Not Guilty by Reasons of Insanity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Not Guilty by Reasons of Insanity - Assignment Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that in NGRI the defendant is considered â€Å"not guilty† of a criminal act if he is able to meet insanity defense standards. Civil proceedings and not criminal punishment is applied with regard to their confinement. In GBMI, it is more of an outcome, rather than a defense, that implies the guilt or criminal culpability of the defendant and therefore criminal sanctions and punishment, including imprisonment, apply to him. Saying that he is â€Å"but mentally ill† only indicates an existing mental disorder during the offense and/or judgment and does not lessen his guilt and criminal responsibility. There was no significant reduction in insanity acquittals following the adoption of GBMI in the following states. Although in Pennsylvania and Georgia, NGRI acquittals were lessened. Those acquitted as NGRI are confined for treatment in the forensic ward of a mental hospital. Psychiatrists are then assigned by the court to determine the progress of the patient and whether he has recuperated and regained his sanity. Conditional release program ensures a thorough monitoring of insanity acquittees. A person who becomes eligible for release has his case reviewed by a multidisciplinary committee or a psychiatric security review board. A decision for release is based and dependent on a set of conditions that the individual must follow to reduce danger to him. The individual is then watched and observed in the community. Failure to meet the set conditions will lead to his return to a 24-hr facility.

Lafarge Financial Statements Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Lafarge Financial Statements - Case Study Example The trend analysis of Lafarge's P&L statement shows that the increase in company's sales has been stable over the years with a hike in sales by about 17% in 2005. The cost of sales has also been rising with the increase in sales and they have finally mounted by about 17% during the last financial year. It reflects that the percentage change in sales is almost same as the percentage change in cost of sales, however a reduction in depreciation account by 4.1% has magnified the company's gross profit by 22% in 2005. The SG&A have expanded drastically during the year 2005 i.e., by 13% (1.2% in 2004). However, due to a substantial increase in gross profit, the company managed to display a rise in the operating income by about 32%. The company has had a substantial decline in the interest payable for two years, however it seems to have rebuilt during 2005. The company's pre-tax income had declined by almost 3% in 2004, which recovered surprisingly with an increase of 36% in 2005 as compare d to the year 2003. With a 50% increase in net income, the company's retained earnings has flourished by 54% while the dividend distributed have increased by 41%. Thus, an analysis of profit and loss suggests that the company has risen up from the decline that took place in its financial performance in 2004. Three-Year Earning Per Share Analysis EPS 2005 2004 2003 Earning Per Share 6.39 5.16 4.92 "Common shareholders and potential investors in common stock first look at a company's earning record" (Meigs & Meigs, p934, 1993). The EPS analysis of Lafarge's financial statements reflects that the company has had an increasing trend in the earnings per share for the last three years. The company's EPS increased by 4.8% in the year 2004, which further rose by almost 24% in 2005. This sudden enhancement of the company's earnings has also been evident in its P&L statement, which highlights a pleasant reform in the company's financial performance in the year 2005 owing to a drastic increase in sales revenue. EBITDA Analysis EBITDA 2005 2004 2003 Lafarge Group 14.8% 14.7% 14.2% Cement 23.3% 23.0% 23.0% Aggregates & Concrete 7.4% 7.1% 6.3% Gypsum Products 10.3% 9.6% 7.0% Roofing 6.5% 10.0% 9.4% Speciality products -285.7% -128.3% -38.7% EBITDA refers to the Earnings Before Interest, Taxation, Depreciation and Amortization. Therefore this analysis takes into account all the major costs and expenses other than the items mentioned above. The EBITDA margins presented in the above graph reflect a segregated view of the company's earnings in terms of the group as a whole and its subsidiaries (on the basis of products). The group's EBITDA margin represents a stable and subtle rise in the company's earnings, which is a sum up of its subsidiaries. Cement and A&C are also having a stable uplift in earnings, while Gypsum products section is showing a remarkable growth in terms of EBITDA. Roofing's earnings have declined in the year 2005 whereas the specialty products section has had a substantial increase in the declining state of earnings, which