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Name: Jane Karpis, First Prize
Winnner
School: Staten Island Technical High School, NY
Teacher: Mark Erlenwein,
Assistant Principal Science and Guidance
How Can We Improve Respect for Law?
His young life was teeming privilege and opportunity. Seventeen-year-old Nick Hogan, reality-television show star, destroyed his promising
future in a single episode of disrespect for the law. He demonstrated this disrespect
by participating in under-age drinking, drinking under the influence, and speeding.
Hogan’s actions led to a devastating car accident that left his best friend, Marine John Graziano, in a semiconscious
state and on life support. Hogan will serve eight months in prison for his crime,
complete five hundred hours of community service, and live with the guilt of having wrecked an innocent man’s life.
Temptation is everywhere. While Hogan was tempted by the thrill of racing, in schools across America, teenagers face many other dangerous temptations. When teenagers yield to their temptations, they destroy their lives and the lives of other innocent people. Our government recognizes that countless temptations exist in the world around us. The law was created to protect from hurting themselves and others, by setting limits.
Respect for the law can come only from a thorough
understanding of the law and from knowledge of the consequences that result when one disobeys it. To foster the study of the law in my high school, I am in the process of creating a club, “Life Under
the Law.” Members of my club will meet every week. We will hold discussions about people who find themselves in situations similar to Nick Hogan and brainstorm
ways in which we can avoid these situations. I will distribute copies of the
New York State Constitution to club members and review it with them. I will also
invite guest speakers, like judges, New York City Council members, and other elected officials, to come to my high school
and share their knowledge of the law. I hope to publish articles in my school
newspaper that deal with the importance of respecting the law so I can reach a wider audience.
These steps will bring respect for the law to the forefront of teenagers’ minds and will hopefully prevent them
from participating in illegal activities.
Once “Life under the Law” becomes
an established club in my school, I hope to continue spreading the message to other schools in New York City. It is imperative that I target
teenagers because they are confronted with many difficult decisions in their daily lives; often, they have to choose between
what is legal and what isn’t. Teenagers will carry the choices they make
today with them for the rest of their lives.
Aristotle once said that “law is reason
free from passion,” but I would have to disagree. The law was created and
is perfected by people who are passionate for justice. I am eager to improve
my community’s respect for the law, and, in doing so, improve the safety and security of countless teenagers in New York City.
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Name: Salvatore Comodo, Second Prize Winner
School St. Edmund Prep., Brooklyn,
NY
Teacher: Mrs. Carr
How Can We Improve Respect for Law
Imagine a society that was not governed by law. One where people are free to act upon impulse and not face any consequences. This surely would be a dangerous place to live.
In order to maintain an orderly and safe environment, laws must be respected and enforced. Unfortunately, human nature being what it is makes it impossible for us to rely on one another to always
maintain a high standard of morality and integrity. Laws were created to instill
order and provide the public with a clear description of behavior, which if engaged in, will result in the offender facing
consequences.
Many people feel that the law should be respected
in order to avoid incarceration. Although incarceration is an obvious deterrent,
it may not be the most important reason why we should have respect for the law. People
within society should realize that freedom is not free. Our country’s forefathers
created the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which act as a foundation for protecting the rights of the people. Furthermore, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights also laid the groundwork for the laws that govern
our land. From the time that America
was born, up until the present day, countless brave men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice on the battlefield of war
in order to preserve our freedom and way of life. In addition, thousands of men
and women in law enforcement have been killed in the line of duty while protecting the public and enforcing the law. I believe that by having respect for the law, one is honoring all those who have died
while enforcing the law and preserving our freedom. This is perhaps the most
important reason why we should have respect for the law.
Improving respect for the law can be accomplished
in a number of ways. Educating the public about the law, and the role of judges,
jurors, lawyers and law enforcement personnel in America’s
justice system is paramount to improving respect and understanding of the law and its various components. Education, however, is not exclusive to the public. Law enforcement
personnel should incorporate as part of their training, a curriculum that exposes them to the various cultures and customs
of the diverse population that they are sworn to protect and serve. Through education,
both citizens and law enforcement personnel will gain a better understanding and appreciation for each other. Enhancement of this mutual understanding and appreciation will help foster a better relationship between
the public and law enforcement personnel. Law enforcement agencies rely on the
cooperation of the community to prevent and solve crime. This cooperation is
based upon trust and respect, which must be earned by both sides.
There are various venues available which are
designed to form this trust and develop a bond between local law enforcement personnel and members of the community. Several cities throughout the country offer citizens an opportunity to attend the
Citizens Police Academy. The National Citizens Police Academy
Association (NCPAA) sponsors these academies, which are designed to produce informed citizens.
Citizens and law enforcement personnel interact with each other in a friendly and neutral setting. While attending the academy, citizens are exposed to many of the scenarios that police offices may encounter
on the street and the reasons why the police officers may take certain actions. The
NYPD, for example, will put citizen police academy attendees through a firearms simulator where they will be exposed to various
video scenarios and encounter video images of armed perpetrators. However, the
scenarios will also include unarmed persons. Attendees will get a first-hand
look at what a police officer has to deal with on the street and the seconds it takes to make a decision, which may affect
the lives of many individuals. Informing citizens of police policies and practices
will hopefully alleviate some of the misunderstandings that all too often occur between the citizens and police officers. Other venues, such as precinct community councils, police athletic leagues, and the
law enforcement explorers program also exist to help develop and strengthen the bond between the public and law enforcement
personnel. The NYPD, for example, sponsors the NYPD Law Enforcement Explorer
Program, which is designed to develop social and leadership skills by building character within the youth of a community. In addition, the program creates an appreciation of and commitment to the value of
public service. Involvement in the program expands the participant’s knowledge
of law enforcement within his/her community. Whether or not the person enters
the field of law enforcement, through his/her involvement, he/she will develop an awareness of the complexities of police
service to the community. Many times, these young explorers do seek a career
in law enforcement and become productive and professional police officers.
In conclusion, by having respect for the law
and continually striving to improve respect for the law, we can work towards building and forging a solid partnership between
the public and law enforcement. This partnership is essential in helping to create
and maintain a safe and orderly society.
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