Essay About Second Chances

Ever since I was young, I was taught that everyone deserves a second chance to redeem themselves of what they truly believe is right. Growing up with a younger brother challenged me, as I always loved being the center of attention before he was born. Sharing with him was a struggle, as it often turned into screaming, hitting, and arguing, having to be broken up by my parents. I never agreed with his ways of life and he never agreed with anything I said or did, or so it seemed. In one incident, I can remember screaming that “I was born first so I deserve the toy” as my brother, Benny, let out a wail and continued to cry. It was almost like I never gave him a chance, a chance to let him be the loving and caring brother he has grown up to be.

As we have matured, I have come to realize what I did wrong as a child. I never gave him a chance, therefore after learning lessons from my parents at a young age, I was determined to give him a second chance. This time I would allow him to be the brother I know he truly wanted to be, a shoulder to cry on when someone upset me, and, even though at the time he was a head shorter than me, a protector against anyone who wanted to hurt me. I have learned so many valuable lessons from my childhood, but giving second chances, I believe, can take you places and build your character immensely. Never had I thought sharing a toy would bring me to this conclusion, but the idea of second chances has brought me to be the person I am today.

Whether it’s as simple and cliché as an ice cream shop giving you a new scoop of ice cream after your original scoop topples to the ground, or as meaningful as a broken friendship that needs stitches, a new chance makes for the best results. Being optimistic and open to change is always going to be beneficial, because change is a part of growing up, having new experiences and meeting new people. These new experiences shape the way you think and as I have grown up, I have tried my hardest to allow change to alter how I view people and places.

Additionally, no one was made to be the perfect super-human who always makes the right decisions. Every single person has their unique ways of living, some more unforgiving than others. People overtime form relationships with other people, but personalities can clash, giving way to arguments that can sometimes affect the relationship permanently if second chances are not given. As I formed relationships growing up, I also experienced fights, but luckily, I allowed for second chances and got through all the rough patches so far. All throughout elementary school, I was attached at the hip to a girl by the name of Sarah. We acted alike, we dressed the same, and most teachers even thought we were twins. We spent almost every afternoon together, whether it was working on homework or climbing in the tree in my front yard for hours. There was something about our personalities that just clicked. Up until February 16th, 2017, all was good, we had fought a few times over small issues, but never have I experienced something so immature and unnecessary.

Feeling insecure is a normality these days, making it easier for bullies to get what they want out of people, and around this time I was extremely insecure, making it easier for Sarah to pick on me. Her personality completely changed and we no longer were as close as we used to be. Overtime, she got all my friends to go against me and she tormented me daily about everything from my grades to what I wore. I was not only upset, but confused as to why she would do this to me, as I struggled throughout the rest of the year to regain my friendships with my other friends. Although I was extremely hurt, I did not let my anger get the best of me and after a year of not speaking, I reached out to Sarah and explained to her that I wanted to give her a second chance. If I had not reached out and asked for this second chance from her, we would not be where we are today.

Not only have I given second chances, but I have also received multiple chances throughout my life, even in school. Most teachers’ main goal is to see their students succeed, and sometimes this is done by allowing them a second chance at their work. Personally, I have been in multiple situations where I was not prepared for an upcoming test or simply did not understand the material, but took the test anyways. As a result, I received poor grades, but my teachers knew that I was much more capable than what I got as a grade. Although I do believe that grades do not define someone, I wanted to prove to my teachers that I was capable when they allowed me a second chance to redo the work. Whether I could retake a test or submit homework late, these second chances gave me the opportunity to be the best student I could be in school.

Everyone makes mistakes that may affect their current situations, but at the same time, everyone should learn how to respond to the outcomes that come from their mistakes. By allowing someone a second chance, they can see that they matter and that what they do is important to you. It is important to let someone prove themselves because they might not be the same person they were when they made the mistake in the first place. As life goes on, people truly do change.

I am a firm believer that everyone deserves more than one chance in life. People tend to grow on what they have done and by allowing someone another chance, they can achieve their true and full potential, and that is what the world needs. Everyone should be proud of themselves and feel that they have been given the chance to be their best self, and this I believed as a child, I currently believe and will continue to believe for the rest of my life.

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Essay on Everyone Deserves A Second Chance

Students are often asked to write an essay on Everyone Deserves A Second Chance in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Everyone Deserves A Second Chance

Why second chances matter.

Everyone makes mistakes. It’s a part of being human. Giving someone another chance means allowing them to try again and do better. Think of it like playing a video game. If you lose a life, you’re grateful for the opportunity to start over and improve your skills.

Learning From Mistakes

When people get a second chance, they can learn from what went wrong the first time. This helps them grow and avoid making the same mistake. Like in school, if you fail a test, studying harder for a retake teaches you the subject better.

Forgiveness and Trust

Offering a second chance shows forgiveness. It builds trust and strengthens relationships. If a friend breaks a toy by accident, forgiving them and sharing another toy can make your friendship stronger.

Hope for the Future

Believing in second chances gives people hope. Knowing you can try again makes you less afraid of failing and more willing to try new things. It’s like riding a bike; if you fall off, you get back up and pedal again.

250 Words Essay on Everyone Deserves A Second Chance

Everyone makes mistakes. It’s a normal part of life. When someone does something wrong, they learn from it. Giving a person a second chance means letting them try again. It shows trust and kindness. Just like when you fall off a bike and get back on, everyone deserves the chance to make things right.

Learning from Mistakes

When we mess up, we can see where we went wrong. This helps us do better next time. If we don’t get a second chance, we might not learn how to improve. Think about a time you got a question wrong on a test. The next time you saw that question, you probably knew the answer. That’s because you had another chance to show what you learned.

Forgiveness is Important

Forgiving someone means you stop being angry about their mistake. It’s not always easy, but it’s a good thing to do. When you forgive, you give someone a second chance. This can make friendships stronger. It shows you understand that everyone has bad days.

Everyone Can Change

People can change if they really want to. When someone is given a second chance, they often try hard to do better. They want to show that they can be trusted again. Think of it like a game. If a player makes a mistake, they practice more to improve. Giving a second chance is like giving them more practice time.

In conclusion, giving second chances is about being fair and understanding. It lets people learn, grow, and become better. It’s a chance to fix mistakes and move forward. Everyone deserves this opportunity because nobody is perfect. We all need a little kindness and the chance to prove we can do better.

500 Words Essay on Everyone Deserves A Second Chance

What does second chance mean.

Imagine you are playing a video game and you lose a life. The game gives you another chance to try again. This is what a second chance is all about. In real life, it means giving someone another opportunity to do something after they have made a mistake. It’s like pressing the reset button and starting fresh.

Everyone makes mistakes. It’s a part of being human. When we mess up, we feel sad or sorry. But mistakes are also chances for us to learn. If we don’t get a second chance, we might not be able to show that we have learned from our errors. Think about a time when you did something wrong and someone forgave you. You probably felt relieved and promised to do better next time. That’s the power of a second chance.

Forgiveness Is Important

Forgiving someone means letting go of anger or hurt because of what they did. When we forgive, we give them another chance. This doesn’t mean that what they did is okay. It means we are willing to move past it. Forgiving can be hard, but it helps everyone feel better and grow. It’s like cleaning a dirty window so you can see through it clearly again.

Second Chances Can Change Lives

When someone does something wrong, they might feel like they can never make it right. But when given a second chance, they have the opportunity to change. There are many stories of people who made big mistakes and then turned their lives around. They became better because someone believed in them and gave them another opportunity.

Not Just for Others

Second chances aren’t just for other people; they are for us too. Sometimes we are our own toughest critics. When we mess up, we need to learn to give ourselves another chance. Being kind to ourselves means recognizing that we’re not perfect and that it’s okay to try again.

Building a Better World

Imagine a world where nobody ever got a second chance. It would be a place where people are afraid to make mistakes. This fear might stop us from trying new things or taking risks. But when we know we can get another chance, we are more likely to be brave and try our best. This is how we learn and grow, and it makes the world a better place.

In conclusion, everyone deserves a second chance because it’s a way to learn from mistakes, it involves forgiveness, can change lives, is something we should give to ourselves, and it helps build a better world. Just like in games, life should allow us to start over and do better next time. So remember, if someone around you messes up, think about giving them another chance. It could make a big difference for them and for you.

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second chance essay example

Giving Ex-Offenders a Second Chance Research Paper

  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Prison recidivism rates are a major national and local issue given the sheer amount of money spent on prisoners in the United States ($35,000 every year for each inmate) and the number of individuals that cycle through the criminal justice system per year (11.6 million) (Miller, Curtis, Sønderlund, Day, & Droste, 2015).

Current statistics on the issue reveal that 68 percent of prisoners released by the state in 2005 were rearrested and sent back to jail within three years, and 75 percent of inmates currently in the system are rearrested within five years. This is indicative of a major problem with the current system of incarceration since there is an established pattern of release, arrest, then release again.

On the other end of the spectrum, Norway has one the lowest prisoner recidivism rates in the world at 20 percent compared to America, which has one of the highest at 76.6 percent as per the lastest statistical data examination (Zortman, Powers, Hiester, Klunk, & Antonio, 2016). The capacity of Norway to field such small numbers is due a process they call “restorative justice.”

Under this process, the Norwegian system of incarceration focuses on rehabilitating criminals to prevent their criminal tendencies from resurfacing. Practices that contribute towards this methodology consist of various vocational and education programs that aim to prepare prisoners for a successful integration back into society. The result is a much lower rate of recidivism and shows the effectiveness that such a methodology has in curbing an individual’s tendency to fall back into old criminal habits.

It is based on this comparison between the Norwegian and American systems of incarceration that the Second Chance Act makes sense. Simply put, if prisoners within the U.S. are presented with a program that helps them to integrate back into society, it is likely that the various deficits to a successful integration could be resolved. This would have a significant impact on a prisoner’s life since it would enable them to have the necessary vocational and educational skills that would help them turn away from a life of crime.

Combined with support programs, housing assistance, and work programs, this would transform the current system and contribute to reducing recidivism rates in the long term. As such, this paper will explore the various arguments, debates, and controversies associated with giving second chances to felons and where the stance of the justice department is on the issue. It is expected through this examination; a greater understanding can develop regarding the impact of second chances on both society and the present day system of incarceration in the U.S. Based on the facts presented, this report asserts that giving second chances to offenders is needed given the potential benefits this would have in reducing costs and in helping the lives of newly released prisoners.

Findings of the Study

Cohen and Whetzel (2014) clarified the source of the problem by explaining that the high recidivism rates in the American prison system are connected to the deficits tied to a prisoner upon their release. These include but are not limited to:

  • Little in the way of marketable skills: many prisoners upon their release lack the skills they would need to enter the workforce. As a result, they return to a life of crime to survive and are, inevitably, arrested again (Cohen & Whetzel, 2014).
  • Their criminal record: most employers hesitate to hire individuals that have a criminal record. This is due to the potential danger that a newly released convict would have on their business in the form of possible thefts or property damage (Cohen & Whetzel, 2014).
  • Limited education: being in prison is not conducive towards earning a proper academic education and, as a result, released prisoners often lack the needed training to get normal jobs.
  • Lack of sufficient stable housing: the presence of permanent housing is often required before a person is accepted for a job. By constantly being transient, this prevents a released prisoner from gaining a modicum of stability in a local community which limits their future opportunities (Cohen & Whetzel, 2014).
  • Potential substance abuse problems: before being arrested, many prisoners developed substance abuse problems, their release without sufficient medical and psychiatric assistance creates a high likelihood of them going back to a life of crime to support their addiction.
  • Lack of an adequate support network for help: lastly, most states do not have a support system in place for newly released prisoners to help them transition back into society. As a result, they tend to turn back to old criminal habits resulting in them being incarcerated again.

Zavin (2012) supports the work of Cohen and Whetzel by stating that the current system of incarceration in the U.S. is not conducive towards creating a proper means of transitioning people from being in prison to integrating back into society. Without such a system in place, it is almost inevitable that former prisoners become the current criminals on America’s streets (Zavin, 2012).

Current Arguments on the Issue

One of the current debates surrounding the issue of second chances is if some criminals deserve one in the first place. Based on the concept of incarceration as a form of punishment, second chances for criminals is viewed as a controversial stance among members of various conservative groups. For example, if a person was found guilty of a violent crime (i.e. theft and assault resulting in injury) should they receive free vocational training and education at the expense of the state? It would seem as if criminals are being rewarded for their actions rather than being punished.

Non-profit organizations such as “We Are All Criminals” (www.weareallcriminals.org) counterargue this position by stating that the problem with the current system of incarceration is that the punishment goes well beyond incarceration and can have a long-term negative impact on an individual’s life. Emily Baxter, founder of “We Are All Criminals” stated that having a criminal record can have a devastating consequence on a person’s career choices since employers do not look at the severity of the crime; rather, they look at the fact that an individual has a criminal record (Cohen, Cook, & Lowenkamp, 2016). These businesses make their choice beforehand resulting in fewer career options for ex-convicts with minor or non-violent crimes.

Delving deeper into the issue, Baxter’s non-profit created a series of presentations showing individuals (with their faces cropped out of the photo) being guilty of various minor crimes in the past and not being caught. These same people eventually became lawyers, police chiefs or achieved similarly respectable careers in society. They would not have been able to gain these positions if they had a criminal record which reveals the current problem with incarceration and the stigma that surrounds it (Cohen, Cook, & Lowenkamp, 2016).

Many people assume that the concept of second chances is limited to what was given in the introduction section of this paper wherein it focuses on educational and vocational support combined with methods to transition an individual back into society. Second chances for ex-convicts can go beyond this and tackle the issues surrounding the stigma of their criminal records. One of the best examples of this can be seen in Indiana’s Second Chance laws which are also known as expungement laws. These laws allow people with minor to significant criminal records to have them sealed with the decision being left up to the court (Evans, Huang, & Hser, 2011).

The length of time for a successful petition depends on the severity of the incident in question. An individual that was arrested but not charged with any crime could request to have their records sealed after a year. Those with a misdemeanor conviction could petition for the sealing of the records after five years (Evans et al., 2011). Lastly, those charged with felony convictions have to wait for eight years and the discretion of the court before the sealing process can even begin. Within the one to eight year period, the individual making the request should not commit any other crime. Otherwise, their petition will be considered null and void.

Overall, Indiana’s expungement laws are meant to address the stigma attached to having a criminal record thereby allowing a person to integrate into society and have a clean slate. However, while expungement laws are an excellent method, there are arguments present regarding their implementation. The most obvious debate surrounding Second Chance laws are connected to the length of time needed before a petition can be made. While it is understandable that a necessary period should elapse to ensure that a person will not commit another crime, the length indicated in present day expungement laws is simply far too long.

Proponents for change involving Second Chance laws correctly point out that five to eight years for a misdemeanor or felony crimes prevents a person from properly integrating back into society. How are they supposed to find meaningful work if they are prevented from expunging their criminal records? It is due to this that the current debate on the issue centers on lowering the amount of time to a more reasonable level or taking into consideration a person’s behavior in prison as a good indicator to reduce the amount of time needed or to grant expungement immediately after they are released from jail to help facilitate their reintegration (Pogorzelski, Wolff, Pan, & Blitz, 2005).

Do note that, on their own; expungement laws are still an insufficient means of preventing prisoner recidivism. What is needed is a combined approach that utilizes both expungement laws and the second chance act to maximize the ability of detainees to transition back into society. By addressing both the stigma against employment and addressing their capability to transition back into society via vocational and educational skills, this can create a situation where an ex-convict has more options available to them and, as such, helps to prevent them from turning back to a life of crime.

Does this Help to Reduce Offender Recidivism Rates?

It is still unclear whether this will dramatically reduce recidivism rates since one of the best examples, Indiana, that has implemented expungement laws has yet to show valid statistical data. Indiana’s Second Chance law was put into effect in 2014 and underwent various revisions until 2015. Currently, it is 2016, and insufficient studies have been conducted to examine the impact that this would have on the state.

However, there are several assumptions that can be derived from available facts. The first assumption is that the Second Chance Act can reduce prisoner recidivism rates. This is based on data released in 2014 that revealed a drop in the federal prison population by 4,800 inmates as of September 2013 (Steiner, Makarios, & Travis, 2015).

Such a reduction was considered as unprecedented since this was the first time that the prison population has gone down instead of up since the year 1980. The drop was attributed to changes in the criminal justice system in 2007 with the introduction of the Second Chance Act (Steiner et al., 2015). In fact, Attorney General Eric Holder even stated that estimates examining the trend in the reduction in the prison population project that by 2016 the reduction will have dropped by another 10,000.

In fact, statistical data examining the impact of the Second Chance Act has shown a decline of 10 percent in America’s incarceration rate (Steiner et al., 2015). This example indicates that policies that target easier societal integration for inmates can have a significant impact on the rate of incarceration and prisoner recidivism. Since expungement laws involving criminal records similarly contribute towards, effective prisoner integration practices, a similar phenomenon of reduced prison populations can also be expected.

Is There a Negative Impact on Society if Offenders are Given Second Chances?

The problem with the current system is that releasing prisoners back into society simply increases crime. The Justice Department Bureau of Justice Statistics revealed in a study that back in the mid-1990s, two-thirds of inmates that were released were rearrested after a period of three years (McShane & Williams, 1996). During the period that they were not in prison, they were responsible crimes that encompassed murder, rape, kidnapping, assault and robbery.

One of the best perspectives on this issue is from the Toscher and Lubin (2011) study which explained the concept of prison as being a “college of crime.” While this may seem to be a strange terminology, Toscher and Lubin stated that many prisons act as melting pots for different criminal elements to mingle. Prisoners with light to average offenses are often in the same facilities as professional criminals due to budget cutbacks and limited space within the American prison system (Toscher & Lubin, 2011).

This creates a system where convicts develop contacts both in and out of prison and learn skills and different pieces of knowledge that they otherwise would not have learned (Müller, Haase, & Stolpmann, 2013). As a result of such influences and the negative impact of sending them back into society without a system of transition in place, time in prison creates better and more experienced criminals.

This is, of course, a terrible result since the purpose of a prison is to punish people who have broken the law and not create an individual that is better at crime. Unfortunately, this is the outcome that was brought about which contributes significantly to the level of recidivism experienced by the prison system (Albanes, 2012). Simply put, the current American system of incarceration already has a negative impact on society and needs to be altered from a system geared primarily to incarceration to one that is closer to the Norwegian system of incarceration, rehabilitation, and resocialization.

The best way in which this can be accomplished would be the Second Chance Act and expungement laws since this gives prisoners the capacity to learn the skills they would need to get a job as well as have a blank slate that would prevent any form of animosity or discrimination being directed against them (Sturup & Lindqvist, 2014). The only potential negative effect such a system would have on society would be the slight increase in cost per prisoner for the necessary education and vocation problems that would be put in place in most prisons. However, given the cost associated with having to incarcerate people in the first place, a slight increase in the expense of each prisoner but a reduction in the overall amount of inmates would be financially acceptable.

Should Certain Offenders (ex: dangerous sex offenders) not be Given a Second Chance?

The debate surrounding second chances for offenders is particularly heated when it comes to whether or not certain criminals should be given the right to expungement or a second chance. The argument centers around the concept of equality under the law and the potential danger certain individuals pose to society. Laws should apply equally to everyone, and it is this concept that is the cornerstone of the justice system that is at work in the United States (Freedman, 2012). However, the application of the law goes both ways wherein a person can both be punished as well as rewarded by the laws that have been put in place.

This is an important facet to consider when examining its application to prison populations since not all prisoner are created equal. Some are incarcerated for relatively minor offenses while there are those who have been responsible for manslaughter, rape, grievous assault and other similar felonies. Should individuals convicted of serious crimes that have served their time in jail have access to the same rights of expungement of the felony records as well as the benefits of the second chance act?

One side of the debate firmly asserts equality under the law and points out that if they are not assisted in some way before their reintroduction into society, it is likely that they will continue to commit the same crimes (Freedman, 2012). By giving them access to a second chance, this helps to prevent recidivism and ensures they become a productive member of society.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are pundits who state that while second chances for criminals is an excellent way of resolving the prison population issue, there are simply some convicts that a second chance should not apply. They point to individuals accused of serious sexual offenses and state that these people should not have their records cleared or given a fresh start since it is likely that they could start the same behavior all over again without their local community having sufficient warning.

In apparent opposition to this assertion is the Kulani correctional facility’s sexual offender rehabilitation in Hawaii which has successfully treated over 800 prisoners convicted of sex-related offences since its start in 1988. The program has been considered as a success since only 20 individuals from the second chance program went back to prison for sexual offenses (Berenji, Chou, & D’Orsogna, 2014).

The Kulani program shows that even if a person is convicted of a sexual offense, they can still be successfully rehabilitated and become a productive member of society. Do note though that in some cases a person convicted of a felony cannot avail of expurgence laws. States like Indiana review expurgence requests by former prisoners who committed crimes. If they determine that a person’s crime is simply too grave to allow expurgence, then it will not be granted. The problem with this method is that the justice system, in effect, facilitates recidivism by preventing an ex-convict from leading a normal life.

Second chances should apply to all equally and, as such, by stopping people the capacity to make a life for themselves, you are in effect facilitating their downturn towards criminal behavior (Rowland, 2016). Taking this into consideration, the assertion that only particular types of criminals should be allowed a second chance is counterproductive to the aims of reducing prison recidivism rates. It is necessary to apply the policy to all criminals and not just a select few that the incarceration system deems as sufficiently harmless or not accused of a serious felony.

Drawbacks to the Application of the Policy

One of the drawbacks to the application of the Second Chance Act and expungence laws come in the form of the case of Antwon Durrell Pitt, a 21-year-old resident of Washington D.C., who has been arrested (eight times in total) for various crimes ranging from robbery to sexual assault. However, due to the presence of laws that were designed to give some leniency to young adult offenders, he has repeatedly been released. His criminal behavior culminated in the 2014 rape of a 40-year-old woman in Hill East, Washington.

This case shows the inherent problem with giving second chances to offenders since some of them are apparently unrepentant of their actions and are likely to continue their criminal behavior after they are released from jail. While the case of Pitt is not indicative of all offenders, it does highlight the potential that exists and helps to show why there are some drawbacks to giving criminals second chances.

After going over the arguments and data that have been presented, this report asserts that giving second chances to offenders is needed given the potential benefits this would have in reducing costs and in helping the lives of newly released prisoners. What this paper has shown is that combined with support programs, housing assistance, and work programs, second chances for offenders would transform the current system and contribute to reducing recidivism rates in the long term.

The best way in which this can be accomplished would be the Second Chance Act and expungement laws since this gives prisoners the capacity to learn the skills they would need to get a job as well as have a blank slate that would prevent any form of animosity or discrimination being directed against them. Based on data released in 2014 that revealed a drop in the federal prison population by 4,800 inmates as of September 2013, it can be asserted that second chances do help in reducing the current recidivism rate.

In the long term, provided that enough funding is given to the similar programs, it could be possible for the U.S. to emulate the Norwegian system of incarceration and hopefully lower some repeat offenders to manageable levels. While it is true that there are some assertions regarding the potential uselessness or even harm some offenders may do with a second chance, such as individuals accused of serious sexual offenses,

the claim that only particular types of criminals should be allowed is counterproductive to the aims of reducing prison recidivism rates. It is necessary to apply the policy to all criminals and not just a select few that the incarceration system deems as sufficiently harmless or not accused of a serious felony.

All in all, this report has successfully delved into the various nuances of giving second chances to offenders. While it is true that the debate on the issue continues even to the present day, the fact remains that the second chance act has proven its worth, and it is likely that expurgence laws also contribute towards lowering prisoner recidivism rates as well.

The next section will deal with future directions that research on this topic can go and what avenues of approach would be the most worthwhile to explore.

Directions for Future Research

For researchers looking for potential avenues of approach when it comes to examining this topic, one recommended option would be to determine the effectiveness of expungence laws and the Second Chance Act at the same time. Current studies on ex-convict recidivism rates lack sufficient examinations on the impact that both methods have.

It is possible that having both helps to drastically reduce the recidivism or one is simply better than the other. Conducting an analysis would assist in contributing towards developing better methods to help improve a prisoner’s transition back into society. Presently, legislative trends on the issue seem to support second chances for offenders by lowering inmate populations and lower costs for the prison system. However, it is still unknown what trends the current justice system may take when it comes to the combination of educational, vocational support systems.

Reference List

Albanes, J. S. (2012). Demystifying Risk Assessment: Giving Prisoners a Second chance at Individualized Community Confinement Under the Second Chance Act. Administrative Law Review , 64 (4), 937- 966.

Berenji, B., Chou, T., & D’Orsogna, M. R. (2014). Recidivism and Rehabilitation of Criminal Offenders: A Carrot and Stick Evolutionary Game. Plos ONE , 9 (1), 1-13.

Cohen, T. H., & Whetzel, J. (2014). The Neglected “R”–Responsivity and the Federal Offender. Federal Probation , 78 (2), 92.

Cohen, T. H., Cook, D., & Lowenkamp, C. T. (2016). The Supervision of Low-Risk Federal Offenders: How the Low-risk Policy Has Changed Federal Supervision Practices without Compromising Community Safety. Federal Probation , 80 (1), 3.

Evans, E., Huang, D., & Hser, Y. (2011). High-Risk Offenders Participating in Court-Supervised Substance Abuse Treatment: Characteristics, Treatment Received, and Factors Associated with Recidivism. Journal Of Behavioral Health Services & Research , 38 (4), 510-525.

Freedman, D. B. (2012). Determining the Long-Term Risks of Recidivism and Registration Failures among Sexual Offenders’. Federal Probation , 76 (1), 14.

McShane, M. D., & Williams, F. P. (1996). Encyclopedia of American Prisons . New York: Routledge.

Miller, P. G., Curtis, A., Sønderlund, A., Day, A., & Droste, N. (2015). Effectiveness of interventions for convicted DUI offenders in reducing recidivism: a systematic review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature. American Journal Of Drug & Alcohol Abuse , 41 (1), 16-29.

Müller, J. L., Haase, K., & Stolpmann, G. (2013). Recidivism and Characteristics of Highly Dangerous Offenders Being Released from Retrospectively Imposed Preventive Detention: An Empirical Study. Behavioral Sciences & The Law , 31 (3), 359-380.

Pogorzelski, W., Wolff, N., Pan, K., & Blitz, C. L. (2005). Behavioral Health Problems, Ex-Offender Reentry Policies, and the “Second Chance Act”. American Journal Of Public Health , 95 (10), 1718-1724.

Rowland, M. G. (2016). Projecting Recidivism Rates for Federal Drug Offenders Released Early from Prison. Federal Sentencing Reporter , 28 (4), 259-263.

Steiner, B., Makarios, M. D., & Travis, L. F. (2015). Examining the Effects of Residential Situations and Residential Mobility on Offender Recidivism. Crime & Delinquency , 61 (3), 375-401.

Sturup, J., & Lindqvist, P. (2014). Homicide offenders 32 years later – A Swedish population-based study on recidivism. Criminal Behaviour & Mental Health , 24 (1), 5-17.

Toscher, S., & Lubin, B. (2011). How About a Second Chance–Recent Developments in Reducing the Convicted Tax Offender’s Time in Prison. Journal Of Tax Practice & Procedure , 13 (2), 25-28.

Zavin, V. (2012). One Strike, You are Out: The Ninth Circuit Denies Second Chance for First-time Drug Offenders. Boston College Journal Of Law & Social Justice , 3 (2) , 83-92.

Zortman, J. S., Powers, T., Hiester, M., Klunk, F. R., & Antonio, M. E. (2016). Evaluating reentry programming in Pennsylvania’s Board of Probation & Parole: An assessment of offenders’ perceptions and recidivism outcomes. Journal Of Offender Rehabilitation , 55 (6), 419-442.

  • Stigma of Conviction and Prison: Reentry to Society
  • Criminal Law: Community Reintegration of Prisoners
  • Megan’s law and Adam Walsh Act
  • Classical Criminology and Present Day Crime
  • Punishment Risk and Criminal Behavior Relationship
  • Social Bonding Theory in Criminology
  • Social Control Theories vs. Criminological Theories
  • Criminological Theory and Its Author: Donald Lindsley
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2020, August 9). Giving Ex-Offenders a Second Chance. https://ivypanda.com/essays/offenders-second-chance/

"Giving Ex-Offenders a Second Chance." IvyPanda , 9 Aug. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/offenders-second-chance/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Giving Ex-Offenders a Second Chance'. 9 August.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Giving Ex-Offenders a Second Chance." August 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/offenders-second-chance/.

1. IvyPanda . "Giving Ex-Offenders a Second Chance." August 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/offenders-second-chance/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Giving Ex-Offenders a Second Chance." August 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/offenders-second-chance/.

arrow_backward Second Chance Essays

Incarceration, Reentry, Education and Advocacy by Rabia Qutab

JSTOR Access in Prison Second Chance Essay that provides a resource list for people with incarceration histories & higher education providers

photo

My motivation for becoming a change leader can be best described through my personal experiences with higher education, addiction, and the criminal justice system. As a young independent immigrant child, I dreamt about attending college and getting an education. My parents relocated from Pakistan to America in the hopes that their children would take advantage of this country's academic successes and have equal access to good education.

As a transfer student from a local community college in Weatherford, Texas, I was accepted into the University of North Texas. I was focused, dedicated, and on track. However, college life posed many challenges – the pressure and the competition were constant, and as a young woman, I had to grow up fast and learn to navigate the foreign educational spaces on my own. There was a lack of support for students like me; however, I did not let this slow me down and kept my focus on maintaining good grades. From receiving recognition awards honoring my performance in US History and American Government from Weather College to getting accepted to the Honor Society at UNT, things seemed to be going well. In college, I was an active member of organizations, including Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED), UNICEF, and Women's Health Association Team over the course of three years. I worked hard to support myself and developed a well-disciplined lifestyle of school, sports, and leisure. I graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology/a minor in Chemistry in 2010 and planned a path to medical school. My future looked bright and hopeful.

Unfortunately, after college, my life took a turn for me. I found myself buried in a downward spiral of substance abuse disorder, and over the next four years, I struggled to keep my life in order. The eventual result of this lifestyle was my first arrest in 2014, facing a 20-year sentence incarcerated in Texas. I felt utterly damaged, hopeless in my addiction, and distraught with reality. This was a pivotal juncture where I was forced to make a choice between continuing on a destructive path or changing my life for the better. I chose to change for the better.

While I was in prison, I found my journey into recovery, self-reflection, and accountability, wanting to continue new learning and growth. But with the lack of access to programming, I realized that many women felt discouraged from thinking about education. From the long waiting lists to enroll in any vocational training courses to constant dehumanization from the correctional staff, many incarcerated women felt pressured to get involved in the wrong matters of prison life. I realized that my education had come to a halt, which was devastating. Something had to change. I began to advocate for myself, and with many years of appeals, while understanding law from a critical lens, I found a way to have my 20-year sentence overturned. I was sent to a Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility ( SAFPF ) for eight months before my release. In the very first month, I became the chief member of the cognitive department. For the next seven months, I facilitated groups with over 150 participants, focusing on rehabilitation, counseling, and leadership development. Building solid relationships with my peers, I learned the value of community support. I developed a strong passion for helping others through their recovery and saw how this work made a positive difference.

Upon my release in 2020, I relocated to Los Angeles to continue the momentum towards successful reentry and find a pathway back into academics. I realized that within society, being formerly incarcerated carried with it stigmas and systematic barriers that would have a lasting impact on the trajectory of my life. I began researching reentry and higher education resources for formerly incarcerated people in Los Angeles. I found out that there is a large community here that helps people like me reintegrate back into society. I connected with folks in programs such as Project Rebound and Rising Scholars . These programs help formerly incarcerated individuals pursue higher education and connect with other reentry resources that will help their reentry journeys, including housing, employment, and financial support. Through networking and mentorship support, I was accepted into the Anti-Recidivism Coalition Housing Program ( ARC ) in 2021, where I spent the next twelve months with stable housing support and be able to focus on my future. I started to get involved in the advocacy for the social justice system for formerly incarcerated—working with organizations such as Rising Scholars at Mt.San Antonio Community College, facilitating ‘Intro to Career Development’ classes at Prison Education Project ( PEP ), working as a student auditor for inside-out classes with the Justice Education Initiative at Claremont Colleges . Through getting involved with platforms such as the Education Trust , Prison to PhD ( P2P ), and Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Networking ( FICGN ), I connected with other mentors willing to help me professionally with my higher education journey. The empowerment and support gained through these experiences have forever changed my life. It opened doors to educational opportunities to help me explore various Masters and PhD programs in fields of biological sciences and begin to create a portfolio towards application processes.

It has been over two years now, and my personal and professional life in advocacy has undoubtedly been transformed through the lens of higher education, allowing me to dedicate myself along with my peers towards our mission to serve our community in promoting education embracing both social justice and the paradigm of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Incarceration allowed me to understand the importance of continuing my education, a time for self-reflection and growth giving me a unique perspective to see things through a critical lens. There is a vast system of barriers of inequalities and injustice among the communities of formerly incarcerated. We face educational disadvantages time over time. Higher education allows us as a community to find ways to achieve social and economic success, increase workforce productivity by reducing recidivism, and diversify dynamics in education. Education is transformative, restorative, and healing for our community. Everyone has the right to equal access regardless of the past mistakes. I hope to inspire others to become part of the movement to open doors for formerly incarcerated folks and empower others to pursue their dreams.

Editor's Note:

This essay was received from the JSTOR Access in Prison Student Advisory Board. Rabia has accomplished a great deal since leaving prison, and the constellation of services she used to move forward is an example of the community-based supports that are crucial during reentry. I linked to the resources she mentioned to encourage people to revisit it - Rabia's submission offers a roadmap. Many of these programs are national, and the ones that are local are worth studying if you are trying to build resources in your own higher education community.

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  • Child Development

Second chances

Updated 18 July 2023

Subject Child Development

Downloads 55

Category Literature ,  Psychology

Topic Literature Review ,  Character ,  Development

People Deserve Second Chances in English Literature

People are given second opportunities so they can undo their previous actions and become better people. They are provided after the first action has been tested and it has been determined that it needs to be corrected. People deserve second chances so they can make up for their past transgressions and enable for a better outcome. Various characters and their positions are featured in fictional and nonfictional narratives in English literature. Characters grow throughout the course of the story, and at one time they need a second chance to consider their choices. Characters are guaranteed second chances in literature, which is one of the places where they can get them. The paper is, therefore, based on the argument that all English literature is about the second chances. The argument in the essay is grounded in English literature materials namely; course texts like Tom Jones by Henry Fielding, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and School of Scandal by Richard Brinsley.

Literature Embraces Second Chance for Forgiveness and Transformation

Literature embraces second chance to allow for practice of forgiveness and transformation of characters. Since the aim of the work of art is presenting and developing characters, some make choices in life which they later regret and always possess wishful thinking for a second chance. For instance, Allworthy, the main character in Tom Jones novel by Fielding laments having disowned Tom due to the influences from Blifil who wants his son to inherit Allworthy property rather than Tom.

Allworthy's regrets for having sent Tom away, makes him prepare for a journey to London to look for him and beg for forgiveness. In prison he says, "I have treated him cruelly though he is my nephew" (Fielding 38) referring to Tom whom he requested for forgiveness and was given a second chance, he promises only good deeds to his nephew.

The Exercise of Kindness and Mercy in English Literature

English literature aims at restoring peace as it advocates for kindness and mercy. Those who are willing to drop their past feelings towards the other characters get granted second chance to exercise their kind nature. Alternatively even with the opportunity, one may fail to show their different side For example, the play School of Scandal by Richard, it is quoted, "To pity without the power to relieve is still more painful than to ask and be denied."(Sheridan 192) The saying is in regards to some characters who have the chance to exercise their kindness but are swayed away from it. Joseph, a character refuses to give money to Sir Oliver who has disguised himself as Joseph's poor relative. This quotation presents Joseph as trying to spin the situation as if it is quite difficult but simply does not want to give money for kind deeds. Joseph's failure at the present can cause him seek second chance to help where he did not realize the importance.

Second Chances for Happiness and Fulfillment of Dreams

Conversely, second chance gives room for happiness and fulfillment of dreams. As the work of art develops, some characters may get barred from achieving their dreams and instead receive mistreatment and neglect from those dear to them. The situation that Tom and Sophie find themselves in as depicted in Tom Jones Henry Fielding is similar to the above case. The two loved each other, but the relatives could not agree to their relationship due to some barriers. For instance, Sophie's mother says, "You must marry Bilfil who is rich and wealth."(Fielding 36). Tom is denied affection right as he is poor and with no parental identity. At last, the two are granted a second chance of becoming lovers, and they perfect it to the extent of wedding preparation as it is quoted, "we will have a wedding tomorrow..."(Fielding 38).

Correction of Mistakes through Second Chances

Second chances offer an excellent opportunity for correction of mistakes made earlier. Since English literature comprises of characters assuming human traits, errors are prone to characters interacting and sharing their views and ideas. For such characters, if they get accorded second chance within the literary act, they remain united once more as they can correct their mistakes. A situation where Estella in Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations , moves in with Drummle is termed as a mistake by Pip who was eyeing Estella. Later when Estella is given a second chance to choose a marriage partner, she holds pips hand and promises a change in their marriage. The correction that Estella is to make determines their happiness, and extended stay in marriage as Pip concludes, "No shadow of another parting from her." (p864).

Themes Developed through Second Chances

Importantly second chance builds English literature as it continues various themes within the work of literature. For example, reconciliation and repentance as themes are more evident in literary works where second chances have been allowed to the characters. Dickens literary novel Great Expectations features Miss Havisham who repents after realizing she had lived meaningless life all through. She says, "What have I done! What have I done?" (Dickens 536), which shows her desperation for a wasted life thus ready to repent and start a meaningful life if she will be allowed a second chance.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, English literature revolves around characters who want to live a transformed life after realizing that something is wrong. For them to change whatever they yearn for; second chance must be granted to them as discussed in some of the literature materials above. Second chance in literature defines the completion of themes developed in work hence a must for consideration.

Works Cited

Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. USA: Washington Square Press, 1881. Print.

Fielding, Henry. Tom Jones, Volume 1. UK: Derby, 1861. Print.

Sheridan, Richard Brinsley. The school for scandal. Vol. 85. Oxford: H. Altemus, 1899. Print.

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How to Write the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay + Examples

What’s covered:.

  • What is the Overcoming Challenges Essay?
  • Real Overcoming Challenges Essay Prompts
  • How to Choose a Topic
  • Writing Tips

Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

  • Where to Get Your Essay Edited

While any college essay can be intimidating, the Overcoming Challenges prompt often worries students the most. Those students who’ve been lucky enough not to experience trauma tend to assume they have nothing worth saying. On the other hand, students who’ve overcome larger obstacles may be hesitant to talk about them.

Regardless of your particular circumstances, there are steps you can take to make the essay writing process simpler. Here are our top tips for writing the overcoming challenges essay successfully.

What is the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay?

The overcoming challenges prompt shows up frequently in both main application essays (like the Common App) and supplemental essays. Because supplemental essays allow students to provide schools with additional information, applicants should be sure that the subject matter they choose to write about differs from what’s in their main essay.

Students often assume the overcoming challenges essay requires them to detail past traumas. While you can certainly write about an experience that’s had a profound effect on your life, it’s important to remember that colleges aren’t evaluating students based on the seriousness of the obstacle they overcame.

On the contrary, the goal of this essay is to show admissions officers that you have the intelligence and fortitude to handle any challenges that come your way. After all, college serves as an introduction to adult life, and schools want to know that the students they admit are up to the task. 

Real “Overcoming Challenges” Essay Prompts

To help you understand what the “Overcoming Challenges” essay looks like, here are a couple sample prompts.

Currently, the Common Application asks students to answer the following prompt in 650 words or less:

“The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

For the past several years, MIT has prompted students to write 200 to 250 words on the following:

“Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?”

In both cases, the prompts explicitly ask for your response to the challenge. The event itself isn’t as important as how it pushed you to grow.

How to Choose a Topic for an Essay on Overcoming Challenges

When it comes to finding the best topic for your overcoming challenges essays, there’s no right answer. The word “challenge” is ambiguous and could be used to reference a wide range of situations from prevailing over a bully to getting over your lifelong stage fright to appear in a school musical. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when selecting an essay subject.

1. Avoid trivial or common topics

While there aren’t many hard-and-fast rules for choosing an essay topic, students should avoid overdone topics.

These include:

  • Working hard in a challenging class
  • Overcoming a sports injury
  • Moving schools or immigrating to the US
  • Tragedy (divorce, death, abuse)

Admissions officers have read numerous essays on the subject, so it’s harder for you to stand out (see our full list of cliché college essay topics to avoid ). If events like these were truly formative to you, you can still choose to write about them, but you’ll need to be as personal as possible. 

It’s also ideal if you have a less traditional storyline for a cliché topic; for example, if your sports injury led you to discover a new passion, that would be a more unique story than detailing how you overcame your injury and got back in the game.

Similarly, students may not want to write about an obstacle that admissions committees could perceive as low stakes, such as getting a B on a test, or getting into a small fight with a friend. The goal of this essay is to illustrate how you respond to adversity, so the topic you pick should’ve been at least impactful on your personal growth.

2. Pick challenges that demonstrate qualities you want to highlight

Students often mistakenly assume they need to have experienced exceptional circumstances like poverty, an abusive parent, or cancer to write a good essay. The truth is that the best topics will allow you to highlight specific personal qualities and share more about who you are. The essay should be less about the challenge itself, and more about how you responded to it.

Ask yourself what personality traits you want to emphasize, and see what’s missing in your application. Maybe you want to highlight your adaptability, for example, but that isn’t clearly expressed in your application. In this case, you might write about a challenge that put your adaptability to the test, or shaped you to become more adaptable.

Here are some examples of good topics we’ve seen over the years:

  • Not having a coach for a sports team and becoming one yourself
  • Helping a parent through a serious health issue
  • Trying to get the school track dedicated to a coach
  • Having to switch your Model UN position last-minute

Tips for Writing an Essay About Overcoming Challenges

Once you’ve selected a topic for your essays, it’s time to sit down and write. For best results, make sure your essay focuses on your efforts to tackle an obstacle rather than the problem itself. Additionally, you could avoid essay writing pitfalls by doing the following:

1. Choose an original essay structure

If you want your overcoming challenges essay to attract attention, aim to break away from more traditional structures. Most of these essays start by describing an unsuccessful attempt at a goal and then explain the steps the writer took to master the challenge. 

You can stand out by choosing a challenge you’re still working on overcoming, or focus on a mental or emotional challenge that spans multiple activities or events. For example, you might discuss your fear of public speaking and how that impacted your ability to coach your brother’s Little League team and run for Student Council. 

You can also choose a challenge that can be narrated in the moment, such as being put on the spot to teach a yoga class. These challenges can make particularly engaging essays, as you get to experience the writer’s thoughts and emotions as they unfold.

Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to have succeeded in your goal for this essay. Maybe you ran for an election and lost, or maybe you proposed a measure to the school board that wasn’t passed. It’s still possible to write a strong essay about topics like these as long as you focus on your personal growth. In fact, these may make for even stronger essays since they are more unconventional topics.

2. Focus on the internal

When writing about past experiences, you may be tempted to spend too much time describing specific people and events. With an Overcoming Challenges essay though, the goal is to focus on your thoughts and feelings.

For example, rather than detail all the steps you took to become a better public speaker, use the majority of your essay to describe your mental state as you embarked on the journey to achieving your goals. Were you excited, scared, anxious, or hopeful? Don’t be afraid to let the reader in on your innermost emotions and thoughts during this process.

3. Share what you learned 

An Overcoming Challenges essay should leave the reader with a clear understanding of what you learned on your journey, be it physical, mental, or emotional. There’s no need to explicitly say “this experience taught me X,” but your essay should at least implicitly share any lessons you learned. This can be done through your actions and in-the-moment reflections. Remember that the goal is to show admissions committees why your experiences make you a great candidate for admission. 

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the g arb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family. 

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt. 

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him. 

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses. 

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

This essay is an excellent example because the writer turns an everyday challenge—starting a fire—into an exploration of her identity. The writer was once “a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes,” but has since traded her love of the outdoors for a love of music, writing, and reading. 

The story begins in media res , or in the middle of the action, allowing readers to feel as if we’re there with the writer. One of the essay’s biggest strengths is its use of imagery. We can easily visualize the writer’s childhood and the present day. For instance, she states that she “rubbed and rubbed [the twigs] until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers.”

The writing has an extremely literary quality, particularly with its wordplay. The writer reappropriates words and meanings, and even appeals to the senses: “My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame.” She later uses a parallelism to cleverly juxtapose her changed interests: “instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano.”

One of the essay’s main areas of improvement is its overemphasis on the “story” and lack of emphasis on the reflection. The second to last paragraph about changing perspective is crucial to the essay, as it ties the anecdote to larger lessons in the writer’s life. She states that she hasn’t changed, but has only shifted perspective. Yet, we don’t get a good sense of where this realization comes from and how it impacts her life going forward. 

The end of the essay offers a satisfying return to the fire imagery, and highlights the writer’s passion—the one thing that has remained constant in her life.

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

While the writer didn’t succeed in getting the track dedicated to Coach Stark, their essay is certainly successful in showing their willingness to push themselves and take initiative.

The essay opens with a quote from Coach Stark that later comes full circle at the end of the essay. We learn about Stark’s impact and the motivation for trying to get the track dedicated to him.

One of the biggest areas of improvement in the intro, however, is how the essay tells us Stark’s impact rather than showing us: His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The writer could’ve helped us feel a stronger emotional connection to Stark if they had included examples of Stark’s qualities, rather than explicitly stating them. For example, they could’ve written something like: Stark was the kind of person who would give you gas money if you told him your parents couldn’t afford to pick you up from practice. And he actually did that—several times. At track meets, alumni regularly would come talk to him and tell him how he’d changed their lives. Before Stark, I was ambivalent about running and was on the JV team, but his encouragement motivated me to run longer and harder and eventually make varsity. Because of him, I approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The essay goes on to explain how the writer overcame their apprehension of public speaking, and likens the process of submitting an appeal to the school board to running a race. This metaphor makes the writing more engaging and allows us to feel the student’s emotions.

While the student didn’t ultimately succeed in getting the track dedicated, we learn about their resilience and initiative: I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Overall, this essay is well-done. It demonstrates growth despite failing to meet a goal, which is a unique essay structure. The running metaphor and full-circle intro/ending also elevate the writing in this essay.

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A Second Chance Essay Example

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Social Issues , Workplace , Marketing , Company , Market , Human Resource Management , Unemployment , Job

Published: 12/02/2019

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A Second Chance

Modern world economy is dynamic and can be characterized by very volatile trends and demands. Trying to adopt to the contemporary conditions and responding to the increasing cost pressure, many companies have to conduct extensive cost-cutting policies, which include not only production improvements in processes, but also an attempt to decrease labour cost through decreasing the number of workers and outsourcing. This trend, unfortunately, is leaving many people without a job, thus increasing the burden for the government and therefore taxpayers. In the attempt to reduce the number of unemployed and to improve the quality of workforce, numerous retraining programs have been launched. However, their effectiveness as well as their benefits both for the employers and job-seekers are not completely certain,. The article “Can Retraining Give the Unemployed a Second Chance?” is trying to explore the impact of retraining on the job market and the prospects, retraining programs may have in the future. Evaluating the trends in the labour market is extremely important for an effective management of a company. It gives an insight into the availability of qualified human resources and opens an opportunity to influence knowledge and skills of the current workers in a way that they would fit current business requirements.

The article “Can Retraining Give the Unemployed a Second Chance?” starts with a story of Andrew Bricknell, who was laid off from the company, where he worked his whole life. In order to make his living, he had to work odd jobs and to drive a school bus. During recession, there was no demand for Bricknell’s qualifications, however even when automobile industry started to recover, Bricknell found himself unable to meet the current job requirements. Although he has been able to participate in a retraining course, his future was still unsecure. The demand for car designers was highly limited and it was difficult for Bricknell to compete with younger candidates. The interruption in his career had a detrimental effect on his future career, thus jeopardizing the result of the $800 course. International Monetary Fund, however, is advocating training programs, attributing around 9.1% of the unemployment to the mismatch between labour market requirements and existing qualifications. In theory, the benefits of retraining by far exceed the cost, since they decrease the burden for the governmental and increase tax profits. If this approach is true, retraining can benefit greatly all the parties, both by reducing unemployment and by assisting companies in finding more qualified employees. Retraining, therefore, not only solves the temporary problem of unemployment, but gradually helps to adapt labour market to the future business requirements. Organization of retraining courses requires a significant investment and a holistic approach to education. Thus, it is not enough to establish educational programs, but it is also necessary to introduce preparatory groups, provide scholarships and help those, who leave the school to search for a job. Therefore, it is important to consider not only the benefits of retraining, but also the cost, which is likely to fall upon businesses and households in the form of additional taxes. Despite the hopes people have for the future of retraining problems, some of the studies show that standards of leaving improved only for a small number of retrained workers. In the majority of cases, such programs have been found efficient only at low income levels, while placing workers with higher past income in a disadvantageous position. Therefore, evaluating retraining opportunities should be taken from various perspectives in order to consider not only the potential benefits of such programs, but also the practical evidence of their benefits. Moreover, the overall benefits should be evaluated in comparison to the cost of such programs, by considering the interests of all the stakeholders. It is an important issue for communities and managers of the companies to decide, whether filling the qualification gap is worth the resources spent and whether the return on this investment makes it a viable solution for the employment problem.

Bennett, D. (2011 , September 14). Can retraining give the unemployed a second chance?. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/can-retraining-give-the-unemployed-a- second-chance-09142011.html

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Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database

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Serial Killer Stranglers by: Kevin Smith ISBN10: 1733630600

#1 Stranglers

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  • Serial Killers
  • Necrophiliacs

Sergei Ryakhovsky

The balashikha ripper, the hippopotamus,   active for 6 years (1988-1993) in russia, confirmed victims, possible victims.

  • Serial Killer Profile
  • Serial Killer Type
  • General Information
  • Characteristics
  • Cognitive Ability
  • Incarceration
  • 8 Timeline Events
  • Serial Killers Active During Spree
  • Boolean Statistical Questions
  • 12 Books Written About Sergei Ryakhovsky
  • 3 External References

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Sergei Ryakhovsky (Sergei Vasilyevich Ryakhovsky) a Soviet-Russian serial killer known as the Balashikha Ripper and The Hippopotamus. Ryakhovsky was convicted for the killing of nineteen people in the Moscow area between 1988 and 1993. Ryakhovsky's mainly stabbed or strangulated his victims, he mutilated some bodies, mainly in the genital area. Allegedly Ryakhovsky carried out necrophilic acts on his victims and stole their belongings. Ryakhovsky standing 6’5" tall and weighting 286 pounds, gaining him the nickname, The Hippo. Sergei Ryakhovsky died on January 21st 2005 from untreated tuberculosis while serving his life sentence in prison.

Sergei Ryakhovsky Serial Killer Profile

Serial Killer Sergei Ryakhovsky (aka) the Balashikha Ripper, The Hippopotamus, was active for 6 years between 1988-1993 , known to have ( 19 confirmed / 19 possible ) victims. This serial killer was active in the following countries: Russia

Sergei Ryakhovsky was born on December 29th 1962 in Balashikha, Moscow Oblast, Soviet Union. He had a physically defect. During his education he had academic, social or discipline problems including being teased or picked on.

Sergei Ryakhovsky a necrophile male citizen of Russia.

Prior to his spree he had killed, commited crimes, and served time in jail.

In 1988 (Age 25/26) Sergei Ryakhovsky started his killing spree, during his crimes as a serial killer he was known to rob, commit acts of necrophilia , torture , strangle , rape , mutilate, and murder his victims.

He was arrested on April 13th 1993 (Age 30), sentenced to death by firing squad at a maximum-security penal colony in Solikamsk, Perm Oblast, Russia. He was convicted on charges of murder and other possible charges during his lifetime.

Sergei Ryakhovsky died on January 21st 2005 (Age 42), cause of death: natural causes, untreated tuberculosis at a maximum-security penal colony in Solikamsk, Perm Oblast, Russia.

Profile Completeness: 62%

Sergei Ryakhovsky has been listed on Killer.Cloud since November of 2016 and was last updated 4 years ago.

Sergei Ryakhovsky a known:

( 651 killers ) serial killer.

The unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events. Serial Killer as defined by the FBI at the 2005 symposium.

( 308 killers ) RAPIST

Rape is usually defined as having sexual intercourse with a person who does not want to, or cannot consent.

( 60 killers ) NECROPHILIAC

Necrophilia, also called thanatophilia, is a sexual attraction or sexual act involving corpses. Serial Killer Necrophiliacs have been known to have sex with the body of their victim(s).

( 89 killers ) TORTURER

Torture is when someone puts another person in pain. This pain may be physical or psychological. Tourturers touture their victims.

( 251 killers ) STRANGLER

Strangulation is death by compressing the neck until the supply of oxygen is cut off. Stranglers kill by Strangulation.

Sergei Ryakhovsky Serial Killer Profile:

Updated: 2019-06-30 collected by killer.cloud, 8 timeline events of serial killer sergei ryakhovsky.

The 8 dates listed below represent a timeline of the life and crimes of serial killer Sergei Ryakhovsky. A complete collection of serial killer events can be found on our Serial Killer Timeline .

Back to top Serial Killers Active During

The following serial killers were active during the same time span as Sergei Ryakhovsky (1988-1993).

Michael Wayne McGray 7 Victims during 15 Years

Paul rowles 2 victims during 21 years, andrás pándy 6 victims during 5 years, serhiy tkach 37 victims during 22 years, serial killers by active year, books that mention sergei ryakhovsky.

Book: Serial Killer Stranglers (mentions serial killer Sergei Ryakhovsky)

Kevin Smith

Serial killer stranglers.

Book: Serial Killer Rapists (mentions serial killer Sergei Ryakhovsky)

Serial Killer Rapists

Book: Butterfly Skin (mentions serial killer Sergei Ryakhovsky)

Sergey Kuznetsov

Butterfly skin.

Book: Believing in Russia (mentions serial killer Sergei Ryakhovsky)

Geraldine Fagan

Believing in russia.

Book: Freedom of Religion Or Belief. Anti... (mentions serial killer Sergei Ryakhovsky)

Danny Schäfer

Freedom of religion or belief. anti-sect move....

Book: 100 of the Most Famous Serial Kille... (mentions serial killer Sergei Ryakhovsky)

100 of the Most Famous Serial Killers of All...

Book: The New International Dictionary of... (mentions serial killer Sergei Ryakhovsky)

Stanley M. Burgess

The new international dictionary of pentecost....

Book: Global Renewal Christianity (mentions serial killer Sergei Ryakhovsky)

External References

  • Sergei Ryakhovsky on en.wikipedia.org , Retrieved on Sep 18, 2018 .
  • Juan Ignacio Blanco , Sergei Vasilyevich RYAKHOVSKY on murderpedia.org , Retrieved on Sep 18, 2018 .
  • Q372816 on www.wikidata.org , Retrieved on Oct 9, 2018 .

Sergei Ryakhovsky is included in the following pages on Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database

  • #3 of 45[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killers with birthdays in December
  • #10 of 60[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killer Necrophiliacs sorted by Confirmed Victims
  • #10 of 29[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killers active in Russia
  • #10 of 55[ Page 1 ] of Capricorn Serial Killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  • #11 of 89[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killer Torturers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  • #27 of 250[ Page 2 ] of Serial Killer Stranglers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  • #35 of 307[ Page 3 ] of Serial Killer Rapist sorted by Confirmed Victims
  • #63 of 651[ Page 5 ] of serial killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  • #264 of 651[ Page 18 ] of serial killers sorted by Years Active
  • #381 of 651[ Page 26 ] of serial killers sorted by Profile Completeness
  • #516 of 651[ Page 35 ] of the A-Z List of Serial Killers

Rusmania

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery and Museum

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

second chance essay example

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

second chance essay example

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

second chance essay example

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

second chance essay example

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

second chance essay example

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

second chance essay example

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

second chance essay example

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

second chance essay example

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Home — Application Essay — Law School — A Second Chance

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A Second Chance

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Published: Dec 27, 2022

Words: 504 | Pages: 1 | 3 min read

Disappointing your parents to the point where they start crying and questioning if all the sacrifices, they’ve made for you were worth it or not is the worst feeling a child can face. Especially after your parents left their home country, their parents, their friends behind all to give you a better life than they had. After all this, I repaid my parents in the worst way possible. On May 28, 2019, I was arrested.

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Through various generations, no one in the family had ever got arrested, or even visited jail before. I was the first to bring this disappointment upon my family. My parents didn’t know who I was anymore and reflecting upon my decisions and standing in front of a judge made me realize, I didn’t even know who I was anymore. Just as I was about to lose all hope, the judge saw something in me. I was granted another chance to succeed in life. My charges were dropped, and my record was cleared. However, this came with the cost of being on probation for six months and 32 hours of community service. But I was willing to do anything for a second chance.

If I can go back to May, 28, 2019 and change what I did, I would. I would think about all the opportunities I have, all the sacrifices my parents made and how my decision would affect my future, but during that time, I didn’t. And that is the biggest challenge I have faced, being selfish. I was thinking about myself, living reckless with the mindset “I'm a teenager, I'm allowed to have fun”. But during all this, I lost sight of my purpose. However, I could've either carried this experience with me for the rest of my life, or I could've let it shape me for the better and that’s exactly what I did. I didn't let this terrible patch in my life define me. Instead, I use it as a reminder, so I never fall in this trap again. Use it as motivation, so I can do better for myself and my family.

Most people wouldn’t share a story of them getting arresting and submit it as their college application essay. But I was nothing to hide. Infact, me getting arrested made me the best version of myself. It showed me I was living selfish for many years of my life. And if I continued to walk on the path, I was blindly taking steps on; I could’ve fallen deep into a ditch that I wouldn’t be able to get myself out of.

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“Now I never want to see you in court again, learn from this and build your future. Case dismissed.” These are the words I last heard from the judge. These last few words were the second chance I needed. These last few words made me realize I had a problem that I needed to overcome. And because of these last few words, day by day I make choices that make me a better version of myself.

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second chance essay example

Examining Guatemala’s Classification as a Third World Country

This essay about Guatemala’s classification as a third world country explores the validity and implications of this label. It outlines how the term “third world country” originated during the Cold War to describe nations not aligned with NATO or the Communist Bloc, and how it is now synonymous with “developing country.” The essay details Guatemala’s economic reliance on agriculture, significant poverty rates, and disparities affecting indigenous populations. It also discusses the country’s political challenges, such as corruption and slow reform post-civil war. Despite these issues, the essay highlights signs of progress in Guatemala, including growth in tourism and textiles, and improvements in urban infrastructure. It concludes that labeling Guatemala simplistically as a third world country overlooks the complexities and dynamics of its development, suggesting that the nation is transitioning with both ongoing challenges and potential for future growth.

How it works

During the Cold War era, the term “third world country” emerged to delineate nations that did not align with either NATO (the First World) or the Communist Bloc (the Second World). Presently, this phrase is often used interchangeably with “developing country” to signify nations with lower economic development and living standards. Guatemala, renowned for its cultural heritage and natural splendor, frequently falls into this classification due to various socio-economic indices.

The Guatemalan economy predominantly revolves around agriculture, sustaining a considerable portion of its populace.

Despite its status as a leading exporter of coffee, sugar, and bananas, the nation contends with profound income disparities and elevated poverty rates. As per the World Bank, more than half of the population resides below the national poverty threshold, with indigenous communities bearing a disproportionate burden. These economic hurdles are compounded by deficient rural infrastructure, restricted educational access, and inadequate healthcare provisions.

Politically, Guatemala has weathered a turbulent history, marred by prolonged civil strife culminating in 1996. The aftermath has witnessed sluggish political and social reforms, with persistent issues of corruption and governance impeding stability and progress. These political impediments impede effective policy enactment and investment, further complicating economic advancement endeavors.

On the human development index (HDI), which gauges average achievements across vital dimensions like health, education, and income, Guatemala lags behind many Latin American counterparts. This ranking underscores substantial hurdles in educational attainment and health outcomes, with malnutrition persisting as a pressing concern, particularly among rural children.

Nevertheless, Guatemala showcases signs of advancement and prosperity that belie the simplistic characterization of a “third world country.” Flourishing sectors such as tourism and textiles exemplify Guatemala’s strides forward. The nation’s rich Mayan legacy and breathtaking landscapes entice global tourists, serving as a vital revenue and employment source. Furthermore, urban centers like Guatemala City feature modern amenities, commercial hubs, and a burgeoning middle class, reflecting a different facet of the nation’s economic tableau.

Additionally, Guatemala’s government, in collaboration with international alliances, persistently pursues sustainable development objectives. Initiatives aimed at enhancing educational outcomes, healthcare accessibility, and economic diversification remain ongoing. The expansion of digital infrastructure and telecommunications also assumes a transformative role, offering novel avenues for education and commerce.

Thus, pigeonholing Guatemala as a “third world country” oversimplifies the intricacies of its socio-economic milieu. While grappling with significant challenges typical of developing nations—such as economic disparity, political volatility, and underdevelopment in select regions—Guatemala also demonstrates signs of advancement and development characteristic of a nation in transition. A nuanced comprehension of Guatemala’s status necessitates an appreciation of both its tribulations and its potential for advancement.

In essence, while Guatemala may fit the mold of a developing country based on certain socio-economic benchmarks, it concurrently represents a nation with a vibrant society and economy advancing towards amelioration. The term “third world country” may no longer suffice to encapsulate the multifaceted developmental stage of nations like Guatemala. It stands at a crossroads, with segments of its populace steadfastly eyeing a brighter, more prosperous future.

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PapersOwl.com. (2024). Examining Guatemala's Classification as a Third World Country . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/examining-guatemalas-classification-as-a-third-world-country/ [Accessed: 30-May-2024]

The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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