While some people believe that all offenders should be imprisoned, others contend that there are many better actions that could be taken namely community service. In this essay, i am going to discuss both statements before giving my own opinion on this argument.
It is understandable why some people think that all crimes ought to be sent to prison. Many crimes such as murdering or kidnapping are very dangerous. If the offenders of these actions are not sent to jail, they can do a lot of harm to the safety of the society. A study carried out in England in 2020 found that over 67% of murderers not sentenced a strict punishment committed to a more serious crime after just a very short time. Moreover, if all lawbreakers are imprisoned, this can act as a deterrent to other people who are planning to offend. They will be aware of how strict they could be punished if they do commit the same crimes. Given all of this, it is obvious that many people want all offenders to be sent to prison.
However, it is clear that imprisoning all lawbreakers is not always a good way to choose. If people commit just minor crimes, they may not be too harmful to the society, so it is unnecessary to send them to jail. Instead, they could be encouraged to do manual jobs or work voluntarily in many charities. This can help them contribute greatly to the society without costing money of the government to monitor them in prison. For instance, one research in the USA in 2019 found that those who committed just minor crimes and not be imprisoned can help a lot both in terms of working laborious jobs and helping those in need. From this standpoint, it is better not to send offenders committing minor crimes to prison but to encourage them to contribute to the society.
In conclusion, while serious crimes should all be imprisoned as a way to prevent more serious offending and deter other potential offenders, those who commit just minor crime ought not to be sent to jail but to help with laborious jobs and other meaningful activities.