Some people think the only purpose of prison is to punish crime. Others think it has other functions. Discuss the two views and give your opinion.

There are heated debates over the role

prisons

play in society.

While

some feel that the sole aim of these institutions is punishment, others, including myself, believe that they have other functions which are equally important. Supporters of the former view have some arguments to justify their position. One of these is the disciplinary nature of jails. Once convicted, it is no secret that offenders will be subjected to a range of moral instructions by officers and, in some cases, corporal punishments. All these are done to ensure that wrongdoers feel guilty and sorry for their misdeeds and that they become law-abiding citizens upon serving their sentences. Another way convicts are punished is through menial jobs. Governments don't want to invest their resources for no benefit, so criminals are assigned challenging tasks of mining, construction and cleaning.

This

sort of punishment is likely to be an effective deterrent to crime. I,

however

, take issue with the idea that

prisons

' only role is to punish offenders; they have a wider part to play in society. First and foremost,

prisons

educate society, especially the young segment of it, about the negative consequences of committing a crime. Jails,

in other words

, instil fear into the hearts of people that any misdeed - be it burglary, theft, or minor delinquencies - is punishable by law and criminals might ruin their lives by disobeying the law. Aside from

this

, prisoners have the opportunity to learn crafts

while

serving their sentences.

This

is because they tend to have a large amount of free time, which allows them to master skills including, but not limited to, woodwork, pottery and dressmaking. These useful skills can be valuable sources of income when these convicts are set free and can be an incentive to start their lives anew. In conclusion,

although

some reduce the purpose of

prisons

to punishment, I support those who argue that these correctional institutions

also

have moral and educational aims.