I have to be honest, initially I was very excited for the “creative” essay and the freedom that would bring to my writing. However, composing essay number 3 turned out to be quite challenging for me. Crafting the outline of what I wanted to do and how to make it fit with my research question from essay 2 went smoothly, it was the visual genre proved most difficult to navigate. Once I had decided to represent two different political perspectives surrounding one subset of my research I was able to compose my selection for the second genre, a letter to the editor, rather quickly. For that I wanted to represent a conservative standpoint using pathos and what might be viewed as more traditional ethical views. This was a contrast to the logic I wanted to underscore the emotions roused by the more liberal satirical cartoon of the first genre. My troubles came when it was time to seek out a cartoon to modify that would align with my objective—the overpopulation of prisons and serious health risks for inmates and staff due to Covid-19. After days of sifting through options while writing and rewriting wry and ironic quips, I settled on something simple and relatively on the nose. It made the point I sought and spoke to a more liberal, yet serious,  politically progressive demographic. After receiving helpful feedback on my first draft it became obvious that my cartoon needed to be more dynamic and an illustration of my own rather than a manipulation of previously drawn work. This sent me to my sketch book (and cartooning is definitely not my strength) to rework the message I wanted to convey. Ultimately I am content with the outcome of my revision and feel more accomplished as a student and as a writer for having persisted through what I considered, at times, the most exasperating assignment of the course. I think I will always prefer a conventional essay to a visual composition, yet I have found the value in how different genres can relate to an audience in more meaningful and lasting ways.

My intended audience will be readers of The New York Times. Educated and motivated professionals who live in the urban areas that are most heavily affected by influxes of crime. Middle class individuals with homes and children they desire to protect, and a genuine interest in the quality of their surrounding community.People that seek out up to date information on current affairs as a tool to guide them in the development of their political and social opinions.

My modified cartoon will target a more liberal, left, early-millennial demographic. Attractive to this group because of the humor, sarcasm, and ethos that appeal to a more progressive population. It will engage their social and political awareness as well as their understanding of shifting cultural standards. This genre will create a kneejerk emotional response while still maintaining the tradition of print consumed by older generations.

The second, a letter to the editor, will be written from the perspective of the conservative right. It will be a brief and sharp, opinion-driven argument; an expressive and engaging attempt to convince readers to reconsider their original position. This genre is appealing to mature populations as it delivers a more serious and deliberate message. Those who take the time to write and read letters to the editor desire their reasoning to be heard, utilizing this medium as they may be less adept in the use of modern social media platforms. Logos will be the focus of this genre by exercising logic and a calculated counter argument to information originally presented about crime in the essay.

For Essay #3- Composition in Two Genres, I would like to explore the contrast of opinions centered around one of the possible contributing factors to the Covid-19 crime spike. As addressed in my research-based essay, the divide among Americans when it comes to law enforcement is growing alongside social and political unrest. These existing contentions may have been further aggravated by the mandated stay-at-home orders and eventual virus fatigue leading to widespread eruptions of discontent. Because my intended audience are working class and urban dwelling citizens who watch local news broadcasts and read national newspapers, I would like to borrow from The New Yorker magazine’s cartoon captioning contest concept and alter two cartoon captions to represent opposition of the same issue. My ultimate goal is to locate one cartoon that can embody two contradictory mindsets just by adapting the nuance of the caption. A cartoon that is subtle enough in its illustration to run in two distinctly different publications that target audiences with opposite viewpoints by simply manipulating the text presented underneath. I was mindful in my research paper to present both supporting and challenging stances to influential crime factors; I think it would be interesting to represent that same model in a pictorial context. I am also considering writing a Letter to the Editor in response to one of the feature articles sourced for my paper. This would be my secondary genre alongside the visual genre.

When I initially set out in my research I chose to explore the primary contributing factors to an increase in crime across the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic. As I began acquiring source material, I found that this question was somewhat broad and refined my question to the exploration of three possible influences. Even with my scope narrowed I spent a considerable amount of time searching the database, changing key words and scanning articles. One of the tips that Professor Harris provided early in the semester was to use AND in the search function, this was extremely helpful to me when locating applicable articles in the academic database. At first there was concern that not enough documentation would be available to analyze, as we are still currently experiencing the Coronavirus crisis,  however, this was ultimately not the issue. It was much more difficult tracking down reports about previous epidemics that corresponded appropriately with my topic. I noticed it is far easier to locate sources that fall into the “grey area,” or general information that pertains to your topic, but it is much more laborious to locate articles that specifically correlate. I ended up rejecting earlier selections and adding additional sources, to ensure each one substantiated any concepts that evolved as I wrote.

I was addressing an audience of unnerved citizens, primarily those located in urban areas where crime is more predominant. Readers who might have noticed more crime in and around their neighborhoods or watched as news became increasingly violent. Those who found themselves wondering what the reason for the spike could be and if perhaps the unusual circumstances of the pandemic played a role.

While composing this essay I felt the most difficult part was maintaining a flow of ideas while thoughtfully incorporating source information. Often I would find myself off topic, parallel to my research question but not quite hitting the mark. I am thankful I received a reminder to slow down and take my time connecting each thought process; and that it is important that my own voice be more prevalent than source material. One cannot be an effective writer by simply organizing the thoughts and opinions of others, you must create a personal approach. This is something I will definitely be mindful of going forward.

In this report I will break down each of my sources based on where they were published, how they influence the course of the essay, and the informational value they contribute. I have selected eleven sources in total, five scholarly articles from academic journals, four popular media sources, one government-funded research institute article, and finally one nonprofit/nonpartisan organization source. I ultimately excluded a journal article titled “A pandemic of the poor: social disadvantage and the U.S. HIV epidemic” published in 2013. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3700367/) While it did focus on the socioeconomic, cultural, and political effects of the HIV epidemic, it failed to provide any evidence relating to crime needed to correlate with the Covid-19 crisis and the objective of my essay.

My first source is my model essay, “Has Covid-19 Changed Crime? Crime Rates in the United States during the Pandemic.” This is a journal article I located by selecting a link in the explore more section of the Gale Academic Onefile while researching another. The format of this essay is very well outlined with an abstract, introduction, two sub sections and a conclusion. I like how clear and easy to follow the article is arranged as well as the information provided corresponding to my topic. Specifically, the idea the authors present that any reported decrease in crime is deceiving as it correlates with minor offenses, leaving space for the notable increase in violent and more severe law-breaking.

“How Are Substance Abuse and Violence Related,” was written by a licensed Psychologist for Psychology Today and located through a google search. The author provides not only relatively well-known data suggesting that alcohol and drug use are linked to violent acts but also brings to light how substances also increase the risk of becoming a victim of violence. In the beginning months of the Coronavirus pandemic, there was a socially acceptable movement of increased alcohol consumption across the country with wine and liquor markets even being deemed essential businesses. It is an interesting perspective to consider; if the lowered inhibitions of our population as a whole contributed to more accessible crime.

Dr. Nora Volkow wrote “Research at the Intersection of HIV with Substance Use Disorders amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic” for the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a federal government research institute. Another media article found in the same focused google search, it offers useful information with statements such as: “there is great opportunity for HIV and addiction researchers to make important advances in understanding how COVID-19 intersects with substance use, the opioid epidemic, and HIV.” The reason this is significant is the ability to parallel the increased crime rates in the late 80’s and early 90’s due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and those in question now during Covid-19.

“The improbable transformation of inner-city neighborhoods: crime, violence, drugs, and youth in the 1990s,” is another academic journal article located with Gale Academic Onefile. Dating back to 1998 following the height of the HIV and crack cocaine epidemics, I am uncertain whether I will use it or not. Its connection to my essay is marginal with the bulk of the report angled toward the reduction of crime rates in Brooklyn following the eighties and what actions inspired that shift opposed to the increased crime that transpired beforehand. I am open to another more strongly associated article that could replace this one should the essay feel light in this section.

Matthew Ashby penned a research article for a publication called Crime Science in May of 2020 titled, “Initial evidence on the relationship between the coronavirus pandemic and crime in the United States.” It was located by searching the Gale Academic Onefile and focuses on the first 16 weeks of the pandemic. The data collected in this research shows an insignificant change to crime rates during that period; which leads my investigation toward other explanations for the rise in crime statistics shortly after. This aids in transitioning the essay from stay-at-home order substance use into the next possibility of early release inmates impacting misconduct in late spring and early summer.

Another scholarly report found in Onefile was “The effect of prison releases on regional crime rates.” A statistical data report written for Brookings-Wharton Papers on Urban Affairs and is a very thorough assessment of nationally compiled data. It provides an excess of usable information such as, “To summarize the results…releasing prison inmates is associated with increases in crime. We find positive significant effects of prison releases on the overall violent and property crime rates and for most of the individual felony offenses.” However, this study was conducted several years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ACLU is a national nonprofit organization that defends the civil liberties of the American people. In the article “Decarceration and Crime During Covid-19” published on their website in July of 2020, they offer an opposing view to the previous article. For example, “Over this time period, we found that the reduction in jail population was functionally unrelated to crime trends in the following months. In fact, in nearly every city explored, fewer crimes occurred between March and May in 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019, regardless of the magnitude of the difference in jail population.”  I chose this article to represent a conflicting stance and bridge the third transition in my research essay allowing the third potential factor to be introduced here.

The next three articles are open web sources, two from The New York Times and one from The Huffington Post. “A Violent August in N.Y.C.: Shootings Double, and Murder is Up by 50%,” is a Times article that exposes the “steep rise in gun violence that has intensified the debate over policing,” published in the Race and America section. A feature piece that is meant to stir up emotion and call attention to frightening crime numbers and what could be behind them, it was the article that initially marked my interest in the topic. The information gathered here will help segue into the consideration of recent protests and calls to defund the police being a reason for the reported uptick in crime.

“Don’t Blame BLM For The Rise In Violent Crime. The Real Reason Is Much More Interesting” written for The Huffington Post and “Gun Violence Spikes in N.Y.C., Intensifying Debate Over Policing,” for the Times, both give opposing examples of consequences of defunding the police in the wake of surging activism against police brutality.

Finally, the academic source “To reduce the harm: On defunding the police” published in the Times Literary Supplement this August, is written by Professor of Criminology at Oxford University: Ian Loader. Professor Loader gives a detailed evaluation of the Black Lives Matter Movement and what actions should be taken by law enforcement going forward. He summarizes, “The police can contribute to secure belonging…extending, and experimenting with, deliberative institutions that give Black and minority ethnic groups an equal voice in determining what safety and justice is, and the means by which it is legitimately provided.”

It is here where I will possibly incorporate a not yet secured source on fluctuating crime rates throughout history if the conclusion of my essay requires that kind of supporting information to polish it, although it may not be necessary.

Works Cited

ACLU, “Decarceration and Crime During Covid-19.” American Civil Liberties Union, 27 Jul. 2020, https://www.aclu.org/news/smart-justice/decarceration-and-crime-during-covi19/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020

Ashby, Matthew P. J. “Initial evidence on the relationship between the coronavirus pandemic and crime in the United States.” Crime Science, vol. 9, no. 1, 2020, p. NA. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A624351034/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=86a8b973. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

Boman, John H., and Owen Gallupe, “Has COVID-19 Changed Crime? Crime Rates in the United States during the Pandemic.” Am J Crim Just 45, 537–545 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-020-09551-3. Accessed 18, Oct 2020.

Curtis, Richard. “The improbable transformation of inner-city neighborhoods: crime, violence, drugs, and youth in the 1990s.” Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, vol. 88, no. 4, Summer 1998, p. 1233. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A54700680/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=7d939bce. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

Hobbs, Michael. “Don’t Blame BLM For The Rise In Violent Crime. The Real Reason Is Much More Interesting.” The Huffington Post, 19 Jul. 2020, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dont-blame-the-rise-in-violent-crime-on-protesters_n_5f122c8bc5b6cec246c294f3. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020

Loader, Ian. “To reduce the harm: On defunding the police.” TLS. Times Literary Supplement, no. 6124, 2020, p. 10+. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A632770147/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=60d033b4. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

NIDA. “Research at the Intersection of HIV with Substance Use Disorders amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 28 Jul. 2020,   https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2020/07/research-intersection-hiv-substance-use-disorders-amidst-covid-19-pandemic. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

Raphael, Steven, and Michael A. Stoll. “The effect of prison releases on regional crime rates.” Brookings-Wharton Papers on Urban Affairs, Annual 2004, p. 207+. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A303451041/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=1671c8ad. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

Southall, Ashley, and Neil MacFarquhar. “Gun Violence Spikes in N.Y.C., Intensifying Debate Over Policing.” The New York Times, Published 23 Jun. 2020, Updated 24, Aug. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/nyregion/nyc-shootings-surge.html. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

Vitelli, Romeo. “How Are Substance Abuse and Violence Related.” Psychology Today, 08 Mar. 2018, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201803/how-are-substance-abuse-and-violence-related. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

Zaveri, Mihir. “A Violent August in N.Y.C.: Shootings Double, and Murder is Up by 50%.” The New York Times. 02 Sept. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/02/nyregion/nyc-shootings-murders.html. Accessed 11, Oct. 2020.

For my research-based essay question I will be presenting: What are the primary contributing factors to rising U.S. crime rates during the Covid-19 Pandemic? The paper will model the article “Has Covid-19 Changed Crime? Crime Rates in the United States during the Pandemic.” written by J.H. Boman and O. Gallupe for the American Journal of Criminal Justice. (https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-020-09551-3) My objective is the transference of fact-supported information compiled during my research to an equally inquisitive and concerned audience as I explore three factors that may or may not contribute to the recent rise in violent crime across the country. This question is significant to me as the current resident of a large metropolis where criminality impacts my daily activities and overall safety.  It is relevant to society as it represents possible consequences of our current social climate and choices that have been made amidst the Coronavirus pandemic. Thus far I have collected the majority of my secondary source material, notwithstanding additional sources that may be sought out as I thoroughly investigate each subsection.

The first avenue of examination will be whether an increase in alcohol and substance use due to mandated stay-at-home orders nationwide has any effect on increased crime rates. I will parallel information gathered from researchers who studied the HIV/AIDS epidemic, any correlating substance abuse, and its impact on crime and violence at that time. The second consideration will be if the early release of incarcerated individuals, due to Covid-19 health concerns, generated more regional delinquency in the areas surrounding the penitentiaries from which they were discharged. And finally, I will research if BLM and De-fund the Police protesting has any influence on the uptick in criminal activity across the United States. Does the possibility exist that Law Enforcement agents are intentionally eschewing their responsibilities or is the opposite true; are more arrests being made due to the rise of community unrest and the call to action by outraged citizens.

By narrowing the potential causes from my preliminary list of possibilities to the most substantial three, I feel that I can better manage the direction and focus of my research question. My aim is to maintain command of my topic by eliminating redundant ideas that could potentially oversaturate my essay with unnecessary or confusing information making it difficult or tedious to read.

Works Cited

ACLU, “Decarceration and Crime During Covid-19.” American Civil Liberties Union, 27 Jul. 2020, https://www.aclu.org/news/smart-justice/decarceration-and-crime-during-covi19/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020

Ashby, Matthew P. J. “Initial evidence on the relationship between the coronavirus pandemic and crime in the United States.” Crime Science, vol. 9, no. 1, 2020, p. NA. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A624351034/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=86a8b973. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

Boman, John H., and Owen Gallupe, “Has COVID-19 Changed Crime? Crime Rates in the United States during the Pandemic.” Am J Crim Just 45, 537–545 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-020-09551-3. Accessed 18, Oct 2020.

Curtis, Richard. “The improbable transformation of inner-city neighborhoods: crime, violence, drugs, and youth in the 1990s.” Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, vol. 88, no. 4, Summer 1998, p. 1233. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A54700680/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=7d939bce. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

Hobbs, Michael. “Don’t Blame BLM For The Rise In Violent Crime. The Real Reason Is Much More Interesting.” The Huffington Post, 19 Jul. 2020, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dont-blame-the-rise-in-violent-crime-on-protesters_n_5f122c8bc5b6cec246c294f3. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020

Loader, Ian. “To reduce the harm: On defunding the police.” TLS. Times Literary Supplement, no. 6124, 2020, p. 10+. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A632770147/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=60d033b4. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

NIDA. “Research at the Intersection of HIV with Substance Use Disorders amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 28 Jul. 2020,   https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2020/07/research-intersection-hiv-substance-use-disorders-amidst-covid-19-pandemic. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

Raphael, Steven, and Michael A. Stoll. “The effect of prison releases on regional crime rates.” Brookings-Wharton Papers on Urban Affairs, Annual 2004, p. 207+. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A303451041/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=1671c8ad. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

Southall, Ashley, and Neil MacFarquhar. “Gun Violence Spikes in N.Y.C., Intensifying Debate Over Policing.” The New York Times, Published 23 Jun. 2020, Updated 24, Aug. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/nyregion/nyc-shootings-surge.html. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

Vitelli, Romeo. “How Are Substance Abuse and Violence Related.” Psychology Today, 08 Mar. 2018, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201803/how-are-substance-abuse-and-violence-related. Accessed 18 Oct. 2020.

Zaveri, Mihir. “A Violent August in N.Y.C.: Shootings Double, and Murder is Up by 50%.” The New York Times. 02 Sept. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/02/nyregion/nyc-shootings-murders.html. Accessed 11, Oct. 2020.

What are the primary contributing factors to rising U.S. crime rates during the Covid-19 Pandemic? After reading an article a few months ago in the NY Times that violent crime in New York City was up by 50 percent and continuing to see an increase in reports of criminal activity each morning on the news, I decided to use this as my initial question for the research essay. I would like to align my paper with that of an informative/explanatory genre as I am truly inquisitive as to what factors may be of significance in this surge of delinquency. When reflecting on the weight of my initial inquiry I found myself with a long list of follow up questions: Is the rise due to a general unrest and agitation due to stay-at-home orders and wide sweeping loss of financial security? Are de-fund the police protests and riots subsequently contributing to a decrease in law enforcement? Are higher numbers of homeless and displaced individuals a factor in this recent increase of misconduct? What about the early release of violent criminals due to Covid-19 concerns within penitentiaries? Are regional discrepancies suggestive and do greater crime statistics correlate with highest infection rates? Or does it ultimately come down to political polarization and a country divided during an unprecedented and life altering global outbreak? From the reading I gather that the development and refinement of the actual research question is largely what this assignment centers around. I hope throughout this process  I am able to accomplish focusing my subject and investigation in a clear and structured essay that may offer clarity and enlightenment regarding this recent unsettling increase in crime.

Writing as a concept is not a completely foreign to me, as an avid reader from a young age I became accustomed to the various genres of writing early even if I could only understand what brought me pleasure and what did not. I have always favored fiction over non fiction and now, after this assignment, I am aware that when reading or writing a piece I tend to gravitate toward a feature. Coming into this course I believed in order to write well one must initially draw interest, maintain engagement throughout, and leave a lasting impression. Thus far my view has not changed. However, this lesson on rhetorical situation and the subsequent essay have brought awareness to the many intricacies behind good writing. I am newly enthused by the knowledge that any previous partiality I have developed toward authors can be contributed to more than mere preference of style. “Style” is something intentional that can be identified and evaluated while reading, essentially—the how behind the what. I know this is only the beginning of acquiring important information about composition and its many nuances that will be of lasting value for me. Though I have never considered myself a writer, often exercising a figure it out as you go technique, obtaining a deeper fundamental understanding of writing methods and tools will unquestionably encourage more confidence in my writing going forward.

Open, USA Today

“Does my wheelchair make you uncomfortable? How my disability may have cost me a job.”

Dayniah Manderson is a Black woman and a tenured educator who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II, a neural disease that confines her to a motorized wheelchair. In this opinion piece she shares a personal experience with interview discrimination alongside her account of an continuing education program she encountered that was not fully accessible. Her tone is self-serving and she is speaking to the able bodied public, the everyday casual reader of the publication. Manderson tells emotionally centered stories that spotlight the societal commonplace of equal opportunity employment injustices and align with disability advocacy.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2018/10/08/disability-access-job-interview-teacher-discrimination-ada-ableism-accommodation-column/1501095002/

Magazine, TIME

“‘Our Lives Are at Stake.” How Donald Trump Inadvertently Sparked a New Disability Rights Movement”

This is a political article, written by Abigail Abrams, with the clear intention of educating the readers of TIME about how individuals with disabilities have been impacted by the Affordable Healthcare Act repeal and what steps they are taking to advocate for themselves and their peers. She writes on the side of the afflicted but her address is fact driven and fair. The article opens and concludes with the personal reflection of a woman with muscular dystrophy who’s advocacy journey became more intense with the recent political shift, and specific interview quotes from other disabled and able bodied individuals are also used for effect throughout. This piece is written to specifically bring attention to the the minority represented however the author does remain relatively neutral, reporting information rather than opinion.

https://time.com/5168472/disability-activism-trump/

Newspaper, The Washington Post

“Virginia’s expansion of disability services leaves Fairfax County short of funds”

Antonio Olivio writes this fact driven and informative news piece about the increased funding necessary for disability services in Virginia. He methodically provides the reader with an account of how Fairfax County’s attempt at providing services to a larger more inclusive group of disabled individuals surpasses the current allotted budget. The article clearly presents the goal of the redesign, how it will impact individuals with disabilities, and positions of advocates in agreement and opposition to the plan’s objectives. The author is speaking to taxpaying residents and disabled recipients as well as those involved in disability advocacy to notify and educate.. He is without alliance, states zero opinions, and poses no questions. The purpose of this article is to bring the public up to speed on the area’s new disability services plan and its proposed cost.

https://go-gale-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T004&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&hitCount=8478&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&currentPosition=70&docId=GALE%7CA491075659&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=ZNEW-FullText&prodId=STND&pageNum=4&contentSet=GALE%7CA491075659&searchId=R12&userGroupName=cuny_ccny&inPS=true

Scholarly, Social Inclusion

“Leveraging Employer in Global Regulatory Frameworks to Improve Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities”

Matthew C. Saleh and Susanne M. Bruyere present a scholarly report that was part of the issue “Disability Equality: In Theory and Practice” in the Academic Journal Social Inclusion. Thoroughly researched and peer reviewed it is fact driven and statistically laden. Its purpose is to emphasis the impact employers can make in improving outcomes for disabled individuals, in contrast to previous studies and reports that primarily represent the viewpoint of the individual. It explores international regulations and the “empirically supported best practices in recruitment, hiring, advancement, retention, and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the workforce.” The authors’ objective when addressing their peers is to provide quantitative and diligently investigated information that advances the study of disability discrimination in the workplace. More specifically advocating policy-making considerations in support of the employer. Showcasing the potential that inclusive practices and their implementation strategies can make in increasing the accessibility of the open labor market and therefore favorably impacting the diversely-abled population in relation to fair employment opportunity.

https://go-gale-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/ps/i.do?p=OVIC&u=cuny_ccny&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA554493871&inPS=true&linkSource=interlink&sid=OVIC

People with disabilities are entirely underemployed, making up one of the largest jobless minority groups nationwide. But why? The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) protects disabled individuals from being discriminated against by employers based on qualified disabilities. There are numerous tax incentives for employers that come with hiring people with disabilities that can even help to reduce the cost of making a space accommodating. And embracing disabilities in a workplace raises diversity, thus ensuring a wide scope of ideas and approaches to critical thinking and problem solving. And yet the job market is overflowing with a pool of capable adults that happen to have disabilities both obvious and unseen, that offer a wide array of talent and skill. Disability complexities are vast, and therefore limitations are in no way universal. As someone who has worked with individuals of varied ability for over ten years, disability discrimination is something that infuriates me. To see and know willing, competent, and capable people desire only to work and be accepted without prejudice, enthuses me to research what is being done to bring change to this social injustice. What organizations exist to support those who have experienced discrimination based on their disability? Are there any platforms for people affected to share their experiences? Who is there speaking out on this topic and what are they saying? What progress has been made since the ADA originally came into effect? These are some of the questions I intend to seek answers to when procuring the sources for this essay and I am excited to analyze and compare the rhetoric that I find on the topic of disability discrimination here in the United States.