In various nations, public opinion has long been divided on whether the criminals should be sentenced to longer prison to alleviate the rate of crime. While longer prisons can reduce crime through deterrence, it is a detrimental practice for the mental health of prisoners.
On the one hand, keeping the prisoners for a longer period of time in jails can create a kind of fear in people for not committing a crime, otherwise they it would be hard to see the real world again in a shorter time. Moreover, longer prisons can help keeping the prisoners away from the society for a much longer duration so that the society feels safe.
From negative perspectives, longer prisons can deteriorate the mental well-being of a person. It detaches people from the real world, making them feel anxious and depressed. Over the years, the situation becomes worse, and sometimes leads to mental illness. In addition to that, this practice also restricts the change. For example, if a criminal realises the magnitude of his crime and want to become a good person again, longer prison takes up his chance to show the world that he can be a good person. Therefore, I believe that the longer prison can only be appropriate for certain crimes, not for all.
In conclusion, although longer prison can safeguard other people from criminals and creates a sense of fear among people, it is a harmful approach for the mental well being of a person, causing mental illness and not giving the prisoner a chance for repentance.