Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment

One of the highly controversial issues today relates to whether the judicial system should adopt fixed sentences for all crimes, or it should consider the circumstances and motivation behind each

crime

. In

this

essay, I am going to shed some light on

this

question from both points of view and extend my support to the latter

opinion

. On one side of the argument there are people who are the advocates of fixed punishments.

This

is because fixed punishments will probably save a lot of time and money that could

otherwise

be directed for use in much needed services in other sectors of the community

such

as health and education. Another reason for believing

this

is that criminals will think twice before they commit any

crime

, as they would realize that punishment is going to be swift and strict. One good illustration of

this

is the declined rate of crimes in some countries that adopt a very strict and harsh punitive system.

On the other hand

, it is

also

possible to make the opposing case. It is often argued that in many cases there are extenuating circumstances behind many of the crimes committed, especially the minor ones. People often have

this

opinion

because in many countries and communities there may be strong factors influencing

crime

rates

such

as poverty and blackmailing.

Therefore

, it is crucial for judges to consider all the circumstances surrounding a defendant or a case to issue a just and fair verdict.

For instance

, a young woman convicted of public misconduct may have been forced into prostitution due to poverty.

Thus

, it goes without saying that their viewpoint is credible and realistic. In my

opinion

, both arguments have their merits. On balance,

however

, I tend to believe that considering the circumstances behind each

crime

is paramount in order to reach a fair and just verdict in the courtroom. In my

opinion

, while awarding the punishment the judge should consider not only the severity of the felony, but

also

the circumstances that led to it. To conclude, it does not make sense to have fixed punishment for each

crime

because no two persons who commit the same violation have the same motive.