Social Mobility in US essays

Social Mobility in US essays Social Mobility in the United States? The focus of this paper will be social mobility in America. My expected findings were that upward social mobility is declining in America, social mobility depends on race, income, mother and father occupation, and ethnicity. The method of research that I used was literature review. I found that 1) upward social mobility is more likely for a white individual than a black individual 2) upward social mobility among the lower classes is decreasing and downward social mobility is increasing 3) upward social mobility does increase the higher the person starts on the social ladder. The United States of America is a country that takes pride in having a thing called equal opportunity for all. America is a place where one can supposedly be successful if he or she works hard. Is this the reality of our society or just a myth? If the idea of equal opportunity were a reality in America, social mobility would be a very common thing. Poverty would only be temporary for the ones who willing to work hard. It wouldnt have to mean that America would be a classless society, just one in which people moved up and down the social ladder. The question of social mobility and the truth to the idea of equal opportunity has been argued for many years in America. We have yet to come to a consensus. If it is true that equal opportunity doesnt exist in American than the idea of the American Dream would be false. Everything that America is about and stands for would have to be questioned and reexamined. Social policies in America have often been shaped by different ideas concerning this issue. Politicians who favor the idea that equal opportunity does exist often enact policies that take away public assistance to impoverished people in America. They believe that since America provides equal opportunity there is no reason to give assistance to poor people. The idea here is t...

The Arraignment Stage of a Criminal Case

The Arraignment Stage of a Criminal Case After you are arrested for a crime, the first time that you make an appearance in court is usually at a hearing called an arraignment. It is at this time that you go from being a suspect to a defendant in the criminal case. During the arraignment, a criminal court judge will read in detail the criminal charges against you and ask you if you understand the charges. Right to an Attorney If you do not already have an attorney present, the judge will ask you if you plan to hire an attorney or do you need the court to appoint on for you. Defendants who cannot afford legal counsel are appointed attorneys at no cost. The court-appoint attorneys are either employed public defenders or private defense attorneys paid by the state. The judge will ask you how you intend to plead to the charges, guilty or not guilty. If you plea not guilty, the judge will usually set a date for a trial or a preliminary hearing. Pleading Not Guilty For You In most jurisdictions, if you refuse to plea to the charges, the judge will enter a not guilty plea on your behalf, because you do have the right to remain silent. You are permitted to plead  , no contest (also known as â€Å"nolo contendere†) meaning that you do not disagree with the charge. Even if you plea guilty at the arraignment, the judge will hold a hearing to hear the evidence against you to determine if you are in fact guilty of the crime with which you are charged. The judge will also have a background check done and determine any aggravating or mitigating circumstances surrounding the crime before pronouncing sentence. Bail Amount Revisited Also at the arraignment, the judge will determine the amount of bail necessary for you to be free until your trial or sentencing hearing. Even if the amount of the bail has previously been set, the judge can revisit the issue at the arraignment and alter the amount of bail required. For serious crimes, such as violent crimes and other felonies, bail is not set until you go before a judge at the arraignment. Federal Arraignments Procedures for federal and state arraignments are very similar, except federal procedure dictates strict time restraints. Within 10 days from the time an indictment or information has been filed and the arrest has been made, an arraignment must take place before a Magistrate Judge.During an arraignment the  defendant  is read the charges against him or her and advised of his or her rights. The defendant also enters a plea of guilty or not guilty. If necessary, a trial date is selected and a schedule set for motion hearings, which may include in-court arguments as to suppression of evidence, etc.Note, the Federal Speedy Trial Act dictates the defendant has right to trial within 70 days from his or her initial appearance in U.S. District Court. Return to: Stages of a Criminal Case