Briefly, discuss the findings in a study conducted by Donner, Fridell, and Jennings (2016) pertaining to the relationship between self-control and police misconduct. In doing so, discuss Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) general theory of crime as it is relative to self-control theory and police misconduct.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The study conducted by Donner, Fridell, and Jennings (2016) aimed to explore the relationship between self-control and police misconduct. They examined how individual differences in self-control, as measured by Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) general theory of crime, influenced the likelihood of engaging in misconduct among police officers.
Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory of crime proposes that low self-control is a key factor in explaining criminal behavior. They argue that individuals with low self-control are more prone to engage in impulsive and risky behaviors, including criminal acts. This theory suggests that self-control is a stable trait developed early in life and remains consistent throughout an individual’s lifespan.
Building upon this theory, Donner, Fridell, and Jennings hypothesized that police officers with low self-control would be more likely to engage in misconduct due to their propensity for impulsive behaviors. They conducted a survey among police officers to assess their levels of self-control and documented instances of misconduct within the police department.
The findings of the study supported their hypothesis. The researchers found a significant association between low self-control and police misconduct. Officers with lower levels of self-control were more likely to engage in various forms of misconduct, including excessive use of force, corruption, and abuse of authority.
The study’s findings have important implications for understanding the factors contributing to police misconduct. They suggest that individual differences in self-control play a crucial role in shaping police officers’ behavior and decision-making. It highlights the importance of selecting individuals with high levels of self-control for law enforcement positions to mitigate the risks of misconduct.
Additionally, this study contributes to the broader understanding of self-control theory and its applicability to different contexts, including police misconduct. By examining the relationship between self-control and misconduct among police officers, it provides empirical evidence supporting Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory of crime.
In conclusion, the study conducted by Donner, Fridell, and Jennings (2016) demonstrated a significant relationship between self-control and police misconduct. The findings align with Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory of crime, suggesting that low self-control is a risk factor for engaging in misconduct among police officers. Understanding these dynamics can inform efforts to prevent and address misconduct within law enforcement organizations.
