It is common knowledge that in Japan the majority of prisoners end up committing a crime again in the future. For this reason, it has been suggested prison systems are not the ideal measure to reduce crime rates. However, some individuals disagree, citing reasons against this opinion.
On the one hand, some people argue that prison systems have negative and even detrimental aspects. They insist that prisons, which are expected to maintain our social order, ironically to some extent, create further crimes. Namely, prisoners can encounter other criminals who have been already connected with inappropriate communities such as illegal drug networks. A second argument against the prison systems concerns prison officers’ aggressive attitude towards prisoners. For example, these officers sometimes abuse and harass sexually, which can not only violate basic human rights but also prevent prisoners from rehabilitating.
On the other hand, prisons are often considered important because criminals can learn morality. One of the main factors that leads them to commit a crime is insufficient education. For example, due to their families’ severe financial conditions, they tend to lose their opportunities to study ethical and legal knowledge. Therefore, prison officers help them to distinguish legally appropriate actions from illegal ones. Moreover, prison systems often provide various vocational trainings. If sinners can acquire sophisticated and advanced skilled in prisons, they will be able to obtain more chances to get higher-paying jobs.
To conclude, there are reasonable arguments both for and against the prison systems. Personally, I think these facilities are vital in our society since sinners can learn necessary knowledge while reviewing what they have done. In order to mitigate the disadvantages aforementioned, the governments ought to take appropriate measures.