Rethinking Homeless People’s Punishments

Author(s):  
Terry Skolnik

This article argues that we should rethink homeless people’s punishments for violating quality-of-life ordinances. Those ordinances prohibit acts that are deemed to constitute urban nuisances—urban camping, public urination, and sleeping on sidewalks among them. Violating quality-of-life ordinances can result in expensive fines, administrative fees, and civil consequences for unpaid fines. In line with other scholars’ work, this article demonstrates how our current punishment scheme entrenches individuals in homelessness and operates like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Lacking a private property right and stuck in a cycle of homelessness, homeless people will continue to alleviate their needs on public property and be subject to further coercion and punishment. Homeless people’s punishments for violating quality-of-life offenses are also objectionable because they violate three types of proportionality constraints: the gravity of the prohibited conduct, the homeless person’s moral blameworthiness, and their personal situation. This article proposes an alternate punishment scheme that minimizes the prospect of entrenchment in homelessness and remedies those three proportionality concerns. It argues that the state should adopt a day-fine model for financial penalties, implement criminal justice debt absolution frameworks, and rethink the civil and criminal consequences associated with unpaid fines. A more proportional punishment scheme is neither a solution to the reality of homelessness nor a substitute for the state’s responsibility to ensure better access to housing. However, this article’s proposals can mitigate the gravest consequences associated with homeless people’s punishments, prevent entrenchment in homelessness, and ensure homeless people are treated with greater respect.

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 66-80
Author(s):  
Anna Wierzbicka ◽  
Agata Żółtaszek

Maintaining security is one of public tasks that determine the quality of life of the population. This issue is the subject of much debate both social and political. An in-depth assessment of the situation requires a variety of analyzes, significant from the point of view of the implementation of appropriate, effective strategy to increase the sense of security among citizens. The aim of the paper is to compare the state of public safety in selected European countries. The study was conducted based on Eurostat data from the years 2005–2011.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Mohamed Osman ◽  
Noor Suzilawati Rabe ◽  
Muhammad Faris Abdullah ◽  
Nur Farhanah Rosli ◽  
Farah Eleena Zainudin

Housing is a basic need to man. It provides shelter and comfort from the elements and improve quality of life of the residents. Hence, housing should be affordable to all. This paper assesses the housing affordability for the districts in Melaka. This was achieved by calculating the median multiple of the price income ratio and comparing the score to the housing affordability index. Secondary data were obtained from reports published by the governmental agencies. The results show that housing is mostly moderately unaffordable in the districts of Melaka. Additionally, housing affordability has improved from 2012 to 2014 in majority of the districts.


Retos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 684-695
Author(s):  
Marta García-Tascón ◽  
Cristina Mendaña-Cuervo ◽  
César Sahelices-Pinto ◽  
Ana-Mª Magaz-González

En España, la declaración del estado de alarma por la pandemia Covid-19, supuso que entre el 14 de marzo y el 2 de mayo de 2020, 47 millones de habitantes estuvieran confinados y sólo pudieran salir a cubrir necesidades básicas. Ante este hecho es oportuno analizar su impacto sobre la salud, tomando en consideración cómo afectó a la práctica de la actividad física. Se administró un cuestionario ad hoc. Los participantes fueron 1046 personas (hombre 48.57% y mujer 51.43%) y con una edad media de 40 (± DT 13.35 años). Respecto a la práctica de actividad física, destaca una significativa disminución de intensidad y cantidad (p < .001), y una modificación del tipo de actividad física realizada, pasando de deportes cardiovasculares y de aptitud muscular a prácticas de gimnasias suaves y flexibilidad. Aumentó el porcentaje total de personas que no realizaron nada de actividad física. Aun disponiendo de más tiempo libre, las personas en situación de ERTE, disminuyeron significativamente su cantidad de actividad física realizada (p < .001). Estos resultados permiten concluir que el confinamiento supuso una modificación de hábitos de práctica de actividad física, una disminución de los valores recomendados como saludables, lo que conllevó implicaciones sobre la salud y la calidad de vida. Se ofrece información que ayudará a entender estos nuevos comportamientos y que facilitará a los gestores estrategias innovadoras para activar la vuelta a niveles anteriores de actividad física, su incremento y, en definitiva, la reactivación del sector deportivo.  Abstract: In Spain, the declaration of the state of alarm due to the Covid-19 pandemic, meant that between 14th of March and 2nd of May 2020, 47 million inhabitants were confined at home and could only go out to cover basic needs. This unprecedented event has led to a paradigm shift, and it is appropriate to analyze its impact on health, considering how it has affected the practice of physical activity. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered. The participants were 1046 people (48.57% male and 51.43% female) and the average age of 40 (± DT 13.35 years). Regarding the practice of physical activity, a significant decrease in intensity and quantity stands out (p < .001), and a modification of the type of physical activity performed, going from cardiovascular sports and muscular fitness to soft gymnastics and flexibility practices. The total percentage of people who did no physical activity at all, increased. In addition, although more free time was available, people in ERTE situation significantly decreased their amount of physical activity performed (p < .001). These results allow us to conclude that confinement has meant a modification of physical activity practice habits and a decrease in the recommended values ​​of healthy healthy, and therefore has had implications on health and quality of life. This information will help to understand these new behaviors in order for managers to implement innovative strategies to reactivate the return to previous levels of physical activity, its increase and, in short, the reactivation of the sports sector.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (164) ◽  
pp. 220-233
Author(s):  
O. Rybalova ◽  
O. Bryhada ◽  
O. Ilinskyi

The work examines modern methodological approaches to assessing the quality of life using environmental indicators. Analysis of the existing methods in Ukraine for determining the environmental component when measuring the quality of life showed the need to develop a new method for a comprehensive assessment of the state of the environment. This is due to the fact that the existing methodology for assessing the quality of life does not take into account the ecological component as a separate block of indicators, and also contains some inaccuracies in the formulas for calculating the final indicator. In this regard, a new method is proposed for determining the ecological component in the general system for assessing the quality of life of the population, which is the scientific novelty of the work. Based on the analysis of monitoring data on the quality of air, surface waters and soils of Ukraine, statistical reporting on environmental indicators of the development of regions of Ukraine, intermediate indicator indicators are calculated, and then the final complex indicator of the state of the environment is determined. Calculation formulas and assessment scales in points of the state of environmental components are proposed. The proposed method is based on the processing of data from official state statistics and environmental monitoring, which determines the reliability of the initial data. The proposed technique can easily be used as an algorithm for computerized calculations of the indicator of a comprehensive assessment of the state of the environment. The calculation of the indicator of the ecological state was made on the basis of current statistical data, which showed the need for immediate environmental protection measures in the industrially developed regions of Ukraine: Donetsk, Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk and Lugansk regions.


Author(s):  
Huan Vu ◽  
Samir Aknine ◽  
Sarvapali D. Ramchurn

Traffic congestion has a significant impact on quality of life and the economy. This paper presents a decentralised traffic management mechanism for intersections using a distributed constraint optimisation approach (DCOP). Our solution outperforms the state of the art solution both for stable traffic conditions (about 60% reduced waiting time) and robustness to unpredictable events. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 43-50
Author(s):  
Natalia M. Velikaya ◽  
◽  
Galina V. Tartygasheva ◽  
◽  

The processes of strengthening the country’s security are inextricably linked with ensuring demographic security, preserving and supporting the population, improving the quality of life, and this direction of state and civil efforts is one of the most important for modern Russia. Within the framework of the concept of overcoming the most pressing demographic threats – depopulation and unregulated migration processes, in addition to the pro-natalist policy of the state, the creation of economic conditions for improving the quality of life in general, the most popular and at the same time controversial tool for solving demographic problems is the migration policy aimed at attracting migrants from foreign countries. countries that must solve both the demographic and economic problems of the state. The article presents the results of expert polls of sociological research in 2019 and 2021. “Monitoring of public opinion of the population regarding current socio-cultural threats”, “Image of the future of Russia” conducted by the Center for Sociological Research of the Russian State Humanitarian University using a similar method, which analyzes the public opinion of experts on trends in Russia’s demographic development and possible sociocultural threats associated with them


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-88
Author(s):  
T. I. Kutergina ◽  
◽  
O. V. Andreeva ◽  
E. F. Turovinina ◽  
T. M. Kleshchevnikova ◽  
...  

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of the early start of medical rehabilitation, after a coronavirus infection, with the use of telemedicine technologies at the polyclinic stage. Material and methods. A study was conducted on the basis of the State Medical Institution “City Polyclinic No. 17” with the participation of 65 patients who had pneumonia against the background of COVID-19 infection at the age of 29 to 81 years inclusive, the average age was 54 ± 13.0 years, receiving rehabilitation at the 3rd stage using telemedicine technologies. Results. The Department of Medical Prevention and Rehabilitation of the INPR of the Tyumen State Medical University has developed a “Program of medical rehabilitation of patients who have suffered a new coronavirus infection at the polyclinic stage with the use of telemedicine technologies”. Implemented and implemented on the basis of the State Medical Institution “City Polyclinic No. 17” in Tyumen. Earlier, the beginning of rehabilitation measures at the outpatient stage in patients after pneumonia on the background of COVID-19 infection eliminates shortness of breath in patients with a mild course, with a moderate-severe and severe course restores by 60%. Recovery of muscle strength was noted in all patients. Positive dynamics in the normalization of the psychoemotional background and improvement of the quality of life were reliably obtained. Conclusion. Medical rehabilitation with the use of telemedicine technologies is an effective approach of the healthcare system in restoring the health status of patients who have suffered a coronavirus infection.


2021 ◽  
pp. 50-55
Author(s):  
Л. И. НУРГАЛИЕВА ◽  
Д.М. КУАТБЕКОВА

Предменструальный синдром (ПМС) - патологический симптомокомплекс, который значительно снижает качество жизни женщины. Несмотря на то, что этиология и патогенез до настоящего времени изучены недостаточно, определены направления в диагностике, лечении и профилактике, которым необходимо следовать. Лечение ПМС должно быть дифференцированным, учитывающим состояние общего и репродуктивного здоровья женщины, сопутствующие заболевания, степень тяжести ПМС, переносимость терапии и т. д.В настоящее время все более широкое применение в лечении ПМС находят фитопрепараты (ФП). Целью исследования явилось изучение эффективности фитопрепарата «Эвика» в лечении ПМС легкой и средней формы. Полученные результаты свидетельствуют об эффективности данного препарата в устранении вегетососудистых, отечных и психоэмоциональных симптомов ПМС, что определяет «Эвику», как препарат выбора у пациенток с ПМС, выраженной вегетососудистой и психоэмоциональной симптоматики. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a pathological symptom complex that significantly reduces a woman's quality of life. Despite the fact that the etiology and pathogenesis have not been studied enough to date, the directions in diagnosis, treatment and prevention that need to be followed have been identified. Treatment of PMS should be differentiated, taking into account the state of a woman's general and reproductive health, concomitant diseases, the severity of PMS, the tolerability of therapy, etc. Currently, herbal medicines are increasingly used in the treatment of PMS. The aim of the study was to learn the effectiveness of the herbal medicine "Eviсa" in the treatment of mild and moderate PMS. The results obtained indicate the effectiveness of this drug in eliminating vegetativevascular, edematous and psychoemotional symptoms of PMS, which defines "Evica" as the medication of choice in patients with PMS, vegetativevascular and psychoemotional symptoms.


2020 ◽  
pp. 189-212
Author(s):  
Jennifer Hsieh

As part of democratic liberalization in the late 1970s and 1980s, noise abatement signified the Kuomintang (KMT) regime’s attention to the quality of life of local Taiwanese residents. However, the use of scientific, objective indicators for noise, such as decibels, also had the effect of subjecting individual, human experience to the standardizing techniques of quantification and measurement. This chapter examines the application of Western technologies of audiometry and noise abatement in the context of Taiwan’s transition to a postauthoritarian state. Through an analysis of audiometric testing of hearing health among schoolchildren and neighborhood-wide socioacoustic surveys that assessed noise tolerance levels, this chapter asks how hearing and noise became interests of the state—as both a source of state authority and a symbol of liberal governance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicky Heap ◽  
Jill Dickinson

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to critically appraise the Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) policy that was introduced by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act (2014). Within a designated area assigned by the local council, PSPOs can prohibit or require specific behaviours to improve the quality of life for people inhabiting that space. Those who do not comply face a fixed penalty notice of £100 or a fine of £1,000 on summary conviction. However, the practical and theoretical impact associated with the development of these powers has yet to be fully explored. Design/methodology/approach Using Bannister and O’Sullivan’s (2013) discussion of civility and anti-social behaviour policy as a starting point, the authors show how PSPOs could create new frontiers in exclusion, intolerance and criminalisation, as PSPOs enable the prohibition of any type of behaviour perceived to negatively affect the quality of life. Findings Local councils in England and Wales now have unlimited and unregulated powers to control public spaces. The authors suggest that this has the potential to produce localised tolerance thresholds and civility agendas that currently target and further marginalise vulnerable people, and the authors highlight street sleeping homeless people as one such group. Originality/value There has been little academic debate on this topic. This paper raises a number of original, conceptual questions that provide an analytical framework for future empirical research. The authors also use original data from Freedom of Information requests to contextualise the discussions.


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