in it (Oswalt, 1987). Childs (1993) has critically stated that the approach involves serving to form the superficial limitations of the authoritative scripture and it also focuses on ensuring adequate transparency of the texts, that reflect different characteristics of each individual within a particular community (Morrison, 1996). With regard to the implementation of the approach in different field of research, it has been identified that the canonical approach significantly enables to make coherent view of the texts and justifies with respect to the community based understanding. In this context, it can be stated that the approach represents a clear depiction through reflecting rationality and accountability of a particular text with respect to the belief and reality of the individuals within the community (Childs, 1993). The approach is basically characterised in numbers of attributes that fundamentally enable to identify rationality and justify the transparency of the texts. In this regard, the analysing process through this approach basically demonstrates five major attributes including controller, target, domain, features and conditions (Chumakina, 2011). Critical Analysis of the Selected Text The scenario of continuous threats and imprisonments of the black population in the US is a long standing issue that is influenced by various types of factors. In relation to the recent past scenario, it has been widely observed that the young blacks are among the rapidly growing population in the US that are likely to spend their sentences in different public and private correctional facilities. This segment of American population have higher rate of crime as compare to the other populaces cohorts. According to the article, it was ascertained that the 10% of the American youths offenders generally commit criminal practices prior to their 20th birthday, which can be considered as a major concern for the communities. The author had also critically stated that the majority of the rest 90% young blacks are likely to develop their cognitive skills and behaviour in line with their maturation of brain that are still developing during their late adolescence stage. Moreover, the study made by Steinberg had also revealed that the process of incarceration of the young blacks do not have any impact on the current recidivism trend within the American youths. The process further entails this segment of population to commit various types of criminal acts after returning into their communities (Steinberg, 2014). With regard to the current scenario, the subcultures representing black youth in the US are impose with serious discriminations. In this regard, it has been observed that the incarceration of the young blacks is a growing phenomenon, which generally involves a major financial loss of the national economy. The incarceration of the young juvenile across the nation cost four times higher of the probation budget due to the unnecessary imprisonment of individuals. This process within the justice system of the US causes a significant misuse of financial aspects that could be deployed in different community development initiatives including crime prevention, educational development along with different other youth developmental programs. In this regard, the incarceration of the offenders has been considered as a problematic practice as it involves a large amount of wealth of the nation (Steinberg, 2014; Kansal & Mauer, 2005). Moreover, it also impedes on cognitive and behavioural development of the youths to flourish their way of living and contribute towards the refurbishment of the national economy. Therefore, the increasing numbers of incarcerate young black Americans can have a major impact on the social and economic development of the US. Furthermore, the article also summarises that current judicial system in the country is also burden with certain flaws that has been acting as deterrence for the young population to flourish their sociological and psychological development. The continuous practices of racial discrimination of the judicial systems and regulatory policies and provisions often lead to impose the youth segment to involve numbers of criminal activities. Indeed, the scenario associated with racial discrimination have long-standing impact on this segment of American population to get involve in various types of crimes across the different communities in the states (Kansal & Mauer, 2005; Mauer & Huling, 1995). Historical and Social Context of the Article According to the historical context, the notion of racial dynamics within the criminal justice system has long been witnessed as a major concern in the US. In relation to the earlier period, The US courtrooms across the different jurisdictions were highly composed with the white decision makers, in which the black youth populations had been subject to discrimination by charging incarcerations. In relation to the present day context, although the courtrooms and judicial systems comprises diversity of leadership practices, indeed the racial discrimination plays a key role in various types of criminal justice outcomes in the US (Kansal & Mauer, 2005). The historical background over the concern also depicts that racial difference was supposed to consider as a pervasive factor in sentencing within the US judicial system. From the review of the past cases regarding the concern associated with the race on sentencing, it can be frequently witnessed numerous evidences that the judicial outcomes in the US significantly lack adequate uniformity in terms of sentencing offenders. With this regard, it has been identified that the young black Americans are the majority of populations in terms of acquiring harsh sentencing as compare to the other offenders from diverse racial backgrounds. They are also underprivileged as compare to the white youths regarding certain legal process related to sentence reduction system, pre-trial detention and trial penalties among others. Moreover, the young blacks are often subject to harsher penalties in terms of conviction of harming white populations than the individuals committing crimes with any other blacks. With respect to the past scenarios, it is evident that the judicial systems and practices are often discriminate sentencing of the minority defendants. In addition they are more liable to serve longer sentence period than the other white young offenders (Eccles & et. al, 2006; Kansal & Mauer, 2005). Therefore, it can be firmly stated that the young black Americans are more likely to face longer and harsher sentencing period as compare to the whites, which further insists this segment of population to involve numbers of serious crimes across after the completion of their probationary sentencing period (Kansal & Mauer, 2005; Mauer & Huling, 1995). According to the observation of the historical background, the trial penalty is subjected to all offenders in the US, regardless their ethnicity or racial differences. However, the correctional studies in Pennsylvania during the year 1996 and 1997 revealed that the young black Americans are the major group of convicts of incarceration than the whites. They are also liable to pay significantly a higher level of penalties as compare to the similarly situated individuals from other racial backgrounds. The study during the year of 1997 had also revealed that the white convicts were provided with substantial assistance in the form of 23% reduction in their overall incarceration period, whereas the black Americans were likely to receive only 13% reduction for the homogeneous acts during the similar cause for incarceration (Kansal & Mauer, 2005). With this regard, it can be critically stated that the judicial system of the nation is also a key factor that frequently impose the young black Americans to involve in various types of crimes due to the major disparities in the incarceration procedures. The provisions are significantly less effective to provide adequate security to reduce the crime rate of the young blacks. In relation to the social context, the present judicial system also restricts the development of the young blacks. . In the social context, it is obvious that the young black males are often observed to practice various types of anti-social acts as compare to the other segments of population (Phillips & et. al, 2009). According to an in-depth understanding of various research studies, the emergence of oppositional identities has been increasingly witnessed within the population from young African-American within different communities of the US. The lower level of income level, inadequate skill developmental initiates along with lack of community based support towards addressing the cognitive development related attributes of the black adolescents can be considered as few of the major factors that significantly impose this segment of population to get involve in different unlawful or anti-social activities. Moreover, the factor also reduces the probability of improving the life chances of the young Black Americans (Eccles & et. al, 2006). In addition to the federal initiatives towards the improvement of the social-cognitive skills of the young black males, it can be identified that the constitutional and environmental hazards that can have major impact on the recently adopted measures by the government. Large or considerable inconsistencies within the constitutional and environmental policies towards the young black males not only impact on the academic and cognitive development, it also negatively influence their socio-emotional believes (Eccles & et. al, 2006). Moreover, the young black males from African-American backgrounds also possess considerably higher level of values associated with racial discrimination which can be a major constraint towards developing their cognitive skills and behavioural activities. In this regard, the social institutions should highly focus on finding positive association amongst the school motivation and foreseen racial discrimination of the young black males (Eccles & et. al, 2006). Findings and Arguments Relating to the Text With reference to an in-depth understanding and analysis of the case, numbers of aspects has been identified that develop major constraint towards the development of the young black males in the US. According to the observation, it is widely accepted that the judicial policies and practices are the key major concerns that impose major impact on then social and cognitive development of the blacks in different communities across the US. Moreover, the existing discriminations in the correctional facilities and considerable differences among the blacks and whites in serving sentences have been taken as few of the major factors motivating the young black male to get involve in different unlawful activities. Additionally, the article also reveals that the racial disparities among the American populations have major influencing and motivating factor for young black males to commit different types of criminal acts even after completing their first sentence. Spending long time in the correctional facilities significantly disrupts the academic backgrounds of the young blacks, which further leads to make them unemployed and drive them to engage in different insurgencies or other criminal activities within the communities (Eccles & et. al, 2006). With respect to a canonical approach, the factors ascertained by the author in the text can be argued in different manner. In this context, the factors can be argued under the ground of root cause of the increasing numbers of convicts from the young black male populations (Steinberg, 2014). With respect to the concern, the higher rate of drop-out from the academic institutions, severe experience of unemployment along with inadequate judicial system of incarceration practices have been widely accepted to increase the numbers of young black offenders in the US (Welch, 2007). However, the continuous disparities of the social institutions along with alienation of the blacks in different social events and communities can also be considered as the major factor leading to severely impact on this vulnerable segment of American population. In this regard, the community based programs can play a major role towards improving the cognitive behaviour and socio-cultural aspects of the young black males. According to the present day context, it is widely accepted that the young black males in different states of the US are likely to commit different types of offences including drug possession, armed robbery and aggravated assaults. In this regard, it is obvious that the significant omissions to educate the adolescences or developing their cognitive and behavioural skills can significantly reduce the potential rate of crimes committed by the young black males. In this regard, it can be stated that the significant deficiency towards educating young adults or lack of developing their cognitive and behavioural aspects are few of the major causes leading the young black males to get involved in various criminal practices (Mauer & Huling, 1995). Conclusion With reference to the text, it has been identified that the judicial system of the US is one of the key factors leading to increase the numbers of convicts from the young black males. Although the study revealed the increasing numbers of young black convicts in the detention system, it has several other factors that significantly impose this segment of population to get involve in different illegal activities. In relation to the judicial system of the nation, it is obvious that the individuals are incarcerated in terms of involving any types of unlawful acts regardless their race or ethnicity. Moreover, the study has also revealed that the discrimination regarding the correctional sentence system of the judicial policies that impose significant disadvantage on the young black Americans. In this regard, it can be stated that the youths from different sub-cultures especially the African-Americans are likely to commit higher numbers of crimes than the other populaces and are frequently incarcerated in different detention facilities. Moreover, they are also influenced by their social believes regarding the discrimination of their individual identity can also be considered as a root cause, which further enable them to commit serious crimes within the communities. In this regard, the inadequate development of their social beliefs along with instinct behavioural characteristics against the judicial system can also be considered that are often face them different types of detention and correctional procedures. References Childs, B. S., 1993. Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments: Theological Reflection on the Christian Bible. Fortress Press. Chumakina, M., 2011. Nominal Periphrasis: A Canonical Approach. John Benjamins Publishing Company. Corbett, G. G. & et. al, No Date. The Canonical Approach in Typology. Morphology Group. [Online] Available at: http://www.smg.surrey.ac.uk/Suppletion/Readmes/Canonical_typology.pdf [Accessed March 14, 2014]. Eccles, J. S., & et. al, 2006. Ethnicity as a Social context for the Development of African-American Adolescents. Journal of School Psychology, Vol. 44, pp. 407-426. Kansal, T. & Mauer, M., 2005. Racial Disparity in Sentencing: A Review of the Literature. The Sentencing Project. [Online] Available at: http://www.sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/rd_sentencing_review.pdf [Accessed March 14, 2014]. Morrison, J. D., 1996. Book Reviews. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 631-696. Mauer, M. & Huling, T., 1995. Young Black Americans and the Criminal Justice System: Five Years Later. The Sentencing Project. [Online] Available at: http://www.sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/rd_youngblack_5yrslater.pdf [Accessed March 14, 2014]. Oswalt, J. N., 1987. Canonical Criticism: A Review from a Conservative Viewpoint. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vol. 30, No. 3, pp. 317-325. Phillips, K. S., & et. al, 2009. Social Inequality and Racial Discrimination: Risk Factors for Health Disparities in Children of Color. PEDIATRICS Vol. 124, pp. S176-S186. Steinberg, L., 2014. Justice System is Failing Young Black Men. Cable News Network. [Online] Available at: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/11/opinion/steinberg-black-youth-prison/index.html?iid=article_sidebar [Accessed March 14, 2014]. Welch, K., 2007. Black Criminal Stereotypes and Racial Profiling. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, Vol 23, No. 3, pp. 276-288. Williamson, A. & DeSouza, R., 2006. Representing Ethnic Communities in the Media. Aotearoa Ethnic Network Journal, Vol. 1, No.1, pp. 20-23. Read More