Public Policy (Essay Sample)

Political science
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(1st October, 2013)

Abstract
There are numerous problems facing the society in the current world which need to be addressed. This paper examines some of these problems, their causes and some of the measures that can be taken against them.
Key words: social problems
Political science
The following are some of the social problems facing the society:
Alcoholism: alcoholism has a wide range of negative effects to the society. Most people who drink excessively tend to think that they are having pleasure but the truth is that it will turn to haunt them. Some of the effects of the effects of alcoholism are: loss of jobs, laziness, poor self-esteem, poverty, health complications etc. These effects adversely affect both the community and the individual. For instance if an individual will lose his job due to alcoholism, he will turn to his closest people for help thus becoming a burden to them (Heinman, et al, 2001)
Bullying: this is intentionally causing pain, personal discomfort or mental disturbance to an individual. It may be in form of words or physically hurting an individual. This act been and still is a problem in many learning institutions. This issue has resulted to a number of problems which has lead to pain among the society. There have been cases of children committing suicide since they could not withstand all the pain and torment inflicted to them by their colleagues either in school or at home (Pal, 2010.) Other effects of this vice to the affected persons are that they always seem to lose confidence, experience depressions, poor performance in class etc. on the other hand bullies themselves always seem to have nothing to worry about since they like engaging in fights, stealing, property destruction etc. according to research, bullies are most likely to grow up to hardcore criminals in their later lives.
Environmental pollution: this is one of the greatest problems the world is facing right now. Every year, the world experiences increased damage on the world. The main causes of environmental distortion are: air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and noise. All these effects have mental and physical implication on the lives of human beings. These implications have led to a number of health hazards that have affected the community (Heinman, et al., 2001).
Human trafficking: this is the trading of human beings for money. Those who practice this kind of illegal business always have an aim of engaging the victims in acts such as slavery and prostitution. The effects of this trade are that the individuals suffer trauma, emotional disturbance and depressions. It also causes pain to the loved ones of the victims since many victims are either abducted or lured into entering into a contractual obligation which is later breached thus leaving the victims with no otherwise (Heinman, et al., 2001).
Homelessness: homeless people are exposed to extreme conditions that may affect their health. Since most of these individuals have no jobs, they decide to venture into crime as a way of earning a living.
Hunger: lack of food in many homes leads to starvation and death. Droughts, pests and poor storage are some of the factors that can lead to hunger.
Teen pregnancy: sexuality among teenagers has led to a number of problems which have negatively affected their lives. These young adults often end up dropping out of school, run away from home due to fear of parents and health problems or death in case one decided to abort.
Terrorism: this is a major problem in the current world as terrorism acts keep on increasing on a daily basis. Many jobless youths are recruited to join terror attack in many nations in the world.
Unemployment: joblessness has exposed many youths in crime activities. Since there are no jobs, many youths end up using drugs and other criminal acts.
HIV/AIDS: this has been a global pandemic for many years. The spread of the virus has led to many deaths in the world. At some point the affected persons have suffered stigma due to isolation, economic implications and retrenchment.
Gay rights: it has become a global debate on whether to grant gay rights to individuals involved or not. Many individuals in the society have viewed this as an unreligious act which should never be permitted in the society. A number of nations have gone ahead to grant gay rights whereas others have not since they don’t agree with this despite the fact that gays exist amidst them (Pal, 2010).
Environmental pollution
This has become one of the major problems facing the society today. Cars, factories, trains, buses, among others have led to high rates of air pollution which has adversely affected human lives. This has led to the increased release of sulphur dioxide thus damaging the atmosphere. The results of this are that there has been an increase in the rates of diseases such as asthma, cancer, breathing problems etc (Heinman, et al., 2001).
Industrial wastes released in water bodies have led to destruction of the aquatic life. Activities of man, such as dumping, bathing in water bodies, has caused water bodies to be filthy and no better for consumption or for marine life. Deforestation has led to the destruction of the beauty of the land by leaving it bear. His has also increased the occurrence of soil erosion since the ground has no cover and drought due to the destruction of water cycle pattern....