With the advent of globalisation, there is an increase in the crime rate over the world. This calls out for the need of stringent punishments. In many nations, there is a long standing debate about the impact of using longer jail terms to fight crime. This essay discusses both the advantages and disadvantages of giving longer prison sentences to culprits.
Increasing the jail term for criminals might offer several benefits to the country. Firstly, there would be a greater fear of punishment in society, thus reducing the possibility of crimes. Secondly, criminals would never think of committing the same crime once they are out of prison. People would be more concious of their actions, which will improve the law and order in the state. Additionally, reduction in the crime rate would help the government focus on other social issues such as poverty, education, and economic growth. This would further help in the development of the nation.
While increasing the prison sentence has many advantages, there are a few disadvantages associated with it. For example, the government would need to spend a substantial part of its budget on maintaining the prison infrastructure. Moreover, for less heinous crimes such as pickpocketing, rehabilitation and counselling would be more effective. In such cases, longer prison terms would not help. Furthermore, drastic increase in the jail term might cause psychological imbalance amongst criminals, encouraging them to take revenge once they are let out.
To conclude, I strongly believe it is paramount to maintain a balanced approach to the severity and duration of the punishment. The government should consider both the merits and demerits before deciding on the duration of the prison sentence.