In the modern world, the best scientists are solving problem of reducing crime rate. Some people believe that the best way to reduce crime rate is to make prison sentences longer, while other think that there are better options. In this essay, I will discuss both sides and give my opinion.
On the one hand, one of the most popular reasons why people commit crimes is drug addiction and longer prison sentences contribute to its treatment. Usual rehabilitation centers use policy of freedom, no one can be held against their will, and there are limited number of drug addicts who have enough will to stay in such center voluntarily because drug withdrawal is one of the most unpleasant and hurtful things in the world. In prisons, people do not have a choice and are forced to stay and they recover from drug addiction. Surveys show that more than 60% of people who recover made it in prison. In general, the longer person stays in prison the higher chances of recovery.
On the other hand, long prison sentence decrease possibility of person to return to a usual life. A life in prison have other rules and people get accustomed to them. For example, it is crucial to have good position in hierarchy there so people become very aggressive during their sentence. Meanwhile, in real life, this situation often renders it impossible for a person to maintain employment, and former prisoners frequently find themselves losing their job positions because of aggressive behavior. So, for crimes without violence such as drug dealing would be a better option not to place people in prison, but provide them special facilities where they can be held in milder conditions and do not communicate with true criminals.
In conclusion, despite the advantages of longer prison sentences, I believe that there are limited options where it reduces crime rate and governments should make focus on other solutions.