Some people think that some types of criminals should not go to prison. Instead they should do unpaid work in the community. To what extent do you agree?
Owing to the great variety of crimes that can be punishable by prison, some people argue that not all criminals are the same and it would therefore be more appropriate to give certain criminals community service instead. I agree that in some cases, prison may not be the best solution and community service would probably have more benefits.
One justification given for prisons is to keep society safe by removing criminals from the outside world. So the first thing to consider is if someone who has broken the law is a danger to other people. In the case of violent crime, there is an argument to keep the perpetrator away from society. However, burglary or possession of drugs, for example, does not involve violence against other people so the criminal does not present a direct danger to anyone in the community. Keeping these types of criminals in prison is expensive for the taxpayer and does not appear to be an effective punishment as they often commit the same crime again when they come out of prison.
Personally, I also believe punishments should reform people so they do not reoffend. A further reason not to put these people in prison is that they may mix with more dangerous and violent criminals, potentially committing a worse crime when they are released. By keeping them in the community, helping others, they not only learn new skills, but they could also develop more empathy and care towards others. If this occurs, society can only benefit.
Critics of this more rehabilitative approach to crime believe that justice should be harsh in order to deter people from committing similar crimes and that community service could be less likely to have that effect. However, there is very little evidence to suggest that long prison sentences deter criminals.
In conclusion, putting criminals who are not a danger to society in prison is expensive and, in my opinion, ineffective, both as a deterrent and as a form of rehabilitation. Community service for non-violent crimes benefits both society and the offender. That said, it would be useful to have more data to work out whether community service or prison is more likely to stop someone reoffending. I strongly believe that decisions on how best to deal with criminals should be based on evidence of what actually works.
Tips
Introduce your essay by restating the question in your own words.
If the essay asks you to what extent do you agree?, make your opinion clear throughout. You can either agree, partially agree or disagree with the statement, explaining and justifying your opinion.
The structure should be:
Introduction
The first reason why you agree/disagree
The second reason why you agree/disagree
The third reason why you agree/disagree (if you have one)
Conclusion
4. Use phrases to organise and link your ideas, e.g. Owing to … , One justification for … , The first thing to consider is … , A further reason … , In conclusion ... .
5. If you do not have solid evidence for your ideas, use modal verbs such as might, may or could (e.g. they could develop more empathy and care) or other tentative phrases (e.g. it does not appear to be an effective punishment).
6. Conclude by restating your opinion and summarising your two or three main arguments.
Jeremy Irons gives an argument against the
death penalty. He gives the reasons why there are supporters
and opposers to this idea. Jeremy explains that those who are in favour of the
death penalty are countries which can't afford a good legal counsel, those
without a voice in society while those with lower crime rates abolish the death penalty. The actor takes side against the death penalty because he
mentions some places where children are executed as a result of the death penalty.
He says that the death penalty is never acceptable because it abuses two of our
most basic human rights: Everyone has the right to live and no one shall be
subject to torture. Thus, an attack on these fundamental rights anywhere is an
attack against all of us.
Gender Diversity in Education increases the awareness of equitability, non - discriminatory environments, inclusive learning practices in education and societal awareness to recent paradigms of gender variety.
The best way to give your opinion about a topic is through an Essay . You can follow these tips to write one:
If you have a qeustion at the beginning of the essay you have to read the question carefully. If the question asks you to discuss the reasons for a problem and suggest solutions, make sure you do both.
In your introduction, restate the question in your own words and say what your essay will do. This essay will outline the reasons for … and offer solutions to the problem.
Plan the paragraphs of your essay before you write. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that summarises the main idea of the paragraph.
Develop your position fully by extending your ideas and using examples to support your arguments. Use linking expressions like Coupled with, Furthermore, In fact and Given these points to show what is coming next.
Try to use a wide range of vocabulary. Use natural-sounding collocations like equal opportunities and role model. Avoid repetition by using synonyms or words with similar meanings: girls, young women, females; children, youngsters. You can also use the former and the latter to refer to things you have just mentioned.
Build the conclusion from the ideas in the essay rather than introducing new ones.
