Some people think that some types of criminals should not go to prison. Instead they should do unpaid work in the community. To what extent do you agree?

Owing to the great variety of crimes that can be punishable by prison, some people argue that not all criminals are the same and it would

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be more appropriate to give certain criminals community service

instead

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. I agree that in some cases, jail may not be the best solution and

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society

Suggestion

society's

duty would probably have more benefits. One justification given for prisons is to keep

society

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safe by removing criminals from the outside world. So the

first

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thing to consider is if someone who has broken the law is a danger to other people. In the case of violent crime, there is an argument to keep the perpetrator away from

society

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.

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, burglary or possession of drugs,

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, does not involve violence against other people so the criminal does not present a direct danger to anyone in the centre. Keeping these types of criminals in the penitentiary is expensive for the taxpayer and does not appear to be an effective punishment as they often commit the same violation again when they come out of confinement. Personally, I

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believe punishments should reform people so they do not offend. A

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reason not to put these people in jail is that they may mix with more dangerous and violent criminals, potentially committing a worse violation when they are released. By keeping them with the people, helping others, they not only learn new skills, but they could

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develop more empathy and care towards others. If

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occurs, public can only benefit. Critics of

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more rehabilitative approach to the case believe that justice should be harsh in order to deter people from committing similar crimes and that peoples' duty could be less likely to have that effect.

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, there is very little evidence to suggest that long prison sentences deter criminals. In conclusion, putting criminals who are not a danger to the community in the penitentiary is expensive and, in my opinion, ineffective, both as a deterrent and as a form of rehabilitation. Public duty for non-violent crimes benefits both

society

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and the offender. That said, it would be useful to have more data to work out whether

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society business

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society, business

or penitentiary is more likely to stop someone offending. I strongly believe that decisions on how best to deal with criminals should be based on evidence of what actually works.