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Topic: Do you think it is better to send criminals to jail or let them receive education or job training?
Model essay:
In the public mind, a prison is a place to keep those who have done wicked things in captivity, in order that they will not contaminate law-abiding citizens. However, there is a growing concern in these years that imprisonment is a less effective form of punishment, and some alternatives seen to promise more satisfying outcomes. I agree on this proposed change, with evidence that imprisonment can be merely taken as the last resort.
Education is of critical importance to rehabilitating an offender. It first changes delinquents’ attitudes toward society and family, a prerequisite to their reintegration into the community. It meanwhile allows them to keep in contact with the community, an opportunity that prisoners are normally deprived of. With the passing of time, they lose confidence and the ability to function pro-socially. The risk of re-offending is thus higher. The third benefit is preventing offenders’ peer group effect, because by receiving education in a proper learning environment, offenders have lower chance of reinforcing each other’s antisocial and criminal behaviors in group situations.
Similar to education, work is one of the most important interventions in corrections, whether it takes the form of work release or vocational training. Money is the main inducement of many crimes, such as shoplifting, robbery, burglary, and so forth. Job training enables offenders to acquire earning capacity and improve job skills. By this they can become productive members of society and have the opportunity to behave normally towards family or occupation or society. Greater post-release employment success will, in general, lead to a lower rate of recidivism.
However, to those habitual criminals, who have committed crimes repeatedly and show little respect for the legal system, education and job training might not make any significant difference. This category of offenders gives little thought to their past or future. Their behaviors and thoughts are deeply ingrained and unbending, in which circumstance imprisonment is the best way of keeping them from being perpetrators. Meanwhile, imprisonment has deterrent effects and can deter potential offenders from becoming actual offenders.
To sum up, it is clear that the results of imprisonment can be mixed and it is only effective in restricting those who are very likely to commit repeated acts of violence. By contrast, education and vocational training suit those who committed less serious crimes, preventing them from becoming re-offenders after release and assisting them to reorganize their lives.
Thank you so much!