The strengths and weakness of the legal system in Somerville District Essay

The strengths and weakness of the legal system in Somerville District Court MA - Essay Example The district court is very active and deals with various cases on a normal working day. The courthouse is located somewhere between the Ten Hills neighborhood and Assembly Square. The District Court has looks a bit old with a few paint chippings on the side, a steeple and surrounding it is a few evergreen bushes. The court creates an avenue where cases are first directed in Somerville and Medford. Observations and opinion of Somerville District Court A visit at the Somerville District Court revealed some relevant facts about the courthouse and its daily routine and services. There were various facts that portrayed the court on the positive side and others that were a disadvantage or weakness to the operations and service of the district court. In an effort in relaying favorable and just services to the civilians of Somerville and Medford, the courthouse has put in place various departments and equipment that will assist in offering dependable services. Some of these necessary adjustm ents were identified as follows. First, one would notice that the courthouse is equipped with assisted listening devices that are available for use by civilians that have a special interest in specific cases. A court officer who is assigned to these devices and a telephone number is available for anyone to contact them through their lawyer to request for the equipment in case they need to utilize the devices during a court hearing. The courthouse has a direct an assigned civil case liaison manager whose office number is available for the public and can be contacted any time within the court working hours. The court also has an assigned criminal case liaising officer whose office can be reached anytime during the working hours of the week. One other important part of the courthouse, in terms of the physical setting is the accessibility-handicapped persons to the courthouse. All flours are handicap accessible and any person who seeks to have more information about handicap access can contact the assigned probation officer. One other important practice at the court is the schedule. The Somerville District court has an outlined schedule that outlines daily activities and type of hearings. It also outlines each event that the courthouse attends to on a weekly basis and when an interested party is allowed to come. For example on Wednesday the court attends to civil remand trials and motions, on Thursdays from nine in the morning the court is set to hear small claims, and on Thursday and Friday starting at nine in the morning the court attends to juvenile sessions. On a personal opinion, the courthouse was well equipped and laid out for a district court. The availability of office telephone numbers and assigned officers also allows smooth running of the courthouse. Accessibility is a key feature in a courthouse since it serves various people who have complications or needs that need assistance, hence the need for a handicap accessible courtroom. This also includes th e need to have the equipment required for assisted hearing. This a great improvement and advantageous to the court as they play a major role where the parties involved have specific hearing and communication difficulties. The courthouse also has its set of disadvantages that may cause poor service delivery at the courthouse. These setbacks include the following. To start with, Somerville District Courthouse does not have a childcare department. As a district court

Earthquakes in the Xi Chuan Province Research Paper

Earthquakes in the Xi Chuan Province - Research Paper Example Being near an active fault, the area regularly experiences light tremors due to the constant movement of the plates. However, there are instances where big, catastrophic earthquakes hit the region. An example of which happened on May 12, 2008, 06:28:04 (UTC) which according to official reports, seventy thousand people were killed, three hundred seventy four thousand people were injured, and about seventeen thousand more were reported missing. (Chen, Qiao, and Liu 809) To make a good equivalence, the Xi Chuan province is like Charleston of the United States. These places when they were established were not really plagued by catastrophe but, throughout the years, they became known to be the â€Å"center of calamity† for their respective countries. (Steinberg 5) For most people, inside and especially outside China, we only hear about these great catastrophes through the reports given by media. Although those in the media are sworn to present news in the most accurate way possible , it is hard for get such an accurate representation. There will always be bias and only snippets of the catastrophe can be recorded at one time. The perspective from which the report was derived is important in determining how a catastrophe will be seen by viewers inside and outside the immediate areas affected. Responses from these reports will ultimately determine how people will act with regard to the needs and situation of those struck with the calamity. There are several perspectives that a disaster report might come from. A disaster can be seen through the eyes on a local who has experienced the tragedy first hand, or through the eyes of an outsider, a foreign journalist perhaps that was tasked to report on the case. Another and more prevalent perspective, especially in a socialist country like China, is the perspective given by the government. These perspectives are the key that determines how locals as well as the policy makers will prepare their disaster management and pre paredness plan in for future catastrophes. Loopholes in the presentation of facts or exaggerations in the number of lives lost or damage to property can adversely affect these efforts to reduce damage and mortality for earthquakes. Aside from the perspectives, there are also a lot of ways wherein the reports on the disaster can be expressed. Newspapers and Blogs carry text and images regarding the aftermath of the disaster. Television and radio broadcasts also carry video and audio information about the activities and current situation of those affected. Incorporation different types of media and harnessing different modes of getting information disseminated can create a big effect on how a disaster is perceived and might well be the key determinants to the immediacy as well as the appropriateness of the actions instigated in response to the catastrophe. In this regard, the study intends to analyze how the Xi Chuan earthquakes are represented in media through text, videos, photo doc umentaries, and press releases. The study tries to connect how these reports affect the views of the locals, and even the rest of the world regarding earthquakes in the Xi Chuan province and will also try to determine the implications of these reports on the disaster management and preparedness plans for the area, the conduct of the rescue and relief operations as well as its effect on other relevant sectors. Literature Review A brief history of the study of seismic activity in the Xi Chuan basic region was detailed in the study of Han and Jiang (231). The Xi Chuan –