Child Abuse And Child Protection Criminology Essay

Child Abuse And Child Protection Criminology Essay The objective of this paper is to deliberate the role the Internet has on the sexual exploitation of children today. The central premise is the crime of online child sexual exploitation with the specific attention on sexual predators online grooming behaviours for procurement of children for sexual abuse. The paper begins with a brief overview of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation, followed by a short background of computers and the Internet. The paper shall examine and discuss sexual predators, online grooming, accessibility, anonymity, content, and victimisation and highlight an opposing view. During the course of the paper, the term children implies the ages 12 to 17 years, and the expression sexual predators applied to define adults who habitually seek out sexual situations that are deemed exploitative while the use of the word Internet encompasses the terms World Wide Web and cyberspace. Throughout the course of this paper, I intend to demonstrate that, compared to previous generations, technology and the Internet has exposed children of the digital and virtual generation to the immeasurable vulnerability of becoming a victim of child sexual exploitation. Child abuse is universal; it is an extensive social phenomena on a global level that occurs through four methods; neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse or sexual abuse (Rivett Kelly, 2006 and Lancaster Lumb, 1999). Child sexual abuse occurs when an adult uses their power or authority to involve a child in sexual activity (Child Rights International Network (CRIN), 2012). Child sexual abuse is a multi-layered problem; astonishingly complex in its characteristics, dynamics, causes and consequences with no universal definition (Hobday Ollier, 2004; Price-Robertson, Bromfield, Vassallo, 2010 and Browne Lynch, 1995). Therefore, child sexual abuse can be understood to encompass physical, verbal or emotional abuse (Barber, 2012 and Friedman, 1990) and can involve exposing a sexual body part to a child, and talking in a sexually explicit way (Finkelhor Hotaling, 1984). With the introduction of the Internet, online child sexual abuse has subsequently entered the perplexing realm of child abuse. Child sexual abuse now encompasses; sending obscene text messages or emails, or showing pornographic photographs to a child, solicitation, and online grooming to facilitate procurement of a child for sexual contact (Davidson Gottschalk, 2011; Stanley, 2003). Choo indicated that a study showed that 85 to 95% of child sexual abuse cases, the child knew the perpetrator as an acquaintance or family member in real life but had used the Internet and other technology to further their grooming activities (2009, p. xiii). Therefore, it could be suggested that technology has enhanced opportunities of child sexual abuse for offenders. The first personal computer became available in 1975 (Peter, 2004), and a new phenomenon entered the global landscape in 1969, but it was not until 1993 that it became a commercial product the Internet (Jones Quayle, 2005 and Peter, 2004). The Australian Bureau of Statistics, (2012), revealed Internet access exploded from 286,000 Internet households in 1996 to an incredible 13.1 million in 2010/2011. In almost two decades, the Internet has moved from an ambiguous communications vehicle to a vast virtual world and a ubiquitous fixture in homes, schools and workplaces; an indispensable component of millions of peoples lives (Davidson Gottschalk, 2011 and Quayle, Vaughan, Taylor, 2006). The universality of this technology revolution has changed lives in dramatic ways by shortening the geographical distances and facilitating ways to share information (Stanley, 2001). Computers and the Internet are valuable tools for childrens learning, but like all revolutions, the Internet has simul taneously brought about a darker side (Won, Ok-Ran, Chulyun, Jungmin, 2011; Jones Quayle, 2005 and Stanley, 2001) including the establishment of online child sexual exploitation from sexual predators. Child sexual exploitation is an umbrella term for a spectrum of negative sexual experiences including exposure to unwanted sexually implicit material and uninvited requests for sexual conversations (Burgess, Mahoney, Visk Morgenbesser, 2008 and Jones Quayle, 2005). The Internet created a portal for sexual predators to further facilitate child sexual exploitation. The Internet has become is a double edged sword (Won et al, 2011), although it is an indispensable element of life with the average Australian child spending between 11 to 21hrs per week online (Irvine, 2009), it also delivers new prospects for sexual predators to sexually exploit young Internet users. Sexual predators have been part of society throughout history (Choo, 2009), and now the Internet provides an opportunity for sexual predators to employ grooming behaviours online for solicitation, harassment, exploitation, production of abuse images and participate in abusive acts (Dombrowski, LeMansey, Ahia, Dickson, 2004 and Quayle, Vaughan, Taylor, 2006). Feather (1999) acknowledges that the internet has been shown to act as a new medium through which some commonly recognised forms of child maltreatment, sexual and emotional abuse may be pursued. Australia, in 2006, had 130 completed prosecutions for online child sexual exploitation offenses, in the same year the United Kingdom ha d 322 cases while the United States case reports grew from 4,560 in 1998 to an astonishing 76,584 by the end of 2006 (Choo, 2009, pp. xi -xii). The Internet has provided an accessible gateway for sexual predators to enter the homes of children previously unattainable as prior to the Internet the act of grooming by sexual predators would have required the predator to physically stalk their victims or to know them through legitimate reasons (Armagh, 1998). Child grooming typically begins through a non-sexual, manipulative approach to assist the enticement of a child through active engagement, and by utilising their skills of power and control to lower a childs inhibitions, to desensitise them and to gain their trust before luring them into interaction (Australian Institute of Criminology Online child grooming laws, 2008; Choo, 2009; Davidson Gottschalk, 2011; Beech, Elliott, Birgden Findlater, 2008 and Gallagher, 2007). Child grooming is not a new phenomenon; it dates back to when child sexual abuse was first identified and define (Martellezzo, cited in Davidson Gottschalk, 2011, p. 104). The traditional process of child grooming entailed close physical proximity to a child and many sexual predatory selected jobs as child-serving professionals or volunteers, this enabled them to have positions of authority and to gain childrens trust more easily (Berson, 2003, p. 10). The conventional methods placed the sexual predator at significa nt personal risk as they were exposed to suspicion of any special attention or affection directed towards a child (Armagh, 1998 Gallagher, 2007). The Internet aids sexual predators to shorten the trust building period and to simultaneously have access to multiple victims across the globe (Berson, 2003 and Davidson Gottschalk, 2011). Sexual predators utilise the Internet to groom a child for either immediate sexual gratification or to persistently groom a child online to lay the foundations for sexual abuse in the physical world (Davidson Gottschalk, 2011 and Quayle, Vaughan Taylor, 2006). Choo (2009, p. xii) stated that in the United States in 2006, there were 6,384 reports made regarding online enticement. The advent of the Internet facilitates sexual predators a formidable utopia of opportunity for sexual abuse through easier, simpler and faster instant access to potential child victims worldwide. The central differences for sexual predators in the physical world and the online world are accessibility and anonymity. The Internet changed the way people interact, and online communication has become an integral part of society. Instant messaging and chat rooms are readily accessed by sexual predators to discover and target potential victims (Berson, 2003; Choo, 2009; Davidson Gottschalk, 2011 and Stanley, 2001). Choo (2009) indicates that studies have shown 55% of sexual predators utilise social networking sites to enable quick, effective and ostensibly with confidentiality. Sexual predators employ their skills by exploiting search engines to locate publically available information on children and their activities, and acquiring personal information from participating in chat rooms which, then permits them to attract, manipulate and build long term virtual relationships with potential victims (Berson, 2003; Choo, 2009; Davidson Gottschalk, 2011 and Stanley, 2001). According to Choo (2009) a study in the United States in 2006 indicated that 71% of children have established an online profile on soc ial networking sites with 47% of them allowing their profiles to be public- viewable by anyone. 40% of sexual predators will read online profiles of children in an attempt to identify potential victims according to a study conducted by Malesky (2007). Social networking sites, chat rooms, and instant messaging support sexual predators access to children through real time open access to specific subject forums, searchable profiles, display of personal information, message boards and instant contact (Aiken, Moran Berry, 2011; Calder, 2004; Davidson Gottschalk, 2011; Dombrowski et al, 2004 and Marcum, 2007). Before the Internet, this type of information and access would have been almost impossible for a predator to acquire. The Internet provides a previously unattainable degree of anonymity and this allows a sexual predator to hide behind their masquerade personas to entice interaction with children (Choo, 2009). One of the main attractions of the Internet for sexual predators is the anonymity. A child does not always know who they are interrelating with, and they may think they know, but unless it is a school friend or a relative, they genuinely cannot be sure. Utilising concealment of identity, many sexual predators are more inclined to behave deviant; uninhibited through anonymity and the depersonalised isolation of the virtual world with little risk of detection (Aiken et al, 2011 Burgess et al, 2008). Feather (1999, p. 7) specified that many child sexual predators lurk in chat rooms they remain in the background intensively reading chat room posts without actually commenting themselves, they monitor the rooms looking for potential victims or they use a pseudonym to facilitate interaction. In 2006 , there were 850,000 cases of children receiving unwanted sexual approaches in chat rooms online in the United Kingdom, many anonymously or posing as a child (Choo, 2009). The main aim of concealing their identities is to gain the trust of a child to facilitate the eventual physical contact. A study by Malesky (2007) revealed 80% of participants frequented chat rooms geared towards minors and used pseudonyms to improve their chances of making contact with a child and to eventually generate an offline meeting. Technical advances have introduced sexual predators to protocols and programs that enable them to conceal their identities which makes it difficult to trace and locate them (Choo, 2009). The proliferation and ease of accessibility has allowed for child sexual predators to electronically creep into the bedrooms of children where they engage in sexually explicit chat, cyber voyeurism and exhibitionism over the expanding Internet. Since the Internet is largely uncensored and only partially regulated (Stanley, 2003) it has enabled sexual predators to expose children to negative content such as pornography and sexually explicit material. The unprecedented ease of access to the Internet introduced a vehicle for the flow of digital and electronic data of sexually exploitative material including sexual imagery. The Cyber Tipline in the United States advocates that in 2002, 51 million images and videos of pornography were on the Internet depicting children and indicated that between 1998 and 2012, there were 1.3 million reports regarding sexual inappropriate conduct and material these included child pornography and unsolicited obscene material sent to a child (National Center for Missing Exploited Children, 2012). Sexual predators use pornography and sexually explicit materials to desensitise children to deviant sexual stimuli to encourage them to participate in sexual activities. 1 in 25 children have been asked t o send sexual pictures of themselves to someone on the Internet (Mitchell, Finkelhor Wolak, 2007). Children are the targets for most sexual predators as their social skills are generally incomplete and they are less likely to pick up on the relevant clues of grooming such as inappropriate remarks (Choo, 2009). Children in the higher age brackets are more likely targets for sexual predators due in part to their greater mobility, sexual curiosity and autonomy (Choo, 2009 and Davidson Gottschalk, 2011). These children have an intense interest in expanding social networks, taking risks and forming emotional bonds with others. They share more personal information, interact with strangers via chat rooms, email or post pictures online, visit adult content websites and chat rooms and agree to meet with someone in person when they met online. Examination of literature for this paper indicated that the Internet poses real dangers to children and they can be vulnerable to sexual predators (for example see, Bersen, 2008; Choo, 2009 Davidson Gottschalk, 2011; Jones Quayle, 2005; Malesky, 2005 and Stanley, 2001). Even though Byron cited in Moran et al indicated that sexual predators may be increasingly moving online, given the increasingly restrictive real world access to children, it is impossible to determine the full extent of the numbers of children who have experienced online child sexual exploitation due to most cases not being reported but an Australian study estimated 28% of girls and 9% of boys have in some form been sexually exploited online (Choo, 2009). Wolak, Finkelhor, Mitchell and Ybarra (2008) argue that the Internet has only provided a new avenue for an old crime and suggest that through their research Internet initiated sexual abuse numbers are largely inaccurate. They suggest that the majority of the physical offline encounters is between adult men and underage adolescents who used online communities and were aware they were conversing with adults who rarely deceived them about their sexual interests and that the estimated 500 arrests in the United States for statutory rape occurring from internet contact 95% are non-forcible the adolescent was a willing participant. Richards (2011) suggests that situational and environmental factors play a key role in sexual offending and research has shown that most sexual predators are known to their victims; they are not targeted by strangers. Tomison (2001) specifies that in Australia it was not until the late 1900s did welfare groups begin to recognise that most perpetrators of child s exual abuse were from within the family; known as intrafamilial sexual abuse (Smallbone Wortley, 2001). In the 1920s child sexual abuse became characterised as abuse committed by strangers; known as extrafamilial sexual abuse (Smallbone Wortley, 2001). Today it appears to be seen as a mixture of both. In conclusion, child sexual abuse is a multifaceted problem, and the Internet has now contributed to the complexities of this. Child sexual predators are those who take unfair advantage of some imbalance of power between themselves and a child in order to sexually use them either online or in the physical world. Sexual predators predominately utilise the art of grooming to entice the trust of a child and while has been a part of the physical world of sexual predators in previous generations, the Internet has facilitated the use of grooming to a whole new level on the next generation. The Internet is a continuous, evolving entity that has become part of mainstream life. It has evolved from humble beings in the late 1960s to an immeasurable phenomenon way into the future, millions of families have instant, fast access the Internet daily and this too shall continue to grow with the introduction in Australia of a national broadband network. This paper demonstrated that most sexual predators, who commit sexual abuse on a child in the physical world, initially become acquainted with the child by communication over the Internet and employed more advanced grooming techniques to gain a childs trust. The paper established that the Internet has had a dramatic impact on the evolution of child exploitation by providing an avenue for sexual predators to seek out potential victims and to communicate with them. The rapid development and explosive use of the Internet have allowed for increased opportunities for recruiting children for sexually purposes through social networking sites and chat rooms and the paper identified the Internet as an ideal setting for child sexual exploitation through anonymity and the ease with which one can masquerade. Finally, this paper has identified and ultimately demonstrated that through the revolution of the Internet it provided new tools for sexual predators to sexually exploit children in the digi tal and virtual generation.

Ann Frank :: essays research papers

Ann Frank was a bright happy 13-year-old Jewish girl. She was born in Germany. Ann lived with her Father, Mother and Sister. Her father owned his own business. He sold herbs and spices until 1940, when Hitler came into power. Ann’s father Mr. Frank was a kind man. He did not want to see his family go to a prison camp or be murdered because they were Jewish. Mr. Frank decided to take his family into hiding. He had a friend named Mipe, who hid his family in the annex of the building she had a business in. Mr. Frank also invited another Family the Van Dann’s to go into hiding with them. The Van Dann’s had one son. His name was Peter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ann Frank was an average looking girl. Her hair was short and dark. She loved to play outside, ride her bike. She had friends at school. Ann was sometimes annoying to her family because she was so full of energy. She talked a lot and always stated her opioion about things even when her opinion was not asked for. Sometimes Ann would hurt her mothers feelings because she did not listen. Ann said she didn’t mean to be bad or hurt her mother. She felt like the good Ann was inside her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ann was compassionate she cared about other people’s feelings. She wanted to make Hanukkah special during their time in the annex. Ann had no money so she had to use her imagination to come up with special gifts. She thought about each person individually and made a personal gift for each one in her family and the Van Dann’s family. They were all very surprised and treasured the gifts because they realized it came for Ann’s heart.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ann Frank was a special person. She made the best out of a bad situation. She was trapped in the annex of a building for a very long time. She couldn’t do the simple everyday things, like go for a walk, listen to the radio, smell the air outside or even go to the bathroom when she needed to. She made life very interesting for the people in the annex with her. Weather they realized it not she brighten their days and made things exciting with her outgoing personality. The fact that she wrote in her diary each day shows that she had a caring soul and she wanted to remember and share her experiences.

Understanding The ADD and ADHD

Attention Deficit Disorder Kam Bisel Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a problem that affects 5% to 10% of all children. ADD affect more children than any other childhood problems except asthma. It is estimated to be the largest single cause for first referrals to child guidance clinics throughout the country, making up as many as 40% of those cases. Many ADD cases are not diagnosed because the problem most often does not show in the doctors office. Current estimates suggest that approximately 50 to 65% of the children with ADD will have symptoms of the disorder as adolescents and adults. Although ADD has just recently been discovered and there is still relatively little known about it. In 1902, George Frederick Still believed the dilemma of the problem child was linked to a biological defect inherited from an injury at birth and not the result of the environment. Through 1930-40's stimulant drugs were first used to successfully treat many behavior problems due in part by Still's hypothesis. In 1960, Stella Chess researched in the field by writing about the â€Å"hyperactive child syndrome. She took Still's hypothesis further stating that the resulting behavior problems stem from a biological cause, although it is linked to a genetic inheritance rather then a birth defect from an injury. Finally, in 1980, the syndrome was named Attention Deficit Disorder, due in large part to Virginia Douglas's work to find accurate ways to diagnose it (Hallowell 2). This is currently how it stands in the axis two of the DSM-IV today, with the addition of a new category Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and there sub types. Most scientist now believe that an abnormality in brain chemistry could be to blame for the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder. The frontal lobes of the brain are believed to be responsible for the regulation of behavior and attention. They receive information from the lower brain, which regulates arousal and screens incoming messages from within and outside of the body. The limbic system which is a group of related nervous system structures located in the midbrain and linked to emotions and feelings then sends the messages to the frontal lobes. Finally, the frontal lobes are suspected to be the site of working memory, the place where information about the immediate environment is considered for memory storage, planning, and future-directed behavior. Scientist believe the activity in the frontal lobes is depressed in people with ADD. Studies also show, a decrease in the ability of the Attention Deficit Disorder brain to use glucose, the body's main source of energy, leading to slower and less efficient activity. Neurotransmitter provide the connection between one nerve cell and another. It is also now suspected that people with Attention Deficit Disorder have a chemical imbalance of a class of neurotransmitter called catecholamine. Dopamine, helps to form a pathway between the motor center of the midbrain and the frontal lobes, as well as a pathway between the limbic system and the frontal lobes. Without enough dopamine and related catecholamine, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, the frontal lobes are under stimulated and thus unable to perform their complex functions efficiently. Attention Deficit Disorder is primarily considered a genetic disorder. Which is why it is labeled a axis two in the DSM-IV. Studies show that 20-30% of all hyperactive children have at least one parent with ADD. However, not all cases of ADD are genetically linked. Some studies show that a small percentage of ADD cases were influenced by smoking, drinking alcohol, and using drugs during pregnancy. Exposure to toxins, such as lead, may also alter the brain chemistry and function. Both of these issues are cause for concern for the at-risk population. ADD generally affects males more often than females, in a 3:1 ratio. Because this disorder effects the brain detection of this condition is difficult. The accepted test, although today there has been an increase in research into ADD and subsequently now other tests. The test requires a nine month observation of the person, as well as EEGs, MRIs, or a PET scan. During the nine months, the person has to show a certain number of the classic traits associated with the disorder. The EEG are used to record the amount of electrical activity that is happening in the brain. An MRI is an x-ray that shows the brain's anatomy however it is not a routine assessment. More recently, the way to diagnose ADD is the use of a PET scan, which measure the amount activity in the brain. There are two general categories for those diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. One is ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), this is the more prevalent of the two. A person with ADHD will show certain characteristics. Characteristics like, fidgeting, squirming, difficulty remaining seated, easily distracted, difficulty awaiting turn, interrupting, difficulty following directions, sustaining attention, shifting from one uncompleted task to another, not listening, following multiple directions, and frequently engaging in dangerous actions. The general diagnosis of ADD, as opposed to ADHD, has some, but not all of the above characteristics. There are people who have been diagnosed with ADD whose characteristics are not hyperactive but the complete opposite, they are underactive. This goes against the general notion that only kids who are hyperactive have ADD. These children often daydream and are never mentally present anywhere. They constantly drift off into their own world during classes or conversations. This type is more prevalent in females with ADD then in males. The underlining issues with these children are the inability to focus, they are too easily distracted. This form of ADD is the hardest to diagnose since it seems that these people simply need to â€Å"apply themselves more† or â€Å"get their act together. † Attention Deficit Disorder not only effects those afflicted in the classroom but at home as well. The rest of the families daily routine may become a distraction to those afflicted with ADD. Sometimes a television or radio that is turned on in another room may become distraction. What the ADD person needs is a sound screen. A sound screen is some form of constant noise that plays in the background, commonly a television or a radio. At first it may seem like a distraction, but in reality, if the TV or music forms a kind of â€Å"white noise† with an even level of intensity, which actually covers up discrepant noises that can be a distraction. â€Å"The hum of a ceiling fan or motor can do wonders to soothe and focus you† (Weiss. 7). Getting a family household to function smoothly is challenging for any family, with or without the presence of ADD. Adults and children suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder have trouble establishing and maintaining physical order, coordinating schedules and activities, and accepting and meeting responsibilities. Parents with children suffering with ADD have to learn how to deal with the obstacles that they will have while raising their child. Since ADD is genetically passed through to children the tendency is to have more then just the child with ADD but the parents too. Not only does the child have a problem with rules and schedules but so does the parent. Adults dealing with ADD often have chronic employment problems, impulsive spending, and erratic bookkeeping and bill paying. Raising healthy, well-adjusted children requires patience, sound judgment, good humor, and, discipline which is difficult for a parent with ADD to do. The presence of ADD often hinders the development of intimate relationships for a variety of reasons. Although many adults with ADD enjoy successful, satisfying marriages, the disorder almost always adds a certain amount of extra tension and pressure to the union. The non-ADD spouse bears an additional burden of responsibility for keeping the household running smoothly and meeting the needs of the children, the spouse with ADD, and, if he or she has time, his or her own priorities. Raising a child who has ADD can be an exhausting and, at times, frustrating experience. Parents play a key role in managing the disability. They usually need specialized training in behavior management and benefit greatly from parent support groups. Parents often find that approaches to raising that work well with children who do not have ADD, do not work as well with children who have ADD. Parents often feel helpless, frustrated and exhausted. Especially if the child's condition is unknown at the time. It could seem to the parent that the child is just bad. Too often, family members become angry and withdraw from each other. If untreated, the situation only worsens. Parent training can be one of the most important and effective interventions for a child with ADD. Effective training will teach parents how to apply strategies to manage their child's behavior and improve their relationship with their child. Without consistent structure and clearly defined expectations and limits, children with ADD can become quite confused about the behaviors that are expected of them. Making and keeping friends is a difficult task for children with ADD. A variety of behavioral excesses and deficits common to these children get in the way of friendships. They may talk too much, dominate activities, intrude in others' games, or quit a game before its done. They may be unable to pay attention to what another child is saying, not respond when someone else tries to initiate and activity, or exhibit inappropriate behavior. There is no cure for Attention Deficit Disorder. â€Å"Along with increasing awareness of the problem, a better understanding of its causes and treatment has developed† ( Wender 3). There is medication for ADD which will only alleviate the symptoms. The medication will not permanently restore the chemical imbalance. Approximately 70% of adults with ADD find that their symptoms significantly improve after they take medication prescribed by their doctors. The patient is able to concentrate on difficult and time-consuming tasks, stop impulsive behavior , and time the restless twitches that have been experienced in the past. Some ADD patient's psychological and behavioral problems are not solved by medication alone, and are required more therapy or training. Adult patients have the burden of the past that often hinders their progress. The patient then needs help with the relief of disappointment, frustration, and nagging sense of self-doubt that often weighs upon the ADD patient. Some ADD patients suffer from low-grade depression or anxiety, others with a dependence on alcohol or drugs, and most with low self-esteem and feelings of helplessness. There are two types of drugs that work to balance the neurotransmitter and have been found to be most effective in treating ADD, stimulants and antidepressants. Stimulants work by increasing the amount of dopamine either produced in the brain or used by the frontal lobes of the brain. Antidepressants also stimulate brain activity in the frontal lobes, but they affect the production and use of other chemicals, usually norepinephrine and serotonin. All the drugs used to treat ADD have the same goal, to provide the brain with the raw materials it needs to concentrate over a sustained period of time, control impulses, and regulate motor activity. The drug or combination of drugs that work best for the patient depends on the individuals brain chemistry and constellation of symptoms. The process of finding the right drug can be tricky for each individual. The psychologists are not able to accurately predict how any one individual will respond to various doses or types of Attention Deficit Disorder medication. However, the drug of choice for Attention Deficit Disorder is Ritilan. Ritilan (Methylphenidate) is a mild CNS stimulant. In medicine, Ritilan's primary use is treatment of Attention DeficitHyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The reason why this drug works so well is not completely understood, but Ritilan presumably activates the arousal system of the brain stem and the cortex to produce its stimulant effect. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), prescriptions for Ritilan have increased more than 600% in the past five years. Ritilan (Methylphenidate) is manufactured by CIBA-Geigy Corporation. It is supplied in 5 mg. , 10 mg. , and 20 mg. ablets, and in a sustained release form, Ritilan SR, in 20 mg. tablets. It is readily water soluble and is intended for oral use. It is a Schedule II Controlled Substance under both the Federal and Vermont Controlled Substance Acts (Bailey 5). As stated before, ADHD is a condition most likely based in an inefficiency and inadequacy of Dopamine and Norepinephrine hormone availability, typically occurring when a person with ADHD tries to concentrate. Ritilan improves the efficiency of the hormones Dopamine and Norepinephrine, increasing the resources for memory, focus, concentration and attention (Clark 6). Ritilan exhibits pharmacological activity similar to that of amphetamines. Ritilan's exact mechanism of action in the CNS is not fully understood, but the primary sites of activity appear to be in the cerebral cortex and the subcortical structures including the thalamus. Ritilan blocks the re-uptake mechanism present in dopaminergic neurons. As a result, sympathomimetic activity in the central nervous system and in the peripheral nervous system increases. Ritilan-induced CNS stimulation produces a decreased sense of fatigue, an increase in motor activity and mental alertness, mild euphoria, and brighter spirits. In the PNS, the actions of Ritilan are minimal at therapeutic doses (Clark 2 ). Ritilan is the quickest of all oral ADHD stimulant medications in onset of action: it starts to achieve benefit in 20 – 30 minutes after administration, and is most effective during the upward ‘slope' and peak serum levels. Ritilan's effect is brief: Most people experience 2-3 hours of benefit, but after 3 hours, benefits drop off rapidly. Some individuals, especially children, may obtain 4 or even 5 hours of positive effect (Clark 1). Attention Deficit Disorder is very prevalent throughout this country and the world. There is no cure. Those afflicted with the disorder must learn to compensate for it and live regardless of it's affects. There are drugs and therapy available for those with this disorder to help them maintain there life. It is very frustrating to live with ADD or ADHD and even harder to live with it and not know it. Since ADD's detection is difficult, often the symptoms are likened to some other cause in an effort to explain the behaviors. This has lead to many misdiagnoses. However, new studies on ADD and ADHD are in the works and with the Human Genome Project's completion in 2003 there is hope more light will be shed on this disorder.

William Jewell College ACT Scores, Acceptance Rate...