History of Death Penalty in Texas Essay Example

History of Death Penalty in Texas Essay During the historical era in the state of Texas, the use of the death penalty was common and frequent; before 1923 districts carried out executions themselves, in the form of hanging. However in 1923 the state of Texas prepared every execution to be carried out by the state in Huntsville using the electric chair as the method of execution. The state of Texas put to death their first prisoner by electrocution on February 8, 1924 and there were four more executions following the very first one on that date. The inmates that were sentenced to death and the areas that the executions were taken place were located in the Huntsville division from 1928 to 1965, and the last electrocution was carried out on July 30, 1964. This state electrocuted a sum of 361 inmates from 1924 to 1964. During the changes and views on capital punishment in the year of 1964, there were legal disputes regarding the death penalty that resulted in the de facto moratorium on executions in the United States. During these challenging times on June 29, 1972 in the case of Furman v. Georgia the United States Supreme Court ruled that each states capital punishment law in the U. S. was illicit since the death penalty was unjustly used and arbitrarily assigned. During that time there were 52 men in Texas awaiting execution, however the governor overturned all their sentences to life in prison and there wasn’t anyone left on death row by March of 1973. Even though death row was cleared and the inmates received life sentences, the state of Texas approved a new statue in1973 to regulate how capital punishment was assessed. We will write a custom essay sample on History of Death Penalty in Texas specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on History of Death Penalty in Texas specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on History of Death Penalty in Texas specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In 1974 with the new statue, jurors began enforcing death sentences and the number of death row inmates began to increase once again. In 1977 Texas implemented lethal injection as a form of execution and the first lethal injection was administered on December 7, 1982. Even though executions were put on hold for awhile they resumed in 1982. The following year there weren’t any administered, however throughout the next eight years there were an average of five executions a year. Over the next century 43 prisoners died by execution. In 1989, the United States Supreme Court agreed that in the case of Penry v. Lynough jurors are permitted to think about justifying facts, for example mental retardation and child abuse, when enforcing capital punishment. A number of inmates were vacated as an effect of this choice. The Texas legislature revised the sentencing instructions given to jurors in 1991, ending in a three-question format and its used present day. In 1992, the rate of executions increased rapidly and over the next four years there were 62 inmates executed which means on average there were fifteen executions per year. In 1995 the Texas legislature approved a regulation that required certain death-row appeals to be organized at the same time. The reason for this was to minimize the time that inmates exhausted on death row awaiting appeals, the effect of this caused executions to cease while being appealed. During the months that followed, March 1996 to January 1997 there was only one inmate executed. Although the laws were challenged, once everything resumed, over the next three years 92 executions took place. In 1998 seven prisoners that were serving death sentences attempted to escaped the prison and all except one inmate was captured. This particular inmate was already wounded when fled the grounds and a couple weeks later he was found dead in the Trinity River. In the year of 2000 there were quite of few issues that came under inspection regarding the death penalty. It was said that capital punishment was unkind, unjust to minorities, and it led the country in executions, which means Texas executed more people than all the other 37 states with the death penalty combined. With these outrageous numbers there was a component available that wasn’t available prior to these executions; it was the advancement in DNA testing. It was decided that DNA evidence should be retested in cases where the defendant could have been in doubt of guilt. With this being said in 2001 the legislature passed a law assuring DNA testing to any damned inmates whose innocence could possibly be protected as a consequence. Since the numbers of execution has declined per year from the high 30’s to the low 20’s but this doesn’t have anything to with the advancement in the use of DNA. Furthermore, in 2005 the Supreme Court limited the claim of capital punishment when it ruled that inmates who committed capital offenses when they were a minor could not be put to death. Also Texas altered the law so that the prison term for capital murders would be life in prison and ineligible for parole instead of the death penalty; by using this method the outcome that would reflect less inmates being placed on death row and more inmates serving life. This method worked and usually jurors would send about 30 inmates to death row a year, however with the change in the law the jurors on send about 15 inmates to death row. As a result, the residents of death row have declined from 446 prisoners at the beginning of 2005 to 354 inmates at the beginning of 2009. The amount of prisoners presently on death row is the lowest it has been since 1992 (Carson). Current Law In the state of Texas the current law still remains the same, the local courts have authority every illegal felony case. If a person is found guilty of a capital felony, they may be sentence by death, if the State wanted punishment of that nature. Examples of capital felonies are: murder of a public safety officer or firefighter in the line of duty, murder during the commission of specified felonies (kidnapping, burglary, robbery, aggravated rape, arson), murder for remuneration, multiple murders, murder during prison escape, murder of a correctional officer, murder of a judge, murder by a state prison inmate who is serving a life sentence for any of five offenses, or murder of an individual under six years of age. The offender has to be at least 18 years of age or older at the time of the crime, if defended is found guilty the case is appealed to the Court of Criminal Appeals, and if they lose the appeal they may appeal their case to the U. S Circuit Court, and if that isn’t effective they can go to the U. S Supreme Court. When every option is used, in capital cases the Governor of the state of Texas has the authority to award the offender a 30 day reprieve of a set execution (Texas History). The inmate still has rights until he dies. On the last day if life he is allowed one final meal and that final meal will be administered at approximately 3:30 p. . to 4 p. m. Prior, to 6 p. m. , the inmate may take a shower and dress in clean clothes. Everything that is needed and all the preparations for the execution to be carried out will be completed at a prearranged time. After 6 p. m. , the door will be unlocked, and the prisoner will be taken from the holding cell. The inmate will be removed from the cell location and into the execution chamber and held to a gurney. A medically skilled person that is not to be known shall insert an intravenous catheter into the individual’s arms and cause a saline solution to flow. At that point in time, the witnesses shall be lead to the execution chamber (Texas Execution Procedures and History). Method of Execution/Currently on Death Row The method of execution is lethal injection. The injection is Sodium Thiopental, the lethal dose Pancuronium Bromide, it relaxes the muscle relaxant, and lastly the Potassium Chloride which stops the heart beat. Category| State Information| State Abbreviation| TX| State Name| Texas| Death Penalty? | Yes| Number of Executions Since 1976| 462| Number of Executions before 1976| 755| Current Death Row Population| 337| Women on Death Row | 10| Date Death Penalty Re-enacted| 01/01/1974| 1st Execution After Re-enactment| 1982| Murder Rate (per 100,000)| 5. 6| Is Life Without Parole an Option? | Yes| Can a defendant get death for a felony in which s/he was not responsible for the murder? | Yes| Number of Innocent Persons Freed From Death Row| 11| Number of Clemencies Granted| 2| Region| South| Method| Injection| How is the Sentence Determined? | Jury| Location of Death Row(s)| Livingston (Women: Gatesville)| Clemency Process| Governor must have the Board of Pardons and Paroles recommendation for clemency. Discussion In my opinion I feel as though the state of Texas has zero tolerance. If a person commits a crime the punishment will be harsh and swift. I think that the way this particular state administers the death penalty is ridiculous. As I stated previously there were 93 executions that took place in the course of three years and I feel that at least ten percent of those inmates were probably not g uilty or couldn’t afford a decent lawyer to represent them so they ended up on death row. Once the state began to get scrutinized by the public they took a step back and began to pay attention to the high numbers of executions that took place in there state. However those laws were set in place that only minimized the numbers slightly and the jurors still chose to place prisoners on death row. Currently there are 337 people on death row waiting to die. This number in my opinion is rather large and most of those people will not make it to the set date to die for the most part. Jurors are ready to send people to death row at any given moment as long as the offender meets the death eligible crimes. They are not considering how expensive it is to hold someone on death row. Currently there are 337 people on death row and the average cost per day to house an inmate on death row is $59. 98. So if you take $59. 98 multiply that by 337 inmates you will get $20,213. 26 to house 337 death row inmates a day; let’s take it a step further and multiply $20,213. 26 by 365 days in a year and that equal $7,377,839. 90 to house 337 prisoners on death row a year. I can take this information another step further by saying the average time a person is held on death row is eight years and ten months and that amount equals to about $59,040,713. 20 to hold an inmate on death row (Texas Department of Criminal Justice). I know may factors come into play, for death row inmates such as some inmates may die, others maybe found innocent, and some could possibly receive a lesser sentence, however the likelihood for that miracle to happen and it puts a dent in the number of prisoners on death row is probably not going to happen. All of this money is being spent on these specific inmates this isn’t even factoring in the cost of the administering the execution or the amount to hold an inmate in prison who is just serving a form of sentence. The state and government puts all this money into a broken prison system and really is just wasting money on killing someone who killed someone. Overall I feel that the death penalty is too expensive; however I am a religious person so I can’t really say if I’m for or against capital punishment, because I feel that no one man should have the power to inflict pain or cause death towards a person. GOD is the only one who has the power to give and take and he is a forgiving GOD so why should someone feel they need to inflict death on another when GOD has possibly already forgiven them, especially when our government and or court system is held â€Å"In GOD We Trust†. Personally the system is one big ball of contradictions, but who am I to judge that. I have had family members killed and yes I do want them to be punishment but would I want to see them die because of what they have done I don’t think I would, so maybe I am saying I’m against capital punishment, however there’s exceptions to every rule. One thing I can’t take is someone to harm a child. Children are innocent and loving; they don’t have any clue about fear, anger, hate, or pain. So for a person to take a child life in any way is unacceptable and that’s the only time I would have the slightest idea of putting someone on death row other than that they could rot in prison while becoming someone’s girlfriend. Does this statement make me a hypocrite possibly, but I have a daughter and children are my soft spot and that in my opinion should be the only death eligible crime. Conclusion Overall, I feel as though the death penalty is put in place like any other law. This is an historical fact that probably will last for a long time. During this research I’ve learned so much about the state of Texas, dating back to the early nineteen hundreds. It’s interesting to see the world evolve and how things changed but in a way they don’t, everything just advances. My view of the death penalty and capital punishment will never change and given these facts that I’ve learned from this research it just helped me understand why I feel the way I do now. This is a broken system that we citizens have to depend on, changes need to be made swift and quickly, the same way the State of Texas executes a person, that’s how the system needs to change and improve for the sake of America and everyone that living in it. Hopefully one day the system can work together and flow without any concerns or problems that seems to occur in our system often, however I don’t see the day where that will happen anytime soon.

Roman Empire

During the time of the Roman Empire the Roman military was a very powerful military war machine(Nardo 259) that conquered most of the known world of that time. The Roman military of the Empire was the best-structured, organized, and maintained military through 31BC-400AD. According to the size of the Roman Empire, which was about 50 million people, the military was relatively small. The Roman military consisted of three main branches: the legions with the auxilia, the Praetorian Guard, and the fleet. Each branch of the Roman military had its own distinct features, which made them different than the others. Due to its structure and leadership it became the greatest power in its time. The units called legions formed the core of the Roman army. During the first three centuries of the empire the army contained no more than 25 to 34 legions. Each of these units consisted of about 5000 to 6000 men recruited among the citizen body. The legion was subdivided into ten regiments know as cohorts and these cohorts were grouped again into centuries(Mills 418). A centurion who was appointed by the emperor commanded each century. Although the soldiers of the legion were Roman citizens, this did not mean that they were born in Rome. With the rise of population through the conquered territories provincials quickly became the most important source of new recruits for the auxilia. Roman legionary soldiers generally enlisted for a term of twenty years and on the date of discharge legionaries were given 3,000 Denarii in addition to land for retirement. Most discharged legionaries regularly settled in colonies throughout the empire.The legions were miniature armies that containe d within its rank troops trained and equipped to perform all kinds of different duties both on and off the battlefield (Tingay 312). Although the vast majority of soldiers served as heavy infantry, other legions fought as cavalry, arche...

What is Indian philosophy Is there Indian philosophy Essay

What is Indian philosophy Is there Indian philosophy - Essay Example The orthodox schools include Mimamsa, Nyaya, Sankhya, Vaiseshika. The unorthodox schools re comprised of Buddhism and Abhidharma (Dasgupta 38). Further, Indian philosophy also incorporates the sceptical and materialist philosophies of Carvaka in addition to the religious schools of Jainism. Focus will be centred on the vigorous debates over argumentative strategies and conceptual analysis by which the Indian philosophical schools presented their philosophical positions, defended themselves against attacks from other philosophical schools and in turn mounted their own attacks. By analysing Indian philosophy this way demonstrates its existence and the way vital issues of philosophy have been addressed in India. All Indian school systems of thought agreed about reincarnation and karma (Dasgupta 45). Karma is a synonym for actions. They believed that individuals will experience consequences for their evil or good actions (fruits of karma). However, when the consequences â€Å"fruits of karma† cannot be experienced in a person’s present life, then he or she must die and be born again in order to experience them. In addition, apart from Buddhism, the Indian schools of thought agreed on the presence or existence of a permanent soul (Radhakrishnan 67). The soul had to go through some kind of purification for it to exist permanently. However, the thought on this differed from one school to another. The Indian schools of thought implied that ethically, desires and passions were to be put under check while no form of life was supposed to be harmed. Materialists and atheists were very common in India. As such, the schools of thought had to respond to non-believers arguments repeatedly. The materialist system was referred to as Lokayata. This is translated to mean, â€Å"that which is found among humans or people in general†. The scepticism of Lokayata about theology, reincarnation, and karma stemmed from its epistemology

Education Management Systems Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Education Management Systems - Personal Statement Example The task assigned is primarily to man the communication systems of the ground operations of the peacekeeping unit. This being a very critical job in any military operation and any slight error here could even disrupt the planned strategy of the operations. Further, being with diverse group of people from different countries, the operational effectiveness would heavily rely on our personal traits. Though initially I was a little doubtful on the success of my initiative, the skills acquired during the younger days when I had spent weeks with the convicts and addicts in an awareness initiative might have given the openness to associate with people with different culture, language, habit and style. Though these are the traits that have helped me to bring out the best in the field of my operation, I am also aware of a lot of missing virtues in me. Being away from home for considerable period of time, absence of emotional bond with the friends and relatives is the major lacuna in me. This has led to fewer friends back home and also at work. But being with the job that I like the most, these shortcomings seldom disturbs me at the moment.

Critical Analysis Of Research Paper (Current Practice in Project

Critical Analysis Of (Current Practice in Project Managementan Empirical Study by Diana White & Joyce Fortune) - Research Paper Example The paper was aimed to throw comprehensive light on the causes for disparity between the objectives defined by the managerial techniques and the results obtained. For this purpose, the writer focussed this paper on the data and results of a contemporary survey which was plannedâ€Å"to capture the `real world' experiences of project managers† aiming at finding out the levelâ€Å"to which those involved in the management of projects actually make use of the methods and techniques that are available and how effective the methods and techniques used are felt to be† (White & Fortune, 2004). ARTICLE’S SUMMARY The paper aimed at explaining the disparity between the objectives and conclusions reported in the contemporary survey planned to observe the real-life active participation of project managers. The survey was conducted with the help of questionnaires which were referred to 995 Project Managers. However, the response rate was mere 23.7%.The chief activity in the questionnaire was the description of a recent project and the factors influential on its conclusive outcomes. The emphasis was laid on the extent to which these influential factors modify the project outcomes and the researcher has directed the respondents to relate them with the available tools and techniques used in the methodology for a specific project management.... Article’s Summary The paper aimed at explaining the disparity between the objectives and conclusions reported in the contemporary survey planned to observe the real-life active participation of project managers. The survey was conducted with the help of questionnaires which were referred to 995 Project Managers. However, the response rate was mere 23.7%.The chief activity in the questionnaire was the description of a recent project and the factors influential on its conclusive outcomes. The emphasis was laid on the extent to which these influential factors modify the project outcomes and the researcher has directed the respondents to relate them with the available tools and techniques used in the methodology for a specific project management. The researcher had also asked for the respondents’ own critical evaluation of the tools and techniques that they had used so far and to relate any limitation that they have to face or any drawback that they noticed for using them. The results of this survey revealed the narrow range of tools and techniques which are frequently and commonly used in the project management including the project management software and Gantt charts. Nearly 50% of the participants testified against these tools and techniques. The results also revealed that the most implied criteria to judge the project success include three widely used factors: time, budget, specifications. Moreover, the suitability between the project and the organization as well as the success of the business also proved to be the determining factors of the project success. Critical Analysis of the Article The overall presentation of the paper is quite impressive as it appears to be quite a critically comprehensive analysis of the survey that was conducted contemporarily to

Executive Pay And Company Performance

Executive Pay And Company Performance Executive pay and compensation packages are a hot topic in todays world of business and public analysis. Many top executives in the United States are seen as more highly compensated than is necessary, while other Americans are struggling to make ends meet. Even so, the cost of executive compensation continues to increase despite efforts to curtail this type of company spending. Despite the fact that the cost of compensation is steadily increasing, a company ´s performance often depends on the performance of a good Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Therefore, it is often necessary for a company to pay its CEO handsomely, usually well above the market rate, in order to retain him or her as one of the companys most prized assets. This paper analyzes this notion and gives an in-depth look into the concept of pay for performance for senior executives such as CEOs. It is important to note that a companys Board of Directors, shareholders and compensation committee are responsible for executive compensation package proposals presented to prospective CEOs, and they are charged with weighing possible risks against benefits for any particular package presented. CEO Compensation There is a consensus in America regarding executive compensation and it is the philosophy that it is better to align executive compensation with performance. It is reasonable, considering that it just makes sense that paying an executive more for better performance is motivational to the executives (Ferracone 2010). As analyzed by Gomez-Mejia, Tosi Hinkin (1987), compensation for CEOs is as follows: Compensation has three distinct components: salary, bonuses, and long-term income. The last includes a wide array of deferred compensation benefits like pensions, profit sharing, stock options, IRAs, and bonus deferrals (60). The above quote outlines the totality of the basic CEOs compensation package, not including any added benefits or perks the company deems is necessary to attract and retain their chosen CEO executive. However, the bottom line is whether or not the executive is capable of handling the responsibilities of being the top executive for the firm. According to Lewellen, Loderer, Martin Blum (1994), senior executives are responsible for their corporations sound investment and financing decisions and also to ensure that their firms shareholder and investor interests are well taken care of; however, there is concern by many shareholders and investors that their corporate executive may not do was is expected. This brings up the issue of whether there is a correlation between the size of senior executive compensation packages offered and the firms financial performance standing. A positive correlation between the two can result in a reduction of overall costs for a large corporation (Lewellen, Loderer, Martin Blum 1994). This is significant, given the fact that many smaller firms are competing in the marketplace with larger firms that can afford better executive compensation packages. Similarly, Gomez-Mejia, Tosi Hinkin (1987) suggests that economic theory concerning executive compensation is based on the human capital theory, and it relates to a companys size as being associated with how difficult a top executives job is. It is further noted that organizational size and the CEOs compensation package should be closely related and based on the complexity of the job more so than how well the job is done. However, many experts and industry professionals disagree and feel that the CEOs performance should definitely be taken into account. The obvious assumption is that a high compensation incentive would yield a high performance level and success for top executives. More CEO Pay vs. CEO Exits As illustrated by Ferracone (2010), a companys Board of Directors may see the company in a position of risk by losing a strong-performing, qualified CEO, so they may opt to reward the CEO accordingly rather than risk losing the CEO to a competitor. They see it in their best interest to retain an already well-performing CEO who is experienced with the ins and outs of their firm and not have to deal with the possibility of ending up with a less desirable executive. Morgenson (2012) reports, many corporations argue that if they do not pay high CEO compensation packages, then they will not have the most highly qualified CEO. Therefore, many corporations find it in their best interest to justify the high-valued executive rewards and compensation packages by saying that their focus is really on hiring the most competent executive instead of simply trying to scrimp on pay and end up losing a promising executive for the company. Additionally, it is a fact that plenty of management teams in companies across America feel like they have to keep up with whatever the competition is doing, in this regard, based on what the market can stand. Its a classic case of keeping up with the Jones. However, a companys compensation committee may choose to offer a compromise by presenting the CEO with a reasonable pay incentive that is contingent on company performance. This way, the company is protected from the possibility of the companys financial collapse and also having to lose the CEO by forced resignation, along with paying out a hefty CEO severance package. With this in mind, questions often arise about whether or not pay-for-performance incentives for CEOs actually work and are a good idea. In terms of pay-for-performance, it is a fact that high value incentives may not necessarily equate to good CEO performance, and good CEO performance may not necessarily mean better company performance. As outlined by Barro Barro (1990), the amount of CEO pay-for-performance increases as the CEOs relative experience increases. Additionally, as it relates to CEO turnover, CEO skill matching is directly related to compensation and the size of the corporation. It is also noted that CEO experience has an affect on pay-for-performance sensitivity. As it relates to CEOs jumping ship of a firm to join the competition, relative transferable knowledge, skills and talents is an issue. Morgenson (2012) points out that most CEO skills are not easily transferrable from one firm to the next and that CEOs do not move often because of this fact. This means that perhaps all the hype about more money and incentives every year for CEOs is not necessary to keep them, because they will more than likely not move anyway. Many CEOs are comfortable and would rather not risk jumping ship to find greener pastures and end up in a worse situation than the one they think they are in at their present company. This is a valid assumption and it is crucial to the concept of aligning CEO pay with company performance. However, some highly compensated executives are raking in the dough even when their companies are not performing well, and this is seen as highly unacceptable. Executive Compensation Overpayment Some CEOs are overpaid, in spite of undesirable company performance trends. Highly compensated top executives often accept large compensation bonuses and incentives, even when they see their company is not doing so well. A case in point is outlined in an article in the Huffington Post reports that, in 2011, the CEO of Dean Foods, Gregg Engles, was given a 52 percent increase in salary and incentives from the previous year and made $8.5 million, even though the company had a $1.6 billion loss for the year (Kavoussi 2012). This seems out of context but it is evident that this CEOs company places a high value on his presence without the organization. Another example of a CEO cashing in when his companys profits took a downturn is the case of the CEO of Omega Healthcare in Hunt Valley. His executive pay package value doubled to $7.8 million, in spite of it being criticized by a shareholder advisory firm and also in light of the fact that the companys fallen stock price and decreased profits were on the books (Hopkins 2012). These are glaring examples of CEO overpayments and many people in the general public consider it an outrage. As it relates to CEO overpayments, Popper (2012) reports that the median pay of the 200 most highly compensated CEOs in the United States was $14.5 million in 2011. This statistic comes from a study done by Equilar, a Redwood City, California compensation data firm. Additionally, those same CEOs median pay raise equaled 5 percent. This is a standout social issue and it feeds the anger of ordinary Americans who often struggle with unemployment, pay cuts and decreasing wealth. It is seen as a case of the haves catering to greed while the have-nots are barely getting by. Ferracone (2010) states some people blame the recent financial collapse in America on overly high executive compensation. CEO Pay Alignment to Performance In light of the overpayment issue, company investors points of view are often in favor of aligning CEO pay with company performance, as well as having a trustworthy compensation committee that has the best interests of the investors and shareholders of the company in mind (Ferracone 2010). For instance, a Wall Street Journal report shows that 2011 CEO pay packages were more aligned with company performance. On average, CEOs received 0.6 percent increases for every extra 1 percent of returns to shareholders. This, at least, is a measurable component to the executive compensation package issue. Shareholders often need justification of the significance of an executive compensation package before approving it. To meet approval, it is often not so much an issue about the amount of pay that is being considered for the CEO but more of whether or not the CEO is giving the corporation its moneys worth. It is a question of does the CEO meet goals and standards put in place to help the company advance. Bhatt (2012) states that companies justify executive pay to shareholders by implementing compromises such as eliminating perks, tying bonuses to corporate goals and putting policies in place that allows the company to take back bonuses and stock options from executives if the company gets into financial trouble. This is seen as a fair compromise. With this type of justification tied to compensation package proposals, shareholders can feel better about the executives worth and commitment, and therefore they can feel better about approving the executives compensation package. Say on Pay Authority In contrast to decades past, investors are heavily involved in the decisions of what to pay top executives in their companies. They have a say about pay for top executives, unlike in the past. The vehicle in which investors voices can be heard is called the Say on Pay law. The Say on Pay law mandates that public companies allow its shareholders and investors to cast votes, based on advisory decisions, regarding executive compensation (Bhatt 2012). This has shed light on pay practices and allows a check and balance approach to alert for any red flags that may arise. The Say on Pay law is also a way for investors to vote against compensation packages it deems is too much and not in the best interest of the company, its shareholders and investors. For example, Bhatt (2012) reports that a Portland-based bank had an executive-pay proposal rejected by its committee and it cut the CEOs base salary by about 7 percent last year to a paltry $815,000. This example shows a move in the best inter est of the shareholders, while still allowing for a hefty pay package for the CEO. It also shows that there can be a win-win situation with controlling executive compensation package amounts. Shareholders, legislators, regulators and the media all put pressure on company Boards to appropriately balance the vested interests of investors and corporate management (Mercer 2009). This is not only true for companies in the United States, but other countries as well. For example, Mercer (2009) reports that Europe has imposed legislation giving shareholders a say on executive compensation matters. Also, firms in Span, Sweden, Australia, Norway and the Netherlands have voted to increase disclosure of executive pay programs. These types of corporate governance reforms have become popular, though the United States and Canada are the last to implement them. It is important that new disclosure regulations about executive pay programs are presented to shareholders of companies (Mercer 2009). In addition to an increase in corporate disclosures about executive pay matters, there has also been an increase in compensation committee responsibilities in many firms. This is significant because it shows that more time is going into the decision-making process to approve CEO compensation packages and that the interest of the companys shareholders and investors is taken into consideration on a larger scale. Regulations have been strict, so it is in a companys best interest to ensure compliance to regulatory standards to avoid any possible corporate scandals (Mercer 2009). However, this presents a challenge for Board and compensation committee members to ensure an appropriate balance between executive pay with a necessity of attracting and retaining the best executive talent in the market. Additionally, when it comes to the compensation of top executives, many in the industry believe that CEO pay scales should have restrictions. CEO Pay Should Be Restricted CEO pay is often a subject of controversy as it relates to unnecessary compensation of corporate executives at the expense of taxpayers. DeCarlo (2012) reports on a study done in 2011 that revealed top executives of the United States top 500 companies received $5.2 billion in pay raises, which represents 16% collectively. Comparatively, the average American worker only got an average of a 3% raise in pay. This is an in-balance that is seen as unfair to the general public. Its the old adage, the rich keep getting richer and it shows a need for more corporate governance in this regard. In contrast, some CEOs are simply not as greedy or fortunate as others. An article by CNET News reports that the CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has passed on his pay raise and bonus for the last five years. To make up for this, though, he did exercise some very lucrative stock options (Kawamoto 2003). This is something that is seen by shareholders as a good move and is preferable. It helps the corporation but still takes care of the executive. Additionally, in the case of Amazon, a proposal is on the table for more executive compensation plans to include linking stock option cash out to an industry performance index. This means that the company executives would only get paid the large dollar amounts if the companys stock performed favorably (Kawamoto 2003). This is a compromising concept to executive pay restrictions. Similarly, Hopkins (2012) states a recent study showed that six Baltimore CEOs received large pay cuts instead of large pay raises, due to low performing company issues. For example the CEO of Corporate Office Properties had his compensation cut in half the year before he retired. This was because the company had a loss in 2011 of approximately $134 million due to plummeting stock prices. The other five CEO pay reductions were also mostly related to bad company performance but there were other factors involved as well. Another example of a CEO pay reduction instead of increase is the case of Armours CEO whose compensation package was cut last year by 14 percent to only $1.1 million, but this was in light of the fact that the companys stock prices went up and they realized substantial profits. The company justified this by citing that the CEO did not reach all of his goals for the year (Hopkins 2012). This is an example of CEO pay restrictions in place. According to Pearce, Stevenson Perry (1985), some industry experts agree that CEO pay should have restrictions. This is based on the concept that high compensation merit pay may be an inappropriate way to enhance CEO performance and statistical analyses showed this to be likely. Additionally, it is noted that CEO performance motivation should be contingent on performance but many times it is not. It is interesting to note that, according to Pearce, Stevenson Perry (1985), a comprehensive study on performance-contingent pay programs for executives revealed that implementing these types of programs did not show significant effects on general CEO organizational performance. One reason for this is suggested that managers have limited direct control over the performance of an organization and focus should be more on environmental influences that the managers are responsible for manipulating. It is important to note that even when CEOs are high-performing, they may not necessarily receive the highest pay for their performance. For example, the Society for Human Resource Management reports on a study done by a professional services firm that revealed that top CEOs of companies with the highest performance did not receive the highest pay raises. With this in mind, a question of whether or not it is even possible to successfully restrict CEO compensation and still benefit from the work of a quality CEO is appropriate. However, inefficiency in a product of interference should be taken into consideration as well as possible regulation of CEO compensation package ceilings. CEO Compensation Packages Regulation Many argue that it is unfair to have such an inequality in business as it relates to the astronomical salaries and compensation packages of CEOs in this country. However, others argue for its justification based on the fact that the CEO has the responsibility of final decisions that are made for a company and they have responsibility towards the company ´s reputation and performance. In light of this and the public attention from highly publicized, high profile corporation scandals such as the Enron situation, pay and performance of executives in the United States have come under some scrutiny (Jarque 2008). It is no wonder that the general public is skeptical and suspicious of how much money many executives make on a yearly basis. This is especially true because a lot of the money paid to these executives comes from taxpayer dollars, and the everyday American is aware of this and is not happy with it. An article from ABC News reports on a 2011 study that found tax loopholes, concerning executive compensation packages, which costs taxpayers more than $14 billion a year. This is due to CEOs receiving more in their compensation packages than was paid in taxes by their companies. Many see this as an unfair concept. It means that large corporations are taking advantage of these loopholes to lower their tax bills and the taxpayers end up subsidizing large CEO paydays. This is possible because, as it stands now, companies can take off executive pay as a deductible business expense on their taxes, so the trick is the companies pay the executives with stock options, which are exempt from taxation (Kim 2012). So, taxpayers get stuck with the bill and CEOs reap the rewards. Regarding regulation of CEO compensation, however, there needs to be some. Jarque (2008) reports over the last 20 years, the average pay of CEOs working in the top 500 firms in the United States increased some six-fold. This compensation was mainly performance-based and was paid in stock options. It is also reported that regulatory standards, imposed over the last 15 years, that affect executive compensation include changes in corporate capital gains taxes, limits on deducting CEO pay expenses unless they are performance-based, increased company disclosure requirements, and standards on option grants expenses (Jarque 2008). Additionally, studies done following regulatory changes show a shift of compensation trends from salaries and bonuses to stocks and options (performance-based compensation). Jarque (2008) states, This suggests that regulation efforts to improve corporate governance and transparency have been moving in the right direction, although it is difficult to evaluate the relative importance of regulation versus the market induced changes in governance practices (267). Conclusion Executive compensation is a significant aspect of corporate governance and is often governed by a companys Board of Directors, investors, shareholders and compensation committee members. Executive pay typically consists of salary, stock options, benefits, bonuses and other perks deemed appropriate, based on different company preferences. As noted above, executive compensation has disproportionately increased relative to the average American worker and this is often seen as a negative in the public eye, so it is a growing social issue. To help change the view of executive compensation as a root to evil, measures have been put in place to gear executive compensation packages more toward pay-for-performance. This equates to more executives receiving their bonuses, rewards and incentives only when their companys are doing well financially. In todays competitive business world, many companies are looking for new and better ways to attract and retain the highest qualified CEOs to help lead their businesses to financial success through growth and expansion. Therefore, many companies are prepared to offer and follow through with paying handsome compensation packages to existing and prospective CEOs. Many firms are prepared to justify paying CEOs compensation packages above the market rates in an attempt to retain the services of what they feel is their most prized asset the CEO.

Elie Wiesel :: essays research papers

Near the end of Elie Wiesel’s time in the concentration camps, Wiesel began to question many things. He had questioned G-d, not because he believed in him so much, but because he almost had no belief left. He also questioned himself when thoughts of leaving his father came to mind. Had Wiesel left his father, life would surely have been easier for him to survive. But throughout all these immoral thoughts going through his head, he â€Å"had done well to forget† them. (87)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His time in the Holocaust left him questioning G-d many times. Wiesel went from a religious young man to a near atheist adult by the end of his torturous time at the camps. Wiesel felt that G-d was powerless and silent during the Holocaust. G-d wasn’t going to save anyone this time. The only people who were going to get out of this alive were the ones who were physically and mentally strong enough. Wiesel was lucky enough to be one of the very few who made it out to tell his story. However, he still watched as his mother and sister were taken away to the crematory and his father died in his bed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wiesel’s weakest point mentally was when he heard that Rabbi Eliahoo’s son abandoned him during the death march from Buna. He also heard that a nameless child beat his father to death for a small portion of bread. It was there an then that he gave minor consideration to getting rid of his father. It is the brutality of the entire Holocaust that led Rabbi Eliahoo’s son and the unnamed child to do such things to their fathers. A father/son bond is one of the strongest bonds known to man. But, for both children, their own survival came first. Eventually, Wiesel was forced to make the same kind of decision. He had taken some of his father’s food during the last couple of nights he was living because he knew that he would most likely die anyway. He gave up hope on his father just like the others.