Sociology

Organized crime has various features that characterize it. Firstly, it has a distinct organizational structure with different ranks or levels which have a highly developed division of labor that facilitate its criminal activities. Secondly, it engages in violence to protect its interests, gain power and increase its sense of pride. Membership is highly restricted and depends on ones kinship or ethnicity. Furthermore, its members are extremely disciplined, committed and loyal as they have to go through initiation rituals, swear to secrecy and take oaths (Abadinsky, 2002). Though extremely structured, organized crime lacks an ideology and its members are only motivated by the prospect of making money regardless of the cause. Organized crime is also tainted with efforts to corrupt law enforcers, government and corporate officials in an effort at maintaining the continuum of permanence of their activities from generation to generation. The types of crimes committed by organized criminals vary form one organization to another. Some of their major activities include money laundering, loan-sharking, extortion, gambling, drug trafficking, smuggling of weapons and human beings, prostitution and infiltration of legitimate businesses (Abadinsky, 2002).

Mentally ill people are more likely to be victims of violent crime than its perpetrators.  They are eleven times more likely to be victims of crime than the general population. Due to the fact that they are a vulnerable population, perpetrators of crime take advantage of their impulsivity, poor planning and problem solving and their disorganized thought process which compromises their ability to recognize danger and protect themselves (Schizophrenia Daily News, 2005). Victimization therefore greatly increases their likelihood of being revictimized. The situation of the mentally ill should be addressed in the same way as other health disparities are addressed using the available tools and resources. The society should ensure that mentally ill persons go through systematic screening and monitoring. Additionally, programs aimed at inculcating prevention based skills ought to be implemented to enable such individuals learn how to minimize the risk of being victims of crime. This however will require the collaboration of the mental health, criminal justice system and advocacy for improved housing (Schizophrenia Daily News, 2005).

Post-traumatic stress is the type of stress commonly associated with children who have been abused by their parents physically, sexually or verbally. Distress is the type of stress that most people often refer to and has a negative implication on a persons life. It can be caused by negative incidences like abuse or neglect, unemployment, interpersonal conflicts or death of a loved one (Mills et al, 2008). It is therefore characterized by anxiety, unpleasant feelings, decreased performance and it usually long term. Eustress on the other hand is a positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in a persons life such as a promotion, marriage or having a child hence characterized by feelings of excitement, improved performance and motivation and is mostly short term (Mills et al, 2008).

Children may manifest various physical problems as a result of abuse. The physical problems may manifest themselves in the form of bone fractures on the ribs, hands or legs or chronic head, abdominal, pelvic pain as a result of being hit with blunt objects or being banged against hard surfaces. They may also suffer from sexually transmitted diseases in their adulthood as a result of high risk behavior in an attempt to achieve intimate connections that they lacked as they were growing up (Hillis et. al, 2001). The most significant variable that can buffer the negative effects of stress from child abuse is through social relationships with the family members and other people in society. This is because children who have been abused tend to isolate themselves from social interactions which increase the impact of the stress. However, social connectedness within and outside the family greatly buffers and minimizes the impact of the stress and provides healing through social support (McDonald, 2009).