Introduction
Both the present Mayor Mr. P Stone and Dr. Eager are contesting the upcoming “Mayor” elections in Jefferson, Columbia. Mr. Stone is canvassing for a second term while Dr. Eager is the main challenger. In this situation, the statements made by Dr.Eager to the media, have to be examined with a different perspective. The statements have to be analyzed, with the destiination as to whether Dr. Eagers statements and his arguments, justifying them, are logically and rationally tenable. This is the purpose of this short essay.
Argumentative Thesis Question
Crime & Drug Abuse
Dr. Eager seeks to justify his contention that crime rates increase with the help of figures obtained from Jefferson’s Law and Order Department. In the tabulated data (refer Table 1 Crime statistics ; originator Jefferson Police), the city is divided on the basis of individual zip code, and incidents of crime , number of drug users, number of residents in the area etc. are given. In certain areas, both drug user numbers are high as well the number of crimes committed. Hence, in situations like this, it is necessary, to consider the total population of that area while calculating the percentage of criminal acts in the region.
Proceeding this way, the percentage of crime per every 1000 residents of the area is more or less the same (ranging from 8.39 to 8.04). Hence, the presumption that increased drug use leads to increased crime is false.
The other statistical tables Dr.Eager has are (1) a scatter diagram, which is supposed to show how increase of police officers shows increased crime levels. Scatter diagrams are mainly used for mode and frequency studies. It is useless in terms of the stated aim. From the scatter diagram, it can be deduced easily that all the counties have different numbers of police officers and they have different levels of crime, which is obvious. However, nowhere it is evident that increased police officers lead to increased crime levels.
The second (2) statistical tool is a simple curve where plotted the drug user nos. against the robberies and other offenses which takes place, the figures being obtained as per the different zip codes i.e. the different regions as demarcated by the postal demarcating code. The curve droops down as the drug use percentage decreases. However, this is misleading. It is not known that whether the zip codes have been taken serially or with an eye on the desired results. If the zip codes are taken the other way around the curve obtained will be ascending upwards. The curve is therefore not reliable it can be subjected to easy manipulation.
Next, the contention that medical centers like XYZ shall be better avenues of public fund investment instead of increasing the police officers available, is analyzed. It is one of the policies of the US Government to fight not only drug use but also the suppliers. The FBI strikes back and protects America from drugs by stopping the incoming and not the use. Use is also prohibited but the supplier is the main offender. Strict statues such as enhanced punishment periods, freezing of bank accounts of suspected drug traders, etc. are some things which can be highly effective in case of bringing down the drug addict numbers. With more police officers, Mayor Stone can set up a special narcotics cell, which will cater to narcotic cases only. With more police officers, Mayor Stone can set up a special narcotics cell, which will cater to narcotic cases only. The impetus should be on eliminating the suppliers and not the users who are actually victims.
Finally, the records, abstracts and peer reviews of XYZ treatment, are checked As per three papers by unbiased medical professionals who has judged the system and found it to be satisfactory, a lot of fine-tuning is still required. All the three abstracts of the researchers agree that it is a dynamic concept but the testing has been far too less, to be completely sure. In 2000, Weiss & Shumar indicates that 150 participants stopped availing of the treatment provided by XYZ. But another medical center offering an alternative treatment “Clean House Treatment” had a much better record that XYZ, both being carried out simultaneously) Attendance throughout XYZ’s course had dipped sharply. Finally, there are also cases which have just gone nowhere with XYZ. What does the town council do in such circumstances?
There is also information that the good doctor’s opinion on XYZ treatment is based to a very high probability on the fact that one of the model cases of XYZ was a young female addict. She responded very well during the treatment and was discharged very soon with her addiction fully cured. She then worked with Dr. Eager for a few years before leaving in search of greener pastures. XYZ frequently refers to her as a model case and Dr. Eager obviously judges XYZ by the results in this case. It will be too much of a coincidence if the contrary is assumed. However, not every patient can be a model case like her.
Finally, the newspaper reports on drug-induced violence are written in styles which lack credibility. From the language itself of the article, it is clear that the reporter has only one interest, which is not the discovery of truth. It is to increase the circulation figures.
Conclusion
Therefore, the paper is concluded with a small summary of what has been discussed and to what conclusion can a neutral rational person derive from the Doctor’s arguments .Each source and evidence file has been gauged and found to be of no-help. There are holes in every argument of Dr. Eager. The statistical data ,the peer reviews , the articles, etc. all lack credibility to the extent which Dr. Eager newspaper appears to have . This is true even for XYZ treatment.
The following conclusions can be arrived at
1.The first priority is stopping the drug flow. Instead of curing addiction, it makes a lot of sense if we can stop the addiction in the first place. Extra police officers should be recruited now. Jefferson should have a Narcotics cell in initial collaboration with the FBI, who can be requested to impart training to the police officers of the narcotic cells.
2. Political pressure should be brought on the senate to make the sentencing very strict indeed, and this should be widely publicized. A person before pushing drugs, may do so knowing that he will get a five year sentence if caught, but if the five becomes twenty five, most felons will think twice.
Finally, on Dr. Eager, it is possible that he genuinely did not know of these matters, but no Mayoral candidate can be so ignorant. The final aim is therefore arrived at which is “the Doctor’s arguments do not hold up and his comments are just publicity speak”.
