In many nations, prison can be applied to reduce the criminal issues in the society. In contrast, others argue that a superior education would be more ideal to prevent offenders. In this essay, I firmly agree that promoting education could be a better solution to prevent people from breaching rules.
On the one hand, there are several reasons why crimes could be controlled by prison sentences. Firstly, it could prevent the offenders from committing further crimes. While petty crimes would receive short sentences due to minor loss and injuries caused by offenders, there would be life sentences or death penalties might be applied for those, who committed serious crimes such as transporting drugs and murdering. By applying these sentences, there would be less financial losses and damaged properties,which could make people feel insecure in their local areas. In addition, punishment by jails could be a valuable lesson for many individuals, who break rules. In prison, some offenders would be isolated in single cells due to their committed crimes and were strictly limited from contacting families, using mobile phones, and other entertainment activities as consequences of breaking the laws. Therefore, serving life in prison could be mental stress for some offenders, discouraging them to commit crimes in the future.
On the other hand, I believe that educational opportunities would be better solutions to prevent crimes in societies. Firstly, education could help offenders find job opportunities after serving sentences in prisons. With vocational training, some individuals would be able to learn relevant skills, which allow them to apply for jobs while they are serving sentences in prisons. As a result, these individuals with illiteracy would not have to commit petty crimes such as shoplifting to reduce financial burdens. Furthermore, scholarships could allow some individuals to continue with education. Due to poverty, some individuals might not be able to financially afford for higher education such as universities and even drop schools early, which might lower the chances for job promotion and high income. With necessary skills in higher education, these individuals could have financial stability, which reduces the risks of committing crimes caused by lack of education and financial burdens.
Ultimately, prisons could be a huge relief for many citizens when offenders are kept in prisons and sentences could discourage aggressive behaviours in the future. However, I firmly believe that education could be a more effective way to mitigate the increased crimes with job opportunities and school scholarships.
