Diversity interview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Diversity interview - Assignment Example The obvious differences between us is the manner we practice our faith. I am a Catholic while Cyrus is a Muslim. We also have gender differences, he is male while I am female. We also have generational differences with him belonging to Generation X while I belong to Generation Y. Cyrus and I enjoyed talking about our adjustment here in the USA especially when he narrated the funny things he did just to fit in and to some extent, the cultural shock he experienced. I am most comfortable with this topic because this is funny and not sensitive to talk about. The aspect that is least comfortable for me to talk about him was religion. Before asking about it, I had to explain myself at length that this is for a diversity class and that I do not mean to be offensive, and that if I already am, he could interrupt me anytime during the interview. I am not comfortable with the topic of religion because I do not want to be offensive to Cyrus especially that I am a Catholic. I do not want our differences cause friction between us because is such a nice man. You see, Catholic launched a crusade against Islam during the Middle Age and this makes the topic touchy. The most important insight I develop is that our fears and anxiety about Muslims are baseless. For example, I was not comfortable talking about religion especially comparing Catholicism and Islam and that he might still be hooked with the idea of the Crusade. To my surprise however, he is more eager to talk about it and is more conciliatory than I am. Just like the most of us, he does not want to make religion an issue that divides people. He also worries about terrorism in the same manner that we worry about it. This relates to our discussion of our diversity in a manner that our seeming differences after all are not insurmountable if only we keep an open line of communication and if we are willing to talk about it. In talking to

Investigating Problems with Minorities and Community Policing Essay

Investigating Problems with Minorities and Community Policing - Essay Example How can we investigate problems between minorities and police services? Importantly, what is the nature and extent of the problems between the police and minority communities? How widespread are the problems and for whom are these issues problematic? Aiming to be both descriptive and prescriptive, the following will explore what has been done regarding this problem, and whether or not the innovations were effective? Finally, what are the possible solutions to the present problems between police and minority communities? Seeking to address these questions as they pertain to the issue of minorities within the United States and their relationship to the police services, the following will provide a thorough analysis of a complex phenomenon (Skogan, 2003). The United States of America boasts the highest incarceration rates on the planet, even higher than places such as China, Iran or Russia. According to a report released by the Pew Center for Research on the United States, nearly one in 100 persons in the United States is incarcerated (2008). Accordingly, the state of California alone spends $8.8 billion annually on incarceration costs and while the statistics above are, remarkable, so too are the racial disparities within the American penal system. Accordingly, while African-Americans account for just 13% of the total population, their incarceration rates are much higher than for all other ethnic groups. With nearly 50% of the total prison population in the United States, African-Americans account for a disproportionate number of inmates in this country. Importantly, it is estimated that African-Americans have a 16% risk of going to prison in their lifetime, compared to a 2% risk for whites. According to scholar Scot Wortley, â€Å"blacks are still 2 times more likely to experience a stop by police and four times more likely to experience both.