The nature of crime Essay Example for Free

The nature of crime Essay The nature of crime embodies the offences made against the state representing society and the population. Within this concept is the operation of principles going to the rights of the victim and the accused in the criminal law process. This process encompasses the commission and elements of the crime going to the actus reus (action of the accused), mens rea (intention of the accused) and causal link to make out the crime; the criminal investigation by the police; the criminal trial process under the adversarial system; the standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt; and the verdict to sentencing options available to the judiciary. This can be illustrated in the case of R v Munter (2009) NSWSC whilst demonstrating the causation in the death of a man assaulted by Munter acting on the mistaken belief that this man was breaching water restrictions, but showing that his intention to kill was absent whilst his actions contributed to the outcome. In this case, Munter received a custodial sentence for manslaughter. Summary and indictable offences Criminal conduct is categorised by summary and indictable offences under the Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) and the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) respectively according to their severity. A summary offence is a less serious matter heard in the Local Court (before a magistrate generally resulting in a bond, fine or a jail sentence of up to two years. By contrast, indictable offences are more serious matters heard at trial in the District Court (most serious offences of manslaughter, murder and aggravated sexual assault being heard in the Supreme Court) following a committal hearing in the Local Court and before a judge and jury. Offences can be committed against people and property but fundamentally these offences breach the law of the state with sentencing imposed by the state but not necessarily in the interests of the victim. From homicide (murder and manslaughter) to, assault (common or aggravated) and sexual assault these can be contrasted with property and economic offences involving larceny, robbery or ‘break and enter’ or white-collar crimes involving  embezzlement, tax evasion and as can be seen in the case of R v Rivkin (2003) ALR, insider trading in which the accused used confidential stock market information in relation to Qantas shares for personal gain in which he was sentenced to nine months periodic detention. The different categories of crime Categories of crime are branded by the type of offence, jurisdiction (NSW or Cth), the seriousness of the offence (summary or indictable) and the parties to a crime. This can include offences against the person which is reflected as being a serious crime (homicide, assault and sexual assault). The case of Boughey v The Queen (1986) where a doctor strangled his wife during a ‘sex game’ allegedly should have known that the act constituted a ‘reckless indifference to human life’ and therefore was convicted for murder clearly demonstrates this category of crime. Offences against the Sovereign refer to the main offences of sedition and treason within this area. The Vietnam War ‘draft-card burning’ is an effective example which demonstrates the crime of sedition where thousands of American men protested based on the involvement of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. This led to the case of United States v. O’Brien where both parties argued before the Supreme Court in relation to the concept of sedition where O’Brien was burning his draft-cards at a rally. (Does this have any relation to the Anti-Terrorism Act No.2 (Cth) 2002? and was introduced after 9/11) Economic offences is another area of the criminal law and more significantly, is the largest area of criminal law as it encompasses most common types of crime. This includes crimes against property (larceny, robbery and ‘break and enter’); white-collar crimes (embezzlement, tax evasion and insider trading; and computer offences (hacking, unauthorized accessing, or modification of data). The media article – Fear in the Fast Lane (ABC, 2009) demonstrates a situation of an economic offence and more specifically, hacking. It was based on the Alice Springs Turf Club where hackers accessed the online gambling system and brought it down. Main drug related offences include the possession of a prohibited drug; use of a prohibited drug; cultivation (the growth of plant drugs i.e. cannabis) and the supply of a prohibited drug. Such legislation which has been passed to assist with the enforceability of keeping these types of crimes minimal include the Drug Misuse and  Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW); the Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW); and the Customs Act 1901 (Cth). Driving associated offences are some of the most commonly committed offences in NSW. Many of these offences will relate to the strict liability offences concept such as speeding. The most common driving related offences include: exceeding the speed limit; driving without a license or while disqualified; ignoring road signs; and driving above the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.05. Public order crimes are offences that relate to acts that are deemed to disturb the public order in some way; i.e. disturbance in public. Some of the most common public order offences can include: obscene, indecent or threatening language in public; possessing a knife in public (with no reason); obstructing traffic; and damaging public fountains or protected places. Preliminary crimes are offences split into two main categories of attempts of an offence and conspiracy. The concept of conspiracy occurs when two or more people plot to commit a crime together. In addition, the failure of an attempted crime can result in the equal possible length of sentence for that particular crime which is demonstrated in Section 344 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) where ‘a person who attempts an offence can be liable for the penalty’. Parties to a crime The concept of parties to a crime relates to the fact that other people can be involved in the act, either before or after the crime. This can effectively be reflected within the preliminary offence of conspiracy. The level of punishment is usually determined by that person’s level of involvement in the crime and indeed there are four main categories of ‘parties to a crime’ which are: principal in the first degree (this is the principal offender); principal in the second degree (present at the crime i.e. encourager); accessory before the fact (someone who helped before the crime); accessory after the fact (someone who helped after the crime i.e. driving a getaway car). A range of factors that may lead to criminal behaviour A range of situational and social crime prevention techniques There are many significant factors which affect criminal behaviour. The scientific study of crime and criminal behaviour is known as criminology. This covers many aspects of why people might become criminals. Firstly, the psychological  factor is relevant during the drug rehabilitation process and particular sentencing programs. Secondly, social groups that people associate with will often influence a person’s attitude and views of acceptable behaviour. For example, an abusive home environment may impact on one’s future life. Thirdly, the economic factor is extremely significant as people from disadvantaged backgrounds (i.e. Sydney’s western suburbs) are more likely to commit crimes. This relates to the impact of poor education and lack of skills. Fourthly, politically, offences against the sovereign or against the state are likely to have some political factors influencing their commission. For Example; the G8 Summit protest or the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference are both a major influence. Essentially, it is vital to understand the factors and motivations behind crime as it related to the possible impact of crime prevention (situational and social). Situational crime prevents usually involves one of the two following approaches: firstly, planning and architectural design, which focuses upon the influence of physical environments upon crime; and seconly, focused (situational) approaches, which rest on rational choice theory. Basically, situational crime prevention aims to make it more difficult for criminals to carry out a crime and therefore stop the crime before it is committed. Social crime prevention relates to the prevention of some of the social and economic factors that might contribute to a person committing an offence. This includes the prevention of a poor home environment/parenting; social and economic disadvantage; poor school attendance; early contact with the police and other authorities. Fundamentally, it is progressively being fixed as such youth programs are run to teach dispute resolution skills and social skills that will encourage potential offenders to make better choices about their actions and their futures.

The Life and Writings of Edgar Allan Poe Essay -- Authors

Edgar Allan Poe is a famous poet from the 1800. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809. His parents were David and Elizabeth Poe. David was born in Baltimore on July 18, 1784. Elizabeth Arnold came to the U.S. from England in 1796 and married David Poe after her first husband died in 1805. They had three children, Henry, Edgar, and Rosalie. Elizabeth Poe died in 1811, when Edgar was two years old. Giordeno also mentioned, â€Å"She had separated from her husband and had taken her three kids with her. Henry went to live with his grandparents while Edgar was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Allan and Rosalie was taken in by another family. John Allan was a successful merchant, so Edgar grew up in good surroundings and went to good schools† (Giordeno). Before Poe became a writer he was enrolled in the army at eight teen years old, but he did not stay long her was soon dismissed. Poe was very poor while he was living and did not become famous until after his death in 1849. He is most famous for writing border line horror stories and poems. Some of his most famous poems are The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Pit and the Pendulum. In The Raven Poe discusses many different literary terms. The three that stand out the most is symbolism, tragedy, and beauty. In The Raven Poe uses symbolism. One way he demonstrates symbolism is the bust of Pallas. Poe explains about the bust of Pallas when he says, â€Å"Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -Perched, and sat, and nothing more† (Poe l41-l42). Courson thinks that the bust of Pallas symbolizes intellect, â€Å"Then Remorse enters, and fixes itself firmly on his mind, ‘the bust of Pallas,’ the emblem of intellect.† (Courson) However, Za... ...emy of American Poets, 2012. Web. 12 Jan 2012. Smith, Dave. "Edgar Allan Poe and the Nightmare Ode." Southern Humanities Review 29.1 (Winter 1995): 4-10. Rpt. in Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Lynn M. Zott. Vol. 117. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 12 Jan. 2012. Wardrop, Daneen. "Quoting the Signifier 'Nevermore': Fort! Da!, Pallas, and Desire in Language." ESQ: A Journal of the American Renaissance 44.4 (1998): 274-299. Rpt. in Poetry Criticism. Ed. Timothy J. Sisler. Vol. 54. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 12 Jan. 2012. Zayed, Georges. "The Symbolism of the Poems." The Genius of Edgar Allan Poe. Cambridge, Mass.: Schenkman Publishing, 1985. 127-136. Rpt. in Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Lynn M. Zott. Vol. 117. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 12 Jan. 2012.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 9

Damon dropped his hand. He simply couldn't make himself do it. Bonnie was weak, light-headed, a liability in combat, easy to confuse – That's it, he thought. I'l use that! She's so naive – â€Å"Let go for a second,†he coaxed. â€Å"So I can get the stave – â€Å" â€Å"No! You'l jump if I do! What's a stave?†Bonnie said, al in one breath. – and stubborn, and impractical – Was the bril iant light beginning to flicker? â€Å"Bonnie,†he said in a low voice, â€Å"I am deadly serious here. If you don't let go, I'l make you – and you won't like that, I promise.† â€Å"Do what he says,†Meredith pleaded from somewhere quite close. â€Å"Bonnie, he's going into the Dark Dimension! But you're going to end up going with him – and you'l both be human slaves this time! Take my hand!† â€Å"Take her hand!†Damon roared, as the light definitely flickered, for an instant becoming less blinding. He could feel Bonnie shifting and trying to see where Meredith was, and then he heard her say, â€Å"I can't – â€Å" And then they were fal ing. The last time they had traveled through a Gate they had been total y enclosed in an elevator-like box. This time they were simply flying. There was the light, and there were the two of them, and they were so blinded that somehow speaking didn't seem possible. There was only the bril iant, fluctuating, beautiful light – And then they were standing in an al ey, so narrow that it just barely al owed the two of them to face each other, and between buildings so high that there was almost no light down where they were. No – that wasn't the reason, Damon thought. He remembered that blood-red perpetual light. It wasn't coming directly from either side of the narrow slit of al ey, which meant that they were basical y in deep burgundy twilight. â€Å"Do you realize where we are?†Damon demanded in a furious whisper. Bonnie nodded, seeming happy about having figured that out already. â€Å"We're basical y in deep burgundy – â€Å" â€Å"Crap!† Bonnie looked around. â€Å"I don't smel anything,†she offered cautiously, and examined the soles of her feet. â€Å"We are,†Damon said slowly and quietly, as if he needed to calm himself between every word, â€Å"in a world where we can be flogged, flayed, and decapitated just for stepping on the ground.† Bonnie tried a little hop and then a jump in place, as if diminishing her ground-interaction time might help them in some manner. She looked at him for further instructions. Quite suddenly, Damon picked her up and stared at her hard, as revelation dawned. â€Å"You're drunk!†he final y whispered. â€Å"You're not even awake! Al this while I've been trying to get you to see sense, and you're a drunken sleepwalker!† â€Å"I am not!†Bonnie said. â€Å"And†¦just in case I am, you ought to be nicer to me. You made me this way.† Some distant part of Damon agreed that this was true. He was the one who'd gotten the girl drunk and then drugged her with truth serum and sleeping medicine. But that was simply a fact, and had nothing to do with how he felt about it. How he felt was that there was no possible way for him to proceed with this al -too-gentle creature along. Of course, the sensible thing would be to get away from her very quickly, and let the city, this huge metropolis of evil, swal ow her in its great, black-fanged maw, as it would most certainly do if she walked a dozen steps on its streets without him. But, as before, something inside him simply wouldn't let him do it. And, he realized, the sooner he admitted that, the sooner he could find a place to put her and begin taking care of his own affairs. â€Å"What's that?†he said, taking one of her hands. â€Å"My opal ring,†Bonnie said proudly. â€Å"See, it goes with everything, because it's al colors. I always wear it; it's casual or dress-up.†She happily let Damon take it off and examine it. â€Å"These are real diamonds on the sides?† â€Å"Flawless, pure white,†Bonnie said, stil proudly. â€Å"Lady Ulma's fianceLucen made it so that if we ever needed to take the stones out and sel them – â€Å"She came up short. â€Å"You're going to take the stones out and sel them! No! No no no no no!† â€Å"Yes! I have to, if you're going to have any chance of surviving,†Damon said. â€Å"And if you say one more word or fail to do exactly as I tel you, I am going to leave you alone here. And then you wil die. â€Å"He turned narrowed, menacing eyes on her. Bonnie abruptly turned into a frightened bird. â€Å"Al right,†she whispered, tears gathering on her eyelashes. â€Å"What's it for?† Thirty minutes later, she was in prison; or as good as. Damon had instal ed her in a second-story apartment with one window covered by rol er blinds, and strict instructions about keeping them down. He had pawned the opal and a diamond successful y, and paid a sour, humorless-looking landlady to bring Bonnie two meals a day, escort her to the toilet when necessary, and otherwise forget about her existence. â€Å"Listen,†he said to Bonnie, who was stil crying silently after the landlady had left them, â€Å"I'l try to get back to see you within three days. If I don't come within a week it'l mean I'm dead. Then you – don't cry! Listen! – then you need to use these jewels and this money to try to get al the way from here to here; where Lady Ulma wil stil be – we hope.† He gave her a map and a little moneybag ful of coins and gems left over from the cost of her bread and board. â€Å"If that happens – and I can pretty wel promise it won't, your best chance is to try walking in the daytime when things are busy; keep your eyes down, your aura smal , and don't talk to anyone. Wear this sacking smock, and carry this bag of food. Pray that nobody asks you anything, but try to look as if you're on an errand for your master. Oh, yes.†Damon reached into his jacket pocket and pul ed out two smal iron slave bracelets, bought when he had gotten the map. â€Å"Never take them off, not when you're sleeping, not when you're eating – never.† He looked at her darkly, but Bonnie was already on the threshold of a panic attack. She was trembling and crying, but too frightened to say a word. Ever since entering the Dark Dimension she'd been keeping her aura as smal as possible, her psychic defenses high; she didn't need to be told to do that. She was in danger. She knew it. Damon finished somewhat more leniently. â€Å"I know it sounds difficult, but I can tel you that I personal y have no intention whatsoever of dying. I'l try to visit you, but getting across the borders of the various sectors is dangerous, and that's what I may have to do to come here. Just be patient, and you'l be al right. Remember, time passes differently here than back on Earth. We can be here for weeks and we'l get back practical y the instant we set out. And, look† – Damon gestured around the room – â€Å"dozens of star bal s! You can watch al of them.† These were the more common kind of star bal , the kind that had, not Power in them, but memories, stories, or lessons. When you held one to your temple, you were immersed in whatever material had been imprinted on the bal . â€Å"Better than TV,†Damon said. â€Å"Much.† Bonnie nodded slightly. She was stil crushed, and she was so smal , so slight, her skin so pale and fine, her hair such a flame of bril iance in the dim crimson light that seeped through the blinds, that as always Damon found himself melting slightly. â€Å"Do you have any questions?†he asked her final y. Bonnie said slowly, â€Å"And – you're going to be†¦?† â€Å"Out getting the vampire versions of Who's Who and the Book of Peers,†Damon said. â€Å"I'm looking for a lady of quality.† After Damon had left, Bonnie looked around the room. It was horrible. Dark brown and just horrible! She had been trying to save Damon from going back into the Dark Dimension because she remembered the terrible way that slaves – who were mostly humans – were treated. But did he appreciate that? Did he? Not in the slightest! And then when she'd been fal ing through the light with him, she'd thought that at least they would be going to Lady Ulma's, the Cinderel a-story woman whom Elena had rescued and who had then regained her wealth and status and had designed beautiful dresses so that the girls could go to fancy parties. There would have been big beds with satin sheets and maids who brought strawberries and clotted cream for breakfast. There would have been sweet Lakshmi to talk to, and gruff Dr. Meggar, and†¦ Bonnie looked around the brown room and the plain rush-fil ed pal et with its single blanket. She picked up a star bal listlessly, and then let it drop from her fingers. Suddenly, a great sleepiness fil ed her, making her head swim. It was like a fog rol ing in. There was absolutely no question of fighting it. Bonnie stumbled toward the bed, fel onto it, and was asleep almost before she had settled under the blanket. â€Å"It's my fault far more than yours,†Stefan was saying to Meredith. â€Å"Elena and I were – deeply asleep – or he'd never have managed any part of it. I'd have noticed him talking with Bonnie. I'd have realized he was taking you hostage. Please don't blame yourself, Meredith.† â€Å"I should have tried to warn you. I just never expected Bonnie to come running out and grab him,†Meredith said. Her dark gray eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Elena squeezed her hand, sick in the pit of her stomach herself. â€Å"You certainly couldn't be expected to fight off Damon,†Stefan said flatly. â€Å"Human or vampire – he's trained; he knows moves that you could never counter. You can't blame yourself.† Elena was thinking the same thing. She was worried about Damon's disappearance – and terrified for Bonnie. Yet at another level of her mind she was wondering at the lacerations on Meredith's palm that she was trying to warm. The strangest thing was that the wounds appeared to have been treated – rubbed slick with lotion. But she wasn't going to bother Meredith about it at a time like this. Especial y when it was real y Elena's own fault. She was the one who had enticed Stefan the night before. Oh, they had been deep, al right – deep in each other's minds. â€Å"Anyway, it's Bonnie's fault if it's anyone's,†Stefan said regretful y. â€Å"But now I'm worried about her. Damon's not going to be inclined to watch out for her if he didn't want her to come.† Meredith bowed her head. â€Å"It's my fault if she gets hurt.† Elena chewed her lower lip. There was something wrong. Something about Meredith, that Meredith wasn't tel ing her. Her hands were real y damaged, and Elena couldn't figure out how they could have gotten that way. Almost as if she knew what Elena was thinking, Meredith slipped her hand out of Elena's and looked at it. Looked at both her palms, side by side. They were equal y scratched and torn. Meredith bent her dark head farther, almost doubling over where she sat. Then she straightened, throwing back her head like someone who had made a decision. She said, â€Å"There's something I have to tel you – â€Å" â€Å"Wait,†Stefan whispered, putting a hand on her shoulder. â€Å"Listen. There's a car coming.† Elena listened. In a moment she heard it too. â€Å"They're coming to the boardinghouse,†she said, puzzled. â€Å"It's so early,†Meredith said. â€Å"Which means – â€Å" â€Å"It has to be the police after Matt,†Stefan finished. â€Å"I'd better go in and wake him up. I'l put him in the root cel ar.† Elena quickly corked the star bal with its meager ounces of fluid. â€Å"He can take this with him,†she was beginning, when Meredith suddenly ran to the opposite side of the Gate. She picked up a long, slender object that Elena couldn't recognize, even with Power channeled to her eyes. She saw Stefan blink and stare at it. â€Å"This needs to go in the root cel ar too,†Meredith said. â€Å"And there are probably earth tracks coming out of the cel ar, and blood in the kitchen. Two places.† â€Å"Blood?†Elena began, furious with Damon, but then she shook her head and refocused. In the light of dawn, she could see a police car, cruising like some great white shark toward the house. â€Å"Let's go,†Elena said. â€Å"Go, go, go!† They al dashed back to the boardinghouse, crouching to stay low to the ground as they did it. As they went, Elena hissed, â€Å"Stefan, you've got to Influence them if you can. Meredith, you try to clean up the soil and blood. I'l get Matt; he's less likely to punch me when I tel him he has to hide.† They hastened to their appointed duties. In the middle of it al , Mrs. Flowers appeared, dressed in a flannel nightgown with a fuzzy pink robe over it, and slippers with bunny heads on them. As the first hammering knock on the door sounded, she had her hand on the door handle, and the police officer, who was beginning to shout, â€Å"POLICE! OPEN THE – â€Å"found himself bawling this directly over the head of a little old lady who could not have looked more frail or harmless. He ended almost in a whisper, † – door?† â€Å"It is open,†Mrs. Flowers said sweetly. She opened it to its widest, so that Elena could see two officers, and the officers could see Elena, Stefan, and Meredith, al of whom had just arrived from the kitchen area. â€Å"We want to speak to Matt Honeycutt,†the female officer said. Elena noted that the squad car was from the Ridgemont Sheriff's Department. â€Å"His mother informed us that he was here – after serious questioning.† They were coming inside, shouldering their way past Mrs. Flowers. Elena glanced at Stefan, who was pale, with tiny beads of sweat visible on his forehead. He was looking intently at the female officer, but she just kept talking. â€Å"His mother says he's been virtual y living at this boardinghouse recently,†she said, while the male officer held up some kind of paperwork. â€Å"We have a warrant to search the premises,†he said flatly. Mrs. Flowers seemed uncertain. She glanced back toward Stefan, but then let her gaze move on to the other teenagers. â€Å"Perhaps it would be best if I made everyone a nice cup of tea?† Stefan was stil looking at the woman, his face looking paler and more drawn than ever. Elena felt a sudden panic clutch at her stomach. Oh, God, even with the gift of her blood tonight, Stefan was weak – far too weak to even use Influence. â€Å"May I ask a question?†Meredith said in her low, calm voice. â€Å"Not about the warrant,†she added, waving the paper away. â€Å"How is it out there in Fel ‘s Church? Do you know what's going on?† She was buying time, Elena thought, and yet everyone stopped to hear the answer. â€Å"Mayhem,†the female sheriff replied after a moment's pause. â€Å"It's like a war zone out there. Worse than that because it's the kids who are – â€Å"She broke off and shook her head. â€Å"That's not our business. Our business is finding a fugitive from justice. But first, as we were driving toward your hotel we saw a very bright column of light. It wasn't from a helicopter. I don't suppose you know anything about what it was?† Just a door through space and time, Elena was thinking, as Meredith answered, stil calmly, â€Å"Maybe a power transmitter blowing up? Or a freak shaft of lightning? Or are you talking about†¦a UFO?†She lowered her already soft voice. â€Å"We don't have time for this,†the male sheriff said, looking disgusted. â€Å"We're here to find this Honeycutt man.† â€Å"You're welcome to look,†Mrs. Flowers said. They were already doing so. Elena felt shocked and nauseated on two fronts. â€Å"This Honeycutt man.†Man, not boy. Matt was over eighteen. Was he stil a juvenile? If not, what would they do to him when they eventual y caught up to him? And then there was Stefan. Stefan had been so certain, so†¦ convincing†¦in his announcements about being wel again. Al that talk about going back to hunting animals – but the truth was that he needed much more blood to recover. Now her mind spun into planning mode, faster and faster. Stefan obviously wasn't going to be able to Influence both of those officers without a very large donation of human blood. And if Elena gave it†¦the sick feeling in her stomach increased and she felt the smal hairs on her body stand up†¦if she gave it, what were the chances that she would become a vampire herself? High, a cool, rational voice in her mind answered. Very high, considering that less than a week ago, she had been exchanging blood with Damon. Frequently. Uninhibitedly. Which left her with the only plan she could think of. These sheriffs wouldn't find Matt, but Meredith and Bonnie had told her the whole story of how another Ridgemont sheriff had come, asking about Matt – and about Stefan's girlfriend. The problem was that she, Elena Gilbert, had â€Å"died†nine months ago. She shouldn't be here – and she had a feeling that these officers would be inquisitive. They needed Stefan's Power. Right now. There was no other way, no other choice. Stefan. Power. Human blood. She moved to Meredith, who had her dark head down and cocked to one side as if listening to the two sheriffs clomping above on the stairs. â€Å"Meredith – â€Å" Meredith turned toward her and Elena almost took a step back in shock. Meredith's normal y olive complexion was gray, and her breath was coming fast and shal owly. Meredith, calm and composed Meredith, already knew what Elena was going to ask of her. Enough blood to leave her out of control as it was being taken. And fast. That terrified her. More than terrified. She can't do it, Elena thought. We're lost.

Definition and Examples of Prescriptivism

Prescriptivism is the attitude or belief that one variety of a language is superior to others and should be promoted as such. It is also known as  linguistic prescriptivism and purism.  An ardent promoter of prescriptivism is called a prescriptivist or, informally, a  stickler. A key aspect of traditional grammar, prescriptivism is generally  characterized by a concern for good, proper, or correct usage. The term is the antonym (opposite) of descriptivism. In a paper published in Historical Linguistics 1995, Volume 2, Sharon Millar—in an essay title, Language prescription: a success in failures clothing?—defined prescriptivism as the conscious attempt by language users to control or regulate the language use of others for the purpose of enforcing perceived norms or of promoting innovations. Common examples of prescriptive texts include many (though  not all)  style and usage guides, dictionaries, writing handbooks, and the like.   Observations [Prescriptivism is the] policy of describing languages as we would like them to be, rather than as we find them. Typical examples of prescriptivist attitudes are the condemnation of preposition stranding and of the split infinitive and a demand for Its I in place of the normal Its me. – R.L. Trask. Dictionary of English Grammar. Penguin, 2000 A prescriptive grammar is essentially a manual that focuses on constructions where usage is divided and lays down rules governing the socially correct use of language. These grammars were a formative influence on language attitudes in Europe and America during the 18th and 19th centuries. Their influence lives on in the handbooks of usage widely found today, such as A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (1926) by Henry Watson Fowler (1858-1933), though such books include recommendations about the use of pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary as well as grammar. – David Crystal, How Language Works. Overlook Press, 2005 I think sensible prescriptivism  ought to be part of any education. – Noam Chomsky, Language, Politics, and Composition, 1991. Chomsky on Democracy and Education, ed. by Carlos Peregrà ­n Otero. RoutledgeFalmer, 2003 Verbal Hygiene [T]he overt anti-prescriptive stance of linguists is in some respects not unlike the prescriptivism they criticize. The point is that both prescriptivism and anti-prescriptivism invoke certain norms and circulate particular notions about how language ought to work. Of course, the norms are different (and in the case of linguistics they are often covert). But both sets feed into the  more general arguments that influence everyday ideas about language. On that level, description and prescription turn out to be aspects of a single (and normative) activity: a struggle to control language by defining its nature.  My use of the term verbal hygiene is intended to capture this idea, whereas to use the term prescriptivism would just recycle the opposition I am trying to deconstruct. – Deborah Cameron, Verbal Hygiene. Routledge, 1995 Language Wars The history of prescriptions about English--of grammar texts, manuals of style and O tempora o mores-type laments—is in part a history of bogus rules, superstitions, half-baked logic, groaningly unhelpful lists, baffling abstract statements, false classifications, contemptuous insiderism, and educational malfeasance. But it is also a history of attempts to make sense of the world and its bazaar of competing ideas and interests. Instinctively, we find the arbitrariness of existence hard to accept. Our desire to impose order on the world, which means inventing the forms of language rather than discovering them, is a creative act. Furthermore, the quarrel between descriptivists and prescriptivists ... is a sort of mad confederacy: each party thrives on lambasting the other.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹ – Henry Hitchings, The Language Wars. John Murray, 2011 The Problem WIth Prescriptivists [G]eneral ignorance of grammar allows prescriptivists to impose nonsensical mandates and allows test-makers and test-takers to focus primarily on a superficial error in language use.​ – Martha Kolln and Craig Hancock, The Story of English Grammar in United States Schools. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, December 2005